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There is an upcoming tournament in my area:
- no Allies
- no Lords of War
- no Formations
- no Fortifications
+ Forgeworld is allowed

I've no competitive experience and this is my list:

Chapter Master
- artificer armour, bike, shield eternal, thunder hammer

Bike squad (5)
- 2 x grav-guns
+ 1 x attack bike with multi-melta

Scout squad (5)
- camo-cloaks
- missile launcher
- sniper rifles

Ironclad Dreadnought
- drop pod with deathwind missile launcher
- power fist & heavy flamer
- seismic hammer & melta-gun

Sternguard squad (10)
- combat squad with 5 special ammo bolters
- combat squad with 2 x special ammo bolters, 3 x combi-melta
- drop pod with deathwind missile launcher

Stormtalon
-Skyhammer missile launcher
-TL assault cannon

Devastator squad (5)
-4 x lascannon

Whirlwind

Thunderfire cannon

I play Exorcists and generally pick Ultramarines chapter tactics.

Will I get massacred with this list? Can I improve it?
How would you expand it to 1850 points?

Looks very well rounded, but not glaring strong in any 1 thing... very space marine.

Not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing

Who is manning the thunderfire Cannon or are you also including a techmarine? I'd drop the whirlwind most of the games I've taken one in it will shoot once (usually if you go first) than either get shaken or blown up right afterwards it is a strong list besides that. If forgeworld is allowed I'd look into trying to take a fire raptor or even a imperator dreadnought the options those can take far exceed the standard codex dreads and fliers

The list looks fine and interesting. But Imho, taking Ultramarine tactic is better to bring a lot tactical squads, supported by Devastator instead of biker or scout. However with all your unit in the list it may be hard to come up with a better chapter tactic. I think may be just Ultramarine or Iron Hand. Which gives you more staying power with 6+ FNP.

Take a third droppod for your TFC or Devastator, but drop it empty. It is just used to let both your sternguard and Dreadnought arrive Turn 1.

Thanks for the replies all!

It is intended as an 'all-comers' list and a techmarine will go with the TFC.

The weakest links are, in my opinion, the whirlwind and scouts. I'm not familiar with a lot of the Forgeworld models as I don't own any of the space marine books. A friend plays with Contemptors but I don't want to copy that part of his list.

I tried more tacticals in rhino's but that didn't work out the way I wanted too: the transports are shot too easily and then you have to footslog. But indeed - as Neophyte pointed out - I don't immediately see a better tactic with this sort of list? I was also thinking of adding more drop pods and I actually like your idea: perhaps I'll switch the whirlwind for a drop pod with launcher for that extra punch in the first turn

Any idea's on how to expand to 1850-ish?

Switching the scouts for tacticals in drop pods?
Another stormtalon? (not that many fliers in my area though)

Let's put it this way any flyer is better than a stormtalon

Contempter not imperator sorry had a dumb moment

I personally love my stormtalons with skyhammer. Not very expensive, few wounds. Can take most things, even landraiders with the rending capabilities in a pinch.

 numeon06 wrote:
Let's put it this way any flyer is better than a stormtalon

??
Stormtalons are excellent.

You might consider a second TFC too.

Drop the ML on the scout squad (they are BS3... you're just using them to grab an objective, camp, and snipe at stuff).
Drop the deathwind launcher (not worth the points).

You might want to consider more obsec as this is your major FOC benefit?

Honestly, the list is well rounded and doesn't need many changes. The only thing I really don't like is the Scout squad. Find the points to get them to a 100 point squad with bolters or ccw in a Land Speeder Storm; the amount of special rules and versatility that thing provides for its point cost is outstanding.

Thanks, guys, so I'll try the following:
- swapping the whirlwind for an extra pod (nr3) that can deliver the Sternguard on the first turn
- giving the scouts a ride and changing their weapons (never tried a Land Speeder Storm to be honest but I guess the multi-melta hit could ruin someone's day)
- an extra TFC

Not having a lot of ObSec could be a problem but maybe it'll work just fine as the majority of games I play use some kind of Eternal War mission(s) where you only get the points at the end of the game and/or at some other point.