Zynk Kaladin

The sanguinary guard also wear winged helmets much like the ultramarine honor guard models.

Yea, it looks like FW designed Sanguinius for the special base because pose works a lot better on it. I think the spear needs to be angled down towards the head a bit more but the concept has grown on me. Forgeworld really need to work on how they present their models! Dissapointing to hear no sanguinary guard... looks like I'll have to kitbash some fancy 30k ones after all.

I can't help but feel extremely let down after seeing my long anticipated primarch and going "eh" (I'm looking at you too Black Library). The pose is just... bad... Maybe it's just not a good angle? Despite the initial misgivings the armor is well done so there's nothing a knife, kit bash, green stuff, and a bit of red thirst can't fix. With some extra effort maybe I can get the model I've always wanted (I remember the artist was on this forum, your Sangy feels right to me): Do you think they'll make 30k Sanguinary Guard eventually? I'd love to give Sanguinius some Azkaellon and friends.

You really cant go wrong with any BAngel troop choice because each fill their niche quite well. Intercessors are a great choice and have beautiful models. I just dislike how tall they are next to my old marines (and a litany of other recent fluff misgivings). Captain Gallagher is a great choice at a very inexpensive price tag. Not necessarily must have, but highly recommended.

Unfortunately being a wee lad at the time I never played 2nd, so I deferred to your ancient wisdom. I thumbed through my Angels of Death codex and sure enough the scheme is an oppressive and wrathful reddish-orange! If I were to start in this edition with unrelenting stabby in mind I'd build the battalion below with a choice between death company and vanguard veterans. It's a solid core and you can easily supplement this list with more options as desired. Battalion Captain (JP, hammer, optional storm shield) If choosing Death Company route: spend a CP on Death Visions before the game starts and make him Death Company for +1A on charge and 6+++ FNP. Give him Hammer of Baal relic for a 2+ to hit. Give him Gift of Foresight warlord trait to bump up his FNP to 5+++ with rerolls on 1. This stacks well with Lemartes's reroll charges. If choosing Van Vets: give him Artisan of War warlord trait providing him a 4 damage hammer. Also give him Angel's Wing relic for reroll failed charges and cannot be overwatched. You also have the option to spend a CP to give him +1A on the charge and 6+++ FNP, but not really required. Personally, I'd probably do it anyway. Lemartes or Mephiston depending on DC or VV choice below 5 scouts (sword, 4bp/ccw) <-- Honestly I'm having a hard time choosing between bolters or bp/ccw scouts... so in your case... stabby! 5 scouts (sword, 4bp/ccw) 5 scouts (sword, 4bp/ccw) 10 Death Company (JPs, 1 hammer, 2 sword) or 10 Vanguard Vets (JPs, 1 hammer, 2 sword, 3 storm shield)

REEEEEEEE The OG Orange Marines Brother-Templar, please report to your local chaplain for penitence paddling. Here's some fun options off the top of my head: - Our librarians get Wings of Sanguinius spell, which gives them a 12" move in the psychic phase (yes, libby dreads too). Mephiston is a beast with this. - Unleash rage spell gives +1A to a chosen unit within 12" - Upon Wings of Fire lets you move a JP unit anywhere on the table as long as it's 9" away from an enemy. Awesome strategem. - Lemartes gives rerolls to charges for Death Company units. This with Descent of Angels on the DC squad giving them 3d6 to charge is pretty rad. - Mephiston with Quickening (+d3A) and Red Rampage (+d3A) at strength 10 is glorious. - Sanguinor gives a 6" +1A aura. Great for buffing Sanguinary Guard because they get rerolls to hit if they're within 6 of their warlord. Also great with Death Company and unleash rage giving them 6 attacks on the charge! - Sanguinary Priest gives +1S. Combine this with the +1 to wound rolls chapter trait and you're chainswords are wounding marines on 2s. - Captain Smashypants

I prefer a sword applied directly to the forehead

REEEEEEEE In terms of CC prowess in a vacuum a good Chaos list is the clear winner, specifically Khorne Berserkers, Warp Talons/Sorcerer and/or a Daemon Prince with Malefic Talons. However, our strengths are mobility and hitting hard on a charge, which we are more likely to get. If you play smart and with a bit of luck you can win a CC blood-off against a strong chaos CC list. I had a 7 man Sanguinary Guard squad with the Sanguinor, a Sanguinary Priest, and a Sanguinary Ancient wipe out two 10 man KB squads and an Exalted Champion and I only lost 2 SGs. I've also had a 10 man Vanguard Vet unit wipe KBs out only to be charged by another KB squad and get ganked. A good rule of thumb: If you charge it will be absolutely glorious and beautiful to behold... if they charge you're probably dead. Competitive-wise a pure CC BAngels army is difficult to play, but a few well-timed strategems, a few well-positioned units, and an eye on the objectives will see the day won and blood all over the table. Personally, I run a shooty core with a strong CC peripheral and it's done well so far. What you choose for that CC portion of the list is entirely up to you: Van Vets, Death Company w/ Lemartes, Sang Guard, Sanguinor, Mephiston, Sang Priest are all good options.

Do you run bolter scouts or bp/ccw?

I cant help but smile thinking of Captain Smashypants doing this to Mankind's foes:

Dante's reroll hit aura is better than the captain's aura when BA units shoot enemy units in cover as well as BA heavy weapons that move. As much as we love our new codex CC prowess, 8th still remains a shooty edition and we must always remember to play to the objectives on the tabletop, not necessarily seek to annihilate our enemies the Blood Angel way. Because of this I build lists that gives me options and Dante remains a very competitive option to achieve this despite being overpriced. With Upon Wings of Fire he can buff what I need, when I need, where I need it at will. To me that's very powerful. So far my troop core has been 3 5 man tactical squads with lascannons and 3 razorbacks with twin lascannons. Dante remains on the board and rerolls hits on 9 lascannon shots which comfortably hit targets in cover. Additionally, I can move 3 LCs 6" and 6 LCs 12" and still be extremely confident in their effectiveness. As others have noted, Dante is great with melta and plasma toting jump pack assault marines. If my opponent is aggressive and alpha strikes I have a reactionary force of these JPASM with rerolls to hit. If my opponent is passive I have 3 turns of long range shooting then I deep strike the JPASM and Upon Wings of Fire Dante to the front to support the JPASM. I also deepstrike a full unit of Death Company or Vanguard Vets and often use Descent of Angels to get them into CC with any infantry that needs dying. In terms of combat I use Dante as a counter charger or to support my CC elements, not as a beatstick. Mephiston is usually my smash-face and can provide +1A to my DC or VV through Unleash Rage while Dante gives them rerolls to hit.

Thanks for the analysis! Lots of unfortunate rolls on your end, however it is good to see what happens when those fail and know what to expect. I totally agree on this point and I'm very excited this strategem is in our book. Its flexibility is incredible and gives us so many options on the tabletop. Putting Dante's hit rerolls, Lemarte's DC charge rerolls, or just any unit anywhere needed is insane. Meph in a pod with a 8 man x4 gravcannon devastator squad with melta or plasma ASM is incredible on turn 2, especially with a UWoF Dante providing hit rerolls to the shooting units. If one can also manage to get a large squad of DC in the opponent's zone that's a lot of threat rammed right into their throat. The only issue with Meph in this regard is an unlucky Deny the Witch roll. However, he can still have a good chance at casting Unleash Rage on the DC or Shield of Sanguinius on anything that needs it. This combo is pretty awesome, but as you note it is still a glass cannon. A storm shield VV squad is definitely more survivable, but VV don't benefit from all those strategems and Lemartes like the DC do. I think having Meph cast Shield of Sanguinius on them could help.

Your painting hand must be extremely grateful, haha! I still maintain the 83 points is worth it, but in a very specific type of competitive list. Then again I'm stubbornly holding on to Dante who is objectively overpriced... perhaps I just have Stockholm Syndrome from having overpriced options for so long. Where would the fun in life be without a touch of insanity?