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Warhammer 40000: Worth my time?

Discussion in 'General Hobby/Tabletop Chat' started by Gor-rok, Aug 12, 2010.

  1. Gor-rok
    Terradon

    Gor-rok Member

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    WH Fantasy Battle is the only tabletop game I've played, and I love most everything about it. At the hobby store, I keep seeing people playing the outer space version, which looks kind of interesting.

    Models are the main thing about a game that gets my interest, and the swarm creature army looks like something I'd love to have. On the down side, I've heard that the rules are very simplified compared to Fantasy, and from the conversations I've heard it also seems like a lot more 'powergaming' goes on as far as list creation and overpowered special rules.

    So, do you folks think WH 40000 is something a die hard Fantasy player would like, or am I better off sticking to what I know? If someone could perhaps briefly contrast the rules and gameplay a bit, I'd have a much better idea if I want to start buying the space monsters.

    Thanks!
     
  2. asrodrig
    Carnasaur

    asrodrig New Member

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    Definitely try it out. I started playing 40K as well about a year ago, and it's an okay game. You're right in that it's quite a bit simpler and there's a lot of powergaming, but if you're having a game with a couple friends, it can be a fun time.
     
  3. strewart
    OldBlood

    strewart Well-Known Member

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    It was the main game I played when it was in 3rd edition, maybe 5-6 years ago, then 4th came out and my gaming group hated the changes so switched to WHFB. I haven't looked back, but I have heard the current edition is pretty fun to play.

    The best way I can describe 40k is more cinematic than WHFB, the tactics aren't indepth because literally every unit skirmishes and shooting is a lot more prevelant and powerful. There are some absolutely stunning 40k armies and models though, you refer to Tyranids with the aliens and I definitely enjoy my 4000 point swarm of them.

    Ask some of the players to let you have a go, and be introduced to the rules a bit. There are definitely tactics, but they are nowhere near as much as WHFB and probably not quite as important to the game.
     
  4. Gor-rok
    Terradon

    Gor-rok Member

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    Thanks for the response guys. The hobby store guy just let me have a free old version of the "Tyranid" army book (evidently they were just updated) and it looks like fun. The creatures seem like they would be easy to paint using two main colors; one for the skin and one for the shell, and then maybe a wash and some dry brushing.

    I've made a vow to spend no money on the 'Tyranids' until all my Lizardmen models are painted and based, but that doesn't mean I can't use prizes from Fantasy tournaments to maybe get some a little early. Worst case scenario I don't like the game and have to sell the models.

    Hm... Might make an interesting challenge, trying to put a full army together using only tournament store credit.
     
  5. strewart
    OldBlood

    strewart Well-Known Member

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    Heh, good luck with that. It would never work for me since I'm not a tournie player, but if you are frequently might be a good way to collect a new army.

    Tyranids do generally just need two colours, and they can literally be anything from psychadelic stuff to muted and dark to camo. It took me a long time to come up with a scheme I liked for mine, I have about 20 multicoloured test gaunts, and when I found one I liked typically for me it was a particularly time consuming idea so I didn't get a lot painted.

    termagant.jpg
     
  6. bradsul
    Skink

    bradsul New Member

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    I'm doing a similar theme on mine. I've never actually played a 40K game yet (just black reach) but I'm working in a Tyranid swarm just because I love the look of them and idea of them. There are some local 40K players in my group (we're fantasy 99.9% of the time) but with 8th Edition I've not been working on the 'nids to get my Fantasy armies setup for 8th.

     
  7. Chahlie
    Cold One

    Chahlie New Member

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    There is one aspect of 40,000k that has been overlooked here: TANKS!
    :pigeon:
    I love tanks, and I love 40k because it has tanks. Also, in my experience 40k has less powergaming, but that might just be the people I play with. Also, to what Stewart said, it's still a tactical game, just a different style of tactics. It's much more about what unit you take initially as opposed to what they do in the battle (as most units can only really excel at one thing).
     
  8. Gor-rok
    Terradon

    Gor-rok Member

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    With that in mind, I'd like to have my army planned out before I ever acquire a model. I'd like to run lean and mean on the size of my army, and only acquire figures I plan on using almost every game.

    I love plastic kits and want to keep metal models to an absolute minimum, even at the expense of taking the best creatures. Granted, maybe the Lizardmen board isn't the ideal place to ask about building a Tyranid army, but the folks on this forum are top notch and it never hurts to ask. So, here's the models I like, based on what I saw at the store:

    Hormagaunts
    Genestealers
    Warriors
    Raveners
    Trygon
    Carnifex

    The Tyrant looks neat, too, despite being metal. Maybe as leader he'd be allowed to be made of the offending material.

    So, could a viable army be made out of the above figures?
     
  9. asrodrig
    Carnasaur

    asrodrig New Member

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    Definitely. A Hive Tyrant is the best HQ, but if you want to stay away from metal as much as possible, then one can easily be converted out of a Carnifex. Check out THIS video.
    Warriors are also a pretty solid choice, and more simple conversions can yield other codex options, such as a Tyranid Prime, which is a cheaper, but no less formidable HQ choice than the Tyrant. You can also stick some wings on them to make Shrikes, which are a pretty effective Fast Attack option. Raveners are another Fast Attack choice that work fairly well in conjunction with some of the bigger beasties such as Mawlocs or Trygons.
    Genestealers are a great Troop choice, and when you stick a Broodlord in the unit they're even better. I would definitely suggest taking at least one unit of these fellas. Hormagaunts and Termagants fill out the rest of your Troop choice, and if you want to, you can convert up a Carnifex and create a Tervigon, which is a big beastie that spawns a random number of Termagants each turn.
    Carnifex Broods, unfortunately, are one of the less effective units in the Codex. However, a lot of the units in the Codex don't have official models, and so the Carnifex kit is an effective starting point for a couple of these, especially the Tyrannofex and the aforementioned Tervigon.
    All in all, a Tyranid army is definitely doable in all-plastic, but you are missing out on some of the real cheese like Zoanthropes (and especially the special character variant - The Doom of Monterrey).
    Of course, this is all just info gleaned off of playing against them. If you want more info, a buddy of mine runs the Tyranid Hive Forum, which will be a veritable fountain of information on which units you want to take and which you'll want to avoid.
     
  10. strewart
    OldBlood

    strewart Well-Known Member

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    Hive Tyrants are still metal? Hmm I thought when the plastic carnosaur came out a plastic Tyrant came out as well. I guess the current one is metal.

    Tyranids are generally seen as a horde army, and quite model heavy, but certainly armies of large creatures can work as well. I won't give much beyond that since, as I mentioned, I haven't played nids since their last book so I'm sure they've changed.
     
  11. Gor-rok
    Terradon

    Gor-rok Member

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    Wow, thanks for all the great information guys! I think I'll slowly start diverting my store credit towards the Tyranids, and that should give me enough time to have one box painted by the time I get the next.

    Too bad the Carnifex isn't that good, as it's my favorite model by far. Perhaps I'll try to magnetize him to put different weapon configurations on and increase his versatility.

    I'll definitely go check out the Hive forum; if it's anything close to as helpful as this site, I'll be all set.
     
  12. asrodrig
    Carnasaur

    asrodrig New Member

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    If you need a tutorial on how to do this, look no further!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Tkw7ttTIo
     
  13. Gor-rok
    Terradon

    Gor-rok Member

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    Thanks a million asrodrig, I will definitely be doing that with my Carnifex, and possibly everything else that's practical. No sense in chopping up and repainting models just because the items you gave them aren't working out...
     
  14. thelaststand
    Jungle Swarm

    thelaststand New Member

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    yeh i would look at warpshadow
     
  15. Mister Blak
    Skink

    Mister Blak New Member

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    40K is, in my opinion, brilliant fun, however there are some changes from WHFB that arent too obvious, but still very important.

    1. tactics.

    tactics are important, but not as important as good unit selection. the game is very into " he will probably take a land raider, so i need a trygon" and less " oh no, a land raider! i know, i'll pin it down with my gaunts before i flank it with this carnifex." (a land raider is a VERY powerful tank)

    2. dakka.

    shooting is very important for most armies, and shooting screening is very important to those with weak firepower. be prepared to use a whole unit from a single enemy unit's shooting, especially if you are fighting the tau ( a very shooty army).

    3. tanks

    vehicles require totally different weapons to creatures to be killed. sustained shooting from a fleshborer will NOT affect a tank, unlike in WHFB where lots of arrows can kill a monster. for this reason you should probably try for a tyrannofex with rupture cannon conversion.


    4. Goddamn Smurfs!

    it certainly seems that marines are the most popular army by FAR. plan against them. buy their armybook (codex) if it helps.



    god those smilies are annoyingly distracting on your first post by computer. HOW DO YOU EVEN ADD THEM?
     
  16. sevensevensare49
    Kroxigor

    sevensevensare49 Member

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    Hive Tyrant came out in the first wave of Finecast - as far as i know there's nothing left in metal for the 'Nids. Hive Guard, Tyrant Guard and Zoanthrope all got the Finecast makeover. I'd definitely stick with the Tyranid Prime (made from a Tyranid Warrior) for your HQ though until you get a bigger army.
    Tyranids have a lot of cool special rules and options for each unit, and as mentioned before are easy enough to paint and look great with only 2 base colours. I'll post some pics of mine if anyone is interested.
    As always, your best use of store credit would be the Battleforce, until you get the general feel of the army. I'm still finding my feet (played 3 games) so can't offer any advice on tactics yet!
     
  17. sevensevensare49
    Kroxigor

    sevensevensare49 Member

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    so did you decide to go ahead with Tyranids Gor-rok?
     
  18. Gor-rok
    Terradon

    Gor-rok Member

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    Thanks for checking up, guys.

    One of the owners at my LGS has a big Tyranid army in the display case and I've been borrowing it when the 40K notion strikes me.

    Which, I have to say, it rarely does after a few games. It seems like the game is won for the most part when you write your list. Don't have counter X for their unit Z? You've lost before you begin. I love the Tyranid models, but what I want to use aesthetically doesn't perform in the slightest against marginal competition.

    Some things I hate about 40K:

    360 line of sight
    Everything walks the same distance
    Space Marines (How is there any evil left at all in the universe? Space Marines have to outnumber the galactic civilian population 10 to 1.)
    More simplistic rule set
    Some of the worst backstory I've ever read, courtesy of Mat Ward and the Grey Knight codex

    I'll still play, but the game mechanics have definitely turned me back to Fantasy. New Ogre army is well underway!
     
  19. strewart
    OldBlood

    strewart Well-Known Member

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    Yeah 40k can be a combination of the right list, and who can get their biggest guns to hit the right spots on turn 1. If you can incapacitate their biggest weapons early, its pretty much game over. 40k definitely isn't what it used to be, which is a shame... I also found it a big shock to see lascannons hitting on 3's against skirmishers 30" away. To-hit modifiers may help the game a bit.
     
  20. zamtap
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    zamtap New Member

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    so how did you get the blue edge effect? wondering how to so similar effects for my new necrons for their energy weapons?
     

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