For fans of stylish power armour in sombre black with red accents, grizzled Chaplains, and morbid executioners with imposing black wings, the Blood Angels Army Set is for you. This new box is available for pre-order this weekend, and it contains a brand new Codex Supplement, which brings with it three new Detachments for you to organise your army into – whether they’re wearing red, black, or gold armour.
The Liberator Assault Group is home to Blood Angels on the cusp of giving into the Red Thirst, and pairs this returning Detachment rule – which provides an extra Attack and two Strength to melee weapons on the charge – with a selection of Stratagems that enhance the combat prowess of the sons of Sanguinius.
Of the six Stratagems on offer, four of them invite your Space Marines to see red in exchange for greater reserves of strength. Red Rampage grants a unit either [Lance] or [Lethal Hits] to melee weapons, but they can reap the benefit of both if they give into the Red Thirst and become battle-shocked. Likewise, the new Savage Echoes provides your embattled warriors with a boost to either their Attacks or Strength in the enemy’s charge phase, while embracing their fury gives them both.
The Lost Brethren is your Detachment for fielding a complement of tragic Death Company Marines, giving those consumed by the Black Rage a chance to find A Noble Death in Combat by letting each unit re-roll Wound rolls of 1 in melee, or re-rolling a failed Wound roll if the unit is below half strength.
All Death Company Marines gain the BATTLELINE keyword in this Detachment so they can take part in many of the current matched play season’s core objectives, and they also benefit from a range of Stratagems which are empowered by nearby Chaplains – whose task in this cursed Chapter is to guide the Death Company to a fitting end.
Those who are Lost to Rage become terrifying combatants with increased Attacks, Strength, and Armour Penetration, but unless they are within range of a Chaplain, they run the risk of tearing themselves apart with the [Hazardous] ability. When the end does come for these long-suffering heroes they may unleash a Final Retribution, lashing out on a roll of 4+, with nearby Chaplains honing this climax of violence with their litanies of hate.
Blood Angels have long been the masters of rapid assaults powered by jump packs, and The Angelic Host provides even more versatility for these airborne warriors, letting them accelerate high above the battlefield Upon Wings of Fire before racing back down into the fray.
As shown in our focus on the Sanguinary Guard, this cohort of jump pack equipped Space Marines can already hurl themselves across the battlefield with breathtaking speed, but from their position on high they can also use Descent of Angels to get right into the thick of it, thwarting enemy charges and threatening crucial objectives.
Characters with jump packs can also equip Gleaming Pinions, which help further refine their already impressive manoeuvrability by letting them rapidly relocate when an enemy unit nears them, opening up all sorts of strategic options for canny commanders.
No matter which Detachment you organise your forces into, you’ll have no trouble unleashing the vengeful wrath of the Blood Angels on heretics and xenos alike, just as Sanguinius would have wanted. The Blood Angels Army Set is available for pre-order this weekend, and makes a perfect start for the Lost Brethren thanks to the inclusion of Astorath the Grim and Lemartes – though all those jump packs means it’ll work equally as well as a swift Angelic Host.