40K : Dark Angels BANNERS and WARGEAR
Hey guys, Learn2Eel here from ImperatorGuides, and I’m back here to give my initial thoughts on the awesome new Dark Angels.
I hope this first impressions and review is both helpful and enjoyable for any and all aspiring Dark Angels players, or even those who are looking at what to expect from the first legion! Lets dive right in.
SACRED STANDARDS & Other Banners
Given that standards have been a big part of the Dark Angels army for as long as I can remember, I thought it wise to address them in their own section – they have many tactical applications, and some are just downright frightening. Remember though that they can be easily sniped out – they tend to be sizeable points investments, and thus you need to weigh up the risks of potentially losing them in a swift strike before they can really help your army out a lot. Remember also that they only apply to Dark Angels units! All Banners grant +1 to combat resolution for determining combat results, which is a nice addition to their other rules.
Chapter Banner – This lets friendly units within 12” re-roll failed morale and pinning checks, as well as granting +1 attack for any model in the bearers’ unit. Ultimately, given that the entire army has And They Shall Know No Fear or Fearless in addition to a smattering of Stubborn, I find this is far too costly for what it does. As a note, this evaluation is based on the entry in the Banners and Standards section of the codex; granting +1 attack to the bearer’s unit rather than all units within 12″. If it is indeed the latter, I would then say it is worth the cost.
Company Standard – Letting units reroll failed morale and pinning checks within 12” is ok, especially considering how cheap it is compared to the Chapter Banner. This is fine, though, again, given the army wide special rules, it is probably unnecessary.
Revered Standard – This does the same thing as a Company Standard, though for not much more it also grants Crusader to any unit within 6”. This isn’t too bad, though not all that useful – how often do you expect to be running with units that would carry this banner, and how often do you expect to be sweeping units off the table? Again, only within 6” too. I would give this a pass.
Ravenwing Company Banner – Letting all friendly Ravenwing units within 12” automatically pass their Hit and Run Initiative check whilst adding an extra dice to Hit and Run movements is sweet, especially for how cheap this is. It is a fine addition to a Ravenwing-themed army.
Deathwing Company Banner – This grants all friendly models that have Inner Circle (all Deathwing, most characters) within 6” +1 attack. This is incredibly expensive, though for an army composed of Terminators, this may actually be worthy of the price tag. It is probably not the best option, but useful nonetheless.
Standard of Retribution – This grants all friendly units within 12” Counter-Attack for a significant investment. This isn’t bad at all, and can be a good way to help swing some assaults in your favour by denying your opponent their charge advantage. It is good, especially for defensive-minded Dark Angels armies. As a note, this, the Standard of Fortitude and the Standard of Devastation all confer the 12” re-roll failed leadership and pinning tests bubble.
Standard of Fortitude – The costliest banner in the army, clocking it at just under 100 popsickles, this gives every friendly unit within 12” the Feel No Pain special rule. Obviously, this is a pretty nutcase trick to pull – try putting it in a Deathwing Command Squad surrounded by Deathwing Terminators and Deathwing Knights and watch the grin slip off of your opponents face. Be aware that the “sniping” issue is more relevant here than anywhere else, as this is a very expensive and obvious target for your opponent. With barrage and sniper weapons being commonplace nowadays, this begs the question as to how much you think the banner is worth, and whether you think you can defend it adequately. Whilst it grants some great effects, the cost and fragility of the unit carrying it means it may be over-looked for other options – remember that clumping up your units leaves them vulnerable to things that typically ignore Feel No Pain, such as Manticores and Vindicators.
Standard of Devastation – Devastation indeed. All friendly units within 6” treat their boltguns as Salvo 2/4. Given how cheap Tactical Marines are nowadays, this presents an obvious eye-brow raiser – you can significantly boost the offensive potential of your squads, though it again forces you to clump up. The cost is also very high, as you would expect, meaning it is a pricey and risky inclusion. Still, having one Tactical Squad put out nearly 40 Boltgun shots in one turn is simply astonishing. I think this is the best general purpose banner you can get, though it obviously requires you not to take an entire Deathwing army or the like. It works hilariously well with Ravenwing though.
In Summary – The standard of Devastation and Ravenwing Company Banner seem like the best bets for me, though the Standard of Fortitude and Company Standard are fine options as well.
You can read even more Dark Angels thoughts in the Lounge here. Have at it folks – how are the Dark Angels doing in your neck of the woods?
