Can't decide between 'Stealer Cult and Deathwatch - Please help

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**Puscifer**

As above...

I can't decide between the two factions. I like everything from both factions, except that with Deathwatch, it's just a lid of marines.

Please help me decide between the two.

Are either army more expensive than the other?

**Elbows**

One has history and flavour.

Another is grim-dark paste applied to marines...to make them more grim dark.

**casvalremdeikun**

Puscifer wrote:
As above...

I can't decide between the two factions. I like everything from both factions, except that with Deathwatch, it's just a lid of marines.

Please help me decide between the two.

Are either army more expensive than the other?

Do you have Space Marines or Tyranids already? If so, take the faction that you don't have.

Deathwatch will be a lot cheaper than Tyranids.

**Lansirill**

GSC are pretty expensive if you go dollars-per-point. You can certainly load up on upgrades and change that ratio, but people don't seem to be going in that direction.

**Timeshadow**

Lansirill wrote:
GSC are pretty expensive if you go dollars-per-point. You can certainly load up on upgrades and change that ratio, but people don't seem to be going in that direction.

Not necessarily if you have nids bits genestealers and access to a bunch of used/old guardsmen. You can make most of the units. Neophytes can be just repainted guardsmen.

**Puscifer**

casvalremdeikun wrote:
Puscifer wrote:
As above...

I can't decide between the two factions. I like everything from both factions, except that with Deathwatch, it's just a lid of marines.

Please help me decide between the two.

Are either army more expensive than the other?
Do you have Space Marines or Tyranids already? If so, take the faction that you don't have.

Deathwatch will be a lot cheaper than Tyranids.

I don't have any minis ATM. I'm just getting back into the hobby.

**Wayniac**

I'd say depends on which you prefer. GSC look really cool but seem to be extremely expensive (lots of 5-man boxes for $40, and you want a lot of guys that are pretty dirt cheap). But Deathwatch IMHO are boring due to being yet another Marine/Imperium army when the game is already saturated with them.

**Iron_Captain**

Do you know what other people in your area are playing?
Deathwatch is far from boring, but if everyone else is already running Space Marine lists it is not very fun.
I would advise against Genestealer Cults unless you are prepared to either spend a lot of money or just use Imperial Guard miniatures.

**Timeshadow**

Well if you wanted to go GSC your best option is try to find 1-3 Deathwatch overkill games and then sell the marines/game from it for 50$ or so. This gives you a good start on most of your needed units.

2 Deathwatch boxes contain

36 Neophytes(4 Mining lazers/4 Grenade launchers)
24 Acolytes
8 Aberrants
4 Genestealers
2 of each Magus/Patriach/Primus

Buy a used Guard army from someone for a few Sentenels/Tanks/Chimeras and a bunch of Neophytes.
or the Get Started Guard Box for a Tank, 10 Troops one heavy weapon and another Primus/Commisar

This should be about 300$ give or take and gives you a good start.

**Sidstyler**

You could always buy both...although it is pretty damn expensive.

If I had to pick one over the other though I'd probably do GSC first, and then maybe look into Deathwatch later. The GSC look awesome and they're some of the best infantry kits I think GW have ever done.

**SharkoutofWata**

Deathwatch isn't a "real" army any more than Militarum Tempestus, Inquisition or Harlequins. They're more like a specialty piece to ally into an existing army, but alone they are going to be a challenge to field. GSC are a full and complete army on their own, though not the most broad army. They're a better choice if you're looking to run them as your main army.

**Insectum7**

I would buy GSC by a million miles. Deathwatch are just sorta marines +, as far as a I can tell, and I think a little boring. (and there are so many marine armies)

GSC seems to have a lot of very unique rules and tactics, and I think they will make for very interesting play on the tabletop.

I also think their minis are better too.

**TheAngrySquig**

Deathwatch are definitely going to cost less, and it's a fun army with a lot of options. I would say GSC is probably a better option, because getting one Hormagaunt box and then a bunch of Cadians will make your infantry needs cheaper than the official box set.

**Lance845**

GSC are a lot more expensive of a force to build up but I also think they are much more interesting.

Death Watch are a interesting mix of space marines but they are still mostly just space marines.

Genestealers don't play like other armys. Ignore the people who say they are like nids. They are not. Nids play very differently from GSC even though they share SOME war gear on SOME of their units.

**Slayer-Fan123**

The Cults have a different playstyle compared to other armies and would be unique looking. Deathwatch would allow you to build other Marine armies.

So it depends how much you want to branch into Marines. If you don't plan to at all, Cults it is.

**Skriker**

Despite claims otherwise in this thread, Deathwatch are a solid and good force more akin to a specialized marine army like Grey Knights and not just to ally with other armies.

A death watch army will require fewer minis so will likely be cheaper than a genestealer cult army which has cheaper units pointswise which will translate to more models on the table.

Ultimately it is hard to point someone to which army they should build when it really is based on personal preference: An army that fades and ambushes again and again, or an army that goes in full bore and shoots the heck out of everything in its path? Read the DW/GSC battle report in October's White Dwarf as it clearly delineates the differences in fighting styles of the two armies. Then pick the one you think sounds like it would give you the most enjoyment.

**Danny slag**

to add to the cost part of the equation. Genestealers are indeed really expensive $ per points, but you also might want to consider that deathwatch you're going to want several drop pods which are more than a dollar a point. pre-drop pod DW probably is cheaper, with the drop-pods you might be looking at the same cost. I know $ isn't a great way to pick an army because if it's cheap but you don't dig it then it doesn't matter. But something to consider, cost difference might end up being a moot point simply because of drop-pods.