Warhammer 40k. Help a beginner.
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I still have my Death Guard Plague Marines from when I was a kid, they are sturdy models... Toughness 5 meant I was able to withstand my bro's Dark Eldar before he quit the game forever. I too have considered getting back into the game, but what I was thinking of doing is getting the Assault on Black Reach set in order to have as a sort of "Really Customisable Board Game" to play with my friend who likes board games. He can play against my Plague Marines later, but Space Marines Vs. Orks, in a box which is affordable, sounds like good basic entry level 40k fun for me and my friend. Especially since it's much cheaper to buy the box set of Black Reach than buying the rulebook on its own...
The best starter set is Assault on Black Reach, which is arguably the best deal they have. Its a army of space marines and orks which is good if you want to share with a friend.Warrior Irme said:
Most people go with marines first cause they're easy to paint and quite available, so that might be a good idea. Do have a look around at the armies and find one you like though, 40k is rather expensive. Steer clear of stuff like daemonhunters at first cause they're very expensive and very complicated to paint and play.
As for tabletop stuff itself, i'd say make sure you vary your army. Don't do what alot of new people do and feild tiny HQ and troops choices to bring 3 tanks/wraithlords/other heavy support for pewpews. Try to balance vehicles and infantry (or go just infantry & transports, vehicles tend to be taken out very fast unless they're well hidden or well armoured as they all essentially have 1 'wound,' and a devastator squad or equivilant usually is capable of doing far more damage anyway). It's often kinda funny when a kid with imperial guard and 9 tanks gets deepstriked by some assult stuff with meltabombs/guns/ and mashed. Similarly, balance out heavy and light weaponary. Huge lasercannon things will kill off vehicles but are useless if you're getting zerged by tranids, and if you field too many str 6 pewpew guns like I used to with Eldar then you'll get hammered by guys who play Imperial Guard (like I did...)
As for tabletop stuff itself, i'd say make sure you vary your army. Don't do what alot of new people do and feild tiny HQ and troops choices to bring 3 tanks/wraithlords/other heavy support for pewpews. Try to balance vehicles and infantry (or go just infantry & transports, vehicles tend to be taken out very fast unless they're well hidden or well armoured as they all essentially have 1 'wound,' and a devastator squad or equivilant usually is capable of doing far more damage anyway). It's often kinda funny when a kid with imperial guard and 9 tanks gets deepstriked by some assult stuff with meltabombs/guns/ and mashed. Similarly, balance out heavy and light weaponary. Huge lasercannon things will kill off vehicles but are useless if you're getting zerged by tranids, and if you field too many str 6 pewpew guns like I used to with Eldar then you'll get hammered by guys who play Imperial Guard (like I did...)
Guard are purest win at the moment. Seriously - I've yet to lose against marines in the last fifteen games I've played.
you would be better off asking this question on a different forum such as warseer.
http://www.warseer.com/
http://www.warseer.com/
to be compeditive chaos or marines and possibly eldar are your options. Otherwise whatever you like the look of
Well a local Games Workshop would be best, if not mayby the online store. Races I suggest Chaos, cuz lets face it, their awesome.
Actually, Necrons can be very good in battle, but only for experienced players. Generally they're really tough, although once a friend of mine won a game by destroying his opponent's Monolith in the first turn, with a single Lasrifle shot. He was lucky, but it still goes to show...Kukul said:
Personally I use Tau. Space Marines are good for a beginner, since they're pretty much tough as anything, but when I got bored with them I moved onto Tau and found them much better, easier to use, and they suited my style more (I'm a shooty type of guy, rather than close up, and good with stealth which means my Kroot are a useful diversion if need be). What sort of style do you prefer, OP? If you like to wade in then Orks or Tyranids will suit you, if you prefer a shooty sort then go for Imperial Guard or Tau. Eldar are excellent for a stealthy type of playing style, and Necrons are good because they can often be ressurected in following turns which means you'll have a much better chance at overwhelming an opposing army. It's all down to your choice of playing style, at the end of the day.
Here's a few general things to think of if you have no prior experience:
1. Spray paint your models black before you start painting. It not only makes it look better, it makes it much much easier. Some models should be sprayed in white but you're probably better off with black for starters
2. To spray paint, use the Games Workshop brand of paint. Really, you may use any other brand of anything when it comes to painting (including paints and brushes) but you really want to invest in their spray paint. With any other brand you run the risk of damaging the plastic or get a flaking undercoat.
3. Decide on what color scheme you want and then buy your paints. It's an expensive hobby and the paints are probably what's going to cost you the most, especially if you're not really sure on what to buy.
4. Take care of the paints. Really, use a palette and make sure they don't dry up. They look small, but they can last for a really long time.
5. Choose an army that you're comfortable with, you can be playing a really powerful and easy army, but if you don't like the way it looks or feels you'll get bored quickly.
6. Look up some section on army building before you start buying. Your army needs to be built in a very specific manner. If you're uninformed you risk buying tons of models that you won't be able to play with.
7. Games Workshop employees are by standard really nice people (they have to be to sell plastic models at ridiculous prices xD). Ask them for help and they'll make sure you won't leave until all your questions are answered. Most stores host some kind of events for beginners as well. Just be careful, don't let them sell you anything you don't feel you have the need for.
8. Read Warhammer specific forums (maybe even one that is focused on your army). It will probably teach you more than you can ever read in a book. And ask questions, it's a complicated game and most people are more than willing to help.
9. Don't ever say that the Tyranids are Zerg ripoffs, that is a good way to make enemies.
1. Spray paint your models black before you start painting. It not only makes it look better, it makes it much much easier. Some models should be sprayed in white but you're probably better off with black for starters
2. To spray paint, use the Games Workshop brand of paint. Really, you may use any other brand of anything when it comes to painting (including paints and brushes) but you really want to invest in their spray paint. With any other brand you run the risk of damaging the plastic or get a flaking undercoat.
3. Decide on what color scheme you want and then buy your paints. It's an expensive hobby and the paints are probably what's going to cost you the most, especially if you're not really sure on what to buy.
4. Take care of the paints. Really, use a palette and make sure they don't dry up. They look small, but they can last for a really long time.
5. Choose an army that you're comfortable with, you can be playing a really powerful and easy army, but if you don't like the way it looks or feels you'll get bored quickly.
6. Look up some section on army building before you start buying. Your army needs to be built in a very specific manner. If you're uninformed you risk buying tons of models that you won't be able to play with.
7. Games Workshop employees are by standard really nice people (they have to be to sell plastic models at ridiculous prices xD). Ask them for help and they'll make sure you won't leave until all your questions are answered. Most stores host some kind of events for beginners as well. Just be careful, don't let them sell you anything you don't feel you have the need for.
8. Read Warhammer specific forums (maybe even one that is focused on your army). It will probably teach you more than you can ever read in a book. And ask questions, it's a complicated game and most people are more than willing to help.
9. Don't ever say that the Tyranids are Zerg ripoffs, that is a good way to make enemies.
No no no noooo..... Every damn noob in the game has Space Marines. Seriously. Play a real army, not that awful bunch of pansies. I've yet to lose to Space Marines, they're pathetically easy to beat and the single most boring army Games Workshop produces.Joshimodo said:
You, sir, have clearly never played against a half-competent Guard player. Or I'd suppose any Guard player, because I can assure you - the Guard are anything but. Difficult at times, but brutally efficent and a fantastically flexible army. Yes, they fare poorly in assault, but after you finish throwing 100-plus lasguns shots at an enemy, plus heavy and special weapons, you will find that there is precious little left to assault a Guard army.Joshimodo said:
You want a decent army, I will reccomend:
The new Space Wolf Codex. It actually makes for interesting Space Marines. Well, semi-interesting.
Imperial Guard. Difficult to master, but far more rewarding and dangerous than most other armies.
Eldar: Like the Guard, but without the 'employ brute force option', or the 'innumerable tide' option. On the plus side, they can rock in the assault phase.
Orks. Funny, characterful and extremely competetive. Extremely varied way to play, but always fun.
Sisters of Battle: Expensive, even by GW standards, but extremely dangerous short-range shooting units.
Tyranids: Effective, and fun to play, with a lot of customisability and very, very good models. Good if you like endless swarms of nightmarish gribblies, or enormous, tank-killing monsters.
For a beginner I would reccomend either Space Marines or their Chaos counterparts (if you want some variety or to have that 'evil bastard' feel to your troops) because they're the most versitile and simple to use armies avalible.
Some would say that that makes them the noob army but I personally think Space Marines adhere to the old phrase of 'easy to learn, hard to master', true, anyone can use Space Marines but it takes a lot of cunning and tactical thinking to employ them with great effectiveness (exactly the same for every army).
Some would say that that makes them the noob army but I personally think Space Marines adhere to the old phrase of 'easy to learn, hard to master', true, anyone can use Space Marines but it takes a lot of cunning and tactical thinking to employ them with great effectiveness (exactly the same for every army).
Not to be rude, but you forgot the third axiom: "Easy to defeat". Due to the prevalence of Space Marine armies, everyone, and I mean everyone, who plays 40K builds their army lists to kill Space Marines. Playing Space Marines will get you through the Young Bloods, but once you get gaming properly you are going to get butchered by other armies.Iron Mal said:
Oh, and from a fluff perspective, marines are extremely boring. There are exceptions, but they are just that - exceptions to the rule.
If you can, find a gaming club. They are often fairly badly advertised, and there's sometimes not many people at them, but getting into a group of people who've been playing for some time would definetley be a good move.
This is where the 'employ them properly' part comes in, a good space marine player will be able to counter anti-Space Marine tactics (hence the 'good player' part). I've had games against a few veterans with anti-marine forces with my good ol' Raptors (a chapter I found in the back of the old codex) and still come out on top because of the simple fact that I was clever with how I used my troops.Rolling Thunder said:
There isn't an 'easy to defeat' army, just easy to defeat people (and hey, if you find Space Marines boring then that's your call, I can understand why you think that, I just happen to like them).
Be prepared to spend a lot of money, especially if you go for an attrition based force like imperial guard or tyranids. Space marines are the easiest to use, but are also the least flexible, and are pretty bland.
Tell me how that could possibly happen? you must mean lascannon or something, I mean that's like blowing up a challenger tank with a glock...
...Trivun said:
Tell me how that could possibly happen? you must mean lascannon or something, I mean that's like blowing up a challenger tank with a glock...