Competitive Blood Angels Part 4: Time to Strike

  In the previous parts of this tactica series we have discussed some of the best units and elements of the Codex. Now it’s time put theory into practice and make some army lists. I will begin with a list focused on assault

 HQ

Librarian- 125

• Jump Pack
• Force Axe

Elites

Sanguinary Priest -75

• Jump Pack

Furioso Dreadnought- 175

•          Frag Cannon
•          DCCW wt HF
•       Drop Pod

Furioso Dreadnought- 175

•          Frag Cannon
•          DCCW wt HF
•       Drop Pod

Troops

10x JP Assault  Squad- 225

• Power Axe
• Meltagun x2

10x JP Assault  Squad- 225

• Power Axe
• Meltagun x2

10x JP Assault  Squad- 225

• Power Axe
• Meltagun x2

5x Assault Squad- 125

• Flamer
• Sergeant wt 2 Hand Flamers
• Drop Pod

Heavy Support

1x Stormraven Gunship- 200

• TL multi-melta
• TL Lascannon

1x Vindicator- 150

• Siege shield

1x Vindicator-150

• Siege shield

 This is obviously an assault oriented list. Featuring 30 assault marines, boosted with a librarian and a priest as well as lots and lots of support for these units.

 The basic idea of the list:

-Deploy 30 marines+ characters as close to the enemy as possible, taking into consideration the safety of the units ( aka do not deploy on open ground)

- 1^st turn, 2 furiosos arrive from reserves. Each one has 3 template weapons. Abusing the accuracy of a drop pod deep strike, place the dreadnoughts into the best position possible in order to achieve maximum template coverage. The key here is to go for a quick 1^st Blood, while throwing 2 bulky, 13AV dreads right into the heart of the enemy. Your opponent will most likely turn his attention to the furiosos, allowing the rest of the army to advance safely.

- Vindicators are here to soften up targets so that the assault  squads can finish them with minimum casualties. Furthermore, it can cripple most assault units in a single shot.

- The Stormraven is there as a cute anti-flyer option and provides some additional firepower.

- The 3^rd drop pod and its contents are fit to claim isolated objectives. They also have 1 flamer and 2 hand flamers to clear enemy units from cover. The option of 2 hand flamers is personal preference, and you can easily exchange them and the flamer for a meltagun and a power weapon, or something like that.

All things considered, I believe that as far assault BA go, this is probably one of the best builds possible. It makes a balanced, consistent force that maximizes synergy between units to get the most out of the force. Still, it is a list that relies heavily on the element of surprise and a suspicious opponent could possibly workaround it.

Next part will  feature a Land Raider heavy BA list. Thank you

 Stefanos Kapetanakis, out

Late summer post: 6th edition gets better!

Hello fellow wargamers,

Last year, when 6th ed was introduced, most people embraced it with joy, pointing out the spectacular new elements that were added to the game, bold changes that would allow for a broader spectrum of tactics, lists and strategies and so on. Everybody was loving the new edition and there was little to no whimpering, compared to previous editions or releases.

 During that time, my local community saw a bloom in the number of players, with many people getting introduced into the hobby, returning 40k veterans or people switching from Fantasy to 40k.  It seemed that 6th was going to be the best edition we have ever experienced.

Nonetheless, as time passed and players begun to attend tournaments, as more and more people started to dig into the rules and the metagame slowly took shape, it became blatantly obvious that there was no balance in the game. Necrons and IG were incredibly overpowered compared with the rest of the codices. In many cases, it was almost impossible to win with certain armies against those two monsters. And when people noticed that, they realised that there was something wrong with the game.

 Even after the release of the Daemon codex, there was still little competition for the aforementioned armies. Around that time, I saw many people quit the game, searching for alternatives…..in fact, it was a time when 40k was in a “ limbo” state.

 However….after all these months and after 5 6^th ed. Codices, things have changed.  All these new releases shed some light on some of the more underplayed armies and gave them new toys which changed the meta completely.

 I believe that the game is reaching its peak, as more and more codices will get an upgrade and a new balance will be instilled. With the current rate at which codices are released, I am confident that soon every army will be able to perform equally well.  Even now things are much better, and we already see some more variety in the armies and lists fielded.

That’s all I had to say.  Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Stefanos Kapetanakis.

Competitive Blood Angels in 6th Edition: part 3 - Mech Angels

Greetings, fellow wargamers

First of all, I must say I am impressed that this blog continues to have a steady rate of visitors every day, although I have been inactive for more than four months, and even more, that there are actually people who still care for this 3^rd part of the BA tactica. Thank you very much for your interest guys. I appreciate it.

Today we will discuss the mech aspect of the BA codex. The first part will be about the rhino-chassis vehicles of the Angels, while the second will be dedicated to the heavyweight ceramite monstrosity that is the Land Raider and it’s variants.

MECH ANGELS IN 6^TH EDITION.

Mechanized BA lists had always been popular with the latest codex, and rightfully so, because they were using to a huge extent some of the most powerful mechanism of the 5^th edition: the reliability of the AV combined with unique mobility.

 As a matter of fact, the Mech lists quickly became an archetype for the BA force, and a force to be reckoned with.

Sadly, mech BA have taken repetitive hits from the following GW releases: first came the GK codex, and the psyker vehicles who were superior to the BA ones simply because they (effectively) ignored Crew stunned and Crew shaken results. And then came the 6^th ed...

The subject of mech BA in 6^th edition is usually a “ taboo”  amongst BA players…. And it is not hard to see why. Most people own several rhino-chassis models, and many claim that they had success using them with the current ruleset.

But, what is actually true about the mech BA nowadays? How has it been blessed by the current rules and what hits has it taken by the nerfbat?

Changes that have hindered the effectiveness of the BA mech:

1. First Blood. Simply put, AV 11 vehicles are perfect candidates for this victory point. Although it is possible to avoid giving away 1 easy victory point, and an experienced player will possibly attempt to get an advantage from this weak spot in the army list, the truth is that, more often than not, having a bunch of low AV in the list can cause troubles and headache, trying to protect them during the first turns of the game
2. Hull points system. Very important change, and one of the main reasons razorspam has fallen from grace. Simply put, AV walls were depending on their survivability, and the ability to shrug off low arms fire and completely ignore glancing hits. Now that glancing has the potential to destroy the vehicle, the AV wall has lost a great deal of its durability. Not only are str5 weapons a threat now, but also most anti-vehicle weapons are better under the current ruleset. AP1 and AP2 weapons hurt a lot, and ordnance blast are more common than ever before. Furthermore, airborne gunships like the Vendetta and the Night Scythe can easily devastate any AV11 target. In such a hostile environment, razorbacks and rhinos have a very hard time staying on the table for more than 2-3 turns...
3.  Transport vehicles have been nerfed significantly. First of all, no assault after disembarking…very, very nasty, especially for the BA chapter. No more claiming objectives from inside the vehicle, which means that our 5man MEQ’s will be torn into pieces in no time once they abandon the relative safety of their metal box.
4. Furthermore, the 6” move of the vehicle is not good, because it hinders the ability for good positioning. Players need to sacrifice disembarkation if they want to move vehicles up ahead.
5.   On top of that, small changes like “ crew stun applies to embarked units” , and the fact that even after emergency disembarkation, the transported unit still can’t launch an assault, all are important factors that ultimately support the idea that in 6^th edition, mech lists have lost not only their durability, but their flexibility too.
6. Fast vehicles are not as versatile as they used to be. It is not a bad thing that our vehicles are fast, but the extra cost is no longer justifiable. Compared to the DA mech counterparts, in most cases it is better to have slower vehicle for a 20-25 points discount.

 In a nutshell, mech lists have taken a direct hit from the current edition rules, making them very unlikely to stand up to the new threats of the meta, let alone becoming a competitive option. It would be unfair to say that razorspam has been rendered “ unplayable”, but nonetheless it has lost sheer amounts of it’s power.

 What about Predators and Baal Predators?

First of all, these tanks will probably never form the core of a mech list. However, they are present in most such lists, and thus form an important part of the mech philosophy.

Compared to rhinos and razorbacks, predators seem to have changed little in the edition swift. 13AV means that a predator will almost never be a priority target, so no threat of giving away a “first blood” from these guys. Furthermore, the hull points mechanism is probably beneficial for the predator, whose biggest problem was that it was getting stunned and  shaken all the time. Now, it may not be as resilient as it used to be, but it will probably maintain full functionality unit it gets destroyed.

 However, predators are no longer a competitive option, especially for spamming purposes. The main reason is that the metagame swift has limited their effectiveness.

The good old “ auto-lass” predator is not as useful as a tank hunter anymore, simply because there are not as many tanks in the current meta as there used to be. So, after a couple turns, the only thing that the predator is gonna hit will be infantry models or…flyers..meh..

The baal predator, on the other hand, is probably a superior option, because of its lethal anti-infantry weapons. The problem is, that with so many players deploying Aegis Defense lines like madmen, that most targets will be protected by 2+ cover save...

Furthermore,  baal’s short range means that it must approach the enemy in close distance, which in turn increases the risk of getting caught in an assault. Boom.

This is why the “ template loadout” on a baal pred should only be used as a suicide-distraction unit, entering using the Outflank rule.

All things considered, I believe that predators have lost quite a lot of their effectiveness, utility and survivability in the current edition. My advice would be to avoid these units, even when making a mech heavy list.

Vindicators

When compared to the rest of the BA arsenal of vehicles, the mighty Vindicator stands out as a unique case. The 6^th rules, as well as the meta that formed later, have been rather kind to our fast bringer of str10 plates. First of all, it is probably the only vehicle which actually depends on the “ fast” characteristic, to compensate for its short ranged weapon. Furthermore, the “Random Weapon Destroyed “ rule was an important buff which gave to the unit a significant boost in resilience. These changes, along with the Hull point system have made the BA vindicator, one of the best Space Marine vehicles, and a useful addition to any BA list.

Whirlwinds

Have you even seen a red whirlwind? I can’t say that I have. Stay away from this unit. The only way that a whirlwind can be effectively added to a BA list, is by bring one along with DA allies.

LAND RAIDER IN 6^TH EDITION

Land raiders have always been a popular choice. And it’s easy to see why. They resilience is unsurpassed, and so is their weapon loadout. Regardless of the variant ( Godhammer, Crusader, Redeemer), land raiders combine some of the best elements of the mechanized aspect of the game. In fact, it is hard to see any flaws with the land raiders, beside their cost, which in most cases means that you should build your list around it.

 In 6^th edition, Land Raiders remain a commonly used unit, especially amongst BA players.

 As a matter of fact, in the 6^th edition meta, Land Raiders ( and the rest of the 14AV  vehicles) have become a whole new type of threat, and many opponents can find it hard to deal with them.

 First of all, as the game progresses, the mech-spam fad is brutally left behind in favor of mass troops, flyers and the occasional vehicle heavy hitter. Therefore, the need for anti- av weapons has become less dire, and is actually covered by the presence of mass plasma/tesla/deffguns etc weapons. As a result, many lists have no access to meltaguns or other similar anti-tank goodness, and thus have absolutely no way of dealing against Land Raiders. People have simply forgotten the threat of the LR, and most of them have no way of dealing with them in the lists they are currently using.

Secondly, the Land Raider remains one of the best transport options in the game. Especially in 6^th, since most transport vehicles have been rendered useless (poor Dark Eldar…), the mighty Land Raider is still and excellent option to transfer your elite units into the thick of battle, without worries. It has both the speed and resilience to get your units into combat by turn 2.

 Variants

 The only factors that decide which LR variant should be used, are:

- What size is the unit you wish to transport?

- What kind of weapons does your list need the most?

 All 3 variants are perfectly usable and have very solid weapon loadouts. 

The only true downside of the Land Raider is its cost, and most people find it disheartening to invest 250+ points in a metal box, when there are other interesting options. And it’s a fact that, when deciding to add a LR in a list, the best thing to do is bend and shape the whole list around the LR. 

Competitive Blood Angels in 6th Edition: part 2

Today we will discuss the Troop options of the BA codex

Assault Marine Squads

The basic unit that shapes the backbone of almost every BA list, Assault Squads are units that can be designed to fulfill a multitude of roles, and can be armed to be effective against almost everything. Personally, I think that AMS are one of the best troop choices available at any Space Marine codex, because of their relatively low cost, mobility and flexibility.

 An Assault squad can be built in so many ways that would require an article of its own, to describe in full detail. They most common forms encountered are:

Jump Pack Assault Squads.  Probably the most straightforward approach, this unit is almost always composed of  9 marines with 2 special weapons and a Sergeant . Their basic role is that of an all-around effective melee unit , that can pose a threat to any target. Although this unit seems to have lost a lot of its usefulness, they can still perform excellently  when properly supported. Divination and Priest bubble is the obvious choice, that takes this unit a level above all other MEQ’s.  You should opt to throw these guys into combat as soon as possible, but they will not respond well to a reckless player, which means that, in order to get the most out of these 10 guys, the player must  have a clear picture of just how durable this unit is, and how much damage it can cause.  They are still marines, which means that they will succumb to melee specialists and/ or die quickly by the enemy’s firepower.

 Their true power lies in their resilience and mobility, rather than raw power. Use that to avoid enemy assaults and reduce as much as possible all forms of incoming fire.

The reason why JAS have seen a decline in the frequency of their use, is because people believe that they will get shot to death before they get into combat, then receive more casualties from overwatch before assaulting, and on top of that, they would not be as effective in taking out units in melee as they used to.

Let’s see what JAS have actually lost , and what they have gained in the edition swift:

•           Furious Charge, is probably the biggest nerf that BA received, and this affects JAS more than any other unit in the book. Against MEQ, it just increases the amount of damage that RAS are gonna take.
•           Random Charge Lengh. Another addition that makes it a harder to get into combat. RCL is not outright bad ( after all, the average 2d6 roll is approx. 7 ), and while Jump packs allow some more control over this, it is a rare occation indeed when JP move is gonna get held back in favor of the assault move.
•           FNP. Most people believe that FNP has been nerfed in 6^th edition, but I disagree with this claim.  FNP no longer occurs on 4+, but instead on 5+, which means that its change of happening has dropped from 50% down to 33%. On the other hand, FNP has now become almost universal, protecting all units from low ap , power weapons and the like. For a melee oriented unit, this is of huge importance. What do most people use nowadays? Plasma guns, aka ap2 rapid fire weapons. And when a unit, let’s say, a tactical squad is firing at a JAS, the plasma is the weapon that is expected to cause casualties. Bolter shots are classified as “ massed firepower”, and although your assault squad will succumb to the volume of shots,  they are cheap enough to make this event look negligible. What I am trying to say here is that, FNP is no longer a barrier that halves incoming damage from massed firepower, but instead a universal safeguard that offers a more complete protection. Not to mention how handy it is against power and rending weapons in CC.
•       Hammer of Wrath.  Another new addition, although not of great importance,  as it is a rare occasion indeed, when Jump Packs are not gonna be used for rapid movement, but it is good to have the option to do some additional damage anyway.
•       Prescience. Perhaps the ultimate form of supportive buff, this power allows constant rerolls to hit, in both shooting and melee phases. JAS get an incredible boost from this power, as they get more lethal not only in melee , but also in the shooting phase while under it's influence. This effect goes on for the entire game turn, thus allowing many, many dice to be re-rolled!  Furthermore, when assaulting fearless hordes, prescience can make the difference and turn the tide of the combat in your favor. 

Considering all of the above, do you still think that 6^th has been so hostile to our basic troop unit?  They will still get to charge very fast, they will probably receive shooting damage for only a couple of turns before they start their own good work. Overwatch, although somewhat important, will almost never do enough damage to a JAS ( 3+ save is very reliable ), and even with In4, what is the worst that can happen? Are you that much afraid of enemy marines with bolters? Even a GK Strike Squad is not to be feared when you are the one making the charge.

When it comes to weapon loadouts for a JAS,  they should always carry 2 special weapons ( Flamers or meltaguns  ), and the Sergeant should be armed with a power weapon , usually Axe.  Many people will say that further points  investment makes this squad more effective, by giving power fists,  lightning claws and/or stormshields to the sergeants , but I would advise you to be somewhat conservative in this matter. It is better to keep their points cost at a minimum,  and invest those points elsewhere, in other units that will support your squad, instead of spending those points on the squad herself.

Aside from their combat prowess,  JAS make very mobile objective holders. When played successfully, a squad with jump packs should be thrown into battle early, dish out as much damage as possible to the enemy, and finally, run to objectives during the final turns of the game.

Razorback Assault Squad

                This unit exchanges most of its cc potential for a razorback with a heavy weapon on discount.  A RAS is almost always composed of 5 guys with their transport, and the occasional special weapon. They will spend the majority of the game inside the razorback, in safety, and they don’t need any support at this role.  Their low cost and high durability make them great overall, but the changes brought by 6^th edition have made them rather lose potential.

 Perhaps, the most important hit came from the new vehicle rules, which mean that mech lists are much less durable. Now that glancing hits can wreck vehicles and getting a penetrating hit means that your weapon will almost always be useless ( 50% chance of being useless for 1 turn and another 35% of being totally gone ),  reduce dramatically the overall performance of the Razorback. Worse yet,  5 marines were never posing a threat to anyone, but now that they can no longer charge after disembarking from their transport, while needing to be outside of it for objective claiming, makes them easy prey for the enemy.

 However, although the days of Razorspam are probably over, when used with moderation, and not as a core of a list, RAS can still perform well even in competitive levels.

Land raider and drop pod squads will be discussed in the Tactics section of this guide.

Tactical Squads

 The second best troop unit of the BA codex, tactical squads have seen a rise in popularity in the current metagame. The new transport rules favor them, rapid fire weapons are much more useful now, and shooting has become the prevalent source of damage.  Their uses and weapon loadouts are indeed many and varied, and depend on what role is assigned to each squad. Their points cost is also not that bad, and they get cheap heavy and special weapons.

However, my personal opinion is that, BA tacticals are outclassed by the majority of the rest of tactical marines available to other Marine codices.  For this reason, I would advise anyone who design lists with tactical marines, to go for allied units of tacticals. DA Tacticals, for example are better in every way, and cheaper too, SW Grey hunters are awesome value for their points, and since you can have access to them without any drawbacks ( aside from the necessary HQ choice ), why not do just that?

Of course, at the end of the day it all comes down to the kind of list you are trying to build, and If you can spare the points for 3-4 troop units.

Death Company

 Ah….the DC…isn’t it amazing, what can a new edition do for a unit? I think that, among the units that got boosted by the new USR,  Death company can probably claim the 1^st place. Their most hindering flaw turned into an incredible boost, and the DC has become a superb lethal weapon , completely under the control of the player. What can I say about them? They are blessed with FNP, FC and relentless, have WS of 5 and can do as many as 5 attacks when charging…most HQ choices don’t get that many attacks you know. And all that power comes from a model of 20 points. A true bargain indeed.

 Still, it saddens me to see that DC have not taken the BA listbuilding by storm. The reason is quite obvious though, and it derives from their rather restricted mobility.

Of course, you can give them Jump packs, but if you were really considering this option, you wouldn’t be reading an article about “ competitive” gameplay, right? 15 points per JP is insane, and should be avoided at all times ( best reserved for games of 2.500 points or more ).

 As a result, in order to get the most out of the DC, another transport options should be considered.

Land raiders are perhaps the best solution, offering several other advantages ( which will be discussed later ), aside from transferring a lethal unit to its destination. The cost of a land raider, although high, is very much justified by the rewards given by the DC. So, if you can spare 250+ points , I would really advise you to go for  a Land raider.

 Drop Pods.  A more revolutionary approach, the drop pod provides good positioning at dirt cheap cost.  A DC that comes into play from a DP, will need to survive an enemy turn in order to start dealing serious damage, which means that they need support ( which can be provided rather easily by the BA force ), or else they won’t survive long.

DC Dreadnoughts

Although completely outclassed by Furiozos in every way,  DC dreads are not that bad. They are cheap and can still hurt horde armies. Can be put into drop pods and sent to the enemy ( but only as parts of the second wave, they have become too fragile to withstand the enemy’s full force reaction ), and help pick up any remains of the enemy, or can be embarked in Stormravens and being kept in there until late game.  Not very much of an awesome unit, but the fact that they are troops ( aka don’t occupy precious Elites or HS slots ) gives them some sort of utility.

Scouts

 There is not much to be said about scouts. Their main purpose is objective holding, and they are good at it. Should be usually considered after you have built the bulk of your list and you have some leftover points.

I was planning to add the Mech BA section to this part of the article, but this whole guide is getting lengthier than I expected.  As a result, Mech BA will be discussed in part 3.

That’s all for today,  thank you for your time.

Stefanos Kapetanakis, out.

Competitive Blood Angels in 6th Edition, Part 1

 Greetings fellow gamers!

February had been a very busy month for me, with all the mid-term exams and whatnot, and once again a lot of time has passed without any new posts… I should be ashamed of myself.

Anyways, today’s topic is dedicated to Blood Angels, and their competitive value in the dreadful 6^th edition.

  It’s been already about 7-8 months since the dawn of the 6^th, and as of today, I haven’t  been able to find a single satisfying  guide, analysis or tactica about the BA codex.  What’s  more,  there is no solid presence of BA in any grand tournament, nor any indication to encourage the claim that this army can perform adequately at competitive level.

  As a result, my only source of information derive from  various posts on forums, vague articles on blogs, and of course from the view of the majority of players.

Thus, using these rather  “crude” materials and without any solid facts to rely upon, I will attempt to write this article and share with you the results of my research, as well as the impression  that I have obtained from the Blood Angels Codex.

 To begin with, I will attempt to analyze some of the most popular BA units that are used nowadays:

Mephiston:

The first unit I would like to talk about Is Mephy, aka the mini Carnifex.   I see this guy being used all the time, being included in almost 60% of all BA lists I come across, as the sole HQ choice.

Personally, I am not a fan of Mephiston. I believe that in 6th edition he has lost a lot of his shine.

Specifically:

•        Plasma has become the most common special weapon, and while it is a little harder for them to wound Mephiston ( when compared to meltaguns ),  the increased amount of shots that come from rapid fire mean that Mephy goes down faster. A lot faster. At least FNP can compensate somehow, but yet,  once he comes into contact with the enemy, he won’t survive very long.
• 
  
•         AP3 weapon. This is where 6^th has truly hurt Mephiston.  He is supposed to be the unstoppable killing machine of the Imperium, yet his weapon cannot harm a mere Terminator.  As a result, the effectiveness of Mephy has gone down significantly. He no longer is an unstoppable train of brute force , but instead has become an overpriced light infantry killer. To add insult to injury, he no longer stands a chance in melee against most decent CC HQ characters,  as it has become very easy for the enemy to lock him into combat with a cheap character with 2+ save, who not only is almost impervious to any damage dealt from Mephiston, but some of them ( like Inquisitor Corteaz , or a humble Destroyer lord with SMW and MSS ) can best him in a single turn of assault!

• 
  
•            Lack of Independent Character and Fearless.  Yeah, I am not reinventing the wheel here, we all know how bad it hurts that Mephy cannot join squads.  In 6^th edition, this flaw of him has become rather more gaping, making Mephiston unable to withstand any focused firepower. He is as easy as ever to be picked out and swiped by any semi-decent shooting unit, and far easier to get locked in combat against enemy units who are Fearless.

Thus,  the enemy now easily drown Mephiston into a sea of bodies or simply focus-kill  him in a turn of shooting. What’s more, with every new codex,  we see more artifacts, abilities or upgrades that affect  models or units. For Mephiston, the worst of them is certainly the Mindshackle Scarabs(MSS )upgrade, who has a profound  impact on him.

All things considered, Mephiston  apparently has a harder time on the table than he used to. However, most people would state that all of his shortcomings could be diminished when supported by the rest of the army. 

It is always possible to keep Mephiston hidden, inside transports , or under constant support from Sanguinary Priests, and at the same time, use his mobility to avoid infantry units with 2+ save.   In my opinion, this is just ineffective, to design a list that will support a unit whose points cost is supposed to guarantee that Mephiston can operate on his own and be all-around lethal.

His performance in my playtests was rather disappointing. Against an IG player, who runs a list full on plasma veterans and the now- ubiquitous vendettas, I was hiding Mephiston behind 2 land raiders. When the Vendettas came in, they shot down my land raider, and then his deep striking stormtroopers shot him to death with melta and plasma weapons. Similarly, against a Necron player, he did not manage to deal any damage at all, since he slaughtered himself after the MSS taunt. Not to mention how hindered he gets  when confronted by chaos Obliterator spam or killy Chaos Lords who carry black maces.

All things considered, my personal opinion is that Mephiston is not the beast  he used to be, and although he can still wreak havoc against certain lists, he can be easily get outplayed by those players who know how to deal with him ( which is easier that ever ). I believe that he falls into the category of " putting all your eggs in one basket", and I would refrain from using him in my lists at any given moment.

Stormraven:

Another very popular choice, Stormraven is considered by many to be one of the best flyers of the current metagame, combining durability with decent damage output.

 It is true, that SR is a very good flyer indeed, and perhaps the one who excels the most at taking down enemy flyers or other vehicles.  A twin-linked multi-melta with the skyfire rule is indeed a powerful tool, and the rest of the SR loadout has the potential to fulfill a multitude or roles, making the SR a true Jack of all Trades,

…and a master of none.  While it is a force to be reckoned with, the Stormraven requires a sum of points that most lists can ill-afford to pay. Don’t get me wrong here, 200 points is not much for a model that has the potential to change the course of the game, and I always reserve a spot for one in my builds,but the problem is, that sometimes one is just not enough.

      It is an undeniable fact, that flyers are , perhaps the most important element of the current metagame. Almost all IG players use 3 Vendettas, Orks max out their  FA slots with Dakkajets ,  Chaos Space Marines can also field 3 Heldrakes and Necrons can be expected to have 3-9 flyers in their list at any given moment.  In those situations, a sole Stormraven is certainly gonna lose the aerial superiority,  thus creating problems for the rest of the list.

 The only answer could be, a devastator Squad  with Prescience ( rather “meh” IMHO),  a quad gun and/ or another Stormraven or other allied Flyer.  However, for me , the question remains, whether Stormravens should be taken in pairs, solo or not at all.

Sanguinary Priests:

 When I started reading post and topics about BA in 6th, I was surprised to see that most people are reluctant to include Sanguinary priests in their lists. Of course, I can see the obvious reasons, with both FC and FNP getting nerfed, and characters being easier to get singled out in close combat, or even getting sniped ( in extreme situations )

Even though the changes to the USR were not kind to our priests,  it is my personal belief that they are still necessary  for the BA. With the exception of heavy mech lists and/or razorspam ( which are not very common in 6^th ),  a single sanguinary priest can make a great difference in the game. In fact, the SP is the only thing that actually make BA units a bit better that the majority of other MEQ’s. Yes, even with FC, the enemy marines  still get to fight at the same initiative, and our assault squads are having a harder time to deal with cc oriented units, but still, I believe that this +1str bonus is always desirable, and combined with Prescience bonus, can change the course of an assault dramatically. FNP still offers an important boost to the survivability of our units, providing a somewhat decent defense against plasma weapons.  

 When all is said and done, sanguinary priests are there for  one reason only:  supporting other units. And for  50 points, I don’t think that takes a great sacrifice to have one of them in the list.

Corbulo

Speaking of priests, this article would not be complete without  a reference to this guy. . I had never considered using Corbulo  in my lists before, unti the moment I realized how  amazing he is. Not only he fulfill the role of buffer, but his  FNP (2+) on himself means that he can become a unique guardian for the squad he is attached to, shrugging of amazing loads of damage and increasing the potential of his squad tenfold. Furthermore, he grants a dice reroll per game, which allows for a plethora of applications which can save your day. In fact, the only disadvantage of Corbulo is his limited mobility, which means that most of the time he must be accompanied with transports. Othen than that, I believe that Corbulo belongs to the group of models that got a tremendous advantage in the 6^th ed.

Furioso (FRAGiozo!) Dreadnought

While it has become common ground that Walkers are much less desirable currently, the mighty Furioso stands out as a significant exception. What if the Blood talons are ap3? What if Dreadnoughts are struggling to be effective in short range? The furiosos have found  a way to use the edition swift in the favor  and remain  useful and competitive. The answer, of course came from the Frag cannon, a weapon that  appears to be perfectly suited for the blobs of infantry that people use nowadays. Just  use a drop pod to throw it right in the heart of the enemy units and then proceed to incinerate everything in its path.

                I cannot stress enough the importance of Fragiosos  for the Blood Angel army. They have become one of the best units in the book, but we will talk more about their strategies and uses later on.

This concludes the 1^st part of the BA tactica.  Stay tuned for part 2, coming soon!

 Thank you for your time,

Stefanos Kapetanakis, out.

An interesting notice on USR

Hello everyone

 Recently, I acquired a copy of the small BRB of the Dark Vengeance set, which, combined with the boredom of the exam season, gave me a good excuse to read again the new rules, more carefully this time.

 My first notice is about the Universal Special rules.

 In the Independent Character section, it says that " When an independent character joins a unit it might have different special rules from that unit" and those rules can be conferred to that unit ( and vice-versa ) only when specified by the special rules entry.

 At first, I was not impressed by this fact. My impression was that, more or less, only Fearless, Preferred enemy and the likes could be transferred to (and from) characters who join units. However, upon closer inspection, I realized that things are a bit different.

 So, here is a list of the 21(!) rules that follow the aforementioned fashion:

1. Adamantuim Will
2. Acute Senses
3. And They Shall Know no Fear
4. Counter Attack
5.Crusader
6. Fearless
7. Hit & Run
8. Infiltrate
9 Monster Hunter
10. Move through Cover
11.Night Vision
12.Outflank
13. Scout
14.Shrouded
15.Stealth
16. Skilled Rider
17. Slow and Purposeful
18. Split Fire
19. Stubborn
20. Tank Hunters
21. Zealot

  I think it is interesting how many rules share this flexibility. That's all for today, thank you for your time.


 Stefanos Kapetanakis, out.

Tyranids in 6th Edition: the Swarm Ascendant!

This is the 3rd and final part of the Tyranid Tactica Guide. Enjoy:

Hormagants

Now that genestealers have lost their glamour, and getting into combat has become much, much harder and much less rewarding, hormagants have stepped up their performance as affordable , expendable melee units.

 They only cost 6 points per model and deliver 3 attacks when charging. Having tervigons buffing them with FNP and fearless, and now you have a swarm that can prove itself a real frustration for your opponent.

 The real downside is that they are no longer getting any true bonus from their fleet rule, meaning that they are extremely slow and will probably take several turns of shooting before reaching the enemy.

Termagants

 Termagants have always been popular, and an almost mandatory option for the Tyranids.  If not for anything else , a unit of those guys would be included, to accompany a troop Tervigon. And while they are rather weak, and can do little damage without the assistance of larger beasts, they are not to be underestimated.

First of all, when compared to hormagants, termagants are overall a better option,  for the following reasons:

-          Termagants are cheaper, and move at the same speed as hormagants.

-          They have a shooting weapon ( very important )

-          They can be upgraded to carry better weapons and fill more roles .

In fact, while most players include termagants armed with fleshborers, a new, popular option is to arm 20 gants with devourers and put them in a spore.

 This combo provides 60 str4 shots at point blank. However, I am not too fond of this tactic , because of its tremendous cost. 10 points for a termagant is insane , especially considering how fast they die. For 10 points you could take 2 gants instead, and while the amount of firepower is still reduced, you double your models count.  I can’t tell for sure which option is the most successful , but I when it comes to tyranids  I would always choose quantity over quality.

Raveners

By far my favorite tyranid unit , and perhaps one of my favorite creatures , period. Raveners were always considered to be “ target practice units” for IG artillery and GK Psyflemen alike…and although this very painfully true,  I was always getting the impression that raveners performed  very well for me.  So ,let’s see their best  characteristics, under the scope of 6^th edition:

-          -They cost only 35 points without any upgrades.

-         -3 wounds and 5 attacks on the charge, get to re-roll to hit rolls of 1’s.

-          - Beasts , which means that they move 12” and get to reroll their assault move roll, which in essence means that they get a charge move of 8-10 inches , statistically.

This makes their role quite obvious: they are the hunters of the swarm. Their role is to reach the enemy as fast as possible , becoming the center of attention and providing adequate time for the rest of the swarm to move up.

 Nowadays it is easier than ever to deal with raveners, thus making them a choice that you should rarely consider , but one that should definitely be in the back of your mind.

Gargoyles

  These guys perform in a similar way to Hormagants, although they seem to be better suited for the role of expendable assault unit.

 First of all , they are definitely faster than Hormagants.  They also carry fleshborers, which is an important detail, and finally they can use the Hammer of Wrath rule, and all that for the same point cost as a Hormagant.

 In fact, the only case where Hormas should be chosen instead of Gargoyles, is when you need more troops, which is rarely a problem for Tyranids anyway.

 Gargoyles can perform well in close combat. However, as  is the case with all of our  smaller creatures, they die very, very easily, thus making them unreliable , at best.

Biovores

These ugly creatures have become very popular recently. I see them in most tournament lists, and while I was puzzled at first, I finally understood why  they are so attractive.

 First of all , they are very cheap. For 45 points you get a guy with a large blast weapon that will do some damage against light infantry. And they reside in the Heavy Support section, so they get to compete with some “ titans “ of the 40k metagame, such as the Mawloc, the depressed Carnifex and the almost suicidal Tyranofex. Yeap, actually Biovores are somewhat useful after all.

 They come in a nice brood of 3, have a 48” assault , barrage, large blast weapon with a str and ap of 4… not bad for 45 points. And if they miss they target, their shot is not lost, but a unit of 3 spore mines appears…hopefully they enemy won’t escape their damage anyway.

Considering how many players choose to spam troops nowadays, biovores will probably do enough work to justify their points cost almost every time.

Trygons

 The last unit of this list , and probably one of the least effective anyway. Trygons are durable, leathal, fast moving units that could be easily be one of the best units of our codex. However,  as they stand now, they are still burdened by the same weaknesses they had since their release.  They have to deploy right in the face of the enemy, only to die fast to their low- ap weapons. Plasmas , meltas and lascannons cut through their flesh like a hot knife through butter, and even their 6 wounds and toughness can’t prolong their existence enough to allow them to reach the enemy and do their job. Unlike other suicide units , like genestealers,  raveners or Ymgarls , the Trygon is too expensive to fulfill that role. Besides, Trygons are of no use against flyers and he Overwatch rule is more painful to them that it is for most other units.  A great shame, because  its rules, concept and miniature model are all beautiful.

 That concludes my list of the best Tyranid units in 6^th edition. However, no guide is complete without an explanation of how the various units of our codex work.  The rest of this article will be a short tactica of an exemplary list.

 To begin with , let’s see how a Tyranid tournament list looks like:

HQ

Hive Tyrant with Wings, 2 sets of Twin-linked Devourers ( BW), Leech Essence, Paroxysm , Old Adversary- 285pts

Hive Tyrant with Wings, 2 sets of Twin-linked Devourers ( BW), Leech Essence, Paroxysm,- 260pts

ELITES

Hive Guards x 2- 100pts

Hive Guards x 2-100pts

Zoanthropes x 3-180 pts

TROOPS

Tervigon with Cluster Spines , Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst, Dominion – 195

Tervigon with Cluster Spines , Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst, Dominion – 195

Tervigon with Cluster Spines , Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst, Dominion – 195

Termagants x 10- 50pts

Termagants x 10- 50pts

Termagants x 10-50pts

Heavy Support

Biovores x 2 – 90pts

TOTAL : 1750pts

This is a list composed exclusively of the best Tyranid units only. It is obviously meant for  a more defensive type of play. It is a solid list that is built with an emphasis on the shooting aspect of the game , and resilience.

 First of all, it has 2 Flyrants , which should be enough to wreak havoc to the enemy lines, draw the majority of the enemy’s firepower on them, and generally attempt to kill as many enemy units as possible before dying.

 I have included 4 hive guards in 2 separate units.  Their role is to focus on the enemy transports and light vehicles first,  then move onto flyers and possibly heavy infantry ,susceptible to Instant Death.

 3 Tervigons are more than enough to survive the game. In fact,  if you lose all 3 of them in a game, it probably means that you should reconsider your tactics and army list altogether.

Also, 3 Tervigons will provide a mass of extra troops, so make sure to have a stock of about 75 termagants ( from my experience, I ‘ve found out that there should be about 25 spare gants in your army case for each Tervigon on the table )

 Biovores are there to deal with those pesky players who gather their troops behind Aegis defence lines

.

 Although each separate unit in the list is quite decent on its own , the true power of this list is that it can spam troop units that can flood the gaming board, claim objectives, and finally, attempt to deal as much damage as possible to the enemy units.  The 3 tervigons alongside the termagants and the elite shooting arsenal make a good core for your force that can prove itself very resilient. Do not play aggressively with this list. Instead, try to use the Mission rules to your advantage. This list excels in missions where several  objectives are included, and can easily give you more victory points by claiming the First Blood and Linebreaker. 

 In addition to the aforementioned advantages of this list, we should include the amount of troop units that can be spawned from such a list. When played correctly, this list should make it throughout the game, with a rather small amount of casualties. Make sure to spawn often, but not too often. Units spawned from Tervigons are really worth it when they will deploy near the enemy, then shoot and assault in the same turn. Avoid spawning from the 1st turn. It's a needless risk. 

 Instead, in your first couple turns of the game you should focus on killing the most dangerous enemy units, isolated small units and possibly those annoying Quad guns and Icarus lascannons. If possible , try to take down those emplaced weapons in the 1st turn , so that the enemy will have little chance to hurt the Flyrants.

 Then, make sure to move in close to the enemy with the whole army, if you see that your enemy outshoots you too much.

 In most cases, however, a more defensive approach should be better, until of course your Flyrants start diving into combat. In other words, supposing that the Tyrants will start assaulting units at the 3rd turn and after, you should calculate your movement phases so that your tervigons will be in a possition to provide termagants that will support the Flyrants, backing them up with numbers so that they wont be all by their own.

Finally , lets not forget about the presence of Psykers in this army list. 8 Psykers are included, giving you access to an incredible amount of bonuses that are much needed by your units. In most cases, you should choose to take psychic powers from the main rulebook, especially for the Flyrants.  For Tervigons , it is not necessary to risk, simply because Catalyst is still an awesome power. For Zoanthropes, the choice depends on your enemy list.

And so, after about 12 Word pages and 5.000 words on Tyranids, their codex, their pros and cons etc, I think that there is not much left to say about Tyranids. I hope that you found this guide informative, understandable and enjoyable to read, and perhaps you found some ideas for your own lists.

 All things considered, Tyranids are not a bad army on its own.  Surprisingly, they perform much better than many other codices, which is impressive, taking into consideration the fact that we lack so many things compared to other armies. Tyranids are a mid- tier army, that can still be used in tournament play, albeit with  lots of luck and good match- ups 

 I would love to read your opinion about our codex, your ideas and tactics. Any comment and criticism about this guide is both desired and appreciated. 

  Thank you,

Stefanos Kapetanakis, out.