Warhammer 40K: This Week’s Meta Hotness – Blood Angels Sanguinary Guard
Remember when we all groaned that Blood Angels got terminators with jump packs? Well Sanguinary Guard got good with the updated Armour of Contempt rule – let’s do a deep dive!
In the ever-shifting meta of 40K, armies rise and fall. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about armies that are hot or not, but a lot less time looking at units that are running the show. Today let’s start by taking a look at one of the hottest units currently running around the tabletop.
Sanguinary Guard
Space Marines are in a weird place in that their bread and butter bolter is just not that good right now. Between Armour of Contempt and other armies having better weapons – the old Bolter just doesn’t cut it anymore. Instead what works for Space Marines is pure assault with either graceful murder power blades or giant Hammers of death. Blood Angels are pretty dang good at assaulting and the Sanguinary Guard are one of the better ones. A ton of attacks, a pretty dang good armor save, and a Jump pack means this unit is going to come in hot and start knocking your models around with the golden armor and haughty attitudes.
Why Are They Good?
They have a 2+ armor save, can move very fast, and hit extremely hard. We all know how good Vanguard Vets were and now with Armour of Contempt these guys can jump from cover to cover with impunity as they shrug off wounds with ease. Mix in some character bumps and you get a set of units that are just going to be a nightmare to remove off of the middle of the table. If you don’t commit they will just hold objectives all day long while you try to figure out a method to pull these golden ticks off of the objectives.
Sample List
Stephen Box got 3rd at the Bay Area Open with this Blood Angel assault happy list. It has a ton of Sanguinary guard, loves Armour of Contempt, and would like to discuss the Emperor with you – over your dead body. This list is super simple and efficient as it is designed to get in there and get the job done via their giant power sword.
++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Imperium – Adeptus Astartes – Blood Angels) ++
**Chapter Selector**: Blood Angels
Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points) [12CP]
Detachment Command Cost
+ Stratagems [-2CP] +
Stratagem: Angel Ascendant [-1CP]
Stratagem: Relics of the Chapter [-1CP]: Number of Extra Relics [-1CP]
+ HQ [15 PL, 285pts, ] +
Commander Dante [9 PL, 165pts, 1CP]: 4. Heroic Bearing, Frag & Krak grenades, Inferno pistol, The Axe Mortalis, Warlord [1CP]
Sanguinary Priest [6 PL, 120pts, -1CP]: Astartes Chainsword, Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Jump Pack [1 PL, 30pts], Rites of War, Stratagem: Hero of the Chapter [-1CP], Visage of Death
+ Troops [15 PL, 305pts] +
Assault Intercessor Squad [5 PL, 95pts]
. 4x Assault Intercessor [76pts]: 4x Astartes Chainsword, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Heavy Bolt Pistol
. Assault Intercessor Sgt [19pts]: Astartes Chainsword, Frag & Krak grenades, Heavy Bolt Pistol
Incursor Squad [5 PL, 105pts]
. 4x Incursor [84pts]: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Occulus bolt carbine, 4x Paired combat blades
. Incursor Sergeant [21pts]: Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Occulus bolt carbine, Paired combat blades, Quake Bolts
Incursor Squad [5 PL, 105pts]
. 4x Incursor [84pts]: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Occulus bolt carbine, 4x Paired combat blades
. Incursor Sergeant [21pts]: Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Occulus bolt carbine, Paired combat blades
+ Elites [84 PL, 1,282pts, -1CP] +
Centurion Assault Squad [18 PL, 325pts]
. 4x Centurion [65pts]: Hurricane bolter [10pts], Siege drills
. . Flamers: 2x Flamer
. Centurion Sergeant [65pts]: Hurricane bolter [10pts], Siege drills
. . Flamers: 2x Flamer
Death Company Marines [8 PL, 175pts]: Jump Pack [1 PL, 15pts]
. 4x Death Company Marine [35pts]: Frag & Krak grenades, Thunder hammer [15pts]
. Death Company Marine [20pts]: Frag & Krak grenades
. . Bolt pistol and chainsword: Astartes Chainsword, Bolt pistol
Sanguinary Ancient [7 PL, 110pts, -1CP]: 3. Soulwarden, Angelus boltgun, Encarmine sword, Frag & Krak grenades, Stratagem: Hero of the Chapter [-1CP], Wrath of Baal
Sanguinary Guard [17 PL, 224pts]
. 7x Sanguinary Guard [32pts]: Angelus boltgun, Encarmine sword, Frag & Krak grenades
Sanguinary Guard [17 PL, 224pts]
. 7x Sanguinary Guard [32pts]: Angelus boltgun, Encarmine sword, Frag & Krak grenades
Sanguinary Guard [17 PL, 224pts]
. 7x Sanguinary Guard [32pts]: Angelus boltgun, Encarmine sword, Frag & Krak grenades
+ Fast Attack [12 PL, 125pts] +
Assault Squad [12 PL, 125pts]: Jump Pack [2 PL, 12pts]
. 5x Space Marine [90pts]: 5x Astartes Chainsword, 5x Bolt pistol, 5x Frag & Krak grenades
. Space Marine Sergeant [23pts]: Astartes Chainsword, Frag & Krak grenades, Lightning Claw [5pts]
++ Total: [126 PL, 9CP, 1,997pts] ++
Using Sanguinary Guard
Move up the table, utilize terrain to get sweet armor saves, and assault when you get close enough. This army is all about board control utilizing their rules to survive and counter assault as needed. It is one of the few Marine lists doing well and Stephen did go undefeated until his last match where he lost a nail biter to the eventual winning Sisters of Battle Army. Marines might not be the best army on the table top but with superior planning, board control, and utilizing your strengths you can survive to punch things in the mouth for the Emperor!
Slice and Dice!
Let us know what units you think are hot right now, down in the comments!
