Competitive dark angels ideas

[RayJ]

You should add Mortis Dreadnoughts under Heavy Support. Cheaper and less durable than the predator, but no penalties for taking damage make it a solid choice for lascannons (or autocannons). I have not been disappointed with mine in any games so far.

Honorable mentions should probably be Ravenwing Apothecary and Librarians of any flavor. They are more situational, but certain list builds or local metas could make them important and powerful.

I agree that Stormravens are a bit high on the cost now. In almost all cases I think 3 Razorbacks beats out a single Storm Raven for similar weapons and field coverage.

[march10k]

I would add the shroud of heroes as a good relic. Specifically, for a deathwing ancient.  When deepstriking, it's not always easy to ensure that he's not the closest model on the turn of arrival, so I run mine with TH/SS and the shroud.  By the second turn, he's able to get character protection, but even then, it's nice to be able to shove him into assault, since targeting him at -1 with a 3++ is kinda chancey and comes at the cost of throwing those attacks at the knights who are doing the real damage.  Probably also good on a bike libby, pretty much any character that's operating behind enemy lines with limited support. 

 

And DWK.  Fixed relatively high damage and no -1 to hit!  I support mine with Belial and an ancient for +1A with rerolls, they just shred the tough stuff for me.

Edited January 22, 2018 by march10k

[breng77]

If I rated the DW units in general better I would agree, but I'm not sure I think they are terribly competitive but YMMV.

[march10k]

YMMV, indeed.  I've had great results from DWA with ten man tactical terminator squads, but the fists are just awful this edition.  Maces have been amazing, though, provided they have +1A and twinlinking.  The good news for me has been that the blizzard of fire that the tactical termies throw off by shooting twice on arrival raises the opponent's threat perception, so they get shot at instead of the knights...after they've already done their most valuable bit of damage.  After all, a kill on turn one is worth far more than a kill on turn four, and they've just used up their only chance to shoot twice. 

[Grand Master Raziel]

I'm rather fond of Company Veterans.  They serve all kinds of purposes.  If you're looking for cheap Elites choices to fill out a brigade, they're the go-to unit.  A base unit is about 30pts, and you can give them a couple special weapons, still keep their price relatively low, and have them ride in Rhinos with 5-man Tac Squads to increase the damage potential when they disembark.  Another way I've been using them is to give them all plasma guns/combi plasmas and chainswords.  Even capped at 5-strong, that's a nice amount of plasma shots, and with chainswords their output in assault is pretty decent too.

[Phaeton]

I used a combination of 5 shooty terminators + Master for re-roll 1's in games for 750 points this Sunday. That was amazing, the amount of dakka, produced by terminators, was great. Very good anti-light infantry performance. Hovewer, I noticed that just re-rolls of 1's is not enough. Now I'm looking forward to use 10-men terminator squad + Belial for full re-rolls.

[march10k]

 Now I'm looking forward to use 10-men terminator squad + Belial for full re-rolls.

 

It's glorious.  80 shots if you don't take assault cannons.  With rerolls.  Throw in a deathwing ancient (with shroud) for good measure.  Brrrrrrrt!  Chop-chop!  Sadly, fists and hammers are pretty terrible at killing anything but standard infantry this edition.  I had a stormsurge survive three rounds of melee against a full squad of tactical terminators a couple of weeks ago.  I'd rather have a stormbolter/lightning claw loadout this edition.  I guess cataphracti and tartaros terminators can do that... But last weekend, that squad of ten walked through 35 traitor marines with only one brother lost.  I guess that opponent won't be trying horde tactics with power armor any more

Edited January 26, 2018 by march10k

[Interrogator Stobz]

Just did just that, cleared 20 Scions and three jump Primaris dudes.

Put me in a bad position because they had DSd behind my lines but saved a butt kicking.

[Stormxlr]

Just did just that, cleared 20 Scions and three jump Primaris dudes.

Put me in a bad position because they had DSd behind my lines but saved a butt kicking.

with storm bolter lightning claw ?

[Interrogator Stobz]

DWA ten man tactical TDA and Belial.

“Glorious”

 

:D

[Stormxlr]

DWA ten man tactical TDA and Belial.

“Glorious”

 

:D

so you DWA Scions (exactly 20 wounds average on GEQ) then assaulted 3 fatmarines?

were your terminators equipped with 1 lightning claw/storm bolter? cata or tartaros?

Edited January 27, 2018 by Stormxlr

[Interrogator Stobz]

8xSB/PF 2xAC/PF Belial.

Did average on the dice, killed the 4x5 Scions and scared the Inceptors off, Dreads finished them off later.

Whilst not a huge return on investment the Scions had max either plasma or melta and plasma pistols and were a real threat to my rear, killing them in one turn of shooting was good and not charging them meant the DW weren’t too far away from the other baddies. Coz walking TDA is slow.

[FarFromSam]

I know subbing 3 sb/pf, for th/ss cost most, and you're missing out on 24 shots turn 1, but, it gives you the option of going t5. If yall remember the dwk fun from a while back, t5 made a huge difference for small arms fire, and now, with the way double strength affects 2+ to wound, T5 is all the more important. Any insight from those who've tried it

[Interrogator Stobz]

Is it not only for the fight phase?

And yet another CP from a very limited pool.

[FarFromSam]

Whaa.... Why on Earth would it only be for the fight phase... Lol.  Like... I know....  I can't even ...  The fortress of shields image works only works when imagining weathering tons of fire, and hunkering down, ancient shield wall style.  But to imagine these massive armored super humans  walking through close combat huddled in a little group is rediculous...  that's a shame.  

 

Thanks for the correction Stobz.  So very disappointed by this, but at least I have a clear answer on deciding if I want TH/SS.

 

Still sour about that.

 

To be productive, what about cyclone ML?  I know they got the massive range nerf (which again doesn't make sense since they cost the same as normal ML)  but how do they fair when using DWA?

Edited February 11, 2018 by farfromsam

[Interrogator Stobz]

Yeah, the shield thing is another not quite rule from GeeDub.

Getting a couple of extra shots from the CML could be useful in the right place. Chance of getting a kill on anything is still low though, that’s why I just add AC fire to the weight of bolter rounds.

[Helycon]

I noticed it as well, makes no narrative sense and makes the Stratagem a lot less useful.

[Phaeton]

Yesterday I played on the local tournament of 1000 points. I use Azrael, 10 rapid hellblasters and 3 squads of devastators with lascannons. While I am not very proud of devastators, Azrael and hellblasters were brilliant! Azrael are very useful with his aura buffs and surprisingly effective in melee. He didn't die in any single game and smashes a lot of necrons and eldars in melee. Hellblasters... They are a song. With Azrael re-rolls they just evaporate things. Heavy infantry, tanks, light infantry - doesn't matter. Just take that 20 re-rollable shots, potentially with 3 dmg each. And with 4++ from Azrael and/or in cover they are surprisingly tough. They were taking fire from enemy for the whole games and still lives till the last turns. Azrael + hellblasters are so lovingly great combo that I think now I will use it often.

Edited February 19, 2018 by Phaeton

[Helycon]

Yesterday I played on the local tournament of 1000 points. I use Azrael, 10 rapid hellblasters and 3 squads of devastators with lascannons. While I am not very proud of devastators, Azrael and hellblasters were brilliant! Azrael are very useful with his aura buffs and surprisingly effective in melee. He didn't die in any single game and smashes a lot of necrons and eldars in melee. Hellblasters... They are a song. With Azrael re-rolls they just evaporate things. Heavy infantry, tanks, light infantry - doesn't matter. Just take that 20 re-rollable shots, potentially with 3 dmg each. And with 4++ from Azrael and/or in cover they are surprisingly tough. They were taking fire from enemy for the whole games and still lives till the last turns. Azrael + hellblasters are so lovingly great combo that I think now I will use it often.

If you can find room, a chapter ancient will do great things to bolster them.