Help me choose a fantasy army!

[42 remeber me]

I know these such topics are frowned upon sometimes but i really do need help in the world of fantasy.

I am aa 40k player atm, 2000pts of tau almost. At 200pts of tau i will stop and colelct a fantasy army as one of my best firends and his brother plays them, ensuring me regular games.

He is also going to be lending me a copy of the rulebook and going through those with me soon too so hopefully i won't be a total newbie for long!

From looking at models and speaking to him i have narrowed down which army to collect to three options -

--Dark Elves

i have the option here of buying 1200pts (roughly the same in 40k?) for £50, which sounds good value if points are pretty much the same in the 40k universe as they are here!

--Skaven

icould use some of these models in a future latd army...

--Vampire Counts

ditto skaven

The things i find important in an army (bear in mind i know virtually nothign of how fantasy works...),

--i hate slow armies, like to be able to flank and have a tactical superiority in my units naturally
--i want armies that stay on the table, not flee at the first sign of danger!
--i dont like armies with low model counts but still can be killed very easily (example in 40k: eldar)
--dont really mind apart from that, cc/shooting, low/high model counts. Ideally a mix so i can choose what style my army plays, but i am not overlly bothered!

thanks for help in advance!
--42

[Archangel Tirus]

well.
Well you described Darkelves as the army you want perfectly...but sadly they are the Warhammer equivilant of Eldar.
Id go for counts...but you might want somekind of experts opinion

[chilledenuff]

i'm sure i've answered this on a tau flavoured online forum already today... chaos (they aren't as dirty as they are in 40k... honest!) High Ld value, fast units with high toughness and armour (chosen knights!!!!) or fast units of calvalry maraauder horsemen/mounted daemonettes
Only downside is almost no missile fire
Taylor them to your playing style and enjoy :-D

[42]

well actually the armies i am deciding between are dark elves and vampire counts.

I played chaos today with the dark elves, but i haevnt decided on races yet. The chaos oppoenent is hard hitting, with no firepower except magic.

He has chosen kinights, warriors, couple of spawn, chariot, sorceror and a champion of khorne in 1000pts and has more khorne (bloodhtirster) to come...

Any adivce on an army based on this...is it possible to dark elves to still be effective against this sort of army?

--42

[Archangel Tirus]

You really want to exploit his low units and low manoverability. I would use Bolt throwers and a cav based army

[old1eye]

I would simply use vampire counts...strigoi praps...

cos no matter what anyone says, 60 ghouls will rampage through that entire force. the knights are EXPENSIVE, but ghouls would make them take so many armour saves they'd wish they'd never been born.

and a black coach could wreak a decent amount of damage, with the vulnerability to firepower removed...

if you play 2000 pts, you may want to choose a magic heavy bloodline, cos that army isn't going to be a real threat magic-wise....
however...
are khorne armies allowed sorcerors?
and I believe they generate mass quantities of dispel dice?
maybe you're safer with hordes of ghoulies.

[42]

the army he fielded wasnt khorne, although in 2000pts it will be mostly khorne based, with some formidable knights and warriors...

What i want to know is...can dark elves easily beat a tough chaos army like that...or would VC be a lot better (and still fun to play/good paitning/models etc.)?

Thanks for the help so far.
--42

[Arguleon Veq]

Dark Elves can definatley deal with chaos forces like that.

'He has chosen kinights, warriors, couple of spawn, chariot, sorceror and a champion of khorne in 1000pts'

Seems a bit to much to fit in 1000 points though.

Your speed is definatley your best asset plus you have high basic Ld.

As you are faster and have more in the way of numbers you should be able to draw away parts of his force (as some of them are khorne), then you can get around the flanks of the enemy (speed) and should be able to engage most units in the flank and front at the same time (numbers).

If those units mentioned have the mark of khorne then it would be difficult to beat with undead as your biggest asset (fear) will be for the most part nullified. If not it is quite possible to cause most of a chaos force to flee.

Missile fire should wittle units that you can't beat in combat due to combat res, so shoot the spawn down. Try to get an enfilading (sp?) shot off on the knights as it should kill about 2-4 if you hit.

[elflord9d]

i'd go wit the elves, but that one is really a no brainer huh?

[gilber987]

As you describes, let me tell you this.

First chaos, you have four marks (same as 40k) khorne is the one you most find strong, but if you have speed (elves) they are not the big deal.

Dark elfs. NICE, fast, strong, good tactical good fluff, their only problem toughness 3 ouchh, but let me tell you ones you know how to play whit them you will kick ass, and if you use the newly cult of slannessh wow, everybody be carefull is an army to fear, (chaos and elfs together that hurts) i personaly play dark elfs and now i have the cult of slanness. it rocks.

Skaven, their are fast, A LOT to much rats i may say very expensive i may say to its metal all of it, but now you have the batallion that just came out. their problem: LD is to low 4,5 at first its very low but you can add their general Grey seer LD 6, Clanrat Lord LD 7, or Snich LD 9, plus you add their ranks up to a max of 3+, but ones they start to run they are done, they done get the rank bonus so its an alwais miss reagroup. But is a very fun army.

Vampire counts: Strong, fluff wise, hard to play against, yep plus they lords are very powerfull and cost lots of points as well but the best on their streghts, plus you can rise skeleton and zombies units? imaging advancing to your enemy you say well you are 20" away to far well stop them by raising a unit of zombies 3D6 +3 zombies coming from nowwhere at 12" from your sorcerer or even increase that skeleton unit that take heavy damage by adding to it 3D6 +1 skeleton to the unit, you can let a unit of chosen knights fighting for ever agaisnt a unit of skeltons that every turn it raises more of them.

Let me tell you all these armies are very good my best advise is play test whit the for of them first, fill a little bit how they play and choose the one you like the most. thats the best advice i can give you. a i can tell you to play whit dark elfs but maybe not your army, so play whit them a little a make the choise, i garanty you wont regret it.

Welcome to fantasy battles of warhammer. if you chose to play dark elfs. just let me know, i can give you some advices as if you whant to fill an pure elven army or cult of slanness.