Best Race for Newbie?

[Surprise Attack!]

Hi all,

My question is as it is stated in the subject line. Any ideas on what a good race for someone completely new to DoW2 MP? I basically have never played DoW2 MP(until recently) at all, nevermind ELITE mod.

The only experience I have in terms of games that are mildly similar to DoW2 is Company of Heroes, which I actually managed to get passably decent at back in the day.

I've mostly been playing as IG because it feels the closest to CoH, but I'm honestly not sure if that's really the best move at the moment, since I feel that its more important that I get the mechanics of the game down before anything else.

I welcome and appreciate any comments, ideas, or suggestions!

Thanks ahead of time!

[Sub_Zero]

Start with space marines. It is the best pick for a new player to learn the game.

[Lulgrim]

Chaos is probably simplest to play from a low to medium skill level. You just need to figure out Worship (tends to be minimal at first and increase with experience) and not suiciding your Heretics in early melee clashes. Chaos units can usually perform all right without building special synergy combos and their upgrades tend to be passive so you don't get a thousand abilities to juggle.

The exception would be Sorcerer with a multi-Heretic build, that can be a little complicated to play.

[HandSome SoddiNg]

i agree with Lugrim, although SM looks like a Beginner race to start off with. Chaos is Slightly Simpler being a Powerhouse race

[Vapor]

Also Chaos gives you an excellent introduction to many game mechanics... you get strong melee units, high DPS ranged squads, lascannons that snare, walker vehicles, jump troops, tanks. The only things that are really missing are snipers and transport play. Compare that to IG, where you'd be missing out on dedicated melee units (until ogryns), jump units, walkers...

[Surprise Attack!]

Hi guys, thanks a lot for the input. I did do one game once as Space Marines and ended up getting my butt handed to me on a platter, mostly because I had no idea what to do with my scout marines and severely overestimated the capabilities of my tactical squads.

I'll give Chaos a try, though in the past I've kinda avoided them mostly because I kinda find the Chaos backstory a bit... weird(I don't like scary movies )

[Kvek]

Yeah go Chaos, but sorc can be hard, just use the Kayows Lord
Or orks, they are quite easy to learn and play, especially warboss

[fok12]

For Chaos, I think that the Plague Champion is the simplest. He has great globals for beginner and all around play and also, as he doesn't start with any abilities, he does not need too much micro. Additionaly he starts ranged, so he's not very risky regarding Retreat. (unless he is in a very bad position)

[Nurland]

Chaos is probably the simplest faction to play in game. Both Kayossss Lord, Plague Champ are simple heroes to play Sorc is probably among the hardest heroes to play in game with Eldar Farseer.

Space Marines are not the easiest faction to play but not the hardest either and Force Commander is probably the most straightforward hero for SM.

[Forestradio]

Watch Indrid's casts and Maestro's casts, and don't forget to make use of the wiki.

Indrid: http://www.youtube.com/user/DoWReplaysNet

Maestro: http://www.youtube.com/user/RadicallyDreaming

Retail wiki: http://dow.wikia.com/wiki/Retribution

A lot of retail stuff has been changed, so here's a (mostly) complete changelog:
http://www.dawnofwar.info/index.php?pag ... gelog_full

and then the 2.2 Beta changelog: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=166

Not really race specific advice, but they'll help you get a greater grasp on the game and its mechanics.

Agree that SM and Chaos are the simplest to play.

[Surprise Attack!]

Thanks so much for all the tips and advice guys. I really appreciate it! The Plague Champ is pretty cool.

I've watched several of Indrid's and Maestro's casts now, they do a really good job. I've also kept an eye on the retail wiki as well. I also did check out the changelog on the dawnofwar.info site.

Would the Eldar be a more advanced faction to play as? I haven't really encountered anyone playing as the space elves yet.

[Torpid]

Yup, eldar and IG are pretty rough. Nids and orks are mid-way.

[Surprise Attack!]

Whew, great. And here I thought me getting owned as IG meant I should give up at RTSes!

[Surprise Attack!]

Chaos is probably simplest to play from a low to medium skill level. You just need to figure out Worship (tends to be minimal at first and increase with experience) and not suiciding your Heretics in early melee clashes. Chaos units can usually perform all right without building special synergy combos and their upgrades tend to be passive so you don't get a thousand abilities to juggle.

The exception would be Sorcerer with a multi-Heretic build, that can be a little complicated to play.

I managed to give Chaos a try, but what about the Sorcerer makes it hard to play? I'm really, really digging the new skin for the Alpha Legion Sorc, so I really want to try it out!

[Vapor]

To simplify things a bit: the sorc is very ability intensive, and you have to be able to use those abilities well to get the same utility out of him that a Chaos Lord could get by just clicking on the enemy and tanking damage.

To be honest though, if you want to get really good with a hero it's going to take practice regardless of who you choose. The sorc is super fun so you should go for it if you like him.

To this day I don't have a single hero I main, I've managed to boil it down to two but any time I try to stick to just one I get bored.

[Maestro Cretella]

This is a question that bothers me and the traditional answers bother me as well.

The best race for you is the race you want to play. Some races might be more forgiving in some ways, and might better familiarize you with the fundamentals of the game, but you can learn the game with any race. If you want to play IG, then play IG and learn the game with IG. If you want to play Eldar, then play Eldar and learn the game with Eldar. If you're digging that Alpha Legion Chaos Sorcerer, then play that Alpa Legion Chaos Sorcerer.

If you haven't found something you want to play, then just go through heroes and races until you do.

[Ace of Swords]

I agree with Cretella, find a race you like for whatever reason it might be, and stick with it, that's the best way to l2p.

[Surprise Attack!]

This is a question that bothers me and the traditional answers bother me as well.

The best race for you is the race you want to play. Some races might be more forgiving in some ways, and might better familiarize you with the fundamentals of the game, but you can learn the game with any race. If you want to play IG, then play IG and learn the game with IG. If you want to play Eldar, then play Eldar and learn the game with Eldar. If you're digging that Alpha Legion Chaos Sorcerer, then play that Alpa Legion Chaos Sorcerer.

If you haven't found something you want to play, then just go through heroes and races until you do.

Hey Maestro, I've been trying out all the races for the most part and watching your's and Indrid's casts on Youtube.

I didn't mean to be that guy who asks "what's the easy button?" but I felt the need to ask this question simply because there are a few things that I do not get about the game, mostly along the lines of what counters what. Playing as Chaos has helped with that.

I played IG for a bit, but after around 10 losses in a row, I started thinking about why I was losing. I watched a few of your casts, like the one with dark riku and noisy, where noisy took early map control with a 3 heretic + sorc opening. So, I worked on build order and map control. But that only helped me so far as doing well in T1, and my game would fall apart after teching to T2, because I'd find myself facing an angry Dreadnought charging at my mans, only to forget what the IG have for AV in my stat of panic.

After some experimenting and failure, I've realized that its way better to put IG Hvy. Wep. teams behind your guardsmen because of the tendency for your opponents to want to close and melee IG.

I do like the IG playstyle, and I have the neat gasmask guys, but some of the advice about Chaos being nice to play because it exposes me to a lot of the different elements in the game has been really useful. For instance, I realized that the IG have to rely on the Manticore to make up for their lack in jump/disruption infantry.

I'm still really unsure as to what to do as IG when someone rushes me with a devastator squad other than flank, and I'm also not sure how to use Catachans to the best of their abilities yet. But, it's a work in progress.

Thanks for your comments, and good job with the casts, I really enjoy them!

[Vapor]

I'm still really unsure as to what to do as IG when someone rushes me with a devastator squad other than flank

Buy spotters, they are the only direct counter to setup teams that IG has in t1. If your opponent spams setup teams or has a massive ranged blob in t2 then you might want to buy a manticore

[Lag]

From my experience Orks are the easiest. Your mistakes get punished the least. IG and Eldrar are the hardest. Despite what the geronts up there have to say, I started playing with Eldar and it was hard as fuck and I only stayed in the game because CoH got so boring for me and I had no other choice. I only got into the game when I started playing Orks as I had more breathing space so I could learn what does what much easier.
Orks or CSM get my definite vote.

[Bahamut]

I'd say chaos is the easiest race by far. Orkz and Nids come afterwards and I'd say SM and eldar are the hardest races

[Commissar Vocaloid]

This is a question that bothers me and the traditional answers bother me as well.

The best race for you is the race you want to play. Some races might be more forgiving in some ways, and might better familiarize you with the fundamentals of the game, but you can learn the game with any race. If you want to play IG, then play IG and learn the game with IG. If you want to play Eldar, then play Eldar and learn the game with Eldar. If you're digging that Alpha Legion Chaos Sorcerer, then play that Alpa Legion Chaos Sorcerer.

If you haven't found something you want to play, then just go through heroes and races until you do.

This - I started with IG and main IG. You'll probably lose a lot at first, considering the average players skill levels ontop of the generally higher level of micro required for IG versus Chaos for example, but you'll gradually learn more. So if you want to dig down into the pits and hold the line with the Krieg, then a guardsmen life is to be (or more specifically, for you to play).

Hey Maestro, I've been trying out all the races for the most part and watching your's and Indrid's casts on Youtube.

I didn't mean to be that guy who asks "what's the easy button?" but I felt the need to ask this question simply because there are a few things that I do not get about the game, mostly along the lines of what counters what. Playing as Chaos has helped with that.

I played IG for a bit, but after around 10 losses in a row, I started thinking about why I was losing. I watched a few of your casts, like the one with dark riku and noisy, where noisy took early map control with a 3 heretic + sorc opening. So, I worked on build order and map control. But that only helped me so far as doing well in T1, and my game would fall apart after teching to T2, because I'd find myself facing an angry Dreadnought charging at my mans, only to forget what the IG have for AV in my stat of panic.

After some experimenting and failure, I've realized that its way better to put IG Hvy. Wep. teams behind your guardsmen because of the tendency for your opponents to want to close and melee IG.

I do like the IG playstyle, and I have the neat gasmask guys, but some of the advice about Chaos being nice to play because it exposes me to a lot of the different elements in the game has been really useful. For instance, I realized that the IG have to rely on the Manticore to make up for their lack in jump/disruption infantry.

I'm still really unsure as to what to do as IG when someone rushes me with a devastator squad other than flank, and I'm also not sure how to use Catachans to the best of their abilities yet. But, it's a work in progress.

Thanks for your comments, and good job with the casts, I really enjoy them!

Some tips:
The manticore is a heavy investment and an equally sizable target once that first missile strike goes off. If you're talking about disruption and locking down enemy set up teams, the best unit you can get as a guardsmen in T1 is the spotters team. They are fantastic and can easily change a fight. Their mortar shells disrupt and cause knock back on infantry, and their gas shells completely shut down any ranged squads firing (this even applies to vehicles caught in the smoke).

Catachans are super-situational. I used to build them quite religiously when I first started playing, but you quickly realize they're extremely easy to counter and they fade off once you start rolling into t2 and onward. You also have to consider their effect on your economy, as they are a huge investment at 40 power to field them, and an additional 20 to get the demoman to ensure they have a larger health pool (they have shit health and are easily susceptible to aoe damage)

[Surprise Attack!]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Advice is a great Christmas present!

[Broodwich]

+1 for chaos

[Surprise Attack!]

Hi guys, hope everyone had a great Christmas! I was watching an older cast by Indrid, and saw an Eldar unit called a "Dark Reaper squad". I couldn't find this in the game though... were they taken out?

And yea, trying the space elves out a bit... Still not really sure what to do with them if someone drops a devastator squad on me other than Fleet of Foot and flank, but they seem cool! And Howling Banshees = A+

[Vapor]

Hi guys, hope everyone had a great Christmas! I was watching an older cast by Indrid, and saw an Eldar unit called a "Dark Reaper squad". I couldn't find this in the game though... were they taken out?

And yea, trying the space elves out a bit... Still not really sure what to do with them if someone drops a devastator squad on me other than Fleet of Foot and flank, but they seem cool! And Howling Banshees = A+

Are you playing elite mod? Dark reapers are a t2 unit.

There are many things you can do to deal with devastators as eldar. Flanking is one, you can also drop grenades on them if you can get close enough. Rangers are a direct counter, both the kinetic pulse and their snipers.

[Sub_Zero]

Dark Reapers hide behind "II" icon. Once you researched T2 they will show up.

[Surprise Attack!]

Hi guys, hope everyone had a great Christmas! I was watching an older cast by Indrid, and saw an Eldar unit called a "Dark Reaper squad". I couldn't find this in the game though... were they taken out?

And yea, trying the space elves out a bit... Still not really sure what to do with them if someone drops a devastator squad on me other than Fleet of Foot and flank, but they seem cool! And Howling Banshees = A+

Are you playing elite mod? Dark reapers are a t2 unit.

There are many things you can do to deal with devastators as eldar. Flanking is one, you can also drop grenades on them if you can get close enough. Rangers are a direct counter, both the kinetic pulse and their snipers.

Yeah, I'm in Elite mod. I can see the Fire Dragon squad.

I also had no idea Rangers could that - thanks!

Dark Reapers hide behind "II" icon. Once you researched T2 they will show up.

Ok, that explains a lot. Thanks again!