Well, I've finally gone off the deep end...

[Pbenner]

I took the first step last night;  I ordered in (5) DA Upgrade Sprues.

 

(25) robed bodies to form the core of what I hope will become the start of my first stab into Power Armor in the Dark Angels codex.  I plan on using these as (2) Tactical Squads and (1) Command Squad to carry the Banner of Devastation that PyroX sent down.  

 

Previously, I have been playing around with Power Armor in the C:SM direction (Fists) and have gotten a good grasp on how plays in general, but I am struggling with making my lists differentiate from what my Crimson Fists look like.  

 

Are Bikes and Terminators the really only unique pieces to differentiate our army from our Codex Adherent brethren?  I don't want that to be the case.  I realize that this is a newbie question, but I've not ever really dug into the non-terminator models in our book...  hehe

 

I am guessing that a 3rd Tactical Squad will be something I will look at.  

 

I am really leaning towards filling my heavy slots with (2) Vindicators and a Las/Las predator, as I've not really played a heavily armored company...

 

Maybe a couple of Mortis Dreadnoughts w/Dual TL Las Cannons?  

 

Best,

 

Paul

 

 

 

[Disciple of Caliban Sgt]

Well I can say this. A lot of it will be similar. My big changes were no TFC and No sternguard. However the bikes and Termi's do add a level that you really can't get without DA.

Sure you can go all bikes with WS but DA do a great mix. If you bring Azrael you've basically got Termi's Bikes and Tac squads all that can score. Plus if you spend the points on a RAS (ravenwing attack squad) you get a Landspeeder and Attack bike that also score (well the speeder only does in missions but you get the idea). 

 

I will say this. I collect DA, SW, and BA. The DA are the only army I have a complete Battle Company of. The SW are my Drop pod only force and the BA are my Jumpers. So I would absolutely fill whatever spots you don't have in your other armies. If you like DA and want some Power Armor to go with it then take whatever you don't have but always wanted to make. 2 Vindies and a Las for some Mech roll? No problem you can throw that Command Squad with the Banner in a Land Raider and have them step out with three or four Tac squads and watch what "just a bolter" does at 120 shots (or whatever it actually is.) There is a reason the guard like quantity so use it. I find I honestly do more wounds half the time with my bolter marines than I do with my Plasma guns. (Varies of course)

 

However to answer your question not a huge difference on the PA front. Company Vets are great for an all purpose unit. You can basically tool them out however you want so find what sounds cool and use that. Another thing I like is when I attach a Reclusiarch to my Assault Squad. He may only have a power maul but those 3 wounds and a nice kit for the squad and I've watched them beat more face than my friends thought possible.

 

One of the best things about sleeper assault squads. If you use cover and keep them "out of mind" for about two turns then pounce on something I've had my squad roll up an entire flank by themselves.

 

But overall people like to play the Bikes and the Termi's I've found. However the fact we can play all three and they actually can work together are pretty neat. Want some PA with Termi's? You can Drop Pod in and use some teleport homers then watch as your Termi unit actually can shoot something with Vengeful strike. Bikes auto have teleport homers which makes them perfect for your Melta delivery followed up by Termi's enforce. Still want to do drop pods but need some kind of quick reaction force? Not much better than Ravenwing.

 

People love talking synergy but that's what I love about DA. They actually have it in my mind. I can play any Space Marine force I want depending on the day and my mood. Heavy Termi. All mech. PA with friends. Bikes nothing but bikes so help me bob. Now my one caveat is that to make some of these combos work you need a high points game but it can work.

 

Not sure if this helps any but hope it does.

DoC

[MadMek83]

Off the deep end... Not really. You just graduated from kiddy pool to normal pool but that is just being waist line deep. However when you really go off the deep end, I'll be there to welcome you

But what comes heavy section, while Vindicator sounds nice, its still relatively slow and short range cannon. Considering how fluffy like TL-Las mortises are, or the Contemptor mortis with Missile launcher and 2xKheres assault cannons are they might serve bit better than Vindicator. Blood Angel vindicator is really fearsome as it is fast vehicle unlike any other variant of vindicators. For Dark Angels more longer ranged weapons like Predator Destructor and Mortis Dread's might serve better the heavy support unit. The missile devastators aren't that bad. While cost somewhat with 4 missile launchers if you take flakk's but still make swiss army knife ready to tackle anything except 2+ armor saves and av14.

you can use Drop pod with Teleport homer to hit behind enemy lines or his flank deliver some tacticals to haras and then do Deathwing assault using pods homing beacon. Or you can use that first turn and move bikes other way around and do deathwing assault on turn two. then you have two sections where you can reliably drop your terminators depending how enemy reacted your bikes or drop pods. Most people here expect terminators to come with ravenwing bikes, so drop pod with homing beacon might caught them surprise. Still two beacons on field different locations are better than one, because then it allows you to react what your enemy does and not simply concentrate all ap2 weaponry where he expects your terminators to come, which is simple if you do not have beacon in drop pod and bikes or no bikes but teleport beacon pod.

[Gillyfish]

I would say that there are bound to be some similarities (they are marines after all), but Grim Resolve makes for some potentially interesting options. Back in 3rd edition when you could upgrade a sergeant to make a squad fearless, I regularly found it useful to have an assault squad which would effectively tar-pit certain enemy units, knowing that I could rely on them not to run away. With the new reaction fire, that becomes trickier, but I suspect you'll find that the DA squads are harder to shift than you're used to and you can use that to your advantage to force your opponent to eliminate every last member of a squad before he can claim an objective or free himself of your units. 

 

If you keep in some of the DA 'flavour' units then you should have an interesting force and don't forget the different banners for some nasty tricks!