Company Veterans

[Zebulon]

Dark Angels players: as a relative beginner I have a question which you hopefully can help me with?

 

I understand that Company Veterans don't get the special issue ammo options that vanilla marines (well Sternguard Vets) do.

 

Do you find that a particular issue in gaming terms? Or do you just take more combi-weapons etc to make up for it?

 

Do you reckon it will be changed whenever a new Codex is produced (I understand you've been waiting for a while!)

 

I am not sure whether to use the DA Codex or the vanilla SM one, mostly for this reason, for my latest DIY project.

 

Hope that makes sense - I'm torn.

[shortysl]

I tend to run my Company Veterans as assault troops (more like Vanguard Veterans without Jump Packs).

 

To be honest, if you're torn between armies right now you'd probably be better off with Codex Space Marines. As it stands at the moment, Codex Dark Angels is more appropriate for it's background than it's playability.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Dark Angel through and through so I'd always welcome more brothers to the Chapter, but I wouldn't want to recommend a codex to you that you might feel robs you of a lot of variety in terms of units and wargear.

[Master Barachiel]

Well, most DA players say that if you are not going to use massive amount of Venerable Dreadnoughts (ours are cheeper than than those of the Smurfs) OR a massive Deathwing attack (Belial makes our terminators a troop choice) OR use many bikes and trikes and land speeders (Sammael makes them a troop choice), you should not play the "greenwing".

 

Yet do I say, that you can also go for it if you like so. We got some nice left-overs of old rules. For example a Squad of 5 Tactical Marines may choose to have a special weapon (in the Codex:SM that's only possible if you got 10 men). Our Scouts have BS 4 which can make them very hard opponments (just imagine them all equipped with Sniper rifles and heavy bolters). They are Elites, though. We may have a Techmarine for any vehicle in our armies (so he doesn't take away space from your FOC).

 

There are some other nice things left over like the fact that our psyker-hood have unlimited range or that our Grand Master Azrael provides himself and the unit he's dedicated to a (better) Invulnerable save.

 

So I'd say. Read the Codex carefully and decide whether to play Codex: DA or not. There are some great things left.

 

And regarding those Company Vets. I haven't found any way to use them yet.

[Ajax Tlamunus]

Well, most DA players say that if you are not going to use massive amount of Venerable Dreadnoughts (ours are cheeper than than those of the Smurfs) OR a massive Deathwing attack (Belial makes our terminators a troop choice) OR use many bikes and trikes and land speeders (Sammael makes them a troop choice), you should not play the "greenwing".

 

Agreed, but with the caveat that, on the Bikes-as-Troops side of the decision, Codex: Space Marines can field a force that is just as good (and arguably superior) by fielding a generic Captain on Bike. Combined with a fully kitted out Command Squad also on Bikes, or two(!), and they are a nasty list.

[Master Barachiel]

I totally agree. But it's true anyway that most of our advantages are gone. 5-Men-Terminators as Troops. Ever heard of Logan Grimnar and his 10-men-Squads of Space Wolve Terminators (their equipment is even more dangerous)? Bike-Troops are facing SM-Captain/Khor'sarro Khan and SM-Bikes. And everything else is either the same or thought/said to be worse.

 

But I tried to enlist that there are a lot of loopholes to find. They are quite amusing from time to time but they cannot change that the Codex is a bit older.

 

But keep in mind that the new Codex is said to be on its way and that Terminators will be even tougher in the next edition cause normal power weapons with AP 3 cannot penetrate their armour anymore. Deathwing will hunt them down, muhaha.

[Zebulon]

Thanks for the replies guys - very helpful. I'll keep thinking.