I got some shelf space

I finally got some shelf space in our local gaming club and took the opportunity to take a picture of all my painted models. I painted them between Summer 2008 and Fall 2009 when our daughter was born. Now I paint at a slower pace and I still have at least as many Blood Angels still to paint, but I am already very satisfied of what I managed to paint so far – they are about 6’800 points worth of models.

(Below my Blood Angels you can spot nu55kill’s magnificent Tau)

Painting progress

I am currently painting two projects after I have finally created my own man cave (i.e. hobby corner) in the cellar. It even has a fridge there so I might fill in some beers later.

Either way, my Thunderhead has now all it’s base colors:

On the other hand, I am currently painting mission objectives markers for my Blood Angels to have nicer ones besides my neongreen markers from GW:

I am sick of all those dead Space Marines being used as mission objectives, so I decided to create markers more along the idea of supply points. Therefore, we have here a mobile radio station, an ammo depot, and a depot with energy cells and a Servo Skull.

In the meantime, all my brand new Blood Angels sit in their boxes unoppened. It sure would be satisfying to build and paint these, but I have made good experiences with sticking to something and finishing it before I move on. Hence my Cygnar Army will be done first. Of course this makes me lag quite a bit on my Blood Angels stuff, but I will start to work on them when all the instant fan boys already have moved on to the next cool Codex, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Furthermore, this gives me time to observe the forums, look at other people’s lists and conversions, and then benefit from their experience.

Competitive 1750 points mechanized Blood Angels

So, after thinking through the new Blood Angels Codex over and over I have finally come up with a new competitive army list that I want to work on in my painting queue. The list is based on two paradigms by Jwolf on BoLS:

1. If you have a good unit, preferably take two for added redundancy.
2. Warhammer 40K has always been about Space Marines in tanks.

Furthermore, I want this to be an allround list that can handle virtually every opponent. Lists with über-units may get your opponent desperate on day one, but once the community has found out how to beat it, there goes your strongest ace and with it the entire list. Therefore, the focus of the following list is heavily on basic units that may not have as much punch, but a high and constant reliability over time.

***HQ***
1 Epistolary
1 Honor Guard (Sanguinary Novitiate, Blood Champion, Meltagun, Razorback, twl Las Canons)

***TROOPS***
2 Assault Squads (10 Marines, Powerfist, 2 Meltaguns, Rhino)
2 Tactical Squads (10 Marines, Powerfist, Meltagun, Missile Launcher, Rhino)

***FAST ATTACK***
2 Baal Predators (twl Assault Canons, Heavy Bolters, Dozer Blade)

***HEAVY SUPPORT***
2 Vindicators (Siege Shield)

TOTAL COST: 1745 POINTS

The tactics behind this list are very simple: use the Assault Squads, the Razorback, and the Vindicators to attack the opponent in his deployment zone. Flank in with the Baal Predators to close the trap. Use the Tactical Squads to capture mission objectives and provide supporting fire. Use the HQ to provide supporting fire as well, boost the Assault Squads, cast and protect yourself from psy powers, and deliver that instant kill if needed.

Goatboy was so nice to give me comments on an earlier draft of this list. The most important point he made that he finds the extra weapons on tanks useless as they will most of the time drive their 12″ per turn and fire their main weapon only. I sort of disagree with that since Blood Angels players know fairly well what the amount of devastating shooting a Baal Predator can lay on the table when it fires all its weapons – and at 24″ there are only few opponents that are going to charge you in the next turn.

Either way, I am on my way to building this army now. Once it’s done I’ll let you know how it’s doing in battle.

Time Shift

So, the waiting has finally and end and we can look at printed beautiful Blood Angels pictures in the current White Dwarf. However, throughout these years I kept an old copy from December 1998 as the Blood Angels were my dearest 40K army already back then.

White Dwarf 36 (the German version uses a different numbering system) featured an introduction to Angels of Death by Gav Thorpe, had the rules for the new Baal Predator model (the one with what is considered now the old Rhino chassis ), a painting section (including banners), an extra special mission for Blood Angels, and a battle report between 2964 points of Eldar versus 2999 points of Blood Angels. Last but not least, the Codex clocked in at 15 Deutsche Mark.

Battle Report: BA vs. new Tyranids (1’500 points)

Mission was capture & control with a dawn of war setup; the game ended in a draw.

Captain Parcival checked his Tac Com and knew things didn’t look good. The 2nd Company formed a first line of defense in the outskirts of Plethora Hive, the last position the Blood Angels still held on Tenebra IX. The incoming data showed that Class C organisms were moving three klicks NW inbound. Soon there were going to be Tyranids everywhere.

Parcival went through his geotactical situation. In his immediate area of control there was a Dortis Sugar refinery and his own locator beacon. The Tyranids were surely going to feast on the sugar, but if they had a chance to destroy his locator beacon and cut him off from supplies, they wouldn’t let it slip either. Parcival told his troops to hide among the buildings so that the Tyranids would run into a seemingly empty area. He figured they only had a chance if they attacked by surprise and did a mechanized countercharge into the back of the Tyranid wave.

All of a sudden, there they were. A Hive Tyrant was directly charging with Termagants towards the locator beacon. Parcival ordered his very own Razorback and the Rhino of Squad Calrissian to move against these incoming creatures.

On the right flank, the Rhino of Squad Derian and the two Baal Predators rolled onto the scene and went straight for the sugar refinery where Hormagants and a Carnifex were trying to dig themselves in. However, just when the Rhino reached the refinery, the Carnifex charged the vehicle and tore it apart killing the entire squad with the exception of Sergeant Derian himself. Derian ran into the refinery and up the stairs onto its roof so he could take shots at the lingering Tyrandis outside. The Carnifex followed him into the refinery, however, and Derian could hear the brutal noises as this creature was smashing its way through the machines. Derian just hoped that the creature was too heavy to make it to the upper floors.

In the meantime, the two Baal Predators were busy killing Zoantrophes which they successfully did as they were still fully operational. However, mopping up the Zoes took away precious time when the Blood Angels’ infantry was in bitter need for their support.

On the left flank, Parcival and his Honor Guard exited the Razorback and took shots at the Hive Tyrant. The creature produced infernal screams as it felt the cleansing fire of the Emperor, but stayed focused and destroyed the Rhino of Squad Calrissian first. The Termagants quickly fell over the proud Warriors and the Hive Tyrant started to collect a heavy blood toll, too. However, Parcival stood firm in his decision not to yield a single meter to these creatures and let his Powerfist hammer onto the Hive Tyrant until the creature was no more. Parcival felt the stinking scent of the alien when he gasped for a breath of fresh air and tried to refocus, but in this moment a couple Venators came in and a Trygon dug out of the earth. Parcival played his last ace and called in Assault Squad Vincenzo who shocked down on the surprised Tyranids. Parcival’s and Sergeant Vincenzo’s Powerfists continued to do their ugly work, but a huge blow by the Trygon’s tail finally knocked Parcival off his feet and left him with an intense pain in his chest. He felt the warm comfort of Sanguinius wing’s folding around him and in the corner of his eyes he saw how Vincenzo delivered a last and final blow to the Trygon. And as Parcival’s memory was about to fade away, he heard the familiar beeping sounds of a locator beacon delivering its coordinates to some battleship in orbit…