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So, I've got a lot of Space Marines. I am not sure where to go with them. I was originally going to go with a Drop Pod list but upon reading the codex a Rhino Rush doesn't seem too bad. Here is my model count.

Captain w/Power Sword and Combi Melta

Captain with Bolter and Power Sword

Jump Chaplain with Power Fist

5x Terminators with options for a chainfist, Heavy Flamer and Assault Cannon

2x Tactical Squads w/Flamer and Missile Launcher. Options for a Boltgun Sgt. or one/two with combi flamers

2x Tactical Squads w/Plasma Gun and Missile Launcher. Considering making a combi Plasma Sgt or two

2x Tactical Squads w/Melta Gun and Missile Launcher. Options for a Combi melta sgt.

10x Assault Marines w/ 2x Flamers. Sgt. has Power Axe.

2x Whirlwinds

Land Speeder w/ Heavy Bolter and Assault Cannon

Predator with options for Destructor/Annihilator patterns.

Rhino

Drop Pod

Dreadnought w/ Multi Melta and DCCW

3x Bikes

One blank attack bike (As in, it doesn't have any weapons)

One blank Land Speeder

Land Raider (LC/HB)

I've come up with the following list

Space Marines (1850)

HQ
Captain: 145
+Relic Blade
+Artificer Armor
+Combimelta

Elites:
Terminator Squad: 215
+Chainfist
+Heavy Flamer

Troops:
Tac Squad: 205
+5 Marines
+Flamer
+Missile Launcher
+Rhino

Scouts: 85
+Camo Cloaks
+Snoipeh Rifles

Heavy Support:
Land Raider 250

Whirlwind 65

Whirlwind 65

First off... Idk, this list seems sort of bloated. It's like I'm paying out the ass just so that I can get them to do what I want. I'm considering some assault marines since I'm going to be running Raven Guard chapter tactics.

Allied Detatchment:

Lord Commissar-105
Plasma Pistol
Power Fist
Carapace

PCS:
4x Flamers

PIS 80
+Meltagun
+Lascannon

PIS 80
+Meltagun
+Lascannon

PIS 60
+Meltagun

Vendetta 130

Manticore 165

Fortification

ADL w/ Quad Gun 100

This list feels.. very bloated. Very, very bloated. It has a lot of punch but not enough staying power. Like it'll do some damage before being overrun. Should I just go Gunline with da Imperial Fists? Or should I just turn my Pred/Whirlwinds into Rhinos and go with my original plan? Or should I stay on the divine path of the Drop Pod List?

I think with the number of tactical squads you have going imperial fist or ultramarines makes most sense. But with the list you posted I would say to go Iron Hands as you have a lot of tanks and could benefit from the extra survivability. There's not much synergy elsewhere for the other chapters imo.

But there's plenty of options in the new codex to run some fun lists I think.

Andram wrote:
I think with the number of tactical squads you have going imperial fist or ultramarines makes most sense. But with the list you posted I would say to go Iron Hands as you have a lot of tanks and could benefit from the extra survivability. There's not much synergy elsewhere for the other chapters imo.

But there's plenty of options in the new codex to run some fun lists I think.

I see. They would benefit from the rerolling and I could park them behind the ADL for now. I was thinking of Raven Guard so I could use my Rhinos and Assault Marines to go make the enemy very, very sad. But Rhinos are stupidly easy to kill and 'Salt Marines aren't very good at close combat... I'll try out the Iron Hands thing. Thanks for your advice!

If you can get hold of a handful of rhinos, RG can be lethal, as you only need scout+1 turn to have the enemy board edge in rapid-fire range. After that, you don't really need them to survive, so the fragility is less of an issue. AM are not bad, they just can't go toe-to-toe with dedicated assault units. Against the weak backline troops they should be targeting they should do just fine, especially with a Chaplain in there as well.

Another option would be to mix a couple of chapters via allies. Say IH primary for your IWND tanks, and then a couple of rhino-tac squads, an AM squad and a chaplain as RG. That gives you the staying power of the IH and the brutal speed of the RG, and could work out being pretty nasty to face. You do then lose the possibility of IG allies, but that might not be the end of the world.

That was my plan for the Assault Marines. Have them mess up those pesky objective campers while the rest of the army deals with the main threat. I'll try out your tactic of IH/RG mix.

I am not too sad about the loss of IG allies since I am going to repaint the army. If I should, say, get some bikes with grav guns should I wait until getting 6 before fielding them or they good as one squad?

Little bit of conversion could give you a kick-ass Salamander list.

So turn the Pred/Whirlwind into Rhinos, throw some flamer/melter tacs into them and turn my FA choices into Melta boats? I can dig it.

I also have a spare Capitan lying in pieces (The lot of SM I got had two) so I can turn him into an Blood Raven vulkan. Which relic should I "gift" him?

Edit: New 1850 list

HQ:

Vukan 190

Fast Attack:

Land Speeder 80
MM/MM

Land Speeder 80
MM/MM

Troops:
Tactical Squad 235
+5 Marines
Rhino
Powerfist
Combimelta
Meltagun
Missile launcher

Tactical Squad 235
+5 Marines
Rhino
Powerfist
Combimelta
Meltagun
Missile launcher

Tactical squad 135
Rhino
Lightning claws
Combiflamer
Flamer
(Vulkan will be with these doods. I'm thinking of making this a drop pod)

Elites:
Terminators 215
+Chainfist
+Heavy Flamer

Heavy Support:
Land Raider 250

Allies:
(Raven Guard tactics)

HQ:
Chaplain 130
Jumpack
Powerfist

Troops:
Scouts 85
Missile Launcher
Sniper Rifles
Cloaks

Fast Attack:
Assault Marines 210
+5 Marines
2x Flamers
Power Axe

I feel more confident in this list since it has more Synergy. As in it is meant to go to people and mess up their day. I have a player that runs double wraithknights... should I convert some bikers to have Gravguns?