Buffing Deathwing Blade Guard

[L30n1d4s]

Now that we have confirmation that Badeguard are getting the "Deathwing" Key Word, I started looked at ways to make them even more effective on the tabletop, based on the different abilities that are unique to Dark Angels. Here is what I have come up with so far:

 

 

1 - "Fortress of Shields" Strat -- As long as they have all three members of the squad, then you can spend 1 CP to make the Bladeguard -1 to Wound in melee. Given that they are already pretty darn tough (i.e. 3W, 2+/4++), this makes them even more challenging to take down, even by dedicated enemy close combat units.

 

2 - "Pennant of Remembrance" Relic -- Since this Relic is keyword to Deathwing, Blade Guard now will benefit from the 5+++ FNP, making them even more durable. For example, before it would take 54 x BS3+ Bolter shots to kill a single Bladeguard... now it would take 81 x BS3+ Bolter shots to kill one!

 

3 - "Outnumbered but Never Outmatched" Strat -- Bladeguard now get access to this Strat, meaning that if they are up against a unit with 10 or more models (i.e. say a squad of 10 enemy Intercessors)... that means that, on the charge, a 3 man Bladeguard squad would have 16 attacks which, if you have a nearby Primaris Master and Bladeguard Ancient, would average 15-16 hits, about 10 wounds against T4 MEQs, 8-9 unsaved Wounds after the enemy Intercessors roll for their 6+ saves (due to AP-3 MC Swords), and 8-9 dead Intercessors.

 

4 - "Lay Low the Mighty" WL Trait -- If your Bladeguard are within 6" of a DA Character with this Trait, then they can re-roll to Wound in melee against enemy Characters or models with 8+ (i.e. most vehicles and Monsters). This can turn a squad of 3 Bladeguard into Character Assassins, especially with a Primaris Master and Bladeguard Ancient nearby.... 13 attacks on the charge, 12-13 hits, against a T5 character like a Biker Smash Captain or Deathguard Terminator Lord about 9 wounds, 4-5 unsaved wounds after 4++ Invul saves, and 8-10 total damage inflicted. Aginst a T7 vehicle like a Rhino, this squad would average 12-13 hits, about 6-7 wounds, 5-6 unsaved wounds after 6+ armor save, and 10-12 total damage inflicted.

 

 

Now, these are all solid combos, but this does bring me back to the a foundational question, why take Bladeguard over, say, Deathwing Knights (especially once they go to 3W in the near future)? They don't have the 3++ of a Terminator Storm Shield, they can't deep strike, and they can't take S8 Ap-2 Dmg3 Maces of Absolution... so why take them instead? I think the biggest reason is their transportability... unlike Deathwing Knights, they can ride in relatively cheap Impulsors, which allows they start on the table Turn 1 safely/affordably and also move quite quickly to where they need to be (i.e. 14" move each turn they are embarked, with Fly to move over intervening models and terrain). Additionally, because they only take 3 spots in an Impulsor, you can take 3 whole squads of them, plus a couple of Support Characters, in a pair of cheap Impulsors and have a durable, mobile, hard-hitting force that can take objectives, clear out enemy in melee, and/or serve as a very adaptable counter-attack element for your gun line.

[aura_enchanted]

shame bladeguard cant ride in an excelsior or maybe id care more.. reroll 1's aura parked on top of their heads would make them excellent. i think they will struggle to be more than ablative woulnds on an HQ of some kind.. and not very good ones at that, sorta ghetto honor guard which btw we will get access too

[Angel of Solitude]

 

Now, these are all solid combos, but this does bring me back to the a foundational question, why take Bladeguard over, say, Deathwing Knights (especially once they go to 3W in the near future)? They don't have the 3++ of a Terminator Storm Shield, they can't deep strike, and they can't take S8 Ap-2 Dmg3 Maces of Absolution... so why take them instead?

It's a good question, and I think it's probably to do with the fact that they will carry out different roles on the tabletop. DWK are a very potent and flexible hammer, which you pay for - both in points and also power level. Their battlefield function is to teleport down to a precise (<=6") location, and completely annhilate their target. And once they are there, you want them to stick around too, which is exactly what our various stratagems allow us to do.

 

Bladeguard, on the other hand, are a more subtle tool. They're only 3-man vs 5-man, are less than half the points and power level cost of a DWK squad. They can ride around in relatively cheap transports (Impulsors), which suggests that their role is better suited to securing lightly-held objectives, and staying there. It costs 1 CP to put them into Strategic Reserve, which adds to their flexibility. I can certainly see situations where you may want to have 2 Bladeguard squads available to you from Strategic Reserves, rather than a single DWK squad which you can teleport down.

[Berzul]

Its a real issue to me that this unit is, at the moment, a 3-model unit. I do hope it changes