Blood Angels: 1,000 Ways to Spill Blood

[Memento Of Prospero]

We've spoken about the good, bad and ugly units. Now how do they come together? Some units will shine when put in the proper setting for them to perform.

 

What army builds have you had success with?  What is the key factor that makes that build work? Aggression, Attrition, speed?

 

Which builds (not necesseraly "all-comers") do you think have merite as counters to certain other popular builds and what counters them in return?

 

Which builds do you not like or think they do not work? What is the key contributiting factor to it's failure?

 

Lastly, any builds you just enjoy playing, win or lose?

 

You can also give and example of the core units of a build at say, 1,500 - 2,000 points? No need for costs and specific, just a unit and model count break down will do.

 

What is are your ways to spill the blood of the enemies of the Emperium?

[Venerable Jazzman]

I would suggest looking in the Army List forum first

[Memento Of Prospero]

It's not so much to copy a build, but to spring discussion on things they may or may not otherwise post about. Many players here probably do not post armies they have experimented with or had interesting concepts that never panned out.

[tomjoad]

I've been playing on and off for about 20 years, but I took a long break that covered all of 5th edition, so all of my Blood Angels experience comes in 6th. I say this just so you know none of my opinions are skewed by trying to acclimate to 6th.

 

My BA list has evolved like so: I started with a ton of JAS, and they were underwhelming. I didn't see an alternative, though, because the popular opinion was that RAS stunk. I added in DC riding in a Stormraven for a few games and had...mixed results.

 

When the DC survive and get the charge, they are the best unit in the codex. However, I prefer consistency, and the Raven getting exploded can cripple your army. After a few tries, using drop pods instead of the Raven, I decided I needed to drop the DC.

 

Around that time, I discovered the usefulness of AV13. Baal predator first, then a Fragioso (I'd have added a second Fragioso if I owned a second drop pod, too). This is the money, right here. AV13 is nearly as survivable as AV14 in the current meta, but is around half as expensive. It is an incredible deal.

 

So, now I'm throwing out 3 or more AV13 vehicles per game, plus a Stormraven, so I'm trying to overload my enemies anti-armor capabilities. Razorbacks aren't amazing, but they are CHEAP and fast. If enemy lascannons etc are focused on the AV13 stuff, the Razors should live long enough to win the game.

 

I've only played a few games with them, but I like it. In my next game I'll be including a book powers on my Librarian (Shield and something) so they'll live longer. I'm also using a JAS squad with two meltas and a Priest, but RAS are the scoring backbone.

[JamesI]

I started Blood Angels so I could play jump pack horde back when the white dwarf codex came out.  I still have the most fun playign jump pack horde with blood Angels.

 

I try to be very aggressive, but you kind of have to be with the style army I play.

[I am Legion]

I'm going to echo Tomjoad.  Ive been running armour lists with my Blood angels in the last 3 games I played.  1 VS Necrons, 1 VS Grey Knights, and 1 VS Tyranids. 

 

Vs nids.....I'll say it.....I steamrolled the hell over of them  >:)

 

VS GK I discovered that we are both short range firing armies, and that yeah, they have the slightly superior weapons, but they spend points to upgrade, which means that they have a bit less on the table, with weapons that do nothing VS vehicles (PWs, and psi ammo).  Also, due to the small nature of their squads (especially when that Storm Raven vanquishes their transports, leaving the meaty bodies to run around screaming), and them still being basic marines and all, they go down quick when you pour a ton of heavy weapon fire down their throats >:)

 

VS Crons was slightly more challenging as they have alot of units that regenerate.  And their vehicles have that high AV.  And their basic infantry can shred tanks......So what to do?  Well, our fast vindicators are now spectacular vehicles, along with Baal preds leading the assault with the storm raven carrying Blood talon dreads that cut right through their infantry.  the fact that each turn I actually fell some units rather than them getting up after I kill 2 with bolters, is nice.  Those bloodstrike missles really hurt Necrons as they destroy their regenerating vehicles on the turn they come out >:)

 

So yeah......that's what I've been trying lately.  Not to say this will always work, but I say give it a shot.  Nothing better than having an opponent bring bolt weapons to a lascannon fight >:)

[Israfel]

The dilemna of the blood angels is in the troops section. The codex grants tons of weapons for destruction however this is an game of objectives in the end. Unless you go with lots of tacticals on foot (beware of the dragons) the army list is willing to push itself in the enemy deployment zone. Other marine armies do choose to put the tacticals in a metal box and wait in their zones but our rhino wants to zoom forward (fast!) And if you don't do so your paying for it and wasting valuable pointa in an expensive codex.

 

It is very hard to synergize a back field objective grabber with the forward looking BA army. Placing objectives close to the opponent is not a sound tactis imho as if things go wrong your opponent will be grabbing your objectlves easily as well. Returning the jumpers back is an idea but once again it's not a very sound tactic and to be honest the primary quality of the jumpers is mobility not killyness.

 

So far i have beeb unable to find the correct balance. It seems that a guard ally makes sense and its also fluffy. The guard man the trenches while BA's go to rip throats.