Blood Angels Codex brief review

[CrimsonExarch]

Did anyone catch how many points a Sanguinary Ancient was base?

[Karhedron]

I ended up looking at Goatboy's article on BoLS (yeah, I know) and he suggested the following list:

 

Blood Angels Battalion – 3CP

HQ: Sanguinor – Warlord (Using his trait to let the Death Company not have to pass Morale.  This can be good as it just means they have to kill the buggers)

HQ: Librarian with Jump Pack – Force Sword – (The Force Sword on a Blood Angel Librarian is going to be pretty gnarly – +1 too wound is just brutal on a -3 AP weapon)

HQ: Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Sword, Vitaes Artifact (Reroll 1’s to wound seems pretty good when you wound some things on a 2+-5+)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword (Strangely enough the Sarge for BA Primarius can’t take Power swords…)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Heavy: Hellblasters X 5, Plasma Incinerator, Chain Sword

Vanguard Detachment – 1CP

HQ: Lemartes (This guy lets you reroll charges, reroll hits, and gives the DC his Leadership.  Plus he hits pretty dang hard)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword/Hand Flamer (These are the unit that moves first.  The ability to throw out 15d3 auto hits with hand flamers is just nutty and a good way to clear out some bubble wrap to allow your other units areas to jump over and get mixed in with the enemy.  You could dump in some power weapons but this is the sacrificial unit designed to get close, get in the way and be a pain in the butt.)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Toki unit)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Skwisgaar unit)

Interesting albeit a bit spammy. I wouldn't take Hellblasters without a Captain though, even if that meant ditching some of the Lieutenant's equipment in order to upgrade him to a foot Captain. Hellblasters without the ability to reroll 1s are almost a much a danger to themselves as they are to any heavy units your enemy may have.

 

This list suffers from a lack of fire support. Power fists and Hellblasters (sans reroll) are not enough to crack tough targets. Assault units in transports or flyers would give this list a very hard day.

[Charlo]

I ended up looking at Goatboy's article on BoLS (yeah, I know) and he suggested the following list:

 

Blood Angels Battalion – 3CP

HQ: Sanguinor – Warlord (Using his trait to let the Death Company not have to pass Morale.  This can be good as it just means they have to kill the buggers)

HQ: Librarian with Jump Pack – Force Sword – (The Force Sword on a Blood Angel Librarian is going to be pretty gnarly – +1 too wound is just brutal on a -3 AP weapon)

HQ: Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Sword, Vitaes Artifact (Reroll 1’s to wound seems pretty good when you wound some things on a 2+-5+)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword (Strangely enough the Sarge for BA Primarius can’t take Power swords…)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Heavy: Hellblasters X 5, Plasma Incinerator, Chain Sword

Vanguard Detachment – 1CP

HQ: Lemartes (This guy lets you reroll charges, reroll hits, and gives the DC his Leadership.  Plus he hits pretty dang hard)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword/Hand Flamer (These are the unit that moves first.  The ability to throw out 15d3 auto hits with hand flamers is just nutty and a good way to clear out some bubble wrap to allow your other units areas to jump over and get mixed in with the enemy.  You could dump in some power weapons but this is the sacrificial unit designed to get close, get in the way and be a pain in the butt.)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Toki unit)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Skwisgaar unit)

 

The take home bit is the hand flamer being used for chaff clearance. It's not supposed to be used on deep striking stuff, it's all about those bubblewrap popping units like Scout Sergeants (assuming they can take them) and zerging jump DC.

 

Exactly. I think they'll be hella fun with it!

[JamesI]

Did anyone catch how many points a Sanguinary Ancient was base?

If I am recalling correctly, 84.  

 

So with the cheapest possible wargear (sword or fist and angelus bolter) 99

[JamesI]

Got in my 2nd game last night, this time a small game against Ultramarines.

 

The ability of DC or Vanguard to assault marines, even just with a massive number of chainsword attacks and rip through them with 2+ to wound if a Priest is nearby is just insane.

[Jolemai]

Got in my 2nd game last night, this time a small game against Ultramarines.

 

The ability of DC or Vanguard to assault marines, even just with a massive number of chainsword attacks and rip through them with 2+ to wound if a Priest is nearby is just insane.

 

Music, sweet music.

[Charlo]

 

Got in my 2nd game last night, this time a small game against Ultramarines.

 

The ability of DC or Vanguard to assault marines, even just with a massive number of chainsword attacks and rip through them with 2+ to wound if a Priest is nearby is just insane.

 

Music, sweet music.

 

It sounds like this:

 

[TheHarrower]

Can a Lieutenant take a thunder hammer and storm shield?

 

No storm shield.

[Pendent]

 

Can a Lieutenant take a thunder hammer and storm shield?

 

No storm shield.

 

Noooo =(

 

Can anyone think of a jump pack character aside from a captain that can take TH/SS? I'm drawing a blank.

[TheHarrower]

 

Librarian Dreadnought

Furioso Dreadnaught

Death Company Dreadnought

 

They're all 9.

[ChapelXIII]

So Lieutenants can take reportedly take jump packs? I missed that

[Xerxus]

I ended up looking at Goatboy's article on BoLS (yeah, I know) and he suggested the following list:

 

Blood Angels Battalion – 3CP

HQ: Sanguinor – Warlord (Using his trait to let the Death Company not have to pass Morale.  This can be good as it just means they have to kill the buggers)

HQ: Librarian with Jump Pack – Force Sword – (The Force Sword on a Blood Angel Librarian is going to be pretty gnarly – +1 too wound is just brutal on a -3 AP weapon)

HQ: Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Sword, Vitaes Artifact (Reroll 1’s to wound seems pretty good when you wound some things on a 2+-5+)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword (Strangely enough the Sarge for BA Primarius can’t take Power swords…)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Heavy: Hellblasters X 5, Plasma Incinerator, Chain Sword

Vanguard Detachment – 1CP

HQ: Lemartes (This guy lets you reroll charges, reroll hits, and gives the DC his Leadership.  Plus he hits pretty dang hard)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword/Hand Flamer (These are the unit that moves first.  The ability to throw out 15d3 auto hits with hand flamers is just nutty and a good way to clear out some bubble wrap to allow your other units areas to jump over and get mixed in with the enemy.  You could dump in some power weapons but this is the sacrificial unit designed to get close, get in the way and be a pain in the butt.)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Toki unit)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Skwisgaar unit)

 

The take home bit is the hand flamer being used for chaff clearance. It's not supposed to be used on deep striking stuff, it's all about those bubblewrap popping units like Scout Sergeants (assuming they can take them) and zerging jump DC.

 

11 drops is not low enough, most competitive armies are 10 or lower in my experience. Forlorn Fury isn't good enough if you get the second turn more often than not. 

[Aothaine]

 

I ended up looking at Goatboy's article on BoLS (yeah, I know) and he suggested the following list:

 

Blood Angels Battalion – 3CP

HQ: Sanguinor – Warlord (Using his trait to let the Death Company not have to pass Morale.  This can be good as it just means they have to kill the buggers)

HQ: Librarian with Jump Pack – Force Sword – (The Force Sword on a Blood Angel Librarian is going to be pretty gnarly – +1 too wound is just brutal on a -3 AP weapon)

HQ: Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Sword, Vitaes Artifact (Reroll 1’s to wound seems pretty good when you wound some things on a 2+-5+)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword (Strangely enough the Sarge for BA Primarius can’t take Power swords…)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Heavy: Hellblasters X 5, Plasma Incinerator, Chain Sword

Vanguard Detachment – 1CP

HQ: Lemartes (This guy lets you reroll charges, reroll hits, and gives the DC his Leadership.  Plus he hits pretty dang hard)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword/Hand Flamer (These are the unit that moves first.  The ability to throw out 15d3 auto hits with hand flamers is just nutty and a good way to clear out some bubble wrap to allow your other units areas to jump over and get mixed in with the enemy.  You could dump in some power weapons but this is the sacrificial unit designed to get close, get in the way and be a pain in the butt.)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Toki unit)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Skwisgaar unit)

Interesting albeit a bit spammy. I wouldn't take Hellblasters without a Captain though, even if that meant ditching some of the Lieutenant's equipment in order to upgrade him to a foot Captain. Hellblasters without the ability to reroll 1s are almost a much a danger to themselves as they are to any heavy units your enemy may have.

 

This list suffers from a lack of fire support. Power fists and Hellblasters (sans reroll) are not enough to crack tough targets. Assault units in transports or flyers would give this list a very hard day.

 

 

 

Interesting list. I had not thought about using hand flamers in that fashion.

[NTaW]

 

I ended up looking at Goatboy's article on BoLS (yeah, I know) and he suggested the following list:

 

Blood Angels Battalion – 3CP

HQ: Sanguinor – Warlord (Using his trait to let the Death Company not have to pass Morale.  This can be good as it just means they have to kill the buggers)

HQ: Librarian with Jump Pack – Force Sword – (The Force Sword on a Blood Angel Librarian is going to be pretty gnarly – +1 too wound is just brutal on a -3 AP weapon)

HQ: Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Sword, Vitaes Artifact (Reroll 1’s to wound seems pretty good when you wound some things on a 2+-5+)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword (Strangely enough the Sarge for BA Primarius can’t take Power swords…)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Heavy: Hellblasters X 5, Plasma Incinerator, Chain Sword

Vanguard Detachment – 1CP

HQ: Lemartes (This guy lets you reroll charges, reroll hits, and gives the DC his Leadership.  Plus he hits pretty dang hard)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword/Hand Flamer (These are the unit that moves first.  The ability to throw out 15d3 auto hits with hand flamers is just nutty and a good way to clear out some bubble wrap to allow your other units areas to jump over and get mixed in with the enemy.  You could dump in some power weapons but this is the sacrificial unit designed to get close, get in the way and be a pain in the butt.)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Toki unit)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Skwisgaar unit)

 

The take home bit is the hand flamer being used for chaff clearance. It's not supposed to be used on deep striking stuff, it's all about those bubblewrap popping units like Scout Sergeants (assuming they can take them) and zerging jump DC.

 

11 drops is not low enough, most competitive armies are 10 or lower in my experience. Forlorn Fury isn't good enough if you get the second turn more often than not. 

 

 

Isn't finishing deployment first only +1 to your first turn roll post Chapter Approved? I thought it was changed to having fewer units giving you the edge but is no longer a guarantee (barring Sieze the Initiative rolls anyway) of first turn.

[Karhedron]

 

11 drops is not low enough, most competitive armies are 10 or lower in my experience. Forlorn Fury isn't good enough if you get the second turn more often than not.

Isn't finishing deployment first only +1 to your first turn roll post Chapter Approved? I thought it was changed to having fewer units giving you the edge but is no longer a guarantee (barring Sieze the Initiative rolls anyway) of first turn.

 

IIRC this is correct. I think that a +1 equates to a 64% chance of getting the first turn but I am not quite sure if my maths is right.

[swordofmandulis]

Anyone think the forgeworld chaplain dreadnought is worth a shout, doubt it's competitive at a high level but could be fun, seems like you can use Death Visions on it for an additional 6+ ignore +1 attack on the charge and benefit from Lemartes charge rerolls. With the 1 CP for +D3 attacks you could be up to 8 attacks wounding anything on 2's and can't be shot at as it's a character with less than 10 wounds. Probably be a suitable warlord trait to make it even scarier.

[Xerxus]

 

 

I ended up looking at Goatboy's article on BoLS (yeah, I know) and he suggested the following list:

 

Blood Angels Battalion – 3CP

HQ: Sanguinor – Warlord (Using his trait to let the Death Company not have to pass Morale.  This can be good as it just means they have to kill the buggers)

HQ: Librarian with Jump Pack – Force Sword – (The Force Sword on a Blood Angel Librarian is going to be pretty gnarly – +1 too wound is just brutal on a -3 AP weapon)

HQ: Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Sword, Vitaes Artifact (Reroll 1’s to wound seems pretty good when you wound some things on a 2+-5+)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword (Strangely enough the Sarge for BA Primarius can’t take Power swords…)

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Troops: Intercessors X 5, Chain Sword

Heavy: Hellblasters X 5, Plasma Incinerator, Chain Sword

Vanguard Detachment – 1CP

HQ: Lemartes (This guy lets you reroll charges, reroll hits, and gives the DC his Leadership.  Plus he hits pretty dang hard)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword/Hand Flamer (These are the unit that moves first.  The ability to throw out 15d3 auto hits with hand flamers is just nutty and a good way to clear out some bubble wrap to allow your other units areas to jump over and get mixed in with the enemy.  You could dump in some power weapons but this is the sacrificial unit designed to get close, get in the way and be a pain in the butt.)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Toki unit)

Elite: Death Company w/Jump Packs X 15, Chainsword X 12, Power Weapon X 7, Bolt Pistol X 8, Powerfist X 3 (The Skwisgaar unit)

 

The take home bit is the hand flamer being used for chaff clearance. It's not supposed to be used on deep striking stuff, it's all about those bubblewrap popping units like Scout Sergeants (assuming they can take them) and zerging jump DC.

 

11 drops is not low enough, most competitive armies are 10 or lower in my experience. Forlorn Fury isn't good enough if you get the second turn more often than not. 

 

 

Isn't finishing deployment first only +1 to your first turn roll post Chapter Approved? I thought it was changed to having fewer units giving you the edge but is no longer a guarantee (barring Sieze the Initiative rolls anyway) of first turn.

 

 

That is correct, the advantage of deploying first is still too impactful to be ignored. You can't rely on on an alpha-strike strategy if you only get to go first in 40% of your games.

 

Edit: Note that there are plenty of lists that don't rely on alpha-strike which go way above this amount of drops. The problem is when you match up against another alpha-strike army which has fewer drops than you. 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Xerxus

[Aothaine]

Anyone think the forgeworld chaplain dreadnought is worth a shout, doubt it's competitive at a high level but could be fun, seems like you can use Death Visions on it for an additional 6+ ignore +1 attack on the charge and benefit from Lemartes charge rerolls. With the 1 CP for +D3 attacks you could be up to 8 attacks wounding anything on 2's and can't be shot at as it's a character with less than 10 wounds. Probably be a suitable warlord trait to make it even scarier.

 

The problems with Dreadnoughts is their number of attacks. So giving it +1 is nice, but the issue still remains that it can get swamped with chaff and effectively taken out of the game. 

 

The Librarian Dread makes up for this a little bit with the power he can cast on itself. 

 

But if you wanted to rock that dreadnought with Blood Angels I would wait for the codex to release so we can have all the details and figure out how best to build it.

[Irbis]

Any good way to utilize a bunch of hand flamers?  I have 10 Ashen Circle hand flamers left over from a conversion project that I've been itching to use for the Sons of Sanguinius.

 

Honestly they are probably best used as cool flamer count-as (or combi-flamer, with the other hand with bolter). Though, sadly, regular flamers are bad too so at the moment there isn't a good way to utilize them, really...

[Aothaine]

 

Any good way to utilize a bunch of hand flamers?  I have 10 Ashen Circle hand flamers left over from a conversion project that I've been itching to use for the Sons of Sanguinius.

 

Honestly they are probably best used as cool flamer count-as (or combi-flamer, with the other hand with bolter). Though, sadly, regular flamers are bad too so at the moment there isn't a good way to utilize them, really...

 

 

You think so? With blood angels the +1 to wound makes even hand flamers wound marines on a 4+, and they wound on 3+ against T3. I liked that idea wher eyou put 15 on a squad of DC and give them chainswords and focus the squad on anti-chaff.

[Xerxus]

 

 

Any good way to utilize a bunch of hand flamers?  I have 10 Ashen Circle hand flamers left over from a conversion project that I've been itching to use for the Sons of Sanguinius.

 

Honestly they are probably best used as cool flamer count-as (or combi-flamer, with the other hand with bolter). Though, sadly, regular flamers are bad too so at the moment there isn't a good way to utilize them, really...

 

 

You think so? With blood angels the +1 to wound makes even hand flamers wound marines on a 4+, and they wound on 3+ against T3. I liked that idea wher eyou put 15 on a squad of DC and give them chainswords and focus the squad on anti-chaff.

 

 

+1 to wound rolls only applies in the fight phase, pistols are fired in the shooting phase.

Edited December 5, 2017 by Xerxus

[Irbis]

Quick DC question.

 

Has the Codex fixed their Thunder Hammer issue? It's highly annoying you have to replace the Chainsword AND gun option for a Thunderhammer when literally every other Thunderhammer user can have both (like a captain)?

 

Feel like the 12 points for a fist and the 2 shots from a Bolter is better in nearly every way (although 3 dmg straight up is nice and all).

 

Isn't that just another symptom of 'modelosis'? DC have, admittedly cool looking, two-handed hammer, thus it needs two hands. Captains and VV have shorter one handed ones, thus, they get wysiwygus-pattern one handed one

 

Deathwatch has same issue, BTW, their special TH is two-handed so you lose all weapons. I really despised that brand of stupid when Phil Kelly and Cruddace introduced it in 7th edition, and now it spread to other SM books

[NTaW]

 

That is correct, the advantage of deploying first is still too impactful to be ignored. You can't rely on on an alpha-strike strategy if you only get to go first in 40% of your games.

 

Edit: Note that there are plenty of lists that don't rely on alpha-strike which go way above this amount of drops. The problem is when you match up against another alpha-strike army which has fewer drops than you. 

 

 

 

Not debating that going first is what alpha strike lists are about given the name of the tactic, just looking for further clarification. Regardless of units deployed a ~40% chance of going first is a lot better than the ~15% of Siezing the Initiative on a 6. Don't you also still get a chance to Seize after the turn roll off? Obviously having less units is the better tactic but it seems to me that it's not quite as black and white as it was a week ago.

[Xerxus]

 

Quick DC question.

 

Has the Codex fixed their Thunder Hammer issue? It's highly annoying you have to replace the Chainsword AND gun option for a Thunderhammer when literally every other Thunderhammer user can have both (like a captain)?

 

Feel like the 12 points for a fist and the 2 shots from a Bolter is better in nearly every way (although 3 dmg straight up is nice and all).

 

Isn't that just another symptom of 'modelosis'? DC have, admittedly cool looking, two-handed hammer, thus it needs two hands. Captains and VV have shorter one handed ones, thus, they get wysiwygus-pattern one handed one

 

Deathwatch has same issue, BTW, their special TH is two-handed so you lose all weapons. I really despised that brand of stupid when Phil Kelly and Cruddace introduced it in 7th edition, and now it spread to other SM books

 

 

At least their heavy thunderhammer has special rules that reflects the need to wield it with two hands.

[Subsided]

 

Quick DC question.

 

Has the Codex fixed their Thunder Hammer issue? It's highly annoying you have to replace the Chainsword AND gun option for a Thunderhammer when literally every other Thunderhammer user can have both (like a captain)?

 

Feel like the 12 points for a fist and the 2 shots from a Bolter is better in nearly every way (although 3 dmg straight up is nice and all).

 

Isn't that just another symptom of 'modelosis'? DC have, admittedly cool looking, two-handed hammer, thus it needs two hands. Captains and VV have shorter one handed ones, thus, they get wysiwygus-pattern one handed one

 

Deathwatch has same issue, BTW, their special TH is two-handed so you lose all weapons. I really despised that brand of stupid when Phil Kelly and Cruddace introduced it in 7th edition, and now it spread to other SM books

 

Agreed but the 1 handed versions should have the -1 since they are just swinging wildly while holding a gun. Where our 2 handed version shouldn't have the -1. Both for giving up a gun and actively using one weapon on the battlefield. 

 

I know that has NOTHING to do with the 40k universe. But it would have been sweet if GW thought that way. :P