Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'll come right out and admit that I an absolutely horrible at this game. If it wasn't for the painting, I'd have given up on it by now. However I've once again started playing with a friend of mine that compulsively makes killer lists. I imagine if I really wanted to I could try and make a list that would work well against his, but that's no fun. Instead I'd like to put together a strong ('cheesy' if you will... but really I just want to have a strong, tried-and-tested list) list that I can pull out if I'm playing against -any- strong opponent (which is most of them for me, sadly.)

The more forgiving the list is, the better, but let's pretend I'm living in a magical fantasy world where I'm trying to win tournaments. I'd like to build a list around an army I'm already working on, but I can consider other options (maybe... I don't want to drive myself crazy with projects as I'm already-trying- to cut down.)

The following armies probably are the easiest for me to build a list around:

1) Space Marines: Any variant would do. I have a sizable collection of Black Templars and I'm toying around with a vanilla chapter, but I can pretty easily swing calling my vanilla chapter a successor to anything. SWs probably are off the table due to the rumors of a new codex (although I plan on painting up a few squads regardless.) I'm going to lump Chaos Space Marines into this category as well.

2) Tyranids: I have a mix of MCs and genestealers already painted up. I can paint these guys quickly, and like how they look, so they're not a bad option.

3) IG: I don't really have any idea for what to do with my IG models yet, just a bunch of converted half-Cadian/half-Empire models, plus some heavy weapons, LR, and a vendetta. Building a list for these guys would have the advantage of not requiring me to change a list.

4) Orks: Again I don't have a plan, just some models. I enjoy painting these guys though and can do it fairly quickly if I cheat with washes (so as long as nobody picks them up, they look very nice ) This is what my friend is playing though, so I want to be careful not to mirror his list. On the upside, my wife loves Orks (thinks they're cute, and they kinda are,) so I don't think I'd get too much hell from her over it. "Hi dear. Look at the cool new model I'm going to paint up for you."

5) Eldar: Only if I have to. I just shelved these guys this Sunday in an attempt to get my hobby back under control.

At this point I'm really just trying to figure out what codex to be looking at. I approach the game more as a collector than a player, so I tend to look for 'cool' over 'effective'. Frankly, I'm okay with having an army laying around that's actually effective, to go with the 5 or so that aren't.

Honestly: go with orks.

One of the guys at my FLGS is not a very good general (he thinks he is, of course) and when he wants to win, he just busts out his orks.

My best friend plays orks, he is a good general, and has never lost with them since the new codex, even in highly-competitive tournaments.

There are a lot of power builds floating around out there. Search the threads and pick one. I would suggest, one of these:

Marines: Get the special characters, Lysander, Hestan and Shrike are some of the best, build a Terminator Thunderhammer unit and a landraider, avoid pods, be sure to bring at least 3 troop units that can combat squad into 6 scoring units or shrink into 3 KP and you'll be fine with a variety of builds.

Chaos: 3 Obliterator Units, 4-5 Plague Marine Squads in Rhinos, 2 Lash Demon Princes

Demons: 3 units of blood crushers, fateweaver, stuff to taste (small cheap units for wave 2)

Eldar (not as good): Eldraad, Yriel, 6 Avengers in Serpents and 3 Fire Prisms

Tyranids (not as good): Flyrant with twin devourers, 6 Fexes; at least 3 with Barbed Stranglers and TL death spitters or Venom Cannons for AT work, 4 genestealer units, vanilla is fine, they are in the army to score.

Or build Orks.

The Eldar power build is 1 or 2 farseers on jetbikes with warlock units attached, and then whatever else you may need.

Thanks. So far it's sounding like the SM or Ork option is the best bet, although it sounds like my 'nid list is pretty close already (and it tends to do well... don't ask me why I don't play it more) If Eldar aren't as good, I'm not going to open myself up to ridicule from the missus for taking them back out after 2 days. Not so much into daemons and, hm, the twin-lash list *is* tempting but I feel like I'll be left with a bunch of models that do nothing come the next codex/BRB revision, and completely stomping all over the fluff when I play it. It's still tempting though.

Go with any old Horde Army. It combines your likes of painting and very simple tactics. Just move towards your enemy and kill. So go with Nids or Orks.