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This is probably going to be a real basic question but I have to ask to get it clear in my head.

When I used to collect I collected lotr, this is the first time doing 40k, ive chosen space marines as an army, ultramarines to be specific. Bought the pack of 3 for £6 cause money was tight. My actual question is, a squad is made up of how many marines? And the sgt to be accurate, does he needs specific equipment and whats the bog standard paint scheme for ultramarines units, for example does the sgt have a red helmet and vetern units white?

Thanks for reading

It should say in the codex what the minimum and maximum numbers in a squad can be, as well as other information regarding equipment etc. Can't you just go on the GW website and have a look at their paint scheme?

The minimum size for a Space Marine Tactical Squad is 1 Sergeant and 4 Space Marines, with up to an additional 5 Marines available for a maximum total of 10 models.

The Sergant's basic wargear is the standard bolter-and-boltpistol setup, but he can trade either or both out for a variety of different weapons (covered in the Space Marines codex.)

The Ultramarine colour scheme is blue armour, red eye lenses, gold paldron trim (but the gold trim is only when you are representing 2nd Company - see the colour pages of the SM codex for specifics) with a silver boltgun and a black boltgun case. This is shown on the Space Marine plastic box sets:



Additional details, such as white trim and helmets for Veterans, are also covered in the colour pages of the SM codex. However, you don't have to follow the normal colour schemes - you can always paint your models however you like.

Jonagorn wrote:It should say in the codex what the minimum and maximum numbers in a squad can be, as well as other information regarding equipment etc. Can't you just go on the GW website and have a look at their paint scheme?

Im looking for extra info on ultramarine paint schemes, I wanted to know a little more about the little things, I dont have a codex yet as I have just started collecting again.

And NimbleJack3 thanks for the info that is much appricated, will be putting up a few more pics soon if you fancy a look and let me know what you think. Thanks mate

Just saying, it's a lot more fun to make your own chapter, but if you've already got the paints for UM, go for it.

Making your own chapter is fun but going from fluff that you love is fun too. mindspa24 might think making your own is more fun but if you look around there is a good mix of people who do both. It's all a matter of what you want to do.

I was just suggesting it if he was having a hard descision on a scheme or whatnot, making your own is an easy option.
If you want, keep the fluff of another chapter, but say your chapter was a combination of two or something. It's WH40k, anything can happen. Just have fun with whatever you do.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/paintChart.jsp?catId=cat820002a&rootCatGameStyle=

That's the paint scheme I use, the top row on the right, it's pretty easy to do. All the other questions can be answered by the Codex, as stated above.
As for sergeants, it's generally done in red for the helmet.

I like painting an existing chapter as well, it's all within the setting so all the backstory and champions and battles are all there. Each chapter has its fictional history, practices, rituals, heroes, and whatnot.

I guess I prefer it to "just making stuff up."
"These are my own chapter"
"They're purple and this one time they beat some Tyranids"

Here's an excellent graphic showing the different chapters and how they fit into the timeline of WH40K
http://www.loveinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/space-marine-chapters-games-and-toys-entertainment-infographics.jpg

And then you can read more about your favorite chapter on one of the Wiki pages, figure out how they're supposed to be and whatnot.



EDIT: Oh, and the first founding chapters are the most popular
And in the 40K setting, they're the original chapters created by the primarchs.
Don't know how much you know about the story, but they're the original dudes - all other chapters are descended from them.

Well, that and there's more source material about them, they're more commonly used by tabletop players and collectors, and more commonly appear in other media.

And yeah, Ultramarines are the standard space marine, the most basic and common of all kinds.
But that's why I like em.

Joe914 wrote:This is probably going to be a real basic question but I have to ask to get it clear in my head.

When I used to collect I collected lotr, this is the first time doing 40k, ive chosen space marines as an army, ultramarines to be specific. Bought the pack of 3 for £6 cause money was tight. My actual question is, a squad is made up of how many marines? And the sgt to be accurate, does he needs specific equipment and whats the bog standard paint scheme for ultramarines units, for example does the sgt have a red helmet and vetern units white?

Thanks for reading

Five or ten. Five for the fireteam, ten for the full squad.

The Sgt is a special case. You have to buy the equipment/ wargear options from the codex list. Blue helmets in general. Red helmet for the Sergeant, Red helmet with a white stripe for a Veteren Sergeant.

First squads, are mainly terminators, BUT in Tactical armor, they also have white helmets. ( These are your specail pick your equipment per each guy, and in line with the codex listing.) They are all white helmets in the first squad. ( These guys are generally Terminators, so in leu of the terminators, hence the white helmets.)

Some of them even have white armor, depending on thier station, such as the Honor guards, or the Nid Vets. These guys have some snacks and whistles such as Nid claws, etc.
Honor guard are along the lines of Calgar, they have those wings on the helmet, gold trim, golden yellow fulliger's, etc.

There is no such thing as a dumb question.

and depending on which company, different coloured trim on the shoulders, i.e,
1st-white, veteran
2nd-gold/yellow, battle
3rd-red battle
4th-green, battle
5th-black battle
6th-orange reserver tactical
7th-heliotrope(?) reserve tactical
8th-grey reserve assault
9th-blue reserve devastator
10th- -scout
also, the different squads have symbols on shoulders, e.g a white arrow for tactical marines, a cross arrow for assoult, a hollow triange for devastators

So im doing 3rd company, ive decided. Done 2 models so far. On the right shoulder pad ive painted the tactical white arrow, with 'I' in it. That can be classed as the first tactical marine squad of 3rd comany not veterans right?

>_<

if money is tight, I advise not doign a UM paint scheme. The codex has many different chapters, and I sincerely suggest you follow one of those color schemes if you want to go by fluff. My reason for telling you to go with a different color scheme is because you never know the beardy fellows you'll play with, and how badly they need to swipe a model.