The Wrath of Angels boxed set for Aeronautica Imperialis is up for pre-order this weekend. It’s bursting with goodies, including 11 small but perfectly formed aircraft from two factions – Adeptus Astartes and Asuryani – and all of the other useful bits you need to get stuck in.
Now you’ve seen the full contents and chosen your faction, it’s time to focus on what makes the Space Marines so fun to play in these fierce games of aerial combat.
Few in number, the Adeptus Astartes are the Imperium’s elite, only deployed where the rest of Humanity’s war machines aren’t enough. The same applies in the skies. Pound for pound, Space Marine aeroplanes are better than anyone else’s – incredibly hard-hitting and almost as scarce, so while you’ll probably always be outnumbered, it won’t be for lack of firepower, durability, or even agility.
You’ve got two types of Fighter to choose from. Don’t let the classification fool you – they both excel at knocking out enemy aircraft at range, but they also have individual strengths too. Let’s have a look at the more traditional of the two first.
Xiphon Interceptor
At 24 points, these are elite aircraft with solid stats and tremendous potential damage output. They’re fast, durable for a Fighter with 3 Structure points, and can rapidly throttle up or down allowing for dramatic aerial manoeuvres. Plus, Xiphon Interceptors can perform all but the trickiest of Ace Manoeuvres due to their superhuman pilots.
But most importantly, they’re effective at mid- to long-range thanks to their quad lascannon. These Fighters can keep the nastiest close-range opponents in the game – like Asuryani aircraft armed with Shuriken Cannons – at arm’s length while carving them up into smoking chunks of wraithbone.
You can go all-in on this sniper strategy by swapping out your rotary frag missile launcher for hunter-killer missiles, which complement the lascannons wonderfully.
If you want something that’s a little more versatile, there’s the ‘flying brick’ itself, which is perfect for smashing the glass cannons of the Aeldari.
Storm Eagle Assault Craft
Crush your enemies under the weight of overwhelming firepower – it’s the Adeptus Astartes way. Once they’re smouldering on the ground, THEN you can complete your mission.
While slower than most Fighters, Storm Eagles are considerably tougher. They also have a Transport capacity – and they can hover – making them game-winning aircraft for lots of missions that require taking out ground targets, rescuing valuable assets, and troop insertions.
Once again, you can tailor their loadout by exchanging the dual frag missile pods with more situational weapons, allowing you to focus on winning the mission at hand.
Between the dual krak missiles and twin heavy bolters, they’re quite effective at taking on ground targets in strafing runs.
Armour Up
As you’d expect from the Space Marines, one of their biggest advantages is access to excellent equipment and training. Several of their upgrades make them harder to damage, including Ceramite Plating and Armoured Cockpits, while high-grade chaff from the Infernum Halo Launcher can shake off missile locks.
Techmarine pilots are thankfully common in the Adeptus Astartes, in case you happen to take some damage after all. Nothing says superhuman demigod-of-the-skies like a pilot who can repair his own aircraft mid-combat.
Imagine the look on your opponent’s face when the Structure Points they worked so hard to strip away are replaced. It’s a pricey upgrade, but their shock will be worth it.
Every faction in Aeronautica Imperialis is different. While some reward you for getting stuck in, like the Ork Air Waaagh!, the Adeptus Astartes are most effective when you maximise their efficiency. You’ll find your enemy’s numerical advantage dwindles quickly while your more resilient Fighters get the job done.
You don’t have much longer to wait to field the Adeptus Astartes in battle. Aeronautica Imperialis: Wrath of Angels, plus all the essential add-ons, are available to pre-order from Saturday, giving you everything you need to test your mettle against the treacherous Asuryani.
Tomorrow we’ll tell you what the Aeldari aircraft are capable of, so stay tuned to know your enemy.