Dark Angels - can they work?

[Denzark]

I should add, prior to a new codex?

Anyone had any luck with them?

I'm considering a sort of hammer & anvil approach, using Ravenwing and Deathwing together.

It just occurs currently, and Ravenwing would be the starting point (easier to paint), that the amount of actual models for the points, would mean you are suceptible to firepower - but can't necessarily bring it.

Similarly, Sammael - better on Jet Bike or in his 14/14/10 Land speeder?

What do you use for anti tank?

Does an all-bike army have a vulnerability to lack of numbers?

[Wolfshade]

I have seen (read played against and was beaten by) Deathwing armies and they are quite scary.
As for the anti tank in that army was provided by some (lucky) cyclone missile launchers and chainfists/thuinder hammers (though fortunately I kept my tanks out of charge range).
The all bike approach I think has been more widely played with the whitescars (C:SM Captain on Bike/Kahn) and while they are susceptible to the small numbers (even more so then normal SMs) the T5 is really handy.
I've played a Bike/Speeder army before now and I had some good sucess, I love that you can put 2 plasmas/meltas in a squad of 3 put sgt w/w pfist and you have quite a punchy unit.
The anti tank for those would be easier with the use of Multi-meltas available on Attack Bikes and Speeders

[Anggul]

Azrael is actually really good, although his WS5 is annoying. Still, he has 5 (count them, five) S6 attacks with master-crafted and a master-crafted combi-plasma, not to mention giving his entire squad a 4+ invulnerable save due to the Lion Helm, which makes power-armoured veterans a heck of a lot more viable.

[antennafarm]

absolutely!

there's always the usual deathwing cut and paste, which is fine. but boring. in my opinion!

combined arms is the way to go. triple wing looks weird to most people for some reason. throw both belial (i like him with 2xLC for the I5) and sammael (i prefer the land speeder - just watch that rear facing. people freak out when they see av14/14/10 for some reason so it'll take a lot of shots and chew up a bunch of infantry in the process) into an army. a few of deathwing squads, some small ravenwing (with attack multimelta.. remember, they all have teleport homers and scout for your deathwing delivery!). a tac squad or two. fill out with some heavy (i like the godhammer land raider for a firebase platform).

also in total agreement about the bikes, they make a great bogger for when things get rough. with sammael you can make a fast, FNP'd plasma squad, too. generally i run the FNP'd plasma squad (2xPG, PP, MB), attach the attack bike, and then a melta squad (2xMG, and another attack bike).

anda venerable dreadnought is rarely a waste! especially since your deathwing aren't eating up your elite slots...

[Denzark]

Antennafarm - where do you get Sammael giving FNP to a squad from?

Actually just clocked that in the back. Disregard my last.

OK - so how do people do WYSIWYG on anarthecium equipped terminator?

Also how do you do wound allocation in a Ravenwing attack squad with a landspeeder in it? Particularly in hth?

[dvs1]

A couple of things....

Sammael can upgrade 1 ravenwing bike squad to be equipped with a apothecary and banner bearer. The apothecary grants FnP

use the apothecary bits from the GK terminator box to use on your deathwing

Both the landspeeder and attack bikes bought with the ravenwing attack squad count as independent units so no weird wound allocation there...

Sammy's a beast on his 14/14/10 landspeeder. His jetbike doesn't compensate for his lack of the independent character rule

I love the dual wing approach, but am in love with my all ravenwing army. The internet will disagree, but I put forth that ravenwing can do it better than the white scars, cc command squad on bikes or not. Lots of bikes and speeders for infantry, and LOTS of MM attack bikes for armor/mech. Army wide fearless aint so bad when the average unit count is something like 3-6 bikes. Army wide scout IS bad for your opponent if he's fool enough to deploy while you have won the first turn( 1st turn alpha strike, anyone? ). Librarian on bike with table wide psychic hood and you might not even notice those pesky GK's, lol.Just don't get into CC. Not enough numbers to off set the lack of PW's. Just keep your distance ( 18-24) and shooting, and let the emperor sort them out ;)

[Nightspawn]

Also how do you do wound allocation in a Ravenwing attack squad with a landspeeder in it? Particularly in hth?

Don't get one attched to the bikes. Make a separte fast attack choice and put MM and TM on it. It's only 75 points that way and makes it a good tank popper.

[Denzark]

Yes thank you, but what if I actually DO as it is an option for an attack squadron?

[dvs1]

Even if you buy the over priced tornado for the attack squadron, it still counts as its own independent unit. It deploys at the same time as the unit ala guard platoon, but after that can move, shoot, and be shot at separately.

[Diagnosis Ninja]

Also how do you do wound allocation in a Ravenwing attack squad with a landspeeder in it? Particularly in hth?

Pay for the whole unit when you write your list. Then, at deployment, the Speeder and the attack bike split off from the rest of the unit and do their own thing.