Beginner Here - Army List Advice

[crocker]

Hi,

 

This is my very first post and i'm looking to get an understanding of 40K, i did have some models when i was a lot younger but never really understood the rules and now have took an interest again. Really like the look of the Dark Angels and was looking for some advice on what units to purchase to create a small army. I'm assuming that regardless of what army you choose their is several ways in which you can play them. I am not really a big fan of loads of tanks but except from that i'm open to any suggestions.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Slim]

It depends what sort of army you want to go for - whether you are wanting something competitive or if you want to go with units that you like - and of course how many points you are looking to go for?

 

Generally speaking, a Deathwing force is seen as the most competitive build - but unless you are happy going Terminator-heavy it may not tick all the boxes for you. Personally I would recommend a little mix-and-match between the regular 'greenwing' marines and some Terminators so as to get a little taste across the codex.

 

I find that Tactical Marines (while relatively expensive points-wise) provide an Ok base - perhaps two units split into combat squads with Razorbacks is handy. Then perhaps a Devastator Squad or two (I tend to use Missile Launchers) and then a Terminator Squad or two (with Land Raider Crusader?) and Belial (he's cheap and your terminators become troops with the bonus of a banner and apothecary). From there you can add some extra punch with a Dreadnought, Vindicator, or Melta-packing bikes etc, it's really up to you and what you like the look of - plus what sort of forces you are likely to meet in your local area / gaming group.

 

While I appreciate you don't like tanks, the Razorbacks will give you that extra protection to keep your tactical marines alive longer as well as deliver them where you need them for objective grabbing.

 

I am sure that there are plenty of others here with different opinions, but I feel that this sort of a build will give you an idea of what you may want to explore further without breaking the bank too much. Deathwing forces, while pretty effective with the right tactics can be unforgiving (no pun intended! :) ) and aren't cheap to put together...

 

Hope this helps and I look forward to hearing how you get on!

 

PS - If you want robed Dark Angels (good for Sergeants, Veterans, etc) I found that the Chapter Upgrade pack is a worthwhile investment - you'll need some extra stands, but it is a better buy than the straight Dark Angels Company Veterans Box, price-wise.

[crocker]

Thanks for the detailed reply, i have found all the people on this website to take time with helping each other which is why i decided to become a member.

 

I really like the idea the infantry based army with some vehicle support like you say.

 

I will be looking to start purchasing my paints, brushes, models, etc at the end of november.

 

Would you have anywhere you could recommend to purchase within the UK? Also what should i purchase based on what you have suggested?

 

Thanks once again,

Chris

[Slim]

If you can resist going into a Games Workshop store for that immediate fix I would say have a look online for stores - Wayland Games is pretty good as are the War Game Store - shop around and you should find you can save a few quid online... There is also eBay of course, but that is something else entirely!

 

It's tough to recommend where to start with products. While the battleforce box, for example, is pretty good you will be getting some units you are unlikely to ever use (Scouts in Dark Angels, for example, are overpriced and an Elites choice - where you would be better placed to use the slot for a Dreadnought, for example). Elsewhere, the Black Reach box is good value for what you get if you can split the cost with an Ork player - however the figures are not as poseable as the regular releases, leaving you with a slightly generic-looking force as compared to the more expensive options. I suppose it all depends on how much money you have at your disposal...

 

I would suggest looking through the Codex and drawing up a small points-value list in conjunction with a trip into a Games Workshop store or a look on the Internet to see what units you like the look of. Definitely work out your lists before you start modelling and always go for the Razorback box over the Rhino - you can make both tanks from the Razorback box by not sticking the top hatch down and making the weapon-less Rhino top as well.

 

Hope this helps...

[crocker]

Thanks alot for your advice, its great!

 

Will have a look online and check out the games workshop store for a codex.

[chilipot]

Hi Chris first off let me say welcome to the forums and to Chapter.

 

Now as for me I like a well rounded force and one that supports each other. I believe a HQ with a squad and two tach squads work in razorbacks for two. Now depending on what you feel your facing Heavy bolters work against most xenos. Now I like the fluff and history so I love to use plasma cannons on one razorback. If your facing tanks well better go for a lascannon. These work great with ether a attack bike squad with a multimelta or land speeder squad and always buy the assault cannon with them. They have saved the day many times. Now for close combat you can get some deathwing and deep strike them, Grab a squad of assault marines or if you want to go for it two dreadnaughts with assault cannon and heavy flamers can wreak anything.

 

Of course a full Deathwing or Ravenwing army is possible for us and while I am currently working on both. Feel that they are a more advanced army and require a different style of play.

 

Hope to see a battle report and Have fun play fair and always remember. The Xeno and Heratic shall all suffer the effects of purifying Plasma

 

Jack

[Tengo]

Hay there Crocker! Welcome to the unforgiven.

 

First of all, let me just say that you're at a great advantage, coming here before blowing a whole load of money of stuff that you probably didn't actually need or want. I know I'm not the only one here who made a whole load of misinformed choices early on in the hobby.

 

My first piece of advice to you, especially as you're starting completely from scratch, is to get some mini magnets (example: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-x-Disc-Rare-E...item45fc876e9c) and a hobby drill (GW sell one) and rather than gluing a model so that it can only ever be used as the one, same thing (A marine troop with a bolter for instance) Fit magnets into the weapons and hands so that the model can field different weapons if the time calls for it, say again you've got that marine with a bolter and you're coming across a tank heavy army, pop out the bolter and put in a meltagun, and bobs your uncle!

 

Obviously drilling little holes into your models and their weapons is a bit of an advanced technique, but it makes the models easier to paint, paint the model and weapon separately (normally their weapon obscures the chest area) and that way you don't have to spend extra money on extra models just so you have a wider variety of choice of what to field, for instance, ages ago, I spend around £7 odd on a single space marine troop, because of the weapon he came with, the little metal figure was actually alot older and less detailed than the rest of my troops, and looks slightly out of place.

The best thing to do would have been to magnetise some of my troops, and the just buy the relevant weapon from this website: http:/www.bitzbox.co.uk and just swap weapons when I need to. This also becomes Really useful for vehicles and the like, where the weapon options are quite vast, but if you stuck one particular weapon on, you might find yourself having to buy the model again, just so you can field it with a different weapon.

 

Elmo9141 on the Dark Angles forums will be able to help you with magnetising models alot more than I can.

 

Also, on a final note, I'm usually an advocate of hobby starter sets, they give you everything that you'll need, so you won't find yourself missing something all important when it's too late. There's a hobby starter set which comes with 12 paints, plastic glue, PVA glue, Plastic clippers and grass and sand basing materiel. There's another (cheaper) starter set with 8 paints, a brush and five marines. The problem with these starter sets is that you're probably not going to use many of these paints in a Dark Angels army, and those 5 marines come with Ultramarine symbols moulded on them.

The assault on Black Reach boxset comes with a very capable Space Marine fighting force, with 10 marines, Some kinda HQ leader guy, a Dreadnought and 5 terminators, all these will find their way into your army lists later on, plus you get a bunch of orks that you can either keep, and teach your friends to play with, or sell on to an Ork player for some imperial funds ;D The set also comes with dice and templates, which are very useful. It also comes with the essential, the rulebook. The disadvantages of this box set, are mainly the quality and custom-ability of the models, but this is only really an issue for experienced players who have already spent ages building an entire cohesive army.

 

Christmas is a GREAT time to get in the hobby, when I was a kid, apart from paints and glue, and the very odd beastmen unit (Warhammer Fantasy) I would get bought nothing from GW untill Christmas or my birthday, where I would get a huge boost to my army in one go.

 

My advice to you is to spend ages on the GW website, decide what army you like the look of best, ask around on the forums about their features and playstyle, get a codex, hobby essentials (Plastic clippers, Plastic glue, Super glue, Primer and relevant paints) a Rulebook, (templates are sometimes a necessary buy) two bog standard core units and one HQ leader for whatever army you choose, and you have enough to start the hobby and start playing small games, everything else can be bought later.

Also, go into GW, they can give you comprehensive advice, and they usually have a table set up with the fully assembled and painted contents of the Black Reach box set, so you can see what you could be getting, aswell as playing a game to introduce you to the rules.

 

The amount of models you get in Black Reach (especially for a space marine army) makes it well worth the army, and eve if you don't want to collect Space Marines or Orks, you'll have no problem selling either for £30 each, leaving you with a free rulebook, dice and templates.

 

If you do keep the space marine models from the boxset, you've pretty much got a Dark Angels army, and a pretty effective fighting force, the only thing you'd really wanna buy straight away, is a landspeeder (or two) and a box of Company veterans (or two xD).

[crocker]

Thanks a lot guys!, will have a good look before i buy and will keep you guys posted.