Elementary, my dear Watson
I recently ran across an interesting discussion online that categorizes 40k armies in terms of the basic elements (Earth, Fire, Air, Water.) Like almost any classification system, it does break down at some points, but it is pretty consistent and offers some very good insights into the various types of armies. After this overview this week, I'll be doing more in-depth articles on each one in the coming weeks. When I have finished them, you will be able to click the link here.

Elemental Distinctions...
Earth: The Earth army wants to outlast it's opponent. Earth armies tend to spend most of their points on resilience, either through tough troops or numbers. They typically don't have much mobility and usually (but not always) focus on Shooting to wear their opponents down through attrition.

Typical Earth armies would be Imperial Guard with tons of grunts and guns and tanks or Shooty Space Marines, with lots of heavy weapons and plenty of bodies in powered armor to keep them firing.

However, not all Earth armies are based around shooting. For example, a Space Marine Horde army based around lots of bodies and lots of powerfists is a perfect example of an Earth-based Assault army. On the other talon, not all shooty armies are Earth-style. For example, a Dark Eldar Lance army, with lots of Ravagers and small sniper squads is definitely a Fire-style army, as they have massive firepower, but almost no resilience.

Fire: The Fire army wants to overpower it's opponent swiftly. Fire armies tend to spend most of their points on specialist troops, so they cannot stand up to a drawn-out conflict. They may have mobility, but it will be solely focused on bringing them to their opponent. Fire armies are typically (but not always) based around assault, rather than shooting.

Typical Fire armies would be an all-Genestealer Tyranid list with massive rending power from their claws but a limited number of very expensive specialists, or a fully-mechanized Space Marine Assault force with lots of points in transports and assault characters.

Of course, not all Fire armies require assault. Sisters of Battle, with their intense, short-ranged firepower and T3 models are definitely a fire army. In addition, not all assault armies are Fire. A Tyranid Swarm list is very much an Earth army with buckets and buckets of models swamping and wearing down the enemy.

Air: The Air army wants to outmaneuver it's opponent. Air armies tend to spend most of their points on mobility and/or speed. Since they have so much invested in their mobility, they must take on their opponents through local superiority and flanking attacks.

Typical Air armies would be an Eldar Air Force or Ravenwing. High mobility allows this army to concentrate their force, either in shooting or assault.

Not all Air armies are fast. As an example, my Tau Battlesuit list is definitely an Air army, even though none of the models move more than 12 inches per turn (unless I bring the Piranha, but that's a small part of the list.) In addition, not all fast armies are Air armies. An example here is a Tyranid 2nd Turn Assault army. While it is often made up primarily of units that can move very quickly, that speed is almost entirely devoted to straight-line movement to get into contact with the enemy as swiftly as possible. Thus, this is actually a Fire army, despite the speed.

Water: The Water army, on the other hand, wants to deny the enemy what they want. A water army doesn't exist in a vacuum, it can only be defined by it's opposition and the mission and terrain. They have to have mobility and flexibility. If the enemy wants to shoot, they may assault, or they may decide to move to deny them targets. Typical water armies have more shooting than an assault army and more assault than a shooting army and the mobility to keep their options open. What really sets the Water army apart, is the flexibility of it's game plan.

A typical Water army would be Pure Grey Knights. With almost every unit capable of movement without impacting it's shooting, every unit capable of solid shooting and nearly every unit capable of solid assault, this army has a lot of options.

Armies that are capable of moving while shooting and retaining an assault capacity are impressively well-balanced, but they aren't necessarily Water armies. Having those capacities is a requirement, but part of what makes a Water army into a Water army is it's plan of attack. Each of the other styles will have roughly the same plan regardless of opponent army or mission. A Genestealer army will play the same whether it is playing a Seek and Destroy Mission or Annihilation, and whether it is facing Shooty Space Marines or Tau or Khorne Berzerkers. All it can do is full-blown assault. Similarly, an IG list will play basically the same against Tyranids or Tau. All they can do is shoot, so that's what they have to do. Part of what makes a Water army play as a Water army is the willingness to take each army, each mission, each game and each turn as it comes. To take advantage of each situation as it comes is the plan that makes a Water army what it is.

Mixed Armies
Few armies are "Pure" Elements. F'rexample, an IG army with some Rough Riders and an Armored Fist squad to handle some counterassault or contest objectives. Most mixed armies, however, will be one primary element with a "splash" of something else. (The Imperial Guard, above, might be classed as primarily earth with a splash of Fire.)

While the descriptions of the various army styles are definitely biased toward Water Armies, there are some very good points to be learned here. I have played Fire, Water and Air armies before, and they do often play the same against all comers. This is something that has bothered me about some of my armies in the past. I'm definitely interested in the concept of the Water army, and I think that delving deeper into the other descriptions can give some additional insights as well.

For the record, I have tried to categorize the different armies following the Elements above.

Earth Armies...

Tyranids: Godzilla, Swarm

Death Wing: DW "Horde"

Fire Armies...

Tyranids: Hormagaunt Rampage, Genestealer List.

Death Wing: LandRaider Assault Force

Dark Eldar: Heavy Shooting, Webway Portal

Air Armies...

Dark Eldar: Air Force

Tau Empires: Battlesuit List

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