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At this stage I am a complete novice to the game and have no idea what I am doing. I want to build a 750-1000 point Raptors army, using vanilla space marine tactics.

I've gone and purchased a standard Sternguard box with 5 units. What's the best loadout with the kit? I was suggested Serg with powerfist + boltgun, 2 combi-melta and 2 combi-plasma for all-round effect.

Opinions on the matter?

Also could someone provide me with a basic 750 point army that's going to be effective for general (not tourney) gaming? It needs to incorporate my sternguard hopefully.

I really really would appreciate the help and advice guys, thanks!

YMDC is for rules questions, these are tactics or armylists questions.

Ideally you want the sternguard all rocking the same guns unless you put 10 in a drop pod and combat squad on deployment as otherwise you will not be using some of the combi weapons to full effect.
I definitely would not go powerfist on a sternie sarge as they will rarely charge due to having rapid fire weapons and if they do get a charge/are charged he may be challenged out by somebody who will cut him down before he strikes.

Yea the person who gave you that advice about the powerfist has probably been on the receiving end of a "hidden fist" seargent a few times. It isn't worth the 25 points because sternguard are already expensive (22 pts/model). I also just recently bought the sternguard box and found that there are enough weapons, arms, shoulder pads, and veteran Looking doodads to outfit an entire 5 man tactical squad with sternguard goodies. So you can just find 5 cheap tactical marines. Hack off their arms and kitbash yourself a 10 man sternguard squad. As for the weapon load out, the best choices are flamers and meltas. Only use combi weapons unless you really think you are going to run into a lot of horde armies, then you should pick up the heavy flamer. If you still really want plasma then pick up a captain and a command squad. So a solid list would look something like this (at 1000 points)

HQ Captain Plasma Gun

Elites: 10 man sternguard,, 2x combi flamer, heavy flamer.

Troops: 10 man tac squad, plasma gun, combi-plasma sarge.
10 man tacsquad, plasma gun, combi-plasma sarge.
3x rhinos (for your tac squads and sternguard)

Command squad: 4x melta guns, apothecary, drop pod.

I'm not sure this should be around 900 points you can calculate it out and fill out the rest. The sternguard or the command squad can hop in the drop pod and melta something to death, and then probably survive due to space marine armor and feel no pain. The captain can join the command squad if you give him shield eternal for eternal warrior and a 3++. I think this is a list any new space marine player can put together. Good Luck!

Going overboard with combi-weapons is a good way to make Sternguard way overpriced. Try to use their basic boltguns with special ammo as much as possible, since they offer solutions to most targets and you already paid a premium for them. If you are planning to use them with a drop-pod or concerned about being assaulted by walkers, then a couple of combi-meltas might be worthwhile.

I wouldn't bother with giving the sergeant a close combat weapon but if you really want to, consider the lightning claw. There's no downside to Specialist Weapon if you are taking the boltgun (and you really shouldn't give up the boltgun - it's pretty much the entire reason to take the unit), it gives you AP 3, which is enough for anything a SM sergeant can reasonably expect to beat and the Shred rule makes it significantly more efficient than a power-sword and almost as good as a power-maul against high-toughness, poor-save models.