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I've been putting together a marine army, and weighing my options, and I've come down to one question I'd like some opinions on.

From a hobby point of view (assembling, painting, kitbashing, etc), is it funner to build a marine army using a 40k codex, or the Horus Heresy books?

In my opinion, 40k, because there are more, and more readily available bits. Particularly for SM, there is just so much you can pull off the shelf, which is nice for convenience, price, and collection breadth.

For example, if you want to pose a space marine in a very particular way, you will probably find a good fit. Of course, nothing stops you from using 40k parts in 30k or vice versa.

Also, 40k SM is mostly plastic, which is a wonderful material for kitbashing.

 Talys wrote:
In my opinion, 40k, because there are more, and more readily available bits. Particularly for SM, there is just so much you can pull off the shelf, which is nice for convenience, price, and collection breadth.

For example, if you want to pose a space marine in a very particular way, you will probably find a good fit. Of course, nothing stops you from using 40k parts in 30k or vice versa.

Also, 40k SM is mostly plastic, which is a wonderful material for kitbashing.

So, I should have said, if I do the 30k or 40k/30k-compatible route, I'll be using nothing but 40k parts and other plastic and metal parts. Forgeworld stuff is generally too rich for my blood, and honestly I don't like cleaning resin, so I'm not going to be getting any marine models from FW.

I'm more talking like....is it funner to assemble and bash your army together gearing towards compatibility with the 30k system, or the 40k system?

I'm sorry, but I'm unqualified to answer your question I only buy the odd Forgeworld order -- it's still hundreds of dollars, but it's rare. 40k stuff is my thing because I don't have any friends interested in 30k, at least not to the degree where it would ever be playable.

Funner is not a word

Well if your not using the resin kits.... Then there's not much difference from the modelling side.

I had a lot of fun custom building my heresy thousand sons. But my 40k chaos kitbashing was pretty immense...

If you are restricted by budget you'll probably get more done in 40k.

30k to me is more enjoyable. The balance is better, though not perfect.

The fluff for 30k translates better to the tabletop then 40k does and the in depth legion units allow a wider range of options and list building.

30k, cos Volkite. Although if you aren't buying FW isn't it a bit of a moot question, because you're modelling with the same models either way? 30k works better bigger (at least 2000 points it really comes into its own, although Zone Mortalis looks a lot of fun) but is a hell of a lot of fun, and surprisingly varied considering it's mostly space marines.

Depends on the army someone plays and edition. I liked w40k a lot in 5th and start of 6th ed. Game was fun. Right now w40k is not fun at all. I tried to play w30k, but all it went down to was drop pods full of volikit killing most of my army in a single turn. So wasn't much better then w40k.

 60mm wrote:
Funner is not a word

Sure it is. Your dictionary just hasn't been keeping up.

30k because things have an order to them - the tactical marines have nothing but bolters; even the seargent! assault marines are a troops choice, tactical support units with nothing but special weapons, devastator squads all have to have the same weapon...
from a modeling perspective you will love 30k - waaaay more options.

However, making an effort not to buy forgeworld stuff will mean you're severely restricted in what you can field, unless your opponent is happy with proxy-ing loads of stuff! (and you also wont get volkite if you're being really hard-line about it)
Having said that, only using 40k models will get you a very fluffy army for 30k - loads of marines (20 man squads!) tooled up special characters (enjoy that extra hq slot!) and squadrons of vehicles, dreads, 'pods, speeders and bikes.

I can't list all the cool stuff here, but i think it will be worth it from both modeling and game perspectives, but beware those who get funny over using 40k models in 30k - i have met two maybe three, but they were friends and put a lot of money into their FW stuff (i've spent a lot, but those guys made me look like a casual purchaser!)

I just had a thought - get a copy of the book first then you can see for yourself...
This is a slightly dishonest answer as i know it will be the beginning of a slippery slope into zero disposable income - have fun!

we allow then to be used interchangeably. I like that approach.