Blood Angels Options

[Shotgun]

I know there's another thread but that one's dealing specifically with the termie issue and I have some other questions.

1. Are the downloads from the GW site (from a 2 part WW article I think) the current rules for BA? Are there any other documents or clarification I should be aware of for them?

2. Are the Honour Guard and Death Company figures only available through GW special order?

3. Do they rely on having one of their characters in a list to be effective?

Any other general comments on what they're like, how they play, they seem to have an lot of jump troop options. Are they a viable force without any vehicles?

Cheers

[Chaplain_Fortis]

1. Yes, the GW site downloads are the current rules in their entirety.

2. They look like they are available on the website. I have no idea about in store. Do people still buy stuff from GW stores? (A small note on those choices: You're going to want jump packs on your death company, so assault squads might be a better choice for making them as the DC bodies have no harnesses.)

3. Yeah... a little bit.

Your good builds are generally assault squad spam with 1 or 2 "good" assault squads thrown in (veterans, honour guard and death company), a few attack bikes for anti-tank, A drop ven furioso, maybe a tac squad for sitting on home base, possibly cheap with a razorback.

The last time I played seriously with them was in 4th, they worked well with 2 preds and a dread. They work pretty well with just jump troop spam. They're pretty viable with no vehicles. You really want dante for the jump troop spam list however.

[YogoZuno]

Lemartes is over-used, because he's such a great deal compared to a normal chaplain. Mephiston can be uber, and can be crap - not having an invulnerable save is a bit of a problem, but in one game, I did have him chew through an entire wraithguard squad, plus a wraithlord...never played with Dante, but I've played against him a couple of times.

I was doing just fine with a regular Chaplain and/or a Terminator Captain. You don't NEED to take a special character.

[BorisBC]

Lemartes is over-used, because he's such a great deal compared to a normal chaplain. Mephiston can be uber, and can be crap - not having an invulnerable save is a bit of a problem, but in one game, I did have him chew through an entire wraithguard squad, plus a wraithlord...never played with Dante, but I've played against him a couple of times.

I was doing just fine with a regular Chaplain and/or a Terminator Captain. You don't NEED to take a special character.

So what does Lemartes give that a normal chappy doesn't already have? There's only 25pts difference. Is the Death Mask that awesome?

I'm running the assault troops spam atm, with Dante. Chuck in a vet assault squad, plus a six or seven man DC and it should hit pretty hard.

As for the DC, I just built up some old RTB01 marines, with a few assault bodies thrown in and a heap of jump packs. The biggest problem I had was finding enough chainswords for them. At the moment I'm relying on the bit in the codex that says you can 'count as' weapons like power fists/power weapons! lol

[Wombats]

Its an odd one with Blood Angels.

I got comp hit for taking an assault marine heavy army with just Lemartes (yes is essentially a cheap Chaplain).

It was panel comp, too and I spent most of the tournament on the bottom rung.

To be honest, if you're going to get comp hit for taking what your army does (assault marines) just go nuts and crank out Dante.

I'd draw the line at Mephiston, he dominates the game so much I avoid playing against players who field him.

If you're going to get comp hit for taking Blood Angels, may as well make it worthwhile and build your army around Dante.

[Chaplain_Fortis]

I don't know why you would take a comp hit for taking assault marine spam with dante. It's one of the few "competitive" builds in that book. And it's no where near chaos or ork mech. Not even close.

So what does Lemartes give that a normal chappy doesn't already have? There's only 25pts difference. Is the Death Mask that awesome?

5 points difference between him and a jump chaplain, for an extra wound.

[BorisBC]

5 points difference between him and a jump chaplain, for an extra wound.

Right, have to pay closer attention to the codex! lol

To be honest, if you're going to get comp hit for taking what your army does (assault marines) just go nuts and crank out Dante.

well yeah, if the codex has assault squads as troops, then obviously it's within fluff and character if you take plenty of them. Although I can see that Dante's Preferred Enemy rule would get pretty annoying though.. lol

This post has been edited by BorisBC: Oct 8 2009, 02:07 PM

[Chaplain_Fortis]

well yeah, if the codex has assault squads as troops, then obviously it's within fluff and character if you take plenty of them. Although I can see that Dante's Preferred Enemy rule would get pretty annoying though.. lol

It's about the only part that makes the jump troops worth taking actually. Compare costings with the marine dex.

[Da Smas]

2. They look like they are available on the website. I have no idea about in store. Do people still buy stuff from GW stores? (A small note on those choices: You're going to want jump packs on your death company, so assault squads might be a better choice for making them as the DC bodies have no harnesses.)

Yeah I do, No other stores that sell GW products near me and I don't want to buy on net!

[Wombats]

Check out online stores before you order from the GW site.

Between discounts and currency exchange you can get some crazy deals.

I was ordering stuff from Maelstrom in the UK at 57% of retail price (plus postage) when the UK economy had ditched and ours hadn't.

Also check out:

Irresistable Force
Alpha Hobbies
Phoenix Forge

They've all been better deals for various items at one point or another.

From memory they tend to be about 20% off retail and since they ship regularly they may save you postage if you pick up, quite often they'll even drop it off for free if you are nearby.

You are blowing $20 for every $100 you spend if you don't shop around online.

[BorisBC]

dude just put the word out in the buy and sell section - this site rocks! I've kitted out heaps of extra for next to nix thanks to guys and gals on here!

[Shotgun]

1. Yes, the GW site downloads are the current rules in their entirety.

Great, thanks.

2. They look like they are available on the website. I have no idea about in store. Do people still buy stuff from GW stores? (A small note on those choices: You're going to want jump packs on your death company, so assault squads might be a better choice for making them as the DC bodies have no harnesses.)

They just looked to be specific models so I wasn't sure if they were only limited to GW online as I hadn't seen them advertised anywhere else. I may just pick up normal assualt squads and paint them up to be DC. Thanks for the tip on the lack of harness on their bodies.

3. Yeah... a little bit.

Your good builds are generally assault squad spam with 1 or 2 "good" assault squads thrown in (veterans, honour guard and death company), a few attack bikes for anti-tank, A drop ven furioso, maybe a tac squad for sitting on home base, possibly cheap with a razorback.

The last time I played seriously with them was in 4th, they worked well with 2 preds and a dread. They work pretty well with just jump troop spam. They're pretty viable with no vehicles. You really want dante for the jump troop spam list however.

From the list it looks to me as everything is pretty much geared towards the jump army option and their fluff (even though fluff aint rules) talks about it. Scouts are in Elites which clashes with a couple of other choices I would've wanted to make there.

[Shotgun]

Its an odd one with Blood Angels.

I got comp hit for taking an assault marine heavy army with just Lemartes (yes is essentially a cheap Chaplain).

It was panel comp, too and I spent most of the tournament on the bottom rung.

To be honest, if you're going to get comp hit for taking what your army does (assault marines) just go nuts and crank out Dante.

I'd draw the line at Mephiston, he dominates the game so much I avoid playing against players who field him.

If you're going to get comp hit for taking Blood Angels, may as well make it worthwhile and build your army around Dante.

Not a big tourney player so comp doesn't really matter too much; our comp rule of thumb is if you're a d1ck you don't get invited back. I'll probably be facing Tau, Chaos marines and Nids mainly.

Do you take the honour guard with your IC?

[BorisBC]

Great, thanks.
They just looked to be specific models so I wasn't sure if they were only limited to GW online as I hadn't seen them advertised anywhere else. I may just pick up normal assualt squads and paint them up to be DC. Thanks for the tip on the lack of harness on their bodies.

That's what I did mate. If you paint them black and cover them in red crosses etc, I think you'll be covered!

[Da Smas]

Check out online stores before you order from the GW site.

Between discounts and currency exchange you can get some crazy deals.

I was ordering stuff from Maelstrom in the UK at 57% of retail price (plus postage) when the UK economy had ditched and ours hadn't.

Also check out:

Irresistable Force
Alpha Hobbies
Phoenix Forge

They've all been better deals for various items at one point or another.

From memory they tend to be about 20% off retail and since they ship regularly they may save you postage if you pick up, quite often they'll even drop it off for free if you are nearby.

You are blowing $20 for every $100 you spend if you don't shop around online.

I will, First I gotta paint my gigantic backlog of guard, orks, marines, Chaos (WFB) Demonhunters and a banebalade... groan!

[Cakehole]

Check out online stores before you order from the GW site.

Between discounts and currency exchange you can get some crazy deals.

I was ordering stuff from Maelstrom in the UK at 57% of retail price (plus postage) when the UK economy had ditched and ours hadn't.

yeah i second Maelstrom great place to deal with, and the pound is pretty weak ATM some great deals there. Also easy to get on the phone and helpful with missing order etc...

I got my spacehulk off them and it cost me $98 delivered.

Simon

[theshufflingzombie]

Its a wierd list, i ran it at Melbourne in flames this year (using chaplain fortis's mans). I ran the dante version, and theres a few things i think are important to know;

Assault marines are terrible for the cost. That being said, youll need at least 20-30 of them. Dont expect to compete with other armies on power though, you win games via maneuverability and nothing else

Death company are fantastic. Dont think you need a character to stop them running around. i found the unit of 5 with jump packs where easy just to set up across from a aprt of the board you know your opponent has to set up in. If you use them as a flanking unit, they dont cop that many shots and be responsible for taking out all of your opponents support units (i.e vehicles and small fire support units, also some troops)

Dont run the list without Dante, its just not worth it. He makes the assault marines worth there cost (barely) so you need to make sure he survives until at least until turn 5 or so

As far as support units are concerned, your best choices are drop dreads and attack bikes (loaded up with multi meltas). Like i said, you win games on maneuverability, so youll want to be spending most of your points in things which provide a turn 2 threat. Another great choice is the terminator squad, theres almost no options for it BUT, you essentially get a discount because of the free death co.