Great idea for a thread my choices and the reason for them are going to likely jump around a bit
1. Wood Elves
The GW range contains some of my all time favourite models, from one of my first purchases of Skarloc’s archers (back in 3rd) to the 4th ed waywatchers. So it’s primarily the aesthetic appeal of them that puts them top. It’s one army that I’ve always enjoyed collecting. I like the challenging nature of their play style too.
2. Dwarves (yes I use the Tolkien spelling). These bought me back to the game and are my largest army. I love their lore, especially in the 8th book where they started to get a bit of hope. I also enjoy playing them and although they have slipped from my current favourites to field, I probably have played more games of 8th with them, then any other.
3. Beastmen
I have fallen in love with this army over the last 5 years. Out of all of my armies, this is the one that I would choose to play with as it is just such fun to use. Yes the points of half the units in 8th are just too high but there is no denying their effectiveness on the tabletop. I love seeing the expression on opponents faces when ‘one of the weakest armies’ stomps all over them because they’ve rarely faced them and just didn’t know what to expect. Sure it doesn’t always go that way and it’s another army that I really enjoy the challenge of using. It also taught me how to use chaff more effectively than in any other army.
4. Orc and Goblins
The army that started in all for me. I love the chaos, the randomness and the lore. The fact that snotlings are there so even beaten down goblins have someone to pick on. What’s not to love. And pump wagons. Let’s not forget them!
5. Undead/Vampire Counts
Together with OnG and Wood elves, this was the 3rd army that I picked up when I started playing (well perhaps army is stretching it). At that point there wasn’t a split between VC and TK though there was a great big lump of metal called Nagash by Gary Morley that quite often found itself in my list. I loved the big freak but when the VC book was released in 5th I found myself going down that route (probably as the TK was a Nigel Stillman WD list and wasn’t released until later) but mainly as the Von Carstein story very much appealed to me (and still does).
6. Bretonnia
Massed cavalry and King Arthur. Need you say more? Ah you can. Ok Robin Hood, Little John and Friar Tuck minis from 5th edition .
7. Lizardmen
The ability to take a full monster mash and the option to really go to town with bright colours and different paint schemes. I quite like the lore too.
8. High Elves
Purely down to the miniatures. They have one of the best ranges for individual metal characters (I can’t say how many mage models I have) and the Cav is good too. They would probably be higher if I weren’t so fed up of coming across the Alarielle/WL horde. Thankfully I don’t run that and subscribe more to The Cavalry Prince style.
9. Tomb Kings
Probably entirely down to the Nagash trilogy of books and a hangover to the duel undead 4th ed book.
10. The Empire
I quite like the Empire, especially how to be effective you have to synergise everything with each other.
11. Skaven
The biggest single threat to everything else in the old world, if only they didn’t spent as much time back stabbing each other. I could definitely see them as my next army if it weren’t for the thought of having to paint yet another horde army!
12. Warriors
Again, I don’t dislike warriors. fnjoy the lore and how warriors are constantly seeking to challenge and grow stronger. I haven’t enjoyed novels based around warriors as much as others though and have faced them just a few too many times on the table, with some of the often occurring builds to rate them higher.
13. Chaos Dwarves
You can’t hate a race that creates Black Orcs and thus the greatest of that kind... Morglum Necksnapper (no arguing, he is. All others are young whippersnappers). But with my love of normal dwarves, they obviously can’t rate near the top!
14. Ogres
I just don’t enjoy the aesthetic look of the more modern ogres with the moustaches and large bellies. It probably boils down to some of the old lead ogres being up there as models I really wish I own.
15. Dark Elves
Although I actually quite like the models, especially the most recent dark shards, I have an intense dislike of DEs. I’m putting it entirely down to the lore. Like all warhammer lore, I enjoy reading it but I just couldn’t warm to the race at all.
16. Daemons of Chaos
I could just never warm to these. I don’t particularly like the models and it might be because they are the only army that isn’t actually based in the old world.