Warzone 40K has finally got the new part of Black Crusade campaign – Angel’s Blade, dedicated to Blood Angels. Since I don’t play for them, here you will find general analysis, not the detailed review as it happened to CSM.
Blood Angels players suffered a lot( not so long as CSM, though). They called the main problems lack of vehicle squadrons, grav-cannons and Decurion-style detachment. Let’s say from the outset – you have them now. There are even 2 Decurions – one usual and one special for Death Company. So, why are players still disappointed?
Main Decurion in general is similar to all spacemarines’ one. Same scouts’ auxiliary, same vehicles (with obligatory Land Raider for some reasons, which isn’t good at all). You can take any assault unit, or devastators with no restricts. Also you can take 2-4 Stormravens. In general, it looks flexible and interesting. However, there aren’t still any killer-units. It’s all more about support. So, let’s look at the real power.
Demi-company is kind of strange. It looks like the standard one, but there are some weird restrictions. First – you must take a dreadnaught. Why? What for? Why it’s a usual dreadnaught, not Furioso or Librarian? What Blood Angels traditions make demi-company take a dreadnaught to every mission? A mystery indeed. But it’s not the end. If your demi-company is led by a captain, you must take a command squad. It’s ok – it’s quite logical and described in background. And everyone takes command squad anyway. But if you take chaplain – you must take Furioso dreadnaught. That is weirder. So – 2 dreadnaughts in one formation – seems too much. The boiling point is formation bonus – which is completely the same as the bonus for the detachment. All this together creates an image of negligence and haste. It seems like the authors wanted to make something really unusual, but didn’t know the way, so the y had to apply changes at the last moment.
Second core-formation, with veterans, is more interesting. Deepstrike on the 1st turn with re-roll and reduced scatter is definitely cool. But what to do with all this? There’s not much shooting and you can’t charge after Deepstrike. And also 2 obligatory Furioso… Expensive, but not really effective. However, really atmospheric
There are also some unique and effective formations. Archangels orbital intervention force looks great with 2nd core-formation. Any 3 terminator squads, who can charge after Deepstrike or shoot twice – that can be really deadly. Also you can create an army only with terminators.
Golden Host is also very nice. It seems like charge after deepstrike is a new trend for GW books. Sanguinary Guard is more effective than terminators and chance to take Dante with no restrictions is worth it. Definitely one of the greatest news.
Now add the possibility to take up to 5 Sanguinary priests with command formation – the thing which all Blood Angels players were dreaming about for years.
Death company detachment is definitely the best thing in the book. (you can also take it as an auxiliary to standard detachment) It can become the main way of playing Blood Angels for a long time. Bonus attacks, Bonus to initiative – all the same. But moving additional 6 in the beginning lets you threaten enemies almost in every point of the table from the 1st turn. Add here termies charging from Deepstrike – and you’ll get likely the fastest attack army in the game. Looks so tasty, that I wish to lend some miniatures and try it myself.
Also – don’t forget about new artefacts, warlord traits and missions.
So, what do we have?
Really good ideas, some of which are spoilt by some negligence. I don’t really understand why some players are so negative about it. Want conclave? – take it as allied formation. No free transport? – Death company marines on jump packs can really do without transport at all. And you can still add here a lot of useful characters. Bad sides are – weird demi-company, and not many formations. That’s it. Don’t be afraid to take experiments and leave traditional archetypes behind. Warhammer – is the game for creative ones!