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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Tactica: Blood Angel Reserves & Finesse


As a new blood angels player (though a decent C:SM player), Ive began to really investigate the new BA codex and officially getting my hands on my copy yesterday (along with my death company box set, which will be used to spruce up the army - if your interested in bitz go on ebay now, more BA bitz than you can shake a stick at).

While Ive was able to glance over the BA codex to get my next purchases lined up, I hadn't yet fully thought through the meta game strategy behind my army. While my army consist of a few RAS teams (again, razorback assault squads - 5 man assault team with sang. priest with melta gun, 2 power weapons, twin linked lascannon on razorbac), a baal pred or two, a lascannon pred and so on, I now think more people are overlooking the finesse style you should play with when running the BAs.

The codex is certainly a stronger codex, and while I contend all new 5th edition codexs out are just about equal in strength (though that IG codex is still #1 in my book), most people see the BAs as a smash mouth army. I think there true power lies in having fast vehicles and there reserve abilities (though, having the ability to smash along with the finesse aspect is powerful). In my 1500 point army, im going to be using at least 2 twin linked lascannon razorbacks and 1 baal predator. While the razorback is a nible piece of armour, the fact all BA tanks are fast means ill have the ability to come off the board edge 12 inches and still be able to fire. So going forward, unless I like what I see, I will be holding my razorbacks in reserve if I dont get to go first. So I will hand my opponent nothing to shoot at except rock hard units so I dont get alpha striked to death.

Now, as for the ability to re-roll my failed reserve roll on my jump pack marines means I can be (for all intent) much more confident I can get that unit in round 2 if I want, or choose not to reroll and keep that squad aside for another turn. The power in this is depending on the battle field situation, Ill be in more control about how I want to dedicate my army (or not...). The ability to further influence my deep striking units when I choose is something I again see being overlooked as everyone goes for the deep striking land raiders and 15 man death company squads.

Ill continue to ponder these thoughts the next few days as deep striking hasnt been a preferred means of deployment before...

And finally, one last thing to note, why dont I see Blood Angels scout heavy bolters carrying the hellfire rounds??? Did I just miss it?

5 comments:

adtr42,  April 5, 2010 at 12:04 AM  

death company with jump packs DO have the descent of angels special rule. its noted on page 62 in the jump pack paragraph:

"...a Blood Angel model with a jump pack has the Descent of Angels special rule."

Ultra Vulkan,  April 5, 2010 at 5:35 AM  

Ahh, my mistake. Thanks! I didnt see that under the special rule in their unit profile.

Doc Railgun April 5, 2010 at 5:54 AM  

That's an oversight. Strange, but some units with jump packs have the rule in their profile and some don't... but it's a rule for the wargear, so every unit with jump packs has the rule.

I probably won't be fielding the DC at all in normal games. While they are killy and all, I don't really want to have to shepherd them where I need them to go. So, in 2000 points or less (that is, non-Apocalypse games) I'll be putting 5 Lascannon RAS squads on the table, a Vindicator, 2 AC/Las Predators, 2 Baals, and probably 2 Librarians. Having Sangguinary Priests depends on the point totals.

Matthew,  April 5, 2010 at 6:27 AM  

What I have noticed is that the units that come with a Jump Pack by default have Decent of Angels listed as a special rule. The units you have to buy a jump pack for (DC, Van) it does not list it. However, as Doc says it Clearly states in the wargear that they do have it with jump packs.

Ultra Vulkan,  April 5, 2010 at 5:08 PM  

Agreed, as I have read a number of other blogs asking this same question and the answer is the same your all providing. I too am going to love running the RAS squads in twin linked lascannon razors. I would prefer twin linked assault cannons but I just dont want to buy those bits (they are going for a fortune off ebay now).

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