Vanguard Vets Conversion Advice

[ierthling]

Hey guys - so I'm jumping in Blood Angels, and looking for some modeling advice! I'm working on building towards a double battalion list with 6x5 scouts, big blobs of death company and sanguinary guard, a pile of heroes (so far: Mephiston, Smash Captain, flying Librarian, Sang Ancient, and looking ahead to Lemartes and Dante), and a couple of Invictors. I ended up ordering a vanguard vets box to make a smash captain, and I'm looking for advice about what to do with the rest of the box:

 

-Would you ever run more than one smash captain?

-What other heroes that will support sang guard and death co. would you use the van vets box to make?

 

Thanks!

[Hintzy]

I made a chaplain, librarian, and sanguinary priest out of my vanvets box in addition to the smash captain I had originally picked it up for. Just need a few bits from other sources to make them look appropriate.

[Indefragable]

Yes, dual Captain Smash (I call mine Mario and Luigi; Super Sanguinius Smash Bros)....or even triple Capt Smash is not out of the question, though YMMV and since so much of his effectiveness comes from relics and wlt, it’s not necessarily a “just add more” sort of thing.

 

You can make whatever you want out of it, though LT’s and Company Champions come to mind, even just as a hobby project. It’s super easy to mix the DC, SG, and VV bits to add some flavor...DC with VV legs, Etc...for some variety.

 

Also, you can do Company Veterans with 2+ bodies left over. Eat a bullet for your HQ’s.

[Matarno - Lord of Skyfall]

Order another box of Vanguard Vets and get yourself a nice big squad of them! They are a super powerful unit, with lots of different loadout options. Dual chainswords gives you an insane amount of attacks, or storm shields give you some nice tankiness. I love my VV and highly recommend using a squad of them.

Yes, dual Captain Smash (I call mine Mario and Luigi; Super Sanguinius Smash Bros)....or even triple Capt Smash is not out of the question, though YMMV and since so much of his effectiveness comes from relics and wlt, it’s not necessarily a “just add more” sort of thing.

You can make whatever you want out of it, though LT’s and Company Champions come to mind, even just as a hobby project. It’s super easy to mix the DC, SG, and VV bits to add some flavor...DC with VV legs, Etc...for some variety.

Also, you can do Company Veterans with 2+ bodies left over. Eat a bullet for your HQ’s.

 

This completely made my day, best thing I have heard in a while now!

Yes, dual Captain Smash (I call mine Mario and Luigi; Super Sanguinius Smash Bros)

[tychobi]

I would run multiple smash caps. I find support a bit redundant on death co and sang guard. Bodies are usually more reliable than buffs in my experience.

[ierthling]

Thanks guys! I'd love to see pics of some of the conversions you've done, especially Mario and Luigi!!! But also the chaplain or sang priest. Thanks!

[Hintzy]

Smash Captain:

Chest is from the BA upgrade sprue, the rest is from the VanVet box iirc.

 

Sanguinary Priest:

Chest/left arm/right shoulder is from the Command Squad box, cup from BA upgrade sprue.

 

Librarian:

Chest from BA upgrade sprue, a few bits from DC box.

 

Chaplain:

Crozius from the DC Jump Chaplain

[Kram000]

Hintzy, those are great thanks for sharing!

 

I was leery of buying that van vet box but now I see it might be worth it.  Good investment for the angels!

[Hintzy]

It definitely is a great box. Having the extra bits from the upgrade sprue and command box were key for me though.

 

The issue I have now is that as I am considering a squad of actual VanVets I'm not certain exactly what to use. I don't want them to compete with my kitbashed characters in terms of bling. Maybe just plain Assault Marines with a few extra purity seals and BA bits.

[Xenith]

The vanvet box is amazing and you can do some fun stuff with it. I'd never buy the regular assault marine box over it. My paint log in my sig has 5 van vets I made from it recently.

 

Simple changes are: replace top of thunder hammer with standard topper and you get a crozius for a chaplain, paint them white for a priest. Paint the models black for death co.

[ierthling]

Smash Captain:

Chest is from the BA upgrade sprue, the rest is from the VanVet box iirc.

 

Sanguinary Priest:

Chest/left arm/right shoulder is from the Command Squad box, cup from BA upgrade sprue.

 

Librarian:

Chest from BA upgrade sprue, a few bits from DC box.

 

Chaplain:

Crozius from the DC Jump Chaplain

Hintzy these are awesome! Thanks so much, this’ll be a great resource for me.

[Indefragable]

@Hintzy what’s you use for paint on the Librarian?

 

You’ve captured precisely what I’ve been working up the courage to do on mine, with a “black” overall armor feel but with “glows” blue edging.

[Hintzy]

It's just a dark blue highlighted with a lighter blue. It's not actually black, but I like that interpretation of it. It's probably just poor lighting in the picture.

 

Edit: I did wash it with Nuln Oil iirc, perhaps that's responsible for it coming off as black in addition to the lighting.

Edited March 16, 2020 by Hintzy

[Indefragable]

It's just a dark blue highlighted with a lighter blue. It's not actually black, but I like that interpretation of it. It's probably just poor lighting in the picture.

 

Edit: I did wash it with Nuln Oil iirc, perhaps that's responsible for it coming off as black in addition to the lighting.

I can see that it’s a dark blue in the photos. I like that it comes off as almost black...I think it meshes better with our other colors better than the blueberry scheme GW pushes.

[DistractionTacMarine]

Are Vanguard Vets useful in a list as-is? I’ve seen a few lists that run them with TH/SS but with one wound apiece I’m not sure how strong a unit they are.

[Xenith]

Are Vanguard Vets useful in a list as-is? I’ve seen a few lists that run them with TH/SS but with one wound apiece I’m not sure how strong a unit they are.

 

They're one of the few units in the game that can take all storm shields - a jump pack van vet with storm shield is only 19points and throws out 5A  at AP-1 in the turn 3 assault phase, and is really tough to shift. 

[Indefragable]

I personally wouldn’t go all TH/SS, it rather a few TH and everyone else chainsword/weapon of choice and SS.

 

VV occupy a very interesting niche for us right now since they are flying 3++. They are more survivable than SG against certain enemies yet go down like any other MEQ to massed light arms. If I were an opponent I would should SG with plasma and VV with bolters. Which is why you want to tie up his high-AP stuff with the VV w/ SS.

[Panzer]

VanVets with SS have some niche use but overall after the recent point drops and stuff we got in PA they fell behind SG (and one unit of DC for Forlorn Fury). They don't absolutely suck though, so if you like them and don't plan on winning tournaments feel free to add them to your list.

[Karhedron]

VanVets with SS have some niche use but overall after the recent point drops and stuff we got in PA they fell behind SG (and one unit of DC for Forlorn Fury). They don't absolutely suck though, so if you like them and don't plan on winning tournaments feel free to add them to your list.

VanVets with SS can be really good to tarpitting big monsters who rely on really damaging attacks. A bit niche but worth considering. New Ghazkull for example will trash a lot of things in melee but it will take him 3 rounds on average to chew though 5 VVs with SSs who cost under 100 points. Check a power fist on there and you can even chip a few wounds off the big guy in return until Captain Smash (or whoever) can get around to him.

[Panzer]

I don't think you will ever find Ghaz not be near a huge horde of Boyz or other Orky units that could easily take care of a few VanVets though. 

[Karhedron]

I don't think you will ever find Ghaz not be near a huge horde of Boyz or other Orky units that could easily take care of a few VanVets though. 

Probably true but there are plenty of other Big Bads that like to be launched at opponents, often with less support (Flying Princes, Smash Captains etc). And our DC are prefect for chewing through hordes of boys while the big fella is distracted.

[Matarno - Lord of Skyfall]

 

I don't think you will ever find Ghaz not be near a huge horde of Boyz or other Orky units that could easily take care of a few VanVets though. 

Probably true but there are plenty of other Big Bads that like to be launched at opponents, often with less support (Flying Princes, Smash Captains etc). And our DC are prefect for chewing through hordes of boys while the big fella is distracted.

 

 

The big bad that comes to mind for me is the Hive Tyrant, Trygon Prime and Carnifex. I love using my 10 man squad of VV all with SS & Power Sword to tarpit those big monsters. I find my VV usually do more work point for point than just about anything else in my army. Might not be the flashiest jobs they get, but they do anything I need them to well.

[Montoya]

I've never regretted my TH + SS vanguard veterans.    Not as reliable killling machines as DC with TH, but more durable as others have noted.   

 

And i'm never choosing between the two, i take my DC or SG and then the squad of 5 VV kitted out provide some mopping up of other threats, particularly enemy armour while my main threatening force of DC or SG take the brunt of my opponent's focus.

 

You do have to think of them as your secondary puch though, and not your primary.    When i have tried them as the primary punch, they don't quite do the job.