I was playing a 40k tournament yesterday, and I was working the map with my Space Wolves. It was a 4 sided battle, with Space Marines, Chaos Word Bearers legion, the Tyranid Genestealers, and The Tau Empire duking it out over this certain planet on the fringes of Imperial space.
So to cut a long story short, I won after like 6 hours and advanced to the semi-finals on Saturday. But it started me thinking. I play as the space marines in every game, and I can't think of another race that really can stand toe-to-toe with them unless the other group has the advantage of numbers, like the Tyranids, with their cheap units so they can field a massive army. So I'm just curious. Who do you play as and why?

While I've never done the table-top (lack of money and just genuine disinterest in any miniature game taking 6 hours) I do play the PC 40K versions. Generally I play as the eldar since they're perfect for hit and run attacks, but I have noticed that the Necrons definitely can go toe-to-toe with the space marines.

What is the game called, it intrigues me.

The tabletop is just Warhammer 40,000, I think. The PC games are Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War and its two expansions, Winter Assault and Dark Crusade.

As for what I play as, I only play the PC games, which I would assume are nothing at all like the tabletop except for that it includes a few of the same races. My favorites are the Eldar, fun to play. Especially since you can just teleport the Bonesingers where you want to build, build a webway gate there, then once you're finished move them back to your home base.

PC DVD? if so i might get one later this summer, and i'll need a new Video Card.

Chaos FOREVER!!! SANITY IS FOR THE WEAK!!!

Space marines are plenty cool though...

I'm gonna look it up.

I'm liking the Necrons......

*Le Gasp!* Did you say...Word Bearers???!!! Yay!!! ALL PRAISES!!!

*Has Chaos Marine spasm fit and sacrifices some Ultramarines.*

"Maybe we should mount your corpse on a golden throne and make an idol out of you as well."
- Dark Aposte Eliphas the Inheritor of the Word Bearers to Captain Davian Thule.

Welcome dark brother, your words are as if a thousand voice were to shout out in pain and then be silenced. it is good to have you among us.

You're correct, Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War (basically just space marines), Winter Assault (introducing the Imperial Guard, Chaos, Eldar, and Orks (well, introducing them as playable)), Dark Crusade (Tau and Necrons), and coming soon is Soulfire (Dark Eldar and Sisters of Battle).

I'm a pretty big fan of Dark Crusade. I like how there's the 7 sides, and it's pretty much a free for all, much like a Dynasty Warriors Empires or such. The mods for it are rather good also, though slower computers can get bogged down by the sheer numbers involved in it (for the record, 1,000 units on screen at a time tend to do just that).

Overall I like them though, and have really learned how to play all of the sides. Necrons are starting to make a run for my favorite, since they blast through just about anything...though if that's what you're looking for, just go Tau and shoot things that no one can see.

Sadly, i have a lot of space marine models. I mean a lot. But i have never played. I just enjoyed building them and creating my own chapter and such. That and a battle force of tau and dark eldar. God, i would be so much richer today...

As long as you paint your figurines, it's all good

Oh, of course, thats more than half the battle.

I thought that was knowing.

Or did G.I. Joe lie to me about this, too?

Gi joe can teach you a lot still. go Joe

Alright, update time. I hit the Semi's on Sat. and took 1st. I rolled Space Marines again, and decided to use the White Scars, becasue you can retreat at any time (Which makes for amazing hit-and-run attacks) and some of the best accuracy in the game. And the Chaos marine faction that had made it was the Death Guard, who have a crazy immunity to pain and death. But Thankfully, I'd pulled in two squads of Grey Knights, and had some really luck rolls. So Yeah, I'm still gonna stick with my marines, but I'm still open to suggestions.

I haven't played in a long time. When I used to play I had a Dark Angel Army that I used to play with. I have thought about starting up again with either an Eldar army or a Witch Hunter Army.

I always enjoyed playing Orks. Deys always lookin fer a fight! Shokk Attack gun is one of the most hilarious weapons I've read about hehe. Back in 2nd edition though I barely ever won as Orks. Didn't stop me from playing them though hehe. In the new edition though I've yet to be beaten with them...granted thats only like 6 games I've played in the current edition

I've never played the tabletop game, but love Dark Crusade. I thought it was a very well made game.

The Orks are awesome. >_>

I play at least a game a weekend, and if I can, I always go as the marines. I can lay as the Tau or Orks, but I'm a big believer in laying waste to everything that gets in my way. My onlt problem is when I run into Abaddon the Despoiler or Lucius the Eternal. Those guys suck to fight because their saving rolls are crazy. I think for the championship I'm going to go with my Ultramarines. Textbook strategy for perfect victories. That and I'm one of the few chapters that can call in air strikes with actual precision. Oh, and their Land Raiders are awesome thanks to the extra armor, and you cna't beat my Terminators. But I'll update soon and let you guys know how it went down. It's supposed to be a 2 day game, so I'm hoping for a challenge

If you're going against a lot of Daemons (such as you previously said) wouldn't a Grey Knights team be a good idea? I've never done the table top, so please forgive any ignorance, but I seem to remember them being extremely made for that purpose. I could be wrong though.

I'm afraid I've naver played 40k, but I did use to lay WarHammer Fantasy Battles and WarHammer Quest. I was better at the RPG than the battle game, thought there was this one time I used Dark elves and seriously owned my opponents. I think I was mainly using archers, a few magi and a couple of well armored brutes with clubs. It was the only time I won (and it was a decisive victory). It was also the last time my friend wanted to play the battle game ( I broke his 7 game winning streak, and my 7 game losing streak lol). So based on what little knowledge I have about 40k, I'd probably play as Dark Eldar (as I think I read somewhere that he Eldar were based on elves).

That's from a lack of proper competition.

The Ultramarines will destroy all opponents under any competent commander.


Your faith in the Emperor shall purge the galaxy of your enemies, brother.


That's the most boring way to play. Dark Elves are a lot of fun to play offensively. You hit them hard and they don't get to hit back. The only army in the world that has an advantage now is the High Elves. I don't like their new Strikes First rule since it makes them really hard to even vaguely compete as another type of elf.


It doesn't compare as well.

The Eldar are more specialised and fragile, like elves, but that's where it ends. Dark Eldar (especially) rely on being able to avoid combat unless they're going to win. As the rules currently stand, they don't have many viable army lists. They tend to be cookie cutter. They'll probably fix that next time they update the codex, though.

The Emperor protects! Only the chapter that shows his righteous faith in the Emperor shall meet him on the final battlefield. Our faith in Him sustains us as we fight against the heretic who crawls forth from the Eye.

I am the Hammer. I am the point of His spear. I am the mail about his Fist. Let us be His shield as He is our Armour. Let us speak His word as He fuels the fire of our devotion. Let us fight His battles, as He fights the battle at the end of time, and let us join Him there, for duty ends not in death.

Yes, the Grey Knights are the premier Daemon hunters in 40k, but unfortunately, they are incredibly expensive to field. If the Chaos Marines have to roll for armies first, and they bring a large number on actul Daemons or mutants onto the field I'll spring the extra build points and bring in at least one squad.

And for anybody who has actually been paying attention to my progress, I WON! The only guys who even put up a fight ws the Black Legion, led by the Despoiler himself. We started on opposite sides of the map nd worked out way around to the outer corners, taking down the other armies. I ended up taking down the Tau and the Necrons, while he wiped out the Tyrnid Genestealer cult and an Imperial Guard Regiment. (Lazy good for nothings) The Eldar has started in the middle of the map and had decided to bunker down and weather the storm. The Legion got there first, and assaulted his walls, but while they were focused on Abaddon, I teleported in a squad of Terminators and hit their Farseer from behind, effectively taking them out of battle. (Because without a leader and their bonuses, an army falls apart rather quickly) Then I pulled back a distance so that he would have to come to me, but as soon as he reached visual range, I sighted him and unleashed my Hellfire Artillery. I wiped out his bodyguard unit and hurt him, so I offered to end the game in single combat, my Hero vs Abaddon. The guy accepted and sent him out, but if you are careful enough, you can actually field Marneus Calgar, the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines. He's a fair match for Abaddon in a good fight, but this guy had been expecting just a lowly Brother-Captain, so I wiped him off the map easily. Then all I had to do was mop up, which took like two more turns, and then I stood victorious. So yeah, that's how it went down. Just thought you guys would like to know.