Understood If you are well and truly locked into playing GW, and have a choice between Marines or Bugs, I would certainly recommend the Marines. And as a new player, I would recommend doing a lot of the boring stuff: 10-man Tactical squads with Flamer and Missile launcher repeated ad nauseum throws out a helluva lot of firepower. Back it up with a Dreadnought, and your oponnent looks like swiss cheese.

When I decided that i wanted to get back into 40K because it seemed to be the only game going on, I decided to field two Tactical Squads with plasma gun and rocket launcher backed up by a dreadnought with twin lascannons and a missile launcher as my basic tactical element. I don't have my noted in front of me, but I think I did this three times and supported it with a Land raider and an officer. Of course, I decided that i really hate 40K and I don't get out much anymore as a result.

Don't take us old-timers grumbling about GW that seriously. It is a great introduction to the hobby. Just don't discount other stuff later on because you believe GW is the ebst

Space Wolves - the only chapter that remembers the Emperor. Not as a god, but as the man who could drink Leman Russ under the table.

The Auld Grump

Well, specific chapters are painted in certain ways - but there is not only nothing to prevent you from coming up with your own chapter, it is covered by rules in the Space Marine codex - covering abilities that you can give your brand new chapter. Or you can just make them one of the many spin offs of the Ultramarines, in which case they are the vanilla marines straight out of the book, just wearing different looking armor.

For Badgerwing I went with the standard Dark Angels black/green, with the sinister pauldron quartered sable and argent, winged sword fere proper.

The Auld Grump

Welcome to the wonderful world of GW!

Bring your wallet.

No seriously, go get it.

NOW.

One of the good things about playing Marines - there are always a fair number available cheap on EBay. Always. And you get a good enough start in the current Assault on Black Reach starter set - a captain, a marine tactical squad, a dreadnaught, and a terminator squad.

The orcs are also kind of fun, especially if you are playing for the fun of it instead of trying to win. (One of the best people I ever played against had orcs, and while he lost a lot, he lost with style! I have seldom seen anyone who enjoyed playing as much. ) They even get flying machines in the current starter game.

The Auld Grump