Vehicle-less armies

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**Klowny**

Hi guys! So I'm starting my Harlequin/Drukhari army in a few weeks, and I have the list I want completed already. The list has multiple vehicles and I hate painting (larger) vehicles. Starweaver size are probably the biggest I enjoy painting.

My question is, I want to start an imperium army next (not guard) and was wondering if there are valid builds/chapters/factions that can build a semi-competitive army without vehicles?

**BaconCatBug**

Hmm, for Imperium I can't see that happening (personally). The Imperium's strength has always used its tanks as a backbone, recently overtaken by the overpowered Flyers. If you're set on Vehicleless you could always do Nids?

**tripchimeras**

Yes absolutely, though I would encourage considering a mixed imperial army of detachment from different factions within imperium that should allow you to stay semi optimal with the loss of vehicles. Personally I'm looking at something similar looking to run a list with a core of a guard battalion of conscriptd backed up by 2 vanguard detachment of SM filled with deep striking vet squads full of rerolling goodness to counter alpha lists and deal with vehicles. Sure there are 1000 other ways many of them better to do it as well. Though again if you are going to deprive yourself of non infantry models I wouldn't also go mono marines or something if you want something competitive. Feels like too many handicaps at once.

**koooaei**

Probably skiitari. But they're all...kinda vehicles in the fluff. Ig can build a very powerful conscript tide list. Conscripts + scions.

**Weazel**

Well for starters the OP should define what "valid" means. On this forum anything that doesn't win NOVA or ETC is not valid by default.

That said, Space Wolves can run fun lists without any vehicles. Add a couple Dreadnoughts and you can actually run pretty decent lists as well. You will not win NOVA or ETC but you can absolutely have fun.

I'm not super familiar with Dark Angels but I hear Deathwing are pretty solid as well.

**Blackie**

I agree, SW without vehicles can be quite effective. Try long fangs, footslogging grey hunters and blood claws, thunderwolf cavalry, jump packs wolf guards, biker wolf guards, terminators, wulfen and scout plus a lot of possible HQs.

SW won't win NOVA or ETC even with their most effective list, or at least it's not likely to happen.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

koooaei wrote:

Conscripts + scions.

You can do it, but without vehicles you'll need 500+ bodies....

**Insectum7**

He did say "not guard".

I think plain old Space Marines can get you where you want to go though, they have so many choices for units that you can surely pull something readonable together.

**Klowny**

Thanks for the responses guys! Yep my main opponent is guard, so dont want to fight them with more guard. Plus I find horde armies tedious to build, paint and play.

In terms of valid, I do not mean top tier tournament competitive, just playable with a good chance of winning. Our local tournament scene is nowhere near as competitive as that, lots of armies are pretty viable.

I was looking at Space Wolves actually, my roommate collected them for a while, look super fun to build and paint and play! I like their style too, fast and hard hitting, like every other army I own

**Purifier**

koooaei wrote:
Probably skiitari.

Nothing but footslogging Skitarii is like a shoddy version of the Guard. Why would anyone do that to themselves.

**jeff white**

Vehicle killers.
Devastators, big guns and emplacements, terminators, lots of basic troops and scouts for multiple layers at deployment, jump pack dudes andlots of those, cavalry and bikes if you don't count bikes as vehicles I guess, dreadnoughts out the whazzoo, maybe a knight unless you count that as a vehicle - sure. Why not?

**Klowny**

Yeah I have always wanted a knight. I think one will be fun. Im looking at a list that has hellblasters and a wolf lord, TWC, wulfen in a crusader backed by a knight. Low model count, speedy and lotsa damage.

Thunder hammers look like the business.

Its a fun start, and can add in other units later on. I just dont like the fact most troops need vehicles to be capable of doing things (like troupes in starweavers), one or two big projects will be fine. D/S or bikes are my preference.

**3orangewhips**

You might look at Ravenguard for the -1 to hit. A whole mess of infantry that you get a -1 to hit until within 12" is good.

**AnomanderRake**

Raven Guard built with Primaris Marines and Dreadnaughts should work well. The trouble with vehicle-less infantry is the alpha strike has too easy of a time crippling you, Primaris are a lot less vulnerable to that with two Wounds, and while Dreadnaughts may not meet the letter of the "no vehicles" intent they'll provide much-needed durable support that benefits from the RG Chapter Tactics.

(Otherwise? Not sure about bike armies anymore; you could have some fun with Elites detachments built around biker Company Veterans (using the Index since they got cut from the Codex), but that may not last and I haven't done enough analysis to be able to actually recommend them. AdMech vehicles are all Walkers of some sort and they seem to be able to handle themselves, Grey Knights may be worth looking into, Tyranids don't have any "vehicles" at all, and Tau can probably get work done without resorting to the tanks.)

**vipoid**

Would Space Wolves with Bikes, TWC, Long Fangs, Wulfen etc. work?

Alternatively, can Blood Angels make decent Jump-Pack armies?

**Martel732**

BA can make lists that look viable, but don't work too well in practice.

Jump packs looked really good until we realized that horde lists can fill their deployment zones.

New and creative ways to gak on BA.

**Desubot**

Raven guard is probably the best option for you if you absolutely do not what vehicles (including bikes)

getting around is going to be tough without them.

**chrispy1991**

I think Dark Angels can do a pretty viable list without large vehicles. Deathwing and Ravenwing are both viable and durable options that pack a wallop (especially the Black Knights and Deathwing knights HOO-boy). They have excellent special characters to back them up and if you are willing to paint smaller vehicles like darkshrounds/speeders/dreads, you can make up for the lack of heavy vehicles with those too.

Just my two cents.

**Ratius**

On this forum anything that doesn't win NOVA or ETC is not valid by default.

Hehehe

**Buddingsquaw**

Even though robots now have the Vehicle key word, I still won't see them as such, so I'd suggest Legio Cybernetica: AdMech Robots.

Currently is just Kastellan robots and the usual floozies, but the 30k counterpart is much more fleshed out for it.
Not to mention, you can kitbash a load of the robots that appear in the fluff, like the Baharat. (Dreadknight height, carries a pair of miniguns for horde mowing).

**Klowny**

Thanks for the responses guys

I have no problem having dread sized vehicles in my army, just not a fan of when they get too big and lots are required. I like bikes (have an ever growing tomb blade wing) and deepstriking/fast moving infantry.

Think I'll stick with Space Wolves currently, the space engineers aren't my cup of tea.