# What is the best Warhammer 40,000 faction to play?

> Warhammer 40,000 offers dozens of richly detailed factions, from the iconic Space Marines to ancient Necrons and swarming Tyranids. Which faction is the best army to collect and play?

*By YPB Team · Published May 22, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-warhammer-40000-faction-to-play*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Space Marines**
   The iconic poster army of Warhammer 40K, offering versatile playstyles, the largest model range, and dozens of Chapter sub-factions from Ultramarines to Space Wolves.
2. **Chaos Space Marines**
   The corrupted mirror of the Space Marines, offering aggressive close-combat playstyles and access to the dark blessings of the Chaos Gods.
3. **Necrons**
   Ancient undying robotic warriors that reanimate after being destroyed, offering a durable and hard-to-remove elite force with powerful energy weapons.
4. **Tyranids**
   A swarming alien horde faction that drowns opponents in a relentless wave of bio-engineered creatures, offering overwhelming numbers and terrifying close combat.
5. **Tau (T'au Empire)**
   A technologically advanced race focused on devastating long-range firepower, with marker lights and drones that amplify their shooting to terrifying accuracy.
6. **Eldar (Aeldari)**
   The ancient alien craftworld armies offering elite fast-moving units, psychic powers, and the highest skill ceiling of any faction in the game.
7. **Orks**
   A chaotic green-skinned horde famous for ramshackle vehicles, overwhelming numbers, and one of the most beloved and unique visual identities in all of Warhammer.
8. **Death Guard**
   Nurgle's chosen chaos marines, extraordinarily tough to kill with the Disgustingly Resilient rule, spreading plague and pestilence in a slow grinding advance.
9. **Thousand Sons**
   Tzeentch's scheming chaos sorcerers, currently among the top competitive factions, wielding potent psychic powers and devastating Rubric Marine infantry.
10. **Adeptus Mechanicus**
   The tech-priest armies of Mars offering heavily augmented cyborg warriors and powerful machines, with a deep lore connection to the Omnissiah.
11. **Grey Knights**
   The elite psychic brotherhood of secret Space Marines who battle daemonic incursions, offering small but extraordinarily powerful unit abilities.
12. **Deathwatch**
   Currently the top competitive army with a 63% win rate, consisting of veteran Space Marines from different Chapters united against xenos threats.
13. **Imperial Guard (Astra Militarum)**
   The vast human armies of the Imperium, fielding waves of ordinary soldiers and titanic battle tanks in an attrition-based playstyle.
14. **Blood Angels**
   A beloved Space Marine chapter known for their tragic flaw — the Red Thirst and Black Rage — and a unique focus on aggressive assault tactics.

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