Marines - which chapter?

[Ph1ltheee]

Hi all,

So, I've finally given up on my son taking up 40k, and broken into the shrink wrapped models I bought him a few years ago.

My first stumbling block is - which chapter should I go for? As a relative noob, should I stick with Ultramarines? Wait for the Wolves? Or go for one of the lesser used chapters?

Advice welcome!!

Ph1ltheee

[ThePov]

Well, it depends on what you want out of the army. Ultramarines aregenerally thought to be pretty bland by everyone except Ultramarines players, so the best way to tell if you are one or not is if you think they're bland. If you want a fast army, the Raven Gaurd and White Scars both have good stock characters and focus heavily on jump packs and bikes, respectively. If you want slower but more killy, Salamanders, Imperial Fists, or Crimson Fists are good.

Frankly though, I'd only suggest going with one of the chapters in the Codex if you either don't want to bother with backstory or are enamored with the idea of a first or second founding chapter. They're good, but most of them have kind of been done to death. There are plenty of less famous but well-established shapters out there you could pick up. I highly suggest one of the Chapters in the Badab War mini-dex so kindly created by the Fly Lords of this fine establisment, they all have a good amount of background, but not so much that you're boxed in by the fact that every battle your chapter has ever fought is already set in stone, they have some cool house rules if your gaming group likes that sort of stuff, and there's all manner of color schemes, from the basic (Mantis Warriors, Space Sharks) to the advanced (Minotaurs, Executioners) and everything in between (often within the same chapter with some of the camo schemes).

Alternatively, you could either create your own chapter or elaborate on one of the many which exist officially in name only. [URL="http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/List_of_Space_Marine_Chapters"]Here is a good list of lesser known Chapters, if you want to go this route.[/URL] This takes a lot of creativity but can be very rewarding if you pull it off, since everything from the backstory to the characters to the paintscheme will be yours.

So yeah, sorry for the wall of text, but you got me started on a topic close to my heart, so

[TheKingElessar]

Blood Ravens. Of Blood.

[keithsilva]

I have a Ultramarine 2nd company, I love there back story, most people laugh ultramarines they are a bland chapter, reason being alot of kids do them. I dont care i love the ultramarines back story, I mean they are bad ***, they will spare others when fighting tyrands, and also there 1st company is mostly tyrand hunters.
If you do ultramarines just do them justice when painting

[Chumbalaya]

Ultramarines aren't bland, people are just trying to look cool by dissing on the something popular (I'm so alternative and unique!)

Stick with the basic marine Codex for now, it has a lot of variety, multiple competitive builds, and can be used to represent any chapter.

[Gavvin]

I play Ultramarines because I kind of inherited the army from my son, who chose Ultramarines for the sole reason of the Tyranid Hunters of last Codex, since his twin brother played Tyranids. I don't think they (or any codex chapter) is particularly bland, but they ARE over-represented. I have always like the color scheme of the Brazon Claws and i am considering re-painting them once I feel I can do them justice.

If you like the basic Marine codex, I suggest looking for a little-used chapter whose color scheme strikes your fancy and paint them up as that chapter. If you want to use the named chars of another chapter, feel free to draft them into your army under an assumed name.

[Emperorsmercy]

I would honestly love to do a White Scars all biker army, but so little glue, too little paint...

No, but unless you really want a challenge, do a fairly ordinary, established Chapter.

Or do a White Scars Biker Army. Or a Salamanders Thunderfire cannon heavy army. Or a massive Termiantor Assault Imperial Fist army. Or... Or... Or...

[Slaanesh]

Alpha Legion!!!

[VinceBlack]

I've played Ultramarines from the beginning and have never questioned that decision. I love the regal paint scheme and the fluff that back them up. Personally I say read some of the stories and look at the artwork, decide what chapter really resonates with you. Play the army you want to play, not the one that you think you will have a tactical advantage with...

[VinceBlack]

I've played Ultramarines from the beginning and have never questioned that decision. I love the regal paint scheme and the fluff that back them up. Personally I say read some of the stories and look at the artwork, decide what chapter really resonates with you. Play the army you want to play, not the one that you think you will have a tactical advantage with...