Before anything is bought, to all new collectors please remember when you buy your boxes of models:
DO NOT THROW ANYTHING AWAY. While this may seem obvious, I mean once you have finished putting together your models, keep everything that is left over. Boltguns, heads, purity seals, plasma guns, arms, legs whatever. Never throw this stuff away, it may be years before you use these pieces again, but trust me, for the small amount of space this stuff will take up, it will prove invaluable.
First of all, a player will need a Space Marine codex ($30).
From reading this they can decide if the following list suits his taste, or they wish then it is able to be altered.
It is always great to have a friend to collect and play this fantastic hobby with. Therefore if possible, start up with a friend so that you both inspire each other to continue painting, gaming and generally remain enthusiastic about the hobby. Also this allows you both to split the Assault on Black Reach box, meaning you will only have to pay $30 for the Space Marines inside. Even if you can't find someone to start the hobby with, when you go into Games Workshop, see if the staff know anyone who would be interested in purchasing the other half of the models, if not you are paying $60 for the set to get the orks which you can put up on eBay for $10 each unit choice and make the money back. Keep the rule book and templates...
From this point onwards I'm going to presume that the Assault on Black Reach box has been purchased, and that you sold the Orks to someone (if you can get more great, but I find its always best on these things to presume the lowest amount).
So far we have:
1 Space Marine Codex
1 Space Marine Captain, Dreadnought with multi melta, 5 Terminators, 10 Tactical Marines with Sergeant, flamer and missile launcher.
Next up your best purchase both from an army point of view (needing essential like 2 troops etc) and monetary point of view is the Space Marine Battle Force for only $90. This sets contents, if bought separately, come to $130, already making you a massive saving.
Now we have:
1 Space Marine Codex
1 Space Marine Captain
1 Dreadnought with multi melta
5 Terminators
25 Tactical Marines - 2 - 10 man Squads/ 1 - 5 man Squad
5 Scout Marines - 1 Squad
5 Assault Marines - 1 Squad
1 Rhino
At this stage it may be wise to look at what we can make so far out of the army:
Captain, with boltgun, relic blade, artificer armour, frag grenades, krak grenades, and an Iron Halo = 145 points
Terminator Squad, with storm bolters and power fists, Sergeant with storm bolter and power weapon = 200 points
Dreadnought, with multi melta, dreadnought close combat weapon with built in storm bolter, extra armour, smoke launchers and a search light = 120 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. 5 extra Marines, flamer, missile launcher, Sergeant with bolt pistol, chainsword, frag grenades, krak grenades and melta bombs = 175 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. 5 extra Marines, melta gun and missile launcher, Sergeant with bolt pistol, frag grenades, krak grenades and a power fist = 200 points
Rhino, with storm bolter, smoke launchers search light = 35 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. Sergeant with bolt pistol, chainsword, frag and krak grenades = 90 points
Scout Squad, with bolt pistols, combat blades, frag and krak grenades, heavy bolter, Sergeant with bolt pistol, power weapon, frag grenades, krak grenades, and melta bombs = 105 points
Assault Squad, with bolt pistols, chainswords, frag and krak grenades, 1 plasma pistol, Sergeant with power weapon, bolt pistol, frag grenades, krak grenades and melta bombs = 135 points
Total = 1205 points.
This list makes certain presumptions about how you glue together your models.
1) That you use the power fist from Assault Squad box with the Sergeant from the Tactical Squad box.
2) That you glue a melta gun using the Tactical Squad rather than the flamer or plasma gun.
3) That you use some the elements from the Tactical Squad box (purity seals or other fancy pieces) and a spare bolt pistol and chainsword arm from the Assault Squad to make it clear which model is the Sergeant in your Combat Squad.
4) That you glue together your Scouts with close combat weapons and one heavy bolter, rather than all boltguns or shotguns.
5) That you use the missile launcher from the Tactical Squad.
6) That you use one of the plasma pistols from the Assault Squad and give the Sergeant the power weapon.
7) You do not have to worry about modelling the melta bombs particularly, I have never played an opponent who demanded to see them on the model.
However this list could be handled a dozen different ways, giving all sort of different combinations equalling more or less points.
At this point I would say that some heavy support was needed in the army.
This gives you a broad list of choices, mostly tanks costing $40 or more (in the case of Land Raiders). However the Space Marine Devastator Squad is $35, and will provide you with valuable bits to enhance the options of your existing Tactical Squads. There are a multitude of ways you could assemble your Devastator Squad, but I would be tempted to make:
1 Lascannon
1 Plasma Cannon
1 Missile Launcher
1 Heavy Bolter
The from this, take the two missile launchers out of the Tactical Squads and replace them with the lascannon and the plasma cannon. Meaning your Devastator Squad would be made up of 3 missile launchers and a heavy bolter, costing a total of 150 points but also making the Tactical Squads cost 15 points more in total (for both the lascannon and the plasma cannon).
This gives the Devastator Squad reasonable anti-vehicle capability, whilst also having effective anti-infantry. Also your Tactical Squads will now have anti-tank capability (in the form of the lascannon) and anti-heavy infantry/light vehicles (in the form of the plasma cannon).
Alternatively you could elect for a Predator or Vindicator. I do not recommend the Whirlwind as it does not have as great a points/money ratio compared to the other two, and at the moment the army needs some high strength weaponry. Both tanks cost $40, and from a point perspective the Predator can cost between 60 and 165 points (not counting vehicle upgrades) whereas the Vindicator is a fixed 115 points.
Whilst I have my own preferences when it comes to Predators and Vindicators, for the purpose of this list I will suggest that a Predator is purchased, with a twin linked lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons and a storm bolter, totalling at 140 points.
This gives the Predator accurate anti-tank capabilities with the twin linked lascannon, whilst also formidable anti-infantry capabilities with the heavy bolters and storm bolter.
The Predator has greater firing mobility than the Devastator Squad, however a single attack can destroy the Predator, whilst the Devastator Squad must be picked off a model at a time, also the Predator costs more and does not add a great deal to your bitz box (which is a collection of spare parts from the various sets you buy, which over time can allow you to create models you would not have been capable of in the first place).
As I always find it safest to presume the reader will go with the most expensive option, lets presume the Predator is purchased. Our list now looks like this:
Captain, with boltgun, relic blade, artificer armour, frag grenades, krak grenades, and an Iron Halo = 145 points
Terminator Squad, with storm bolters and power fists, Sergeant with storm bolter and power weapon = 200 points
Dreadnought, with multi melta, dreadnought close combat weapon with built in storm bolter, extra armour, smoke launchers and a search light = 120 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. 5 extra Marines, flamer, missile launcher, Sergeant with bolt pistol, chainsword, frag grenades, krak grenades and melta bombs = 175 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. 5 extra Marines, melta gun and missile launcher, Sergeant with bolt pistol, frag grenades, krak grenades and a power fist = 200 points
Rhino, with storm bolter, smoke launchers search light = 35 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. Sergeant with bolt pistol, chainsword, frag and krak grenades = 90 points
Scout Squad, with bolt pistols, combat blades, frag and krak grenades, heavy bolter, Sergeant with bolt pistol, power weapon, frag grenades, krak grenades, and melta bombs = 105 points
Assault Squad, with bolt pistols, chainswords, frag and krak grenades, 1 plasma pistol, Sergeant with power weapon, bolt pistol, frag grenades, krak grenades and melta bombs = 135 points
Predator, with twin linked lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons, storm bolter, searchlight, and smoke launchers = 140 points
Total = 1345 points.
This leaves us a comfortable 155 points off of a 1,500 point army. There are dozens of different ways to make up these points, but lets look at what force organisation slots we've used so far:
1 HQ
2 Elite
4 Troops
1 Fast Attack
1 Heavy Support
At the moment we have a fairly balanced force, combining speed, fire power, and flexibility. If we add more Troops (with say another Tactical Squad or Scout Squad) then the number of objective capturing troops increases. If we add more Elites (with say a squad of Sternguard or another Dreadnought) then our offensive power increases greatly. If we add more Fast Attack (with say a Bike Squad or some Land Speeders) then our mobility increases in addition to our fire power. If we add more Heavy Support (with say a Vindicator or Devastator Squad) then our fire power increases greatly.
There are strong cases to be made for all these choices, as well as several more (such as another HQ in the form of Chaplain or Librarian, or further transports). I myself use a Chaplain in Terminator Armour with Storm Bolter and Melta Bombs for 135 points instead of a basic Captain but that is just me...
My final suggestion is a unit which I never go to battle without anymore. It has good offensive qualities, looks great on the battlefield, gives you as a modeller a chance for some experimentation, and is very cost effective. The Command Squad.
This $35 box gives you a personal retinue for your Captain, including Apothecary (granting the whole squad the Feel No Pain rule, which has saved my squads lives a number of times), a Company Champion (who will become a great aid in combats against more skilful foes), a Company Standard (which will ensure your Marines stay their ground more often) and a special weapon (either flamer, plasma gun or melta gun).
In order to fit all the parts of the set into your army (totalling the unit at 150 points for a Company Champion, Company Standard and a melta gun) you will have to get rid of some of the points in your army. I would probably recommend getting rid of the Predator's storm bolter. Don't worry if the model has it on, any half way human opponent won't mind if you choose not to take it. Alternatively you could not bother to take the melta gun in the Command Squad, making the unit cost 140 points and fit perfectly into our army list. Or you could choose not to take the Company Standard, actually giving you 5 spare points which you could use to buy the Captain melta bombs with. And so on, and so forth.
The list of options numbers in the hundreds, all of them having their pros and cons, good points and bad points. That is the purpose of the on-line forums and the helpful staff at Games Workshop, or the sheer experience of playing a game! They allow you to get an idea of what sort of force you want. Regardless of what the best tactician says, or the most sensible economically minded guy suggests, if you're playing with an army that you don't enjoy, then your not having fun, and at the core of the hobby that is what all Games Workshop products are about.
At the end of this massive rant our force ends up looking like this:
Captain, with boltgun, relic blade, artificer armour, frag grenades, krak grenades, and an Iron Halo = 145 points
Command Squad, with bolt pistols, chainswords, frag and krak grenades, an Apothecary, a Company Champion and a Company Standard = 140 points
Terminator Squad, with storm bolters and power fists, Sergeant with storm bolter and power weapon = 200 points
Dreadnought, with multi melta, dreadnought close combat weapon with built in storm bolter, extra armour, smoke launchers and a search light = 120 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. 5 extra Marines, flamer, missile launcher, Sergeant with bolt pistol, power weapon, frag grenades, krak grenades and melta bombs = 190 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. 5 extra Marines, melta gun and missile launcher, Sergeant with bolt pistol, frag grenades, krak grenades and a power fist = 200 points
Rhino, with storm bolter, smoke launchers search light, = 35 points
Tactical Squad, with boltguns, bolt pistols, frag and krak grenades. Sergeant with bolt pistol, chainsword, frag and krak grenades = 90 points
Scout Squad, with bolt pistols, combat blades, frag and krak grenades, heavy bolter, Sergeant with bolt pistol, power weapon, frag grenades, krak grenades, and melta bombs = 105 points
Assault Squad, with bolt pistols, chainswords, frag and krak grenades, 1 plasma pistol, Sergeant with power weapon, bolt pistol, frag grenades, krak grenades and melta bombs = 135 points
Predator, with twin linked lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons, storm bolter, searchlight, and smoke launchers = 140 points
Total = 1,500 points
At the end of these purchases our total shopping list:
Space Marine Codex = $30
Assault on Black Reach Box = $60
Space Marine Battle Force = $90
Predator = $40
Command Squad = $35
Total = $255
By no means is this a small amount of money to spend on a hobby, and there are certainly ways to get a Space Marine 1,500 point force for less, but I believe this makes a balanced army, for a reasonable price, which acts as a good force to expand upon with further purchases.
