Sang Guard

[CouchViking]

I'm starting a new army and I picked the Blood Angels because of the look of their Sanguinary Guard models, the whole avenging angel look I really like. I know that they aren't a hammer unit like they were intended but I think with my track record with my eldar will help me out in using them properly. So I am thinking three units with Dante and Sang Priests backed by assault squads and a Storm Raven would make up a solid list. Any kind of tactics or any experience or ideas would help a bunch.

[Image]

Sang Guard are a really fun, beautiful, and reasonably hard-hitting unit when backed by a priest. I find that their cost is obviously on the pricey side, but when matched against proper enemies, they can be a real pain. They'll walk through combat squads without a fist, but you really need to be cautious about those units with a fist. Losing a guy or two a turn is really painful as you try and dice through a hidden power fist.

Take advantage of their speed and make sure to use their shooting when appropriate as they can put out some pretty nice shooting. If you're worried about people breaking, try to position yourself after jumping over the enemy where if the enemy breaks, they'll still run in your direction, though try to avoid you. This should enable you to still get a charge.

I would include a fist in every squad and the banner is beautiful while also providing a huge boost in combat potential.

Nonetheless, you still need to worry about all the same stuff that any BA is concerned about: I6 hammer-handed halberd attacks, plasma, etc. Of course, be wary about jumping into terrain as your armour save and FNP provide nothing on those failed dangerous terrain tests.

[fuzzbuket]

the guy over at the vanus temple (google it) did a rather neat army, and whilst a all sang army can be effictive there is a few things you need to keep in mind
- tanks: either take a dread for tank killing or the simple route of as many melta pistols and fists as necessery
- priests, banners and dante: use these wisely, using thebanners to bolster CC, priests resiliance and dante for awsomeness !
- priests: you need them
- did i say priests?

-fuzz :D

p.s. did i mention priests are super important!?

[AbusePuppy]

Sang Guard are best run as an all-or-nothing proposition; either take Dante and focus on them, or don't bother. Generally you'll want Dante himself, a Command Squad full of Melta/Flamers to DS in with the big man (they can get more concentration of guns than SG can, which is important), ~2 Sanguinary Priests with Jump Packs to accompany the SG, and 3-4 squads of SG themselves, with one Power Fist and two Infernus Pistols in each squad.

From there you can look at adding support units- since you should be starting on the board, not Deep Striking (except for Danta & Co.), Missile Devastators are an excellent option and help with a lot of your problems; you may want to consider running a foot Priest with them as well. Adding more SG bodies is another good choice- beyond your initial three-ish squads, it can be safe to run them without the Infernus and/or PFist, depending on the rest of your list. If you go for vehicles, you will generally want AV12+ targets to ensure that they aren't just eating up guns that would be useless against the SG; AV13 from Predators is ideal here, so a good AutoLas or Dakka Pred can add a lot to the list.

I don't feel running regular Assault Squads helps much, and in fact detracts from your strategy of having 2+ FNP models; once you give the enemy a good target for his AP3 guns, much of the benefit is lost. You also don't really want a lot of DSing units, as you're relying on putting a ton of tough dudes on the board and rushing the enemy- having things sitting in reserve doing nothing detracts from the number of targets they have to shoot.

[A Barb]

So running all sang guard with Dante is that a good list to bring to a tournament? I am playing BA as well and I want to get a couple of list together to change it up.

[wittdooley]

A 100% Sang Guard list could potentially have problems with hordes and AV 13+ (though infernus pistols should do the trick with a DoA drop.

[AngelsofDeath]

So running all sang guard with Dante is that a good list to bring to a tournament? I am playing BA as well and I want to get a couple of list together to change it up.

Its is a feast or famine list if you know what I mean. If you want a really flashy army with power weapons and 2+ saves, go for it. It gives you the chance as a player to do more with less and can be fun to play. But do not bring it to any tourny type event and expect to win unless you are well practiced with it. So many armies can over power it and alot of things can go wrong mission wise.

[CouchViking]

So I have been knocking around some ideas in my head and talking to some people that have ran sanguinary guard lists. I have come to the conclusion similar to abuse puppy and angel's, all or nothing. Hit and run tactics will be essential harassing enemy units. Due to the guards low squad capacity but hard as nails hitting power, playing them in cover and choosing my targets will be critical. To add some fire support I am gonna include two squads of sniper scouts with cloaks providing long range fire and some survivability with 3+ cover save in terrain. As fuzzbucket said priests are critical for fnp and furious charge, two jump pack priests travel up with two sang squads in cover. I also want to include a Storm Raven into the equation armed with a muti-melta and an assault cannon to haul around Dante and a sang squad with a banner to hit like a ton of bricks. To top everything off I think a furioso with blood talons coupled with an av13 to tar pit hordes and all around take care of business. It seems solid in theory and I know if played right it will hit like a friggin hammer, however if I make one mistake it will fold like paper.

[A Barb]

When you play the Stormraven keep it moving more then 12" this way you get a cover save. The Furioso would be a good thing to add. I have had good luck with the Furioso doing the job with hordes!

[Gir]

5 sang guard with banner, Dante and Sanginor near by throws out more power weapon attacks then should be legal (Dante gets 7-8 on the charge from memory, and each guard gets 5).

It's damn expensive and is scared of plasma, though.

[pathwinder14]

So running all sang guard with Dante is that a good list to bring to a tournament? I am playing BA as well and I want to get a couple of list together to change it up.

No. It lacks balance. Hordes and IG Platoons wiht lots of guns will give you a headache. Sang Guard need some heavy fire power to back them up, like a storm raven. :)

[A Barb]

I have one so I am half way there :D

[CouchViking]

I tend to think that there is a misconception, that if an elite can be made into a troop choice that it can run on its own in "pure" list of that unit. Deathwing, Loganwing,and Draigowing, all have hard as nail troops in the form of an elite unit made troop via special character all the while supported by tanks and supporting units to tie the list together. Then there is Nipplewing (that one belongs to my buddy Bryan), a hard hitting glass cannon that needs support from certain units to make it not only effective but viable as an army component.
Over spending seems to be the most common mistake with most Sang Guard units, seeing most squads cost upwards of 250-300pts equipping every model with infernus pistols or powerfists. My personal opinion if your spending over 250pts your spending too much, I'm finding that 230pts tends to be the magic number with the guard two plasma pistols or infernus pistols and a powerfist. Something else I think people tend to overlook is the effectiveness of a librarian with a bare bones unit with the rage and shield powers, cover saves and re-rolls no one ever complained about. I think its all summed up with just because you can does not mean you should.

[pathwinder14]

With Sang Guard you have to keep some caveats in mind.

Do not:
Try to beat Uber Close Combat squads like enemy Death Co., Berserkers, Genestealers, Assassins, etc.
Try to beat Close Combat characters like Abaddon, Lelith, Shrike, etc.

Do:
Take Dante
Take 3 priests
Take lots of Infernus pistols and Power Fists
Take cheap scoring units like R.A.S. or scouts

IME, one unit of Sang Guard is nice for flavor, but an all Sang Guard list has problems. It cannot beat hordes. It has a hard time with a castled opponent that has lots of foot troops protecting tanks.

For better results, take two units of Vanguard Vets with 1 P.F., 2 P.W., and jump packs. Drop Dante and a unit of Sang Guard down with Dante's Tactical Precision and use their Infernus to open a tank. then have the V. Vets drop down and multiple assault the backs of enemy tanks/troops. :)

[2_Wycked]

After playing against SG a couple times, I think that they're best as a small addition to a DoA army, rather than a whole army built around them. they're just too vulnerable to Ap1/2 to be efficient.

[Da Gargoyle]

As posted on another thread, last Friday I played in a 3 way battle with Eldar v BA & GK, 1000 pt each.

The BA lad had 2 big jump squads & the Gk more of your usual GK termies and Power amour lads. I lost due to not going for kill points. I caused damage to both armies with fire dragons banshees and a wraith lord. But old tin nipples himself happily carved through my troops and then the Lord while my banshees were swollowed up in a 3 way melee, something to do with hammerhand multiple strikes with falchions ??? It was 2am in a pub.

So the Sanguinus type HQ character leaped around the table picking his targets and staying away from my elites. Die and learn I suppose. Might use wraith guard on him next time, see what a few warp holes do to him