Not Much to Talk About with a Bug

[Yeahbuddy42]

Hello Forum.

I have happily been playing games with Tyranids for the past four years. Slashing Space Marines, spreading gore and acid on Eldar, and listening to the chitinous masses scuttle across the table top has brought me a lot of happiness. But, lately, I have found myself with a lack of story and motive. No real driving purpose other than the simple desire to consume more for the bio-mass. Boredom was setting in. Then it struck me... I am lacking some type of narrative. I need a character to lead an army that I can imagine talking and inspiring, more than just imagining a Hive Tyrant spitting and gurgling.

Therefore I am reaching for insight into the General Forum. I'm looking to branch out away from the single mindedness of the Tyranid Creatures and by inspired by an army with heroic leaders and a great story. That being said, I am not totally interested in branching into the world of the Space Marines. They are a little too "For the Emperor" for my taste, but I was wondering... " Who out there absolutely loves the story of their army. Who can forge a narrative with their Warlord and feels a little more of an attachment to their troops than mere cannonfodder."??

I would love to hear some feedback on Armies and units that inspire the other Warhammer 40k players out there.

Thanks guys and girls

[eldargal]

I'd suggest eldar but the codex is, well, putting it politely 'not in a good place'. Dark Eldar are fun, difficult to master but great fun with lots of modelling and narrative opportunities. I write up all my battles as part of my armies in-game chronicle, gives each character and even units a great weight of personality behind them.

[bfmusashi]

I think it depends on your preferred flavor of protagonist (or jerk).
The Tau are generally dismissed as naive but certain story seeds allow them to be far wiser in their course of action.
The Eldar have screwed up badly and are trying to clean up their mistake, but are surrounded by idiots to stupid to even try to talk to.
The Dark Eldar screwed up badly but don't git a wit about changing their ways but would pull everyone down around them.
The Chaos Space Marines feel fully justified and righteous in their convictions against the IoM. They can range from crazy pants to pirates and you can make much fun from their 'dex.
The Space Marines can be anything you want them to be. Sometimes they worship the Emperor, sometimes they just think he was a solid dude, sometimes they can't be bothered to care. They are giant space apes in flowerpots so do what you want.
The Orks are just super fun. They're the A-Team and can not be bothered with silly things like planning.
The Imperial Guard are (usually) the best their planet has to offer, thrown against a hostile universe. They know everything in the universe is trying to kill them but they stand up to it anyway.
I'm ignorant of Necrons but they're space robots that shoot lightning and that's fun.
Sisters of Battle know everything in the universe that is not the Emperor is great big old pile of suck and they will punch/burn/shoot it until it apologizes.
Tyranids get to be the end of all things.
Daemons live very confusing lives. They can also be whatever you want, 'cause, y'know, chaos.

[ElectricPaladin]

I actually enjoy the story behind the Space Marines. Heroic posthumans struggling to save an empire they can no longer truly count themselves part of? The tragedy and sacrifice of it really speaks to me.

I also like the Tau. In many ways, they're the opposite of everything else in the game: they are optimistic, still growing, and eager to talk and cooperate... provided you're willing to join their empire, of course.

And I second the Eldar. The codex is old, but that's a temporary state. If there are any Eldar models you like, now might be a good time to start getting them on eBay, cheap. That's how I got my Eldar army. I'm sure it's not actually going to be any good in play, but when the new codex comes, I'll be ready.

[imperialpower]

I write up all my battles as part of my armies in-game chronicle, gives each character and even units a great weight of personality behind them.

Stealing above idea!

As for an army that has a good narrative that really does depend on what type of person you are I personally only collect an army that I could see myself serving in and that fits with my morals and personality so would never collect an army like Choas or Dark Eldar for example, I would read through as much background of each army as you can get your hands on and see what fits with your personality then you can make an army that you will enjoy playing becuase it is an exstention of your personality. Either that or pick Eldar becuase they are superior and archaic or pick a regiment of Imperial Guard that already has a background and look you like or if one does not exist make your own.

[DWest]

Third'ing the Eldar here- especially Prince Yriel. He's pretty much the classic anti-hero, shunned by his people, he swore never to return to Iyanden, and yet he did in order to save them from obliteration (at the hands of the Tyranids, no less), and he now carries a deadly curse for it (a curse that has Fleshbane and ignores armor saves, but still!)

Otherwise, I know you said you wanted to stay away from the Space Marines, but the Blood Angels named characters are pretty much tragic heroes one and all, fighting against a curse of damnation to uphold their sworn duty.

Also, honorable mention for the Imperial Guard. In a world that contains bio-engineered killing machines as well as Tyranids, Orks, and the incredibly-advanced tech of Necrons, Eldar, and Tau, these guys are just plain, mortal Humans who get up and fight off all those other horrors with nothing but grit and gunpowder. Any basic Guardsman who lives through Turn 7 ought to get a commendation for heroism just for being there.

[ElectricPaladin]

Also, honorable mention for the Imperial Guard. In a world that contains bio-engineered killing machines as well as Tyranids, Orks, and the incredibly-advanced tech of Necrons, Eldar, and Tau, these guys are just plain, mortal Humans who get up and fight off all those other horrors with nothing but grit and gunpowder. Any basic Guardsman who lives through Turn 7 ought to get a commendation for heroism just for being there.

Ordinary humans with broken codex... Forgive me for not feeling too sympathetic!

Now, the fine men and women of the Imperial Navy... Ah, Battlefleet Gothic. Now, that's real game.

[bfmusashi]

Hiding in their ships? Lame.

[ElectricPaladin]

Hiding in their ships? Lame.

When the Guard loses a fight, they have somewhere to run.

[bfmusashi]

Only in the filthy propaganda of the xenos and heretic do the Imperial Guard run. I can assure you citizen, the Guard die fighting, for all mankind. [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yDrtNEr_5M[/url]