Editing Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Blood Angels (section)

==Building Your Army==

So you've decided the Boys from Baal are the army for you, but you're not sure where to start? 

Have a think about the army you want to build from the start. Typically death company or non-death company.

This distinction is really important because of a lot of our factions strength is in special characters that are keyworded to only buff one type either CORE or Death Company so if you're just starting out its easy to focus on one build or the other rather than blending the two.

This represents the CORE of a build not the entirety. A more competitive build will probably want some shooting components to support and hold the back objectives

'''Death Company Build:''' Dealing damage with Death company Squads isn't an issue; keeping them alive is. The units below all make up for their innate shortcomings. 

*'''Lemartes:''' The Death Company Chaplain is clearly the obvious choice for Death Company Support. They can use his Ld9 (important when they're Ld7), they re-roll failed charge rolls, and he raps two Litanies per turn. Litany candidates include Canticle of Hate for +2" to charge and consolidation distances.

*'''Lieutenant:''' Can't go wrong with re-rolling wounds. You'll be grateful for taking one if you've kept them cheap with chainswords. Perhaps that cool-looking one with the storm shield?

*'''Sanguinary Priest/Corbulo:''' Healing half damaged models is always good, but it does get much better when you have a Chief Apothecary upgrade so you can bring one model back most turns. 

*'''Librarian:''' Shield of Sanguinius to give them a 5++ invulnerable save and Unleash Rage to let hit rolls of UM6 score an additional hit. 

*'''Any Ancient:''' Gives them +1Ld and if you've kitted them with the more expensive weapons (fists and hammers), getting one last attack on a 4+ before they die is really going to help make their points back. 


'''Non-Death Company builds'''

*'''HQ''' 2-3 of;
** Commander Dante ''or'' Captain without. 
** Sanguinary priest with jump pack ''or'' Corbulo.
** Astorath the Grim ''or'' Primaris Chaplain on bike. 

*'''Troops''' 
** The real choice here depends on if you want pure objective holders or units that can double in assault or act as counter-chargers. Assault Intercessors can clear objectives, Heavy Intercessors can hold them, and Infiltrators/Incursors can capture them early, and Incursors have some melee ability.

*'''Elites'''
* Vanguard Veterans with Jump Packs or Company Veterans with Jump Packs (Legends).
* Company Veterans - Objectively better than Vanguard without Jump Pack due to their Bodyguard rule.
* Company Champion - Already melee orientated, the Blood Angel Chapter Tactics only make them better. Bumping to Chapter Champion shoves him even further. Legends gives him a Jump Pack to keep up with Sanguinary Guard. 
* Sanguinary Guard - What more needs to be said?


'''Death Company, Sanguinary Guard or Vanguard Veterans:''' All three are elite jump pack killers, but which one slots into your army the best?
*'''Death Company''' Very good horde mulchers with middling survivability thanks to 6+++. Can become good TEQ poppers with thunder hammers. They have a couple of excellent stratagems and a Secondary Objective that you can build around.
*'''Sanguinary Guard''' The best MEQ killers with damage two weapons. The most survivable when in melee. Good synergy with your warlord if you can keep them around him.
*'''Vanguard Veteran''' The most survivable against high AP with Storm Shields, but the least survivable without them. Can be the best horde mulchers with lightning claws or the best against vehicles with thunder hammers and inferno pistols.