Faction Guide
Space Marines
The face of Warhammer 40k. Genetically enhanced supersoldiers in power armor, standing between humanity and everything that wants to destroy it. The most popular faction in the game — and for good reason.
Playstyle
Versatile
Painting
Medium*
Rules
Medium
Starter Cost
~$160–$230
*Painting difficulty depends on which Chapter you choose. More on that below.
Who are the Space Marines?
In the grim darkness of the far future, humanity's greatest weapon is the Space Marine — a warrior who was already exceptional before the process began. Recruits are taken young, put through brutal trials, and subjected to surgical implantation of nineteen gene-seed organs that reshape their bodies entirely. What emerges is no longer quite human.
A Space Marine is seven feet of engineered killing machine. Their bones are reinforced, their blood clots in seconds, they can spit acid, see in total darkness, and survive wounds that would kill ten ordinary soldiers. They wear Mk X Tacticus power armor — a walking tank that amplifies their already superhuman strength. They carry bolters that fire self-propelled explosive rounds.
They are organized into Chapters — independent armies of roughly 1,000 warriors, each with their own culture, homeworld, colors, and identity. The Ultramarines follow a rigid doctrine of tactical excellence. The Blood Angels carry a terrifying flaw that drives them toward berserk fury in battle. The Space Wolves fight like Viking berserkers and keep giant wolves as companions. There are over a thousand Chapters, and choosing one is one of the most personal decisions in the hobby.
How they play on the table
Space Marines are the definition of jack of all trades. They shoot well. They fight well in melee. They're mobile. They're durable. They're not the absolute best at any one thing, but they're competent at everything — which makes them genuinely forgiving for new players.
The army rewards smart positioning and target priority. Marines are expensive in points (each model counts), so you need to be deliberate — but you're not micromanaging thirty cheap models. A typical army might have 30–50 models total, which keeps the cognitive load manageable while you're still learning the rules.
Each Chapter has its own unique rules (called Chapter Tactics) that skew the playstyle. Ultramarines are tactically flexible. Blood Angels want to get into melee. Dark Angels have strong ranged firepower. This means two Space Marine players can have completely different armies and experiences.
Space Marines are for you if...
- ✓ You want the most iconic 40k faction
- ✓ You want flexibility — shooting, melee, or both
- ✓ You want a forgiving army to learn the game on
- ✓ You want the most tutorials, guides, and community support
- ✓ You want a faction with strong identity you can make your own
Maybe look elsewhere if...
- ✗ You want to be different — Marines are everywhere
- ✗ You want a horde army with lots of cheap models
- ✗ You want aliens, chaos, or undead robots
- ✗ You want maximum melee brutality (look at Orks or Berzerkers)
Pick your Chapter first
This is the most important decision. Your Chapter determines your colors, your lore, and your playstyle. Pick with your gut — you'll be painting these for a while.
Ultramarines
Royal BluePainting: EasyPlaystyle: Tactical flexibility
The default Space Marine. Disciplined, methodical, by-the-book. Blue armor with gold trim. The most tutorials exist for this scheme — great for beginners.
Blood Angels
Deep RedPainting: Easy–MediumPlaystyle: Aggressive melee
Noble warriors with a dark secret — a flaw in their gene-seed that can drive them to berserk fury. Beautiful red armor. Strong melee bonuses in rules.
Dark Angels
Dark Green / BlackPainting: EasyPlaystyle: Ranged firepower
Secretive and brooding. Unforgiven for a betrayal ten thousand years ago. Dark green armor that hides easily in shadow. Strong Devastator and veteran units.
Space Wolves
Grey-BluePainting: MediumPlaystyle: Aggressive melee + shooting
Viking warriors in space who ride giant wolves. Loud, fierce, proud. Grey armor with lots of fur and bone details. More personality, slightly more complexity to paint.
Imperial Fists
YellowPainting: HardPlaystyle: Siege and shooting
Stubborn defenders and master siege warriors. Iconic yellow armor — but yellow is notoriously difficult to paint evenly. Not recommended for complete beginners.
There are hundreds of other Chapters — these are the most common starter picks. You can also invent your own Chapter with custom colors and rules.
How to paint Space Marines
Using Ultramarines as the example — the easiest chapter for beginners. The approach works for any chapter; just swap the color.
Spray with Macragge Blue (or your chapter color)
Citadel's blue spray primer. Covers everything in one pass. For Blood Angels use Mephiston Red, for Dark Angels use Death World Forest.
Wash with Nuln Oil
Apply over the whole model. Flows into panel lines and joints to create instant depth. Let it dry completely before moving on.
Layer the raised armor panels
For Ultramarines: Calgar Blue on the raised surfaces, avoiding the recesses. You're restoring the base color while the wash stays in the shadows.
Base coat the gold trim
Retributor Armour on the shoulder pad rims, chest eagle, and knee pads. This is the detail that makes Marines look finished.
Paint the bolter black, pick out lenses
Abaddon Black on the weapon casing. For eye lenses: a tiny dot of Moot Green or Averland Sunset — pick one color and stay consistent.
Base the model
Astrogranite Debris texture paint, drybrush Administratum Grey over it, add a tuft. Done.
The even faster way: Contrast paints
Spray Wraithbone (cream base coat), then apply Ultramarines Blue Contrast over the armor in one pass. It self-shades and creates depth automatically. Then just add gold trim and a black weapon. Entire Marine done in 15 minutes. The result won't win awards but looks great on a table.
What to buy first
Start with the Combat Patrol. Paint it before buying anything else.
Combat Patrol: Space Marines
Includes a Captain in Terminator Armour, a Librarian in Terminator Armour, 5 Terminators, and 5 Infernus Marines. A heavily armoured Terminator-focused force — durable, hard-hitting, and a great showcase of the Chapter's elite infantry.
See price on Amazon →Primaris Intercessors (10-model box)
The core troop of a Space Marine army. Durable, reliable, and satisfying to paint. Adding a second squad gives you more bodies to hold objectives — the most important thing in competitive 40k.
Search Amazon →Paints you need (Ultramarines)
Different chapter? Swap Macragge Blue for your chapter's color. Everything else stays the same.
Honest cost breakdown
Combat Patrol: Space Marines
Playable army out of one box
Essential paints (5)
Spray + shade + layer + gold + black
Basing supplies
Texture paint + tuft + grey
Clippers + hobby knife
One-time purchase
Superglue
Or plastic glue — both work
All-in starter total
~$227Prices approximate. Chapter-specific spray colors vary — check availability before ordering. Wraithbone + Contrast paint is a cheaper alternative to the spray + layer approach.
For the Emperor.
Pick your Chapter. Grab the Combat Patrol. Start with five models before committing to the whole box. The painting journey is as much the point as the game.