Space Marine Dark Angel
HQ Tactics

In this section we will look at the tactics related to the Dark Angel HQ choices.
The HQ selection is important in a Dark Angel army because this is where the armies legendary stubbornness comes from.

In this section I will be looking at this the first of all the Space Marine chapters. To maske sence of these notes you will need the Warhammer 40k Rulebook and the Warhammer 40k Dark Angel Codex.

Named HQ Choices

The Dark Angel Space Marine chapter has a number of named characters that have special rules. Be careful of special rule character. Their point values will have been increase to cover these special rule, but if you do not use them, then you will be throwing your points away.

Azrael, Supreme Grand Master

Azrael is the most senior Dark Angel leader. Because of this he is the most expensive character available, and has the most special rules. Unlike most Chapter Masters Azrael's special rules are as much about empowering the army as it is about giving Azrael more punch. This is quite different from the other Space Marine Chapter Masters and Special characters.

Rights of Battle

Like all the Company Masters, Azrael has the special Dark Angel Rights of Battle special rule. This is important as it gives all the Dark Angels Ld10 for almost all leadership tests while Azrael is alive.

Wargear

Azrael has some wargear. His Combi-Bolter, Plasma Gun is master crafted so the one shot plasma gun a better chance of hitting and not over heating. Azrael's Power Weapon is S6 and he has Artificer armour. These are fairly standard and not worth the high points cost. The last war gear item is special. The Lion Helm gives his whole unit invulnerable saves.

Dark Angels Chapter Banner

If you take Azrael, then you can upgrade a Banner bearer to have the Dark Angel Chapter Banner.

Belial, Master of Deathwing Tactics

Belial is the Master of Deathwing and as such he is second in charge in the Dark Angel Chapter and the Master of the Deathwing. These are the Terminators of the Dark Angel army.

If you want to create a Deathwing Terminator only army then you will need to have Belial as your Dark Angel Deathwing HQ choice.

Wargear

Belial is always seen in Terminator Armour. This Terminator Armour has no extra properties than usual, so he gets 2+ regular save and a 5+ invulnerable save. Belial has a power sword that is Master Crafted so you get to re-roll one missed 'to hit' roll.

Sammael, Master of Ravenwing Tactics

Sammael is the Master of the Ravenwing, the bike and lanspeeder arm of the Dark Angel army. Because of this, Sammael is one of the few character in the Warhammer 40k game that come with transport attached (instead of being an optional extra).

Sammael has two modes of transport he had choose from, A Land Speeder, or a Jet Bike. Yes that is correct, Sammael is the ony Space Marine that can have a Eldar like Jet Bike.

Ezekiel, Grand Master Librarians

Dark Angel Librarians are the psykers of the Dark Angel army, and Ezekiel is the lead Dark Angel Librarian.

Ezekiel is 50 points more than a regular Space Marine Librarian. For this you get Ld10, an extra wound, and a some wargear items. This all adds up to be quite good value.

Wargear

Ezekiel has a number of wargrear items included in the points cost. 

Dark Angel Interrogator-Chaplin Tactics

Dark Angel Company Master Tactics

The Company Master is the standard HQ choice for the Dark Angel Army.

The Company master is comparable with the Generic Space Marine Captain, and costs the same points. The difference is that The Dark Angel Company Master has one less point of weapon skill, but is fearless, and gains something far more valuable, the 'Rights of Battle' special rule.

Rights of Battle

The Rights of Battle special rule allows all the Dark Angels on the table to be able to use the Company masters leadership 10 for just about all leadership tests, while the a Company Master is on the table. This means that if the Company Master is in close combat, or falling back, you still get to use this special rule.

Dark Angel Chaplin

The Dark Angel Chaplin is the smaller sibling of the Dark Angel Interrogator-Chaplin, and more comparable to the Codex Space Marine Chaplin.

Dark Angel Librarian

The Librarians are the Psyker of the Space Marine Army. The Dark Angel Space Marine Librarians work in a very similar way to the Standard Space Marine Librarian, but they have different psychic powers.

The Psychic powers available are fewer in number but potentially quite a bit more powerful.

Command Squads

The Command Squad are Veteran Dark Angel Space Marines, so they add extra punch if you can get them in to close combat.

In a generic Space Marine army, you can only have a command squad for each Space Marine Captain. This means that the Space Marine Chaplains and Space Marine Librarians have to join an existing Command Squad, join a regular unit, or be a independent bullet magnet. With the Dark Angels you can have a Command Squad for each independent character. This allows you to field two command squads most of the time.

What the Dark Angel Command Squads do get a chance to get is a sacred standard. This makes all the Dark Angels close by fearless.