Some Thoughts on Playing the Dark Angels

Now I'm no military or wargaming savant, so don't expect anything ground breaking here. This is still a what I'm up to and what I'm into kind of blog. However, almost all of my hobby time right now, and for this year has been directed to the Dark Angels. As of the Apocalypse game I played in on Thursday evening I've now played 15 games with the new codex and have loved them all. So here are some of my thoughts about what I've used. 

Starting with my list. Most of my games have been at the 1000-1200 levels, that's where the GW games sit and about all my CSM friend can scape together. Below is about 1,500 points that I usually select from, you'll all recognise the core as being Dark Vengeance, although I've expanded pretty extensively on that by now. 

Belial 190

Librarian 65

Venerable Dreadnought 125

10 Tactical Space Marines: plasma pistol; chainsword; plasma gun; plasma cannon. 180

5 Deathwing Terminators: Deathwing Terminator Sergeant (storm bolter; power sword); 3× storm bolter; 3× power fist; chainfist; assault cannon. 245

5 Deathwing Terminators: power fist; 2× pair of lightning claws; 2× thunder hammer and storm shield; assault cannon. 250

5 Assault Space Marines: Veteran Sergeant (bolt pistol; jump pack); power weapon; jump packs; 2× plasma pistol. 140

10 Devastator Space Marines: Space Marine Sergeant (bolt pistol); chainsword; 5× boltgun; 2× missile launcher (flakk missiles); 2× plasma cannon. 220

Imperial Bastion: gun emplacement with quad-gun. 125

Like many a DA player before me I've gravitated towards Belial as my HQ, unlocking the Deathwing as Troops is the main reason, but I have got good value out of his not scattering on Deep Strikes. I have trouble using him however, he is not quite killy enough to go it alone, T4 & A3, these are the stats I find weak. Being doubled out happens too often and I just can't keep him away from all those nasty strong Lords as I'm trying to Slay the Warlord and complete The Hunt (+1vp for killing the Warlord with Belial or his unit).  Plus, only 3 attacks means he takes forever to get through a unit when he isn't fighting the heroes. 

The Librarian is great, with Divination on the Primaris power he is best friends with my Devastator squad and their heavy weapons. I've tried him out in TDA as well, mixed results so far, his un-Lord-like stats have let him down a bit so I expect more of a support role to remain for this guy. 

I've run both Venerable and Unvenerated Dreadnoughts, always with the basic loadout. I lost one once, they seem to do a great job for me, I worry that in larger games they may be too easily picked off as an opportunity target. I've been using him to punch a nasty hole with his multimelta or deal with smaller squads in combat. 

My Tactical Squad is GOLD. They take objectives, defend Bastions, gun down anything approaching and then club the survivors with their Boltgun butts. I tend to have them in combat squads as I need the scoring units for such small point games. However after a recent experiment with the Thrice Blessed [insert angelic choir here] Sacred Standard of Devastation I am thinking of trying some games with more tactical squads. 

The Terminators get the job done, they tend to fall eventually to massed fire, but I feel this is normally only because they are thrown straight on the fire every game. It's great getting them as Troops for  1,000 point games but in a larger engagement then they could return to Elite if it wasn't such a busy slot already, they are too deadly to waste holding objectives. Maybe if I increase the squad size they could live to take something late game?

I feel I often hear stories about SM Assault Squads not being the bomb. My five man squad with plasma pistols often take a casualty or two on the way in but still manage to pull out wins and Sweeping Advances all over the place. They make a great flank strike force whilst I try to be a little careful about who they face. If you face enemies in a building then I recommend racing Hell to Leather to get your Assault Squad there, read up on the grenades thrown in fire points and the laugh at you opponents tears.

My Devastators are normally fielded in combat squads, that way the Flakk missiles can shoot freely at any flyers that may be around. I tend to keep the Sergeant with the plasma cannons to help fix bad scatter rolls. The missile launcher squad likes to sit up in the Bastion with the Re-roll Librarian and the Quadcannon. 

All in all I'm enjoying the Dark Angels on the table, I've rolled out the Deathwing Knights and three man Ravenwing Attack Squad (Dark Vengeance for the win I say) once each so don't feel I know them yet, both worked well enough. What I have tried plays to the fluff perfectly, my Greenwing hold posistions and pump out bolter fire whilst the Deathwing arrive and kill, sadly they tend to die in the process (I guess that's why they paint their armour white). 

If anyone reads this, please let me know what you think of these views, am I missing a trick, have I been crazy lucky with my Assault Squads? Do you play Dark Angels, what are your thoughts? What DA units do you fear meeting? 

The Unforgiven

So, veeery little blogging over the past half year. Since I got an iPad for Xmas I almost never use a regular computer anymore. Hence I don't really do the blog thing now. :)

However as anyone who still comes by here may have noticed I posted a Dark Angels battle report in January, this was because I have a Dark Angels army now and have been playing some 40k (15 games in 2013 so far). Most of you that may read this likely know about my Unforgiven from Twitter, but I thought it time to get some pics and details down in more than 142 characters. 

Just before Christmas last year I played through the Dark Vengeance missions with a friend,

And LOVED it, the game was so much fun and the 2+5++ Terminators were awesome. 

So I set about painting the models from the DV set and converting my own Belial to join in Games Workshop Oslo's new year 1000pt campaign 'The Battle for Cardryad'. This involved two weeks of the old codex and then a boost of 6th ed. goodness with the new and improved codex. 

 

Or in my gullible case...

So new codex in hand, I have plowed through the year painting green, white and black in my ever increasing development of the Dark Angels 4th. Company and supporting units. With the recent release of Apocalypse I really pulled out the stops on glueing and stuck together every Space Marine I had to build the entire company. :)

I'm going to try and have squad posts here as units get completed, but I'll leave you now with my 'complete' army as it stands. A little over 4,000 points, but only about a third of it finished with. 

Battle Report - Task Force Nicodemus

 

+++Task Force Nicodemus+++
+++Mission Report+++
+++The Defence of Stavron Station+++

+++Objective+++
Whilst other forces of the Imperium's Crusade were to capture the primary Manufactorum on the planet of Chalice, the Dark Angels led by Nicodemus were sent to hold back an aberrant Tyranid horde moving along the flank of the invading force. The line at Stavron Station was to be held and key points along the battle field controlled to keep supply lines secure.

+++Summary: Codicer Azamader+++

Tactical Squad Delcius and I advanced to the tip of the ridge overlooking the outpost we were to hold. Still behind the defence line the large creatures were advancing towards us, a multitude of chittering 'Gants around their feet. This force was larger than we had been led to believe. Whilst Sergeant Delcius contacted Command about the situation I led his squad in firing upon the Genestealers that I sensed already amongst the buildings. As the creatures fell back away from our point we heard a thunder clap and Nicodemus arrived with his Deathwing squad, resplendent in their bone white armour they lay waste to smaller creatures with bolter fire. Already two of our number had fallen, Brother Nico had perished as he tried to thin the vast horde with excessive plasma fire and I noted that one of Nicodemus' squad had never arrived.

 
The largest of creatures turned towards Nicodemus as it dropped fleshy sacks from its underbelly. These burst revealing even more of the smaller Tyranids, all advancing on the Deathwing. The rest of the Xenos advanced towards the station under fire from squad Delcius. Our fire appeared to injure the Carnefixes maraud ring towards us but they kept advancing.
Nicodemus and his Deathwing charged, stormbolters blazing, into the Gants and slew a great number of them. However I sensed Brother Demian pulled down by their weight of numbers. As the Brood Mother of the Tyranids crashed into that combat, Nicodemus met her with a defiant cry and not a step of ground given to her bulk. He also informed me via suit vox units that he had called Squad Shuro into the stations defence alongside us and to prepare for their arrival via teleportarium soon.

As the two Carnifexes came crashing in towards us I sensed a strong malevolence in the fates, first came the fall of Sergeant Drethial besides Nicodemus and then came the crushing claws of the Tyranids ahead of the squad I accompanied. The next I was to know was the throbbing pain of broken bones and blood trying to heal my body. The taskforce's Apothecary was able to revive me after the battle and I learnt how the Tyranids came to pass us by and lay ruin upon the Imperial lines. Not the Dark Angels most shameful moment, but nothing to be proud of either.

I learnt later that Sergeant Delcius and his last two squad members were able to hold up the Carnifexes, Tyranid Warrior brood and the last of the Genestealers for the scant moments needed for reinforcements to arrive. Delcius himself slew one of the great beasts with his plasma pistol and the second was laid waste to by the newly arrived squad of Deathwing Terminators. However Sergeant Shuro was eaten alive within his armour by the living rounds of the Tyranid guns, and the vile Warriors rolled over his squad.

Nicodemus suffered a similar fate to me, crushed down by the vast Tyranid leader and left a crumpled wreck as the Hive Mind drove the creatures onwards. Study of Brother Mikel's armour pictcorder footage shows he fought over to Nicodemus' body and defended him until the end. His sacrifice likely saved our commanders life.

+++Report Terminated+++

 

+++Addendum+++
The wounded survivors of Task Force Nicodemus are resupplying and healing upon the Strike Cruiser Unlimited Wrath before moving on to further assist the Caradryad Crusade.

Time Continues to run Amok

Yes it's once again been a good while since I last posted. I have since the last time had a lovely birthday, Christmas and New Year. On a more hobby related front I have also got a lot together ready for this years Deathwatch, no pictures there though as I don't want to give the game away. Soon I'll be working out a date for that and begin ramping up to the game. First up will be the story of last years game written by Simon.

What I can show however is the 1000 point Dark Angels force I'm putting together for GW Oslo's Battle for the Caradryad Sector (http://www.facebook.com/events/100127140162393/). Here are the wip shots of the army so far. Some day soon I'll sit at a real computer and lay out a propper blog post about how I made my Belial conversion, his alternative backstory and what the army consists of. This was planned out just before the White Dwarf leeks so I now can't wait to see how it all goes.

Well the campaign begins tomorrow so I had better get some sleep, wish me luck for my first real games of 6th. Ed.

It's been a while, but...

Been a busy month here in Norway.

Little Sebastian had his Christening

 and his first Halloween.

So hobby time has been thin on the ground. Here is a little summary of the progress that has been made though:

The Kernewek Guard received their first Heavy Weapons Teams

Some entrenched for suppressing fire.

Others on the run to rear shot Land Raiders.

 

In training for #ForgeWorldOnly, MkVI's from the bits box.

The real action has been going on at the hands of Brother (Captain) Tiberius, a new member for his Deathwatch Killteam.

A unit of Bloodletters to become allies for a CSM army.

And the first unit for the CSM army of his, the Adherents of the Dragon (catchy name) have been built and painted.

He even detailed how he's done most of the work on the Adherents in case anyone else wants to join his rusty, Dark Mecanicum loving badasses.

Brass work:

Base Coat Scorched Brown/Rhinox Hide

Layer Tin Bitz/Warp lock Bronze

Layer Rune Lord Brass

Wash Badab Black/Nuln Oil

Highlight Mithril Silver/Runefang Steel

Blades and Horns:

Base Coat Chaos Black

Dry Brush Blood Red

Dry Brush Blazing Orange

Highlight Fortress Grey

Glaze Blood Letter

Purity Seal

Base Graveyard Earth/Steel Legion Drab rim and grass/sand flock mix.

Please let me know what you think of these models, Tiberius would love to read any comments I'm sure. Plus I'd like to know if people like the idea of the occasional guest spot from friends of mine, and if so how should they be done? Should I get people to write a piece themselves? Do you want lots of pics or plenty of text?

The Mantis' Strike - #ForgeWorldOnly

Well a few folk have blogged about this over the past couple of days. Richard the #Warmonger from Twitter’s idea that he threw out last week and that really blew up since then, first Knibbler joined him and now we number a dozen. All of us who are going for it are agreeing to a very slow build 40k army using only (or as near to it as possible) Forge World resin figures. There is a good range of different armies on the planning block right now so we can expect some interesting looking forces to start developing in a year or so.

Personally I’ve chosen the Mantis Warriors Space Marine chapter, specifically the Imperial Armour 10: Badab War part 2 force.

I’ve been a fan of these guys ever since I saw the Tranquillity Campaign snipers back in the day (White Dwarf 101, released a couple of months before I first played Warhammer). Then I read the Deathwatch novel Warrior Brood which made the Mantis Warriors out to be pretty awesome and victims of their own honour.

So with this kind of interest in the chapter I’ve gone to the IA10 book and started studying. The #ForgeWorldOnly plan involves buying units individually and not buying the next one until you’ve completed the painting on the first. The first goal is a 1750pt list, which I will be making up from 1st Company Veterans & the remnants of 4th Company after their savage fighting against Genestealers. This places them at the start of the Badab Wars.

OK, more on the details of my lists and fluff is to come, for now I recommend anyone to search #ForgeWorldOnly on Twitter and check out Richards blog Forge World Only. Let me know below what you think about the idea, the army and any other thoughts you may have.

What I Read (Focused) - Scorpius GLC's Tyrants Legion

So Scorpius GLC's latest blog is about how he has completed his 2000pts Tyrants Legion army already. Taken from the Badab Wars Forge World books this army combines Space Marines and Imperial Guard in one force. He has done a fantastic job on this army, conversions, classic models Forge World, giant flyers, he's got it all. That's all I intend to say about it, here is his post; please follow the link to his site and tell him what you think of his work.

Praise to the Tyrant - 2000pts Tyrants Legion Force

Hi guys and gals, how’s your New 40k: New Army projects coming along?

I have completed my 2000pts (I like to jump both feet in!!), I do have a few extra bits to add to the force as the project is going to be on/off for the next year as I work my force up in size along with Chaos Bringers Minotaurs Army & SNAGA101′s Red Scorpions. The reason I say on off is I have a lot more free time to work on my projects and am just over 1000pts ahead of them. I will be getting around to documenting my build and their projects on YouTube over the next few weeks!

So my force, selected from the Tyrants Legion Army List in the Badab War Vol.1 Book from Forge World:

HQ CHOICE 1: LUGFT HURON & HONOUR GUARD SQUAD

The Lugft Huron model from Forge World is AMAZING!!! the details are crisp and clean and was a wonderful model to paint! The honour Guard were made from kit bashing Space Marine Assault Squad arms with the Space Marine Command Sprue parts and the Steam Knight Models from Anvil Industry. The Relic Blades are from Scibor Miniatures. I really wanted this squad to be unique and I think the armour and weapons do the job well!

HQ CHOICE 2: AUXILIA COMMAND SQUAD
TROOP CHOICE 3: AUXILIA ARMSMEN CADRE & CHIMERA TRANSPORT

This unit is made up of Rogue Trader Era Guardsmen and the Titan Princep from Forge World represents the Commander of the Auxilia forces working within the Tyrants Legion, When the force breaks above the 2000pts mark this will be a Imperial Guard HQ for my allies and will be mounted inside a Centaur.

HQ CHOICE 3: COMPULSORY FREE CHOICE – LEGION CENTURION

This was the test model I made for this force, I have to hae one in my force if it is more than 1500pts and I built the model from the command sprue, tactical sprue, Devastator sprue and the Dark Angels sprue.

TROOP CHOICE 1 – COMPULSORY CHOICE – AUXILIA SQUAD

this squad must be present in any sized list and is made from the standard Cadian Boxed set. I painted this as the second thing for the army as I wanted to get the bulk painting over and done with. I chose to decorate the shoulder plates of armour with the colours of the Legion and I feel it helps to unify the force.

HQ CHOICE 2: SPACE MARINE COHORT SQUAD

This was a cool unit to build, it was kitbashed a little and has Forge World & Anvil Industry Shoulder Pads. I really enjoyed painting these and varnished them with a new can of purity seal…….they turned white  but managed to pull them back to this

This was a straight from the box build and went for a battered armour look as they had been in many wars!

ELITES CHOICE 1: ASSAULT TERMINATOR SQUAD

This unit has parts from Assault on Black Reach, Anvil Industry & Scibor Shoulder Pads as well as 2 Scibor Storm Shields.

HEAVY SUPPORT CHOICE 1: VINDICATOR

HEAVY SUPPORT CHOICE 2 – STORM EAGLE

Always getting in to the thick of the battle I painted my Storm Eagle as Battered and Bruised!

WELL I HOPE THAT YOU LIKE MY FIRST 2000pts OF MY TYRANTS LEGION AND WILL BE UPDATING THIS OVER THE COMING MONTHS! THANKS ONCE AGAIN!

Riding Rough

A few things have happened with my plans for new 40k as I've gone over the rules and my codex's. First I've come to love the idea of Fortifications, with them being so Imperial influenced so far and most of my 40k collections being  of the Imperium they fit lovely. Allies are also the thing for me, my Space marines are my only truly finished force, and I just don't have the desire to use them right now, this leaves me with my barely started Samurai Grey Knights and my not much further along Imperial Guard. Painting up my Ageis Defence Line was great fun as t was such a quick little project, the photographing it with my IG got me all keen on doing some more work on them.

So for this weeks #MiniatureMonday on Twitter I present my Rough Riders, or at least the first five of them.

Now as you can see, there are still three bases to go, I'm out of the modeling clay I was using for them. I think I'll be ordering these Desert Basin bases from Secret Weapon Miniatures for the army so I'm not going to rush to finish that part of the job. The bikes come from the British firm Ramshackle Games, I bought a load of them with and without legs ages ago to use as Rough Riders and am very pleased with the look.

Bandanna Dude on the left is throwing an explosive charge made of plasticard that represents hunting lances, the rest of the squad have them attached to their bikes ready to be used.

As always, I'd love to know what people think. Let me know either here or on Twitter @DrakePoldragon

Upcoming is another look at how things are going on Kickstarter and I intend to take on the awful task of cataloguing my unpainted model collection. These two topics are not 100% unrelated. ;) 

“Last Days of the Angels”–An Indiegogo Campaign

Now I’m sure I’m not the only one here who has received an e-mail from the people of Ballistic Skill 4 painting studio. And I realise that their request is simply an attempt to receive a little more advertising for their Indiegogo project "Last Days of Angels". That said it is a very interesting project, something I at least have not seen before.

Last Days of the Angels is to be a series of dioramas to tell the story of the destruction of the Blood Angels at the hand (claws?) of a Tyranid Hive Fleet. Similar to the new fluff calling together the successor chapters at the end of M40k.


They have eight to 15 dioramas planned, with the first eight detailed on their page. The rewards however are a little thin on the ground, they have a few lower priced options $5-$20 get you some videos and/or pdf’s. After that the funding level jumps up to $75, $150 or $650, that is that! These options get you dioramas made and painted by the BS4 team. Nice I am sure, but I can’t help feel that they are missing a trick or two here. I suggest they add in levels that include some of their painting services (doesn’t have to be Blood Angels), cheaper options that allow people to have single figures painted up rather than just dioramas and maybe some other pieces of paraphernalia like posters or wallpaper sets. Options that include something physical for under $50 could help get some more pace behind the backing.

They have chosen to take the Flexible Funding option that Indiegogo provide, this means that at the end of the campaign period they get money even if they are not fully funded (unlike the system the Kickstarter use) but pay Indigogo a higher percentage. Hopefully this means we will get to see some great dioramas no matter how it goes. I also hope we can see some more of BS¤’s work, perhaps some of their previous commissions.

OK, the timing for receiving this e-mail was somewhat auspicious, I was in the middle of putting together a post about some of my experiences with Kickstarter over the past few months, this acts as a little warm up post to that. You can expect me to put it out in a day or two.

What do people think about BS4’s plans for the “Last Days of Angels” and their chances of funding all 15 dioramas?

Picket Lines & Defence Lines

A new week and a new #MiniatureMonday. I've had a fairly productive week given that I spent the second half of it away. I bought a pair of desk lamps to improve my painting area and tried some of GW's new paint range.

But on to the miniatures, I've completed some of my Ageis Defence Line. Pictures are taken with some of my Guardsmen I fished out. GK1 stands beside them, this is my plan for a 1500pt list with allies. With two, short and one long section complete, plus the Quad cannon I believe that places me ahead of fellow blogger and #Warmonger @WarLlama40k (not a competition); although his are of a much more detailed finish. :) They are surprisingly fun to build and paint up so I hope to finish tomorrow.

  

Then come the first complete unit from my Dystopian Wars fleet. #StPiransPicket Three KoB Tribal cruisers. Again fun to paint, Menoth White Base is a lovely colour.

HMS Padstow leads the Squadron

HMS Pelynt nearest

Tribal Curisers of Kernow 2nd Fleet

HMS Polperro nearest

¨




GK3-5 are also clipped out and mostly de-mold-lined, Green Stuffing starts tomorrrow.

Comments and tips are welcome. :)