40k Companies of Honor – The Lion’s Blade
The Marine Gladius Strike Force gets a lot of press because it’s good, but the Dark Angels can do it better. Here’s why you should fear the Unforgiven.
People have forgotten or don’t know about the Dark Angel’s Lion’s Blade. The requirements are cheaper so you get a few more points to spend on the ‘fancy’ stuff. I turned these extra points into more twin linked assault cannons.
Using the Armylist
This army list uses three different detachments, Space Marine Air Defense Force, The Dark Angels Lion’s Blade Detachment and an Imperial Assassin.
Much like the Gladius Strike Force the Lion’s Blade allows you to pick up free transports for your squads. You have to pay for the weapon up grades and in many cases we have gone with Twin Linked Assault Cannons below. The 4 shots and the rending allows you to threaten all manner or targets and you simply brutalize infantry based armies.
It is no secret that the real strength of this list is the free stuff. I don’t want to sugar coat that at all… In this formation you only have to pay for 5 scouts as your ‘auxiliary’ so that gives you a few more points to throw at the assault cannons, the assassin and the anti air defense.
There are three stalkers here to take advantage of their ‘ignore cover rule’ when taken as a set. I’d like to call this list the ‘Rain of Bullets.’
Some of the weapon options were taken because that’s what I had in the bits box. Don’t take some of the options chosen below as the most optimal but you do have a lot of flexibility there to tailor it to whatever is most dominant in your meta. (that includes the seemingly random drop pod)
You’re going to be able to force your opponent to make some choices as you throw quality shots down range whiles using your takes as moving cover. The assassin can travel in one of the abandoned razorbacks further extending his null aura.
We discuss lists like this and how to deal with them on my podcast Forge The Narrative.
+++ Lion’s Blade (1850pts) +++
++ Space Marines: Supplement – Clan Raukaan (2013) (Formation Detachment) ++
+ Formation +
“Anti-Air Defence Force”
- ···Hunters [Hunter]
- ···Stalkers [Stalker, Stalker, Stalker]
++ Dark Angels: Codex (2015) (The Lion’s Blade Detachment) ++
+ Core +
Battle Demi Company
- ···Company Master [Auspex, Storm Shield]
Artificer Armour [Bolt Pistol, Infantry, Power Fist]
- ···Assault Squad [4x Assault Space Marine]
Assault Space Marine Sergeant [Bolt Pistol, Chainsword]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
- ···Devastator Squad [2x Grav Cannon with Gravamp, 2x Missile Launcher, 4x Space Marine]
Drop Pod [Storm Bolter]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
….Tactical Squad [Flamer, 4x Tactical Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
- ···Tactical Squad [Meltagun, 4x Tactical Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
- ···Tactical Squad [Flamer, 4x Tactical Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
Battle Demi Company
- ···Chaplain [Auspex, Bolt Pistol, Crozius Arcanum]
- ···Assault Squad [4x Assault Space Marine]
Assault Space Marine Sergeant [Bolt Pistol, Chainsword]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
- ···Devastator Squad [4x Lascannon, 4x Space Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
- ···Tactical Squad [Meltagun, 4x Tactical Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
- ···Tactical Squad [Meltagun, 4x Tactical Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
- ···Tactical Squad [Meltagun, 4x Tactical Marine]
Razorback [Twin Linked Assault Cannon]
Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
+ Auxillary +
10th Company Support
Scout Squad [4x Boltguns, 4x Scouts]
Scout Sergeant [Boltgun]
++ Officio Assassinorum: Dataslate (2014) (Officio Assassinorum Detachment) ++
+ Elites +
Culexus Assassin
~What do you think? Not bad for 1850 pts – huh?
