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So, after a few years out of the hobby, I'm considering getting back in with a batch of the Emperor's finest. Having made mistakes in the past with building armies haphazardly, only to find out I'd spent a lot of time and money making an army that performed attrociously on the battlefield, I've decided to take a more measured approach this time around, including running my list by some people, you people, before jumping headfirst into it.

Anyway, this is what it's looking like at the moment:

Captain - 125 pts
Power sword
10 pts reserve

Command Squad - 170 pts
Company Standard
Razorback transport

Tactical Squad - 185 pts
5 extra models
15 pts reserve

Tactical Squad - 185 pts
5 extra models
15 pts reserve

Predator - 85 pts
Heavy bolter side sponsons

TOTAL - 750 pts

A key consideration for this army is that it should be upgradable, I want to be able to build on this list to make a 1500 or 2000 point list without wasting any models.

Space marines are most powerful in their flexibility, thus the reserved points. If I'm up against a horde army, I'll get flamers and heavy bolters on my tac squads and a storm bolter or something for my Captain, Chaos marines? Plasma. Assault heavy? flamers and power swords. Etc.

Anyway, how's this look so far?

Looks like you'll struggle against vehicle heavy armies like Imperial Guard. I can't see your reserve points helping you get many Lascannons, and your Tac squads won't be going anywhere fast.

But for 750pts, it looks like a nicely rounded force.

I figured missile launchers should be adequate for a 750 point list, I mean, it's not like I'll be up against many A13-14 vehicles, and those that I am I can tackle with meltas bombs on my Captain, or the like...

EDIT: Oh, and Lascannons on Tactical squads are the low-low price of 10pts, easily affordable, with a meltagun to spare!

I probably should have checked a SM codex before commenting then! And yes, you're right, ML will generally do the job LCs do. I just know when I face Imperial Guard I tend to take at least one Power Fist. I have issues with melta bombs (dang things never hit!).

Do you plan to Combat Squad your units, or play it by ear depending on the opponant?

I hadn't really thought about Combat Squading, it's not a rule I'm at all familiar with, having not played 40k in a while. I think I'd need to get a better grasp of the 5E rules, play a few games before I really started formulating coherent strategies like that. And I am starting to see the benefits of power fists, shame they're so pricey...

170 pts for a command squad that brings exactly what to the table? Drop the whole command squad and get some transports for your tacticals.

Melee power, mainly, as well as some bros for my captain...

I would suggest dropping the Command Squad for 1 Full Tac Squad with ML+Flamer

Since you're holding off on all the gear anyway, I'd keep the Powersword off the Captain, too.

The Relic Blade is better against most opponents if you can spare the points.

I can't give you any advice on the Tacticals except to try to get transport for at least one of them if not both. Running just isn't reliable enough for objective capturing.

Tailoring for your opponent might lead to some eyebrow raising (unless of course, your opponent is doing it too). Folks in my area expect that lists are written for all-comers, and not altered pre-game. This encourages a balanced take on all kinds of weapons, instead of "Oh, it's Orks, all flamers today" or "Look, MechVets again. Bust out the meltas."

I know that's what they'd do in real-life, but in the context of the game, tailoring is usually considered to be a very low-severity form of cheating.

If you want to save points, just take a single lightning claw as opposed to the power weapon. A single claw is generally better than the power weapon.

750 is pretty rough. And I agree with others to sacking the Command Squad.

Okay, so opinion seems to be united that I should drop the command squad. What remains to be seen is what I do with the points.

Option 1: Another tactical squad.

Option 2: Rhinos for my existing squads with 115 points to spare

The question then becomes, what do I do with my captain? Is it viable to let him wander around on his own? Should I drop one of those tactical squads down to 9 men and have him hang out with them?

Razorbacks for the existing squads and some heavy firepower would be my advice.

That command squad isn't much of a threat in CC unless tooled up for it and you haven't really done that.

2 Razor backs 2 fists in the tac squads (at least 1 in a combat squad that can join the Captain). That leaves you some points to up the Predator to Las-sponsons as you've got 2 more heavy bolters from the Razorbacks now. Throw the rest of the points into the Captain. RElic blade is nasty, and lightening Claw is generally better than a PW with 3 or more attacks. Storm shield can be a great way of protecting him from a lucky fist hit in CC.

As others have said it is best for all concerned if you come up with a standard list for all comers. So kit out your tac squads accordingly.

Hmm... I like that idea

How's this:

Captain - 140 points
Relic blade
Combi-melta

Tactical squad - 245 points (Combat squads)
5 extra models
Powerfist
Lascannon + Flamer
Razorback

Tactical squad - 245 points (Combat squads)
5 extra models
Powerfist
Lascannon + Flamer
Razorback

Predator - 120 points
Lascannon side sponsons

TOTAL: 750 points

Removed the ambiguity with reserved points. Gave myself a great deal more mobility. The powerfists make my flamer combat squads a force to be reckoned with in melee (especially the one housing my captain) and with 4 lascannons and 2 twin-linked heavy bolters I can manage both hordes and tanks/heavy infantry.

My lascannon combat squads sit back at long range sniping high-priority targets, the Predator fills the midrange to the same thing while my razorback-mounted CQB combat squads plus captain rush into melee/point capture, heavy bolters thinning the horde as I go...

Yeah looks pretty solid. Good mobility good firepower and decent hit in CC.

hmm are you planning on puting you captin in one of the tac squads because if so I would loose the lascannon for something else in that squad like a heavy bolter and give the srg in that squad a power weapon. That way if they get into cc they have a little bit more of a bite.

hmm are you planning on puting you captin in one of the tac squads because if so I would loose the lascannon for something else in that squad like a heavy bolter and give the srg in that squad a power weapon. That way if they get into cc they have a little bit more of a bite.

He's combat squading hence the razorbacks and already has powerfists in the squad. A power weapon doesn't really cut it too likely to only score 1 hit and then fail to wound...

PF also means you can ID ICs which can be frustrating for your opponent. I remember in my last game a scout sargeant IDed my opponent's Captain on Turn 1 by assaulting his tac squad with attached Captain, twas hilarious

Nice! and sorry didnt see the power fists. In that case I like it looks good

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll run a few proxy battles with my mates, just to see how it goes on the battlefield before committing to actually buying the models, but I have a good feeling about this list...

I think the strength of that list depends a lot on what kind of army you're facing. Against a MEQ army I think it looks pretty reasonable. Against a horde I'd be worried that you're not putting out enough shots before you get assaulted. Against that kind of opponent, the Predator might be better off as a basic Dakka Predator (autocannon + HBs), or you could drop the Predator for a Thunderfire cannon. That leaves you kind of an awkward number of points to redistribute, but that thing can dump a ton of shots.

Hmmm... here's a thought: I could drop the combi-melta on the captain, and go with the TL lascannon on the turret and the HB side sponsons...

In general what I would worry about with that is that they're not really made for shooting at the same things, plus the range discrepancy. It can reduce the effectiveness of the tank. At 750 points though things are a lot tighter and different, so I don't think that combo is as inefficient for an all-comers list as I would consider it otherwise.

NEVER EVER go with the TL Lascannon turret. It is 45 points and you lose the AC turret worth at least 15 pts meaning you are spending 60 points on ONE Lascannon!!!

If you worry about horde a much better solution would be to drop the LCs to missile launchers in the tac squads they'll give you nearly as much punch as the LCs but give you the option to switch to frag for hordes. The remaining 10 points can give the Sarge's combi-flamers for some serious short ranged anti horde goodness (that'd be 2 flamer shots per combat squad).

Hmm, a valid point, I'll see how the ranged combat squads fare in play-test before I commit to anything, but you're obviously right about the lascannon on the predator...