Hello, this is an attempt to help beginning 40k players make their lists. In 5th edition, troops are of paramount importance in winning 66% of the games you will play. However, troops are often less "killy" than elites or heavy support choices.
Thus, one of the choices most important to a general when making a list is...
How many Troops? For different 40k races, the number differs because for some races, troops are very tough and you therefore don't need to many. However, for others, troops are less tough and you therefore need more.
This is not a solo effort, I need your guys help because I only really play 3 races and I want this thread to help lots of people, thus, if you add a post I'll edit this post.
*I'm going to assume we are playing at 1500 points because this is about the size of an average game.*
Blood Angels
3 Blood Angels troops are fairly tough with a standard 3+ save and by adding Sanguinary Priests, it is possible to give Blood Angels troops feel no pain
Black Templar
2-3, If they are footslogging then they can be big squads, or otherwise they can be in land raiders to keep them safe (Thanks for the info from Champion Auzias)
Chaos Deamons
This is tricky, as are deamons themselves. If you are bringing the highly durable plague bearers, you can take 3 units and be safe in the knowledge that most of your troops will last the battle. You can also use smaller units of plaguebearers if you want to be able to capture more objectives and hide the deamons more easily. (Thanks for the info Chumbalaya)
Chaos Deamon troops are effective in their roles, bloodletters are some of the most fearsome assault units and plaguebearers are some of the best objective holders in the game. Thus, in a deamonic swarm list, up to 10 troops can be acceptable. (Thanks LukeValantine)
Chaos Space Marines
4-2 It really depends because Chaos Space Marines troops are so diverse,if you include Plague Marines, you could almost get away with 2 troops because they have toughness 5 and feel no pain.
Deamonhunters
2 They're so elite and expensive, if you bring more than 3 you won't be bringing much else in you list.
Dark Eldar
4+ Regarded as some of the softest troops in the game (Thats what you get for wearing tight leather for armour) dark eldar troops make up for this with their speed. Dark eldar troops can also carry the infamous dark lance and therefore dark eldar troops add significant mech killing power. If you take less than 4, your opponent can easily target your troops and thus force a draw. (Thanks to Blue Liger and AAAAAAAAARRRGGHH)
Eldar
Eldar have a myriad of different choices which translates into some options:
Footslogging: Here you want 4 units, most likely dire avengers in large enough units to provide enough ablative wounds. Rangers can use their camo cloaks to be surprisingly durable in cover but are often less effective at taking forward objectives
Mech: 3 Will do well because Falcons and Wave Serpents are notoriously tough, troops in them are much more durable but also more expensive
(Thanks for the info from Cocakoala)
Imperial Guard
Around 6 would be regular, bolters and the like cut through Imperial Guard troops like hot butter. Its also possible to include many more, it depends if you are bringing standard platoons or veterans. If you are going for an all vet build in chimeras or Valkyries, 4 is fine.
Necrons
2-3 More information would be nice
Orks
4+ More information would be nice
Space Marines
3 Space Marines are fairly tough but it's always good to have an extra unit of scoring bodies in case a random battle cannon round vaporizes a squad of space marines. A good rule of thumb to use when you take Space Marines troops is that you should take a unit of troops for every 500 points. (Thanks for the rule of thumb plus info from Jangalak and Orochi)
Space Wolves
3+ Space Puppies have some of the best troops in the game ie Grey Hunters however if you spend too much on them you run out of points for fun stuff like longfangs ((Thanks for the info from Vaz)
Tau Empire
3-4 It depends on whether they are in tanks or not, with toughness 3 they aren't super tough but they also have a 4+ save that can thus ignore bolters and such.
Tyranids
No idea :grin:
Witch Hunters
3+ Being toughness 3 and armour save 3, sisters of battle are more resilient than the average troop choice but since there aren't many other excellent units in the Witch Hunters army it is possible to run more than 3 troop choices, (Thanks bishop5) *Editors note I'm always happy to see more of those fine ladies in black*
Thus, one of the choices most important to a general when making a list is...
How many Troops? For different 40k races, the number differs because for some races, troops are very tough and you therefore don't need to many. However, for others, troops are less tough and you therefore need more.
This is not a solo effort, I need your guys help because I only really play 3 races and I want this thread to help lots of people, thus, if you add a post I'll edit this post.
*I'm going to assume we are playing at 1500 points because this is about the size of an average game.*
Blood Angels
3 Blood Angels troops are fairly tough with a standard 3+ save and by adding Sanguinary Priests, it is possible to give Blood Angels troops feel no pain
Black Templar
2-3, If they are footslogging then they can be big squads, or otherwise they can be in land raiders to keep them safe (Thanks for the info from Champion Auzias)
Chaos Deamons
This is tricky, as are deamons themselves. If you are bringing the highly durable plague bearers, you can take 3 units and be safe in the knowledge that most of your troops will last the battle. You can also use smaller units of plaguebearers if you want to be able to capture more objectives and hide the deamons more easily. (Thanks for the info Chumbalaya)
Chaos Deamon troops are effective in their roles, bloodletters are some of the most fearsome assault units and plaguebearers are some of the best objective holders in the game. Thus, in a deamonic swarm list, up to 10 troops can be acceptable. (Thanks LukeValantine)
Chaos Space Marines
4-2 It really depends because Chaos Space Marines troops are so diverse,if you include Plague Marines, you could almost get away with 2 troops because they have toughness 5 and feel no pain.
Deamonhunters
2 They're so elite and expensive, if you bring more than 3 you won't be bringing much else in you list.
Dark Eldar
4+ Regarded as some of the softest troops in the game (Thats what you get for wearing tight leather for armour) dark eldar troops make up for this with their speed. Dark eldar troops can also carry the infamous dark lance and therefore dark eldar troops add significant mech killing power. If you take less than 4, your opponent can easily target your troops and thus force a draw. (Thanks to Blue Liger and AAAAAAAAARRRGGHH)
Eldar
Eldar have a myriad of different choices which translates into some options:
Footslogging: Here you want 4 units, most likely dire avengers in large enough units to provide enough ablative wounds. Rangers can use their camo cloaks to be surprisingly durable in cover but are often less effective at taking forward objectives
Mech: 3 Will do well because Falcons and Wave Serpents are notoriously tough, troops in them are much more durable but also more expensive
(Thanks for the info from Cocakoala)
Imperial Guard
Around 6 would be regular, bolters and the like cut through Imperial Guard troops like hot butter. Its also possible to include many more, it depends if you are bringing standard platoons or veterans. If you are going for an all vet build in chimeras or Valkyries, 4 is fine.
Necrons
2-3 More information would be nice
Orks
4+ More information would be nice
Space Marines
3 Space Marines are fairly tough but it's always good to have an extra unit of scoring bodies in case a random battle cannon round vaporizes a squad of space marines. A good rule of thumb to use when you take Space Marines troops is that you should take a unit of troops for every 500 points. (Thanks for the rule of thumb plus info from Jangalak and Orochi)
Space Wolves
3+ Space Puppies have some of the best troops in the game ie Grey Hunters however if you spend too much on them you run out of points for fun stuff like longfangs ((Thanks for the info from Vaz)
Tau Empire
3-4 It depends on whether they are in tanks or not, with toughness 3 they aren't super tough but they also have a 4+ save that can thus ignore bolters and such.
Tyranids
No idea :grin:
Witch Hunters
3+ Being toughness 3 and armour save 3, sisters of battle are more resilient than the average troop choice but since there aren't many other excellent units in the Witch Hunters army it is possible to run more than 3 troop choices, (Thanks bishop5) *Editors note I'm always happy to see more of those fine ladies in black*