Dark Angels, the new SM Codex, and Comp Options

[neil]

OK, there's a new and shiny space marine codex. I'm thinking of swapping my Dark Angels over to it, purely for mechanical benefit.

How would you mark this army in comp, relative to an otherwise identical Ultramarines army?

[Casey]

No worries, as long as I can proxy my 1ksons for berserkers coz they're betterer.

Fluff, theme mean nothing now? Just about getting the BP's?

[rat of vengence]

If you want to come up with some different background (most tourneys have a background sheet) and a different chapter symbol, then fine, they are just dark green marines. With over 1000 chapters there is going to be some duplication of colours.
But if they still look just like every other Dark Angel, then not so good imho.

RoV

[stonethecrow01]

I would not mark you down for it.

But why switch over? surely you play dark angels because you like dark angles? i mean the space marine codex doesnt make yours any worse. it just means another codex is better (arguably). To me its the same logic as me giving up my dark eldar because the new space marine codex is good and im so not doing that.

[luke james]

i wouldn't mark you down for it but i would depend on how nice you were and wether you would allow me to field my tallan guard as camo cloke guard.

3+/2+ cover save for guard FTW!

[The Nothas]

So if they look like DAs but play like vanilla?

I don't have any issues with that per se. If the boot was on the other foot and someone used their own chapter scheme, fluff etc but DA rules there wouldn't be a problem.

From my cursory readings of the dex and based on my experience of your DAs I don't see what benefit you'll get from doing so. You haven't gone OTT with any of the Wings etc unless variable size tac squads are what you're after but still...

you've obvuiously got a cunning plan

[neil]

you've obvuiously got a cunning plan

Actually not really, I just wanted to use some of the new toys (like the scout speeder!) and not be stuck with scouts as elites, but considering the results of the poll so far I'll not entertain the notion further. I'll just start an Ultramarine army instead. (Or I could pull my Storm Lords out of retirement, but I am so over painting red, white and yellow. You can never have too many space marine armies, right?)

[kingma15]

I wouldn't mark you down, because after playing my first game against the new Marine codex on Saturday, I would say that the new SM codex has rendered the DA codex pretty much obsolete IMHO.

I will be talking my chapter of "Vanilla Angels" with the new SM codex from now on.

I don't think the question of fluff or anything like that should even come up. I chose Dark Angels because I loved the models, pure and simple. If a new codex comes out that trumps the old one, why wouldn't I use it without having to go out and buy/assemble/paint a whole new army when I like the look of the one I have got.

[tartanarmy]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

basically everyone here is worried about colours of the models. Just wait until you see armies using the speacial characters (sicarius/telos) etc with diffrent names in other mairne armies. Cause the codex encourages it!

I know am upgrading my Crimson fist army to include Kantor of course, but that tank commander guys looks cool to.

So...........would you mark someone down for that too? even though the codex encourages iot?

[Hagen]

I think that if you have a concern that people will mark you down for using your DA's as SM's... then it's probably a justifiable one.

Would be ok for friendlies but when you hit a tournament it would probably increase the confusion factor for your opponents.

Cheers
Hagen

PS: Alistair, taking the tank commander character in your CF army is not the same as using DA models as SM ones

[Sanguinius]

According to what some of my mates have found out over in Florida, GW will be releasing updated FAQs for Dark Angels, Blood Angels and Black Templars to coincide with the new marine codex. So for Deathwing players, you should be able to use the new Cyclone Missile Launcher stats (Heavy 2 *drool*) that are listed in the marine codex.

[Bane]

that contradicts statements from gamesday that have been spread about the web sangy


BUt yeah, no problem with using the normal marine book for dark angels. Would not be fair to penalise the guy for the choice of colour scheme when there are so many blood angel and crimson fist deathwings out there.

[dominus nox]

Only if i can play my Dark Eldar as Eldar.

[Blackhearts Reaver]

I'm sure there would be the odd Ultra/Marine sub-chapter who forgot they had to use Blue.

If you did it so you can run 3x sternguard + 3x Vanguard I would mark you down....

[ÆON]

Since the new marine dex is coming out can I use my Thousand Sons as born again Emperor-fanboys?

[Chaplain_Fortis]

So to all those people who are saying comp hit why and how much. Is using the marine codex instead of dark angels worth the same as 150 ork boys or is it more like triple monolith, or are we talking 9 monstrous creatures territory, or even the dreaded twin lash, triple vidicator and blast weapons all over comp hit.

Is it really that offensive that someone used their green marines as one of the other colours? Especially seeing as their codex is full of suck? And who is to say that selecting your forces from the SM codex doesn't follow the fluff of the dark angels anyway? Does the fluff say that the dark angels specifically are the only chapter (and BA) to not have access to the land speeder storm or better training for their veterans? If you believe that fluff direction then there is a bridge I'd like to sell you.

[griffinadrian]

All Black Templar players are in the same boat as you Dark Angels, Hey we get the option of bolter or bolt pistol & CC weapon.

I will still use the Black Templar codex as I like to stick with the theme of an army, And not use the new Space Mrine Codex.

But in the end the decision is up to you. I would not burn you at the stake in a friendly game. But in a tournament i would give you a weird Tassie Two Headed look

[Trevor]

I say go for it. Its obvious GW don't care what colour your marines are, or what chapter they are. If I can have red 'ultramarines' why not green 'ultramarines'. As long as your opponent knows what the army is, what is the problem?
I intend to use the BA codex for my emperor scythes, should I get penalised because I didn't use the vanilla codex?

Quite why people get so anal about all this I don't know. As long as its clear before the game starts what codex is being used it should be fine, its not like you are springing a suprise on someone halfway through a game, setting up and starting play and then saying, 'oh no those death company are really vanilla sternguard'
Its not like this doesn't happen at tournies, many people have 'counts as' armies.

[Munster]

Obviously then people were being very generous in allowing all those 'psuedo dark angels, blood angels and SW' home grown chapters over the years. People need to get over themselves

[Lord Akkrand]

Yep. No problem with it at all.
Dark Angels got some nice stuff when their codex came out, vanilla marines got most of it (the stuff I consider good, anyway), and a whole bunch of other nice things.
If I do start an marine army, it'll probably be Dark Angels, using vanilla rules.