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Looking at starting SM with the new Codex. 2 questions -

What is a key element that should be overrepresented in each chapter? (E.g. techmarines in Iron Hands, Salamanders and flamers, etc)

Does that thing actually make a good army?

foir ANY chapter the core of the army should be made up of tac marines and or intercessors (if you're wanting fluffy)

And now you might actually be winning 50%+ when using these units. This hasn't happened this century.

That sounds good! Any specific elements for DA, White Scars, BA, SW, etc?

I'd like to pick an army that is somewhat fluffy, and I like the look of the models.

I played BT back in the day because I liked the color scheme in the book and then Grimaldus and Helbrecht came out and looked sweet. Was always frustrated that my CC army didn't want to see other CC armies.

For White Scars: Well, as has been said, for any Space Marine chapter Intercessors and Tactical Marines are probably one of the core elements. Beyond that: anything that goes fast, but especially bikes. I'm still in the process of trying a lot of stuff out, but I can give you one tip for the tabletop: Give all your Intercessors Auto-Bolt Rifles. This way they can move+advance up the board and still shoot. From T3 onward you'll want all of them in CC because every single Intercessor will punch like an Ork Nob with the White Scars' Assault Doctrine giving them +1D on the charge besides an extra -1 AP.

Something that also seems strong and fluffy at the same time are Vanguard Vets with Chainsword and Stormshield. Only costs 19 ppm but they'll all have 4 S4 AP-1 D2 attacks on the charge from T3 onward. Either drop them on the board in a concealed position T2 for a T3 charge or drop them down in T3 with a Stormspeaking librarian to reduce their charge distance to 7".

I think people often go too far overboard on what's fluffy for a chapter. For example, thinking that White Scars must always be bikers and nothing else, that Raven Guard must be twin lightning claw vanguard veterans all the time etc. I have a Salamanders army. Sure, flamers, meltas and thunder hammers are well represented, but I also have plasma, power swords, lascannons and power fists, etc. They use those too - it's not like they throw any battle brother who expresses a preference for lascannons into a volcano.

So with my Salamanders hat on - generally take troops, tanks, anything elite/tough (terminators, aggressors, dreadnoughts etc.). Go reasonably light on fast stuff - but take some if you feel like it - and any weapon choices are fine, but flamers and melta are characterful if they fit your plan.

Apply that same sort of reasoning to your chapter of choice.