Army Building for Warhammer 40K?

Question

After reading the novel series a friend and I have decided to play a few games, but I'm struggling to create an army. We decide to go for a good V evil theme with Chaos V Marine armies. I've been toying with a few Chaos army lists but I'm finding it hard to create a themed army that is balanced. For example, if I choose to build a Tzeench army all they can do is defend, while Khorn are the opposite way around. How can a build an army that can be used for any mission type?

Answer 1

Chaos is a hugely varied subject in 40k armies.  For a start you have the Renegade Space Marine army, which can be themed - as you seem to prefer - or generic (which might be a better choice if you want a balanced force).  But you also have the forthcoming Chaos Daemons codex, which promises all sorts of spikey nastiness.  Then there's the Chaos Militia force available from Forgeworld (and based on the Imperial Guard army list) and the oft-forgotten Lost and the Damned army list published in the Eye of Terror codex and still, technically, current.

Any and all of these can be balanced if you choose the right forces, but the stronger the "theme", the harder it becomes.  Any army can struggle in a scenario that doesn't favour its strengths but that doesn't mean it can't still play these scenarios - the objective, after all, is about having fun more than it is about dominating your opponents every time.

Still, a Khorne army can take defensive armour, like Predators, Land Raiders, Dreadnoughts and Defilers.  And a Tzeentch army can take offensive assault units like Bikers and Raptors.

I realize that this isn't the most complete answer but, as mentioned, the breadth offered by the "Chaos" theme is enormous and to address each and every variation and equation and how to balance it for all sorts of missions would take forever.  Settle on a theme that excites and engages you and come on back with a follow-up question about that theme.  Then I'll do whatever I can to help.

Answer 2

Chaos has the advantage of Chaos Undivided, which is the general worship of all Gods. This basically allows you to field an army with some Tzeentch follows, some Khorne followers, a few Slaanesh, whatever you want really. Chaos can be unaligned to a God which makes thgem just as versatile as Marines.

Answer 3

stuff chaos, use orks! you have so much more freedom with them, plus they look better