Best Warhammer 40k Armies for Beginners
This list is mostly recommended armies for players new to the tabletop game. We look at some armies that seem to be good for players new for the game from their strength and why they are a good armies to start out with.
The Necrons are a great choice for new players who want a powerful army that doesn't rely too much on complex schemes. They shoot quite well, have decent armor, and some nicely powered vehicles. They are also arguably the most resilient army in the game.
A tough opponent, easy to paint yet with a cool and effective color scheme.
More than just Skeletons in Space.
This is one that most people probably start out with. As a whole, they have good rules and a decent selection of weapons and vehicles. They also offer lots of options for color schemes (e.g., Ultramarines, Salamanders, Iron Hands), forgiving armor saves, and not a huge model count to buy. There are also separate Space Wolves, Blood Angels, and Dark Angels armies.
Polyvalent, diverse, elite. You have the option to build any type of army you want. Do you like tanks? Melee? Shooting? Bikes? You can do it all with the Space Marines.
The army that's currently dominating the tabletop. The Eldar are pretty well-rounded and a good mix of the sturdy Space Marines and their lethal Dark Eldar cousins. They also have some of the best vehicles in the game.
One of the most balanced armies out there, good at shooting and melee.
My personal favorite army. The Chaos Marines may not be at the top of the power curve, but the various marks you can give your army can suit various players' tastes (e.g., Mark of Slaanesh makes your troops faster, Mark of Nurgle makes your troops tougher). They have the durability of regular Space Marines with some extra features added to them.
The Orks draw many new players because of their craziness and hilarity, and they also use lots of dice. They are usually used in hordes and are an assault-oriented army. It's worth noting that they are not very great at shooting. They are average on the power curve. However, they are possibly the easiest army to paint, in my opinion.
The Tau can be a nicely powered army if used well. They are the shootiest army in the game, and for good reason. They are terrible at close-quarters combat (CQC). They also have mediocre leadership and armor and heavily rely on teamwork. Not a good choice for new players who have a fascination for melee combat.
With the For the Greater Good rule during overwatch, the small gap of not being able to do close combat is closed. It's also like a second shooting phase.
Tau have amazing battle suits. They are good for players who like to do a lot of shooting and not much close combat.
One of the scariest armies on the field once you learn them. Don't underestimate a huge blob of Devilgaunts in a firefight. Play your cards right with a Swarmlord and some Genestealers, and you can charge into melee turn one.
The Tyranids are the most melee-oriented army in the game. They may have fewer viable builds than other armies, but if used effectively, they can be quite powerful.
I think Tyranids look cool because I like alien and scary-like armies.
The Imperial Guard is a versatile army with a ton of vehicle options. Their regular troops are dirt cheap but are nothing to write home about. They make up for this by having very tough vehicles, such as the Baneblade tank. Overall, they are not very overpowered, but not very underpowered either.
Well-rounded army with plenty of options. Want to table someone? Tanks. Want to capture objectives? Mass infantry to the point where casualties aren't an issue. Overall, just very straightforward.
Cheese your way to victory with Baneblades behind fences, team killing, tarpits, and Leman Russ.
Very easy and overly rewarding. Just don't expect to make friends with an IG army.
This army has fairly simple rules and is usually forgiving. They also have a small model count, so they are one of the easier armies to collect. They can also dish it out with any other army.
The best of the best, devastatingly devoted to their life's purpose. There is no other more pure than a Grey Knight!
These guys are the best because they have the most powerful army, and they have dark magic so they can just kill every little army that they face, so they will always win.
From F gamer FC
The Newcomers
A mix of long-range destruction with some great ambush tactics that allow them to hold their ground. If you set them up in the back, they can defend an area with ease, also shooting artillery into objectives and then taking them with their scouts.
An epic army with a great role in the 40k universe. Lots of tactical options and they look epic!
The Blood Angels are one of the more unique Space Marine armies. While other Marines focus on different troops and vehicles for combat, the Blood Angels rely more on elite troops, each with their own benefits. Sanguinary Guard can take out heavy infantry, the Death Company can wipe out regular troops with lots of attacks, and they have unique Dreadnoughts with different fighting styles. All this gives the Blood Angels better melee power than regular Marines.
These are uniquely brilliant in every way. Their fighting, speed, and rage produced in battle make them one of the most fearsome and effective armies in the Warhammer 40k universe!
Genestealer cults have really cool lore and are fun to paint. They are horde-oriented and can use Tyranid and Astra Militarum models. They really have everything.
This army mostly relies on melee and has the smallest number of shooting units of any army. I suggest you use Daemons with Chaos Space Marines for more durability. But as a single army, they require skill and experience.
Very cool-looking models, easy to play as well. Blood for the blood god!
1. Cheap
2. Strong
3. Versatile
They are very cheap to start buying, and you can get a 500-point army out of 7 or 8 models. They are very strong at the moment.
For the limited model count, they are a very versatile force, whether it's just a gun line, a melee-focused force, or speedy attack units. They have a very good tool for every need.
Good army as it is simple to use and kind of like the Warhammer equivalent of Vikings and werewolves. It does have good ranged potential also.