Hello there, future commander! So, you’ve found yourself interested in the fabled Space Marines of Warhammer 40,000, then? Excellent decision! These genetically engineered super-soldiers are not only the face of the Warhammer 40K universe but also one of the most versatile and easiest armies to join. Let’s cut to the chase and discover everything you need to know about these legendary warriors!

Who Are the Space Marines in Warhammer?

Space Marines or Adeptus Astartes are basically superhuman warriors genetically engineered to be the Imperium of Mankind’s top soldiers. Imagine normal humans, then add in some extra organs, superhuman strength, mad survivability, and put them into power armour that Iron Man would be jealous of.

These are roughly 7-8 feet tall guys and can spit acid, travel outside of space briefly, and live hundreds of years. They’re the Emperor’s cream of the crop, and they know it! Each Marine equals dozens, if not hundreds, of ordinary human soldiers when it comes to combat.

The Grimdark Lore: Setting the Scene

The Warhammer 40K universe is set in the 41st millennium, and spoiler alert: the future doesn’t look very bright. The Imperium of Mankind is a huge, galaxy-spanning empire ruled by the Emperor, who is on life support (the Golden Throne) for 10,000 years. It’s a brutal, superstitious, and technologically stagnant empire that’s constantly at war with everything. The riveting Warhammer Space Marine was established by the Emperor during the Great Crusade to reunite humanity among the stars. Then came the Horus Heresy, essentially an enormous civil war in which half of the Space Marines turned traitor. This catastrophe set the tone for everything afterwards and is why the Imperium is a paranoid, church-state nightmare in the “present day.”

Chapter Organisation: How Space Marines Roll

Space Marines come in Chapters which are semi-independent units of around 1,000 Marines per Chapter. Each Chapter has its own background, combat specialties, and paint scheme. Some of the most famous are:

• Ultramarines: The goodie-goodie boys, by-the-book and stern (blue armour)
• Space Wolves: Viking warriors with a loose cannon mentality (grey/blue armour)
• Blood Angels: Chivalrous but cursed with bloodlust (bright red armour)
• Dark Angels: Sinister warriors hiding ancient guilt (dark green armour)
• Imperial Fists: Siege masters and fighting hard-pressers (yellow armour)

Each Chapter is divided into 10 companies of 100 Marines. The 1st Company comprises elite veterans, the 2nd- 5th are battle companies, and the rest are reserve forces or special forces. Each Marine serves a specific role in the battlefield: Tactical, Assault, Devastator, or newer Primaris variants like Intercessors and Inceptors.

Building Your First Space Marine Force

One of the best things about the Warhammer Space Marine force is how accessible it is to new players. Here’s how you can start:

• Select a Chapter: Pick what looks awesome to you, or a lore you vibe with. Don’t worry, there’s no wrong choice! Maybe you’re a fan of the heroic Blood Angels or the horde-like Space Wolves?
• Start Small: Grab a Combat Patrol box or the Warhammer 40K starter set. These give you a balanced force to learn with.

Must-Have Units: Some good starting units are:

• Intercessors (great all-rounders)
• A Captain or Lieutenant (your commander)
• Redemptor Dreadnought (big robot with big guns)
• Assault Intercessors (for getting close and personal)

Basic Tools: You’ll need clippers, plastic glue, primer, and some basic paints in your Chapter colours.

Painting Tips for Rookies

Painting Marines can look scary, but here’s the trick: they’re really quite forgiving for newbies!

Begin with a spray primer of matching colour to your Chapter’s primary colour. This is a huge time-saver! Paint your base colours, then use washes (something like Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil) to give them an immediate depth. Don’t worry about being perfect, the “battle-worn” look is totally lore-worthy. Those scratches on the armour? Totally intentional battle damage!

Gaming With Your New Army

Astarters Space Marines are very beginner-friendly on the table. They’ve good stats across the board, good guns, and are hard to kill. Your average strategy can be pretty straightforward: move forward, shoot stuff, then charge in to finish the job. Start with smaller games (500-1000 points) to learn the rules. Space Marines are more forgiving than any other army, so they are a great starting point.

The Hobby Journey: Beyond the Basics

As you gain more experience, you’ll discover more ways to extrapolate ad infinitum:

• Kitbashing: Mix pieces from different kits together to create unique Marines
• Chapter Customisation: Create your own successor Chapter with unique colours and background
• Special Forces: Include Terminators or rapid-attack vehicles such as Inceptors
• Vehicles: From Repulsor transports to enormous Repulsor tanks, Marines have some cool toys!

Don’t forget, though, Warhammer is a marathon, not a sprint. Do it at your own pace – even a slow-and-steady strategy will still give an amazing collection to brag about.

Finding Your Battle-Brothers

The best part of the hobby is the community! Check out local game stores for paint nights or game sessions and some of the online channels for Warhammer 40K painting tutorials and battle reports. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, most seasoned hobbyists appreciate seeing new players join the ranks!

For the Emperor!

The Space Marines can be a great starting point on your way to the vast world of Warhammer 40k. These Defenders of Humanity are strong, resilient and simply awesome. So, fill up your bolter, don your power armour, and remember the mantra every Space Marine lives by: “Know no fear!” The Emperor watches over… and now, so will you and your new plastic army!