Editing Azrael (section)

==[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Dark Angels(8E)|Tabletop]]==
[[File:Azrael_Model.JPG|200px|thumb|right|]]
{| class=wikitable
! || Pts || WS || BS || S || T || W || I || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Azrael:''' || 215 || 6 || 5 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 5 || 4 || 10 || 2+/4++/5+++
|}

In-game Azrael is the closest thing the Dark Angel have to your ubiquitous "costs as much as a [[Land Raider]] HQ-turned-Lord of War", clocking in at 215 points. He isn't all that bad and he gives an invulnerable save to the unit he joins, but he cannot take [[Terminator]] armor to thug it up with Terminators (that is Belial's job) or a bike (much less Sammael's LAST IMPERIAL JETBIKE).

Overall, not a terrible unit, but his place in the army is limited. With the changes to 6>7th, he is FAR more survivable in combat due to his artificer armour ''the "Protector"'', which also gives him FnP 5+; his power sword is now only AP3, but said power sword also has S+2 (and not two-handed unlike Relic Blades, so he gets +1 attack from his bolt pistol too!). If you take him in the primary detachment as the warlord, you get to choose any trait from the DA's warlord table without rolling and get +1 to Seize the Initative, so it's still cool. Picking the +1/-1 Warlord trait gives you a great strategic edge, especially when using Ravenwing or Deathwing in a CAD. Lastly, he has a master-crafted combi-plasma, representing the Dark Angels' plasma fetish.

{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable"
! Just for Fun, the Azrael vs [[Khârn]] match-up depicted above (Expected wounds per turn) (7th edition versions)
|-
| Starting on "even footing" (i.e. they declare a challenge on the second round of combat). Same Initiative, so both strike at the same time.
|-
| Azzy's five attacks on Kharn hit 2.98 times (59.69%, including master-crafted) and wound 83% of the time for 2.49 wounds, those are unsaved 66% of the time = '''1.66 wounds on Kharn per turn'''.
|-
| Kharn's five attacks hit Azzy 4.17 times (83% chance with no Hatred on even footing) causing 3.47 wounds (also 83% chance) which are unsaved 50% of the time and ignored with FnP 33% = '''1.16 wounds on Azrael per turn'''.
|-
|'''Additional Notes:''' ''i.e. now we factor in the cool shit'' If Kharn were to get the charge or counter attack, after factoring in Hatred his expected wounds per turn become 1.85 (with Rage) or 1.59 (with Counter Attack), but only for the first turn. Though Furious Charge won't come into play for either of them since they already wound each other on 2+. Also Azrael now has Hatred (CSM) so he'd be hitting 3.75 times on the first turn for 2.05 unsaved wounds against Kharn.
|-
|'''Conclusion''': As of 7th edition Dark Angels codex, Azrael just kicks the shit out of Kharn, thanks largely to the boost to his FnP -- Kharn now needs four turns to kill Azrael, and would already be dead by turn two. Trading Preferred Enemy for Hatred is a mixed bag for Azrael, but since Kharn's major damage is on the first round it sort of evens out, kinda. If Kharn were to get the charge then it becomes much closer and there is a better chance of them mutually killing each other on the second turn.
|-
|'''End Note''' This is only mathhammer, and they both have the chance of wiping the floor with each other in a single turn or doing nothing to each other. Azrael has the advantage of defense and more wounds, whilst Kharn has a higher maximum output if he can get the charge. Of course Azrael still does poorly against anyone with a 2+ armour save or Strength 8 or higher so just don't even try it.
|}

===8th Edition===
{| class=wikitable
! || Pts/PL || M || WS || BS || S || T || W || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Azrael:''' || 180/9 || 6"|| 2+ || 2+ || 4 || 4 || 6 || 5 || 9 || 2+/4++
|}

Very little has changed functionally. Having 2 extra wounds in an edition where multi-wound damage is a thing is certainly nice, and he's cheaper overall. Lion's Wrath is still a combi-plasma, and follows all the new rules for that. Sword of Secrets is now S+2 AP -3 Damage D3, ''and'' if the to-wound roll is a 6 the target instantly suffers a mortal wound ''in addition'' to the actual wound they now take a saving throw for. Since the Character and Independent Character rules are gone, Lion Helm is now a 6 inch bubble of 4++ for all friendly Dark Angels (no more guardsman blobs, sadly). Oh, and all Dark Angels ''units'' in that bubble re-roll failed to-hit. And if he's the warlord, your Battle-forged army gets +1 command point. Lastly he and the rest of Deathwing are one of the few sources of Fearless left in the game.

{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable"
! Just for Fun, the Azrael vs [[Khârn]] match-up depicted above (Expected wounds per turn) (now in 8th edition)
|-
| There's no more initiative in 8th edition, so let's have a look at how they do:
|-
| Khârn's six attacks hit Azzy 5.83 times and wounds 3.89 times. Gorechild has AP -4 and 1d3 Damage so Azzy uses his 4+ invul and eats 1.94 unsaved hits or '''3.89 wounds each times Khârn swings'''.

(Khârn has 6 attacks base, so we'll consider DttFE to trigger once a round, which is statistically the more probable result. His attack that misses is ignored.)
|-
| Azrael's five attacks on the swell guy hit 4.86 times (thanks to the re-roll) and wound 3.24 + 0.81 (mortal) times. The Sword of Secrets is AP -3 and 1d3 damage, so Khârn uses his 4+ invul and eats 1.62 unsaved hits for 3.24 + 0.81 (mortal) or '''4.05 wounds each time Azrael swings'''.
|-
|'''Conclusion''': Azrael has the upper hand in damage again in 8th edition, he statistically leaves Khârn on ~1 wound after his attacks while Khârn leaves Azrael on ~2... But then you remember Khârn has the '''BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!''' rule that allows him to fight twice a turn, which means he'll statistically kill Azrael in one turn with his second round of attacks. If Khârn charges, he hits twice before Azrael and should kill him without Azrael being able to swing back unless interrupted. If Azrael charges, Khârn should still kill him with his second round of attacks though being barely alive with 1 wound left.
|-
|'''End Note''' Again, this is only mathhammer and they still both have a chance of wiping the floor with the other in a single lucky swing, with the 1d3 damage from their weapons, ''Death to the False Emperor'' and the Sword of Secrets extra mortal wounds (and that's without going into CP re-rolling, fight when you die stratagems and other shenanigans). Pure stats-wise, Khârn has an edge thanks to the quite insane ability of swinging twice each turn and sheer volume of attacks (quite fitting considering it's Khârn we're speaking about), but the fight is certainly not a forgone conclusion in either way.
|}

===9th Edition===
{| class=wikitable
! || Pts/PL || M || WS || BS || S || T || W || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Azrael:''' || 170/9 || 6"|| 2+ || 2+ || 4 || 4 || 7 || 6 || 9 || 2+/4++
|}
Having crossed the Rubicon Primaris, Azrael gets an extra Wound and Attack. When combined with the Sword of Secrets being further boosted to S+3 AP-4, he's now an even better duelist than he used to be. The Lion's Wrath also got buffed with its plasma component being boosted to AP-4, so he can supplement shooting from Hellblasters and Desolators in lieu of getting stuck in with Bladeguard Veterans. Since he never had access to Terminator Armor or a bike in the first place, his changed unit type actually works in his favor. Everything else about him is unchanged from 8th edition.