OK so I went into the holiday season with the plan to get 30 Space Marines and some Drop Pods to flesh out a list by adding in a 1st Company Task Force (30 Sternguard in Pods). Once all the dust settled with presents and shipping boxes unpacked I have on hand the following Space Marine parts on sprue.
30x MK3 Power Armor (From
BoP sprues)
30x MK4 Power Armor (From
BaC sprues)
30x MK7 Power Armor (From Tactical Marine Sprues)
5x MK7 Assault Marines (From Assault Marine kit)
Plus all the other contents from Calth and Prospero boxes (Dread, Terminators from both boxes, the character models, Sisters of Silence, Custodes) but the main question of this post is focused on the
MEQs.
On paper the plan was to get 30 of the Calth marines for my Void Kraken chapter to be made into Sternguard considering I really like the look of the MK4 armor and in particular the helmet and backpack design. Considering I currently have a Skyhammer (20 Devastator Marines, and 10 Assault Marines) and can field up to 5 Drop Pods but I do not have any Metal Bawks... I mean Rhinos. I am wondering how I should expand my now potentially quadrupled in size Space Marine army and fleshing it out from a mono list (1st company + Skyhammer) and into something I can mix and match with other formations or possibly ending up making a Battle Company. So here are the questions. (Note I know the whole argument about its my plastic and I can do what I want with it. Just like to hear some opinions on the matter). I don't have a set Chapter Tactics but I will not be using White Scars, Salamanders, and Black Templar tactics. Also not going to play 30k so
1. How fluff heretical would it be to use the legs, torso, arms, and shoulders of the MK3 armor with MK4 backpacks and helmets? I like the MK3 armor but not a huge fan of the helmets and backpack on them. From a quick glance at the fluff it seems MK3 armor was originally designed for things like boarding actions which fits nicely with the fluff of my special snowflake chapter (scavenging, raiding, and ship boarding through necessity). I am thinking this would help the "Sternguard" look different from the other Marines but I don't know the nitty gritty about MK3 and MK4 cross compatibility.
2. What would you do with up to 90 power armored marines (plus maybe borrowing from my skyhammer marines) to make them usable in a Battle Company. I know this is probably the most demanding question to answer but the real stumping issue for me is the lack of Rhinos at my disposal. I don't care if its tournament capable but I do want at least some level of functional.
3. Any other fun / interesting formations to look into that would take advantage of a boat load of
MEQs? Most of the stuff I hear about are the "White Scars Battle Company with 10th company task force" copy and paste net lists but variety is a nice thing.
4. Burning of Prospero Terminators. I know they are a different variant than Cataphractii and Indomitus (the standard
40k TEQs?) but do they use the same rules as standard Terminators or is it at all likely
GW will give them rules like they did with the Cataphractii?
5. I have Space Wolves so I can find a use for the Fell-hand character but what should I do with poor Azhek Ahriman? I don't have any
CSMs and I don't intend to jump in full heretic with a chaos army. Think he is able to be converted into a Librarian or should I just use him as a display piece (maybe I can find him a library card while I'm at it)?
Thanks in advance for any input/advice.