Convince me please.

[sonofblood]

So, a little story: Ever since I got into 40k(when I was about 10 for a few months and then again 2 years ago) I've loved all things Space Marines regardless of Chapter(some more then others), I've tried generic marines when I got back into the game, then I tried Black Templar and the Space Wolves, tried Grey Knights too. None of them had a particular playstyle that fit me. Sure, they are probably my most favorite chapters in general(Next to the Blood Angels) and I just couldn't hold on to them. Sure, Black Templars had that Crusader purge all heretics, no remorse thing going on which I felt really captured the grimness of the universe. Space wolves were ale guzzling vikings in space(what's not to love besides cleaning up after them?). And Grey Knights/Daemonhunters were truly Knights in Space and really captured the "Best of the Best"/"Elite among the Elite" feel and well.. they are Paladins in the 40k universe which was another thing. Yet, none of them had what I wanted. Enter Blood Angels, ever since learning of them a couple years back they always seemed to appeal to what I wanted in an army. Their fluff was great and their Primarch is easily my favorite next to Magnus(Heresy!) and Russ, if not above them. Now at the time there was the infamous PDF and well I just couldn't see getting use to it or getting into it with what seemed to be a half-arsed codex... that wasn't even physical(That was a big thing for me, felt kinda cheated and I'm sure I am not the only one who felt that way even if it came out before I got back into the game). So that's more story.

 

Now with the coming of C:BA, I was excited, the codex and rumours made them seem just what I wanted(Fluff had its hand too of course). The day it came out I even quit the game I was playing with my friends(I was on the verge of losing anyways around the 4th or so turn :unsure: ) to read through the fluff, rules, everything.. which didn't work out to well in a crowded game store mind you. The special characters seemed fine and epic like special characters should be(Meph may be a bit to epic, Sanguinor well I don't hate him and he seems like a cool concept, but not so well executed and his model is... well.. yea not going there). Of course like most of the community I was shocked at the lack of Artificer Armor for Captains along with Glaive Encarmines.. I mean really.. Not only did the Sanguinary Guard still all the AA, they seem to think that only Vanguard Vet Sarges should be worthy of caring their weapons, but not their own Captain. I liked everything in the codex for the most part(I'll let Dante and his Necron buddies slide). But the biggest thing for me that was a turn off was the lack of customization for the Angel's HQs. Compared to Generic C:SM and C:SW the Captain had next to nothing to gear him up with. Now, thinking about it, compared to C:SW, that is their focus, on individuals and heroics and epic sagas so that's all well and good, and they lacked any sort of real retinue/honor guard/command squad like C:SM, and C:BA. Next to C:SM though there was a I think a bigger void in options, there were no relic blades, AA, Mastercrafting, etc etc, not to mention their honor guard had AA and Relic blades to.. granted you can't spam FC and FNP everywhere with Priests and an Honor Guard. This lack of options was somewhat of a turnoff for me, as far as the Captain went atleast, Reculsiarchs were back and that was good enough for me and Libarians didn't feel like they needed options with their psychic power selection, but I love Captains and could careless about their effectiveness or not compared to the other two.

 

Lastly, after looking through and at lists on these forums and abroad. It seemed to me as if it was very hard to have any sort of competitive list without a Special Character. Namely Mephiston, which bothered me as I would prefer not to be forced to use SC to be ultra competitive. Especially as someone who was going to make their own successor chapter(Yes, I am aware I could model my own counts-as, but I suck at modelling in all its myriad forms.. like painting.) Another thing, was I loved the idea of an all-JP army... or so I thought.. but now desiring to come back to the BA, I was thinking of doing a Mech force which... is against everything I believe in(I've hated mech since I got back into the game 2 years ago.) and I came to realize that melee marines appeal to me more without the clunky jump pack on their back.

 

So, without building an even bigger wall of text. I'd like you guys to help inspire me to come back to the Blood Angels, my favorite chapter. Be it with epic stories, counter reasoning to my issues with the codex, or just old fashion encouragement. I want to get into the Blood Angels, I really do, but these things I've discussed(mostly the HQ and SC thing) are making me wary.

 

So please, convince me.

[Zealadin]

There is no 'must buy' special characters for our codex, some open up different play avenues (dante/Astorath) but thats it.

I also tend to think that BA appeal to people who are really into all facets of modelling (except the people with the generic SM army that converts to the newest codex every 6 months) and the new models really support this.

 

I would worry less about power gaming lists (ie mech BA) and figure out if you like the look of the army, if you'll enjoy painting it, and if you can create a rough list to suit your platstyle to start from.

Then if you decide all JP or heavy mech spam is for you then you don't have to worry much since you just build your army in that fashion.

[bloodancient]

Well after roughly 13 years out of the hobby i came back to my first army the BA 3 weeks before the new dex came out and i don't think i could be happier. I used to use capt.s now i prefer chaps because as the fluff goes they utterly embody the chapter. the sang guard id the utmost elite think grey knights not just marines. Hell one of the greatest aspects of this chapter is that you can field a JP or Mech army. I field both because to me that is the spirit of the chapter. giant ceramite behemoths rolling across the field as assualt marines drop from behind to block your escape. Also no matter what anyone else says we get hand flamers which work great to cleanse the field of all those traitors. This chapter is very all or none, you have to appreiciate who they are and make your list out of what ever you want and they will perform against anything there is.

[Sun Drinker]

When your jump pack troops are bounding over massive pieces of terrain and slaughtering Tau Fire Warriors, you'll know why you are a Blood Angel. When your Vanguard Veterans Deep Strike right next to a unit of Nobs and then get to assault them that turn, running them down in 1 turn of combat and utterly foiling the Waaaagh! on the planet and saving the sector, you'll know why you are a Blood Angel.

 

I play with NO special characters and do quite well for myself on the tabletop. If you like tanks, ours are the quickest. If you like JP troops our army presents you with the opportunity to field an entire army of just that. If you like special characters, we've got some excellent ones. if you just like core troops, you're in luck yet again. From the reckless Death Company to the graceful Sanguinary Guard there isn't a player out there who isn't worried to face the Blood Angels.

 

Your weakness of faith in our primarch is understandable, though unfounded. If you have the courage to general in a bold and aggressive way, than Blood Angels are for you.

[Aramis_the_Red]

Blood angels are the fastest MEq in the game. Period. End of story. The only way to go faster than us is in c:sm as an all bike army, and frankly for most people that's a probibitively expensive army to collect.

 

We have some of the hardest SCs in the game. I know you keep hearing the name Mephiston, and there's a reason. If you use him intelligently, you can wreck you oponents whole army.

 

The fluffiness of the army itself is awesome.

 

I love BA.

[Brother-Captain Devlonir]

What I enjoy most about the Blood Angels is the total amount of varying options you have to make fluffy and (semi) competitive armies.

 

You can make a normal, all goers list with a balance of tanks and troops and still have a faster army than a C:SM player. Especially the Assault Marines as Troops are awesome here (last turn jumps on Objectives are always great ways to win a game)

 

Then you can go fully jump troop and have a small, surgical strike, army. Move quickly forward through cover or DS your entire army directly into the face of the enemy. No other SM's allow this.

 

Then there is the fully mechanized list, the infamous Razorback spam. We get them cheap and hard hitting. I don't think anything hurts more than getting literally a dozen Assault Cannons shot into you every turn while the enemy literally runs circles around your army. It's fast and hard hitting and only Eldar can keep up with that.

 

And finally there are the real fluff armies using Dante or Astorath. An all gold or all black army will always scare an opponent and they hit hard and fast.

I'm currently considering collecting a small 'side army' of DC.. with nothing more than a Rhino filled with footsloggers, a jumpy squad with Lemartes and 3 DC Dreads in pods.. its a scary black list and the uncontrollable nature of it can make it fun to play.