Dark Vengeance (40k)

The Basics

The Dark Vengeance box is GW's new scheme to get new players in. Basically, the idea you can just buy this one box, some paint, and be a 40k player - without forcing newcomers to choose an army, buy a codex, pick units... It's also a very good deal for people who just want lots of units, as one of the main barriers to entering 40k is general cost of entry (or re-entry in my case) into the game.

The box contains a very basic rulebook, another smaller one that explains the basic rules in a very simple and easy to learn way, two flexible rulers, some dice, and two small armies (Dark Angels vs Chaos Space Marines). This is the box that made Crimson Slaughter a thing, and the battle is meant to represent a conflict between these two armies focusing around the gem of fire (referenced in their respective codexes, in Warzone:Pandorax and in a few BL books).

Model-wise, the box contains

Chaos side: 20x cultists (10 shooty cultists - champion with shotgun, heavy stubber and 10 melee cultists); 6x chosen (champion with power mace, unit has 1*2 lightning claws, 1*power axe, 1*power fist); 1x Hellbrute (with a multi-melta and CC weapon); 1x chaos lord (with plasma pistol and power sword);

Dark Angels side: 10x Tactical Marines (sergeant with plasma pistol, unit has 1* plasma cannon, 1* plasma gun) 5x Terminators (1*chainfist, 1* assault cannon); 3x Bikes (1*plasma gun); 1x Librarian (basic loadout with force sword); 1x Company master (with power sword and combi-plasma);

Note that basically all of these models are very good quality and look badass (especially the chosen and chaos lord), although their actual performance can be terrible (again, especially the chosen and chaos lord). They are therefore very often used for conversions. Confirmed players often convert the DA into Fallen Angels, or