First few bricks to get as a new Space Marine player?

[u/nowhere_man_1992]

I got some great advice yesterday about how to change my Space Marine collection into a more viable list for competing. Basically, I have no bricks. I only have minimum squad counts of a lot of units.

I am leaning towards detachments like Assault or Devastator Brethren, Tacitus Attack Force, and Ironstorm Spearhead. This means I'd prefer Tacitus units, no agressors or heavy intercessor bricks.

I have a Repulsor and a Repulsor Executioner as my only transports right now.

So which of the following below would you recommend? I already have half of these squads already.

Bladeguard Veterans: I think this is the obvious first choice, I have a chaplain or a lieutenant to lead them.

Hellblasters: A box of 10 to form a brick around a lieutenant might be fun. Plus, I could see it being fun to run 2 squads of these, 1 x5 and 1 x10.

Sternguard Veterans: Because their datasheet changed so much, this one is a bit variable.

Jump Pack Intercessors: I've read conflicting things about a brick of these guys. I think it would be cool, as I loved painting them. But I also don't currently have a jump pack character, which I want a captain for the cool factor and I like their ability for movement buffs.

Thank you!

[u/sisuburger]

You're limiting yourself a bit too much. Assault Terminators with stormshields are the premiere midtable brick accept no substitutes

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/sisuburger]

I do have assault Terminators and Terminators in my grey shields. Making bricks out of them could be fun.

I have a Terminator Chaplain, but would a Terminator Captain be another good leader for the normal Terminators.

[u/sisuburger → u/nowhere_man_1992]

Neither. You want a terminator ancient for extra OC and the defensive -1 to wound buff. Huge 10man brick is nearly impossible to clear

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/sisuburger]

Even better, I just finished a normal ancient and making the banner nice was really fun

[u/sisuburger → u/nowhere_man_1992]

Have fun lol. The idea is to play take and hold, then toe the terminators into the mid board objective on turn 1 to bait out response.

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/sisuburger]

Oh totally, that sounds devastating. Thanks for the perspective. The termies are getting painted this weekend!

[u/Present_Brief_6750]

For tacticus BGV are very cool models, 4++ bricks tend to require a good bit of over-commitment. 6 BGV with a support and leader (my personal picks would be lieutenant or BGA, and Chaplain). So itd be 8 x 4++ models to chew through that you can keep hidden then pop -1 to hit if charged.

But i do agree with the other stranger that its hard to beat the 10 stack of Assault terminators for durability. Add an Ancient as support for S>T = -1W on obj, and Chaplain as leader to get the 4+++ against mortals. Thats 12 x 4W models, that aren't getting wounded higher that a 4+ save for lascanons or equivalent. Its really tough to clear.

And in the termi detachment it gets the uppy downy so it can still be versatile for positioning.

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/Present_Brief_6750]

Thank you! Putting Terminators into consideration really changed my list a lot tbh. I had a hard time because I was only considering my tacitus units, but I have a termie and assault termie squad waiting to be painted. Both of those makes my list seem much more elite.

Plus, the tacitus detachments aren't all that great. Changing that to the Terminator detachment just feels right to me.

[u/Timactor]

incursors are pretty much in every SM list

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/Timactor]

Yup! Those were one of the first units I painted.

[u/TrustedSpy]

BGVs are timeless as a brick IMO. They’ll always have a place in my lists.

I loved Hellblasters in 10th, not sure yet about 11th if I’m being totally honest.

[u/c0horst → u/TrustedSpy]

Hellblasters in an impulsor have been my MVP units every game I've played with my Marines in 11th edition so far.

Maybe it's because I'm playing Medusa's Wrath, and have access to strats to buff the impulsor which carries over to the hellblasters, but even still, 15 plasma shots at two damage coming from a fast moving vehicle hull that also has a bunch of stubber and bolter shots for 185 points is a bargain. Very good into melee armies as well, since it's much harder to kill them and prevent them from firing a second time, since I just disembark after the transport dies.

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/c0horst]

Oh that is badass! With HBs and Eradicators with Meltas, the impulsors are tanks unto themselves

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/TrustedSpy]

Yeah, I'm definitely getting BGVs. I think they're neat.

Yeah, the 2nd choice has me conflicted. HBs loosing shoot on death made them less interesting. But they did gain rapid fire, and the ability to use it at full range with a detachment (albeit a weak looking one).

[u/TrustedSpy → u/nowhere_man_1992]

Rapid Fire is definitely nice. Especially
If you take Devestator Detach and give them a leader with the Lethal Hits enhancement. Their high AP with lethals lets them punch up decently into lighter armor and elite enemies.

[u/nowhere_man_1992 → u/TrustedSpy]

Very good point. Pair a brick with a captain and now everyone has lethal hits. Or better yet, an apothecary...