Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Blood Angels (section)

===Elites===
*'''Command Squad:''' You start off with 3 customizable Vets, the Champion, and the Sanguinary Novitiate with the options being either weapons for the vets, the Company Standard, or Jump Packs so they can at least keep up with the attached leader. Do not bother equipping a Command Squad for close combat because Sanguinary Guard are a more cost-effective choice. Instead, equip a Command Squad for a variable battlefield role, they can be equipped with special weapons that are unavailable to Sanguinary Guard or Death Company.

*'''[[Sanguinary Guard]]:''' They come equipped with jump packs, two-handed master-crafted power weapons, '''in AP 3 Sword or AP 2 axe flavors''', and 12" AP4 Storm Bolters. You can take up to 10 of these guys in a squad. One of them may carry the chapter banner which grants +1 attack to every member of the squad. They can swap out their usual gear for power fists, encarmine axes, plasma pistols, or inferno pistols. They can also take death masks at 1 point per model, which force the enemy to take a Leadership test now or be reduced to WS 1 in each round of combat--which is a much appreciated boon. They have a 2+ armor save but no invulnerable save. Attach a Sanguinary Priest for Weapon Skill 5 and Feel No Pain. Attach a Librarian with Shield of Sanguinius for a 5++ save. People compare this unit to the Vanilla Honor Guard and complain that they can only get a maximum of 3 attacks on the charge but they forget that this unit gets 2 Str 4 AP 4 shots before they charge which isn't the same, but it is nice to have. Additionally, having master-crafted helps even things out because they can hit more consistently. Also keep in mind that thanks to the Sanguinary discipline, you can give them Rage so they will have 4 attacks on the charge.
** NOTE: While Sanguinary Guard are awesome (and they are) you really do need to add in a Sanguinary Priest if you want to get them anywhere, and pick your fights carefully. Absent FNP and WS5, they'll quickly get shot to ribbons by anything AP2 (Grav-Weapons will tear them to pieces) and/or get stomped hard by the top tier of Close Combat Squads (Incubi, Genestealers, Deathwing Knights, most Assault Terminators will all handle them pretty definitively if they pass their leadership test from your updated Deathmask rules). They may be 7 points cheaper than a Terminator, but that lack of Invul save hurts more than you might expect, especially since they're still more than 30 points a model. So be careful.

*'''[[Death Company]]:''' You play Blood Angels for the ''sauce'' and this is it. Just take an assault squad if you don't plan on spending points to outfit them properly, its the cost effective choice. They have a basic Space Marine stat line, but they also have Fearless, Feel No Pain, Furious Charge, and Rage for maximum carnage on the Charge. Do not forget that they are Relentless, so give bolters to fist-equipped guys for free extra shots. If you're going to use these, it's highly advisable to throw in Astorath to re-roll to-wound and an array of close combat weapons. Taken together they make Death Company the last word in terminal close encounters. A Land Raider Crusader actually makes a good transport for these guys if you don't equip them with jump packs. Power mauls are a excellent weapon choice if you are considering taking upgrades since you are focusing mostly on quantity of attacks rather than quality of attacks. For 15 points you are getting +2 strength and concussive on a non-specialist weapon. So a DC Marine with a power maul is striking at Strength 7, Initiative 5, with 5 attacks on the charge and any model that survives the first round is reduced to initiative 1 for the next round of combat. You can also glance most AV 12 and even 13 with a power maul while saving 10 points you would have spent on a power fist. Bonus cool points if you use Corvus Hammers as your power mauls.

*'''Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost:''' The berserker maniac Chaplain of the Death Company. Lemmy's weapon change to a power maul in 6th Ed seems like it's nerfed him somewhat, but the moment he gets wounded he gains a +1 bonus to strength and an extra attack. With Fury Unbound, you're looking at 6 Str 8 AP 4 attacks on the charge, which can be useful. However, he costs 130 points and like all Chaplains he no longer gives re-rolls to-wound.  Use him only if you'll need those bonus attacks and can ensure that he won't die too fast, though having FNP does help a bit. While he seems pricey, consider the fact that he's allowing your DC to reroll their hits in close combat, making them far more reliable. He also does some serious damage on his own. '''Remember that Lemartes is a character so he can be  the target for Quickening in addition to Fury Unbound which turns a decent character into an absolute monster with possibly Initiative 10, Strength 8,  and 9 attacks while re-rolling misses on the charge!

*'''Death Company Dreadnought:''' Similar to the Furioso, but with even more concentrated awesomeness. It can score now thanks to 7th edition, but no luck on Objective Secured. Blood Talons are the go-to choice here allowing your DC dread to maximize the damage done from landing all those attacks (+2 attacks back from GW, rejoice!) and ignores crew stunned and shaken. If you want a more anti-tank oriented dreadnought, consider taking a Furioso (Why? the Furioso has less attacks than the DCD, gaining an extra point of frontal armor and 1 WS, but losing out on the free extra armor that DCD's get through None Can Stay My Wrath. Really the only reason to take a Furioso over the DCD is Frag Cannons, and if you really really need that extra front armor.)

*'''Dreadnought:''' Blood Angels love Dreadnoughts, and you should too. The assault cannon is probably the most cost-effective shooting weapon available to them, and replacing the standard storm bolter with a heavy flamer can't hurt either. You can kit them out for tank-hunting, but other units can easily fill that role, too. They're no slouches in melee either (unless you were a fool and swapped the DCCW for a missile launcher) but it can't compare to the Furioso pattern when it comes to well and truly smashing something to kingdom come. Instead, try doubling up on Twin-linked Autocannons for long-range support - there's a reason as to why rifleman dreadnoughts suddenly proliferated many a Space Marine list.

*'''Furioso Dreadnought:''' Furioso isn't so good anymore, it lost a point of WS(now WS5) and has less attacks than a standard Marine dread even when equipped with dual fists (+2 attacks FAQ'ed back, thanks GW!), it is still 13/12/10 but, eh.... Blood Talons were nerfed, losing the admittedly cheesy attacks that generate more attacks gimmick, in return they got the (much, much worse) consolation prize of AP2 and Shred, meh. On the positive side; two meltagun and heavy flamer Furiosos in drop pods dropped on the back lines are bound to fuck with your opponent's plan. That and the Frag Cannon(S6 AP- Assault 2 rending template) is absolutely hilarious against GEQ and anything else in cover.

*'''Terminator Squad:''' They're Terminators, what's not to like? Use them just like you would [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marines(7E)#Elites|vanilla Terminators]], there's not much of a difference. Heavy Flamers are cheap and ignore cover, and Assault Cannons and Cyclone Missile Launchers ensure long-range carnage. Remember to bring at least one Chainfist, and a Sanguinary Priest couldn't hurt either (but he needs to be kept in the back of the party because he can't take Termie armor anymore). If you're fighting 'Nids, reminisce about the good old days of Space Hulk.
**'''Squad Alphaeus (Deathstorm):''' A Termie Squad with a Chainfist and Heavy Flamer.  For about 5 points more than a normal squad with the same loadout, you get PE (Tyranids) while the Sarge is still alive and no Combat Squad because the squad is fixed at five models.

*'''Terminator Assault Squad:''' Ours cost 5 points more per model than Vanilla Marines but they have Furious Charge which makes up for it because no other Space Marines have a Chapter Tactic that works so well with a unit specifically designed to rip and tear. They come stock with Lightning Claws, and are upgradable to TH/SS for 5 points each. If you use Claws, stick a Sanguinary Priest with them like everything else. The gap between S4 > S5 is more valuable than S8 > S9 unless you are fighting against AV13-14 vehicles or monstrous creatures (but Assault squads with Meltabombs or ''regular'' terminator squads can deal with those effectively anyway). The 3++ is preferred only if you expect to be facing a lot of AP2/1 weaponry such as melta/powerfist spam, but ready access to FNP mitigates against plasma/axes slightly, so consider what your opponent is bringing.  Also they got a new Blood Angels specific pack which costs the same as Dark Angels Deathwing Terminators.
**It is absolutely necessary that you take a Land Raider Crusader or Redeemer to ensure they make the long trip to the enemy. They benefit greatly from a buffer unit like a Sanguinary Priest (a squad 2+ armour saves, 3+ invul. saves with Feel no Pain? Yes please) or a Librarian (In case you needed yet another sledgehammer in your squad). Bottom line: great CC squad, but they can become really expensive, really soon.
**One member may take a Company Banner and there is [[What|no limit]] on the number of squads that can take it, but don't go thinking you can [[Troll]] [[Deathwing]] players by having Banners all over the place, they guy holding it has to replace a Lightning Claw or Storm Shield (depending on your loadout), thereby reducing his overall effectiveness, but all it does is allow BA units within 12" to re-roll on morale/pinning and nothing else. It's only a 5 point upgrade so only take if you tend to have problems with morale-checks.

*'''Sternguard Veteran Squad:''' Yep, they're back. Yep, they're still awesome. Dakka, dakka, dakka. Just keep 'em away from tanks and high-armor units, unless you remembered to bring some combi-meltas/plasmas. Not as useful for Blood Angels, with the amount of anti-infantry and meltaguns they usually possess, but still a fine buy. 10 pts cheaper compared to vanilla marines.

*'''Vanguard Veteran Squad:''' Just skip. These days Vanguards are just cheaper(barely) and worse Death Company (though they can take lightning claws, which DC cannot; could be used for mobile MEQ removal, but you have other, more effective choices). You're paying 1 point less but losing Fearless, Rage, Feel No Pain and Relentless. There is a reason to maybe take Vanguards over DC: They can all equip storm shields and be a mobile 3++ assault unit(This gets very, very expensive)
** Alternate opinion: Taking units of 5 guys with no upgrades is about the cheapest way to round out the Archangels Demi-Company. Doing this frees up points you can use in other, better formations. Thanks for the redundant Furioso tax G-Dubs!

*'''Blood Angels Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought (Forgeworld):''' Exactly what it says on the tin, which is to say it gives you everything you love/hate about Furiosos in a Contemptor's package. Benefits include Atomantic Shielding, 13/12/10 armour, fleet, S7, WS5, The Red Thirst, two DCW's with storm bolters - and that's just to start! You get the option for both Contemptor fun (trading a DCW for Kheres Assault Cannon, other standard dread guns, etc) and Blood Angel goodies (Blood Talons, upgrading a storm bolter to a meltagun to break people out of their metal bawkses, the Frag Cannon arm replacement, and the chassis-mounted Magna Grapple). There's not much of a reason to take Blood Talons on Contemptor unless you know you're facing lots of 2+ saves, otherwise anything else is better. Keep in mind that taking Blood Tallons restricts the ranged weaponry to the in-built weapon systems only, so if you use them you may want to consider taking a Lucius Pattern Dreadnought Drop Pod as well to assist getting it into combat.

*'''Land Raider Prometheus (Forge World):''' What happens if one were to cross a Crusader and a Proteus. It has the Proteus's transport capacity of 10, however, its sponsons out-dakka the Crusader by a large margin, each sponson having 2 Twin-Linked Heavy Bolters. It lacks any sort of hull-mounted weapon, although it purportedly makes up for this with 2 additional rules: Improved Comms and Battle Auspex. Battle Auspex simply gives the tank Night Vision as well as the ability to reduce enemy cover saves by one. Its the Improved Comms that make this tank of note to the BA; they give +1 to controlling player's reserve rolls. However these are not cumulative so don't go thinking you can spam them and bring in reserves whenever necessity decrees. It does go a long way, but its not a game breaker. Remember it still shares the Land Raider traits of PotMS and Assault Vehicle, so in terms of transporting, use it exactly like one would use a Phobos. PotMS also means that both sponsons can fire at full BS even moving at combat speed, however as one starts to add pintle weapons they would have to snapfire. It is still worth taking the HKM along with the Storm Bolter and the Multi-Melta for Weapon Destroyed results, and a Dozer Blade is always worth it considering how much this tank is going to move if you are using it efficiently, as well as Extra Armour. Instead of transporting melee troops as it's capacity usually just isn't big enough, maybe use to save points as a replacement for a Razorback. When doing this, be aware that this allows for full squad size, unlike the Razorback.