Eamil in: Advice on possible space marine lists

"Hi Kirby/Will (or someone else if Kirby decides to shunt this over to you)!
Or hi Kirby's junk/trash email folder, if that shall be the fate of this email :P

Until now, I've been one of (presumably) many silent watchers (or is that readers?) of the wonderful 3++ blog - reading with great interest, but never had much to say.
I'm really impressed by the high quality blogging/advice that comes out of your site (especially compared to a lot of other 40k sites out there) - it's really balanced and intellectual. The rest of the internet should be more like 3++ :)
But that's enough of feeding your ego - you all probably already know how awesome you are :P
I'm a 19 year old Aussie (who loves brackets too :) ); started 40k with Tau in about 2008 - just in time for the start of 5th ed. I've since gained a rather large amount of space marines, and spent a lot of time reading and thinking about most other 40k races too (most of my interaction with 40k is just intellectual; it's not very often that I sit down at my desk to model/shoddily paint, let alone get out for a game :P ). I didn't find 3++ until about 2010, and have since spent hours absorbing quite a lot of the articles on it :) my only regret with this though, is that my space marine collection was already rather sizable by this time, and I wasn't aware of any reasonable tactics or army building techniques - saturation least of all (it was a case of 'get more of those? but I've already got some!'). As such, I have a lot of very different space marines and not much to build a decent list (as far as I'm aware) with.
(My Tau on the other hand seems much closer to the more widely accepted hybrid - aside from suits, is it possible to do pure mech Tau i.e no kroot or broadsides? I'm thinking that the new Forgeworld rules for Tetras make them a feasible replacement for pathfinders; but could railheads provide enough firepower, and would they just die without the bubble wrap? But that's a different question :P )

So what I'm looking for is some advice on what kind of list my marine collection could turn into, without making a very large hole in my wallet (i.e., not buying those 4 extra drop pods I'd like). It might not be really possible, and since I'm not going to be playing anything but fun games in the near future it probably isn't too important; but I'd be very interested to hear what you and/or your co-bloggers think.
Most defining features of the collection are space hulk and assault on black reach; so 20+ tacticals, and 15+ models in TDA ;)
I've got:
15 normal marines w/bolters
2 marines w/flamers
2 marines w/ML, 2 w/LC, 1 w/MM and 1 w/heavy bolter
2 marines w/PF; 1 w/storm bolter, 1 w/combi-flamer

8 scouts w/CCW + BP
2 scouts w/shotguns
4 scouts w/snipers
1 scout w/heavy bolter
1 sergeant Telion

3 fancy marines w/bolters
1 fancy marine w/combi-melta
1 fancy marine w/combi-melta + LC
(I modeled these as sternguard)

5 fancy marines w/PW, BP + JP (I modeled these as vanguard)

1 marine w/ a big banner

2 TDA w/PW + storm bolter
9 TDA w/PF + SB
1 TDA w/CF + SB
2 TDA w/AC
2 TDA w/TH + SS (1 from space hulk, the other lysander)
1 TDA w/2x LC

1 Libby w/TDA + SS
A guy I modeled as Marneus Calgar (I'm not sure if 2 PF, a storm bolter and a power sword can count as much else! :P)

1 Dread w/DCCW, HF + MM
1 Drop pod w/deathwind

In bits, I've got Sicarius and Helbrecht (has a combi-melta?), 8 'assult on black reach marine' bodies (so not good for much but more tacticals); 7 jump packs, a wide array of weapon options (include 3 meltaguns, a couple of missile launchers and a heavy flamer (on sternguard maybe?) - no multimeltas though), enough bits to make 8 more marines of any variety; and also parts for a dreadnought (again no multimelta), a rhino chassis (from a predator), 1.5 landraider chassis, and enough vehicle weapons to do pretty much anything.

I started with the vanilla dex, and then got the blood angels dex when it came out (FNP foot termies?), so I'm more familiar with those two; but I have no particular allegiances to any chapter (I also hear Logan can field a competitive foot list?)

Sorry; I know this is rather tl;dr, but I'd love to hear any opinions or advice you can impart :)


Thanks!
Michael (or Spraak, if we're playing SC2 ;) )
"
Michael is after a 2k list btw!

Unfortunately there's not a lot there and we're going to have to expand your collection in some form. You have a nice chunck of Termiantors though so a couple things jump to mind - some sort of ShootynatorThunderbubble (Space Marine mech with Shootynators), Loganwing (foot Space Wolves) or Blood Angels Termiantors either in a foot list with ASM or a Mech list to again act as a bubble-wrap. Each of these has major purchases though - both Mech lists require Rhino chassis, Loganwing will require more Marines on foot and the BA foot list will require those ASM. It really becomes a choice of which playstyle you want more and how much you're willing to spend (I believe the Space Wolves would be the cheapest option).

A couple example lists including what you have and don't have (there will also be alittle bit of conversion work on your behalf):

Space Marines -

Libby in TDA
10x Terminators w/2x CML - convert CMLs with typhoon missile launchers or havoc launchers from chaos (cheap on ebay)
2 Dreadnoughts - convert both to either MM or 2x TL-autocannon (arms are cheap on ebay)
30 Marines over four squads (2x10x, 2x5x) - so two heavy weapons, two special weapons and four combi-weapons
AC/HB Predator

Need to buy -
4x Razorback (turns into two Rhinos, two Razorbacks but have parts for more Razorbacks)
2x Speeder (potentially cheap on ebay)
2x Predator

So a relatively expensive need to buy list but the core of the list you have which brings us to Loganwing...

Space Wolves -

Logan
Rune Priest (or Njal) - this could be your Libby in TDA
35x Wolf Guard (six squads, you want a couple of combis in each, a Terminator with CML in each, based on your fancy Marines you should have this - the extra 5 is for a large squad of 10)
5-10 Scouts
18 Long Fangs with missile launchers - you'll need to find a source of these as you don't have enough missiles but do have the bodies

Need to buy -
Thunderwolves

Cheaper buy list but more conversion/fiddling work to get the Marines what you need.

Blood Angels -

Libby - again Terminator armor can work here
10x Terminators w/2x CML (again, conversion work needed)
1-2 Priests (can convert your Marines to these)
30 ASM (don't need jump packs, just pistol + combat weapon and the associated meltaguns)
2 Dreadnoughts (will need to be converted to TL-AC)

Need to buy:
6 Razorbacks
1 Dreadnought (again, conversion to TL-AC)

Cheaper than the Space Marines but with more conversion work in terms of getting the ASM combination out of what bodies you have.

Blood Angels -

Libby - again Terminator armor works
20x Terminators w/4x CML (a few purchases needed here)
2-3 Priests (conversions again will help here)
30 ASM with Jump Packs
15 Missile Devs

Need to buy:
pieces to upgrade the Marines to ASM and missiles for Devastators - you should have enough bodies base but a few purchases of a Death Company or ASM box to give you the pieces + extra Jump Packs will be needed.

Take your pick Michael and we can go through the specifics of the list more if you like!