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Hello Dakkadakka, I have taken it upon myself as a personal challenge to make a strong, competitive list out of my friend's generic SM army to help convince him to not give up on his army/sell it (especially because of all the time and effort he has put into it. The paint job is amazing for a first army), as well as to convince myself that SM are in fact at least above average. Although I did make one list that did decently well, but it didn't wow me. And honestly, I only won because he rolled badly against me-like super terrible, tons of 1s and 2s (he was playing his dark eldar army), so I'm trying to make a better list, one that holds in a game where the rolling is a lot more average.
I would greatly appreciate any help you guys can give me and my friend.

So these are his models:

A Chaplain
A Librarian
2x 10 man tactical squads
5 scouts
2x Rhinos
1 Predator
1Thunderfire cannon
5 man Assault Marine Squad
1 full Devastator Squad
1 Dreadnaught
5 Terminators
1 Landspeeder

I'm okay using some proxies (such as another landspeeder or predator) but would rather stick to these units as much as possible. I'm aiming for a list between 1000-1500 points.

That's not a bad collection to pull from.

Off the cuff...

1,000 point list

10 man Tac, MM/M c-melta sarge rhino 220
10 man Tac, ML/F c-flamer sarge rhino 215
5 man scout, 4xsniper, HB, camo 100

5 man assault, power sword, melta bombs, flamer 130
Chaplain, jump pack 115

Thunderfire cannon 100
Auto/Las Pred 120

+500

5 terminators, assault cannon, 1 chain fist 235
Dread, 2xTLAC 125
Land speeder, typhoon/HB 90
MM attack bike 50 (or drop one of the c-meltas and make this a MM speeder, both for a MM/HF)

I would go:

HQ:

Libby (stock, force weapon of your choice) 100
Chaplain (stock) 100

ELITES:

5 termies, AC 230
Dreadnought, AC, HF 125

TROOPS:

Tactical, PW combi-flamer sgt, flamer, MM, rhino 230
Tactical, PF combi-melta sgt, meltagun, MM, rhino 245
Scouts, 4 snipers, 1 ML, 5 camo-cloaks 100

HEAVY SUPPORT:
Thunderfire cannon 100
Devastators (x5): 3MLs, 1LC 170

Aegis Defence Line, quad-gun 100

Total 1500pts

This is fairly all-comer.
Use the ADL and a bolstered ruin to provide good cover saves for the TFC, devastators and scouts, they should provide pretty decent fire support/objective campers and AA.
Libby (null-zone) and chaplain join the termies and use the rhinos as moving cover as they all push forward along with the dread bringing the ACs, and short-range weaponry to bear on the enemy.

It's not a win-all list but a pretty decent swiss-army knife, make sure to pick-an-choose your battles carefully.

Thanks a lot guys, both of those lists are arguably better than the previously lists I had come up with (I was too in love with proxing something as sternguard with no drop pods as well as TH/SS terminators). I really appreciate the help. I hope to use one of if not both of these lists tomorrow. They look awesome!