Smaller points; which armies work/don't work well?

[wayniac]

I play at a GW store and most people there play smaller points, typically 1000-1500 points and often only on a 4x4 board (our sole AOS board was recently doubled to 8x4, so 4x4 allows for two concurrent games).  I don't think I've ever seen anyone play a 2000 point game (not counting multiplayer games) and we are starting an escalation league this March that I will be coordinating that will start at probably around 600 points (the upper limit of Start Collecting boxes) and move up.  This presents an interesting dilemma because some armies, it seems, work well at lower points or don't work as well as they do at 2k.  I recently bought the Disciples of Tzeentch book, but looking through them it seems fairly hard to have a solid army at low points due to the general quality of the units, but it scales up well; my prior army, Flesh-Eater Courts, seem to be similar to the < 2000 point level, not that good at 1k points but good at 2k.

Which armies, in your opinion, work better at this points level (i.e. 1000-1500) compared to 2000 points?  I'm trying to make a list so I can better talk to people looking to start, or even for myself when it comes to branching out to other armies, as this is the common point level so I find it better to recommend an army that can work at the frequent points we play at instead of at a level we don't play.

[RuneBrush]

I'd say that most armies will work in some capacity, though some would have a lot less models than others.  Most armies will have chaff-esq units that you could add - for DoT, marauders with a mark of Tzeentch would be my suggestion.  The thing I've always found is that it's really easy to spend most of your points on two or three really solid units and then have very little left over, I tend to work the other way round and kit out enough for taking objectives and then add one solid unit at the 1k mark.

For people just starting out, I don't think you'll ever go wrong with Bloodbound and Stormcast.  I've played my Bloodbound at 600, 1000, 1200, 1500 and 2000 and had enjoyable games.

[The Jabber Tzeentch]

I agree with runebrush, most armies will work. 

The ones I've noticed that seem to struggle at low points are armies without many or any good options for Battleline. 

Fyreslayers for example, have fairly expensive Battleline that are slow and tend to be better in large numbers. Without focus and support gained from having 2000 points I've found that they struggle, you normally only have two decent units so any scenario with many objectives will be hard.

Tzeentch may be the same with their expensive and fairly squishy Battleline troops. But at least they're maneauverable 

[Requizen]

If you want to be hated, Destruction/Beastclaw with two Thundertusks is probably one of the strongest 1000 point lists out there. 

I find shooting armies to do better at low point values too. Less target overload, more chances to just kill everything important before they cross the board. Tabling feels much more likely in small games than larger. 

[Soulsmith]

I have found my 1000 points Ironjawz to be pretty strong, they do a lot of damage and get into combat fast enough that they're hard to deal with. I think a DoT force is going to really dependent on how it's been built since they could vary a decent amount at 1000 points but the potential for lots of spells is there.

[swiftmus]

I don't really get a chance to play but I imagine the 'best' armies for 1k would be those that can swarm the table with lots of cheap stuff (less opposing fire to take them all out) or armies with very powerful models (such as Beastclaw Raiders or perhaps the Mourngul) where again the opposing army may be hard pressed to do that much damage in such a small game.

[amysrevenge]

Warherd (Bullgors etc.) do pretty well at 1000.  The handicap of no wizard is a lot less damaging at smaller points.

[SolarBur]

well i've started off my clan pestilens at 500pts. haven't played a game but they seem fairly solid in low points as well as big point games. in smaller point games like its been said, swarm armies tend to do well with the quantity over quality. especially if you have a way of giving your troops a bonus or de-buffing the enemy. 

 

[Lord Veshnakar]

Fyreslayers definitely struggle for the previously mentioned reasons. Just a high overall points cost. Vulkite Berzerkers aren't really points efficient until you have 25+ models and we are talking 400 points already just in that unit, and that's the only battle-line unit not requiring being locked into a certain general choice.
 

[Andy_paints]

Bloodbound seem strong - cheap characters that can buff really well. Smaller points and tables means more stuff is in range of them.

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[Kramer]

I've played dark elves, dispossessed, ogres and skaven at 500-750-1000 and up to 2000. I think ogres will be the most hard pressed of those four to win on objectives but tabling is easier so I wouldn't worry to much about it. 

Might even work quite good that some players win the smaller games but struggle more and more as the points increase