Greenwing Tactics Part 2: Elite and HQ
Part two of the greenwing tactics as requested by /u/Redbaron67. This is where the Dark Angels set themselves apart from other chapters.
The first unique Dark Angels unit doesn’t make the Greenwing look very good. For 4 points more than regular marines you get a squad of 5-10 with veteran statlines and the option for every model to take a shield, ranged weapon, or melee weapon. Additionally they can always take a heavy weapon and can take one special weapon for every five models. I normally don’t go into that much detail about what options a unit has, but I feel like I need to in this case because these guys are so bad and so rarely seen. With just a marine statline you don’t want to be kitting them out with too much equipment and they aren’t required in any formation, just an option for the demi-company. If you really want to max out your MSU and take them as part of a demi-company, give them all combi-meltas and a drop pod and have a decent chance to roast a tank turn 1 with a unit that’s slightly cheaper than sternguard veterans but a bit less accurate.
Dark Angels Command Squad
Pretty much the better version of Company Veterans, the Greenwing command squad can take every single melee, ranged, and special weapon available to us, as well as storm shields, an apothecary, standard bearer, and a company champion. Like the Company Veterans, they’re still just marines, so don’t go overboard with the upgrades for them. Luckily, one of our standards is the sacred standard, which grants counter-attack and relentless. Give all five of them grav guns and the standard for a relatively cheap, obsec suicide pod squad that’s a pain in the ass to charge in the Lion’s Blade. The apothecary is optional but not a waste of points, and the champion is identical to a standard marines champion but has a sword with +1S, which I’d like to imagine is a tiny nod to Dark Angels being expert swordsmen.
Company Master
Lacking the option for a bike is damning for a character who’s only real purpose is melee combat. While you’d otherwise want to skip the Company Master, he is unfortunately required as part of the Lion’s Blade Battle Company. If you aren’t going to just keep him at his base cost and stick him with his tax-unit pals, an assault squad, he can serve as an ok but kind of expensive buffer to a command squad. Give him a combi-grav or auspex and The Eye of the Unseen and drop him with a grav-gun command squad for a now slightly tougher suicide pod squad. If you want to be fluffy and make them a little better in melee, give him a relic blade and take a champion in the squad (or a power fist somewhere). Still, skip this guy unless you need him for the Battle Company.
Chaplain
Can’t take relics, but unlike a Company Master he can take a bike. He’s required for a Battle Company, but also unlike the Company Master that’s not a bad thing. I would either keep him cheap and toss him with a drop pod assault squad, or put him on a bike if you’re taking any allies on bikes *cough* black knights *cough*. If you aren’t taking a Battle Company he’s still a decent choice, but remember Greenwing don’t have a lot of good melee options, so he’s best buffing Ravenwing or allies.
Ezekiel
Zeke is awesome, and unlike other chapters’ librarians he doesn’t need to bring a whole entourage with him to be taken in our Decurion. I praised this guy a bit in my Deathwing entry but he can really shine with the Greenwing. His warlord trait is pretty bad, but you’ll have at least two other HQ’s in a Battle Company and his other abilities are excellent. A better statline than your average librarian, ML3, and a +1 attack aura for everyone around him, for a lower price that Tigirius before you even consider the two boot-lickers Tiggy has to bring with him. He’s not a must-take but Zeke can do everything from buffing a command squad to helping your dudes hold the line, and makes your whole army a lot of flexible. He’s almost never a bad choice for any type of Greenwing army.
Librarian and Interrogator Chaplain
This article is running a bit long and I want to get to this last entry, but I shouldn’t leave these guys out. Both of them can be taken in a Lion’s Blade but don’t have a lot to offer the Greenwing. One level 2 psyker isn’t enough to reliably do the psychic things you’ll need, while Interrogator Chaplains are big melee buffers which Greenwing don’t need.
Azrael
He’s got a personal banner on his back, personal helmet bearer, and costs almost as much as a Land Raider. For that you get a pretty good statline (although no Eternal Warrior is worrying) an ok melee weapon and a couple special rules. Army-wide leadership 10 is useful, and no one will say no to +1 to seize. Picking his warlord trait and the 4+ invulnerable save for his squad are both powerful but situational tools, especially for someone as expensive as him. Azrael certainly isn’t bad, but for his price tag and potential to dying to a random lascannon shot, make sure you have a purpose for him before including him.
Pretty much the better version of Company Veterans, the Greenwing command squad can take every single melee, ranged, and special weapon available to us, as well as storm shields, an apothecary, standard bearer, and a company champion. Like the Company Veterans, they’re still just marines, so don’t go overboard with the upgrades for them. Luckily, one of our standards is the sacred standard, which grants counter-attack and relentless. Give all five of them grav guns and the standard for a relatively cheap, obsec suicide pod squad that’s a pain in the ass to charge in the Lion’s Blade. The apothecary is optional but not a waste of points, and the champion is identical to a standard marines champion but has a sword with +1S, which I’d like to imagine is a tiny nod to Dark Angels being expert swordsmen.
Company Master
Lacking the option for a bike is damning for a character who’s only real purpose is melee combat. While you’d otherwise want to skip the Company Master, he is unfortunately required as part of the Lion’s Blade Battle Company. If you aren’t going to just keep him at his base cost and stick him with his tax-unit pals, an assault squad, he can serve as an ok but kind of expensive buffer to a command squad. Give him a combi-grav or auspex and The Eye of the Unseen and drop him with a grav-gun command squad for a now slightly tougher suicide pod squad. If you want to be fluffy and make them a little better in melee, give him a relic blade and take a champion in the squad (or a power fist somewhere). Still, skip this guy unless you need him for the Battle Company.
Chaplain
Can’t take relics, but unlike a Company Master he can take a bike. He’s required for a Battle Company, but also unlike the Company Master that’s not a bad thing. I would either keep him cheap and toss him with a drop pod assault squad, or put him on a bike if you’re taking any allies on bikes *cough* black knights *cough*. If you aren’t taking a Battle Company he’s still a decent choice, but remember Greenwing don’t have a lot of good melee options, so he’s best buffing Ravenwing or allies.
Ezekiel
Zeke is awesome, and unlike other chapters’ librarians he doesn’t need to bring a whole entourage with him to be taken in our Decurion. I praised this guy a bit in my Deathwing entry but he can really shine with the Greenwing. His warlord trait is pretty bad, but you’ll have at least two other HQ’s in a Battle Company and his other abilities are excellent. A better statline than your average librarian, ML3, and a +1 attack aura for everyone around him, for a lower price that Tigirius before you even consider the two boot-lickers Tiggy has to bring with him. He’s not a must-take but Zeke can do everything from buffing a command squad to helping your dudes hold the line, and makes your whole army a lot of flexible. He’s almost never a bad choice for any type of Greenwing army.
Librarian and Interrogator Chaplain
This article is running a bit long and I want to get to this last entry, but I shouldn’t leave these guys out. Both of them can be taken in a Lion’s Blade but don’t have a lot to offer the Greenwing. One level 2 psyker isn’t enough to reliably do the psychic things you’ll need, while Interrogator Chaplains are big melee buffers which Greenwing don’t need.
Azrael
He’s got a personal banner on his back, personal helmet bearer, and costs almost as much as a Land Raider. For that you get a pretty good statline (although no Eternal Warrior is worrying) an ok melee weapon and a couple special rules. Army-wide leadership 10 is useful, and no one will say no to +1 to seize. Picking his warlord trait and the 4+ invulnerable save for his squad are both powerful but situational tools, especially for someone as expensive as him. Azrael certainly isn’t bad, but for his price tag and potential to dying to a random lascannon shot, make sure you have a purpose for him before including him.
If you’re wondering where Dreadnoughts and the tanks are, those will be covered in the next article before I wrap it all up with a discussion of the Lion’s Blade Detachment and it’s formations.
Always forget about the greenwing command squad.
ReplyDeleteThey're one of the better choices to give greenwing a bit of punch, especially in a Lion's Blade where they get that extra BS overwatch, a free pod, and obsec
Delete