Space marines are one of the most common armies encountered on the 40k battlefield. There are a number of reasons why they are so popular:
1) They look cool. The space marines were the reason why I started playing 40k (waaaaay back in the Rogue Trader era back in the late 80's early 90's). Over time the space marine miniatures have gotten better and better.
2) They come in the core box.
3) They are a relatively easy army to play. Space marines allow a beginner to make mistakes and still have a chance to win. The same cannot be said for some of the other armies.
4) They are easy to paint. Space marines use very basic colors and simple details, allowing less talented gamers (such as myself) to field an army that looks halfway decent.
Whatever your motivation for playing space marines, the following article will offer some advice on building your first marine army.
Note: This article will focus on generic space marine armies from Codex: Space Marines.
Decisions, Decisions
Once you have decided on a space marine army, you must decide the type of marine army that you want to create. Games Workshop has published numerous army books dealing with specific marine armies (Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Space Wolves, etc.) You can also opt to field a "generic" space marine army (using the core Space Marine army book). You can also create your own personal marine army using any of the army books (but you can't mix and match the various rules and organization tables!!) you'll need to choose an army list before going any further, as this will haevily influence any future decisions that you make.
In any event, I am going to assume that you already own the core 40k rulebook and haven't puchased any miniatures (aside from the ones that came in the core 40k box). Once you have decided on the specific marine army that you are going to model the very first step is to: BUY THE CODEX FOR YOUR ARMY!! The codex (or army book) is the single most important piece of gaming equipment that you will ever own (aside from the rulebook). You will refer to it constantly and it will guide you as you build your army. If you have opted to create a marine army using the Blood Angels, dark Angels, Space Wolves, or Armageddon army books -- you will need to buy the generic space marine codex as well (certain rules are only available in the generic army book).
Your First Unit
If you puchased the core 40k box (which is an excellent value), you already have a space marine tactical squad ready to be assembled. To start off, I would assemble the entire squad (don't forget the missile launcher, the flamer, and the bolt pistol/chainsword - equipped marines). This squad will form the core of your new marine army. It is durable (3+ armor save, toughness of 4), survivable (10 marines will last a long time), has anti-tank capability (krak missile launcher), anti-infantry ability (bolters, frag missiles, and the flamer), and decent assault ability (+1 attack for the sergant with the bolt pistol and chainsword). If you are playing a specialized marine army, this initial unit may need some modifications to fit the theme of your army. Again, this article is only a recommended starting point and cannot account for evey possible eventuality.
A Trip To The Game Store
Once you have assembled and painted your first tactical squad you are ready for a return trip to your local game store (or online store if you choose). Your focus on this trip is to fill the requirements for your force organization chart, which means that you will need another troops choice and a headquarters unit. For your second troops choice, I would recommend another tactical squad. You can outfit the unit the same as your first tactical squad, or you can purchase some blister packs that contain individual assault and heavy weapon marines. The exact composition is really up to you and your army's theme. You'll find that certain weapons are more useful than others against certain enemies.
Your headquarters unit is really up to you. The same holds true for equiping your leader. The one thing that I will say about leaders is -- watch your points value. If you go wild with equipment you can easily end up with a 200+ point leader. This tooled-up super character will only hurt you in the long run, as you will have few points to spend on other units.
The last thing to consider on this trip is a transport. If you have the money, buy a rhino. Mobilty wins games. If you can't afford the transport, it should be a top priority for your next shopping adventure.
Where To Now?
After you have fully assembled and painted your new troops choice, leader, and transport (if you bought one) you are ready to branch out and add all sorts of wonderful specialized units to your army. I would recommend that you start off with one choice from each specialized area (elites, fast attack, heavy support), unless you have a very specific theme for your army -- fast attack, etc.
Remember to always finish the models that you bought before buying anything new -- trust me on this one!! Also don't neglect your troops section, you can have up to 4 additional troops units. Add some additional tactical squads or some scouts.
Most importantly, Have Fun!!
- Logan
