Blood Angels and Space Marine Codex Variations

[son_of_volmer]

I want to make a post about differences between the units that both Blood Angels and Space Marine share. There are certain minute areas where the older codex has slight benefits.

I want to start with the Techmarine. If you're taking a Techmarine for as your HQ for Blood Angel's you've lost your mind, and not in the cool way where you get black armor.

The Space Marine codex Techmarine gets BS, Ld, W, A all boosted by one point above it's Blood Angel counterpart and comes with the power axe included in the profile, and has the option for a conversion beamer...

BUT the Blood Angel Techmarine costs 15 points cheaper and can swap its Cervo Arm for a jump pack. The model can still repair, but loses the Unwieldy, Specialist Weapon attack at times two strength and AP 1. The Blood Angel Techmarine is the cheapest way to get a deepstriking HQ unit if you are trying to fit the Angel's Fury (3 stormraven) force under 1500. If he picks up a free Chain Sword, the Techmarine is 50pts with a Jump pack.

Both Assault squads can take 2 flamers or plasma pistols but the Blood Angel Assault squad has access to meltaguns and plasma guns (hand flamers and inferno pistols) where the Space Marines get the eviscerator. Space Marine Assault squads are 15 points cheaper but they've got to add on Jump Packs for 3 points each. The Blood Angel's can drop their Jump PAcks and pick up a free drop pod or Rhino.

The Space Marine Command squad costs 10 points less, and they have the ability to take bikes. Their Apothecary isn't included in the price and must be selected for an additional 15 points. Blood Angels can take Jump Packs instead of bikes.

Space Marine Tactical Squads get a teleport homer for 5 points cheaper, and they can grab Grav cannons with grav amps, but the Blood Angels can get hand flamers, infrono pistols, and heavy flamers.

The Space Marine Scouts get a boosted WS and BS by . Anytime you find yourself squaring off against an opponent fielding Blood Angel scouts, if you say to that player "Hey, you know what? Let's just play your scouts with BS and WS 4." You'll find yourself with a new buddy and possibly a free tasty beverage. (I'm currently painting 20+ pewter scouts)

The Space Marine Attack bike is 5 points cheaper.

The Space Marine Landspeeder is 10 points cheaper and the secondary heavy bolter, heavy flamer and multi-melta it can undersling are 5 points cheaper and the assault cannon is 10 points cheaper.

Space Marine Terminators are 25 points cheaper (and 5 points cheaper per additional) but Assault Terminators pay 5 points more per Storm Shield and Thunder Hammer.

Space Marine Vanguard vets pay 10 points less for a relic blade.

Space Marine Dreadnoughts pick up two attacks and can be fielded in a squad.

Space Marine Devastators can grab grav cannons, and a baby with wings.

There are also the bonus rules for fielding a squad of three Predators, Vindicators or Whirlwinds.

I'm running out of steam, as I just re-wrote 60% of this spiel.

The small variations aren't so bad after all. Space Marines get some advantages and the Blood Angels get some too. What do you think? Did I miss anything?

[Captain Bubonicus]

Blood Angels squads get Furious Charge, so there's that.

[Angelofblades]

Furious Charge in a current edition that doesn't favor close combat isn't that great. Not at all great when you compare it to say, Dark Angel's overwatch on full BS, free transports in a formation, or the ability to use your jump packs in both the movement and assault phases.

[Djbz]

Blood Angels squads get Furious Charge, so there's that.

Which is Half of their Chapter tactics (the other half being The Red Thirst that they only get in some of their formations/detachments)

[Lexington]

Your list is, like, 90% comparative advantages for the Vanilla Marine Codex, either directly or in the form of "Marines get something that's far more useful," so I don't really see how you're reaching that conclusion.

[Deacon Ix]

I still feel hard done by.

Most of it being that I have Scouts and DC Dreads in my BA list.

[son_of_volmer]

I didn't mention Furious Charge as I didn't want to get into the nitty gritty of comparing it the other chapter tactics.

The Space Marine has minute improvement on some stats, but I feel Blood Angels have some options that a Space Marine opponent would look at (Assault squads, Techmarines or the Command squad) and say "Awww, I can't do that in my codex!"

[Defenestratus]

I didn't mention Furious Charge as I didn't want to get into the nitty gritty of comparing it the other chapter tactics.

The Space Marine has minute improvement on some stats, but I feel Blood Angels have some options that a Space Marine opponent would look at (Assault squads, Techmarines or the Command squad) and say "Awww, I can't do that in my codex!"

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

Biggest outrage evah.

[Cleon]

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

Biggest outrage evah.

Well I'd argue removing Death Company (and their dreadnoughts) at the same time, while then improving Marine scouts to the point that ours are an insult adds part of the outrage!

[Arijharn]

Also don't get vehicle squadrons at all or squadron special rules. No 24" flatout for groups of speeders, no heavy bombardment for vindicators, no kill shot for pred squadrons etc, etc. Furioso Librarians don't get 2 close combat weapons really either (check it, the Force Halberd isn't a specialist weapon), and frankly our Dreadnoughts need errata (with the scouts) asap imo.