40k mini players...need advice

I'm looking to build my own custom Chapter and am looking for some buying ideas. This isn't really to "play" as in against anyone. It's just for the fun of building and painting them.

The basis of my Chapter is pretty much the following:

1) Successor Chapter of the Raven Guard or possibly the White Scars. Still majority Loyalist, but a Company or two fell to Chaos. Probably Tzeentch or maybe Nurgle. Looking to build both sides.

2) Fast attack/close combat oriented.

3) There's more Assault Marines and Attack bike-riders than average. Fewer Terminators & Devastators than normal. Fewer Dreadnoughts than average. One company for those who have succumbed to the Chapter drawback (similar to the Black Rage). More Librarians and Techmarines than normal.

4) Power weapons & Plasma Pistols preferred for the Assaults & Bikers, ideally I'd get one handed Power Scythes, if available. Power Axes if not. Terminators are evenly split between Power Fists/Heavy Flamers and Lightning Claws/Cyclone Launcher. Tacticals prefer Bolter/Melta combis and Plasma Guns. Devastators go for Plasma Cannons and Multi-Meltas with Iron Halos being a bit more commonplace than usual.

4) Black & White color scheme for both. The Chaos faction reverses the color pattern w/associated adornments/mutations/etc.

5) Individual Marines tend towards pale skin and all-black eyes, similar to Corax.


Phew. That's quite a list. Looking for ideas of stuff to start with in terms of buying. Ideally, I'd also like ideas for which paints to get. Any help would be appreciated.

Yes, I know this is going to be expensive, but I really do enjoy painting them. I've been working on that 5-Ultramarine starter set (that comes with Calthan Brown, Skull White, Mordian Blue, etc., paints) and I find it to be really neat. It doesn't all have to be bought at once, but just something to work on as I run out the clock.

OK, good. Just, you know, wanted to make sure you weren't expecting to die in the next year or two and you wanted to paint WH40K figures to keep your mind off it or something.

No, no. See, I'm going to live to be about 120. I just know it. Need something to fill up all that time. I find painting them to be quite cathartic and relaxing, especially at 3 in the morning.