In this section we will look at the Dark Angel Space Marine armies heavy support choices.
The Troop Choices may be the glory boys that claim objectives and win the games, however they do need covering fire to thin out the enemy ranks and take out the tanks and Monstrous creatures. This is specially true if you are splitting your units in to smaller combat squads.
General Tactics
The legendary stubbornness of the Dark Angel army has made them excellent heavy support army. For example it is not unusual to see a single heavy weapon Dark Angel Devastator standing alone passing leadership test after leadership test adding covering fire for the rest of the army long after other Space Marines would have run.
Dark Angel Devastator Squad Tactics
I do tend to use the Dark Angel Devastator Squads frequently in my Dark Angel armies. This is because I tend to having more static shooting tactics when playing the Dark Angels. The Dark Angel Devastator Squads add a big punch for the points cost.
The missile launchers can be upgraded to have the flakk skyfire missiles. This is recommended if you are expecting to be facing flyers. Four missile launchers with skyfire missiles make a good anti-aircraft battery and will give your opponent something to think about.
Gun Lines
One popular tactic for the Dark Angel army is to form a Gun Line, or massed long ranged fire infantry men entrenched waiting for the enemy to appear. The idea is to think the advancing enemy down to nothing before they can launch an assault.
Dark Angel Land Raider Tactics
My Dark Angel Land Raider tactics centre around one word – ‘Taxi!’. As the Dark Angel Land Raider is not attacked to any squad, you can use it to transport any squad that can fit in and ferry them across the battle field safely, or come and rescue squads that are getting in to difficulties.
The Land Raider has an armour value of 14 all around. This means that you do not have to be so careful about the direction your Land Raider is facing during the game.
Dark Angel Land Raider Crusader Tactics
The Land Raider Crusader trades fire power for capacity. This makes the Land Raider Crusader the only reasonable choice for a HQ transport if you have a Terminator armoured squad. Be aware that the Dark Angel Land Raider works out slightly cheaper than the standard SpaceMarine Land Raider, as the multi-melter is included in the Dark Angel version, and an extra onthe Codex Space Marine Land Raider.> Also See: Warhammer 40k Tank Tactics
Dark Angel Predator Tactics
The Space Marine Predator can be configured either as a anti-tank / monstrous creatures killing tank, as a anti-personnel / swarm army killing tank, or as a mix of the two.
As the configuration of the Predator tank is flexible you will benefit from knowing as much about the opponent as possible before you write up your army list. Usually I go for one of the two special list configurations rather than trying to cover two many bases, to the point where I would take two different Predators over taking one mixed role Predator.
Dark Angel Whirlwind Tactics
The Dark Angel Whirlwind is very similar to the standard Space Marine Whirlwind. That is to say that the Whirlwind is an ordinance weapon and uses the 5″ blast template. The missiles that the Whirlwind fires are strength four or five. These do not usually have enough punch to take out armour do you will want to target troops and softer targets.
If you are facing Imperial Guard or Tau gun-lines hiding behind trench lines, then the Whirlwinds are useful tools soften the target before your assault troops wade in.
Note that the armour on the Whirlwind is thinner than the Predator and Vindicator so you may want to take advantage of the Barrage special rule and keep the Whirlwind behind cover as far as possible.
Dark Angel Vindicator Tactics
The Space Marine Vindicator is armed with the Demolisher Cannon. This is a 24″ ordinance weapon. This makes the Vindicator quite a short range compared to the other tanks. This is made up for by the demolisher’s high strength. The Vindicator does work well in semi-densely covered battle tables (city fight and jungle fight etc.).
The Vindicator is another useful tool to break up gun lines. You do need to get it close to the enemy first, but once it is in position it can wreak havoc in the densely packed formations.