Crazy thoughts!

[Erasmus of Baal]

For those of you who don't know, there was an article up on Bell of Lost Souls yesterday about playing intentionally counter to the metagame. The example used in the article was non-mech Imperial Guard with the reasoning being that the vast majority of players would not be able to deal with it without specific preparation. I want to try similar with my Blood Angels. However, I really don't know how best to go about this beyond using at least four Tactical squads. Does anyone have tips on how to do this? Even if it's just theory, it would be useful.

[Zeller]

Well, maybe you could get away with taking all infantry in a more traditional battle company setup. We are a codex chapter aside from DC and a few minor things.

 

So, tacticals, VAS (count as your RAS effectively), and devs. You could run 2 types of tacticals. Defensive and offensive. The defensive TS has a powerfist and defends objectives that are under the guns of the devs if possible. The offensive TS has a power weapon and MB, flamer, and some heavy weapon if you please. They move up under the guns of the devs and move in to support the VV who have dropped and combat squaded to sew hell in enemy lines. It may be worthwhile to only use 1 squad of VV for both cost and the 2 FA slots. Bring some MMAB to cruise up a flank and shoot down transports as per normal. Perhaps a dreadnought in the last HS slot drop podding into enemy lines or advancing with the offensive tactical squads much like foot slogging Black Templars. The dread provides an I4 powerfist and some ranged support weapon. You may consider jump pack honorguard with a jump pack captain or chaplain to act as an additional hammer unit.

 

That's all I've got off the top of my head.

[noodle-j]

I like the sound of countering meta with crazy but I'm not sure how BA can do that. I'd be more than happy for someone to prove me wrong <_<

[Redfinger]

I posted a list a few weeks ago, but cant seem to find it right now. Basically it was 1 libby, 3 RAS w/ JP's 2 SG, 2 presit's and 4 ML dev squads....it is something like 65 marines on the table at 2k. I have played it a few times and I am quite happy with the results.

 

I think BA is one of the few armies that can do a footbased theme because they have the mobility that comes from the JP's.

 

Ashton

[JamesI]

I posted a list a few weeks ago, but cant seem to find it right now. Basically it was 1 libby, 3 RAS w/ JP's 2 SG, 2 presit's and 4 ML dev squads....it is something like 65 marines on the table at 2k. I have played it a few times and I am quite happy with the results.

 

I think BA is one of the few armies that can do a footbased theme because they have the mobility that comes from the JP's.

 

Ashton

I am about to test a very similar list, though I'll probably use Vanguard rather than SG.

[Redfinger]

I posted a list a few weeks ago, but cant seem to find it right now. Basically it was 1 libby, 3 RAS w/ JP's 2 SG, 2 presit's and 4 ML dev squads....it is something like 65 marines on the table at 2k. I have played it a few times and I am quite happy with the results.

 

I think BA is one of the few armies that can do a footbased theme because they have the mobility that comes from the JP's.

 

Ashton

I am about to test a very similar list, though I'll probably use Vanguard rather than SG.

 

 

SG are less expensive and provide more bang for the buck, dont let the lack of inv save fool you, just use the SG correctly, as a finishing unit, and keep your assaults focused and you will be very suprised at there survivability.

 

Ashton

[Corby]

For those of you who don't know, there was an article up on Bell of Lost Souls yesterday about playing intentionally counter to the metagame. The example used in the article was non-mech Imperial Guard with the reasoning being that the vast majority of players would not be able to deal with it without specific preparation. I want to try similar with my Blood Angels. However, I really don't know how best to go about this beyond using at least four Tactical squads. Does anyone have tips on how to do this? Even if it's just theory, it would be useful.

 

 

Guard do a good foot build due to having massive numbers on the table to counter act their lack of mobility in a foot build. Blood Angels would need Several assault sqauds with priests supported by devastators to achieve a similar effect. As Tactical squads don't have enough mobility in an all foot list.

 

What Redfinger Suggested would work. Or something Like Kirby's blood rodeo makes a good foot build.

[Erasmus of Baal]

I posted a list a few weeks ago, but cant seem to find it right now. Basically it was 1 libby, 3 RAS w/ JP's 2 SG, 2 presit's and 4 ML dev squads....it is something like 65 marines on the table at 2k. I have played it a few times and I am quite happy with the results.

 

I think BA is one of the few armies that can do a footbased theme because they have the mobility that comes from the JP's.

Guard do a good foot build due to having massive numbers on the table to counter act their lack of mobility in a foot build. Blood Angels would need Several assault sqauds with priests supported by devastators to achieve a similar effect. As Tactical squads don't have enough mobility in an all foot list.

 

What Redfinger Suggested would work. Or something Like Kirby's blood rodeo makes a good foot build.

See, the idea is that an army designed this way would have little need to move and don't need mobility; that was actually one of the points in the article, that most armies focuse on extreme mobility, which includes DoA/JP BA lists. What I'm suggesting is the exact opposite, that is, a static gunline. With our relatively cheap heavy weapons and Sanguinary Priests and Libbys that allow us to stand out in the open and live, I think that it could be pulled off with forward deployment; Sternguard Veterans, it should be noted, are also important to what I have in mind. No vehicles, no Jump Packs, just an army standing there and laughing as the enemy falls multiple hundreds of meters away.

[Zeller]

1-6x Tactical Squads:

PF, Flamer, Lascannon

 

2x Sternguard Squads:

PF, 4x Combi weapons

 

3x Devestator Squads

2xLC, 2x PC

 

2x Librarians

 

3x SP (these guys chill in the gunline)

---

Alternatively you can use 9 MM attack bikes to sit in cover at your lines and destroy any vehicle that gets near the line. 3 Whirlwinds will then murder anything outside of that unless they're TDA. For this you happen to have 20 sternguard with combi-plasma. Your three priests will more than be able to cope with any overheats.

[Drachnon]

Well lets start with seeing which choices are good for a stand and fire army and which we can automatically ignore:

 

Good HQ:

Librarian - Shield is nice when standing outside of cover

Tycho - Though I dislike the normal captain for not providing anything over the librarian Tycho with pumps up leadership of your squads which can be useful. Plus he's Tycho :D

Honour guard - with 4 plasma guns and build in priest these should do pretty well.

 

Bad HQ:

Reclusiarch - It's too focused on assaulting which we don't really want

Captain - Has no value over the librarian

Other Special Characters - Except Tycho our special characters seem to prefer close combat.

 

Good elites:

Terminators - Cyclone missile launchers and storm bolters should be quite effective against most troops

Sternguard Veterans - they're really good and standing and shooting stuff up with bolters, add priest for better survivability and some combi melta/plasma to take out stuff other then infantry.

Priests - You might as well start with taking priests and then move on to other stuff. Corbulo is also ok. Perhaps some can carry storm bolters or combi bolters depending on which squad they're supposed to join.

 

Bad Elites:

Chaplain- I really see no use for them here

Sanguinairy guard/furioso/assault terminators - all close combat

techmarine - though their bolster defense might be fun they take up an elite slot that's better used for sternguard and priests.

 

Good troops:

Tactical squads - will once again be the backbone of the space marines

Scouts - sniper rifles might come in handy plus their pretty cheap (also sniper rifles have nice range)

 

Bad troops:

Death company + dread - They have rage

Assault Squads - we're actively avoiding those.

 

Good dedicated transports:

Razorback - Adds some extra firepower not really mandatory though

Landraiders - Has a nice amount on firepower, depending on how much points your playing you could field a lot of those

 

Bad Transports:

Rhino - Don't see it adding much to the list

Drop pod - don't think I need to explain that one

 

Good fast attack:

Baal predators - Add heavy bolters and they can clean up a lot of models

 

Bad fast attack:

The rest since we don't want the mobility

 

Good Heavy Support:

Dreadnought - nice weapon platform

Predator - Predators are always cool

Devstator Squads - Devestators are probably the backbone of this army combined with Sternguard veterans

Vindicators - pretty expensive and 24" is not the range we really want but it is the most powerful weapon we can field

 

Bad heavy support:

Whirlwinds - Actually I'm kinda undecided on these, they're good against hordes but we have plenty of other options for that in our other choices.

 

Now if we go all troops we can field something like this:

Librarian with shield and fear of the darkness (longest ranged power we have)

honour guard with 4 plasma guns

10 sternguard with 4 combi plasma 4 combi melta and 2 normal plasma guns

3 sanguinairy priests

4x full tactical squads with missile launcher + plasma gun

1 half sized devastator squad with 4 missile launchers

2 half sized devastator squads with 4 lascannons each

 

Total models 89 and actually still has 55 points to spend

[vahouth]

Good fast attack:

Baal predators - Add heavy bolters and they can clean up a lot of models

 

Bad fast attack:

The rest since we don't want the mobility

 

Now this is where I don't agree.

For 25 points less you could have 3 attack bikes with heavy bolters that can shoot 9 str5 and 3 to 6 twin-linked str4 shots and reposition rapidly for an other turn,

plus they are more survivable than the baal.

Not to mention the option for multimelta and surgical strikes on the enemy armor.

 

As for the Techmarine, I would always consider taking one on a stand & shoot army, for the improved cover save and the possibility to fix damaged armor.

Plus a full Sternguard squad, plus 3 Sanguinary priests in a gunline.

[Chaplain Gunzhard]

I realize this is crazy!@!! hah ...but believe it or not, Death Company with bolters on foot are good in a shooty army. Yeah they have rage and will continue to move towards the closest enemy unit, but they are also relentless, shooting 24" while moving and still choosing which unit to shoot at. Also most folks forget that Rage does not force them to assault, just 'move' towards the closest. They make a brilliant, moving and shooting, distraction that are tough to bring down and cause a lot of fear.

[cptphoenixck]

I realize this is crazy!@!! hah ...but believe it or not, Death Company with bolters on foot are good in a shooty army. Yeah they have rage and will continue to move towards the closest enemy unit, but they are also relentless, shooting 24" while moving and still choosing which unit to shoot at. Also most folks forget that Rage does not force them to assault, just 'move' towards the closest. They make a brilliant, moving and shooting, distraction that are tough to bring down and cause a lot of fear.

I absolutely agree in my DC only army I take large ten man squads of DC with bolters the amount of CQ firepower and assultieness will take down pretty much any infantary short of guard blob.