Blood Angels Codex brief review

[Crimson Ghost IX]

 

Hey James I,

 

Thought of a couple questions after the Descending Angels excitement died down some. =)

 

Are company vets with jump packs still in? Datasheet changed from the index at all ??

 

Do we have all the same Ancients as previous ?

company vets no longer get jump packs, use index for that

 

4 ancients, company, primaris, terminator and sanguinary

 

 

Thanks again =)

[Spagunk]

 

 

Hey James I,

 

Thought of a couple questions after the Descending Angels excitement died down some. =)

 

Are company vets with jump packs still in? Datasheet changed from the index at all ??

 

Do we have all the same Ancients as previous ?

company vets no longer get jump packs, use index for that

 

4 ancients, company, primaris, terminator and sanguinary

Seriously? We INVENTED honor guard/company vets! Ugh, I know we can still have them but seriously, WTH.

[Blindhamster]

The approach of not putting options on the models is definitely odd. But hey ho, it's been the same for almost every codex

[JamesI]

Are there any dreadnought related strategems and are there any defensive strategems (saves against mortal wounds or similar)

 

Thank you so much for answering questions!

Wisdom of the Ancients, 1 CP.Select a dreadnought, all Blood Angels within 6 inches reroll to hits for the phase (can be used in any phase).

 

Armor of Contempt.  1CP for a vehicle to ignore a mortal wound on a 5+ for a phase.  

So what about the engines???? Fast rhinos? Extends to predators? What? I just woke up because that question surfaced in my subconscious. Lol

Other than the Baal getting 2d6 take the highest for Advance, all we have for faster tanks is Stratagem Lucifer Patter Engines.  Don't roll to advance, just advance 6 inches instead (6+d6 for a Baal)

[Morticon]

You sneaky bugger!! :P :P 

Thanks so much for all the info, matey.  Really appreciated!! Will throw in some questions if i have any more! 

[JamesI]

You sneaky bugger!!  

 

Thanks so much for all the info, matey.  Really appreciated!! Will throw in some questions if i have any more! 

I've never gotten a preview codex before.  It was tough not sharing.

[Morticon]

I can only imagine!! 

[Damon Nightman]

Not to be a downer but is there a point to advancing with a Baal pred besides running away or trying to cap an objective? Heavy flamers are still assault weapons right? So I guess you could rush up into position and still fire those?

[BluejayJunior]

Not to be a downer but is there a point to advancing with a Baal pred besides running away or trying to cap an objective? Heavy flamers are still assault weapons right? So I guess you could rush up into position and still fire those?

Flamestorm cannons and heavy flamers are both heavy, so it can't even advance and fire. 

I'm with you, I don't see too many instances where I would want to advance my Baal Pred.

[durdle-durdle]

Not to be a downer but is there a point to advancing with a Baal pred besides running away or trying to cap an objective? Heavy flamers are still assault weapons right? So I guess you could rush up into position and still fire those?

Yes, that’s basically it. As a person who values assault cannons over flamers, I don’t think i’ll Ever advance a Baal predator. The only reason I see a Baal pred now is if I’m taking three for killshot, but that seems overkill.

[Morticon]

The Baal is the biggest lost opportunity in the codex for me. 

 

This followed by the strong, but replaceable, DC - the strat is the only reason to take them over the Vanguard. 

And then finally Dante. :(  He's not poor, he's just A: oddly costed compared to other Masters and B: not at all reflective of his history or status.   

I just don't get why, when such care and detail was paid to the other facets of the design, these three iconic things were delat with using kiddy gloves.


That being said, I firmly stand by this being one of the best dex releases of BA in the last decade.  This codex was going to make or break the degree to which I played BA this edition - thankfully it salvaged it. I now have a way of playing my army uniquely that is strong for being BA, rather than just a watered down version of SM with some toys.  In that regard, GW deserves solid credit. 

[Sawtooth]

Well, Morticon, hopefully these things can be worked out with updates and FAQs to some extent. I do still plan on running a 15 man blob of DC with jump packs, though, so I'm glad they got that strat :P

[Jorre]

So my first impressions after a little thought..

 

Sanguinary ancient is a must take! Especially with the fnp banner.

He is basically a lieutenant on steroids.

Reroll 1s to wound within 6

Immune to moral within 6

5+++ within 6

2+ armour

Jump pack

Synergises with our warlord, getting rerolls to hit with 6 of warlord.

 

There are alot of buff characters for us to choose from... probably to many, but this guy really gives to many buffs to ignore

[JamesI]

So my first impressions after a little thought..

 

Sanguinary ancient is a must take! Especially with the fnp banner.

He is basically a lieutenant on steroids.

Reroll 1s to wound within 6

Immune to moral within 6

5+++ within 6

2+ armour

Jump pack

Synergises with our warlord, getting rerolls to hit with 6 of warlord.

 

There are alot of buff characters for us to choose from... probably to many, but this guy really gives to many buffs to ignore

Completely agree, but Sanguinary ancient no longer makes immune to moral. Instead +1 leadership.

 

Of course, you can make the Sanguinary ancient your warlord and then give him the immune to morale warlord trait.

[Jorre]

So what warlord traits do the main characters have to take?

 

Dante

 

Mephiston

 

Corbulo

 

Lemartes

 

Astorath (gets a deny the witch)

 

Tycho

 

Thanks again James your keeping me sane!

[Emissary]

So my first impressions after a little thought..

 

Sanguinary ancient is a must take! Especially with the fnp banner.

He is basically a lieutenant on steroids.

Reroll 1s to wound within 6

Immune to moral within 6

5+++ within 6

2+ armour

Jump pack

Synergises with our warlord, getting rerolls to hit with 6 of warlord.

 

There are alot of buff characters for us to choose from... probably to many, but this guy really gives to many buffs to ignore

 

If you took the relic standard, wouldn't it overwrite the current standard buffs the same way a relic weapon overwrites the current weapon?  IE, if you take the fnp relic standard on your sanguinary guard ancient, it would lose the standard abilities it already has?  Namely, it would then lose the reroll 1s to wound in melee and the +1 LD bubble.

 

I'd be very surprised if it stacked.

 

 

So what warlord traits do the main characters have to take?

 

Dante

 

Mephiston

 

Corbulo

 

Lemartes

 

Astorath (gets a deny the witch)

 

Tycho

 

Thanks again James your keeping me sane!

 

I think all but Astorath get to pick which one of the 6 warlord traits they want if they're the warlord.

[JamesI]

The Relic Banner specifically says it adds rules, it does not replace the original banner.

 

Warlord traits;

 

Dante and Sanguinor- Heroic Bearing (6 inch immune to morale bubble)

Astorath and Lemartes - Soulwarden (Deny the Witch once)

Corbulo -Gift of Foresight (6+FNP)

Mephiston- Speed of the Primarch (Fight first even if charged)

Seth and Tycho - Selfless Valour (Heroic Intervene 6 inches rather than 3)

[Jorre]

The banner was previewed by gw and says to add the extra abilities. So you get all the basic abilities + the extra relic ones

[Emissary]

Wow, okay I'm glad to hear I was wrong on both counts.

 

Also, that standard is really good with hellblasters on a primaris ancient.  Either I'm saving the hit or you're taking 2 suped up plasma hits to the face!  I like that a lot.  You get something either way.

Edited December 2, 2017 by Emissary

[Brother Crimson]

no Gift of foresight to lemartes , me sad

[Sawtooth]

Is Shield of Sanguinius now only a 5+ invulnerable save? I just read that on another forum.

[Jorre]

Ok so my initial thoughts are leading towards.

 

Hq

1. Priest jump pack

2. Librarian relic jumppack (warlord)

3. Cheap captain.

 

Elites

Sang guard (could sub out for dc or VV)

Sanguinary ancient relic banner.

+ something else maybe a dread

 

Troops

2x hth scouts cheap as possible

1x intercessor squad

 

Fast attack

Probably 1-2 minimum assault squads with melta and jp

 

Heavy

Really not sure id bother

 

Flyer

Storm raven for dread/assault squad transport

 

Thats enough to fill out a vanguard detachment and a battalion so 7 total command points. Not sure what else id take. Could possibly drop the storm raven who knows

[JamesI]

Is Shield of Sanguinius now only a 5+ invulnerable save? I just read that on another forum.

yes

[Crimson Ghost IX]

Psychic Powers 

(Think I got them right from Winter's SEO review - put here to save James some Q&A typing hopefully).

 

Blood Boil (changed) (?) = now only a 6 inch range, but d3 mortal wounds if exceed highest tough in unit on 2d6(added together). If double tough then 3 mortal wounds flat.

Shield of Sanguinius (nerfed a bit) (6) = 12 inch range, 5++ save to target unit.

Unleash Rage (same) (6) = 12 inch range, +1 to Attack characteristic of target unit.

Quickening (7) = Psyker self buff, add 3 to advance and charge rolls for the psyker, +d3 attacks for Psyker when fighting.

Blood Lance (6) = 12 inch range, draw a line roll a d6 for each model touched, on a 5+ causes 1 mortal wound to unit.

Wings of Sanguinius (5) = Immediate 12 inch flying move. Can re-roll failed charges for Psyker.

[sebs_evo7]

No death company jorre?

 

Also happy mephy is shaping up to be the beast that he is in the fluff

Edited December 2, 2017 by sebs_evo7