Best SM Chapter to Play?

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**mcyeatman**

Hello Dakka,

I'm currently playing Tau and Eldar and thinking about starting a 3rd army. The balanced nature of the SM and the abundance of configurations is appealing . With this said I would like to avoid the Vanilla Marines (standard SM codex) and start one of the specialized codex-ed chapters.

Which one has the best written and most fun codex to work with?

I realize this is a very subjective question so feel free to rant.

Thanks!

**Althuran**

Actualy I think both (BA and SW) are a really fun and powerfull lists. I love DA, but at this moment are totally out (Codex talking). Maybe the BA lists may have more configurations than the SW.

**Tails9095**

I like Dark Angels, but i'm also a big bike fan

**Arschbombe**

Limiting yourself to chapters with their own codex is a significant limitation. Of the four separate marine chapter books only BA and SW are current. DA and BT are showing their age. BA is probably the most flexible of the bunch allowing you to make many lists from the vanilla book as well as their own signature army builds. SW is generally considered to be the strongest marine dex at the moment. Grey Knights are rumored to be along soon. They might be something you'd be interested in.

**Mr Nobody**

Pick BA if you like nipple-armor, if not, then pick SW. If yo're looking for something fun, then pick DA.

**mcyeatman**

Thanks for the feedback!

**jdjamesdean@mail.com**

The regular marines dex is perfectly fine, but if you like them you may as well go BA

I'm a fan of wolves though ... rune priests =)

**Carnage43**

Make your own chapter and just use which ever codex you feel like using that day.

BP/CCW marines = assault marines or grey hunters. Razor spam works for both, rhinos work for both, Devastators work for both, you could use a librarian/rune priest

The only real non-interchangeable units between them is Thunderwolf cavalry, and the Blood Angels unique dreadnaughts.

Hell, if you build the army properly, you could probably use the chaos codex on occasion as well.

**Gorskar.da.Lost**

I do love all of the unique chapters, but my vote goes to SW at the end of the day. I don't know what it is about them, but I just love 'em.

**bloodaxegit**

BA FTW! AP3 boltguns! Deep striking landraiders! Enough said?

**jdjamesdean@mail.com**

everyone loves the cheese that is sw no matter what chapter they are XD

**Catos**

personally I really do love the vanilla marines. if used correctly they can be one of the best armies in the game. hower if you just want to kill stuff then definately blood angels. seriously man, deep striking land raiders, extra more awesome TROOP CHOICES and just generally having a cool name ticks the balance in their favour.

**mcyeatman**

The BA seem to be the crowd favorite, followed by SW and VM. I'm headed to the local GW shop later and will take a look at the BA codex (if they have it!).

Are there any major drawbacks to the BA?

Thanks!

**Arschbombe**

BA terminators with Thunderhammers and Stormshields, a staple of the vanilla dex, are a little more expensive. The army list steers you away from tactical squads and infantry gunlines in general because the assault marines can get special weapons in 5-man squads and get their transports cheaper when they ditch their jump packs for a transport. Even with all their toys, the BA have a little less power on the tabletop than the wolves. That's about it for drawbacks, unless you count seeing lots of other BA armies on the table around you as a drawback too.

**MechaEmperor7000**

Termies in BA armies will have additional rules compared to their Vanilla counterparts though, so it's not so much of a drawback, and can potentially make them better point-wise than their vanilla counterparts.

**mcyeatman**

Actually I have not played a BA team yet. We have plenty of SW and VM locally.

**Gorskar.da.Lost**

mcyeatman wrote:The BA seem to be the crowd favorite, followed by SW and VM. I'm headed to the local GW shop later and will take a look at the BA codex (if they have it!).

Are there any major drawbacks to the BA?

Thanks!

You tend to rely on the charge with BA, more so than any other SM codex. BA are horrible when charging into combat, but need to in it quickly, so as not to be ground down by attrition.

**Arschbombe**

Gorskar.da.Lost wrote:You tend to rely on the charge with BA, more so than any other SM codex. BA are horrible when charging into combat, but need to in it quickly, so as not to be ground down by attrition.

I'm not sure I follow you. Yes, BA rely on the charge, but that's because they're good at it, not because they suck at it. S5 I5 on the charge is a good deal. In the old dex you could get that with Corbulo's 12" bubble and with the Death Company. Now pretty much the whole army can get it from multiple 6" bubbles and from red thirst. I see the wolves referred to as the better chapter for melee, but I've never had a problem chewing up the wolves because FC beats counterattack time after time.

**Gorskar.da.Lost**

Arschbombe wrote:
Gorskar.da.Lost wrote:You tend to rely on the charge with BA, more so than any other SM codex. BA are horrible when charging into combat, but need to in it quickly, so as not to be ground down by attrition.

I'm not sure I follow you. Yes, BA rely on the charge, but that's because they're good at it, not because they suck at it. S5 I5 on the charge is a good deal. In the old dex you could get that with Corbulo's 12" bubble and with the Death Company. Now pretty much the whole army can get it from multiple 6" bubbles and from red thirst. I see the wolves referred to as the better chapter for melee, but I've never had a problem chewing up the wolves because FC beats counterattack time after time.

Ah, I see the misunderstanding. I meant horrible for the poor bugger being charged!

**Th3ee Legged Dog**

My votes for BT or Vanilla personally.

Vanilla are always current, BT are due eventually and I think their fluff is wicked awesome.

**timetowaste85**

bloodaxegit wrote:BA FTW! AP3 boltguns! Deep striking landraiders! Enough said?

I must be missing something in my codex, what is the AP3 boltgun? Or do you mean for the sternguard? Yeah, but that's vanilla marines too. It must be the English major in me, but combining that with the deep striking land raider, which is BA only, I thought you were suggesting an AP3 boltgun that is BA only too. If there is, other than sternguard, please point it out to me because I missed it

**Mordoskul**

Choose whatever suites your style. Black Templars and Blood Angels are the in-your-face armies, whereas the Ultramarines are a more shooty army.

Wind the Frog

**Ahshran**

As said, it depends on your style. I play space Wolves because of gratuitous amounts of customization, and the close - range - ness of them.

**Element206**

I like the Blood Angels....I think they have some great advantages to them. They have awesome troops and elite choices unique to only their chapter. They have a rich history and are one of the most storied lineages with the best, thats right I said the BEST primarch! In addition to this, they are one of easiest armies to identify on the battlefield and red armor just looks great!

**mindfield**

SW for me, simply awesome at CC and conversion possibilities for their models. Also great fluff

**Coolyo294**

ULTRAMARINES

**RaegMachine**

Salamanders

**Peter Wiggin**

mcyeatman wrote: most fun codex to work with?

I realize this is a very subjective question so feel free to rant.

I'd say go with the fluff and models that you enjoy the look of....then use "fights as" rules if you're really that hard up for wins. :p

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Element206 wrote:I like the Blood Angels....I think they have some great advantages to them. They have awesome troops and elite choices unique to only their chapter. They have a rich history and are one of the most storied lineages with the best, thats right I said the BEST primarch! In addition to this, they are one of easiest armies to identify on the battlefield and red armor just looks great!

Gonna go with this as a secondary response......BA's are BA.

**Vaktathi**

In terms of rules and clarity, the older ones I think are a little better written but aren't as competitive. If you want to avoid Smurfs and want a newer book, that leaves Blood Angels and Space Wolves. Both are very competitive and have a host of bewildering special rules, though I think SW's are still the more powerful of the two, with hideously undercosted Grey Hunters and Long Fangs, though BA's ability to spam FNP and pack in 8/9 AV13/14 vehicles in a 2k list is also pretty strong.

DA and BT are pretty outdated, DA's tricks can all be done by C:SM or C:SW and are otherwise an overcosted prequel to C:SM. BT are pretty mediocre, but aren't terrible, although I feel SW do everything they do better.

When it comes to fluff, all the 5E books read like 12 year old internet fanboy fantasies, the 4E ones I think have better background.

**Monster Rain**

The correct answer is, of course, Iron Hands.