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What is the best Warhammer 40K army for a beginner?
Black Templars
Blood Angels
Chaos Daemons
Chaos Space Marines
Daemonhunters
Dark Angels
Dark Eldar
Eldar
Imperial Guard
Necrons
Orks
Space Marines (SM Codex)
Space Wolves
Tau
Witch Hunters
I have no opinion/don't play 40K
Tyranids

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Made in us
[ADMIN]
President of the Mat Ward Fan Club






Los Angeles, CA

Suggested by user: Shake Zoola.

What is the best 40K army for a beginner player to start with and why?


This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2010/03/20 06:19:27


I play (click on icons to see pics): DQ:70+S++G(FAQ)M++B-I++Pw40k92/f-D+++A+++/areWD104R+T(D)DM+++
yakface's 40K rule #1: Although the rules allow you to use modeling to your advantage, how badly do you need to win your toy soldier games?
yakface's 40K rule #2: Friends don't let friends start a MEQ army.
yakface's 40K rule #3: Codex does not ALWAYS trump the rulebook, so please don't say that!
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Made in us
Nihilistic Necron Lord




The best State-Texas

I would say Generic Space Marines.

Easy to understand rules, easy models, pretty much every example in the BRB involves space marines.

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Slippery Scout Biker





Boise, Idaho

Basic Space Marine , Ork or Eldar I would say.

SpaceMarine 2200pts
GrayKnight 750pts
Tyranid 1300pts
Chaos SM 1200pts 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User




I take it that Tyranids are assumed a terrible army to start with? :-P
   
Made in us
Fleshound of Khorne





Basic marines. They are cheap to collect and forgiving to use.

"Centurion: Jealous newbie marines wanted a Marine version of a crisis suit that gave S/T and 2 weapons in one fire turn and an extra W, so that is my take on the Marine Turducken" shasolenzabi  
   
Made in us
[ADMIN]
President of the Mat Ward Fan Club






Los Angeles, CA

doak22 wrote:I take it that Tyranids are assumed a terrible army to start with? :-P



Whoops. Fixed that, but unfortunately the option has to be at the bottom now.


I play (click on icons to see pics): DQ:70+S++G(FAQ)M++B-I++Pw40k92/f-D+++A+++/areWD104R+T(D)DM+++
yakface's 40K rule #1: Although the rules allow you to use modeling to your advantage, how badly do you need to win your toy soldier games?
yakface's 40K rule #2: Friends don't let friends start a MEQ army.
yakface's 40K rule #3: Codex does not ALWAYS trump the rulebook, so please don't say that!
Waaagh Dakka: click the banner to learn more! 
   
Made in au
Sinewy Scourge






Western Australia

This certainly seems to be an overwhelming response. <.< Orks are pretty forgiving if you want an army that can just muck in there although not so much shooting.

Kabal of Venomed Dreams
Mourning Angel
UsdiThunder wrote:This is why I am a devout Xenos Scum. We at least do not worship Toasters.

 
   
Made in gb
Sneaky Sniper Drone







Best: Generic Sm.
Worst: Dark Eldar. You have to get used to them for ages.

ARMY IN MASSIVE PROGRESS:


ARMIES IN MINI PROGRESS:

founding chapter named the Roaring Eagles.
 
   
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Growlin' Guntrukk Driver with Killacannon





UK

Necron, and I see they are getting a good proportion of the votes. Simply because they are the easiest to paint. You don't need too many to have an army that works. Only a few easy-ish to understand special rules (with exception of the monilith).

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/03/20 12:39:55


   
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Twisted Trueborn with Blaster






Northern Ireland

hmmm.... Space Marines I think? lol

Full on, Full on! 
   
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Sybarite Swinging an Agonizer






Middlesbrough, UK

Generic Space Marines. The models (barring Thunderfire Cannon) are easy to assemble, relatively easy to paint to tabletop-standard, and they have forgiving statlines/rules that are easy to follow.

Tyranids have to be one of the worst, just for the sheer number of large metal models- they'd be a pain for a beginner to assemble I think.

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Sinewy Scourge






Western Australia

Krusha123 wrote:Best: Generic Sm.
Worst: Dark Eldar. You have to get used to them for ages.

I started DE. Never regretted it, I love the fluff and play style, but two years later I'm still getting hauled up on rules mistakes because I'm used to reading a codex that is 3rd Ed. Seriously, don't learn with a codex that is so out of date, you spend all your time relearning it.

Kabal of Venomed Dreams
Mourning Angel
UsdiThunder wrote:This is why I am a devout Xenos Scum. We at least do not worship Toasters.

 
   
Made in us
Trigger-Happy Baal Predator Pilot






Ya know, for the amount of complaining that everyone does about GW's support for SM's, there seems to be a general consensus that it works well for beginners. So, of course they are going to focus on support for them, if its universally considered to be a good starter army, they can rope in more new people if its constantly the most up to date and balanced force that is easiest to use. Just saying.
   
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Death-Dealing Ultramarine Devastator






I can't believe necrons received more votes than orcs!

 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka






Arlington, Texas

Chaos Marines. Fewer options than Space Marines so less to know, one of every unit type available to learn the basics, and a broad range of models to choose from as well as varied fluff to experiment with.

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Brainy Zoanthrope






UK

Caboose wrote:Ya know, for the amount of complaining that everyone does about GW's support for SM's, there seems to be a general consensus that it works well for beginners. So, of course they are going to focus on support for them, if its universally considered to be a good starter army, they can rope in more new people if its constantly the most up to date and balanced force that is easiest to use. Just saying.


Well, the reason people are saying this IS because GW had so much support for them! In my opinion, if GW had more support for say... Tyranids, it would also have the resounding vote.

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Longtime Dakkanaut




Caboose wrote:Ya know, for the amount of complaining that everyone does about GW's support for SM's, there seems to be a general consensus that it works well for beginners. So, of course they are going to focus on support for them, if its universally considered to be a good starter army, they can rope in more new people if its constantly the most up to date and balanced force that is easiest to use. Just saying.


The Space Marine codex being a good starter army has absolutely nothing to do with all the additional Chapter codici, which is what annoys most people. If Space Wolves, Blood Angels, Dark Angels and Black Templars wouldn't have their own codex, then noone would be whining about the attention the Space Marines are getting in the first place!
   
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Sniveling Snotling






United Kingdom

Kandle wrote:Basic marines. They are cheap to collect and forgiving to use.


+1 (thats it in a nut shell)

   
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Growlin' Guntrukk Driver with Killacannon





UK

ihatehumans wrote:I can't believe necrons received more votes than orcs!


Yep easier to paint, you need less of them and they are more forgiving on the battlefield. Much better than Orks IMHO.

   
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Sinister Chaos Marine






Texas

I started with nids, and that didn't work out so much. So I moved over to chaos marines, and proceeded to fall in love with them. You could say chaos marines are just as easy on beginners as vanilla marines, but when it really comes down to it you have to give smurfs credit for being easy to play.

Standard marines have my vote, if only because of how easy they are to play.

I was a kid now AND a squid now before it was cool. 
   
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Terrifying Treeman






The Fallen Realm of Umbar

frogboy wrote:
Kandle wrote:Basic marines. They are cheap to collect and forgiving to use.


+1 (thats it in a nut shell)

Make that +2

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Cosmic Joe





Bulgaria

Of the armies that i own now (which includes SM) i still wish i had started with guard.


Nosebiter wrote:
Codex Space Marine is renamed as Codex Counts As Because I Dont Like To Loose And Gw Hates My Army.
 
   
Made in us
Boosting Space Marine Biker





Guard was such a royal pain to start with... of course that was over 10 years ago for me. Hellhounds were not Fast vehicles (dumb), you were forced to play obscene amounts of footsoilders just to get 3 or more Troops (no originallity), and the upfront cost was painful (some things don't change).

Go with vanilla SM. The armor, leadership, and ATSKNF will cover a lot of rookie mistakes.

There is a place beneath those ancient ruins in the moor…

 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka






Columbia, SC (USA)



I voted for Space Marines. Most of the reasons why have already been covered by others. The only points I would add are the availability of AOBR models, the ease of working with plastic, and the small size of the force makes it easier to play during games. Making decisions for 40+ marines is easier than pushing 120+ Orks.

What interests me more are the votes for Witchhunters. They have expensive models with a lot of metal that are tough to get right now. They also have very specialized rules (including faith points) that are not easy for new players to grasp. As a parting shot, they aren't very easy to paint either.


The secret to painting a really big army is to keep at it. You can't reach your destination if you never take any steps.

I build IG...lots and lots of IG.  
   
Made in ca
Mounted Kroot Tracker





Ontario, Canada

SM all the way. Guard for example, have tons of extra rules now which are extremely hard to remember for someone who's played for a while. Marines have a nice balance of everything in the codex, and all the rules can be covered with the options they have, very easily.

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Longtime Dakkanaut






Moving flat out..

Space Marines!

Because..

4 . 4 . 4 . 4 . = easy to remember !


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Been Around the Block




i also believe space marines are easy to play to i started with CSM and then did sm know i am wanting to trade both for necrons because one there easy to paint but yet fun to play and i like the fact they are robots with the same stats as a SM but are more points and can be fun if you get to know how to play better.

hope this helps

 
   
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Eternally-Stimulated Slaanesh Dreadnought






New York, NY

Funny, I think CSM are much more 'forgiving' then generic SM. No weird rules in CC, limited unit selection, best all around troop choices, and a no brainer HQ.


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Veteran Wolf Guard Squad Leader





Poughkeepsie, NY

yakface wrote:Suggested by user: Shake Zoola.

What is the best 40K army for a beginner player to start with and why?




Space Marines for several reasons:

1. It is a small army.
2. Cheap to buy.
3. You will never be disappointed with the release schedule.
4. Easy to paint.
5. Forgiving of mistakes on the tabletop.
6. Straight forward tactics (and the army is still good while using them)

3500 pts Black Legion
3500 pts Iron Warriors
2500 pts World Eaters
1950 pts Emperor's Children
333 pts Daemonhunters


 
   
Made in mx
Water-Caste Negotiator





If money, time of assembly, and other factors are considered on top of the game rules and easiness to play then Regular Space Marines are it.

Perhaps I'm a little biased for it being my main army but I find the Imperial Guard to be quite forgiving in the gaming department, you can have so many troops that losing a bunch of them will not hurt you, so mistakes sting far less, and use of meatshields are actually desirable.

Waaagh! 
   
 
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