Blood Angels and Space Marine Codex Variations

[Mr Mystery]

Just Worse Space Marines.

indeed

I dunno. It's one of the complaints (and not to say it's necessarily invalidated by my opinion) that irks me.

I'd hate to see the day when Blood Angels/Dark Angels/Space Woofs et al are just standard Space Marines but with brass knobs on. There needs to be some kind of availability compromise to help keep them differentiated.

[Anggul]

They just need to make all of the other marine codices expansions for the main one. Have them contain all of the unique units, relics, traits etc. but not the 'shared' units. That way when the 'core' Space Marines codex gets updated, all of the marines get those updates.

[Fanboy]

I still think that the biggest travesty in the BA codex is removing Assault Squads as troops.

Biggest outrage evah.

Correct. Plus, furious charge needs to be a standard + 1 str and +1 Ini, and Feel no pain just for BA's should be 4plus. Let's get back to BAs being feared in close combat......oh wait, the current rule set does not support close combat......what was I thinking........looking forward to 8th Ed.......I hope.........maybe.........

[Grudge-bearer]

Sadly, the only real way to get GW to listen and actually fix things is to hurt their profits. When sales plummet they then start paying attention to complaints. Until then the complaints mean nothing because they're cancelled out by the fan-boys who say GW can do no wrong.

Well, in reality ALL companies can, and often do, do wrong. Getting the company to fix their wrong is not always easy. I do guarantee that should folks stop buying any BA, DA, Tyranids or Orks before the end of the year GW would panic and start listening to players. Well, that or everyone at Games Day events agree to play by older, functional rules (2nd - 5th eds). GW would have seizures. But they also would see just how craptastic folks view the current edition.

[son_of_volmer]

Here's why the Blood Angels don't suck:

They can take a Death co. Squad (WITH JUMP PACKS!) and a Death co. Dred as Troops choices. They have three alternative force organisation charts. The Flesh Tearers Strike Force grants 6 Fast Attack slots. The Archangels Strike Force grants 16 Elite slots. The Baal Strike Force grants 4 Elite slots, and Red Thirst. On top of that, there’s the Blood Angels Battle Company that grants objective secured AND Red Thirst. Also they have the Angel's Fury Spearhead Force.

The Blood Angels get freebies too, there are the free upgrades for the Archangels Sanguine Wing, but the main freebie that everyone overlooks is the FREE RHINOS or drop pods that Assault Marines get. This alone has such value because there is no mandatory requirements to get them. I was also reminded that the Rhinos have overcharged engines.

My question is this: Would you discard all of these things for a single ‘hot’ rule granted by a Decurion Formation?

Do you want to know why Blood Angels can’t win? It's because they are red. [I learned this from the internet, here; [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X31K6jammH0[/url] ] Studies show that in multiplayer video games Blue teams fare marginally better, because they remain slightly better composed. Being Red encourages rash behaviour and aggression. I feel the BA rules reflect that in granting bonus’ simply making aggressive moves.

1500pts The Freebie List

Flesh Tearers Strike Force
Techmairne with chain sword, bolt pistol and jump pack
1 Squad of Scouts
5 Squads of Assault troops in Rhinos, 5 man with 2 melta guns each
630pts [31 models and 5 vehicles]

Archangels Sanguine Wing
2 Squads of Vanguard Vets, each with Jump Packs, 8 power swords, 2 power axes, 2 lightning claws
1 Squad of Sternguard, with 10 combi flamer
1 Stormraven
860pts [30 models and a vehicle]

This list has 625pts worth of Upgrades for free!

[Charistoph]

indeed

I dunno. It's one of the complaints (and not to say it's necessarily invalidated by my opinion) that irks me.

I'd hate to see the day when Blood Angels/Dark Angels/Space Woofs et al are just standard Space Marines but with brass knobs on. There needs to be some kind of availability compromise to help keep them differentiated.

You would have hated 3rd and most of 4th edition, then. All the Variant Marines were set up that way till the Minimalist Period Dark Angels, including the Space Wolves.

And oddly enough, the two variant "Legions" that are noted for being codex-adherent with minimal changes get to stay out of the main codex, while one of the Chapters that is noted for being as unadherent as Space Wolves are put in. Talk about your weird perspectives.

Here's why the Blood Angels don't suck:

All their Blood Priests have cups. They are civilized vampires and so do not need to gain their sustenance directly from the tap when cups are handy.

[AlexRae]

Please don't put those silly Deathstorm Death Company data slates down as a positive.

It really is just plainly poor game design and studio management that homogenous things between the Space Marine chapters are different. The flavour should be in Chapter Tactics/special rules/formations and unique units, not having identical units which for some reason have different points costs and stats.

Really disappointed by this aspect of the GW studio at the moment. There seems to be no sign of a coherent game design ethos.

[Cactus]

I don't want to be an apologist, but there's a lot whining about the BA...

So far, the only real argument about points not being on par is valid because it was released so close to the SM book and it's odd that they aren't on par, but I chalk that up to being at the crossover point with the new formation heavy books. I think Deathstorm is a positive because it does give the missing elements and the Fleshtearer formation seems to be one of the most popular formations for allies in the game.

I overheard another veteran player giving a new player advice on how to build his army and that he should look at the units that make his army unique and focus on buying/painting/playing those units.

For me, assault troops not being Troops choices isn't a big deal, they work just fine in the fast slot (I like death company far more) and the other BA differences more than make up for it... 4 Elite slots, Dreadnought Librarian HQs, Heavy Weapons for 5-man Tac squads (including heavy flamers), an underrated spell list, and they have two of the best special characters (not to mention how awesome BA chaplains work with DC, and Sang Priests.)