"Best Ancients Army for a Newbie?" Topic

Which army would you recommend for someone just getting started with Ancients?

a) The one you would like to paint the most.

b) Republican Romans, pretty solid army in any rules with lots of historical opponents.

EIR, it has a little bit of everything. Is this for Editor Julia?

Early classical Greeks. It's mostly heavy infantry with a few other options. Good to get started with as the armies are fairly simple to play.

One you like to play with, win or lose. You'll hopefully keep playing and learning how to use the army and rules til you start winning.
Good luck.

An exclusively light horse, steppe army.

You'll probably never win much but it's a fun army to play ("float like a butterfly &…well….sting like a butterfly too")

It really depends on the rules. WRG and others really handicap infantry armies like Romans and hoplites. They reward "dancing" armies.

Carthaginians. They include the nuclei for about 3 or 4 other armies to expand into (Gallic, Spanish, Numidian etc)

Marian Romans. Simple and solid.

Any Ancient Gallic or German Barbarian army. Simple tactics, all they know what to do is charge straight ahead, screaming. :)

Whatever they are interested in.

My first was Early Imperial Roman. Not a super army but it was a very forgiving army in any terrain and against any opponent. The troops are well armoured and often includes veterans. It has good heavy and medium Infantry backed by solid cavalry. Plus plenty of interesting reading material and history. I think a good army for beginners.

Indians, lots of troop types, ELEPHANTS, and simple to paint. Undercoat flesh, paint off white…

I would suggest a course of counselling, and going for a cheaper and less addictive hobby, instead – crack cocaine would probably meet the bill. ;-)

An army that they like. Better if that army has some basic troop types that can be used in other armies just in case…

Republican Romans, they can fight anyone, including each other over a vast historical period.

The Carthaginans, because they can fight the Romans and as noted above, easily morph into a load of other armies.

I would never buy only one side for a conflict.

An army from your own country's past history or one of it's enemies?

Gauls… They fight pretty much everyone – not massively complex.
Not easy to paint though…

Romans are good (Early Imperials or Republican), although most troops are primarily useful as Romans. If you want a greater challenge, try the "pike-pushers" (Alexander and his Successors). They require you to learn more finesse, have more cavalry, but still have a core of quite good foot. With the added advantage that many of the troops are useful in many armies from perhaps 350 B.C. to the second century AD or so…

Early Imperial Romans make a bad player good and a good player great.

3 questions:

What game system will be played? – to avoid armies that are no fun to play, no fun to play against, or at a distinct disadvantage in that system

What armies are potential opponents already playing? to narrow the focus to armies that will fit in with the community

What armies are of interest & match the current playing style of the player?

The answers to those questions should narrow the field

IMHO Marian Romans!!!!!!!!!Mike Adams

Sumerian. Badoomp-boomp-pshh.

Roman legionnaires are difficult for any rules set to properly model in my experience. I'd go with an army that has a lot of troop variety. May be Late Roman or Macedonian or even a biblical army.

The one about which the least is known? Little risk of rules challenge and none of uniform challenge!

A beginner needs two, if doing DBA, so as to have an opponent. Marian Romans and Barbarians are good, or Polyibian Romans with Carthage. Or Greeks with 10 Hoplites, a cavalry and a skirmisher. Two of the same as enemies, or join for a bigger battle.

Depends what you like. Do you want something solid and dependable (Greeks, Romans) or hairy barbarians (Celts, vikings or whatever.

Generally, the more different troop types you have, the more difficult the army will be to use. Heavy types are more straightforward than light, but if you get the hang of using light troops, they are very dangerous. Just make sure it's an army you can 'feel'. For example, I like Samurai, but I've never been able to use them well; for me they just don't work. Huns, however, work well for me, and even if I lose, the game will be fun.

Pike armies (Macedonian and successors )

Colorful, lots of cav. And the joy of pikes.
When you don't prick your self and bleed all over your figures, you'll have the joy of regluing pikes day in and day out as they all seem to fall off if you look at them a little hard.

Early Imperial Roman makes sense as
a) it's a relatively easy army to play with under most rule sets.
b) some really beautiful figures available in several scales
c) Not all that hard to paint but possibly a little boring.
d) well documented.
Republican Romans would be a solid second choice.

Carthaginians too for exactly the reasons already mentioned.
Don't expect to win constantly though!

If you're aiming for the best looking army however go for Late (Eastern) Romans -erroneously called Byzantines. Together with the Sassanid Persians easily the most spectacular figures ever.

My favourite 'Ancient' army is Late Romans but they are definitely not for a newbie.

Something that strikes their fancy and is tolerably effective under the rules they'll be using.

I agree on some flavor of Romans – they tend to be relatively simple and uniform in appearance, so a newbie can get some painting skills, and since they always have some Allied troops, there's room for adding a variety of troop types. Plus, they fought darn near everyone.

Failing that, and for a newbie who likes the idea of a "non-uniform, uniform army", Hoplite Greeks are a decent idea. They had tons of foes, can act as mercenaries in other armies, and though are all more-or-less equipped the same, have a great variety in shield patterns, armor types and clothing colors. Or paint them all "bronze, white/red, black" and use shield transfers, and get them on the table quickly. Best of both worlds, though they are somewhat lacking in tactical finesse (both historically and in many rule sets).

An army you can still love even when it loses, and more than likely some type of Early Imperial Roman Army.

Everyone is saying Romans. I highly disagree if you are playing any form of DBx. I started out with Romans, everyone else at my game store laughed and just played Warband and Knights against me.

I suggest starting with Greeks. Spears are a solid choice in DBx and there is a lot of history/research already done on the subject.

If you are playing any other rules besides DBx, then I would suggest what ever fits your fancy.

Depends on your personality. Do you like to charge into battle, then some sort of knight army. Do you like to slowly grind your opponent into dust, then Roman/Pike may suit you. Is appearance more important then performance? Then try the exotic armies of India or Seleucid.

All the above are good points but IMHO the most important things are what armies, scales and rules will your likely opponents be using.

Why get a Roman army if everyone else is using biblicals or medievals.

So where and who will you be playing?

An army from a nation that had notable civil wars (say, Roman) … so your army could be one bigger army or two or more smaller, say, DBA ones, so you can provide both sides …

Many fit the bill ..

Phil
The civil wars of the Late Republic are fascinating.

I agree with many above.

Caesarian (or Marian) Romans fought just about everybody so they are versatile.

They fought themselves so that makes it easier to get games going.

Basic Marian legionaries can be used as principes, and as hastati in earlier Roman armies (although hastati are usually different armored).

So that gives much flexibility.

However in many rule sets, Romans are given less chances since alternative armies are more flashy, and there is a bias towards equity than reality. However, that being said, many Roman armies were wiped out, they conquered by their persistence not always their brilliance.

As Simon added.. crack might be better… the allure of ancient armies tends to completionism, and then upgrading to other variants.

Rome lasted over 700 years and to say you have a Roman army in miniature begs the question now.. which Roman army? The Early Republic or dudes armed in mail hoodies fighting Sassanids….

So all armies have this same phenomenon. It's not a Greek army-- its Spartan, which is different from Theban or Athenian.

So crack might be better.

Ultimately the best advice is to go with something you really love-- and have interest. Miniature army collecting is not for the faint of heart and the low attention span. Building an ancient army in the hundreds is a rewarding task that demands focus. The worst part is that as soon as you feel you have a sizeable and cool army in miniature-- some company comes out with amazing new figures that knock the heck out of the 20 year old figures in your collection…

crack… lol.

I think the easier (and more fun) army to start with is a steppe army. Lots of lite and heavy horse. Maneuvers well and gets into action fast. More forgiving of mistakes as it gets out of trouble just as fast. Morphs well too. Steppe armies have historical opponents from every era almost anywhere.

A newbie who likes to paint: Romans.
A newbie who doesn't: Spartans.