Thursday, January 31, 2013

Top 10 Reasons to Play Blood Angels

Combing through the Bolter and Chainsword thread about why play Blood Angels, I composed a Top 10 list.

I also composed a list of worst reasons too.

6. Chainswords.
5. Easy to paint.
4. They’re red.
3. They are a close combat army.
2. If there were any chapter closest to the orks. The boyz in red would have 
to be it.
1. Angel vampires IN SPACE

Let's get to the best reasons.

11. Everything can have a jump pack. No, not every unit, but you can actually 
      field an entire army wearing jump packs.

10. We have a true hero Primarch that died in the service of the Emperor.

9.  Who doesn't like getting stuck into close combat? Assault Marines as Troop 
     choices all the way!

8. Blood Angels are basically space ninjas in red...

7. This cover.

6. Sanguinius' sacrifice and the origins of the Black Rage, and how each and 
every Blood Angel, while being the most noble of Space Marines, constantly 
had to fight a battle for control within himself. That in itself was tragic, but I 
also appreciated the irony of how the Blood Angels' weakness provided the means for them to obtain strength in the battlefield, while simultaneously gifting them with humility and an understanding of their mortality. 

5. They are red; the color of blood and violence.

4. When I started back in 2nd ed. it was the Angels of Death codex and all of the tragic dark fluff behind Mephiston and Tycho. Then I read about Sanguinius' titanic battle at the Eternity Gate, holding it singlehandedly against a mighty daemon of Chaos and I was hooked. 

3. I like the tragic Death Company a lot - brave Marines who could hold out no longer and fell to the curse, and who go out fighting rather than fade away to madness and insanity.

2.  I read the story of the death of Tycho at Armageddon, and it was awesome, it summed up the curse the angels carry on a daily basis, showing a flawed hero always appeals to me, flawlessness makes things too easy.

1. The person that finally convinced me was the Blood Angel's Primarch, the great Sanguinius. The Angel Primarch who stood on the walls of the Emperor's Palace, leading his Marines in person to defy the forces of Chaos to the bitter end. The Primarch who slew the greatest Bloodthirster ever in single combat, high above the Eternity Gate. And the Primarch who performed the ultimate sacrifice, defying Horus and staying loyal to the Emperor to the last. Sanguinius never gave up, going down fighting to his last breath. Truly an inspiring figure, and an example of honour, courage, tenacity and loyalty worthy of emulation even in real life, outside the world of tabletop gaming. 

3 comments:

  1. I started collecting them because I liked the Storm Raven and the rest of BA kits.

    Having started on 2ed also helped :)

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  2. I chose BA 'cause it was the newest army in 2010 (right when I started). I knew nothing about them, but after 2 years, several books and many battles under my belt I can truly say that my choice was the best I could have made.

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  3. Yemson, I think that happens to a lot of people when they get their first army. It really is hard to choose an army when there are so many and all are interesting when you only know a little about them.

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