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The title says it all really.

I've received a marine captain plastic kit (the multi part one with a few options) i also have a rather large bits box with most available weapons options. I currently run a bike captain but thought I'd kit this new guy out for when I don't fancy the bikes.

What are a few good ways to kit out a marine captain? I use raven guard or ultramarine tactics, and a captain would most likely be running with sternguard or a tactics squad in a small points (1000 max) list.

Keep him cheap with a power weapon and combi, or go full hard as nails with shield eternal and artificer armour?

On foot? Shield eternal and then pick and choose as points allow. On bike? Hard nails. Lol.

If it is 1000 point list i'd keep him cheap: Artificer armour, storm shield and a Thunder hammer? Not a balls-out combat monster but should be relatively hard to put down.

Shield eternal is a must IMO for no ID.

Shield Eternal is great on the CM as you make the most out of 4 wounds.
On a captain, I'd go artificer armor, grav-pistol and either burning blade for the extra attack and strength combined with the concussive gimmick of the grav-pistol or a power fist for a bargain face-puncher.

I like Artificer armour, SS, and burning blade

You need a shield on the model regardless. You can use it as either a storm shield or the Shield Eternal. A power sword gives you the option of statting it as either a power sword, relic blade, or Burning Blade, but the best weapon is probably the Thunder Hammer, but that limits your options for when you want to save points (maybe people will let you use it as a power maul).

Since he's on foot, paying a few points for a jump pack to benefit from Raven Guard tactics or to cover ground and move over buildings is one option I'm fond of, but I know very few people take jump packs on anything space marine related. Even if he joins a slow squad it's still possible to slow down movement or to move the full 12" and keep coherency, or save the jump move for assault. If you pod the Sternguard you'll have to magnetize the jump pack though.

I have used a dead basic foot Captain with Artificer Armor and a Relic Blade. He can tank hits for whatever unit you put him in and hold his own well enough against anything that isn't a CC beast.

For a pure shooting Captain I'd bet a Primarch's Wrath, Artificer Armor, and maybe a CC weapon would do just fine.
For a melee Captain I'd go SS/SE with TT/BB/PF/TH and Artificer Armor.

You kind of can't go wrong with your Captain as long as you give him Artificer Armor and then gear him to a specific purpose.

If you want versatility in the model itself I'd magnetize a shield arm, a sword arm, and a bolter/bolt pistol arm. That way you can run the aforementioned Burning Blade/Power Sword/Relic Blade with a Storm Shield/Shield Eternal or Bolter/Bolt pistol. Those weapons will cover most of your bases from melee monster to cheap and cheerful.

I run my captains with artificer armor and power fist -- relatively inexpensive, still effective!

Artificer armour and teeth of terra for awsome cc ability

For generic use I've always advocated the relic blade. It's a jack of all trades weapon, so not the best at anything, but it's OK in a lot of roles. The Teeth of Terra is a nice upgraded relic blade for a modest point bump.

I don't think the points are worth it for the SS. Going from a 4++ to a 3++ in not worth it IMHO. I am a miser with wargear, so take that with a grain of salt

I'm not a fan of anything that takes the 5 initiative away from the captain. Striking first is often more important then striking hard.

Always artificer armor.

When I field a captain on foot, I field him with artificer armor, relic blade and stormbolter. But that's because I'm a WYSWYG guy, and that's what the little chunk of lead has been sporting since 3rd edition. He does get the job done though.

I recently assembled (but haven't painted yet) a captain with a TH/LC combo with a jump pack. That would work on foot though. While in general I don't think the TH is worth the 5 points over the power fist, it looks a lot cooler on the model, so I'm willing to pay a vanity tax.

 BewareOfTom wrote:
I like Artificer armour, SS, and burning blade

I use the exact same when I want a foot captain. He is killy, reasonably tough, and just strikes me for modleing purposes as a classic fantasy knight with his magical sword and shield.

jump pack + pf/lc

For my budget captains (ie when I'm not splashing out on multi-relic 200+ point beatsticks) is AA and TH, shield if I have the points. AA should be a priority, and if I can't get a TH then I'll usually go with a power sword or maul. I5 is too good to waste for the +1S of the axe, but worth losing for the TH. If you're looking for something to hack up squads rather than characters, then consider Teeth of Terra. Against MEQ or worse, that thing is awesome.

I've been wondering about maybe equipping one with Axe and Maul? That way he always has the option for I5, always gets the extra weapon bonus, but can do Str5, AP2 when needed (or when he's not attacking first anyway). Costs the same as a thunderhammer.

That's in addition to the AA, of course, and usually a jump pack (I play Ravenguard).