Dark Angels Rules Preview 9-2

[Aztek]

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/09/02/horus-heresy-faction-focus-dark-angels/

 

 

Biggest take aways-

 

#1- Dark Angels get something called a "Calibinite Charge-blade"

#2- Marduk Sedras is a small Primarch at S9, and reducing invuln saves. Old man strength

#3- Companions are amazing. Thinking of running a squad of 10 with 4 shields myself.

#4- 5 RITES OF WAR. Wow.

#5-  Seem to be able to name your characters Scions of wings independent of RoW, but we shall see.

#6- Deathwing RoW seems okay. 6+ FNP when near an objective. Could be better than I'm thinking.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Dark angels are literally impossible to analyze until release. There's too many moving parts with rites, wings, special characters and possibly tweaked wargear.

[WrathOfTheLion]

I think it says five new rites of war, so not including the existing Ironwing and Ravenwing rites of war.

[Darkwrath121]

2. It's unwieldy though, so as cool as it is, it's functionally a fancy power-fist for most purposes. Can't say it's OP yet, it will depend on cost.

 

3. I'm struggling to get excited for companions yet. They're cool as heck, and I don't play to win (so of course I'll still bring them!), but sacrificing attacking to get the shield benefit, and mostly AP3 doesn't bode well. Similar problem to Templar Brethren.

 

4. 5 'new' rites. So it might actually be 7 total.

 

5. The first Road to Thramas mentions being able to make your characters Scions anyway, so it's been on the cards a while.

 

6. It's seeming to be Pride of the Legion + Feel No Pain, it could be quite good, depending on the drawbacks.

Edited September 2, 2020 by Darkwrath121

[WrathOfTheLion]

I think the Deathwing RoW will probably be quite respectable, since it seems to be close to Pride of the Legion.

 

The Calibanite Charge-Blade might be the bespoke equipment given to the new Firewing lads.

[Cris R]

2. It's unwieldy though, so as cool as it is, it's functionally a fancy power-fist for most purposes. Can't say it's OP yet, it will depend on cost.

 

3. I'm struggling to get excited for companions yet. They're cool as heck, and I don't play to win (so of course I'll still bring them!), but sacrificing attacking to get the shield benefit, and mostly AP3 doesn't bode well. Similar problem to Templar Brethren.

 

4. 5 'new' rites. So it might actually be 7 total.

 

5. The first Road to Thramas mentions being able to make your characters Scions anyway, so it's been on the cards a while.

 

6. It's seeming to be Pride of the Legion + Feel No Pain, it could be quite good, depending on the drawbacks.

 

If you run Holguin, who has the Scion of the Deathwing rule, as your warlord with the Deathwing RoW, that will make him particularly nasty with his FNP rule. Pop him with some Cenobites or Companions and you'll have a decent Deathstar unit, albeit one that derives its power from parking on objectives.

Edited September 2, 2020 by Cris R

[rendingon1+]

Dark angels are literally impossible to analyze until release. There's too many moving parts with rites, wings, special characters and possibly tweaked wargear.

But discussing Contekar is fine I guess :)

 

If you run Holguin, who has the Scion of the Deathwing rule, as your warlord with the Deathwing RoW, that will make him particularly nasty with his FNP rule. Pop him with some Cenobites or Companions and you'll have a decent Deathstar unit, albeit one that derives its power from parking on objectives.

Cenobium would need a Basic form of FnP to benefit from the RoW though.

 

Wonder what RW and IW scions do, FW is very solid. And option to (probably) take Cenobium specializations on characters is definitely a nice thing.

Edited September 2, 2020 by rendingon1+

[Elzender]

I wonder whether the rules will require the praetor unlocking the RoW to be a acion of the particular rite? It would make sense thematically, but could be quite limiting in some aspects.

 

As for the companions, while the shield force field rule is quite original, and useful for weathering shooting phases, it seems a bit iffy that they have to go through that to get a unit-wide invulnerable save. I guess it is a choice between carrying a more powerful weapon or the save, but when you basically get a combat shield save in melee it does not seem amazing. Granted, I'm not sure there are that many power-armoured elite units with widespread access to invulnerables; I guess I tend to compare them with templar brethren who can carry combat shields, but there the tradeoff is just power swords except for the sergeant.

 

Edit: I've just read that there will be a new unit for the Ironwing, right below the aegis rule. I don't remember which unrevealed units were in the book index, but I don't think there was anything fitting this?

Edited September 2, 2020 by Elzender

[WrathOfTheLion]

There was, it was the Ironwing Excindio class battle automata. Which should be the ones in the Lion primarch novel, so I'm hoping they are as horrifying as described there.

[Elzender]

Thanks WrathOfTheLion, I was actually looking for the index right now. I forgot about the automata and them being Ironwing, my mind went for some kind of vehicle and could not recall any new one being mentioned Edited September 2, 2020 by Elzender

[lokkorex]

Maybe the new DA exclusive Automata is the Ironwings special unit?

 

Edit: got ninja'd.

Edited September 2, 2020 by lokkorex

[SkimaskMohawk]

 

Dark angels are literally impossible to analyze until release. There's too many moving parts with rites, wings, special characters and possibly tweaked wargear.

But discussing Contekar is fine I guess :)

First, being impossible to analyze accurately =/= don't discuss. Second, there's between a single unit and an entire legion with 7 different rites and the ability to specialise squads along the theme of those 7 rites. You dont know 5 of the rites, 4 of the scions, 2 special units, 2 special characters and the primarchs legion buff.

 

If I asked you what new dark angels builds could look like, the answer I'd get back is;

 

"Durrr..."

[Darkwrath121]

Cenobium would need a Basic form of FnP to benefit from the RoW though.

 

They'd get 6+ FNP for having a Scion of the Deathwing character (like Holguin) in the unit. It's 6+ FNP, or +1 to an existing one. Edited September 2, 2020 by Darkwrath121

[Cris R]

 

Cenobium would need a Basic form of FnP to benefit from the RoW though.

They'd get 6+ FNP for having a Scion of the Deathwing character (like Holguin) in the unit. It's 6+ FNP, or +1 to an existing one.

 

Also all Cenobiums have the Character rule, which produces a good synergy with Holguin. You can use LoS to have the Cenobiums tank attacks or have Holguin take some himself to keep the unit alive. Obviously the LoS rolls don't benefit from the FNP but it does make the unit hardier outside of objectives.

Edited September 2, 2020 by Cris R

[rendingon1+]

 

Cenobium would need a Basic form of FnP to benefit from the RoW though.

 

They'd get 6+ FNP for having a Scion of the Deathwing character (like Holguin) in the unit. It's 6+ FNP, or +1 to an existing one.

Yeah, sure, but 6+ FnP is nothing to write home about really. By saying "basic" I mean standard 5+FnP from other source (primus med at the moment) and while I think Holguin would be a nice addon for Cenobium, I don't see him as an autoinclude for that unit.

[Aztek]

Throw a Primus medicae in the unit and it's a 4+ FNP all around isn't it? With Holguin rerolling FNP rolls.

[Cris R]

Throw a Primus medicae in the unit and it's a 4+ FNP all around isn't it? With Holguin rerolling FNP rolls.

I hadn't thought about that combo but I think that'd work. Add the Medicae to the Cenobium/Holguin combo, a unit of Companions with or without Holguin, or another hardy unit with Holguin like regular Cataphractii Terminators, and you'll have something that's very hard to dislodge from an objective. Thinking about it some more, adding a Medicae to a unit of Companions for objective parking makes the most sense since you want Holguin for challenges because of the Scion of the Deathwing rule.

Edited September 2, 2020 by Cris R

[rendingon1+]

 

 

Throw a Primus medicae in the unit and it's a 4+ FNP all around isn't it? With Holguin rerolling FNP rolls.

I hadn't thought about that combo but I think that'd work. Add the Medicae to the Cenobium/Holguin combo, a unit of Companions with or without Holguin, or another hardy unit with Holguin like regular Cataphractii Terminators, and you'll have something that's very hard to dislodge from an objective. Thinking about it some more, adding a Medicae to a unit of Companions for objective parking makes the most sense since you want Holguin for challenges because of the Scion of the Deathwing rule.

You essentially have a VERY expensive melee unit that's sitting on an objective doing nothing. And these kind of units attract very specific kind of attention in form of S8+ Ap2 blasts which makes an entire endeavour of stacking FnP bonuses pointless.

Not knowing the rest of the RoW, but now unit that would benefit the most are veterans with an apothecary and mayby some consul that won't mind sitting and shooting (vigilator/MoS/Armistos/librarian).

[ThatOneMarshal]

 

 

 

Throw a Primus medicae in the unit and it's a 4+ FNP all around isn't it? With Holguin rerolling FNP rolls.

I hadn't thought about that combo but I think that'd work. Add the Medicae to the Cenobium/Holguin combo, a unit of Companions with or without Holguin, or another hardy unit with Holguin like regular Cataphractii Terminators, and you'll have something that's very hard to dislodge from an objective. Thinking about it some more, adding a Medicae to a unit of Companions for objective parking makes the most sense since you want Holguin for challenges because of the Scion of the Deathwing rule.

You essentially have a VERY expensive melee unit that's sitting on an objective doing nothing. And these kind of units attract very specific kind of attention in form of S8+ Ap2 blasts which makes an entire endeavour of stacking FnP bonuses pointless.

Not knowing the rest of the RoW, but now unit that would benefit the most are veterans with an apothecary and mayby some consul that won't mind sitting and shooting (vigilator/MoS/Armistos/librarian).

I think your better off using it on a unit that’s attacking an objective since you’ll have the melee weapons to shift anything off of it off and then with fnp you can help small arms fire off. Maybe a unit in a land raider or dread claw.

[Cris R]

 

 

 

Throw a Primus medicae in the unit and it's a 4+ FNP all around isn't it? With Holguin rerolling FNP rolls.

I hadn't thought about that combo but I think that'd work. Add the Medicae to the Cenobium/Holguin combo, a unit of Companions with or without Holguin, or another hardy unit with Holguin like regular Cataphractii Terminators, and you'll have something that's very hard to dislodge from an objective. Thinking about it some more, adding a Medicae to a unit of Companions for objective parking makes the most sense since you want Holguin for challenges because of the Scion of the Deathwing rule.

You essentially have a VERY expensive melee unit that's sitting on an objective doing nothing. And these kind of units attract very specific kind of attention in form of S8+ Ap2 blasts which makes an entire endeavour of stacking FnP bonuses pointless.

Not knowing the rest of the RoW, but now unit that would benefit the most are veterans with an apothecary and mayby some consul that won't mind sitting and shooting (vigilator/MoS/Armistos/librarian).

I think your better off using it on a unit that’s attacking an objective since you’ll have the melee weapons to shift anything off of it off and then with fnp you can help small arms fire off. Maybe a unit in a land raider or dread claw.

 

That’s a much, much better idea that allows you to use various unit combos. Giving the Deathwing Scion rule to a Champion or Warmonger, attaching them to a melee focused unit with an Apothecary or Medicae, and taking a vehicle or deep striking with the Warmonger is another idea for attacking objectives. rendingon1+, your combo for parking and shooting from objectives is solid as well. Any way you slice it, it's a pretty versatile RoW.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Cris R

[Marshal Rohr]

I’m hoping Stormwing comes in as a hidden gem, since iirc, it’s the only one we haven’t seen yet. Sword and board Breachers would be too tasty to pass up. Edited September 6, 2020 by Marshal Rohr

[WrathOfTheLion]

I'd like for one of the RoW to focus on drop pod assaults, perhaps the Stormwing might end up doing that, as that could tie in to the void warfare. It might be the Deathwing that ends up doing that though.

 

Either way, looking forward to getting the book in my hands.