Blood Angels & Index Astartes

[Xas]

Hello fellow heirs of Sanguinus!

I'm building a Blood Angels Army for a hobby project and would like to ask a few questions about their structure.
I want to get my squad markings right so this might seam a bit like nitpicking but are improtant to me :).

a) would it make sense to see assoult squads as part of the tactical squads (BA can take them as troops) and therefore give them tactical markings/red helmets while reserving the "assoult squad" spots for bike-landspeeder squads (would be a total of 20 marines in the company where: bike=1, trike=2, speeder=2 as both trike and speeder have two marines in them. playing around with 3 FA slots you can make it happen as in 3 speeders 3 trikes and 8 bikes).

b) would it fit for some auxiliar models to have company-heraldry/markings (sanguinary priests, librarians, dreadnoughts, ...)? I figure that there will be a few of them designated to each company for very long periods of time as to make joined heraldry feasible.

c) how are blood angels supposed to deploy all their lanraiders by thunderhawk-trow when they only have 3 thunderhawk transports for 4 tactical companies, 1 veteran company and 5 auxiliar companies? 3 transports could be enough to support all fighting one company would do but we're talking at least the 4 tactical company doing combat here (meaning they need 12-15 THT :( ).

[lobster-overlord]

While you are free to mark them as you wish, BAs are traditionally a Codex chapter (with exception of the Death Company).

They still have the same numbers of each types of sqauds as a standard battle company. But rather than throwing more seasoned troops into positions as assaults or using noobs as scouts, BA tend to put the new guys who are untested and uncontrolled in as Assault guys, let them run rampant and as they control them selves more, promote them to scout, dev, tac, etc.

Auxiliary models with company markings is perfectly viable as well.

As to the Thawks, the math just doesn't work, now does it... but then again, who said they had to use that type of transport for deployment... A strike crusiser could perfectly well land and drop a company all at once, forgoing the use of the thunderhawks altogether.

John m.

[wittdooley]

I think heraldry markings are entirely appropriate for veterans (so 1st company, libbys, chaps, captains). If you have a copy of Space Hulk, you'll notice that each of the terminators has his personal heraldry painted on his right pauldron. I think the heraldry markings are a great touch taht really make each marine feel like an individual.

[Smotku]

Actually in the codex it says that land raiders deep strike by being set down by a t-hawk transporter. the codex states that the chapter has only three transporters. I believe this is a case of Matt Ward writing fluff to try and match the rules with out really making sure it is plausable. As far as markings I have kept to the codex paint scheme as much as possible with the helmets all my assault marines have yellow helmets as well as bikers and Landspeeder crew. Just because they are troops doesnt mean they are not assault. I have built a whole company, 2nd, following the codex paint schemes. with the new codex I have added 2 more assault squads and gave the markings from different companies, green and white blood drops from 4th and 3rd companies, kept them all 7th and 8th squads.

In the original Angels of Death codex for 2nd edition each company had their own chaplains and apothocaries as well as dreads bikes and dedicated transports so I have mine with company markings. the only exception now id land raiders which in the older codexes where assigned only to the 1st company. I have not given them any company designation. I did recently give my new storm raven a second company yellow blood drop next to its number although they are part of the armory.

[Drew da Destroya]

I don't know if the codex says that ALL land raiders are deployed by dumping them out of a 'hawk, but I'd say that anytime you Deep Struck a Raider, then it fell out of a transporter.

I think it's still perfectly reasonable to assume that the Blood Angels do deploy their Land Raiders using bulk transports, or whatever other standard methods their may be. It's just that they sometimes use the Transporter-drop method as well.

And considering how few Blood Angels players are actually deep striking Raiders, 3 Transporters might even be a reasonable number!

[Baron Spikey]

As to the Thawks, the math just doesn't work, now does it... but then again, who said they had to use that type of transport for deployment... A strike crusiser could perfectly well land and drop a company all at once, forgoing the use of the thunderhawks altogether.

John m.

If a Strike Cruiser was to 'land' on a planet's surface it wouldn't be taking off again- you're talking about a capital ship sized vessel (so 3km+ length) landing on a planet as if it was simply an oversized gunship :eek:

[lobster-overlord]

If a Strike Cruiser was to 'land' on a planet's surface it wouldn't be taking off again- you're talking about a capital ship sized vessel (so 3km+ length) landing on a planet as if it was simply an oversized gunship :eek:

I was just going from memory on SC capabilities. I remembered them as being very large (yes capital) that had landing capability to deploy very large (company sized) forces. Don't remember where I got that from though, so I can't quote it.

John M.

[Morgan Darkstar]

maybe the huge dropships on the front of the ig codex?

[Deadlift]

If a Strike Cruiser was to 'land' on a planet's surface it wouldn't be taking off again- you're talking about a capital ship sized vessel (so 3km+ length) landing on a planet as if it was simply an oversized gunship :eek:


shhh don't tell anyone but its just a game :D

[Baron Spikey]

shhh don't tell anyone but its just a game :D

shh I'm well aware.

Also professional sports are just games that are a gigantic waste of money and effort but grown adults act like idiots about them so correcting a fluff mistake is no biggie.

[AngelsofDeath]

There are times when a army or strike force is made up of units from different companies according to the fluff. There may be a need for different weapons and such for each mission.

The best part of 40K is that you can add your own twist into anything, paint the army the color you want, field the units you want and play how you want so long as you follow the rules.

I have painted my assault jump pack troops helmets yellow and the assault units without jump packs I have painted them red. I have used the 3rd Co. as my basis for my army so the blood drops on the right shoulder are white. Squard markings would be nice if all the marines right knee pads were round. I have just used alternative marking on them designate each squard. All vehicules had the 3 on them to mark them as part of the 3rd Co.

I would Google Blood Angels and see what other people have done.