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So this is my kind of funny joke list of models you could buy almost entirely used at bargain basement prices.

Its not a GOOD list, but it is a CHEAP list.

HQ
Librarian w either terminotor armor or mastery level 2

Elite
Command Squad w/2 combi flamers (just use ordinary flamer tac marines, if your opponent doesn't let you substitute hes a dick)
10 Terminators

Troops
40 Tactical Squad Marines
2 Rhino Transports
2 Drop Pods

Heavy Support
Land Raider

Hopefully you're opponent will let you use whatever chapter tactics you prefer, I'd personally pick Red Scorpians since they get a Narthecium which gives your tac squads Feel No Pain and lets you capture and hold objectives.

How are the tacticals equipped?

Please tell me they aren't just running around with bolters.

In a garage sale list, they should be all ML/F. BP/CCW sarges.

Or: PC/P, plasma pistol sarge, for all the DV ones out there.

 Nevelon wrote:
In a garage sale list, they should be all ML/F. BP/CCW sarges.

Lol, an excellent suggestion, my friend. You could cannibilize the command squad and give all the tac squads this, which would give you around 30 points to play around with the bit box at your LGS.

Honestly, if you truly wanted to make this work, formations are going to be your friend.

In an ideal world, you run a full company gladius. That requires a ton of vehicles though, which goes against the spirit of the list. But we should keep that spirit, “We’ve got more bodies then you have bullets” And the special rules will help you get a little more firepower down range.

Assuming all we have to work with are basic PA bodies, with basic tactical terminators.

Battle demi co: Double if going full co.
<whatever HQ you can get>
3x ML/F tac squads. If you can get some DV plasma, that works as well.
5 man assault squad, 2x flamers. Preferable a power weapon on the sarge. Odds are these guys are going to be on foot. Flamers are easy to find, and the normal guys in the squad can be made up of pushfit BP/CCW sarges.
4xML dev squad
If you can find the models for a command squad, they could fit in as well. Good for special weapon spam.

Now the auxiliary choice is going to be a 1st co. TF. Take a basic PA guy with a bolter, and paint his helmet and shoulder trim white. Poof! Instant sternguard. Spam these guys. Alternatively, you could use terminators. But there is a reason they show up in the bargain bins.

Add as many transports as you can. Or get a stack of dixi cups and glue stormbolters to the tops.

I'm guessing that if you're running a garage sale list that a gladius detachment is going to go a little bit over your head. Its nice jumping off point though, you start with the first list and then slowly work your way up to the second, picking up some devastators and some assault marines (hopefully with jump packs) and slowly buying as many droppods, rhinos and razorbacks as you can find/afford.

I dunno, i always thought you could easily sub tac marines for almost any of the veteran squads, (i.e. honor guard, command squad, devastator squads, sternguard and vanguard)

rrll wrote:
I dunno, i always thought you could easily sub tac marines for almost any of the veteran squads, (i.e. honor guard, command squad, devastator squads, sternguard and vanguard)

With a deep enough bits box, anything is possible. The problem is limited by the kits you have. And how WYSWYG you like to play; getting them the gear to look the role can be rough.

For example. Honor guard are marines with a bolter, bolt pistol, and a power weapon. (and artificer armor, but that’s a little fuzzy on the modeling side and easily handwaved with a paintjob) But how many power weapons do you have? You basic tactical squad box has one.

Assault marines need BP/CCW for the bulk of the squad. Generally you can get one set of these from a tac squad by poaching the sarge. It’s one of the reasons I advocate 2xflamers. Not just because it’s an effective loadout for them, but they are easy to pick up.

Sternguard take the budget cake though because of what they are. Basic guys with bolters. You don’t need a deep bits box to trick them out. While you can load them down with combis and/or special/heavy weapons, they perform very well naked with just their special ammo.

So what you're saying is that a devastator squad is basically a treasure trove of bits.

rrll wrote:
So what you're saying is that a devastator squad is basically a treasure trove of bits.

It is probably the first box I’d recommend to people after whatever starter bundle got them into the game. That and sternguard. The Dev box gives you all the heavy options you need for your army. More then it has bodies to build. Adding it to your collection expands your options a ton. Not just for fielding them as devs, but options for tacs.

Sternguard is another great box. There is so much fancy stuff in there. You can cut the box with some tactical marine parts and get even more vets out of it. Or build them as honor guard (I did this for most of mine) or spread spare parts over your army to enhance your sarges.

You could also shake a captain out of the veteran boxes with no work. Much better options for the table then the monopose ones. (I do like the multipart commander kit, but he’s a little dated)

Does your store keep a bits box?

Mine used to, but they had to downsize quite a bit and I'd feel a little guilty just asking them from the get go.

None of the FLGS I’ve frequented have/had a bits box.

That said, if you asked around, you could probably find people willing to swap bits. I’ve done that a number of times.