How do you choose a Space Marine chapter?
Game facts checked 29 October 2026. Prices and stock are read live.
Choose on a colour you will still like after fifty models, and on whether you want kits made for one chapter. Dark Angels, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Black Templars, Deathwatch and Grey Knights have their own detachment lists (sets of army rules made for that chapter) in the Faction Packs, the rules download Games Workshop released on 8 June 2026. The same download gives Ultramarines, Imperial Fists and the other chapters no list of their own.
So you can paint ordinary Space Marines in any colours, or commit to a chapter with models of its own. We list Combat Patrols for Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Black Templars and Grey Knights. The Dark Angels box is £86.11 and is sold out at the moment.
What to ask yourself first
- Which colour will you paint on every model? People pick for lore or for a favourite model, but you can test a colour in an evening. Paint one model in each of your top two schemes and see which you enjoy.
- Do you want models only that chapter has? If yes, look at the six groups in the table below. If no, any chapter works, because the main Space Marines range is shared.
- How much converting will you do? Some chapters need heads, robes, fur or scrolls added to make the army look right. One long-time collector described burning out on two armies that needed constant converting. If that worries you, pick a look that comes close to the box.
The six groups with their own detachment lists
Warhammer Community, Games Workshop's news site, published these lists in the Space Marine Faction Packs on 8 June 2026. Grey Knights do not use Codex: Space Marines, the main Space Marines rules book, but they are still Space Marines. The "Known for" column is lore from Warhammer Community's 2023 chapter overview, except Grey Knights, which comes from Warhammer Community on 26 July 2025.
| Chapter | Own detachments (8 Jun 2026) | Known for | Our box |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Angels | 8 | Grim Resolve and a dour, practical outlook | Combat Patrol |
| Blood Angels | 8 | Glorious self-sacrifice | None listed; Battleforce (a large multi-kit box) announced 19 Oct 2026 |
| Space Wolves | 7 | Ferocious front-line fighters | Combat Patrol |
| Black Templars | 6 | Faith, and Templar Vows sworn before battle | Combat Patrol |
| Deathwatch | 1 | Veterans from many chapters who hunt aliens | Kill team |
| Grey Knights | 9 | Tackle daemons and heretics | Combat Patrol |
If your chapter is not in that table
Ultramarines, Imperial Fists, Iron Hands, Raven Guard, Salamanders and White Scars are named in Warhammer Community's Space Marines section but have no list of their own in that download. You buy the shared Space Marines kits and paint them your way.
The Armageddon box, the 11th edition launch box, fits that approach. It is £153.00 and sold out at the moment. Warhammer Community calls its new Intercessors the rank and file of the Space Marine Chapters, and one new model has an open space for freehand designs or Chapter transfers. We list Contrast paints named for chapters: Ultramarines Blue (£3.75), Blood Angels Red (£3.75) and Dark Angels Green (£3.75).
You can keep your ordinary Marines in one scheme and add chapter-only units for the chapter you want that day. Check each datasheet (a unit's rules page) for its chapter keywords before you mix.
What goes wrong
- Choosing a colour you dislike painting. One player called highlighting black armour tedious. Pick a colour you will not mind repeating fifty times.
- Choosing for the next release. One poster asked which chapter was due new models soon. Nobody outside Games Workshop knows, and we will not guess.
Once you have chosen
These are the Space Marine boxes we list. Getting Started with Space Marines is £86.11 and in stock.
Games Workshop revealed Battleforce boxes for Space Marines (Indomitus Task Force), Space Wolves (Champions of Fenris) and Blood Angels (Angelus Assault Force) on 19 October 2026. We do not list them. Our Blood Angels page covers the Blood Angels one.
Common questions
Can I change my Space Marine chapter later?
Any time you like, but chapter-only units stay tied to the chapter on their datasheet, so check which of your models are chapter-only before you switch. The shared Space Marines kits can be painted for any chapter.
Is it better to make my own Space Marine chapter?
It gives you the most freedom. A homebrew chapter lets you choose any colours and use the shared Space Marines kits. Check the datasheets before you plan to use a parent chapter's special models or rules.
Does my chapter change how I play?
Only for the six chapters that have their own detachment lists (Warhammer Community, 8 June 2026), such as Dark Angels or Space Wolves. For other chapters you use the main Space Marines detachments, so your colours do not change the rules.
Should I buy a Combat Patrol for each chapter I like?
Buy one box first. Build and paint a squad, and decide with a model in your hand. The boxes overlap: the Dark Angels and Black Templars boxes both include Bladeguard Veterans.
Chapter detachment lists: Warhammer Community, 8 June 2026. Chapter lore: Warhammer Community, 1 June 2023, and for Grey Knights 26 July 2025. Armageddon models: Warhammer Community, 1 May 2026. Battleforce boxes: Warhammer Community, 19 October 2026. Player questions: Reddit hobby threads, 2026. Prices and stock: this shop, read live.