# Best Melee Army



## Chocobuncle

Hey I'm kinda new to 40K my friend got me into it and I've read a lot about the history and everything pretty much on different sites about 40K. So I was wondering which army is the best for melee since I love that and the challenge of a hard army.

Some ideas I've got so far are

Gray Knights
Black Templar
Space Wolves
Khrone Berserkers
Orks
etc....

ps. If any where I can buy besides GW a little cheaper would be nice too


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## World Eater XII

World eaters!!!!


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## Chocobuncle

Ha they're really kool with all their stats

but are they the best ones out of all the army lists


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## iquisitor_radical

grey knights are good but always out numberd so dont play them if your new


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## Chocobuncle

Well I like the challenge and Ive seen different tactics for GK like how theyre able to DS units


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## magicman626

World eaters is prob the best way to go for a beginer and hit up ebay for cheaper prices


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## Chocobuncle

Well I want to know the best in the game cause I know most things already I just want the best melee army 

and thanks ill look there now


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## Concrete Hero

Have you had a look at Tyranids? Genestealers are phenomenal... Brilliant base statline with crazy initiative! Loads of attacks and rending too. They can come in from table edges and even be given preferred enemy for minimal cost.

Personally I think they're one of, if not the, best CC troop choice in the game.


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## Chocobuncle

Actually I haven't. I think I'll look at them more but they look like they have no armor save like Orks which is kinda why I dont like Orks that much ha


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## Wounded

who needs armor saves when the enemy is all dead before swinging a single weapon because of your retard high I?


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## Chocobuncle

Well I've been looking at it and they do seem pretty interesting. I'll make sure to remember them since I've always thought Tyranids to be weak kinda but I'll read tactics about them

What else would you guys say is another good or better CC army


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## Trandoshanjake

Point for point, flanking genestealers are the best you can get, imo, but World Eaters are much more versitile, and can hit just as hard if they get the charge. Since you are new, I would reccomend WE, simply because they are stupid-fun to play, have some great fluff, and can stomp most things in CC.


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## Chocobuncle

Well I know some things already since I've read up a lot and my friend play too so he'll help so now all I really need are recommendations for a CC army. 

Ive also look a lot at World Eaters and they seem the best in CC but still need opinions.

Also I look at Necrons for CC but not quite sure about them


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## Trandoshanjake

Out of all the armies, aside from Tau, Necrons are the WORST in CC.


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## Chocobuncle

Ha never mind then. Well Genestealers and Berserkers seem like the best CC so far

How about GK or Black Templars or any other armys


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## Trandoshanjake

GKs are awesome, but only if you are good with them, hehe. I know absolutely nothing about templars however, aside from how the get a free move when they are shot at or something.


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## Chocobuncle

hmm whats better zerkers genestealers or gk then

o yea blood angels and space wolves seem really good at CC too


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## Chocobuncle

guess no one else wants to give advice?


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## Evil beaver2

Eldar have good cc units and fasr transports to get them to cc, but at strength 3 they have trouble wounding


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## Tigirus

It depends on what you want and need from your army, If you want to have a high save army take Khorne or Black Templars. If you want a mass amount of units take hormagaunts, and if you want flexibility Storm guardians with enhance and a avatar, the fleet helps them get in cc fast too.


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## Chocobuncle

hmm good point but i do want a strong armor save and mass kinda but ig arnt really for melee i never figured

and i looked at bt theyre specials dont seem so good but that could just be me


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## Trandoshanjake

The only thing that could come close to "Lots of models AND good saves" would be Witchhunters, and they are really more of a shooty army.


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## Marshal Balian

If you are looking for a high armour save Hand to Hand Army you are either going to want 1 of 3 Armies.

World Eaters CSM: Khorne Berzerkers are just flat out nasty in Hand to Hand combat. They also come with the furious charge rule which adds +1 to STR and INT. Kharn is an awsome character but can hurt your own people too. The regular CSM's with the mark of Khorn receive +1 to their attack profile.

Blood Angels: Take assault squads as a troops choice. Have an assault only dreadnaught the furioso. Baal Predators. Veteran Assault Sqauds from what I hear are pretty good. Death company for free just pay for a chaplain.

Black Templars: My CC army of choice. Emperors Champion with the Accept any Challenge Vow(Re-roll all to hits). Great for killing IC's, MC's, DP's and the likes. Can have 20 man Crusader squads with CCW's(10 Initiates(regular space marine), and 10 Neophytes(Scouts)). The Neophytes are your meat shield and that is all they are good for. May take LRC's as a troop transport(does not count against your FOC of heavy support). Chaplains are still uber tuff(have not been nerfed like the new SM's). They have the rightous zeal special rule. You shoot at them and wound a model they may move up to 6" after the enemy shooting phase(possible 2nd turn assault). Big drawbacks though. No devastator squads, no whirlwinds. Also their FAQ have not been updated properly so if you are playing against a prick they could technically stop you from assaulting out of your LR's due to the new "Assault Vehicle" special rule(but if they do that kick them in the sack and call it game.)


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## Trandoshanjake

Marshal Balian said:


> If you are looking for a high armour save Hand to Hand Army you are either going to want 1 of 3 Armies.
> 
> World Eaters CSM: Khorne Berzerkers are just flat out nasty in Hand to Hand combat. They also come with the furious charge rule which adds +1 to STR and INT. Kharn is an awsome character but can hurt your own people too. The regular CSM's with the mark of Khorn receive +1 to their attack profile.
> 
> Blood Angels: Take assault squads as a troops choice. Have an assault only dreadnaught the furioso. Baal Predators. Veteran Assault Sqauds from what I hear are pretty good. Death company for free just pay for a chaplain.
> 
> Black Templars: My CC army of choice. Emperors Champion with the Accept any Challenge Vow(Re-roll all to hits). Great for killing IC's, MC's, DP's and the likes. Can have 20 man Crusader squads with CCW's(10 Initiates(regular space marine), and 10 Neophytes(Scouts)). The Neophytes are your meat shield and that is all they are good for. May take LRC's as a troop transport(does not count against your FOC of heavy support). Chaplains are still uber tuff(have not been nerfed like the new SM's). They have the rightous zeal special rule. You shoot at them and wound a model they may move up to 6" after the enemy shooting phase(possible 2nd turn assault). Big drawbacks though. No devastator squads, no whirlwinds. Also their FAQ have not been updated properly so if you are playing against a prick they could technically stop you from assaulting out of your LR's due to the new "Assault Vehicle" special rule(but if they do that kick them in the sack and call it game.)


You forgot GKs, s6 ws5 and true grit, mmmmmm...


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## Marshal Balian

Trandoshanjake said:


> You forgot GKs, s6 ws5 and true grit, mmmmmm...


Nope I did not forget them. They have already been mentioned. The drawback to them is they are way to expensive.


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## Trandoshanjake

Marshal Balian said:


> Nope I did not forget them. They have already been mentioned. The drawback to them is they are way to expensive.


THAT is a matter of opinion. Ok, maybe not, but they are still made of pure distilled badass.


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## Marshal Balian

Trandoshanjake said:


> THAT is a matter of opinion. Ok, maybe not, but they are still made of pure distilled badass.


That is true. But hands down against a CC oriented army the GK will lose due to lack of numbers. They are badasses in what they do but point for point I will take a Templar army over them any day.

I just wish they would make GK in plastics. I want a GK army but cannot stomach the price for them money wise and only having 5 different variations to a GK is a big killer for me. I hate having 2 models that look the same. I have no Sword Brethren models because of this.


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## Chocobuncle

thats disapointing cause i really liked gk but o well and i cant really read much on blood angels but what really makes them different from other sm


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## Imperial Dragon

There's no real best as someone might of said already, some are better then others though, if this is your first army, i would go with Khorne Berzerkers (Chaos space marines, World Eater/followers of Khorne army) i find that most people can make a list that is killy enough while being easy on the pocket (Ebay) the only problem is you will need to find power weapons and power fists of Ebay.

BA can have assault marines as troops and get a unit called death company (DC) which are a space marine unit that rends.


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## Chocobuncle

yea but is it really good just to have pure assault marines as ba

and ive watched people play and read the rules and stuff just wanted to make sure if there is a best cc army and which one it is


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## wdwc

I'm not biased but I would have to say World Eaters are "the best" cc army out there because there really isn't other trick they have. Orcs and Tyranids can be extremely shooty but zerks will always have their chain axe. Also, Karn is a great character just don't charge your bodyguard unit with him and he'll just main whoever is in your way.


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## Chocobuncle

ha yea i kinda got that  and well i looked at tyranids and they seemed really cool with those genestealers but cant really have an army of just them can you


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## benos

you can nearly have an army of just genestealers (broodlord HQ, stealers as troops)

Black Templars are potentially very very good, I generally used the suffer not the unclean vow (+1 str, -1 I ) with the champion, the emperors champion has ripped up a wraithlord in 1 turn for me, and lightning claws are really really scary at str 5!

also lots of transports overlook the lots of attacks that can rip up a tank with a bit of luck. 
not to say they are the best but they are up there (shame they can no longer consolidate into combat as that was awesome!)

Ben


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## Chocobuncle

but -1 in kinda sucks doesnt it?


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## Evil beaver2

This should be made into a poll, that way more people vote and the results are clear.
Its a good question.


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## Lord Rommel

Now genestealers are badass, but you cant go wrong with a bloodletter with a good charge and power weapons out the ass.


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## Jackinator

Orks, I don't know if this is what your looking for but with most armies (aka those not built for Ork killing) the green horde just rolls over them. Grrrrrr



Chocobuncle said:


> but -1 in kinda sucks doesnt it?


Yeah but I'd restrict this to games where you know what your facing, good against eldar, cause most of them strike before you anyway and it's arguably good against guys with lower initiative like orks since you strike at the same time (if you get the charge) and have higher strength than normal with your power armour protecting you from most hits.


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## ajizzal

Chaos Daemons certainly have a claim to one of the best,

in no particular order,best are

chaos daemons,nids,orks,chaos sm's and sm's


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## Chocobuncle

Jackinator said:


> Yeah but I'd restrict this to games where you know what your facing, good against eldar, cause most of them strike before you anyway and it's arguably good against guys with lower initiative like orks since you strike at the same time (if you get the charge) and have higher strength than normal with your power armour protecting you from most hits.


hmm thats a good idea well its either that vow or the re-roll ones that i really found a use for not sure if its just me though haha


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## maomolin

CSM (even generic marines with IoK are scary) have a spot on the list. I havent seen BT or any loyalist army (I sob for BA players, I truely do) come close. Nids definitally have a HUGE niche in close combat. Orks... I will NOT say orks are a close combat army. They simply cannot deal with high toughness creatures AS WELL AS other armies and can hit walls that all their attacks mean nill. Additionally, the volume of firepower and Ard Boyz tournament armies back this thought process.

Dark eldar have the best CC leveler in the game, the agoniser and can be spammed with high init characters. Wyches with a 4+ invulnerable save in CC can survive a long time against any foe. The punisher puts some equal or better-than-equal grounds for any of these characters as well, boisering an archon/dracon/archite/dracite to str 5 (on jetbike) and easily str 6 with combat drugs while incubi are standard init 5, str 4 power weapons. Grotesques and talos are suited for close combat and mandrakes, played right, really turn the tide for the dark eldar in the heat of battle. Thou shall not underestimate Dark Eldar, lest ye be packing up for the night!


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## Crude

gosh, nobodys really talked about space wolves 

im a bit biased but blood claws, troop choice, can field a 15 man squad with 3 power weapons, melta bombs and a special weapon. and they get +2 attacks on the charge with the berserk charge rule. they a bit cheaper then regular marines but have 1 less ws and bs.

then grey hunters, also troops, you must take at least one squad of these. they have bolter, ccw and true grit. can take 2 power weapons/fists and 2 plasma pistols.

wolf guard, can essentially be played as veterans or terminators and all have access to the armory.

i won't bother going into detail about the HQs except that 4 attacks come standard. 

space wolves have access to some cool wargear. the ability to always hit on a 3+ in cc regardless of ws and a power weapon that adds +1 to strength

the only really annoying thing is mobility, either drop podding or lots of transports is the way to go here

its very satisfying to plow into an enemy squad with ragnar blackmane. "ill take my 7 attacks at str 5 hitting on 3+ now"


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## maomolin

I run CSM very similarly, running 15-csm, IoK, Sgt w/ P.Fist. 3 base attacks, WS/BS 4, itll keep pace with orks very nicely (and has) with a comparable price to space wolves. Dark Eldar just kinda swathe through it though. Nids can be rough, but generally very managable.


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## FuriousCurioso

I agree 100% with Maomolin, Dark Eldar will ruin anybodies day in hth if they want to, even against Tyranids.


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## Varstarex

Chocobuncle said:


> Hey I'm kinda new to 40K my friend got me into it and I've read a lot about the history and everything pretty much on different sites about 40K. So I was wondering which army is the best for melee since I love that and the challenge of a hard army.
> 
> Some ideas I've got so far are
> 
> Gray Knights
> Black Templar
> Space Wolves
> Khrone Berserkers
> Orks
> etc....
> As stated before by some before myself, the Tyranids are a pretty good CC army. Especially if you like too see a lot of your pieces just glomping the enemy up close xD but whatever suits your boat
> 
> ps. If any where I can buy besides GW a little cheaper would be nice too
> Well since you live in California [Not sure where of course], there's a place called Emerald Knights in Burbank, CA that's pretty big and awesome price wise so maybe that would be a side option


But yeah go for the Tyranids! Even though I don't play as them xD


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## Orochi

its been mentioned, but Dark Eldar are kings of CC. With their rules and speed, they outmatch anyone.

But, on the brutality side, i dont think that anyone will argue that Khorne berzerkers are the most dangerous CC unit. At 21 points, you get 4 str 5 ws 5 attacks on the charge.

backed up be daemon princes and whatnot, Chaos score 2nd.

Tyranids can do a Horde army, or a Nidzilla army, giving you the choice of using big game winning models, or a swarm of lesser creatures. I'd give them position 3.


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