What does an army look like?

[Iron Father Ferrum]

For me, a good TAC army will have:

 

1. Multiple leaders to provide punch and/or special abilities

2. A fire support element consisting of both tanks and infantry for holding rear areas (Base of Fire)

3. A shooting-centric infantry force capable of moving into the midfield to hold objectives (Objective Force)

4. An assault-centric infantry force capable of moving into the enemy's rear area (Vanguard Force)

 

 

These four components can be fulfilled in different ways.  Deep striking Terminators, jump pack infantry, or assault infantry in a fast APC can all hit Item #4, for example.  The roles are all not perfectly set in stone the way I've written them either; for World Eaters, for example, Jakhals aren't a fire support element but they can hold objectives or block deep strike zones in your backfield while your midfield and vanguard troops move up the board.  Every single army I build, and have built since as far back as I can remember, has fit this paradigm.

 

For example, I took Chaos Marines to a tournament this past weekend.  Went 2-1 and finished 7th out of 18th (respectable).  My Base of Fire was a Predator, a Crown, Havocs, a Helbrute, and Cultists.  My Objective Force was Legionaries in a Rhino with a Sorcerer, and a Land Raider.  My Vanguard Force was Possessed with Master of Possession and Chosen with a Lord and Exalted Champion (who disembark from the Land Raider).  This gave me good long and medium range fire support, close combat abilities across all parts of the field, and a hefty assault force to punch into enemy lines.  The Helbrute, for example, stood in the back and lent his Dark Pact aura to the Predator and Havocs; provided point fires with his lascannons; and engaged deep striking counterattacks with his power fist.  The Legionaries moved into the midfield every game to take a No Man's Land objective, disembarked from the Rhino, and provided medium-range fire support to the assault elements with based bolter fire, a couple heavy weapons, and the Sorcerer's psychic attack.

 

So anyways.  That's my shtick.

[jaxom]

34 minutes ago, JayJapanB said:

The CSM one makes Abaddon look like an elementary school teacher, or professional dog walker.

I almost snarfed my drink!

[MegaVolt87]

Abaddon should come with x5 termi's, TS should have a rubric squad for the box patrols in them. GK box is fine, it's just the baby carrier is a joke model. 

[apologist]

Using your own collections as examples, what's the force you think you'd take if you wanted to show someone new what a 40k army looked like? What would you include? What would you leave out or avoid?

[Orion]

5 hours ago, apologist said:

What would you include?

Aircraft. Lots of Aircraft

5 hours ago, apologist said:

What would you leave out or avoid?

Infantry. Tanks. Walkers etc

 

Have them rock up to the tables with a 28mm Aeronautica army. Keep the hobby interesting.

[gaurdian31]

6 hours ago, apologist said:

Using your own collections as examples, what's the force you think you'd take if you wanted to show someone new what a 40k army looked like? What would you include? What would you leave out or avoid?

Couple of squads of Chaos Legionnaires, a Helbrute, a squad of Possessed and a Master of Possession. Maybe a rhino or two, but keep it vehicle light.

[jaxom]

6 hours ago, apologist said:

Using your own collections as examples, what's the force you think you'd take if you wanted to show someone new what a 40k army looked like? What would you include? What would you leave out or avoid?

 

I'd either show them my Guard, Astartes, or Daemons.

 

Astartes would be three Tactical Squads, a Devastator Squad, and an Assault Squad along with a Rhino, Dreadnought, and Predator. And a Captain and Lieutenant.

 

Daemons would be  three units of Plague Bearers, a unit of Beasts of Nurgle, a unit of Plague Drones. And a Herald, Jester, and Scrivener.

 

The Guard are the only ones I'd leave something out, as my two Valkyries were meant for more of a themed Militarum Tempestus force. I'd show them three Infantry Squads alongside two Scion squads and 2 Leman Russ tanks. And a Commissar, Lieutenant, and Tempestus Prime.

 

 

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

7 hours ago, apologist said:

Using your own collections as examples, what's the force you think you'd take if you wanted to show someone new what a 40k army looked like? What would you include? What would you leave out or avoid?

My Space Marines would be a classic demi company. (One more painted rhino and I’ve got it fully mechanized, too, once I repaint my captain). I’d add some support, either in the form of air support, first or tenth company personnel, or a more dangerous armor asset, depending on how I’m feeling. 
 

My Necrons get the Silver Tide Treatment, since that’s what’s painted. Lots of infantry, lots of characters, and some Flayer and destroyer units on the outskirts.

 

My Guard isn’t a fully realized army yet but I think I could still offer ‘infantry plus a tank’ as a good proto-example thereof. 

[Dark Legionnare]

I've kept my Crimson Fists as "Firstborn only" (While making my Star Phantoms Primaris only) and have coasted them through 8th, 9th, and two games of 10th so far following the ol' Force org and WYSIWYG without much issue. (It helps our group is VERY keen on what's abuseable and avoids it on purpose)

Always taking at least:

1. 1x Logically-would-lead-a-force unit (Captain, LT)
2. 2x 10 tacs
3. 1x 10 Sternguard (various combis)
4. 2x Razors to transport around the shorter range halves of the tac squads & be some heavy guns.
5. 1x Land raider vanilla/redeemer or drop pod for the sternies

Fill in the rest with whatever may be. To me, at least the core troops, an HQ, and one supporting infantry elite or heavy support of some kind is what "makes an army" to me.

The 10th ed style of "Bring all your good toys" I'm not a fan of at all. But that's because my taste is 15+25+ years of "always need a Core" design like older 40k, 30k, and Fantasy.

Not saying somebody making and rocking a 1st-company themed list isn't rad as hell, just for immersion and gameplay sense it's weird to think of any SM force (Any army really ) without core troops as a good chunk of meat in the list.  Keeps lethality down too, which I think we can all agree has been an ebbing and flowing tide especially in 9th.

As a random lore tie-in for my list design process; if the 1st company is 100 or so marines, it's pretty weird to my sensibilities to have 1/2 of the entire first company show up for one skirmish battle and get dumpstered by a bunch of hooligans in leather jackets. (My last game of my orks vs a buddy's Dark Angels)

Edited August 17, 2023 by Dark Legionnare
Edit: Realized it was a good deal more than "15" years if I actually remembered how I'm 33 and started when I was 8...

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

On 8/16/2023 at 4:33 PM, Abanshee said:

I think a typical force should represent the smallest force available on the FOC for your chosen faction (For example, a space marine demi-company is what I'd field in a regular 40k match if I was playing them. Or something comparable to a demi-company.)

 

Whatever is the smallest on the faction's force organization chart basically and going up the chart as you go up in points.

 

I always die a little on the inside when I see special character at 500 points, just tells me you're here to be one of those ultra competitive weirdos. I don't see why they aren't restricted to 1000 points and up.

Idk what you mean by a faction’s FOC…

 

in lore terms the smallest guard FOC is the squad…even going above that to platoon is far from an army

[Brother Nathan]

ive not played anything but nids in a few editions but for nids i take generally a min size unit of each troop, so 10 termas 10 hormas and 10 gargoyles. tyrant hq. then tyrannofex zoanthropes and other choppy stuff. but my troops prob cost as much for all 30 as mosts normal 10 man squads cost and get so dedicated killed off the board. 

 

my blood angels ive a full company and most of a first co (pre primaris) nut my army worked in set bricks iirc. from when assault squads were troops i had jp libby and priest. 2 10 man jump squads a tactical squad and another 5 man assult squad in razorback. that then got armour support of 2xbaals and vindicator.  with lots of sanguard and termy support added as points went up .

 

iron warriors - a full legion squad and then loads of cultists to sheild my havocs and armour with 2 hqs. 

[Indy Techwisp]

IMO the "Ideal" army has the Maximum amount of Sorcerers possible in it and the minimum Tzaangors.
Typical list tho is Rubrics, SoTs and Character Sorcs, then a unit of Cultist if I can fit them in for objective reasons.

So currently 90% power armour and no vehicles 'cause I have none.