Warhammer 40K: The Space Marine Chapters, Ranked!
Today let’s rank the Space Marine Chapters rules from weakest to strongest.
With the release of the Dark Angels Codex Supplement we finally have consistent rules for all the major Space Marine Chapters, and boy are there a lot of them. Today let’s take a look at the Chapters and rank them in terms of battlefield prowess. For the purposes of this list we are going to look at just the chapters that have a supplement, and just the primary Chapters. That’s going to mean the 9 Loyalist First Founding Chapters, The Deathwatch and the Black Templar (who sort of have a supplement). We won’t be talking about any of the White Dwarf chapters, or the secondary chapters in supplements (sorry Crimson Fists). We also won’t mention Grey Knights, since they operate in a radically different manner. So with those guidelines, lets get down to it.
11. Black Templar
It’s probably no surprise to see Black Templar down at the bottom of this list. Alone of the major supplements they don’t have their own book, instead being covered in a PA book. As a result they have slightly less rules and options than the other chapters. They are also a Chapter that really hasn’t been updated in a long time, while they’ve gotten new stratagems and such the core special units, and the way the army works hasn’t changed or been updated in a long time. As it stands they are stuck as the worst of many assault-focused Marine Chapters, and really don’t have anything going for them.
10. Imperial Fists
Alas for the Sons of Dorn. There were a couple of periods when Imperial Fists were actually pretty great, evening having the best Intercessors in the game. However, their supplement is kind of all over the place and lacks a focus with parts of it rewarding you for taking lots of small arms and other parts making you take tons of heavy weapons. On top of that, repeated and uncalled-for nerfs and the loss of several good options from Vigilus have left the Chapter listless and at the bottom of the rankings.
9. Ultramarines
Ultramarines aren’t really a bad chapter. They’ve got a ton of special characters and the only Primarch. They’ve got some very tactical rules and some tricks. They are solid. But they also aren’t really good. When it comes to damage output they really have few buffs, nor are they more mobile or durable then other Chapters. They get to try to be the everyman army, and that just doesn’t work in 40K.
8. Iron Hands
There was a time, not all that long ago, when Iron Hands were the scariest Marine army on the tables. They absolutely dominated the game and were legitimately in the running for most broken army of all time. Then came nerfs. Lots and lots of nerfs. After all the nerfs, the army just isn’t close to what it used to be. In addition 9th’s change to allow non-infantry to move and fire heavy weapons took away another part of their rules. Huge parts of their supplement don’t work or are changed and they are stuck as a lower middle tier chapter without much to really recommend it. Good thing you never finished painting your army as Iron Hands!
7. Space Wolves
Alright, this is probably a controversial take. Space Wolves have a modern and pretty decent Codex Supplement. I’d even call them good. They have a ton of relevant rules and unique units. All of this makes them a pretty solid Marine assault-focused army. However, I’d argue that they aren’t the best, or even second-best option for a Marine assault army. Nor are they particularly good as a shooting army. All of that really knocks them back down on this list, as solid but not great. On the other hand if you want to play a pure classic Marine army, they are going to be one of the better choices.
6. Raven Guard 
Raven Guard are another one that I put as a pretty solid middle-of-the-road Chapter. They don’t quite have the damage output to get into the top tier of Chapters but they’ve got tricks. In many ways they are like Ultramarines but better, running a very tactical and tricky list with lots of options to maneuver and pull surgical strikes. This alone sets them apart and makes them interesting in the right hands.
5. Salamanders
While Salamanders got a little nerf with some changes to their chapter tactics, they still come in towards the top tier of chapters (though they are no longer the tops). They have solid and reliable rules, though like most of the first wave of supplements they got hurt by some FAQs. They still have a very strong super doctrine which buffs melta and flame weapons, both of which got some major buffs in 9th, putting them in a solid position. They are well placed to use some of the newer Primaris units and overall a strong choice.
4. Blood Angels
In terms of raw close combat output Blood Angels are by a bit, the best Marine assault army. Thanks to their +1 to wound, and easy access to extra attacks every single Blood Angels units, even something like Devastators, is a legitimate threat in combat. They are super deadly, and their true dedicated assault units can get really crazy amounts of attacks. On top of that, they have a whole host of special units and Characters, and powerful modern updated rules. They are really getting into top tier Marines here, and a fine choice for sheer combat power.
3. Deathwatch
Deathwatch function in a manner so different from other Marines that I almost didn’t put them on this list, but they are a supplement chapter now. Overall thanks to their Kill Teams they have some really crazy and unique combos that I don’t think we’ve really seen fully explored. They have strong assault options and some very powerful shooting units. While not as surprisingly tricky as Raven Guard, their options allow for a lot of cool tricks. This is an interesting and powerful chapter with untapped potential.
2. White Scars
White Scars, the only first-run supplement to make it into the top tier, are, for my money, the best Marine assault army. In terms of raw damage dealt their super tactic puts them at the top on turns 3+ (though early game they fall behind armies like Blood Angels). However it is not purely damage output, it is also mobility. White Scars are one of the fast and most mobile armies in-game, with the option for many units to advance, fire without penalty and still assault. This makes White Scars not only very good at close combat, but very good at getting in it. In 8th they were a bit of sleeper army, but with 9th’s greater emphasis on mobility and gabbing objectives they’ve jumped up in the rankings a lot.
1. Dark Angels 
As a long time Space Wolf player it kills me to write this, but I do believe that currently Dark Angels are the best Marine Chapter, a broken one even. Thanks to their chapter tactic and some stratagems they are likely the best shooting chapter currently, with powerful, accurate and deadly shots. However that wasn’t enough. Thanks to the nature of their special sub-factions, they get to have more rules than everyone else, to also be super mobile, super tough and super good in assault. Where Ultramarines get to be OK at everything, Dark Angels just get to be great at all things all the time. This chapter has no weakness (except when it comes to being loyal) and all the strengths. It’s a good thing those unfinished black Marines you have lying around can easily be repainted as “pre-heresy color” Dark Angels, eh?
Let us know how you would rank the chapters, down in the comments!
