What GW kits should I buy for a new BA army?

[Ramza]

Hey guys,

 

So I am keen on building a Blood Angels army and I want to know what are the basic kits I should buy first up. I have decided against the battleforce because I want to build a DoA army, that means no armour apart from a pod and a dread. For my assault guys should I buy 1x Assault marine box and 1x DC box and kit bash them to make a 10 man squad? Will I get enough special weapons out of those kits, ie melta gun, flamer, plasma gun. Any advice is much appreciated.

 

Cheers

[knife&fork]

Hey guys,

 

So I am keen on building a Blood Angels army and I want to know what are the basic kits I should buy first up. I have decided against the battleforce because I want to build a DoA army, that means no armour apart from a pod and a dread. For my assault guys should I buy 1x Assault marine box and 1x DC box and kit bash them to make a 10 man squad? Will I get enough special weapons out of those kits, ie melta gun, flamer, plasma gun. Any advice is much appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Buy at least one of these

 

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/...dId=prod1860238

 

There will always be a character in need of a jump pack.

 

The tac squad box and command squad box will give you many weapons and bitz. Together with jump packs dirt cheap arms (and chests if you want them) from bitz sites or e-bay is a good starting point.

[skawolf]

I would say buy double that (two assault marine kits and two deathcompany kits) that way you will get two meltaguns and two flamers to use so that you can specialise your units.

Plus then you have your compulsary troops.

[kharn_the_betrayer]

I would say buy double that (two assault marine kits and two deathcompany kits) that way you will get two meltaguns and two flamers to use so that you can specialise your units.

Plus then you have your compulsary troops.

 

This is what I did, so far for army list wise its working really well.

[d@n]

It depends on what list you want to run, mech or jump are the two main builds. If you want to go mech buy the battleforce as you will get a rhino for free and sell all the jump packs on ebay to get some turrets if your going razor spam.

How i like to theme my army is to get more detailed with the armour the more senior the unit, so for instance my grunt units like assault marines and tactical (if i used tac squads) are build from the basic assault marine kit (or tactical box) with maybe 1 or 2 upgrades from the death company box like a head or chainsword, the mid level units like vanguard vets sang priest are pretty much completely built from the dc box set and my hinour guard are about 50/50 sanguinary guard and dc. for hq's i use alot of sanguinary guard parts.

 

So how i see it the normal space marine stuff is for your general troops, dc dox is mid level squads and sang guard is pretty much for your most elite units as its artificer armour.

[SamaNagol]

Some magnets. Because it will save you a fortune.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Here is what I started with for my DoA army:

 

3x assault squad

2x Death Company

2x Sanguinary Guard

 

If you're planning to use stormshields then I'd buy a box of assault terminators as well.

 

G :D

[Quixus]

If you're planning to use stormshields then I'd buy a box of assault terminators as well.

Depending on what you want to use besides the storm shields, this pack may be an option as well.

 

What units did you create with those boxes, Black Orange?

5 SG, 20 Blinged up RAS/ 10 VAS? Did you build a HQ from them?

[catharsix]

I recommend the BA Battleforce. You get 1 Assault squad, 1 Tactical squad, one Death Company set, as well as a Rhino, and buying the Battleforce saves you a couple of bucks. Pretty much no matter which way you go, it's a good deal for starting out.

[Rogue Pilot]

I personally reccomend all death company kits because in the box, you get more stuff that in the assault squad box for like 4 bucks extra. and if your after strom shields , this kit is a great buy. http://hitechminiatures.com/10/product/info/37

 

Mabey a little pricey, but the sheilds look fantastic.

[Gv0zD]

I started a brand new army of mine as the new codex was released. And here's what I bought: two Death Company boxes, two Command Squads, two Tactical Squads, four Assault Squads and one Sanguinary Guard box. And a Librarian. I'm running a DoA army. And magnets to make interchangeable jump/backpacks. Oh, and Ibought asquad of Assault termies for shields, lightning claws and hammers for my vanguards and assault sarges.

[Lanfear]

i cant agree with most of the advices you got here.

 

Dont buy the Battle Force. there is no need for the Rhino nor tactical squads. Dont buy tactical squads.

 

Here is what i would buy:

 

Codex!

Think about the way you want to play BA. there are several options, all of them have style and some of them are more competive then others. if you go the Mech-BA route, this is what you need:

 

HQ:

Terminator scriptor

 

Elite:

Furioso (fist)

Assault Terminators

chaplain

 

Troops:

3 Assault marine squads (you can mix DC and assault marines to build the assault squads, 2:1 boxes are fine too)

3x Razorback

1 sniper scouts

1 Death company

DC dreadnought (talons)

 

fast attack:

2 trikes with mm

 

Support:

2 stormraven

 

 

this gives you the following army list:

***************  1 HQ  ***************  
Scriptor, Terminator-Rüstung
- - - > 125 Punkte

***************  3 Elite  ***************  
Terminator-Sturmtrupp
5 Sturm-Terminatoren, 2 x Energieklauenpaar, 3 x Energiehammer & Sturmschild
- - - > 215 Punkte

Furioso-Cybot, Paar Blutfäuste, Sturmbolter & Melter
- - - > 125 Punkte

Ordenspriester
- - - > 100 Punkte

***************  6 Standard  ***************  
Sturmtrupp
5 Space Marines, 5 x Boltpistole
+ Upgrade zum Sergeant  -> 10 Pkt.
+ Razorback, Laserkanone & synchronisierter Plasmawerfer  -> 55 Pkt.
- - - > 155 Punkte

Sturmtrupp
5 Space Marines, 5 x Boltpistole
+ Upgrade zum Sergeant  -> 10 Pkt.
+ Razorback, Laserkanone & synchronisierter Plasmawerfer  -> 55 Pkt.
- - - > 155 Punkte

Sturmtrupp
5 Space Marines, 5 x Boltpistole
+ Upgrade zum Sergeant  -> 10 Pkt.
+ Razorback, Laserkanone & synchronisierter Plasmawerfer  -> 55 Pkt.
- - - > 155 Punkte

Todeskompanie
5 Todgeweihte, 3 x Energiewaffe
- - - > 145 Punkte

Todeskompanie-Cybot, Paar Blutklauen, Sturmbolter & Melter
- - - > 125 Punkte

Scouttrupp
5 Scouts, 4 x Scharfschützengewehr, Raketenwerfer, Tarnmäntel
+ Upgrade zum Sergeant  -> 10 Pkt.
- - - > 100 Punkte

***************  1 Sturm  ***************  
Trike-Schwadron
2 Trikes, 2 x Multimelter
- - - > 100 Punkte

***************  2 Unterstützung  ***************  
Stormraven-Landungsschiff, Synchronisierter Multimelter, Synchronisierte Sturmkanone
- - - > 200 Punkte

Stormraven-Landungsschiff, Synchronisierter Multimelter, Synchronisierte Sturmkanone
- - - > 200 Punkte


Gesamtpunkte Blood Angels : 1900

 

you can exchange the stormravens with landraiders.

the following units are good too:

predators with LC sponsons

Rifleman-Dreadnoughts (buy a snap-fit dreadnought and 4 autocannons from IG heavy weapon teams, you will find tutorials via google)

Mephiston

Land speeder with typhoon missile launcher

[Brother Theseus]

If you plan on running death company, then I think that the battleforce is a great way to save money.

 

What I did was to buy one DC box and one battleforce. The DC won't be needing their jump packs, so with the separate box and BF combined, there would be 10 jump packs unused. That's just enough for each of the 10 tactical marines in the BF, turning them into a 10 man JP assault squad. In the end you'll have 15 assault marines (or a few vanguard veterans if you paint them as such) and 10 death company, and also a cheap transport for your 10 men foot slogging DC.

 

E: Just realized that you'll have to find some CQC arms elsewhere, but I'm sure you can scrounge enough from other boxes that you are going to be getting.

[Cpt. Blood Donator]

If you plan on running death company, then I think that the battleforce is a great way to save money.

 

What I did was to buy one DC box and one battleforce. The DC won't be needing their jump packs, so with the separate box and BF combined, there would be 10 jump packs unused. That's just enough for each of the 10 tactical marines in the BF, turning them into a 10 man JP assault squad. In the end you'll have 15 assault marines (or a few vanguard veterans if you paint them as such) and 10 death company, and also a cheap transport for your 10 men foot slogging DC.

 

E: Just realized that you'll have to find some CQC arms elsewhere, but I'm sure you can scrounge enough from other boxes that you are going to be getting.

 

He seems to want a DoA army for himself. But the battleforce can be built as 1x RAS, or 10 vetarans, and Death Company w. Bolters in rhino. Death Company in rhinos with bolters are great. Really.

[Quixus]

Death Company in rhinos with bolters are great. Really.

I agree. They're better than the alternatives JP DC or DC with Chainswords and Boltpistols in Rhinos. Lemartes or another Chaplain/Reclusiarch may change that a bit due to rerolls.

[d503]

You really can't go wrong with this:

2 space marine battleforces

devastator box

command squad

librarian.

 

That gives you:

 

Librarian with command squad

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Assault squad with 2 meltaguns

10-man scout squad

Devastator squad with 3 missile launchers and a lascannon

5 death company with power weapons

 

After this I did 2 upgrade phases:

 

10 AOBR terminators

assault terminator box

Landraider crusader

2x vindicator,

whirlwind

Razorback

 

then when all that was finished:

 

2 dreadnaughts

2 ravenwing battleforces

3 drop pods.

 

All that can be made from the sets, with few spares. That is what I did when I started marines recently, and that has done me proud. I also bought a chaplain to go with the death company though.

[SamaNagol]

The most vital thing to remember is this: "It isnt saving you money if you wouldn't have bought it in the first place"

 

So work out what you actually want to use, and then you can work out the cheapest or most cost effective way to do so

[Cpt. Blood Donator]

You really can't go wrong with this:

2 space marine battleforces

devastator box

command squad

librarian.

 

That gives you:

 

Librarian with command squad

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Assault squad with 2 meltaguns

10-man scout squad

Devastator squad with 3 missile launchers and a lascannon

5 death company with power weapons

 

After this I did 2 upgrade phases:

 

10 AOBR terminators

assault terminator box

Landraider crusader

2x vindicator,

whirlwind

Razorback

 

then when all that was finished:

 

2 dreadnaughts

2 ravenwing battleforces

3 drop pods.

 

All that can be made from the sets, with few spares. That is what I did when I started marines recently, and that has done me proud. I also bought a chaplain to go with the death company though.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't run around telling people that buying vindicators and whirlwinds is a good idea. Nor would I ever tell someone to use heavy bolter and plasma gun tacs. Where are the priests?

[knife&fork]

Nor would I ever tell someone to use heavy bolter and plasma gun tacs.

 

What's wrong with taking plasma gun in tac squads?

[Cpt. Blood Donator]

Nor would I ever tell someone to use heavy bolter and plasma gun tacs.

 

What's wrong with taking plasma gun in tac squads?

 

None, but it makes no sense with a heavy bolter.

[Slyfox1990]

You really can't go wrong with this:

2 space marine battleforces

devastator box

command squad

librarian.

 

That gives you:

 

Librarian with command squad

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Assault squad with 2 meltaguns

10-man scout squad

Devastator squad with 3 missile launchers and a lascannon

5 death company with power weapons

 

After this I did 2 upgrade phases:

 

10 AOBR terminators

assault terminator box

Landraider crusader

2x vindicator,

whirlwind

Razorback

 

then when all that was finished:

 

2 dreadnaughts

2 ravenwing battleforces

3 drop pods.

 

All that can be made from the sets, with few spares. That is what I did when I started marines recently, and that has done me proud. I also bought a chaplain to go with the death company though.

 

Not meaning to sound like a total :teehee: but I don't think that any of those items are particularly good choices for the army he is trying to build. He has specifically stated he wants to do a DoA list which means no armour, and lots of jump packs. With the £160+ he would spend on those initial items, he would only get 10 assault marines. He would also get a command squad which isn't much use, two tactical squads in rhinos, neither of which he wants. The Libby is fine but would still need a JP.

 

This start up set might be good for another army, no doubt. But not for BA or BA DoA.

[Cpt. Blood Donator]

You really can't go wrong with this:

2 space marine battleforces

devastator box

command squad

librarian.

 

That gives you:

 

Librarian with command squad

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Tac squad with heavy bolter and plasmagun/powerfist in Rhino

Assault squad with 2 meltaguns

10-man scout squad

Devastator squad with 3 missile launchers and a lascannon

5 death company with power weapons

 

After this I did 2 upgrade phases:

 

10 AOBR terminators

assault terminator box

Landraider crusader

2x vindicator,

whirlwind

Razorback

 

then when all that was finished:

 

2 dreadnaughts

2 ravenwing battleforces

3 drop pods.

 

All that can be made from the sets, with few spares. That is what I did when I started marines recently, and that has done me proud. I also bought a chaplain to go with the death company though.

 

Not meaning to sound like a total :) but I don't think that any of those items are particularly good choices for the army he is trying to build. He has specifically stated he wants to do a DoA list which means no armour, and lots of jump packs. With the £160+ he would spend on those initial items, he would only get 10 assault marines. He would also get a command squad which isn't much use, two tactical squads in rhinos, neither of which he wants. The Libby is fine but would still need a JP.

 

This start up set might be good for another army, no doubt. But not for BA or BA DoA.

 

All valid points. We tried to approach it like that at first, but then he postef big list of stuff B.A players don't want, so I just went for biggest misleads in that.

[AbusePuppy]

Since most folks seemed to have missed the "making a DoA list" part...

 

 

Assault Squad boxes, while unfortunately kinda expensive, are your obvious choice. 4x of those are a good way to start the army. If you want to get some fancy parts and don't mind doing a little cleaning, the Death Company box has some nice bitz in it and will get you the Infernus Pistols/Hand Flamers you may want to put on your sarges.

 

The ASM box only comes with two Plasma Pistols (and Power Fist/Power Weapon) for "specials," so you will have to buy those elsewhere or trade them off someone if you want them. And you totally do.

 

A Librarian is a beautiful choice for an HQ. It's really hard to go wrong with slapping a jump pack on one and playing around with the different powers. (Shield of Sanguinous, Blood Lance, and Sanguine Sword are the three I use most often.)

 

If you have a Space Marine friend who is willing to do a trade, the Battleforce is actually not a bad deal, since the Tacticals can be converted into Assault Marines with very little trouble. You will need jump packs if you want to do this, but selling/trading the Rhino and Missile Launcher (both of which tend to be in heavy demand) can often get you enough to make it worthwhile. A battleforce can potentially build you two 10man ASM squads and you even get one of each special weapon (melta, flamer, plasma) in the bargain.

 

You will also want some Sanguinary Priests- you can buy these from GW or, if you're feeling sassy, convert some of your own out of ASM/Tacticals/etc.

 

Beyond that Vanguard Vetrans, Honor Guard (using the Command Squad kit), Devastators, and Bike Squads/Attack Bikes are all good options. I would not recommend taking a Dreadnought or any other unit with a Drop Pod in a DoA list, however, as I think you will end up being disappointed- it will come in the first turn, when your other units are all off the board, and get shot a lot and probably die before anything else arrives.