Blood Angels Unit of the Week series Unit of the Week: Storm Speeder Thunderstrike

[Jolemai]

 

Welcome to part four of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week series!

 
Following the release of the 10^th edition Codex Supplement, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will discuss the units from the units found within Codex Supplement: Blood Angels, parts two to four will discuss Codex: Space Marines, part five will be Imperial Armour, and part six will be Legends.
 
Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.
 
Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

 

 Storm Speeder Thunderstrike

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use a Storm Speeder Thunderstrike?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? 
• Are you taking multiple units?
• Which Detachment are you using?
• What delivery options are you using? 
• What deployment options are you using?
• Stratagem synergy of note?

 

Over to you.

 

Please note that the Storm Speeder Hailstrike and Storm Speeder Hammerstrike will be discussed elsewhere.

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread), then submit a photo here please.

 

(Once I work out how best to float it!)

 

***

 

As an aside, the thread setup may change over the coming weeks until I'm happy with them. This includes the photos.

[Karhedron]

Stormspeeders are an answer to a question no one was asking. Many factions have fast scouting units that apply a nerf to the target or buff to units shooting the same target. Eldar Vypers and War Walkers do the same job and there are other units in 10th that fulfil the same niche. All these units tend to have the same problem in that for the price they cost, you can get another shooting unit to do the same job.

 

The Thunderstrike costs as much as a tank. The problem is that for an anti-tank/monster unit, it only makes a single attack higher than S10 but it costs 150 points. For that much you could buy a Lancer, Ballistus or Annihilator, all of which will deal far more direct damage to tanks and monsters. This is exacerbated by the fact that Blood Angels normally go light on firepower in favour of being able to chop stuff up in melee.

 

So how can you get mileage out of a Thunderstrike? Since it is a force-multiplier, it can work well against very big targets like Knights where your firepower may otherwise struggle. If you are playing a large game where you have plenty of anti-tank, shooting your OOM target with a Thunderstrike will help your other big guns kill it more efficiently. This may help with Knights with Rotated Ion Shields, daemon Primarchs etc which are hard to bring down in a single round of shooting. This is a bit of a niche case, big targets in big games but every bit helps.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

On 5/20/2025 at 5:06 AM, Karhedron said:

Stormspeeders are an answer to a question no one was asking. Many factions have fast scouting units that apply a nerf to the target or buff to units shooting the same target. Eldar Vypers and War Walkers do the same job and there are other units in 10th that fulfil the same niche. All these units tend to have the same problem in that for the price they cost, you can get another shooting unit to do the same job.

 

The Thunderstrike costs as much as a tank. The problem is that for an anti-tank/monster unit, it only makes a single attack higher than S10 but it costs 150 points. For that much you could buy a Lancer, Ballistus or Annihilator, all of which will deal far more direct damage to tanks and monsters. This is exacerbated by the fact that Blood Angels normally go light on firepower in favour of being able to chop stuff up in melee.

 

So how can you get mileage out of a Thunderstrike? Since it is a force-multiplier, it can work well against very big targets like Knights where your firepower may otherwise struggle. If you are playing a large game where you have plenty of anti-tank, shooting your OOM target with a Thunderstrike will help your other big guns kill it more efficiently. This may help with Knights with Rotated Ion Shields, daemon Primarchs etc which are hard to bring down in a single round of shooting. This is a bit of a niche case, big targets in big games but every bit helps.

I have definitely felt the TS was undergunned for an anti-armor role, but 2/3 of its guns hit on a 2+, which is solid especially since its ability requires it to hit a target to buff other units.

 

i think it shines most hunting the medium durability targets on its own, but, it also helps turn chip damage from other units into more significant damage, and I think it combo is well with the hammer strike.

 

also the lowest S weapon is twin linked which really helps out on getting that wound roll against the high T targets. So it’s not great into tanks but not horrible.

Edited May 22 by Inquisitor_Lensoven