Starting DARK ANGELS - *HELP PLEASE*

[Demonboylaw]

Hi B&C,

So after playing Blood Angels for almost 2 years, I am feeling like something new. Dark Angels have just gotten a new codex, and I actually really like the new rules and stuff. I have the terminators and bikes from the Dark Vengeance set when I used to play chaos like 4+ years ago if that can help anyone. I am looking to start with a 1250 or 1500 point list that is NOT a pure Ravenwing list. I mostly play against Tyranid players who use MCs and Flyers a lot. Any advice would be appreciated from anyone. Thanks!

[twopounder]

Start filling out a lion's blade detachment. You'll need 6 more terminators and 10 more power armor marines to make it fully legal, but you'll be overwatching his tyranids on BS4, which is painful. Are you intending to purchase more models? There are a hundred different things you can do, like putting 5x combi-grav or plas in a company vet or command squad for a lot of flexibility.

 

But ultimately, vs tyranids, I'd recommend making a legal lion's blade all day long.

[Demonboylaw]

Yes, I am planning on buying more models. I will check out the Lion's Blade detachment. It sounds really cool and it would definitely be good against Tyranids. Also, what should I field to take care of the flyers? I am also thinking about getting 1 or 2 of those assassins, maybe the Culexus and the Callidus. Is there any other advice that you can give me?

[NCSUWolf]

Vs fliers you can invest in a Quad-Gun. Or even one of our fliers. As for low point games, a Lions Blade is a good start, mind you, you'll have to decide what Auxiliary formation(s) you want along with your demi-company. The Deathwing Retribution force might be a bit pricey at 1500pt games but a Ravewing Support Squad, Ravenwing attack Squad, or 10th company (scouts which can take a heavy bolter or a skyfire missile launcher, or sniper rifles that don't care about the bugs higher toughness) might be good choices and can give you a good range of models depending on your preferences.

 

Or go all in and get 3 whirlwinds and a land raider redeemer in the Hammer of Caliban formation to rain down ignores cover over all of his scittering forces!)

[Brother dean]

Anti air is our big weakness. We really only have the somewhat less expensive (for what it does) nephilim and missile launchers. But for the most part you can ignore flyers.

[DarkAngeal]

Just an idea, but rather than invest all those points on dedicated anti-air (i.e. Flakk Missiles) what if you took a predator Squadron (no upgrades) and a ML1 or 2 librarian on a bike with a shroud of heros. You get to use precience every turn, drastically increasing the chance to hit of your predators, which then can reroll to wound against the FMC, or if they are using flyers, they also have tank hunter. Jinking, your libby will have a 2+ cover (rerollable with faq?) And since the predators are all a Squadron, casting precience gets all of them! Upgrade with heavy bolters or lascannons for more lols. But that way it's not a dedicated anti-air unit, it can rip tanks and infantry a new one just as well!

[Malakithe]

One libby against nids won't help much thou. Nids have that anti-pysker rule and they will have more warp charges usually to deny anything a single libby can fire out

[DarkAngeal]

You have a good point, is it possible to add more than 1 libby into your list? Can we still run our Conclave formation?

[IndigoJack]

Yeah, we can still run our Libby formation. It's not part of the lion's blade, but you can run it as a separate detachment

[Jazzhands]

A few weeks ago nobody would have been recommending our flyers lol.

 

A neph is now going to bring down nid flyers. All weapons are twin linked and if you get lucky it will fail it grounding test. If you don't kill it out right at least your troops on the ground can have a go.

The talons bolsters could also get lucky plus its other weapons are good against a horde

[Demonboylaw]

Ok, I might try out the Dark Angels fliers. Also does the Lion's Blade have Deathwing Knights/Terminators. I really like those guys and they are one of the main reasons i want to start dark angels.

 

[Malakithe]

You can take the deathwing redemption force as the auxiliary which is 1 HQ and 2-5 squads of deathwing