# Looking at starting Fantasy...



## Siege (Jan 18, 2008)

Hey all. Well, I've been doing a bit of reading and I'm thinking about getting into fantasy... I'm still not sure but I've got a few questions.

How different is it to 40K? Is it an entirely different gaming system or are they similiar?

One of the armies I'm considering is Skaven, I don't know anything about them at all but I like the look of the minis. What kind of army are they? Are they a good army to start with?

Roughly how much would a 2000 point Skaven army cost me? It seems Skaven are kinda a horde army so I guess it could be expensive.


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## Ancient Tiel' a fier (May 5, 2008)

There are enough similaritys that it will make sence, same stat bars same to hit rules etc, but some important differences like, not everyone can shoot, lots of things can effect combats and who wins and magic, to name a few.
Skaeven are a hoarde army but they are a lot of fun (they are the only the race that can deliberately target there own units with shooting and magic), as for expence it depends what you go for there are a lot more plastic kits then there used to be. You will likely be looking at 200- 250 unless you want stormvermin which could bump it up a bit.
My advice is start with 500pts list and build up, this way you can play smalll skirmishes to learn the rules and then decide how to build your army according to your experiences and style.


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## Siege (Jan 18, 2008)

Cool. 

Is there any reason why I shouldn't start with a Skaven army? What other army would you suggest? I don't like painting humans and I don't like Dwarfs.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

The Skaven Battallion always struck me as a good deal. You get 68 models in it, all of which you'll probably use in the army.


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## Siege (Jan 18, 2008)

Are Skaven a fairly common army? 

I'm a shooty kind of guy, well at least I am in 40k. How are Skaven at shooting?

My regular gaming opponent is also considering moving into Fantasy, and he is probably going with a Dwarf or an Empire army. How well will Skaven do against those armies?

It seems to me there is plenty of opportunity for conversions within a Skaven army, so that's a plus for me.


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## neilbatte (Jan 2, 2008)

skaven aren't the most common of armies as a lot of people are put of by the mass of rats that need painting. 
No horde army is really a shooty army but skaven have access to some of the most devastating (usually to its own side) weapons the slaves can have slings which are low strength high volume weapons then most units can have either the ratling gun or a flame thrower attatched both are good but unreliable the best unit is jezzails which rip through knights but are needed in bulk (which is expensive unless you are good at converting) and there is the dreaded warp lightning cannon which is dangerous to every thing on the table but all of these need to be backed up with lots of clanrats to be really effective.
a shooty skaven army with plenty of plaguemonks and poison wind globadiers should be able to beat a dwarf army with a bit of luck against most types of Empire armies its all about overwhelming the whole army at once and a big skaven horde can do that


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## Lord Khorne (May 6, 2008)

Skaven needs some tactics really, so its not the best starter army. But then again it isn't the worst. And there aren't many rat players. So go ahead and boost their numbers.


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## Green Knight (Feb 25, 2008)

They have very powerful shooting, but they can blow away some of your army as well


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## Wiccus (Jun 2, 2008)

Really its all about what army looks coolest to you and what backstory is the most appealing. Skaven have some good models and a sweet backstory. They can have very powerful magic phases and devastating shooting. Their close combat ability is nothing to scoff at and the army is faster than the average army's foot trooper. I once fought a shooty skaven army with my chaos mortals and the only thing that reached his lines were my lord on a daemon steed and 3 warriors. Needless to say I lost really hard. Skaven are very powerful if you play them right.


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## Snorri O'dubhda (May 14, 2008)

Skaven was my starter army and one of my best loved armies. when going in to making a skaven army the best thing to remember is character. I personally thing that skaven have the best Characterisation of all warhammer armies. 
Skaven are cowardly by nature individually the would run away if a snotling look at them funnyly but in numbers they are a virtually unstoppable tide. It is widely thought that if all the skaven rallied under one banner they would conquer the old world, but there is one problem with this. Their political structure, They are back stabbing, sneeky and malipulative and worst of all absolutly paranoid. Skaven work their way to the top of socity through tretury, scheaming and assasination. constantly trying to outdo each other and further their own ends. The skaven a lead byt eh council of 13 which are constantly trying to out do each other and avoid each others ingenios schemes that the clans wont unite.
Skaven have such a disrespect for each others lives that they would gladly kill thousands of their own army just to save their own arses. 
The skaven army is an incredible force with the most destructive warmacines in the game and extreamly fun to play.
Dont expect to win every game but expect every game to be hillarious.
Price wise it is a hord army and will be expensive but the battalion is the most value for money.
hope you have as much fun with them as i do and always remember.....
Theres pleanty more where they came from.


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