Dark Angels, Whats good? Also, what colors to use?

[Merellin]

So I'm thinking of starting a Dark Angels army but, Could someone give me some tips on what units are good and what ones are avoid at all cost? What one of the two fliers is the best? (I'v heard both are pretty meh but what one is the best of them?) Also, What colors should I use for a Guardians of the Covenant army? I'm thinking a darker silver/metal for the armor, but what red? What silver/metal is the darkest of the GW paints? And what washes?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Dirrain]

Welcome to the ranks of the unforgiven, brother!

 

First off I'd recommend you choosing which wing you'd like to play. Ravenwing - our bikes, Greenwing, our standard power armored marines and vehicles, or Deathwing, the elite first company of terminators and dreadnoughts.

 

Once you decided which wing you'd like to play (or even a mixture of any two or all of the wings) then we can advise you further. The great thing about our codex is our wings were designed to work together, so there is very little 'dead weight'. Most of our units have a role to play, depending on which wing you're fielding.

 

The only unit I'd say stay the hell away from is the land speeder vengeance. So expensive and so fragile. Plus you stand a good chance of blowing yourself to bits. Not worth fielding ever IMHO.

 

As for the flyers and the paint scheme, I'm not the best person to give advice. I'm sure some of my more skilled brothers will be happy to help.

 

Cheers!

[Merellin]

Ah, Well, I wasent planning on specializing. I'd want a mixed army using normal marines, and bikes, and terminators. (Though I realy love the looks of the Ravenwing Command Squad, and the Deathwing Knights)

[IanSturrock]

Ravenwing Command Squad and Deathwing Knights both make for excellent support for your regular power armour troops, so that kind of army could work quite well, I think.

[Tiger9gamer]

Land raider crusaders with the banner of devastation inside can be a good anchor for a greenwing gunline or even as a support unit for a Ravenwing army. I tried a RW list several times already (it was mostly successful) 

 

The only problem with that is that the Land raider is a big thing to move, and it isn't as maneuverable as bikers are. Haven't tried a RW command squad yet though.

[jeremy1391]

Ravenwing black knights are awesome, deathwing terminators are also awesome

[Bryan Blaire]

GW paints for a GotC (schemes from darkest to lightest):

Metals:

1 (Darkest): Leadbelcher -> 2 washes with Nuln Oil -> Edge highlight/layered highlights with Leadbelcher -> Spot/barest edge highlight with Ironbreaker

2: Leadbelcher -> single Nuln Oil wash -> Highlight with Leadbelcher -> Spot/slight highlight with Ironbreaker

3: Leadbelcher -> single Nuln Oil wash in just the recesses -> mask tide lines from wash with Leadbelcher -> cover 50% of the Leadbelcher with Ironbreaker -> heavy edge highlight with Runefang Steel

If you want a much more dull, less reflective silver-ish metal, only do the Nuln Oil shade AFTER you have done all your layers and final highlights, this will cause the metal to be much more matte and not very reflective

 

Reds:

1 (Darkest): Khorne Red -> Wash with Nuln Oil -> Edge highlight with Khorne Red -> Spot/light edge highlight with Mephiston Red

2: Khorne Red -> Carroburg Crimson wash -> Edge highlight with Khorne Red -> Spot/light edge highlight with Mephiston Red

3: Khorne Red -> Carroburg Crimson wash only in the recesses -> mask tide lines with Khorne Red -> cover 50% of the Khorne Red with Mephiston Red -> heavy edge highlight with Evil Sunz Scarlet

4: Khorne Red -> Carroburg Crimson wash only in the recesses -> mask tide lines with Khorne Red -> cover 50% of the Khorne Red with Mephiston Red -> heavy edge highlight with Evil Sunz Scarlet -> Spot/light edge highlight with Wild Rider Red

5 (lightest): Mephiston Red -> Carroburg Crimson wash only in the recesses -> mask tide lines with Mephiston Red -> cover 50% of the Mephiston Red with Evil Sunz Scarlet -> heavy edge highlight with Wld Rider Red -> Spot/light edge highlight with Troll Slayer Orange

-You can also add a final step with a glaze of Bloodletter to any of these, it will enhance the red some and tie all your layers together.

 

You can also try varying it up some. For my personal projects, I tend to use Red method 4 with a Bloodletter glaze.

 

Hopefully that's what you were looking for!

[Merellin]

Thanks for all the replies ^_^ And thanks for the info on the paints! What one of the two fliers are the best? Also, Are Dark Angels Assault Marines any good?

[Dirrain]

Our Assault marines are quite meh. Rather expensive, unable to take melta/plasma guns, and most importantly compete with the rest of our better fast attack options. For one point more then a bare 10 man assault squad you can take 6 RW bikes with 1 meltagun. 

 

Unless you're building a fluffy list or have a specific task for the assault marines, I'd leave them at home.

[Merellin]

Oh, Also, What about the Darkshroud (Or what ever it is called) and the Whirlwind and Predator? (And offcourse the flyers, I like the looks of them and want atleast 1 in my army, so I want to know what one is the best, Even if both arent too good)

[Dirrain]

The Whirlwind is dirt cheap. Take em if you have problems with hordes. Our predators are about the same as codex: SM ones. They're not bad, take if you need AV13/14 anti tank/Heavy Bolters but generally there are better things to use. 

 

The Darkshroud is almost a must have if you're going ravenwing bikers.Otherwise, outside of pure RW lists they aren't that useful.

 

As for the flyers, ironically our 'jetfighter' is pretty bad at anti air. It's better at strafing hordes with the avenger mega bolter. Blacksword missiles are almost worthless. The Dark Talon can have some nasty combos with DWKs/CC units (-4WS and I or -1T) and is a good utility unit if a bit expensive. The best depends on what you're using it for. If your entire army is shooty the Dark Talon's bombs won't do all that much and the bomb's underused, better off taking the Nephilim. Otherwise if you have a specific plan for the DT (bomb something and - WS and I so the DWKs can assault in and crush them).

 

I'm not that familiar with the flyers, only fielded the DT before. Perhaps someone else would be able to give better advice regarding them.