Going up against the Dark Angels

[Ultraboy]

Me and my friend have been playing 40k for the past 4 years. Unlike most friendly games, we tend to get extremely competitive and try to out-do each other in the subsequent games. By the time I get back from my tour in Afghanistan, I intend to rebuilt my Chaos army up to 6th edition par. However, he told me last week he was going to have a Dark Angels force ready by the time I get back. I looked over the new DA units available for 6th edition and quickly became scared of playing against him.  I need your guys help with the following:

 

 

 

1) Which Dark Angel units are extremely effective?

 

2) In what area do they lack performance? (Anti-tank, flyers, etc)

 

3) What does Chaos have to counter Dark Angels?

 

4) He's made it quite obvious to me he's using Terminators, how do I deal with them?

 

5) What sort of strategy should I employ?

 

6) Which allies are best?

 

 

 

We play at 2000 pts. Our gaming boards typically have a medium number of buildings/structures for terrain and cover. I know the DA codex just came out recently, but I want to be ready to face him when the time comes. Any advice is appreciated.

[GodEmperorOfMankind]

good luck!

 

my best buddy also plays DA, he's pointed out a few things.

 

Alphastrike DW termies. These guys can deepstrike on turn 1 or 2 (DA players choice, decided before game) with no roll for reserve. If they use RW bikes/speeders as well they have locator beacons on so deepstrikes will not scatter.

 

Plasma cannons on DW - nuff said

 

DW knights, deepstrike and they can use smite(?) on their mauls once per game, making them a beast for that turn.

 

RW get all sorts of jink/stealth/shrouded rules, especially if they bring one of the new LS variants, gonna be tough to take down, also the RW knights get twin linked plas on their bikes.

 

Not sure how to counter it, just what I remember my bud gleefully telling me

[the jeske]

 

1) Which Dark Angel units are extremely effective?

DAs are not chaos . they have more then one build to play with . it is easier to point out the bad options in the DA dex then the good ones.

 

He can have a mix of terminators[those will have split fire] and bikers[both normal bikers and bikers which have rads grenade lauchers and/or plasmas on each of the bikes]. He can play a DA+IG army , where he will have a big blob of IG with lots of hvy weapons . all with +4inv because azrael will be with them , probably some 5 man minimax[depands if IG or DA are the main army] and the usual stuff[vendettas+ Russes probably an aegis] . Then there is the DA dakka build lots of tacticals a veteran unit hidden in someway[using terrain or by taking a LR for them or having tanking HQs in that unit]. which will make all bolters salvo weapons .

Before the game you will have to agree , if your ok[well you probably  will not] to trust the rule book wording of what is a boltgun weapon .

 

Rest of stuff is mostly for tailoring . Like storm shield armed terminators which all have precision strike[on 6 decide what gets hit] with power maces , only those power maces against chaos are ap 3 not ap 4 . Ah and the same unit can go str 10 ap 2 for a single turn . the sgt in this unit has an ap 2 str6 hiting at initiative weapon . Generaly a unit to be avoided in combat even by toughest of chaos melee models.

[Deadman Wade]

I'm not a competetive player, but one of my regular opponent is DA player.

1. Librarians - cheap and effective, biomancy is very good against daemon princes, and divination primaris power is awesome. ML devastators - with preciense (almost sure I misspelled that :D) they are wrecking vehicles and non-TDA infantry with ease. Land speeders are good as always. Shooty terminators would have their wepons twin-linked on turn they deep strike, so expect taking heavy casualties.

2. Strong HTH. TH/SS terminators lose to equally costed berzerker squad, terminators with lightning claws beat berzerkers, but go down to our terminators and ranged fire. Haven't played against Deathwing Knights yet, but I think they are the only dangerous HTH unit with their S10 AP2 weapons. Their melee HQs are not that good also, even with artefact weapons that have -1 AP.

3. I like using plasma chosen squad with a sorcerer. 5 plasmas, combi-plasma and smite - tons of AP2 shooting, usually enough to wipe whole terminator squads. Cultists are good for tying dangerous units and soaking fire, plague marines are overcosted, but still good, bikers with MoK and biker lord are awesome. I also had moderate success with chaos terminators with combi weapons, VotLW and maybe 1 or 2 special melee weapons, as long as they are cheap 5-man squad.

4. Berzerkers beat TH/SS and shooty terminators, Lord with Axe of Bling Fury massacres them . Deathwing knights would be a problem, I think, but vindicator and plasma guns should be able to deal with them. Derp Drake is as as it is ugly, useless against Deathwing though.

[derpasaurus]

Me and my friend have been playing 40k for the past 4 years. Unlike most friendly games, we tend to get extremely competitive and try to out-do each other in the subsequent games. By the time I get back from my tour in Afghanistan, I intend to rebuilt my Chaos army up to 6th edition par. However, he told me last week he was going to have a Dark Angels force ready by the time I get back. I looked over the new DA units available for 6th edition and quickly became scared of playing against him. I need your guys help with the following:

1) Which Dark Angel units are extremely effective?

2) In what area do they lack performance? (Anti-tank, flyers, etc)

3) What does Chaos have to counter Dark Angels?

4) He's made it quite obvious to me he's using Terminators, how do I deal with them?

5) What sort of strategy should I employ?

6) Which allies are best?

We play at 2000 pts. Our gaming boards typically have a medium number of buildings/structures for terrain and cover. I know the DA codex just came out recently, but I want to be ready to face him when the time comes. Any advice is appreciated.

1) All of them but the fliers, really. They got a very nice dex. In particular watch out for mixed Deathwing/Ravenwing armies. That is just plain retarded. If he runs Belial, 1 squad won't scatter, and if he gets his bikes in place with Teleport Homers, none of the Terminators will scatter. When they land he gets twin linked on the turn and then of course he has preferred enemy Chaos the whole game

2) Their fliers seem to suck. Also the really terrifying models are REALLY expensive. (Deathwing Knights/Dark Knights) I've noticed their Terminators are 10-15 points more than ours PER MODEL.

3) PLASMA PLASMA PLASMA. Make him roll the invulnerable saves on those terminators, and laugh as everything else just dies.

4) see #3

5) Castle. If he's King Jerk (and who wouldn't be with Deathwing Assault?) None of his models minus any bikes or other support will be on the board when he starts. Jam your side armor together, wrap them around and fill the rear armor gaps with troops. That way he can't take any of your vehicles out as easily, he'll have to roll against sides/front and hope for rends, or shoot up some troops first. Meanwhile, your boots can deal with the Terminators while your tracks either re-position for response or tease any support he left down-field. Oh, and Heldrakes eat anything ap3 for lunch. So long, Ravenwing! (no cover from any of its attacks)

I tried heavy reserves and was damn near tabled on the first turn. I've found castling works best for me.

6) Guard always make good allies, lots more long range heavy support. Daemons, too, if you're into that. You can take turns deepstriking. I don't know as much about Daemons but what I do know is that waves of Screamers and Flamers in particular make most people pee themselves. Or at least used to.

edit: answered #6.

[Excessus]

Played against ravenwing yesterday...by tzeentch they are fast! Scout and skilled riders on quick little bikes made sammael and his buds a nasty alpha-striking force...