In Warhammer 40,000, players are able to utilize a wide array of strategies and ways to make their forces distinct. A player's forces are primarily characterized by the faction their army is made up of. The factions of Warhammer each come along with their own strengths, weakness, and attributes that players can access.
Though much of Warhammer's gameplay can involve tactically placed gun-lines that can be used to pick off vital targets, there's something special about glorious melee combat. There are many factions in Warhammer than when up close, spell certain death for an opponent; conversely, other factions would prefer to stay far away from their enemies. Which factions of Warhammer thrive in melee combat?
10 Best: Tyranids
For players looking to control an army of enormous alien monsters that devour anything in their path, the Tyranids are a great option. They have access to numerous HQ options that can hypothetically steamroll the majority of units in their way with close-quarters combat.
Additionally, Tyranids happen to have access to one of the best melee troop options in the entire game in the form of Genestealers, a cheaply costed unit with three attacks each.
9 Worst: Adeptus Mechanicus
One of the most technologically advanced factions in Warhammer, the Adeptus Mechanicus have access to some of the scariest and most potent guns around. Many of the strongest snipers and long-ranged combatants in the game are part of this faction.
However, while their shooting may be impressive, they are quite pitiful in melee combat. Fragile and lacking in strength, it's in the Mechanicus's best interest to stay as far from their foes as possible.
8 Best: Chaos Daemons
As otherworldly daemons hailing from another dimension of reality, the Chaos Daemons don't have access to many guns. However, they do excel in two areas: psychic powers and melee.
Daemons are categorized by the Chaos God they serve, each worshiping either Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, or Tzeentch. While Tzeentch daemons focus on magic and Nurgle daemons are so tanky that they have an ability called "disgustingly resilient," daemons of Khorne and Slaanesh exist to hit their foes up close and personal, dealing sizable sums of melee damage.
7 Worst: Craftworlds
The traditional form of Warhammer's space elves, the Craftworld Eldar can utilize advanced machines and vehicles in conjunction with strong psychic abilities and shooting. However, this faction tends to leave something to be desired when it comes to their melee.
While the faction has units such as the Howling Banshees that are designed to engage in melee combat, Eldar are far too frail to do so reliably, with the vast majority possessing a single wound. This means that many range-oriented armies can shoot an opponent's melee Eldar off the table before they are ever able to attack.
6 Best: Space Wolves
The poster boys of the game, Space Marines are a notoriously powerful faction in Warhammer. This is a faction without any particular glaring weaknesses. Space Marines also have a vast array of sub-factions that only exist to make them more focused on certain strategies.
Of these sub-factions, the Space Wolves are the pinnacle of melee Space Marines. Often toting weapons such as swords and claws, Space Wolves uniquely have access to Wulfen. In layman's terms, Wulfen are essentially Space Marine werewolves. They are easily one of the most dangerous close-quarters units in the game.
5 Worst: Astra Militarum
The Astra Militarum are primarily known for two things: their artillery and numbers. When it comes to point costs, this faction's units tend to be quite cheap, enabling them to choose to bring quantity over quality of units and to shoot an absurd amount of guns each turn.
Unfortunately, these cheap units are unable to take a hit, especially in melee combat. However, while niche, the Astra Militarum can opt to deploy Catachan Jungle Fighters and Ogryn, two units that have deceptively serviceable melee combat.
4 Best: Orks
A staple of Warhammer, Orks are often played off as little more than comic relief. This is often due to their blatantly comedic lore and faction-specific mechanics that truly put one at the will of the dice.
Laugh as one may at the polarizing nature of their shooting, the melee of Orks should not be taken lightly. Many of even the weakest Orks can attack upwards of three times and can be quite devastating.
3 Worst: Genestealer Cults
One of the stranger armies of Warhammer, the Genestealer Cults are infectious, mind-controlling mutants that worship Tyranids as gods. This faction notably has access to a wide variety of weaponry that they have stolen from other factions such as the Astra Millitarum, and they can also utilize many psychic powers that allow them to mentally manipulate their foes.
However, melee is not their strong suit. While they have access to a few specific units that can hold their own in melee, it is far from the faction's strong suit.
2 Best: World Eaters
If Space Wolves are a strong melee army, World Eaters are on another level. The sub-faction of Chaos Space Marines that worship the Chaos God, Khorn, these melee monsters have access to Khorne Berserkers which are able to deal out an absurd amount of attacks.
This is thanks to the rule "Blood For The Blood God" that essentially doubles the number of attacks they're able to dish out each turn.
1 Worst: T'au
Players who know much about Warhammer's gameplay knew that the T'au would be here. While the T'au are without equal when it comes to ranged combat, the faction is almost exclusively made up of glass canons.
If a melee unit is able to get the drop on nearly any T'au gunning unit, it will quickly crumble. While this faction is quite adept at keeping their enemies at bay, their fatal flaw is their inability to contest another in melee.