I've downloaded the rules and the NetEpic army lists for the Space Marines, Orks, and Eldar, and hope to play my first game in the next few weeks. I think I'll start with a 1500 or 2000 point list, no titans, no air, and no big tanks and such.

But I'm pretty overwhelmed... There are scores of units and attachments to pick from... Can anyone offer any advice for three good starting armies (I have lots of minis, and don't mind proxying stuff that I may not actually have) for those factions, and how the heck do you typically go about picking your troops with so many choices? Simple army lists, and why you recommend them would be much appreciated!

Since I'm new to this game, please avoid acronyms and abbreviations, thanks!

To Pick an army, work out what you want your army to do (stand and shoot, grab objectives and sit, CHARGE). You want firebase, take and hold group, and high speed manouvre groups mixed according to what you want the army to do. Different armies have strengths and weaknesses in these. Start with the company cards and pick those that match you plan. Grab any specials you must have, then work out what else you need or gaps you have and use detachments to fill these. Easy.

1500 is pretty small for NetEpic. I wouldn't recommend going below 2000. Some sample armies (no titans, no air):

Eldar:

Defender Warhost 850
- Pathfinders 100
Spirit Host 500
Jetbike Host 550

(all three bases covered)

Space Marines:

Battle Company 850
Battle Company 850
- Librarian 100
- Predators 200

(Marines rely on their Devastators and T-Hawks so 2000 no air is hard!)

Orks:

Kult of Speed 400
- Nobz Bikes 200
- Gobsmashas 100
- Wartracks 100
- Extra Bikes 100
- Dragsta 100

Blood Axes 600
- Bonebreakers 150
- Bonebreakers 150
- Freebootas 0
- Skullhammer 100

(you need the Freebootas to go in the Skullhammer to take 2 objectives...Skullhammer drops the FBs on one, then goes and takes another. Otherwise you can only hold one or maybe two objectives with the Blood Axe horde. KoS charges and smashes the baddies.)
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Thanks Zap,

We'll stick with 2000 points then.

Good luck, and let us know how you go!

Any chance of an update on how you got on? I know you off Brikwars, right?

Hey warhead! Small world. I've got the rough (ROUGH) draft of our latest Brikwars battle on my google docs, but small things like planning for a wedding keep getting in the way...

The 2000 pt NetEpic battle may have to wait until May, when I'm hoping to convince a few of my friends to game with me at KublaCon. The session report will be, naturally, epic!

Hot damn! I'll be sure to keep a look out for it then. Good luck with the wedding as well.