Mech Blood Angels Tactica

[syypher]

Good afternoon fellow BA players. After a good amount of people saying they would like a guide on Mech BA I have decided to go ahead with it. So here ya go!

 

I've been playing BA since I started 40k. Since then I have beaten multiple WAAC 'Ard boys players (2 of whom took 1st and 2nd place) and play against competitively tournament built Orc, SW, DE, Eldar and BA lists regularly. I've done a lot of reading and research throughout my BA career. I've tried out other armies like IG, Nids, Necrons, Eldar and DA but have come back to making BA my primary. Trying out those armies though has given me much knowledge and a good tactical advantage when playing against them.

 

Now a little disclaimer of sorts...This is here to give a foundation for new BA players primarily. There may be information here also that may be helpful to some veteran players. I do not claim my tactica to be the end all be all way to play Mech BA. The information you find here will be from personal experience, lots of research and many games of testing. I hope everyone who reads this to find something helpful to improve your game.

 

0. What is Mech BA?

1a. Mech BA's play style's

1b. Hybrid and Pure Mech BA

2. Mech BA units - core

3. Mech BA units - troops

4. Mech BA units - HQ

5. Mech BA units - elite

6. Mech BA units - fast

7. Mech BA units - heavy

8. Mech BA units - transports

9. Mech BA and deployment

10. Mech BA and missions

11. Mech BA synergy and building a list

 

 

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0. What is Mech BA?

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Mech BA is one of the most competitive ways to play a Blood Angels army in todays environment. We are a mobile and primarily shooty army that concentrates on flooding the field with various vehicles. Our primary strength is our durability and our greatest weakness is coming to grips with your specific lists individual strength and weakness. What I mean is every list built will be different depending on the play style you choose. Nothing will be clear cut and the exact same when you play it. With my tournament 1850 list I forgo any large deathstar or CC-oriented (Close Combat) unit for the ability to have more shooting and additional scoring units. Mech BA armies can be built hybrid or pure. I play a pure mech BA army myself.

 

 

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1a. Mech BA's play style's

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There are many different ways to play Blood Angels Mech style. For the sake of a guide I need to narrow it down to a few ways and talk about them as far as how I see Mech BA being played. The two ways I would like to categorize the play style of Mech BA is based on how the list is built:

 

With a CC-oriented unit(s) or Deathstar

Without any CC-oriented unit(s)

 

The reason I categorize and choose these two as the "play styles" to talk about is because the core build of most Mech BA lists will be the same. The biggest change in play style with a Mech BA army will be whether or not you attach a CC-oriented unit(s) or Deathstar. Here are two examples of the different play style oriented lists below:

 

With a CC-oriented unit(s) or Deathstar:

Librarian

Mephiston

Land Raider with Assault Terminators + Sang Priest

3 RAS Melta Razorbacks w/ choice of turrets

3 Baal Predators

2 Vindicators

Storm Raven carrying a Furioso with Blood Talons

 

Without any CC-oriented unit(s)

Librarian

Librarian

4-6 RAS Melta Razorbacks w/ choice of turrets

3 Baal Predators

2 Las AC Predators

1 Vindicator

 

I personally go the CC-oriented route. However I don't heavily invest points into it. Also my CC is primarily used as a counter assault and disruption unit. I use to play a non-CC oriented list but got bored with the spam, it may suite you though.

 

The beauty of Mech BA is both play styles are viable. But synergy needs to be taken into account when building a list. Example: If you have a CC oriented list make sure you have enough anti-AV to pop tough transports so your CC unit can actually assault the models inside. If your going a non-CC oriented route make sure you have enough balanced fire power (anti-infantry/av) throughout your army. Also you need to be knowledgeable of the enemy models movement speeds so you can abuse your speed and whittle them down before they get too close.

 

Leaving it off on that note, make sure to remember most non CC-oriented lists will NOT want to get into CC. Throw out the misconception that Blood Angels are awesome at CC. Mech BA lists build like the second example list up above are competitive, but we do NOT like close combat. When you play a non-CC oriented list you need to use your RBs as shooting platforms primarily. Assaulting things that are weak in CC only or coming out of RBs only for strategic purposes.

 

CC oriented lists can be designated into two categories. Heavy assault or defensive counter assault. Like I said above I go the defensive counter-assault route to assist the rest of my army. Heavy assault lists are sort of like the CC-oriented list I posted up above. My primary list only has Mephiston as a counter-assault/disruption unit. Both are great and don't let anyone tell you one is better than the other. It's truly is all preference. If you prefer Blood Angels powerful CC capabilities then you can go with 2 LRs with Assault Terminators or Death Company with a Storm Raven and Furioso/DC Dred with Talons. If you prefer to have some CC but want to invest mostly in firepower and AV durability then take Mephiston.

 

 

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1b. Hybrid and Pure Mech BA

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Mech BA have those play styles listed above among others. I was going to leave this out and continue on to the next section but since some people brought up talking about hybrid style lists in my last thread I will throw this in here. To further categorize Mech BA there are Hybrid and Pure Mech BA lists. Hybrid lists attempt to assimilate DoA or JP units with our power Mech vehicles. Pure Mech BA lists attempt to saturate the field with AV to neutralize the opponents anti-infantry weaponry.

 

Now the age old question, which is better?

 

Sorry but there is again no clear cut answer. DoA JP lists have the flexibility of alpha striking Mech Heavy lists like Mech IG with a plethora of Meltas in rear/side armor. Pure Mech lists fear no anti-infantry weapons early on and effectively make half your enemies guns useless like Venoms from DE.

 

 

[[section 1b and on are not finished but will continue later when i find more time]]

[teemoki]

Thanks! ^____^

 

Very awesome first sections. Can't wait for the rest. Would you mind...sharing your tournament list? >__>