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Hi guys, I got back into the hobby a little over a year ago and have been slowly building and painting whatever has taken my fancy since getting back in. Done some Eldar, some Orks (the Battle For Vedros set was a cheap pick up that got me back into painting), a few Genestealers and some Marines. Last big project completed was the Warhammer Quest Hammerhall box, but I've gone back to my first love Blood Angels. Tidied up a lot of older models, and at Christmas I got the Death Company Strike Force (as well as some box sets for other armies but lets forget them for now) and recently purchased a bunch of kits to mix and match and use parts to customise Captain Slamguinius. I love that BA have got so many new, unique kits for units since I last was heavily into the hobby around the start of 3rd Ed 40k, Whilst I'm primarily a modeller, I like to build my guys with the rules in mind, so that even if it might not be the most competitive list it's still all legal. I "fondly" remember ripping arms and weapons off my old metal Death Company when the 3rd edition codex dropped and invalidated many of my weapon choices...

So with all this plastic around, I'd like some input in the best ways to put it to use.
The dread from the DC Strike Force has been built as a Librarian, and I have converted the one from the Vedros set as a Furioso, with the frag launcher, and magna grapple. 5 of the DC marines have been built as cheap bodies, with the Bolt Pistol and Chainsword combo and I've used parts from various kits to make Slamguinius and a Company Ancient. I've got old lead Dante, the original Lemartes, an old Apothecary I'll probably use as a Sanguinary Novitiate, if I do use him and a metal Dread with the multi-melta and fist combo. The 2 Tactical Squads from the 2nd Edition Starter are beyond saving, but I do have 10 of the "new" plastic Tactical Marines built and painted from early 3rd, as well as another squad mostly assembled but not painted, the old 3 man metal/plastic mix bike squadron not painted, a metal 5-man Veteran assault squad (Dante's old retinue) and a 5-man Devastator squad assembled with 2 missile launchers and 2 kitbashed Heavy Bolters from some suspect kits. I've also got a Landspeeder, and an old Predator that I'm thinking of donating to Chaos, since it's the old style and has been built with twin Las turret, and 1 heavy bolter and 1 heavy flamer sponson. There's an old Librarian model I've got that needs some paint love, but I've brought my old metal Terminator squad up to scratch, looks-wise and built 5 Lightning Claw termies, and 5 Hammer and Shield Termies from the leftover arms and plastic Space Hulk models. Also have the Vedros Captain, and a squad of Sniper Scouts. Think thats everything already made.

Left to build I've got basically a full Devastator box, a full assault squad, 10 Death Company guys, 4 Sanguinary Guard (but plan on making one an Ancient, and getting a 2nd box later to fill out a squad, maybe use another backpack for a Librarian on Jump Pack), most of a Command Squad box, and a BA Tac squad with a Rhino that I just nabbed on the last chance shelf in the local GW. Thinking of mixing the Assault squad box with the DC to make a total of 20 guys. Weapons load out I'm unsure of, other than I need Bolters. I like Chainswords for the extra attack, but feel like I'd like to mix in some other weapons for situational variety and coolness. I'm going to make a Sanguinary Priest from the Apothecary bits in the command squad box and one of the fancy sets of legs from the Tac or DC boxes. Beyond that, I'm not sure. Since all my Tactical guys are plain janes, I'm not sure I want any more Tac marines mixed in with the fancy BA specific sculpts and coming from an era where Heavy Weapons were pretty expensive models, the Devastator box does seem like a great way to build for all occasions.

Fluff-wise BA are obviously very aesthetically minded, and so I'm thinking if all my Tacs and my Scouts are the basic generic models, everything that's got fancy bling on it has to have done something to earn it. Devy's are ok, because they're supposed to have proven they can control their blood lust enough to stand still and shoot like they're supposed to. I've already mixed some plain legs and a normal torso with my DC, so I figure more bits from the Assault box won't look too bad, so long as there's an even mix of flourish in there too. After all, some less experienced troops might still fall to the Black Rage now and then. For the Rhino, I'm wondering if the Land Raider Crusader add-on kit might be worth it, to turn it into an assault Razorback if needed? Could/should I use some of the BA Tac squad as Sternguard? Make some Vanguard Vets? Whats the best load out for my Sanguinary Guard?

A lot to take in, I know, and I'm not opposed to getting more stuff (it'll happen sooner or later anyway) like a Start Collecting for the Baal Predator and more normal dudes, or more Scouts (I kinda want the Landspeeder they can ride in anyway) and a Stormraven seems like a good move at some point as well but any advice before I start cutting more stuff off sprues would be welcome. This is almost as much about how it'll look all together on a shelf or battlefield as it is about how it'll compete, if not more so.

I just back into the hobby about 3 months ago and like you I love painting and the blood angels aesthetic. If I could recommend anything it would be magnitize as much as you can particularly the DC, SG. both of those squads have many weapons options and being able to utilize them all depending on your list will be very helpful, particularly if like me you want your army to be WYSIWYG.

Another thing I’d recommend if you don’t want to hunt down bits or purchase multiple kits to get the gear you want/need is to pick up some blue stuff so that you can cast and make your own bits. Being able to create enough fists, hammers, plasma,etc to kit you squads with is quite nice.

All the DC, SG I’ve done are fully magnetized, and the jump libi is a kit bash from the vanguard vet box SG box, and DC box. I find the best way to build the angels is to mix and mash bits from multiple kits.

Cheers

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going old school with the builds here, no magnets. Saving that for when I finally get around to Nids or Tau. I'm good with not having whole squads of that have loads of options all kitted out the same. Have built 5 more jump DC, this time with Bolters and chainswords though. Thinking the last lot will be all the crazy upgrades and then I can just mix and match whatever into a squad or two.

Had considered a jump Librarian, using an Encarmine Blade but wasn't sure how it'd look. That pic has convinced me!