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So, ive been thinking for a while now about starting a new army. Not sure which race to collect as of yet, but I thought I'd try my hand at a 500pt SM list first. Might make some other 500pt lists for other races later. I have an old smurf army that I started back when I first started gaming, but that was back for 3rd ed. Been looking through the new 5th ed dex and i'm impressed with all the new options. Anyways heres a list that I came up with, not sure yet who i'll be facing so ive tried to keep it well balanced. I appriciate any advice about the list and chapter choice (not ).

Oh and would like advice on libby's powers, never used a libby so not sure which powers are useful/pointless.

HQ

LIBRARIAN 100pts

TROOPS

TACTICAL SQUAD (x10) 170pts
-Flamer
-Missile Launcher

TACTICAL SQUAD (x5) 155pts
-Power Fist
-Razorback

FAST ATTACK

LAND SPEEDER 70pts
-Multi-melta
-Heavy Flamer

TOTAL 495PTS

Are you just keeping the Razorback with the TL H.Bolters?

What powers are you going to take wit your librarian?

Down grade your tac's fist to a power weapon and purchase a special weapon, meltagun or plasma gun.

Powerfists usually don't pay in tac squads, no matter how cool they look.

My personal fav. codex chapter is the Crimson Fists

The only way that your Land Speeder would be useful is if you use it as a distraction. If you do that, it would be blown to pieces in only a turn or two. Make your tac's both the same. Either make them with 10-men and cheap upgrades. Or you can just make them into 3 5-men squads and give them more expensive upgrades. You also need something for your Librarian.

That speeder is a good source of anti-tank at this points level. You wouldn't expect many transports at this level but somebody always brings a something AV12+ that it would do well to crack. It might seem like a bad trade to kill a Chimera with a 70 point suicide model, but when the guard inside are so squishy it will earn it's points back.

The change I'd make would be to swap the razorback unit for scouts with an ML and hen you can grab another land speeder to really mess up enemy armor.

500 pts is difficult because you have to pick and choose and try to stay balanced. I would say give your libby gate of infinity and smite. It would make him more mobile or attach him to a tac squad to make them mobile.

Also, I would agree with another poster. I think the TACs are unbalancel ... I'd probably take 3, five man squads and beef em up. Drop the fist I1 in such a small game will get you killed.

Also, you should go Salamanders.

-cheers

You know you can combat squad the 10 man and that's likely what he'll be doing. Then you end up with 3 squads of five, except that in this case you also get free weapons.

I'll have to say the exact oposite of everyone else and say the tac squad should keep the fist in such a small points game a fisty tac squad can actually be effective in CC as it will be largely troops choices you're up against.

That then becomes a natural home for your libby. In which case I'd go with Avenger and then a support power. At the end of the day Vortex is to risky for not enough benefit whilst smite is geared towards TEQs which will be very rare at this points level, which is why I'd go with Avenger. Your options then are:

Null zone - At this point level you're unlikely to be up against much with lots of invulnerable saves nor do you have much that will cause them to take said saves. But it is a win button against daemons which is nice. However as I say at this points level it rarely makes sense.

Gate - great mobility but highly risky wihtout locator beacons around which again you can't afford at tis points level. Also wasted if you're housing him in that razorback squad. However could be an option to make the other squad mobile.

Might of the ancients - helps you annihilate the opponents characters anmd supports the powerfist against heavy hitters. Will turn the unit into a pretty fearsome CC unit for this points value.

Force dome; much maligned and over looked power that can really come into it's own in the smaller points level games. As I mentioned with nullzone very few people will have invulnerable saves and this allows your libby and his unit to really survive heavy hitters should they get caught out in the open.

As for the list as a whole. My advice would be. Dump the Heavy flamer on the landspeeder, you'll probably never bget a chance to fire it. HF/MM LS are awesome but at this points level where you are only going to have 1 the MM option is more efficient, I'd even be tempted to swap out for an attackbike and save yourself 20 points. That could give both your squads combi-weapons, giving you more hitting power.

With all of my SM, including BA, SW, and SM I always feel more comfortable mounted in some armor to off shoot their low numbers at this level. Something like this is what I usually field for Codex: SM

HQ:
Master of the Forge, Conversion Beamer (120)

TROOPS:
Scouts (75)
Tactical Squad, Melta Bomb, Razorback (135)

HEAVY:
Dakka Pred (85)
Dakka Pred (85)

TOTAL: 500

You'll have to forgive me if my points are off, I don't have the book in front of me and I'm doing it from memory. But, it looks right

Codex: SM is the worst book of the three IMO. But this list gives me plenty of flexibility, two really tough and inexpensive vehicles and plenty of anti-horde/anti-light vehicle between the three. It also gives you protection and mobility. The MoF can bolster defenses for your vehicles and troops to hide behind, repair your vehicles and blast big stuff on the way in. Out flank the scouts to grab objectives later on in the game. Simple and mean, just the way I like it

I hope this helps

Codex: SM is the worst book of the three IMO.

Agreed particularly at this points level. Essentially with the release of SWs and BAs the only things that the standard marines get that can lift them above obscurity is the army buffs their Sp Characters can bring. Any other army type you'd care to bring would be done better with either the BA or SW codex.

Thanks for all of the advice. I came up with this 2nd tweeked list.

VERSION #2

HQ

LIBRARIAN 100pts
-Avenger
-Might of the Ancients

TROOPS

TACTICAL SQUAD (x10) 170pts
-Flamer
-Missile Launcher

TACTICAL SQUAD (x5) 155pts
-Power Fist
-Razorback

FAST ATTACK

ATTACK BIKE 50pts
-Multi-melta

TOTAL 475PTS

So I figured that my 10 man tac squad can sit on an objective whilst my libby rolls around in the razorback with the 5 man tac with power fist assaulting stuff. The attack bike is for any armour/transports. My 10man tac could split into combat teams if needed. I still have 25pts left! not sure whether to change the weapons on 10man tac to las or melta gun, or even try to find another 10pts to buy them a rhino???

So what do you think? And again, thanks for the advice

Ummmmmm I'd change the Attack Bike for another Razorback. You get better armour and choice of armament.

I'd change the list to this:

HQ

Librarian
Avenger
Might of the Ancients

100

TROOPS

Tac Squad (10 man)
Flamer
Missile Launcher

170

Tactical Squad (5 man)
Power Fist

115

Transports:

Razorback
Lascannon & Twin Linked Plasma Gun

75

Razorback
Twin-Linked Heavy Bolters

40

Attach your Librarian to the Power Fist squad and have the other two squads as fire support

A multimelta and a Missile launcher isnt going to cut it. Even for this level that's pretty bad. I've seen Orks field more than that. The bike is really easy to take out as well. One squad that concentrates fire on him should reasonably wipe him out. You really shouldn't be attempting to cram bodies in at 500. That's not what SM does well. Take the cheap vehicles and you'll be happier for it.