Salamanders played as Dark Angels

[CCE1981]

Looking at the Dark Angels Index, does anyone else think that It would be great at representing Salamanders?  Salamanders are known to hold the line against desperate odds and the Dark Angels Stratagems and Enhancements being better on Battle shocked units seems like it would really represent the Sallies well, and even better than the Gladius Task Force.

[apologist]

I've been musing about how Salamanders could be represented in the new edition; hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your question, @CCE1981! 

 

The default option of using the Gladius Task Force Detachment seems fine for the moment for me. It's generic and flexible enough to reflect pretty much any Chapter, and if fine for the Salamanders. Adding the special characters seems to be the only thing that distinguishes Salamanders from any other Space Marine force; so if you take this option it's really down to unit selection to reflect your take on the Chapter. That might be going heavy on torrent and melta weapons; harking back to Codex: Armageddon and restricting the number of Land Speeders, Assault Marines etc. that you take; or something else entirely. 

 

In terms of counts-as, if you don't want to take either Salamander character, Iron-Father Feirros might be a fitting choice, giving your forces a solid Feel No Pain to reflect the Salamanders' resilience, and with some nice fluffy master-crafting on a vehicle. 

 

It also allows you to take an all-Gravis force; and that certainly sounds like it'd be fun :)

 

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Turning to using counts-as with the specialist Chapters, I think Deathwatch is just too different to be appropriate; and likewise the Blood Angels detachment doesn't strike me as at all fitting. Black Templars could work, if you're happy to restrict yourself on the vows and stratagems you use. I think Uphold the Honour of the Emperor (FNP6+ and LD5+) seems fitting for Salamanders. Bit of a stretch overall, though. LIikewise, the Space Wolves' Saga of the Bear (army-wide 6+FNP) when a character is reduced to half-damage could be a nice nod to the Salamanders' close-knit brotherhood and the teachings of the Promethean Cult – but little else fits.

 

Which brings us to @CCE1981's idea of using the Dark Angels. I think it fits rather nicely! Grim Resolve nicely fits the 'no matter the odds' philosophy of the Salamanders. Personally, I'd probably only use the stratagems that are replicated from the Gladius Task Force detachment, as I don't think the DA specific ones particularly fit how I see the Salamanders, but your mileage may vary.

 

I'm interested to see what, if anything, we see for the Salamanders specifically. I'm expecting the new Codex is going to have at least one detachment for each principle Chapter (First Founding and notables like Crimson Fists, Flesh Tearers etc.), and hopefully more.