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Hey guys,

This isn't an anti-Marine post, I appreciate all that Marines do for the franchise, how cool they are, and how they earn the money... But I was wondering, just for the sake of trying to introduce some variety to the game, if you see some new kid in a store who doesn't know what to get, would you perhaps gently nudge him away from the Marines?

Absolutely. Well, maybe not actively discourage marines, but actively promote other races.

Would you push them toward the old-school Xenos or do you find Tau and IG acceptable?

I'm always trying to spread some xenos love.

I show them a picture of Matt Huston from WD.. This is you in a few years.

This man has 12 SM armies.. 0 xenos 0 guard

Shaman wrote:I show them a picture of Matt Huston from WD.. This is you in a few years.

This man has 12 SM armies.. 0 xenos 0 guard

What.. no space wolves, blood angels, dark angels or black tempar?? Not enough Space Marines....

Here's a nice explation you can tell to other people about other races...

--------------------------------------

- Tau work like a fishing net, they are tried together to catch larger prey, but they can't catch fish by itself.

- IG is all about the weight of fire. 6000 lasgun shots or give me hell damn it! They also have a huge selection of armored tanks and have aircraft to boot.

- Orks are a fun way to get start. "Sod the rules boyz, lets get to chopping and fighting " They are very simple and are rather fun to play.

- Eldar have a unit for every job.. but highly specialised. Unit placement is vital.

- Dark eldar are all about quickly moving in and cutting people before they blow you out of the sky

- Necrons are extremely slow, but highly durable and can revive themselves should they fall.

- Tyranids are about hordes of critters, strong alien monsters and huge living tanks like beasts that crush others with giant claws.

- Chaos Deamons is about unpredictablity, deamons and teleporting into battle.

- Chaos Space Marines are great all rounders that have a lovely selection of units, but are a bit dry to play.

- The Deamonhunters is about small but extremely powerful units with amazing abilties to fight dea *Deleted, deemed heretical by the inquistion*

- The Witchhunters love fire.. and they are female pryomanic's... what's not to love?

I personally, though I am a loyalist (All hail the immortal God-Emperor of Mankind), I tend to promote all the different armies. Each army has its own playing styles, and if they fit, then g- Subject has been terminated for speaking heresy

Yep. I've been a Space Marine player since 2nd edition came out, and the number of Space Marine players irks me. I remember walking into a game store to play, and seeing nothing but Space Marines duking it out on all the game tables, so I immediately turned around and walked out. I like Space Marines, but man, I'd like to see more variety when I go to play. I've long considered getting a separate army for just that reason. I used to have a Tyranid army, which was great fun, but I sold it. Haven't gotten around to getting a new one, since. Though I'm considering Necrons. Imperial Guard, too, but that's an Imperial force, which bugs me almost as much as Space Marine armies fighting it out.

TheEmperor wrote:Yep. I've been a Space Marine player since 2nd edition came out, and the number of Space Marine players irks me. I remember walking into a game store to play, and seeing nothing but Space Marines duking it out on all the game tables, so I immediately turned around and walked out. I like Space Marines, but man, I'd like to see more variety when I go to play. I've long considered getting a separate army for just that reason. I used to have a Tyranid army, which was great fun, but I sold it. Haven't gotten around to getting a new one, since. Though I'm considering Necrons. Imperial Guard, too, but that's an Imperial force, which bugs me almost as much as Space Marine armies fighting it out.

I'm the same as you, but I'm a new player... I'm starting Guard proper this Christmas (Guard don't really irk me).

I ALWAYS try to point people away from marines, usually directing them towards gaurd or orks since they are supposed to be the most numerous in 40k. (also both are fairly simple to play and are very enjoyable)

Meh, who are we to get in the way of personal choice?

As long as the kid is aware that there are other armies then they can choice whatever army they want. Anyway, we all know that someone will stay in the hobby longer if they have an army they enjoy painting/ playing. More newbs staying = more vets.

A buddy of mine who almost started 40k was going to start Space Marines and I said "There are too many Spashh Mariins around here, why don't you try Orks? They are more fun!"
And we argued for 15 minutes and in the end he didn't start 40k at all!

I have 3 marine (not necessarily untrasmurfs, though) players and one CSM player in my regular playing group, so we try to keep the marine players count from rising above that.

Never try to push anyone away from what they want to do in terms of this hobby.

Trying to steer someones desires for your own self-interests is lame to the extreme.

The Dreadnote wrote:Absolutely. Well, maybe not actively discourage marines, but actively promote other races.

What he said
.

Absolutely not. If the person in question was a veteran gamer, then sure, I'd steer him towards eldar or Chaos, but if somebody is brand new to wargaming, space marines are exactly where they should start. If there is an army they're exited about, by all means encourage them, but Marines are cheap, easy to sell when you get bored, easy to assemble, paint, and play, and are far more idiot proof than most armies.

Space Marines are a good choice as an introduction to the hobby. So are Necrons. I would ask the person a series of questions to see what they would have the most fun playing and then try to help them design a good list for that army. If they seemed to like a race not SM I would not try to convince them to play power armor.

G

Honestly, I have to agree with Polonius.

If they're new, I would suggest Marines/Orks. They are the easiest races to play and paint. Only after they've gotten down the basics of the game and played a bit and gotten into it, would I suggest trying another army. Reason is simple, space marines are a bit on the inexpensive side for price then other armies. Not to mention, why would you get someone into a harder army, if they're not even sure they like it? You want to draw in more players to hope they'll stay around, because look at anyone that has stayed around, they have at least one other army (or more), and they're not all Space Marine armies.

Cheers!

I never would.
SM is the best army for starters.

The Dreadnote wrote:Absolutely. Well, maybe not actively discourage marines, but actively promote other races.

I Agree here.

Demogerg wrote:Never try to push anyone away from what they want to do in terms of this hobby.

QFT

Also, must agree with Polonius, et al., especially given how an understanding of MEQ is the prerequisite frame of reference for a lot of the meta game.

I hate space marines with a passion, but to impose my will upon others (especialy when it has monatary reprucusions) is a little self serving. I would like to see more people playing Xenons, but out of free will.

despoiler52 wrote:I would like to see more people playing Xenons, but out of free will.

lol, for the greater good

Well put Manchu.

I try and push folks away from marines, mainly because i'd rather there be some diversity in my future opponents.

Absolutely NOT.

First, SMs are easy to start with.

Second, if that's what he wants to spend his money on, who am I to dissuade him - it's HIS money!

I emphatically disagree with the notion that SMs are good for beginners. Telling somebody that is a good way to set them up for failure. Of the hundreds of games I've seen in which SMs participate, the only times they don't fall flat on faces are when: a)both players are SMs, so somebody's gotta win, or b)the SM player is a long time wargaming veteran with years of experience.
When I explain the game to an interested party, I make it very clear that there is no "best" army. Only a wide variety of play styles and appearances. No army is better to start with than another. People are intelligent enough to figure out how to play the army they choose. If, on the other hand, the person is obviously mentally handicapped, then yes, I'll tell them 'yeah, just get space marines...'

SMs are rules simple, point dense, easy to paint, easy to transfer into another MEQ army. That's pretty much the definition of a starter army.

Yes, but i wouldn't nag them. there are too many space marine armies

Freinds don't let freinds buy space marines.

Instead go "have you considered orks though. . ."