Getting started on a Blood Angel Legion

[Bukimimaru]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a bit of help.

 

I've got my hands on a the new HH box set and I want to use the whole box to make up a legit Herecy Era Blood Angels Army.

 

Up until now all of my armies (Nurgle-themed Chaos and Blood Angels successors) have had a very loose paint scheme and as long as they were all the right colour I was happy.

 

This army is unlikley to get any time on the table top and is mostly for display, so for a change I want to make it all look legit, squad markings, shoulder-pads, knee markings etc.

 

My history is 100% 40k and I dont have much knowlege about how the 30K legions work.

 

Is there anyone able to point me in the right direction or offer some friendly words of advice on how to go about getting my legion off the ground?

 

A few specific questions to strart with:

 

• If I order the BA shoulder pads from forge world, which side would the BA shouldpads go on, left / right / both?
   
• How do the squad markings work for 30K? I know in 40K its usually the left Knee colour that dentoes the squad, is it the same for Herecy era BA?
   
• I beleive the Tactical squads are usually bigger than 10, (up to 30 if I remember correctly) so how can I best make use of the HH box?

Thanks in advance for any help you may have.

 

[Trydragon]

First off I suggest you get the Legiones Astartes Crusader Army List Red Book, it got the FoC's and Unit rules in and is quite cheap for a FW book.

 

I put my Legion Shoulders on the left, I think that's the correct side.

 

I think there no real standed for markings in 30K

 

Tact Squads Start at 10 and go up to 20 if you got the Box I run 2 units of 15 but that's my Preferred unit size.

[Slips]

Either/both shoulders for legion heraldry is ok. There is precedence for both in artwork.

 

Otherwise Trydragon has it.

[Bukimimaru]

Oh.

 

This is sounding easier than I first expected.

So by the sound of it the legion markings / hereldry is a loot looser than in 40k.

[Noserenda]

Nothing on Blood Angels specifically so far but given their current heraldry isnt Codex exactly id expect it to be similar pre heresy.

[Son of Carnelian]

My personal interpretation is that the different colored helmets for the different types of squads in the Blood Angels is that they emerged after the Heresy as part of the Blood Angels' reorganization under the codex, so I won't be doing them for my boys. But if you want to show your guys with the knee markings and varying helmet colors, more power to you!

[Bukimimaru]

That was going to be another question, do I still go down the helmet colour = unit type route?

 

I'm assuming the yellow helmets for Assault Marines, gold helmets for vets etc was done post herecy?

[Brother Heinrich]

Can if you want, but nothing we've seen so far indicates they used the stupid skittle helmet colors before/during the heresy.

[Bukimimaru]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys, I apreciate the help but I'm feeling a little disheartened.

I had naievly assumed that there were more... I don't know... solid rules for the way Heresey armies were supposed to look..

 

There doesnt seem to be a "correct" way to lay out the paintsceme / hereldry etc. :/

[Slips]

Wait for Book 6 when we actually get Artwork for them (most likely). It'll give you a stronger basis to work off of.

[Dantay VI]

The legions were massive and also they were in a lot cases spread out all over.

There would be tons of different campaign and honour marks, and you also have to consider how rigid the Primarch was at following the markings used by the original legions.

Primarchs also brought in their influences too.. Sometimes even senior legion members too.

While the Legion colour and symbol was fixed... If helmet colours and the like are an issue, go bareheaded for them all

A few Chapters which came from the foundings used the personal heraldry of the Captain who became Chapter Master for example, so it is possible 40K chapter symbolscould have come about in a similar way for the older chapters?

If you are really dis-heartened then maybe start a secondary force of say Fists, until book 6 lands and gives you some more detail on the Angels of Death (February, think the book is called retaliation or something). Then use that as a jump off point for your Blood Angels.

Also gives you a cool siege of Terra army vibe.

[Bukimimaru]

Thanks guys, apreciate it.

When are we expecting the next book to drop?

[Slips]

We should have a concrete date at the Weekender in February. Either its released there or soon after. Last we heard it was at the Printers.

[Doctor Perils]

I seem to remember Signus Prime refering to the Blood Angels as the 500 companies (not to be confused with the 500 worlds of Ultramar), and I get the impression they are one of those legions that are pretty spread out, though generally not under company strength (as you sometimes see the Iron Warriors, Imperial Fists and Space Wolves). All of this leads to possibly even more variation between the companies then for most legions.

I'll be following this, as my girlfriend might be starting a few Blood Angels, and this could provide inspiration

[DuskRaider]

I put my Legion on the left-hand side, as this seems to be S.O.P. in the Imperium. You can tell by looking at Legions like Emperor's Children or Alpha Legion, the iconography is supposed to face toward the enemy. As far as Tactical / Squad marking, I personally don't really use them but most people I see place them on the right pauldron. Another spot is usually one of the knee guards, if you have a marking small enough. In the days of the Great Crusade, there would have also been some wearing personal heraldry, whether it be battle honors or clan heraldry (as many Astartes were drawn from feral worlds with feudal systems). It honestly all comes down to personal taste.

[Bukimimaru]

 

 

Baby steps.

[Bukimimaru]

Added a few more base layers over lunch.