Wahammer 40k blood angel tactics?

[ElectricPaladin]

Assault marines are freaking awesome. They have slightly fewer upgrade options than Tacs, but they make up for it in several ways:

1) Assault marines can start taking special weapons at 5 men, not 10. This means that multiple small units of assault marines is a viable tactic. Small units of tac marines can't take special weapons at all.

2) Assault marines can take two of the same special weapon, making it much easier to create a "tank-hunting" squad or "infantry chewing" squad, versus tac marines, who must take different weapons.

3) All of an assault squad's upgrades are all Assault and Pistol-style weapons. This means that assault squads can always, well, assault. As opposed to tactical marines, who have Rapid Fire and Heavy options.

4) Jump packs give you unparalleled speed and mobility - and if you opt to remove the jump packs, you get a break on the price of their ride.

[Wolfshade]

I thought 5 man-assault squads lived in las/plas razorbacks...

[TheSustainableCenter]

Eww...that sounds like a crappy list of a wanna be battle force.

But the main thing with BA is FNP. So your building a pretty generic SM list and stuffing in priests to spread the FNP around.

[JBRocky]

Eww...that sounds like a crappy list of a wanna be battle force.

But the main thing with BA is FNP. So your building a pretty generic SM list and stuffing in priests to spread the FNP around.

Yup the Priests are one of the best things I like about BA. Was so glad to get them back in our new Codex.

[Loafer of Change]

Is the general consensus that it's full DoA or full mech assault? Is there no blend to be had between the two?

I ask because my brother is just beginning a BA army (he's a complete rookie, as am I). He has started with 5x DC (with Jump Packs) and 5x AM (with Jump Packs).
I think DoA is a route he wants to go down: Given that, should I make sure he steers clear of everything else so as not to waste his limited cash?

[Wolfshade]

That is an interesting question. If you try and blend the two you end up with a list that is neither DOA or fast Mech and so could be weaker than a fully Mech or a fully DOA, however if done well they can complement each other.
The groups I tend to play in people don't field lists they play armies and they tend to be a mixture of different things.

[Rahakanji]

You can use both, but it will never be a DoA List, Sure you can use a DoA-Squad in a Mech Army, i play for example a 10man Jumper squad with Lib in my Mech BA list! And in the past also Vets, but i rarely use them as deepstrikers, rather as a conter! So, albeit Jumper have a value in Mech-lists they are not good in a DoA deployment!

[Loafer of Change]

Thanks for the thoughts. I've managed to get him 15 more assault marines on the cheap, so it looks as if DoA is the only way for now.

Perhaps it's subconsciously motivated by self-interest: A few (unlikely) mishaps could be my Daemons' only hope of victory.

[Soups]

Greeting fellow Scion of Sanguinius!

Firstly, I do recommend you buying some scoring troops. Assault Squads are the defacto best troop in the codex. If you like playing Hero Hammer, look at buying Dante, as he will make you existing Sanguinary Guard scoring.

1) Your Stormraven and You

A storm raven should be treated just like a very fragile landraider. Gunship might be part of it's title, but more often than not, I find it more prudent to treat it somewhat similar to a Sadus Assault ship, or just a very very fast paper landraider. Your 2 squads of Death Company are what I use when ever I run my SR gunship. You might try making a 10-11 man DC squad, that always starts the game embarked on the SR. Having a chaplain or reclusiarch join them, so when you do release the dogs of war, you can apply a good 30 or so wounds that even terminators fear.

It does depend on who you play with, but unless you are facing someone with very few Anti-tank ranged weapons, or you can guarantee you won't have the ship be a gun magnet turn 1, it never hurts to keep it in reserve and let it storm on from reserves going flat out. Going first is always a bonus. More often than not, I find my opponents rushing at my deployment lines to get to the rest of my army, since about 1/4 of it is not on the table. So you often get the drop on them because of their mistake.

A Stormraven is also a very good transport for those "One Of" HQ choices that refuse to join other squads like a good independent character should, I.E. The Sanguinor or Mephiston. Since the Sanguinor has so few wounds, this is the one of 2 good ways to deploy him, (besides deep striking). I do find it better to DS the Sanguinor if there are multiple HQs. That way you can better choose which of your opponent's HQs you wish to smack about.

2) Thee Elite Army before Grey Knights were cool

You do seem to have bought the shiny shiny cool stuff right away. You are on the way to buying some Sanguinary priests, so you are on a good start to protecting your Guard and terminators. Always a good move. I would recommend you find yourself a librarian with a jump pack, or acquire a librarian dreadnought (prefect for that stormraven you have) and use Shield of Sanguinius. With Dark Eldar finding new and exciting ways to field AP 2, along with Grey Knights jamming as much dreadnought into a list the same way a space wolf has missiles, I find this psychic power to be worth it's weight in plastic crack. While nothing is guaranteed in the game of dice, a 5+ cover to vehicles, is better than nothing.

And behold, the 2nd best force multiplier on the codex, the Sanguinor. The walking chapter banner. I find he is better suited when you have a mostly assaulty army (so more assault troops and Veteran Vanguard, less tactical squads and scouts). Obviously he is great when you want to have a low model count army not lack the attacks you are missing if you had more dudes.

I find it best to treat a sanguinary preist like a generic HQ. Fragile, and avoid that power fist. Since they are VERY easy to pick out, I like to keep mine naked and limited to 2. 2 is the sweet spot (IMHO. Your results will vary). They being so fragile, I use them for a point sink only. Extra 5 points? Melta bomb it is! Go hunt down that vehicle.


Happy hunting.

[Iaipunk]

Let me start by saying: I am a fan of hybrid armies.

I've been playing Blood Angels since second edition, and the biggest advantage they have is mobility.
Find a way to make use of it.

This is the key to victory with BA armies...
and ultimately why some of the DoA themed armies don't perform well for newer players.
Because they drop them in, and even though it's just one turn, they are stuck.

I can't say it enough.
Keep your guys moving as much as you can.

And have fun.