I myself am making some slight adjustments to the starting gear, namely setting out the actual ammo count.

All Specialties: Power Armor, Bolt pistol with 3 mags, 3 frag and krak grenades, repair cement, Chapter Trapping

Apothecary: Bolter with fire selector and 10 mags OR chainsword with 7 additional mags for the bolt pistol, reductor and narthecium, diagnostor helmet.

Assault Marine: Chainsword, jump pack, 7 additional mags for bolt pistol, 3 melta bombs

Devastator: Heavy Bolter with backpack ammo supply, 7 additional mags for bolt pistol

Librarian: Bolter with fire selector and 10 mags, force sword or force staff, psychic hood

Tactical Marine: Bolter with fire selector and 10 mags, 1 mag of Special Issue ammo (not exceeding 25 Requision per mag) per mission.

Techmarine: Bolter with fire selector and 10 mags, servo arm, one other common cybernetic, 3 melta bombs

Personally, I wouldn't give the Diagnoster helm or the psychic hood. They're the nice toys the players need to work for. If you give them too much starting off, they have less to work for.

On the apothecary, trading a bolter for a chainsword should be good enough.

The melta bombs are an interesting idea, but I can't help but feel that the req value of them is just way to high to pass em out like candy. Maybe more krak grenades?

No missile variant for a devastator?

I am going with the Codex Space Marines. The Librarian has a psychic hood, and the appothecary model has a special helmet. Just seems logical they would have those.

Assault Marines have the option to upgrade with melta bombs. I picture their secondary roll, besides engaging in hand to hand, would be to quickly jump to enemy armor, plant the bombs, and dissengage quickly.

Not a bad idea regarding the Devestators...

I also imagine that Techmarines would have some nicer toys.

An auspex might not be too bad, or possibly a signum.

If you're going for a slightly more advanced starting gear, sure, go ahead. Just be aware it cuts down on the amount of progression through gear.

Give the tech marine a combitool, auspex, and/or a vox caster maybe. Maybe a free signum link.

I agree that meltabombs are too expensive and too good to give out like that. I also agree on the psychic hood and diag helm. At most, I would remove the renown requirements to let rank ones requisition them. Otherwise, librarians/Apos just stock up on special ammo.

What about extra magazines of special ammo for a heavy bolter? Do you limit that as well?

One thing I do find odd is that tac marines can only spend their requisition on one spare clip. With the low cost of kraken rounds, I guess this makes sense, but still, it seems like it would generally cause players to use the req to just buy the most advanced/most expensive clip. I would probably change this mechanic to just say they have 25 req to spend on special ammo.

Hmmm, hadn't thought about the special ammo for the Heavy Bolter.

Also, been thinking, maybe keep it to one Melta Bomb.

Regarding the Diognstor Helmet and Psychic Hood, I just think they should be standard issue.

Well the problem I see with giving the Hood and Helmet is that you only gave what amounts to months of play to only 2 specialties and the rest dont get squat besides regular starting gear for the most part. I would give all the specialties something extra or none at all....else why play the others when you can get "pimped" out gear by playing one of those two specialties?

Well, at the same time, Apothecaries and Librarians are already extremely specialized to begin with, and that equipment does benefit the group as a whole.

My concern is that you are giving items that normally take, what, 6-8 sessions or so to aquire to a couple of specialties whilest the rest of the group gets mainly extremely specialized weapons (Melta Bombs) or nothing at all.

All the specialties are specialized, Tactical Marines specialize in command, Assault Marines specialize in...well....assaults, Devistators specialize in Heavy Weapons, etc. Every specialty specialize in something that helps the group tremendously. I would either not give anything, find an item of appromiately equal "value" to give every specialty, or let each player pick something up to Distinguished to be given. That way it is a fair deal across the board.

It would be acceptable to me to have Signature Wargear wave the Renown requirement. Strongly suggest (or require) Librarians and Apothecaries to start with the Signature Wargear talent selecting the class specific gear. That way everyone can buy a toy.

That is a good way to handle it as well