Get the scoop on the Dark Angels Army to play and all the new upgrades, traits, Stats, psychics you need to know. The First Legion is finally here!
What a great time it is to be a Dark Angels player with the release of their 144-codex that is jam-packed with great Stratagems, tactics, Traits, and much more. This codex will have the Dark Angels playing quickly and being tricksy on the tabletop. The Blood Angels Codex set a precedent going forward with the other upcoming Chapter-specific codices and the Dark Angels Codex lives up to expectations. Our very own Rob Baer got his hands on a copy and placed it on his paint bench to give you some tips and talk some tactics
For our complete review, be sure to scroll down and press play on the full video below.
The Dark Angels have many synergistic abilities and tactics with this brand new codex. They also have a lot of HQs, 22 in fact. The overall feel and function of this codex is that the Dark Angels are going to be at their strongest when run as a combined arms military force. The lore, which has been updated to the latest plot developments in relation to the current state of the Dark Angels and the Imperium at large, is also great. The artwork and painted models by the Heavy Metal team is a great addition and will get your hobby juices flowing.
Jink is huge in the edition and will definitely be working for dark Angels players that are fielding Black Knights or dark Shrouds for example. Having a 4+ invulnerable against all shooting attacks save after Advancing is a great and forgiving ability. Inner Circle is a decent ability that will have you making those Morale auto-passes and re-rolls to hit in the Fight phase when targeting a Fallen unit. Now, we have seen very few Fallen units in the past and this could be an indication that we will be seeing more Fallen revealing themselves with this edition. Couple this with Grim Resolve and you will not have to worry about losing models to failed Morale checks.
There are 26 Stratagems in this Codex. Around half of them will be generic ones that we have seen in the Space Marine Codex. The rest will be Dark Angels specific and there are several key Stratagems that will be seeing a lot of use. Weapons From A Dark Age will be boosting plasma weapons for a Shooting phase and is cheap at a cost of 1CP. Intractable is another cheap Stratagem that will still allow you the opportunity to dish out some fire after Falling Back. This can be tag-teamed with Speed of the Raven to move up and shoot then move back and shoot while keeping enemy units at arms length. There is a great amount of synergy at play just with the Stratagems alone.
Rob goes dives further into the Dark Angels Codex to give you the 10 things you need to know in his full review video below!
Codex: Dark Angels: $40
No matter the foe, regardless of the odds, the proud warriors of the Dark Angels stubbornly refuse to accept defeat. Descendants of the First Legion, they stand foremost amongst the Chapters of the Space Marines, Mankind’s mightiest defenders. None fight with more grim determination than the Dark Angels, and their renowned special companies – the Deathwing and the Ravenwing – are held in awe by allies and enemies alike. Yet behind their devotion to the Imperium lies a dark obsession…
Codex: Dark Angels contains a wealth of background and rules – the definitive book for Dark Angels collectors. Within this 144-page hardback, you’ll find: a dark obsession…
– The First Legion: the origins of the Dark Angels – one of the most famously secretive Chapters – their homeworld, and the dark stain on their history that motivates their crusade of vengeance;
– A guide to the Dark Angels’ Chapter organisation, with an explanation of their constant, obsessive hunt for the Fallen, along with their heraldries and Chapter markings;
– An overview of the Ravenwing and the Deathwing, specialist companies unique to the Dark Angels;
– Detailed colour schemes and heraldries of 8 successor Chapters: Angels of Redemption, Angels of Absolution, Angels of Vengeance, Blades of Vengeance, Consecrators, Disciples of Caliban, Angels of Defiance, and Guardians of the Covenant;
– In the Name of Absolution: a timeline of significant events and battles in the history of the Dark Angels;
– Background and details on each character and unit available to a Dark Angels army;
– A showcase of beautifully painted Citadel miniatures, with example armies featuring everything from individual images of models to battle scenes on terrain.Rules
Everything you need to get a Dark Angels army primed for games of Warhammer 40,000 is in here:
– 76 datasheets containing rules for every Dark Angels unit and miniature;
– Army abilities reflecting the Dark Angels’ methods of war on the tabletop;
– Armoury of the Rock: wargear both ranged and close-combat for use by Dark Angels armies;
– Points values for all miniatures, weapons and wargear for use in Matched Play games;
– Angels of Death: rules for Battle-forged armies, including:
– 6 unique Warlord Traits available for any Dark Angels commander;
– 26 unique Stratagems;
– Relics of Caliban: a selection of 6 rare weapons and artefacts unique to Dark Angels armies;
– Interromancy Discipline: 6 psychic powers available to any Dark Angels model with the Psyker keyword;
– 6 unique Tactical Objectives.
Datacards: Dark Angels: $15
Designed to make it easier to keep track of Tactical Objectives, psychic powers and Stratagems in games of Warhammer 40,000, this set of 72 cards – each featuring artwork on the reverse – is an indispensable tool in the arsenal of any Dark Angels gamer. Included:
– 7 psychic power cards – 6 from the Interromancy discipline found in Codex: Dark Angels, along with Smite;
– 28 Stratagems available to any Battle-forged Dark Angels army as found in Codex: Dark Angels, along with 3 Stratagems – Command Re-roll, Counter-Offensive and Insane Bravery – from the Warhammer 40,000 rules, available to any army;
– 36 Tactical Objectives, including the 6 specific Objectives from Codex: Dark Angels.
Codex: Dark Angels is available now online and in local Games Workshop stores. Be sure to press play on our quick and dirty review video below for the full product breakdown.
About the Author: Juan Lopez
