Just like we’ve been talking about, Weazl and I have been trying to introduce 40k to one or two of our friends. The biggest thing that has prevented our friends is the amount of money it takes to even enter a basic level game (My current 500 point army if I had all of the models costs about 100 dollars). So one of the biggest things that a new player can do is create a an army. There are two ways to begin building your army.
Building from the Top – Down:
Much like the 3rd edition DnD Dungeon Master’s Guide gave two options to building worlds, Warhammer army building is the exact same way. When looking at building your first army, it is good to have a goal in mind. Once you’ve decided on an army (I would comment on how to choose a codex and an army, but there are far better articles out there, check blood of kittens, the Independent Characters, or DakkaDakka) you need to decide why you are starting this army. Are you going to play in tournaments? Have you studied the metagame and want to take the top spot at places like the NOVA Open or Adepticon? Do you not want to spend a lot of money? Then a Top – Down method might just be for you.
When you’re looking at building from the top down, you want to pick the point level you intend to play at and maybe another 250 points more (Just in case you need to swap some models in or out depending upon how the metagame can change in your area). When I start armies at larger point levels, I tend to plan for 2000 points. Most of the tournaments in our area are 1750-1850, so having a few hundred spare points gives me breathing room so I can adjust accordingly. From the top down method, I like to look at all of my choices and fit them together into a cohesive list, or at least as cohesive that I can get. I think about what I want my army to do. I play Space Marines, Tyranids, and Orks. At higher point levels for my Space Marines I look at my HQ and my Troops first, just to get them out of the way. Usually I choose either Sicarius or Vulkan. Once I have at least one of those, I decide if I want to run MSU (multiple Small Units) or a couple of 10 man tactical squads in rhinos. (Author’s Note: 95% of the time I never consider MSU’s with Codex: Space Marines, the lack of special weapons at 5 marines just isn’t worth it unless I combat squad them).
Now that I’ve taken care of the mandatory pieces of the army, I try to think about what I might face. At the local store we play at, there are all sorts of players. Necrons, IG, Orks, and most of them bring enough to make you think twice about your choices. But with all of these choices in my head I tend to fill up my elite slots and move on to Heavy Support. At the moment that is the one place I know I lack some fire power with. Not having Predators, Vindicators, or even more Land Raiders I myself need to go back and switch up some of my army list, buy a few more models etc. Once I have an idea of what this list does at higher point levels, I then start to think about how I can go about buying the pieces I need. I then start to slim down my army, taking pieces out at lower point levels, making sure that I have roughly the same models at lower points as I do at higher levels.
When building the actual list, like I said above, I will build a 2000 point army, and then scale it back to 1750, 1500, etc… Eventually I will be left with a small 500 point army that I can start out with. Now that I have this list, I can begin to figure out what models I want to buy.
So How Does This Matter to a Beginner?
Many beginners often get overwhelmed with the choices within a codex, forcing them to stick to a list with some breathing room will allow them to develop a style they can play around with. Since they’ve already picked up things that they want/like in their army, it gives them incentive to stick to the plan and learn how to play with the tactics they already find enjoyable. I know I like a lot of ork boyz in my army, so I enjoy taking as many as possible, though with lack of fancy vehicles, my poor orks are forced to slog across the board, and I will eventually lose a few of them, but 40 boyz at 500 points is nothing to shake a stick at, and I know I can get more in at this level.
Recap:
- Think about the army you want to play at higher point levels
- Stick to tactics you enjoy no matter the points
- Scale down from your target point level
- 500 points allow for quick games with few confusing options
. So I proposed a little challenge for Weazl. Once a month we get together and play a set game of a specific point level. Each unit has to be painted to a minimum of 3 colors or higher (yay tournament standard), but does not have to be based. The reason for this is we want to build and enjoy new models and learn new armies. Both of us have picked armies that are completely different from what we’re used to. I prefer armies that can (if they so choose) do well at either close combat OR shooting. Being a Necron player, Weazl has chosen an army that is very fast and very good in close combat. So I’m going to talk it over with Weazl (and remind him that he should be writing on this website too) and see if we can’t settle on the date of our first game.
