New dark angels player - Army development thread (with pics)

[nusphigor]

Hey guys.
Recently i got the imperial side of the know no fear and first strike boxes and decided to paint and play them as dark angels.
However, since i have never collected or even played against this army im at a loss on how to use them and even more so on what to add to this core.
I have seen online and in here that the army is quite heavy on deathwing and ravenwing, but i dont like them that much. Is it conpletely necessary to add them to a dark angels army to work properly and have fun?

Also, i have some other marine stuff from my pre heresy army that i'd like to add to this like devastators, a rapier quad launcher, a kheres contemptor, scouts and some mk3 marines i use as sternguards.
Are they good additions to the dark angels?

What motivated me to play dark angels was the book based on what happened in piscina IV. I thinkbit was angels of darkness. So which suggestions would you guys have to make an army like this?

Cheers!

[HandsWithLegs]

You can never go wrong with hellblasters and Azrial, and ancients are also a good addition. Otherwise I've heard ravenwing are fun and fairly good, and while deathwing are really cool they have really struggled all edition.

[Fierce Bear]

Sounds like a fine core of a DA army there, the 8th edition codex is a good place to start, DA strengths i have found lie chiefly in 'Grim Resolve' rerolls! Interrogator Chaplains are probably worth checking out as the models are all good for the DA...

 

Ravenwing adds a nice contrast to the Greenwing static positioning but, if you hold out a few weeks for Chapter Approved I think all the army lists are getting a shake up or shake down in terms of points... Which might also bring Deathwing back (after all no one gets a real deepstrike anymore so why are terminator points making us pay for it!)

[SnakeChisler]

The main characters are some of the best around Azreal, Ezekiel from the Greenwing side

 

The Ancient (banner guy) is a good start to enhance your devastators

 

We've a good spread of relics and some nifty psychic powers

[STTAB]

Wait and see what the Vigilus formations and Chapter Approved are like.

 

Currently Ravenwing built around Sableclaw/Talonmaster/darkshroud +Dark Talons and plasma inceptors or Primaris Greenwing built around Azrael, Chapter Ancient and lots of hellblasters seem the best directions.

 

Always bring the Plasma. WoTDA strat is too good. Plasma inceptors, hellblasters or a Dev squad with all plasma are your top 3 options.

 

A Dev squad with ML and HB is great, opening volley of 3d3 MW when you use Flak, cherub and hellfire. 2nd squad does it next turn. They can stand alone (preferably in cover) with their chapter tactic. I play Ravenwing and usually bring one or two basic Dev squads to sit backfield.

[Shaneos]

Welcome to the rock brother.

It sounds like a good start. The aformentioned greenwing castle is what you are after in this case for a competitive core list. Plasma plasma plasma.

10 Hellblasters, Azrael, a chapter ancient and a lieutenant are all pretty solid when castled up together, if a bit immobile.  Devastators are great point for point as well, they always get work done.

"A Dev squad with ML and HB is great, opening volley of 3d3 MW when you use Flak, cherub and hellfire." 

Oh wow that sounds awesome. I used one like this with the heavy bolter but never with the missle and flakk as well!

But there are some big rules changes are just around the corner, although it is not certain what is changing there are already rumours and speculations. Plus the new Vigilus campaign book will bring some new detachment rules or something and the dark angels will be there.

Basically what I am getting at is this is not a static game and what is good now will change. 
The meta always shifts and although for about a year we have had a pretty stable knowledge of what is good with the Dark Angels, this could all change and quite soon.

Just build paint and play with what you think is cool!

I'm secretly hoping Deathwing will be strong shortly so I can dust off my boys in bone. 

[nusphigor]

Thank you guys!
 

I will be looking forward to get 5 more hellblasters and inceptors, maybe Lieutenant Zakariah too.

 

I finally bought some etb intercessors and reivers and added my older armours marines to flesh out the army, so the army is now composed of:

 

- Master on Gravis Armour

- 1 Primaris Lieutenant with bolt rifle

- Master with power sword and plasma pistol

- 2 lieutenants with bolguns and chainswords

- 1 chaplain with crozius and plasma pistol

- 1 wounded marine with plasma pistol

- 2 squads of 5 intercessors with bolt rifles

- 1 squad of 10 tactical marines with plasmagun, heavy bolter and sgt with plasma pistol and chainsword

- 2 squads of 5 scouts with boltguns and a heavy bolter

- 1 squad of 5 scouts with boltguns and a missile launcher

- 1 squad of 5 scouts with boltguns

- 1 squad of 10 scouts with close combat weapons

- 1 squad of 5 company veterans with 3 plasmaguns, a combi plasma and a heavy bolter

- 1 squad of 5 hell blasters

- 1 squad of 10 devastators with 4 lascannons, 5 boltguns and a sgt with plasma pistol and boltgun

- 1 squad of 3 Inceptors

- 1 contemptor dread with double kheres assault cannons

- 1 rapier with quad launcher and 2 marines with bolt pistols

- 1 squad of 6 reivers with close combat weapons

 

While it does look like a funny mix and match of armours it has it's flair. Specially when you put the ultra thin FW MK IV marines of the rapier next to the intercessors, It always makes me chuckle. But well, thats the present of things. 

 

I was thinking of adding some aggresors to serve as bodyguard to the gravis captain, maybe adding some tanks too but i dont know.

Also i was this close to buy an Azrael model but held up because of the new marneus thing, so i ended up saving that money to buy the vigilius book and see the formations you guys mention.

As for the Ancient, what would be better a marine one or a primaris one?
 

 

A Dev squad with ML and HB is great, opening volley of 3d3 MW when you use Flak, cherub and hellfire. 2nd squad does it next turn. They can stand alone (preferably in cover) with their chapter tactic. I play Ravenwing and usually bring one or two basic Dev squads to sit backfield.

 

What is 3D3 MW? 

 

 

Thanks for your suggestions guys

[STTAB]

Apologies. A Devestator squad with a missile launcher and heavy bolter can use the hellfire stratagem to get a +1 to hit against flyers and you roll D3 for Mortal Wounds. Hellfire shells does the same for the heavy bolter and the cherub lets you repeat one of those with the sarge giving +1 to hit. So for 2cp, a 105 point Dev squad can output an opening volley of 3d3 MW, with the pluses to hit and rerolling 1s, it's pretty reliable and a good way to get past invulnerable saves.

[nusphigor]

Apologies. A Devestator squad with a missile launcher and heavy bolter can use the hellfire stratagem to get a +1 to hit against flyers and you roll D3 for Mortal Wounds. Hellfire shells does the same for the heavy bolter and the cherub lets you repeat one of those with the sarge giving +1 to hit. So for 2cp, a 105 point Dev squad can output an opening volley of 3d3 MW, with the pluses to hit and rerolling 1s, it's pretty reliable and a good way to get past invulnerable saves.

 

Ahh mortal wounds! really good combo right there!

[nusphigor]

I have finished painting the captain in Gravis Armour and I wanted to share it with you all.

 

 

I'm still thinking on what to paint on its cape but I call it done for the tabletop.
 

Cheers!

[HandsWithLegs]

Looks excellent! 

[Hantheman]

That is some lovely freehand

[nusphigor]

Thank you guys.

Yesterday i got a dark angels upgrade set but sadly there was no stock of the dark angels veterans squad :/

 

Im still waiting for my etb intercessors and reivers to paint the army all along, on the mean time i've been working on my orks and guard.

 

Soon more posts, cheers!

[zacret]

Really nice Chapter master and great start on your angels! Your free hand is spot on aswell!

[Helias_Tancred]

Well done! I also like the chapter icon freehand you did. Exceptional.

[SnakeChisler]

If you make the Ancient a standard marine you can magnet the arm and switch out weapons.

 

Reasons - giving him an extra relic, mine currently takes either a storm bolter or a mace, if I take the relic storm bolter I sometimes make him warlord and take the sniping character trait. Sometimes Hi takes the characters go last in combat relic it just gives a bit of flexibility as my relic sword always goes on the Talon Master.

[nusphigor]

Thanks guys :)

i've finished the first Sergeant from Intercessor squad 1

 

 

 

I really like how this one looks. I painted a small sword icon on his right knee to mark him as a sergeant but it looks too small to be effective on that.

Do you guys know how can I mark my sergeants in a different way?

 

Cheers :)

[Shaneos]

He is un-helmeted and pointing authoritatively, I'd say he looks enough like a sergeant :P :P :P

Some further suggestions for making him stand out:
You could add some robes or a small tabard somewhere.
Add a banner pole or something to his shoulder pad, maybe a stake with skulls.
A few more purity seals could be added to the model to show his achievements that support his status as sergeant.
ETC.

But that is a lovely model, well painted. I really like the blending and highlighting of the green, nice contrast without being too much (IMHO).

[ChaosRising]

I generally gravitate towards the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Silly) when building GW forces. Keeping that in mind, my (nearly full strength) Dark Angels 3rd Company uses Mk VI (beakie) helmets for the sergeants - makes them easy to find in a crowd of Mk VII style helmets. One squad (from the Dark Vengeance set) actually has three such helmets, so my sergeant is recognizable by his plasma pistol and chainsword.

 

The other thing I do is create "backup" sergeants in case I want to run 2 5-man/combat squads rather than a full squad (e.g. pay for two small squads which are represented by models from the same 10 man unit). These "backups" are given Mk VII helmets to avoid confusion, but normally have some kind of distinguishing feature that lets me pick them out fairly easy - a more heroic pose than the others, Marksman's Honor (the little bullet icon hanging off the shoulder guard and/or bolter) or more skulls on their armor than the rest of their brothers. It's an easy system if you plan it out in advance and you know exactly who will be backup.

 

You could also have your sergeants forego helmets, and only give them to the other squad members.

 

If all else fails, mark the undersides of the bases with Sgt :)

[robofish7591]

I gave all my sergeants hooded heads from the veteran sprue and leftover deathwing bits.  Adds some Dark Angel flavor, and it makes them easy to spot in a unit.

[nusphigor]

Thanks guys!
I ended up using only bare headed minis for the sergeants but glued the helmets on their hips, just to have them like the primaris ones.
The only one that will have a hooded head will be the primaris lt. Because the veteran kit was sold out :/

So i changed/converted the fists minis i have to make this:
-primaris master with gravis
-master with sword and plasma pistol
-chaplain with crozius and combi-plasma
-2 lieutenants with bolters and chainsword
-2 primaris lieutenants with bolters (still waiting for these)
-1 wounded marine with plasma pistol
-2 10 man tactical squads with plasmaguns and heavy bolters
-2 5 man scout squads with melee weapons and plasma pistol
-2 5 man scout squads with bolters and heavy bolter
-1 5 man scout squad with bolters and missile launcher
-1 5 man scout squad with bolters (i need a missile launcher for this)
-2 5 man intercessors squads
-1 5 man devastator squads with 4 lascanons
-1 5 man hellblaster squad
-1 3 man reiver squad (im waiting for the other 2 minis)
-1 3 man interceptor squad
-1 rapier squad with quad launcher and 2 crew
-1 contemptor with double kheres

I have everything primed and advanced some stuff, but didnt uploaded any pics because its just basecoats.

I am looking forward to get an azrael, 5 hellblasters more and maybe a redemptor dread but i have to finish some zombiecide minis and khorne army first as those are work :/

On the meantime, i played my first battle with my orks but thats for another place.

I know there isnt anything too fun to watch in here but i hope you guys like this armylog.

 

EDIT*
I deemed it appropiate to at least take a pic of the unpainted stuff, just for completeness sake if not for actual progress.
Anyway, here it is:

[nusphigor]

Hello again guys.

I just did an all nighter and painted some of my Dark Angels because i was feeling sad after i panted some zombies for a client. Maybe not sad but guilty of not giving some love to my own stuff but only to those minis of other people. Thing which, to be honest, is making me kinda sick.

 

Anyways, lots of progress this night.

 

 

Contemptor Dreadnought with Dual Kheres

 

This is an Imperial Fists dread that i converted to the Dark Angels. Filed the fist and made a Sword with greenstuff. 

Simple but the idea is to make it pretty with paint trying to take advantage of all those flat surfaces (the only problem is thinking what to paint :/ )

 

 

Intercessors Squad 1

 

This squad has the Sergeant I painted before and all the other 4 members. So far i've only finished the leader, I still have to do the edges on the 3 regular marines and do the black parts in all of them.
Any ideas for a name for this Sergeant (and the squad name)?

 

Intercessor Squad 2

 

I only advanced on two members of this squad because these are the minis I still have to get some bases for (these are some mdf to have something to hold on so I can paint them more easily), as the bases these minis came with are textured and completely at odds with the desert/dry mud theme i'm going for.

 

 

 

Master in Power Armour with Power Sword and Plasma Pistol

 

This mini is another conversion I made. It uses the 25th anniversaly mini with some plastic bits. I had to reconstruct part of the right shoulder and the gorget with green stuff as the helmet was badly damaged. I still have to paint the blade and i was thinking of painting something on the flat panels of his legs like what i want to do on the dread (as for what to paint actually, well... another big problem)

 

 

 

Rapier with Quad Launcher and crew

 

I really liked painting these. The crew is finished but the actual rapier is still a wip. I painted the number 2 on their shoulders as the first heavy support squad will be the Devastators with lascannons. Since i was painting these alongside the intercessors you can actually see the huge, HUUUUUGE scale creep on the old fw marines and the new primaris.
I took a pic of this for posterity:

 

 

 

 

Wounded marine with Plasma Pistol

 

I really love this mini. I use it as an objective marker for games as a relic and wrote "Ryan" on his scroll. I know is a silly joke but it gives purpose to the games in which we have to rescue Brother Ryan XD

 

 

Lots of things to finish and varnish but there i go, bit by bit. It only took me the whole 1st season of One Punch Man (i'm not an anime fan but this show was actually kinda funny) and 2 chapters of the New Sabrina series.

I'll upload more pics as soon as I can.

I hope you like how these are staring to look like :)

 

Cheers!

[JJD]

Firstly your army is coming along fantastically. They look great and you are keeping up a good pace. I’ve hit a bit of a wall at the moment and sometimes coming here and seeing other people’s progress can be motivating.

 

For sgts I orrigionally used robes and tabards from various parts of the dark angel range on all my squad leaders and characters. This was fine until I arrived at Primaris. I have used the new DA primaris lieutenant as the Sgt in my Hellblasters squad which looks great for one squad but now I have to decide what I am going to do with future Primaris squads.

[nusphigor]

Thanks brother.

I understand primaris sgts are quite hard to customise without having to go the green stuff way.

The same issue is with the normal marines i have, as alnost all of them are mk III :/

 

On a different note, i was looking at the codex and it appears we have the most accurate devastators isnt it?

With the re roll ones when standing stil, i mean.

I am soo looking forward to finish painting this army so i can play with them xD

[nusphigor]

Hello guys, happy new year to everyone.

i have been away from my home almost the entire december so i did little progress on my Dark Angels other than finally recieving my dark angels upgrade, primaris Intercessors x3 and reivers x3 packs.
So I finally completed the Reiver squad (got one sgt left but that goes to the trades bin) and got to finish the 2nd Intecessor Squad and built 2 Lieutenants.

 

What the New Year did change was the non primaris side of the army, as we made a vow with my gaming buddies to make a Chaos army between all 4 of us. I got the marine part, a friend will do the daemons part and two others had the Heretek side.

So, finally arriving to my home again I decided to leave the mini-marines part and the contemptor to work as basis to the chaos marine part of the project, leaving the Dark Angels as a primaris+scouts force at the moment.

 

So the army right now stands as this:

- Gravis Master

- 2 Lieutenants with Stalker Bolt Rifles (still thinking if I should model some power swords on them)

- 2 Intercessors squads of 5 men

- 1 Hellblaster Squad of 5 men

- 1 Reiver squad of 5 men

- 1 Inceptor squad of 3 men

- 6 Scout Squads of 5 men

 

The idea in the future is to get a hold on another First Strike pack and add another 5 intercessors, 5 hellblasters and 2 Inceptors to the army. The extra Gravis captain and the inceptor sergeant will go to the trades bin.

After that maybe get some aggressors, a primaris ancient and maybe Azrael and a couple of redemptors, but i have this feeling that the second vigilius book will have something interesting related to the dark angels (I am hoping for fallen and Luther minis, followed up by The Lion but who knows).

 

I will upload some pics later on this week as i finaly finish painting the first and second Intecessors squads.

Cheers!