New releases for Dark Angels

[Elios Harg]

I'm still baffled that Azrael & Lion's Roar still kill the bearer on a 1. You think it would just be mortal wounds for such relics and special characters...

 

Other thing is the video reviews have shown the Mace of Redemption replacing Power Maul only, so can't replace Interrogator Chaplain Crozius Arcanum which is a shame.

 

Foe Smiter seems average, Rapid Fire 2 Storm Bolter S4 -1 D2. New Power Sword relic is nice though, same as a Relic Blade with + 1 extra attack.

 

And no Belial lost his claws & th/ss. Watch Striking Scorpions video review for visual proof. Expected along with the rest of GW's "remove things without official models" mentality.

 

Edit: Typo

Foe smiter will work decently for folks that like the Huntsman (Belial should have been given an equivalent to foe smiter to make this more worthwhile for him). Four shots able to do 8 damage isn't bad as a sniper weapon for 2 points. Though, I can't see taking it over the Heavenfall blade.

 

Int. Chaplains can take power mauls, so you can still give them a mace, if you like. However, I would prefer the Heavenfall blade since it grants an extra attack.

 

Lion's Roar is just bad. It is not significantly better than just running a plain combi-plasma.

 

The Shroud seems nice since it is -1 to all hit rolls, not just shooting. The unseen eye is situational. Put it on an IC and he gets a -2 Ld bubble. Run him with some Reivers and it becomes -3. Have a librarian with them and some crazy Ld shenanigans can ensue. Might not be that powerful, but could be fun.

 

They missed the chance to reintroduce the sacred standards (and I am a bit miffed that they gave the Standard of Fortitude to the Blood Angels). It would be awesome if they reintroduced Brother Bethor with the three standards as a special character option.

[Elios Harg]

 

 

 

 

Sammael's WL trait is any DA within 6" reroll the dice for advancing. That's good for Sammael himself but for all the guys he's gunna be with (bikes), it's completely useless.

Well, you can still reroll charge...

Oh it's charges too? Nevermind then

It also benefits speeders.

[ShadowCore67]

It also benefits speeders.

Speeders really shouldn't be advancing because all they have are heavy weapons. The only cases they should advance is to grab an objective or if you use the stratagem on them. And even then they already move 16"/20" and probably shouldn't be charging into combat.

[Trunkello]

 

I'm still baffled that Azrael & Lion's Roar still kill the bearer on a 1. You think it would just be mortal wounds for such relics and special characters...

 

Other thing is the video reviews have shown the Mace of Redemption replacing Power Maul only, so can't replace Interrogator Chaplain Crozius Arcanum which is a shame.

 

Foe Smiter seems average, Rapid Fire 2 Storm Bolter S4 -1 D2. New Power Sword relic is nice though, same as a Relic Blade with + 1 extra attack.

 

And no Belial lost his claws & th/ss. Watch Striking Scorpions video review for visual proof. Expected along with the rest of GW's "remove things without official models" mentality.

 

Edit: Typo

Foe smiter will work decently for folks that like the Huntsman (Belial should have been given an equivalent to foe smiter to make this more worthwhile for him). Four shots able to do 8 damage isn't bad as a sniper weapon for 2 points. Though, I can't see taking it over the Heavenfall blade.

 

Int. Chaplains can take power mauls, so you can still give them a mace, if you like. However, I would prefer the Heavenfall blade since it grants an extra attack.

 

Lion's Roar is just bad. It is not significantly better than just running a plain combi-plasma.

 

The Shroud seems nice since it is -1 to all hit rolls, not just shooting. The unseen eye is situational. Put it on an IC and he gets a -2 Ld bubble. Run him with some Reivers and it becomes -3. Have a librarian with them and some crazy Ld shenanigans can ensue. Might not be that powerful, but could be fun.

 

They missed the chance to reintroduce the sacred standards (and I am a bit miffed that they gave the Standard of Fortitude to the Blood Angels). It would be awesome if they reintroduced Brother Bethor with the three standards as a special character option.

What about the sacred standard rule on the company ancient datasheet?

[Wrath of Bruinen]

 

It also benefits speeders.

Speeders really shouldn't be advancing because all they have are heavy weapons. The only cases they should advance is to grab an objective or if you use the stratagem on them. And even then they already move 16"/20" and probably shouldn't be charging into combat.

 

 

I think the biggest beneficiary is the dark shroud - they only move 12" and IMHO should almost always advance for the jink save, so the re-roll helps them keep up with your black knights and fliers a bit better

[Helycon]

I think you should now ALWAYS advance the Darkshroud. Just take the HB in stead of the AC to keep it cheap. The main benefit will be the -1 to hit anyway; you have things that are better at shooting.

[Lion El Jason]

 

I feel if you are relying heavily on that storm shield, you're probably in a bad spot. 

 

 

 TH&SS is niche useful but sometimes is worth a look.

 

You guys apparently never used Deathwing Knights.  They seem to do pretty well without a Storm Bolter.  Also, you may have missed mention of just how unkillable he was last time I used him with TH/SS.

 

It's nice that he's always had alternate loadouts but I'm still not buying their rationale for not publishing rules that they don't have models for - that never stopped them with Blood Bowl, for instance.

 

 

He'll be actually MORE survivable now with the sword.  TBH, I'd take the sword over TH&SS even without a storm bolter.  Its just really reliable, 2+ to hit with re-rolls, 2+ to wound, you always get 3-4 wounds.  

[Loar]

 

He'll be actually MORE survivable now with the sword.  TBH, I'd take the sword over TH&SS even without a storm bolter.  Its just really reliable, 2+ to hit with re-rolls, 2+ to wound, you always get 3-4 wounds.  

 

 

 It really depends on the situation, there are scenarios where the sword might give him an edge in melee (only), but others where the SS is vitally more impactful (both shooting and melee).  The problem with the sword is that its fine and dandy as long as you fight infantry with 2 wounds or less, but once you hit elite units with 3 wounds a pop or vehicles he becomes relegated to slapping status.  I've played both variants extensively and find TH&SS to edge out sword and bolter in most scenarios and lists.  YMMV.

[Lion El Jason]

As mentioned above, vs shooting if you are relying on the SS you have gone horribly wrong somewhere.  With the targeting rules shooting should be a non issue, with the sword being more survivable and causing more damage in melee on average its no wonder almost all the Belials I've seen are sword & SB.

You do waste wounds vs 3 wound models, one of the few niches where a TH& SS is better.  Another is using LatW but I've never seen that yet.

 

As you say, YMMV.