Today, we look at the rules for the 9th legion aka the Blood Angels. Whilst they were one of the more recent legions to have rules under the original Horus Heresy, it's great to see them get their updated ruleset for 2.0 playing to their strengths as an aggressive assault force.
Legion Trait: Encarmine Fury
Liber Astartes page 248 opens with the Legion special rule ‘Encarmine Fury’ ensuring all legion forces always roll one better To Wound whenever they Charge, even if Disordered. Of course, rolls of 1 still fail. Vehicle units making Ram Attacks will additionally have +1 Strength, capped at 10.
Any unit with the Legiones Astartes (Blood Angels) special rule has access to unique wargear from their legion armoury. LIkewise, Warlords may select from a list of unique Warlord Traits. I’m so happy that army lists can be tailored around specific traits rather than the old way of random rolling.
Advance Reaction: The Wrath of Angels
Very much the hallmark of Horus Heresy 2.0 are the reactions and the Blood Angels legion get their own Advanced Reaction named ‘The Wrath of Angels’. These Advanced Reactions can work in very unique ways and can be powerful when used at the right time or in the right way. To represent this, they’re once per battle so the player must pick their usage.
Triggered during the opponent player’s Shooting phase when they target a Blood Angels Infantry unit. Immediately each member of this unit gains the Shrouded(5+) special rule against any Wounds suffered from this attack. It’s important to note here that if the affected unit already has Shrouded then this bonus doesn’t stack but the player can choose which effect to use. After resolving the shooting attack, the reacting unit may then make a free Charge but it has to be against the opponent’s firing unit. Normal Charge rules apply here - if successful then the enemy units cannot react to it.
WARLORD TRAITS
Here we see three unique Warlord Traits available to any Legiones Astartes (Blood Angels) HQ.
Encarmine Paladin
Only available to a loyalist Warlord granting him Fear( 1) if the opponent army has the Traitor allegiance. (I’m so glad Fear is playing a bigger part in Horus Heresy 2.0). This comes into play when this Warlord is Engaged in combat with any model from the Traitor army; if he wins the combat his Fear gains an additional point up to a maximum of 4. Additionally, whilst this Warlord is on the table, an additional Reaction may be made during the opponent’s Assault phase.
Paragon of Unity
Whenever a friendly Legiones Astartes (Blood Angels) unit can draw Line of Sight on the Warlord it gains +1 Leadership, capped at 10. Additionally, whilst this Warlord is on the table, an additional Assault phase Reaction is permitted.
Thrall of the Red Thirst
Now this trait is very interesting and could encourage thematic lists and games: A trait exclusive to Traitor Blood Angels Warlords. During the owning player’s Charge sub-phase, if an enemy unit is within 12” of the warlord and/or his unit, then they must declare a Charge against said unit. In the case where multiple enemy units are within range then the player can choose. If this charge is successful, not disordered, then the warlord and member of his unit gain +2 attacks instead of the normal +1. Whilst this Warlord is on the table, an additional Movement phase Reaction is permitted.
RITES OF WAR
The Day of Revelation
Perhaps one of the best known ROW, especially to anyone playing with Blood Angels. Before determining first turn initiative, before deployment and before the game begins, the controlling player must publicly declare on what turn their Deep Strike Assault occurs (2, 3 or 4). A marker will then be placed to indicate the point of entry. For this Deep Strike Assault, no reserve rolls are required but it arrives on the declared turn and the leading model has to be placed within 6” of the marker. A benefit being that it doesn’t scatter. If this leading model cannot land in this way due to enemy models within 1” then it can be placed as normal and will scatter as a result. Any units not deploying via Deep Strike Assault or Reserves gain Fearless until the start of the player’s turn two.
With this ROW, and perhaps fitting the playstyle flavour, any Compulsory HQ units must be equipped with jump packs. Likewise, any units with the Deep Strike special rule must be part of the Deep Strike Assault. Furthermore the detachment cannot use any Fortifications or units with movement value of 0/- except when they have the Orbital Assault Vehicle special rule. This means Drop Pods and Deathstorm Drop Pods! Understandably, units with subterranean assault cannot be used in this ROW.
The Day of Sorrows
A great ROW for those wishing to run large quantities of Crimson Paladins albeit as Non-Compulsory Troop choices. They gain scoring with the Line sub-type. Further encouraging an exclusively infantry list, any Blood Angels detachment consisting solely of this unit type will gain Stubborn within 6” of objectives.Finally, once any infantry unit is reduced below 50% then it gains the Line unit type with additional Special rules; Heart of the Legion and Hatred (Everything).
Of course like any ROW we have a number of limitations and these support a very aggressive playstyle.. First of all, any combat involving Blood Angels Characters must see them issue and accept any challenges. If you have Infantry or Cavalry units reduced by 50%, and they're able to, they must declare Charges against their closest enemy targets. Enemy unit beyond 12” doesn’t trigger this behaviour. Finally, no units under this ROW can be assigned to Pre-game Reserves likewise Deep Strike, Subterranean, or Flanking assaults.
ARMOURY
Like each legion before it, the army special rule ensures a unique armoury selection is available to any core or specialist unit. There are three main armoury applications.
The Fires of Heavy
If you're familiar with Blood Angels then you'll know about the infamous inferno pistol. With this rule any plasma pistols can be exchanged for an inferno pistol at no points cost. These are great pocket melta weapons.
Perdition Weapons
Next in the arsenal are Perdition Weapons, available to any Blood Angels Character carrying a power weapon. There are four varieties, each costing an additional 5 points. Corresponding to the four usual flavours are the Blade, Axe, Spear or Maul of Perdition. When compared to their generic legion equivalents, they gain the Two-handed and Brutal(2) special rules at the same AP. In addition, the Blade, Axe and Mauls each have an extra point of Strength over their generic versions.
Iliastus Assaut Cannons
Finally, for those who fondly recall the sight of the Baal Predators on the battlefield you'll be glad to see the offerings of the Iliastus Assault Cannons in the armoury. Like the wargear above various weapons can be swapped out for this signature gun:
Any Infantry model with the Blood Angels special rule can exchange heavy flamers for Iliastus assault cannons at a bargain of 10 points.
Blood Angels Legion Predators can opt, at no cost, to exchange the predator cannon for their assault cannon variant.
Lastly, a Blood Angels Dreadnought or Vehicle unit can trade their Heavy Flamers at an additional 20 points each.
In each instance above, the iliastus Assault Cannon is Range 24", Strength 6, AP4. Identical stats to a Kheres-pattern assault cannon except it's an Assault4 weapon not Heavy6, keeps Rending(6+) but suffers the Malfunction special rule as a trade off. This means when fired as a Reaction the player has to consider the risk of Get Hot special rule.
PRIMARCH
Sanguinius, The Great Angel graces the pages of the Liber Astartes with his majesty. For 485 points he gives us an updated profile across two pages with the choice of his two weapons; Blade Encarmine, Spear of Telesto with Moonsilver Blade. Either can be displayed on the miniature. It’s great to see that once he’s thrown the Spear of Telesto at some tempting Daemonic target he can close in for the kill with the Moonsilver blade!
He wears his signature armour, The Regalia Resplendent, granting him 2+ / 4++ armour saves. Additionally, when he charges, failed Invulnerable saves can be re-rolled.
Friendly units within 6” and locked in combat get +1 to Wounds when working out combat resolutions. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stack with other rules doing the same.
To represent his Great Wings, Sanguinius can Move up to 14” in his Movement phase or when arriving by Deep Strike Assault. This overrides his normal movement characteristic for the duration of that turn and negates any penalty to Impassable or vertical terrain, friendly and enemy models. This cannot be used to end his move inside Impassable Terrain or within 1” of a unit. Beginning or ending in Dangerous Terrain whether from movement or a charge means he must test for Dangerous Terrain. Difficult Terrain counts as Dangerous Terrain. Activating his Great Wings still allows Runs, simply use 14 when adding to Initiative. Sadly reactions use his normal movement value.
His final piece of wargear is his named Inferno weapon ‘Infernus’ since he shouldn't be without one in a Blood Angels army.
Lastly, Sanguinius comes equipped with his unique Warlord trait ‘Sire of the Blood Angels’. He may not take any other. This grants +1 Weapon Skill to any Legiones Astartes (Blood Angels) unit deploying using Deep Strike or wearing a jump pack whenever they successfully Charge. An additional Reaction is also permitted during the opponent’s Movement phase when he is on the table.
UNIQUE SQUADS
Dawnbreaker Cohort
A distinctive Elites choice for the Blood Angels with recent miniatures form Forge World, released alongside Black Book #9 late 2020. The unit’s very name and the names given to their wargear inspire an image of swift agents of might descending from the heavens. They come armed with Falling-star power spears and wrist-mounted grenade dischargers with the option of Equinox power blades, or the legion’s favourite, Perdition weapons. The special rule Set the Sky Aflame cause negative leadership modifiers to enemy Pinning checks when the Dawnbreakers arrive as a Deep Strike Assault. Used as units of 5-10 these Dawnbreakers can pack quite a punch with either weapon option; Falling-star power spear (Strength +1, AP3, Rending(5+)), Equinox power blade in two modes (AP3, Shred, Sudden Strike(1), Rending(5+), Sunder).
Crimson Paladis
Here we see the unique Blood Angel terminators. An Elite unit choice or non-Compulsory Troops in The Day of Sorrows ROW. Available as 3-10 models, they can use a variety of Power Weapons, specialist Power shields, Sunset or Perdition blades. Their ranged wargear is very characterful of Blood Angels, including the distinctive iliastus Assault Cannon.
The Angel’s Tears
With this specialist Blood Angels Destroyer jump pack assault unit you can field 5-10 Erelim with a selection of dual volkite pistols, unique rad grenade launchers, assault cannons, rotor cannons or flamers. Very characterful in their sculpted death masks with an array of ranged hurt for your foes.
Contemptor-Incaendius
The only legion to field deep striking, jump-packed contemptor dreadnoughts! Get this unit into melee as quickly as possible to bring the hurt to your enemy on the battlefiel. It can join the Deep Strike Assault force as per `The Day of Revelation’ or use the jump pack as a single-use Movement 12”, Hammer of Wrath (2). Either way, the Talons of Perdition claws have Strength 7, AP2, Shred and Brutal (2) so watch out.
Dominion Zephon
Unveiled as a Black Library Celebration 2022 miniature ahead of the Age of Darkness box release, this was our first look at the new generation of Blood Angels; plastic, new box art, new branding. Here he joins the new ruleset, complete with his own Warlord Trait ‘Exarch of the High Host’. This allows him to take a Legion Destroyer Assault Squad as a retinue and they fight together for the battle. He also allows an additional Reaction during the opponent’s Assault phase. Armed with twin volkite pistols, a named power sword, a Feel No Pain (5+) due to his bionics and a chance to return to battle upon his first death.
Chapter Master Raldoron
Rules to accompany the Forge World Character Series model, this allows the First Capatin to be fielded in your games. 180 points gives a unique Warlord Trait ‘Archein of Wisdom’, a named power blade, combi-flamer and Iron Halo. I was surprised his flamer wasn’t a named inferno pistol to continue the Blood Angels flavour. This Warlord Trait can prove quite interesting as it enables the controlling player to pick another loyalist Warlord Trait and use that for Raldoron and his army. This can be picked from the Core Warlord Traits or the legion-specific ones inside the Liber Astartes.
SUMMARY
I’m very new to Blood Angels in Horus Heresy as they’re on my hobby project list as a new army for Age of Darkness 2.0. The model range caught my eye and I’ve now got to work out a list to suit my playstyle. It has been insightful to read the legion rules for this review and whilst my review is far from extensive I do hope it’s helped give you a feel for this legion.
Kiral Red
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