Help me decide...

[Reaper45]

So I in a bit of a conundrum. I feel like I'm kind of lost as far as what I want to do in the hobby. When I first started, I rushed out and after some initial research, and not reading any of the HH I narrowed it down to either Black Templars or Space Wolves. In the store I made a gut call and went with Space Wolves, because who doesn't like Vikings in space who worship the Allfather? And I didn't know much about Black Templars. As I started collecting and building/painting and became fully engrossed, I started reading the HH novels. That is where I started becoming torn on who I really wanted to play as. I started buying IG because I love the idea of a horde of normal dudes with flashlights dying for my cause. (Don't hate me, it's my Napoleon complex). The IG army I have grows all the time and that wont change. I also have a 10 man Deathwatch team, which is easy enough to manage so they're safe as well. Where I feel I'm lost is that now I am enamored with so many chapters and have so many ideas for homegrown chapters, my wallet and wife just can't take it. Add that into the fact that I built my own table and started on terrain and the Knights recently came out and yeah, I'm lost. So my question is this, do I stay small and do something like stay dedicated to one chapter which I want you guys to help me pick, or do I go all out and add to my IG/AM force and go with a detachment of Knights and eventually a Titan, or 2.

[ElectricPaladin]

I voted the Mentors... and let me tell you why:

1) As a Knights of Blood player, I have had a lot of fun with hipster 40k. It's just really entertaining to have a chapter that technically already exists, but nobody knows anything about, so you get to feel slightly superior while still enjoying benefit #2...
2) When you play a little-known chapter, you still have a lot of room to invent your own fluff. For example - my Knights of Blood are misunderstood perfectionists who were excommunicated because they overthrew the wrong corrupt planetary governors (ie. the ones who were usefully corrupt and in the pocket of the Inquisition) and had already pissed off the Inquisition at an earlier point. Someone I follow on Tumblr interprets the Knights of Blood as crazed, nearly Khornate berserkers who hate the Imperium of Man... they just hate Chaos worse (mine are also berserkers, but they're selective about who they berserk all over). It's a lot of fun to combine "this is a real part of the setting and I get to enjoy that little thrill when it's referenced in print" and "look at all this awesome fluff I added to the game!"
3) They're just... awesome. A Chapter that specializes in helping younger chapters get their sh*t together? That's amazing and amazingly weird.

[Reaper45]

I voted the Mentors... and let me tell you why:

1) As a Knights of Blood player, I have had a lot of fun with hipster 40k. It's just really entertaining to have a chapter that technically already exists, but nobody knows anything about, so you get to feel slightly superior while still enjoying benefit #2...
2) When you play a little-known chapter, you still have a lot of room to invent your own fluff. For example - my Knights of Blood are misunderstood perfectionists who were excommunicated because they overthrew the wrong corrupt planetary governors (ie. the ones who were usefully corrupt and in the pocket of the Inquisition) and had already pissed off the Inquisition at an earlier point. Someone I follow on Tumblr interprets the Knights of Blood as crazed, nearly Khornate berserkers who hate the Imperium of Man... they just hate Chaos worse (mine are also berserkers, but they're selective about who they berserk all over). It's a lot of fun to combine "this is a real part of the setting and I get to enjoy that little thrill when it's referenced in print" and "look at all this awesome fluff I added to the game!"
3) They're just... awesome. A Chapter that specializes in helping younger chapters get their sh*t together? That's amazing and amazingly weird.

Thanks for the reply man. Yeah I dig the Mentors color scheme and the whole idea that they go out and help other chapters and IG forces and come back as these great tacticians. My only concern is finding Mentor legion transfers...

[ElectricPaladin]

Thanks for the reply man. Yeah I dig the Mentors color scheme and the whole idea that they go out and help other chapters and IG forces and come back as these great tacticians. My only concern is finding Mentor legion transfers...

Make your own! It's not that hard.

[Psychosplodge]

Theres three easy options.

1) continue your mighty space vikings and pile bodies at the feet of the allfather's throne

2) Go homebrew as long as you're consistent to your codex you can do what you want.

3) Go codex marines, make a "crusade" force and paint squads from any chapter you want.

[euansmith]

Mentors are cool with a nice, minty fresh paint job. You get fluffy reasons for loading up on oddball kit and allying with weird groups. Back in 6th, just before I gave up on 40k, I was planning a Mentor's detachment; Storm Force 9. The idea was to use the Marine and Ork figures out of the Assault of Black Reach Box to represent a Mentor's unit using chemically neutered Orks to try to find a replacement of Assault Marines.

[Reaper45]

Mentors are cool with a nice, minty fresh paint job. You get fluffy reasons for loading up on oddball kit and allying with weird groups. Back in 6th, just before I gave up on 40k, I was planning a Mentor's detachment; Storm Force 9. The idea was to use the Marine and Ork figures out of the Assault of Black Reach Box to represent a Mentor's unit using chemically neutered Orks to try to find a replacement of Assault Marines.

That's funny because I had a similar idea but my Orks would've been less feral and a bit more organized.

[CrimsonTurkey]

Blood Ravens: Go with an unbound army and attach a Librarian to every squad.

[Glyn]

me i'd go for a chapter of your own creation, but pick a codex and stick to it and enjoy yourself its easy to get distracted and diverted i'm very guilty of this over recent years but i'm getting back on track now and the frustration is passing off as is the distractions....or i'd stick to what you know and love best the Space Wolves

[Sainhann]

Well I might have went with Dark Angels but instead I would go with one of their offspring Chapters.

Guardians of the Covenant

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Covenant

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Covenant

[Reaper45]

me i'd go for a chapter of your own creation, but pick a codex and stick to it and enjoy yourself its easy to get distracted and diverted i'm very guilty of this over recent years but i'm getting back on track now and the frustration is passing off as is the distractions....or i'd stick to what you know and love best the Space Wolves

Yeah even with my vanilla marines I have a couple of ideas that I can't settle on. Iron Hands successor on a crusade for Ferris' head or a naval/void heavy, feral Ultramarines successor chapter. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

[ElectricPaladin]

Yeah even with my vanilla marines I have a couple of ideas that I can't settle on. Iron Hands successor on a crusade for Ferris' head or a naval/void heavy, feral Ultramarines successor chapter. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

You've got to come back and let us know what you decide, when you decide. And then post pictures!

[Dalleron]

I would say pick an army that does what you want it to do, be it CC, bike heavy, or shoot the enemy to bits.

[Reaper45]

Well I might have went with Dark Angels but instead I would go with one of their offspring Chapters.

Guardians of the Covenant

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Covenant

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Covenant

Ahh Dark Angels. Probably the last loyalist chapter I'd pick to play. I'd probably play Chaos before them.

[Dimitrios]

I selected "Other Specify".

In my view whichever option you take is your own and without understanding your likes and dislikes, beyond what you have already told us, and what about the background of each chapter you like it would be almost impossible for me to suggest which of the above you should go for. That being said I do have the following advice:

1. Avoid homegrown chapters. I started out doing this, however soon gave in to the constant lure of the awesome fluff and models of the "official" chapters. The HH series, FW chapter specific minatures and GW suppliments and codex will largely be out of your grasp if you go for a custome chapter. Equally each of the existing chapters, and there are thousands!!!!, will help you in establishing the background, playstyle, lore, army construct, rivalries and much more. All of this will allow you to delve deeper into the selected chapter and add a whole new dimention to the minatures you have selected to own.

2. Allies vs Armies. The new edition(s) of 40K has opened up the game and the gaming comminity to creating armies comprised of smaller independent components. In short there is nothing stopping you creating an army with every unit being from a different chapter if you really wanted to. This segmented approach to space marine "armies" is supported by the fluff as well as post the Horus Heresy chapters often support one another by sending companies, detachments or in some cases single units to support larger campaigns. You only need to look as far as the Appocalypse campaign to have a single "army" comprising of Imperial Guard, Blood Angels, Salamanders and many many more space marine chapters who where involved as part of the "imperial force". Personally I have a 4000 - 5000 point Iron Hands force which consists of a main Iron Hands chapter and 2 smaller detachments of second founding chapters. Once these have matured I plan on adding a smaller force of space wolves to complement the force and join them on certain "missions".

3. Consider your existing armies. As mentioned above, allying in 40k is a major part of the game, background fluff and the hobby. You mention that you have a growing force of Imperial Guard, as do I, and so it would make sence to determin which chapters would likely aid your force of guard in engagements. Cadian, catachan, etc forces are spread throught the galaxy and are therefore theoritically able to ally with nearly any other chapter however other imperial guard forces are less well know and are situated within certain sectors. If this is the case for your guard then I would research which chapters come from the same sector and would therefore (in terms of fluff) more likely ally with them.

4. Which models/ colour scheme do you prefer? The look and esthetic of the models has to be a large factor in an army. If you dont fall in love with the way the army looks/ will eventually look then from personal experience you will eventually sell the army.

I hope the above helps in some way, shape or form :)

[Reaper45]

I selected "Other Specify".

In my view whichever option you take is your own and without understanding your likes and dislikes, beyond what you have already told us, and what about the background of each chapter you like it would be almost impossible for me to suggest which of the above you should go for. That being said I do have the following advice:

1. Avoid homegrown chapters. I started out doing this, however soon gave in to the constant lure of the awesome fluff and models of the "official" chapters. The HH series, FW chapter specific minatures and GW suppliments and codex will largely be out of your grasp if you go for a custome chapter. Equally each of the existing chapters, and there are thousands!!!!, will help you in establishing the background, playstyle, lore, army construct, rivalries and much more. All of this will allow you to delve deeper into the selected chapter and add a whole new dimention to the minatures you have selected to own.

2. Allies vs Armies. The new edition(s) of 40K has opened up the game and the gaming comminity to creating armies comprised of smaller independent components. In short there is nothing stopping you creating an army with every unit being from a different chapter if you really wanted to. This segmented approach to space marine "armies" is supported by the fluff as well as post the Horus Heresy chapters often support one another by sending companies, detachments or in some cases single units to support larger campaigns. You only need to look as far as the Appocalypse campaign to have a single "army" comprising of Imperial Guard, Blood Angels, Salamanders and many many more space marine chapters who where involved as part of the "imperial force". Personally I have a 4000 - 5000 point Iron Hands force which consists of a main Iron Hands chapter and 2 smaller detachments of second founding chapters. Once these have matured I plan on adding a smaller force of space wolves to complement the force and join them on certain "missions".

3. Consider your existing armies. As mentioned above, allying in 40k is a major part of the game, background fluff and the hobby. You mention that you have a growing force of Imperial Guard, as do I, and so it would make sence to determin which chapters would likely aid your force of guard in engagements. Cadian, catachan, etc forces are spread throught the galaxy and are therefore theoritically able to ally with nearly any other chapter however other imperial guard forces are less well know and are situated within certain sectors. If this is the case for your guard then I would research which chapters come from the same sector and would therefore (in terms of fluff) more likely ally with them.

4. Which models/ colour scheme do you prefer? The look and esthetic of the models has to be a large factor in an army. If you dont fall in love with the way the army looks/ will eventually look then from personal experience you will eventually sell the army.

I hope the above helps in some way, shape or form :)

Thanks for your reply. Yeah the problem with homegrown chapters, at least for me, is that I tend to start with a good idea, and then I'll be hit with another good idea, and then I'll have 4 different homegrown chapter possibilities. And my ideas work, but god, I could be writing a book for all of the background fluff I've come up with on these guys so far. And you're right, I can't use a kick *** model like Grimaldus for my Iron Hands successor chapter idea or Calgar for my feral Ultramarines successor chapter, so I can agree with that. And then getting a color scheme that isn't beaten to death is also a difficulty with a homebrew as well as making custom transfers for shoulder guards.

At the moment, I've decided to have 10 Mentors join my existing IG/AM army as "tutors" which I've seen mentioned in the fluff on (yeah I know it's not Lexicanum), Wikia 40k. I also have my 10 Deathwatch SM's and will have to decide which chapters those guys will be. My wife bought me a Knight for my birthday so I have the option of picking up a couple of more and adding that detachment to my IG/AM force.

At the moment, my IG/AM force is as follows. It's the 9th Terran (I am so cocky to have my guys be from the homeworld right?). I use the principalities of Old Terra as individual companies. 1st Jerman Grenadiers, 4th Merican Rangers, 45th Albyon Rifles, etc, etc. I am using both GW and non GW as different units to show some as professional troops and other units as rich Terrans who have bought commissions in the Terran army, i.e. 8th Urshian Jagers (Napoleonic Russians), 14th Franc Lancers (Napoleonic French Lancers) as Rough Riders. I haven't decided on colors yet. My Catachans (Urshian Commandos) and my Cadians (Merican Rangers) are going to be greens and greys. I haven't decided yet. The commission based units will vary as is par for the course in the 40K universe.

As far as if I go with the Knights I have a theme picked out based on my Irish family crest.

Models wise for Space Marines, I like bikes, devastators, Chaplains, scouts and termies. Tactical marines are ok, but not a fan of assault marines. I thought about doing just those for a homebrew chapter but I've already discussed the drawbacks.

I think that's part of the reason why I fell out of love with the sons of Russ. The books, imo are poorly written AND the models are just so blah. Lots of cool options sure but I just didn't fall in love with them.