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So I have a game against my buddy, and for kicks we're switching armies.
Now, it'll be my first time playing space marines, so I could use some comments on my list.
I have no idea what he'll pick from my orks, so I made the list pretty generic (and I'm open to changing it when I see his list), with weight on speed and flamers, bolters and power swords. Anyway. Here's the list.

(point values are approximate, taken from memory, not the codex. The total is correct though.)
TOTAL 998

HQ 338
Chapter master 125
artificer armor 15
power sword 15
storm bolter 3

Honor Guard 115
2 relic blades 30

Rhino 35

TROOPS 425
10 tac marines 180
power weapon 15
flamer free

10 tac marines 180
storm bolter 10
heavy bolter free

Rhino 35

ELITE 125
Dreadnought 105
heavy flamer 5
assault cannon 15

FAST ATTACK 115
bike squad 90
power weapon 15
2 flamers 10

OK let's see what we have here. As a noobie myself i'm also seeing what works and what doesn't....

Chapter Master:
What do you get with a Chapter Master you don't get with a captain. Orbital Bombardment. That's it. Nothing else.

Honour Guard.
Better than command squad for a captain, but still very expensive. And unless you really expand the squad and tool them up they're leeching points from where you really need them (ELITES)

Rhino for command squad:
Not worth it. spend 5 more points and get a razorback. Only time Rhinos are worth it is to get your 10 man tac squads through the storm of enemy fire.

Elites:
Dreadnought....nothing wrong with this guy IMO.

Troops:
TAKE MISSILE LAUNCHERS. They're FREE with 10 man squads.
Oh and tac squads at 10 men are 170 points.
Storm Bolters.......I like them, but most people will swear by combi-bolters. Especially combi-melta or plasma.

Fast Attack
Bike squad - May I suggest you replace your flamers with meltas? Bikes are good hit-and-run pieces. With them you can assault the ork buggies/trukks, melta them, then get out of Dodge before the orks overrun you.

As far as the Honour Guard go, I'd ditch them and the Chapter Master.....

Revised list for your consideration:

HQ
Captain
Artificer Armour
Storm Bolter
Power Sword

133

Librarian
Smite
Null Zone
Storm Bolter

103


Elites:

Dreadnought
Heavy Flamer
Assault Cannon

125

Troops

Tactical Squad (10 man)
Sergeant: Power Sword
Flamer
Heavy Bolter

185

Tactical Squad (10 man)
Sergeant: Chainsword
Storm Bolter
Flamer
Missile Launcher

180

Rhino x 2

70


Scout Squad (5 man)
x 5 Sniper Rifles
x 5 Camo Cloaks

75

Fast Attack

Bike Squad
x 2 Flamers
Multi Melta

110


TOTAL: 981

Hope this helps.

Yeah, I think the Chapter Master is a bit much for a 1000 pt. game. However, I don't think I'd take two HQ either. I'd probably just take the captian.

Chapter master is a waste of points, take a normal captain.

Honour guard will die against power weapons and will get hammered by orks. Take terminators if you want a decent c.c unit.

You forgot the free heavy weap for your tactical squads, which btw shouldn't be in combat if you combat squad them.

Dreadnoughts are pretty good against orks as long as they don't have a power klaw. Take in pairs though.

Oh, don't put a storm bolter on the captain with a power sword, you do not get the extra bonus attack then because you've ditched your pistol - corennus same on you!

You dont really need the librarian against the an ork army.

In comment to the original list:

Take a captian, include him with one of your tactical squads.

Keep your tactical squads simple and cheap, a flamer and a missle launcher are the cheapest and work the best IMHO. A stormbolter upgrade is not worth it, if you want upgraded weapons give the seargent a combi something.

If you want a CC dread, go for a Ironclad, you get more bang for your buck. Upgrade its stormbolter to a heavy flamer. If not just go for a shooty dread with either a AC/PC or AC/AC load out.

Im not a big fan of SM bikes, I've never really had much luck with them. For fast attack I much prefer Assult Marines.

If your going up against orks, you really should consider a Thunder Fire Cannon, I know it seems that every other comment I make on this site is touting them, but they are an extremly useful unit and can do an extreme amount of damage in one turn.

Grrr. Storm Bolters are assault weapons!!

When it matters, I.E. your within assulting range of an enemy squad, your paying extra points for one extra boltgun shot, not worth it IMO

Corennus wrote:Grrr. Storm Bolters are assault weapons!!

You lose the bonus attack for not having 2 close combat weapons if you do not take the pistol. What is better the extra power weapon attack or the extra S4 shot with longer range? Combat is where the captain belongs so play to the strengths

You and storm bolters hey

What can I say. I like them.

But my captain has a storm shield and relic blade.

I think it depends on the makeup of the tac squad. If a squad has a plasma gun then a storm bolter might be a better idea than a bolt pistol, since without a flamer the squad will be at a greater disadvantage in close combat...

Tactical squads should never engage in close combat with orks, the will loose the majority of the time. Tactical Squads just dont get enough attacks. I find a tactical squad better suited agaisnt orks as a form of harrassment as the orks go after a "jucier" target.

With that being said I just noticed that you didnt take two weapons in your 10 man tactical squad. A flamer and a missle launcher is usually the best way to go although I have recently started to really enjoy the plasma cannon.

Trust me, take the free missile launchers everytime. Infact, the more you have, the better. They are cheap, and have 2 functions, pop transports and template hordes. Best of all, they instakill nobs/nob bikers. Nothing pisses off an Ork player more then loosing some nob bikers to a free upgrade.

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions, guys. I'll revisit the list before the game, to take your advice into account. Going for the captain seems like the most prudent change.

Also, with the points saved, I'll grab some termies if I can fit it in. I'll also drop the storm bolters.

I appreciate all the helpful comments. Thank you guys.

EDIT:
Are assault marines any good?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Okay. Updated list. Went out on a limb with a devastator squad with plas cannons, instead of the dread. Went away from the transports, we're not playing that big a table anyway.

So, thoughts? C&C welcome.

HQ
Captain 100
*Artificer armor 15
*Power sword 15

ELITE
Terminators 200

TROOPS
10 Tac Marines 170
*Power weapon 15
*Combi-melta 10
*Flamer --
*Missile launcher --

10 Tac Marines 170
*Power weapon 15
*Flamer --
*Missile launcher --

FAST ATTACK
Bike Squad 90
*2 Meltagun 20
*Power weapon 15

HEAVY SUPPORT
Devastators 90
*3 Plasma cannons 75

Why yuo taking a combi weapon and power sword in tactical squads for? You lose that bonus attack not having a pistol.

Not enough Bikers mate.

Devastators will get taken apart by everything on the field in the first few turns.

IMO lose the Fast Attack and Dev squad and take 3 Predators instead.

In agreement with corennus, never underestimate the power of autocannon/HB preds or autocannon/lc preds. Good strength decent rate of fire. Should chew orks pretty well.

and hopefully AV 13 should keep away most of the anti=armour stuff orks can throw against you. Just don't let them get to your side/rear armour