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So...I'm on the fence with 40k. I mostly dislike seeing a bunch of flying boxes, but I really love the universe. Anyway, a while back, I picked up the core of an Imperial Fists army on eBay. However, I haven't touched 40k since 3rd ed, don't know what to expect or what I need, etc, or how to round out this collection. I'll pick up a Space Marine Codex soon, but I'm under the impression there are a host of other publications I need to get all the formations and everything, right? So, I'm going to list the models that I have, and hopefully someone can organize it into a coherent assembly of squads or squads with options. Finally, I'd like suggestions for where I should go next. While I don't plan on attending tournaments, I don't want to get utterly steam-rolled in pick up games. From what I've seen of my local meta, there don't seem to be the internet boogeymen such as Tau-Dar riptide knight spam (or whatever, I don't even know what that really means). These guys are all Imperial Fists, because the previous owner also purchased resin and metal shoulderpads with fists on them, and, well, I do want to paint yellow.

So, without further ado...

8 Terminators with powerfist and storm bolter
2 Terminators with power weapon instead of powerfist
2 Terminators with a heavy flamer and powerfist

10 Assault Marines
-one guy with plasma pistol and power axe
-2 guys with plasma pistols and chainswords

26 Tactical Marines

3 Marines with meltaguns
1 Marine with a plasmagun
1 Marine with a flamer

5 Marine Sergeants with plasma pistols and chainswords
1 Marine Sergeant with plasma pistol and chainsword but looks like he's for a devastator squad
1 Marine Sergeant with bolt pistol (I suspect he's for the command squad?)

Commander with power sword and plasma pistol
Apothecary
Standard Bearer
Chaplain in terminator armor

4 Marines with missile launchers
2 Marines with plasma cannons
2 Marines with lascannons
1 Marine with a heavy flamer
1 Marine with a multi melta

2 Rhinos
1 Razorback

I was thinking of picking up some Centurions, a Land Raider and another devastator box to get some Grav Guns. How important are flyers?

I think it very much depends on the individual. Personally I would add more vehicles to that mix. Flyers are very useful. I would also look for some anti air, stalker most probably.

Welcome to dakka!

Centurions are an awesome pick, they are very strong right now.

Devastators are also very good.

Flyers are quite strong, but they aren't necessary. I think a stalker or two is good (pro tip, if you have a razorback and an Aegis Defense line quad gun you can make one for the very cheap)

But vehicles are a good choice to round our your collection. Generally, lots of rhino's and a land raider can be fun and fluffy.

To play, I believe you need "Codex: Space Marines." and "Codex: Space Marines, Angles of death."

Happy wargaming!
~Mikey

You can play just fine with the basic codex. There are some very nice formations and extra stuff in the Angel of Death supplement, but it is not required to play. Just more options.

In addition to the other suggestions, you might want to look into some sternguard. And maybe some drop pods.

Sternguard are very good elite option.

Devestator give you some heavy grav, but you get some grav with sternguard too.

You have a good infrianty base but some tanks not hurt

Outside of loading up a Rhino, is it generally better to do multiple 5 man squads instead of 10 man squads? Does this apply to Assault Marines as well?

It depends? Multiple Small Units is a very sound strategy in anything other then kill point games. However, larger squads can get more efficent use of transports. As IMHO one of the primary jobs of a tac squad is to go out and grab objectives, this is very important to me. However, you end up with the heavy weapon, which in general is not as nice as the two specials you can get to the table with a 2x5 setup. I almost never run 5 man squads, but I’m an old fashioned Ultramarine like that. 10 men, special and heavy, as the Codex dictates.

If you go for a full company gladius, where you get your transports for free, there is no reason to go for full 10 man squads. But that pretty much the pinnacle of a MSU list.

I always run assault marines as 5 men. You get all the options open at minimum size, so that’s one incentive you don’t need to worry about. I also find that larger squads have a correspondingly large footprint. This makes it hard to keep them behind cover and out of LoS. Or more likely to mishap if you are going to DS them.