Critique Corner - Dual Wing

Hello and good day one and all. I'm excited to be presenting the latest edition of Critique Corner, with another list brought to us by Sparrowhawk. This one deviates from the 'All bikes, all the time' that he and so many have been so enamored with of late, though it does build off the Dark Angels first two companies, meaning bikes and Termis are present, and in almost equal measure. We're all set to square off at 2000 points, so let's see how the list shapes up.

Let's Be Friends! - Dark Angels

Hello again, for the second time in a week! I hope you guys can keep up with me, because I've got a lot of content to keep coming. In this episode of Let's Be Friends!, we'll look at Dark Angles. You know, those guys who keep popping up in our articles but usually get a "pass on these guys" verdict? The big reason they've been getting a bad grade as allies is that this is designed as a primary detachment codex. Two separate troop swap options, and a host of rules that require a ton of in-codex models to maximize mean that these guys can bring friends, but aren't likely to be a friend. So, away we go!

Caliban Rises!

Name this shot for an internet cookie

Greetings Gentlereaders!

Today is an auspicious day, the official release of the Dark Angels sees my running a tournament at The Wizard's Keep and Godfrey and I both assembling the first components to build opposing armies.  I am going to be busy most of the day with the tournament, but I've spent the last few hours looking at the Dark Angels codex and think that it has some serious possibilities, especially if you like themes or want to run widely varying lists out of a single codex.  There have been some very noticeable changes both in the story of the Dark Angels and with the design of marines that I hope will carry over to other codices.  Specifics after the break.

Breaking News: Dark Angels Pictures

I finally have a model

Greetings Gentlereaders,

Thanks to Faeit 212 for this information, including pics.  I'll have to include most of the goodies after the break to save space, but I'll give you the rundown from what I can see.  The rules descriptions I'll give are speculation, but there is one surety: the Dark Angels codex will release on January 12th, 2013 baring the end of the world.  So I'll have to say there is little word on what Belial here will be able to do, including whether he will be able to swap his Sword of Silence for other cc weapons.  Rumor has it that Drago and Logan will be envious, but thus is power creep.  The price list says we should be looking at $25 for this single model, so it doesn't look like GW is wanting to lighten the load of costs on its customers, which is really, really disappointing.  I would love to see the game get less expensive, but I might be willing to accept the increase if the model quality is this consistently gorgeous.  More after the break...

Rumor Mill: Dark Angel Playtest Units

Greetings Gentlereaders,

I'm taking a short break from Back from the Brink because of my coursework, so I'll just be reposting and commenting on some of the latest rumors floating around the aether about 40k.  Today's entry is about the Dark Angels and their iconic Ravenwing and Deathwing.  I've always been a fan of the Dark Angels because of their theme of intrigue and secrecy, all of which revolves around their hunt for the fallen.  Be warned these could be nothing like what comes out as these are early playtests of these rules.  Rumors after the break, anything in red is pure speculation.  Credit to Natfka at Faeit 212.

Making Off Like A Bandit

by Ishamael

Y'know, it feels awkward as hell sitting with my two co-authors, and I have made off like a bandit with my Deathwing.  Comparatively, Templars seem to be getting the xenos treatment as far as marine armies are considered with their strongest Oath, Accept That Challenge, changing from Preferred Enemy Everyone to the Rage USR.  Admittedly, it isn't bad, assuming one can get the charge, but with as strong as Jump Infantry and Bikes are, it seems that one's desire to play them would become less due to so many new special rules, primarily Hammer of Wrath.  Furthermore, many armies suddenly have access to similar versions of powers of the Eldar variety, specifically in the Divination tree, in which your fallback power is a better version of Guide.  Tau got a bit of a shaft as well, losing their extra weapon threat due to Target Locking Broadsides, or anything, but along with this, Acute Senses got stupid, and they still have to pay for Blacksun Filters in order to circumvent Night Fighting.

Compounding interest

Morning everyone,

It's been quiet around here, but I just got some new information that makes my 40k spirit a bit happier.  For reasons that are well beyond me, GW has decided to rebrand and change their paint line.  Now you can't get Orkhide Shade and Dark Angels Green (both of which I use for my marines), but you can get Caliban Green.  Tentacle Pink isn't back, but you can get some Emperor's Children Shade.  Here's a nice little conversion chart that I found on All Things 40k and wanted to pass along to any of you who are looking to buy any Citadel paints in the future.  The real fun for gamers is after the break.

Triple Your Pleasure?

Just a quick bit of interesting scuttlebutt for everyone from Shas'ui De'terra on ATT.  I can't really speak for my source's credibility, but at least if it's a fake he's not saying he heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who (heard it from another you been messin' around ).

The Book Whispers

 Ave,

Though it's probably already made it's way into your inbox, but there's a new photo that's been going around the interwebs.   & Here it is. 

While I haven't been down to the Keep to verify this yet, this is supposed to be a photo of the spines of the first two 2012 issues of White Dwarf lined up together.  It could be nothing, but then what fun is rumor mongering without some conjecture and just making things up?  The going rumor is that this shroud of a photo is showing a marine in green armor with a tan robe.  Hmm...  I wonder what that could mean?  Perhaps we could be seeing the first (legion) being the last (codex of fifth edition).  It adds a bit of fun to my life, as I'd love to see more Dark Angels fluff being added.  I hope this just stirs the pot of rumors up more and when we do get an announcement, that no one will believe it.  Have fun speculating!  Till next time.

FAQ you too!

This basically sums up Loki's morning. Today GW put up new FAQs for all of the "marine" armies and Dark Eldar. Now I'll let him get give the Black Templar FAQ some meaning as he updates his review of the codex, but I'll hit the high points of the other FAQs.

Most game changing, especially for the Dark Angels I love even though I hated their codex, is the inclusion of the new versions of wargear such as storm shields, nartheciums and cyclone and typhoon missile launchers in DA and BT codices. No longer with this proud standard bearer (painted by Dezartfox at The Vanus Temple) be looking for a cover save, no he has a 3++ save now. While there are armies who can still field a terminator army, and arguably better, the Dark Angels are the originators of this army style with their first company, the Deathwing. Now the First Legion's first company is able to field the same weapons as the codex chapters and can even field mixed squads like the Sons of Russ. I can see two new types of squads coming out of this FAQ. The first being five terminators with TH/SS, one carrying a Cyclone missile launcher. The squad can walk across the board without having to cling to cover and provide two shots per turn to down a vehicle. Having THs, these squads would be great against dreadnoughts and monstrous creatures and could even go toe-to-toe with codex terminators. The squad clocks in at 235 points, not too bad for a troops choice of terminators.

The second build I can see will be horrible against the targets the first will be hunting, but will look a bit like our friend Logan here because of the new nartheciums. Nartheciums are the tools of the apothecaries of each chapter and give the squad Feel No Pain, which anyone who's played against Blood Angel will tell you is frustrating. Feel No Pain essentially doubles the number of wounds it takes to cause an unsaved wound, barring power weapons and strength double the target's toughness. On a power armor marine that means six wounds to down one, on a terminator that means twelve wounds. With the advent of the 3++ storm shield a lot of people have decided that the best way to kill terminators is to swamp them in wounds. Not a bad idea, but let's see just how tough these terminators can be.

You have the sergeant, throw in the apothecary for Feel No Pain, the banner bearer so we can buff the squad to three attacks base and a cyclone missile launcher just for some more ranged support, one schmuck and, because the banner and apothecary basically make it a command squad, Belial with a TH/SS. We've got six differently equipped models, each with a 2+ save and Feel No Pain, one with a 3++ and thunder hammer, and (if we give them lightning claws) five attacks each on the charge. I could throw in a chaplain for re-rolls to hit, but I don't know it that will be necessary. This squad clocks in at 290 points plus 130 for Belial and is designed to take on the massive squads (e.g. hormagaunts) that would generally be the death of terminators.

Don't think that the older codices were the only ones to get new abilities. Papa Smurf here just got better. The FAQ asks if Calgar (and any squad he has joined, but oddly does not mention a squad he has not joined using the same rule) uses his God of War rule to pass a moral test, does he count as fearless. The answer is a firm no. This can give tactical squads the ability to pin down units that beat them in CC for a counter attack as long as Calgar is on the table.

The Black Templar and Dark Angels traded in their smoke launchers and got a new Power of the Machine Spirit rule for their troubles, but everyone got their PoTMS FAQed. Vehicles can't use the PoTMS to fire one weapon when they fire smoke, but the Storm Raven can use PoTMS to fire one weapon after moving Flat out. Speaking of fast marines, they can now take the 3" immediate move to regroup in addition to their standard move because of ATSKNF. That means if you make them fall back they can potentially move forward from where you forced them to fall back from in one turn.

I'll get to the Dark Kin next time, or maybe leave it for Loki as well because it's his army, but the BRB FAQ has a tangential answer for Dark Eldar. The Duke allows all venoms, ravagers and raiders to deep strike and some people had been asking if this allowed the unit to assault that turn. The argument that people had been putting forward that because deep striking only counted as moving at cruising speed (for shooting) and these vehicles are open topped that they should be able to assault. The BRB FAQ says that the unit inside also counts as having arrived from deep strike, so no they can't assault. For once I'm agreeing with Beasts of War. Maybe I've had too much spice.

LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS OF MUA'DIB!