Competitive Blood Angels Part 5: Wall of Raiders

 Hello fellow wargamers

Today we will analyze a BA Land Raider- heavy list.

 To begin with, why using Land Raiders?

 The answer is very simple: Resilience and Counter-meta.

In the 3^rd part of these series, I mentioned the reasons why Land Raiders remain a great option. In fact, currently LR are becoming such a good option amongst Space Marine players, that they are starting to form a brand new archetype of their own.

Every SM codex has access to them and most chapters can make an efficient LR heavy list. However, BA are quite unique solely because they get LR as dedicated transports, leaving space for HS goodness.

Thus, without further delay, allow me to present you a typical BA LR list:

HQ

Librarian-125

• Terminator Armor
• Power Axe
• Blood Lance
• Shield of Sanguinius

ELITES

Corbulo-100

Assault Terminator Squad-225

• 5x THSS

DT: LR Crusader-260

• Extra Multi-melta

TROOPS

5xAssault Squad- 100

DT: Land Raider- 225

• Extra Multi-melta

5x Assault Squad-100

DT: Land Raider-225

• Extra Multi-melta

HEAVY SUPPORT

Vindicator-145

Vindicator-145

Stormraven Gunship-200

• Twin-Linked Multi-Melta
• Twin-Linked Lascannon

TOTAL: 1850

This is quite a balanced LR- heavy list. It has enough firepower to deal with most enemies, it contains some vital units ( vindicators, Stormraven) and has a decent, reliable, melee unit.

 The philosophy of the list is quite plain:

Libby, Corbulo, terminators in LRC, 5man marines in LR. It behaves like a moving wall (good old 5^th ed. Bag of tricks),  making excellent use of the high AV of the list.

The terminator unit should be nearly unstoppable with Corbulo and his incredible 3+, 2+ FNP guarantee that they will survive long enough to completely wipe out the opponent.

And while most LR lists have little to no way of dealing with enemy flyers, the presence of one Stormraven should be enough to take care of any airborne threat.

 I believe that lists like this are probably the best  our codex can offer. At the moment, I dare to say that they are counter-meta against Tau and Eldar, simply because their shooting units are unable to harm high AV targets.

Against a list like this, most Tau players will only get to do some damage with their Riptides, while your AV Wall with proceed with deadly efficiency, completely abusing the lack of melta weaponry that characterize today’s meta.

This list is also very, very effective against Necrons, who also rely on str7 shots and can only pierce LR if they get in melee. Our buffed terminators should be enough to deal with as many as 12 wraiths without any problem at all.

 The biggest problem of the list is, of course, the lack of troop units.  Having only 2 units of Assault marines means that the opponent can eradicate them fast, denying you any means of claiming objectives. The trick here is to keep them in their safe zones ( LR) until late game, making sure not to miss their timing to go and get those obj, while using the bulk of the LR to keep them hidden from any harm.

 If played correctly, this is a list that can almost guarantee a draw, get a minor victory easily, and lose fairly hard. In team tournaments, I would certainly insist that a similar list should be included in the team. It is just that good.

Thank you

Stefanos Kapetanakis.