Blood Angels on advance order
Today's a great day: the Blood Angels are here. The Blood Angels were the first Space Marine army I ever collected and as I'm sure any other long-time Blood Angel player will tell you, the new Codex is the best yet. It gives you a real sense of the Chapter and their legend, immersing you in an army that's been fighting for humanity for millennia. And I'd go as far as to say the new plastic kits are the best we've ever made - they're dripping with detail and come with loads of options. Anyway, you can see for yourself below.
You'll find this image on the back-cover of the new Codex: Blood Angels.
One of the key things about the Blood Angels is the duality of their nature - their noble intentions and desire to defend Mankind, pitted against their fight to control the Red Thirst (a genetic curse that drives them into an insane fury) that boils within them. The sculptors have done a great job of showing this on the models themselves: the Death Company appear sombre with skulls and symbols of death adorning their armour, while the Sanguinary Guard's armour is covered in angelic wings and wreaths.
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Nothing says 'Blood Angel' like a unit of gold-plated, winged warrior-knights. These are the ideal gift for a Blood Angels player.
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The Blood Angels have always been a powerful close-combat orientated army and Mat Ward has made sure the new Codex is full of wargear that makes them even more effective at it. He's added rules for infernus pistols (a Strength 8, AP1 Melta Pistol), hand flamers, Librarian Dreadnoughts and a host of new fearsome characters. Like the sculptors, Mat has also done a great job of exploring the two sides of the Blood Angels psyche, most notably in two of the new special characters: the Sanguinor and Astorath the Grim.
There's also a new model for Chaplain Lemartes, a Vanguard Veteran Sergeant (he's only available online here at games-workshop.com) and Chapter Master Gabriel Seth, Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers (a Blood Angels successor Chapter whose shoulder pads you'll find here).
Of course you can get your Blood Angels army started straight away - almost all of the existing Space Marine plastic kits are Blood Angels kits too, you just have to paint them red or add some Blood Angels shoulder pads to them. And don't forget that the Drop Pod, Land Speeder and Land Raider Crusader/Redeemer kits include Blood Angels Chapter icons.
The Blood Angels Shoulder Pads Bitz Packs are already available to order and are ideal for denoting any Space Marine in power armour as a member of the Blood Angels. I've also listed Commander Dante below; he remains the Blood Angels' Chapter Master and there's really no one better to lead your army - he's got some fantastic special rules. He'll also give you a chance to practice painting gold armour while you're waiting for your Sanguinary Guard.
Your local Hobby Centre will be receiving a Black Box full of Blood Angels goodies this week, including the Sanguinary Guard and the Death Company.
If you pop down and ask nicely, I'm sure they'll let you have a look through the Codex. If you're really lucky you might even get to assemble some of the new miniatures.