Dark Angels Command Squads

[TyG17]

Ok so I am working on updating my battlescribe file so I can use the roster editor for my Dark Angels and I have come across something I wanted clarification on.

In the entry for Command Squad it states "One Veteran may be upgraded to a Company Champion, replacing their chainsword with a blade of Caliban and a combat shield" and "One Veteran may be upgraded to an Apothecary, replacing their bolt pistol with a narthecium". Then goes on to say "Any Veteran may..." Does this mean that Champions cannot take anything other than the standard bolt pistol because they are no longer a "Veteran"? On the same token Apothecaries would be stuck with their chainsword and narthecium.

It goes on to say something similar to this in the Deathwing Command Squad. How do you guys interpret this?

On the same token, I just noticed that Deathwing Apothecaries do not have a power fist as they give it up for the narthecium. I don't use Command Squads that often but this would make a big difference in whether I would take them at all and how I complete this battlescribe file.

[Nabterayl]

It's true that neither a champion nor an apothecary can exchange things once they have been upgraded. However, you can give them Veteran options and then upgrade them to champion or apothecary status, so long as they still have any wargear that needs to be swapped out. No getting around the fact that the apothecary does not have a power fist, though.

An analogous situation arises in the ork codex. Boyz mobs come with a choppa and slugga, and can trade in both for a shoota. Nobz in a boyz mob can only get a power klaw by replacing their choppa. Does this mean a shoota boyz nob can never take a power klaw?

No, says the FAQ, because he can buy the choppa replacement BEFORE the whole mob trades Choppas and sluggas for shootas. The nob takes his upgrade, and then does not get a shoota, because he no longer has both a choppa and slugga to exchange.

Given that precedent I feel confident that you can always choose the order you do your upgrades in.

[Tynskel]

Completely agree.

[TyG17]

That was the way I have always done it but I wanted to make sure I was doing it correctly before I plugged it into the file. Thanks for the help.

[TyG17]

I came across another area I am having trouble with and wanted to make sure I was understanding it correctly. In the Deathwing Command Squad, You can upgrade one Terminator with an assault cannon in place of the storm bolter, then give him a banner, then upgrade him again replacing his power fist with a narthecium correct? This is making it a nightmare to try and edit the file properly.

[dirkspair]

that ork example does not work that well, in the case of the BA libby dread the FAQ specifically states that you cannot get extra upgrades and then turn him into a libby dread keeping things like extra armor. so to be on the safe side i would not do that with the DA command squad. seems like they are using a case by case ruling policy.

[Tynskel]

I came across another area I am having trouble with and wanted to make sure I was understanding it correctly. In the Deathwing Command Squad, You can upgrade one Terminator with an assault cannon in place of the storm bolter, then give him a banner, then upgrade him again replacing his power fist with a narthecium correct? This is making it a nightmare to try and edit the file properly.

I am pretty sure that specialists cannot be two types of specialists.

[Nabterayl]

I came across another area I am having trouble with and wanted to make sure I was understanding it correctly. In the Deathwing Command Squad, You can upgrade one Terminator with an assault cannon in place of the storm bolter, then give him a banner, then upgrade him again replacing his power fist with a narthecium correct? This is making it a nightmare to try and edit the file properly.

To put this question another way: when the entry states, "One Deathwing Terminator may take a banner from the following list" and "One Deathwing Terminator may choose one of the following options," is there any reason those can't be the same Deathwing Terminator?

I think the answer is that they can both be the same Deathwing Terminator. I don't see any purely grammatical reason why that couldn't be so, and I don't see the question addressed in any of the space marine FAQs. I do see, though, that the Imperial Guard codex uses different wording in the Company Command Squad entry. In a CCS, "One Veteran may be upgraded to carry: medi-pack," and all the other specialist options begin, "One other Veteran may be upgraded to carry."

So I think there is reason to believe that if a unit entry allows for one X to do A, one X to do B, and one X to do C, the same X can do A, B, and C (unless there is some other reason why not, such as A, B, or C requiring mutually exclusive wargear swaps) so long as the unit as a whole includes no more than one instance of A, B, and C.


that ork example does not work that well, in the case of the BA libby dread the FAQ specifically states that you cannot get extra upgrades and then turn him into a libby dread keeping things like extra armor. so to be on the safe side i would not do that with the DA command squad. seems like they are using a case by case ruling policy.
Good catch, but that's not actually what the Blood Angels FAQ says. Furioso Librarians are their own unit entry in the Blood Angels codex, not an upgrade from regular dreadnoughts. The Furioso Librarian entry does not include common vehicle upgrade items such as extra armor, hunter-killer missiles, etc. The FAQ simply asks, "Q: Can a Furioso Librarian take additional wargear (such as extra armour)? (p29) A: No." So apparently the omission of those common vehicle upgrades was intentional, but the whole situation has nothing to do with upgrading one model in a unit to a different type of model, because Furioso Librarians aren't an upgrade from anything to anything.