2k list, hammer and anvil.

[momerathe]

Brothers!
 
So, I haven't managed to get a game of 9th in yet, what with the plague and all, but I'm still pretty enthused about it. This here is the list I've come up with.
 
The main point is the blob of aggressors to occupy the mid board (the "anvil"). With the Ancient, Judiciar, buff-Librarian and (initially) Captain they're meant to be resilient to shooting. While this is going on, the melee elements pick off enemy units as they become exposed (the "hammer").
 
 
Battalion Detachment 0CP (Imperium - Adeptus Astartes - Blood Angels) [115 PL, 1,997pts, 9CP] 
 
Armoury of Baal [-3CP]
 
+ HQ +
 
Captain: Warlord, Selfless Valour, Jump Pack, Relic blade, Storm shield, The Veritas Vitae, (125)
 - Starts with the Aggressors, then moves off to engage targets of opportunity as they arise.
 
Librarian: Unleash Rage, Shield of Sanguinius, Force sword, Jump Pack (115)
Librarian: Quickening, Wings of Sanguinus, Force axe, Jump Pack, The Angel's Wing  (115)
 - I've not tried this set-up on a Libby before, but I heard it mentioned on a recent podcast. With a jump move and Wings, he's got an outrageous threat range for ganking targets that would ordinarily be screened from deepstrike.
 
+ Troops +
 
5x Incursor: Haywire mine (115)
5x Incursor: Haywire mine (115)
 4  5x Infiltrator (120)
 - Objective holders. Incursors infiltrate onto mid-board objectives while the Infiltrators (ironically) stay home and zone out deep strikers.
 
+ Elites +
 
6x Aggressor: Boltstorm (270)
Company Ancient: Power fist, Standard of Sacrifice (85)
Judiciar (85)
 - The meat of the anvil
 
6x Sanguinary Guard: Death mask, Encarmine axe (204) 
6x Sanguinary Guard: Death mask, Encarmine axe (204) 
6x Sanguinary Guard: Death mask, Encarmine axe (204) 
 - One squad starts on the board as counter-charge or to punish bad deployment with Wings of Fire. Unlike how you'd run them in 8th, these guys are meant to fight unsupported - but they should still wipe a 5-man marine squad on the charge.
 
+ Heavy Support +
 
3x Eradicator (120)
3x Eradicator (120)
 - Probably one on the board, one in reserve.

Edited August 31, 2020 by momerathe

[t-dog1996]

Two things about the Infiltrators,

 

1) Presumably you mean a squad of 5, not 4?

 

2) I really don’t see the utility of them in an army like this. You say they are going to ‘stay home’ and zone out deep strikers, but what exactly are they protecting? You don’t have any static, long ranged units that would be vulnerable to a deep strike. Everyone else is going to want to immediately advance up the board, and you’re going to want to disperse your units to take advantage of their mobility and score points rather than clump them together in one deep strike bubble. The only unit that would benefit at all from this would be the Aggressors, but their short ranged guns mean they need to advance closer to the enemy anyway, exposing them to regular charges. I would just take a third squad of Incursors, they’re much more suited to what you’re trying to do.

 

Also, I wouldn’t take two librarians, instead I’d take one Librarian Dreadnought (or Mephiston) and give the Angel’s Wing to the Relic Blade Captain instead. As for your second relic, the Veritas Vitae is less useful now you gain a CP per turn anyway. If you do drop one of the Librarians and take a Librarian Dreadnought instead you should now have enough points for a Sanguinary Ancient. Take one and give him the Standard or Sacrifice. It will make your Sanguinary Guard way more survivable and believe me they will draw a LOT of fire as they’ll be right up in your opponent’s face. Your aggressors have way less need of it. Also, I don’t recommend the Encarmine Axes, they’re just too expensive for what they do. Stick with fists and swords, with fists being my recommendation. I wouldn’t bother with a third relic given the CP cost, but if you do take one then the Biomantic Sarcophagus on a Librarian Dreadnought is an excellent choice.

[momerathe]

Thanks for the feedback!
 

Two things about the Infiltrators,

1) Presumably you mean a squad of 5, not 4?

Yes indeed, *derp*.
 

2) I really don’t see the utility of them in an army like this. You say they are going to ‘stay home’ and zone out deep strikers, but what exactly are they protecting? You don’t have any static, long ranged units that would be vulnerable to a deep strike. Everyone else is going to want to immediately advance up the board, and you’re going to want to disperse your units to take advantage of their mobility and score points rather than clump them together in one deep strike bubble. The only unit that would benefit at all from this would be the Aggressors, but their short ranged guns mean they need to advance closer to the enemy anyway, exposing them to regular charges. I would just take a third squad of Incursors, they’re much more suited to what you’re trying to do.

That's an interesting point. I had intercessors in the first version of the list. What I'm worried about is exactly because the rest if the army will move up, leaving the home objective vulnerable to being taken off me by deepstrike (it's the kind of thing I'm planning to use the SG for). As I said I haven't got a game of 9th in yet, so I don't know how much of a problem this is.
 

Also, I wouldn’t take two librarians, instead I’d take one Librarian Dreadnought (or Mephiston) and give the Angel’s Wing to the Relic Blade Captain instead.

Yeah Mephiston's was my first thought. This specific build was something I heard recommended elsewhere due to the insane threat range.
 

As for your second relic, the Veritas Vitae is less useful now you gain a CP per turn anyway.

Not sure I see this. Getting 1 CP is nice, but 2CP is better, right? and it should pay for itself over the course of a game so it's basically free.
 

Also, I don’t recommend the Encarmine Axes, they’re just too expensive for what they do.

Axes are the same price as swords now. Although having seen the spoilers for power weapons I might be going back to swords anyway

Edited August 31, 2020 by momerathe

[t-dog1996]

 

 

2) I really don’t see the utility of them in an army like this. You say they are going to ‘stay home’ and zone out deep strikers, but what exactly are they protecting? You don’t have any static, long ranged units that would be vulnerable to a deep strike. Everyone else is going to want to immediately advance up the board, and you’re going to want to disperse your units to take advantage of their mobility and score points rather than clump them together in one deep strike bubble. The only unit that would benefit at all from this would be the Aggressors, but their short ranged guns mean they need to advance closer to the enemy anyway, exposing them to regular charges. I would just take a third squad of Incursors, they’re much more suited to what you’re trying to do.

That's an interesting point. I had intercessors in the first version of the list. What I'm worried about is exactly because the rest if the army will move up, leaving the home objective vulnerable to being taken off me by deepstrike (it's the kind of thing I'm planning to use the SG for). As I said I haven't got a game of 9th in yet, so I don't know how much of a problem this is.

 

 

There is still the problem of your opponent simply killing them before they can deny any deep strikes. They're a very expensive unit - 120 points for 5 guys - and on their own they're no more durable than Intercessors. This also assumes that you only have one 'home' objective, when in many missions you'll have 2. The 12 inch deep strike denial is nice, but I think Incursors would do better at holding objectives as they can drop a haywire mine on it and are better in close combat (remember that the vast majority of deep striking melee units aren't a threat until turn 2, by which time a unit starting on the table could easily get into position for a regular charge against the Infiltrators, negating their deep strike bubble).

 

As for your second relic, the Veritas Vitae is less useful now you gain a CP per turn anyway.

Not sure I see this. Getting 1 CP is nice, but 2CP is better, right? and it should pay for itself over the course of a game so it's basically free.

 

 

It's about diminishing returns. There are other relics that will have more reliable use than the Veritas Vitae, which isn't actually guaranteed to pay for itself in CP, especially since you're putting it on a very aggressive character build who is more than likely to die on turn 1/2. You'd be better served giving him a relic that will enhance his close combat abilities, such as the Angel's Wing. You seem to be going for a sort of smash librarian build, but the Captain is much better in this role. Give him Death Visions of Sanguinius and use Forlorn Fury on him. Much more reliable than jump + wings on a librarian as it allows him to advance for free too and doesn't rely on any random rolls. The Librarian Dreadnought can easily do a turn 1 charge too with Wings + the Quickening, which is made much more reliable by the Biomantic Sarcophagus. Mephiston is also solid in this role, although he can't take the Sarcophagus.