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Here's my attempt at a Commander Dante, Sanguinary Guard-heavy list. I don't know how viable it is, and I'm certainly not likely to make it right away - I only have one Sanguinary Guard unit in the huge chunk of Blood Angels I'm buying from my friend John - but I'm curious what you think about it.

My thoughts so far are this: Sanguinary Guard, especially as I've kitted them out here, are powerful in close combat and quite hard to kill. Between Descent of Angels and Dante's influence, this list has the ability to put a lot of powerful units exactly where I want them very quickly. However, this list suffers from from a serious lack of long and medium-range firepower, a lack I've tried to address in several ways. If I were to upgrade this list to 2k or 2.5k, I'd add more Dreadnoughts, Baal Predators, and so on. However, what do you think of the list at this level? Remotely viable, or totally stupid?

Unsurprisingly, Dante joins one of the Guard squads (the one without an infernus pistol and death masks - he's got his own). Each guard squad is also joined by a priest. The dreadnought hangs out near his drop pod, using his ranged weaponry to support the guard squads and the combination of his locator beacon and Shield of Sanguinius to protect any Guard squads that arrive late to the party.

HQ

Commander Dante

Elites

3 Sanguinary Priests w/Jump Packs and Storm Bolters

Furioso Librarian (Blood Lance, Shield of Sanguinius) w/Searchlight
Drop Pod w/Locator Beacon

Troops

5 Sanguinary Guard, 1 w/Power Fist, 1 w/Chapter Banner

5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Power Fist, 1 w/Infernus Pistol

5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Power Fist, 1 w/Infernus Pistol

You should really think about getting an Assault Squad or Death Company. The only crap thing about Sang. Guard is NO INVULS! This means against Grey Knight, Dark Eldar, or Imperial Guard, would tear this list apart like it was a babies toy. But If you were playing against regular Space Marines, or Tau, with no AP 1 or 2 Weapons, then this list could be quite suitable.

Here's the issue I see.
Every lascannon shot by Nilla marines (or any BS4) will kill a guy 55% of the time (including a chance to miss.)
Every melta shot by nilla marines (or any BS4) has the same chance.
Let's not forget rending (ACs/genestealers/etc.), powerweapons, large str. 10 ap2 blast emplates, and then the old plasma.
There are a lot of armies with these types of attacks, and you only have 20 models. 15 of which aren't going to hold up against the heavy fire previously mentioned. 6 meltas/lcs fired is 3 (rounded down) men dead, which is 15% of your army.

You need, at least, more troops like was mentioned above, because, on their own, this list is probably going to end up shot to death by pretty much anyone if they're the only targets.

Hashbeth wrote:Here's the issue I see.
Every lascannon shot by Nilla marines (or any BS4) will kill a guy 55% of the time (including a chance to miss.)
Every melta shot by nilla marines (or any BS4) has the same chance.
Let's not forget rending (ACs/genestealers/etc.), powerweapons, large str. 10 ap2 blast emplates, and then the old plasma.
There are a lot of armies with these types of attacks, and you only have 20 models. 15 of which aren't going to hold up against the heavy fire previously mentioned.

You need, at least, more troops like was mentioned above, because, on their own, this list is probably going to end up shot to death by pretty much anyone if they're the only targets.

True but he said they are Deep Striking.

Hashbeth wrote:
You need, at least, more troops like was mentioned above, because, on their own, this list is probably going to end up shot to death by pretty much anyone if they're the only targets.

Grey Knights Player 99 wrote:
You should really think about getting an Assault Squad or Death Company.

So, basically, I need a ton of screaming cannon fodder to throw down my foe's throats, someone tough enough that they will suffer for ignoring it, but cheap enough that I can field a lot of them. I could probably replace one of the Sanguinary Guard squads with a pretty fiercely kitted out assault squad.

I'm surprised at this advice, though. I really thought lack of fire support would be the most striking weakness of the list.

@Grey Knights Player 99: But the opponent can reserve his forces to deal with this

@electric paladin: Yes, that's also a weakness. I run a raider w/termies in 1500 which will give you a massive headache.
You would need shooty fodder, indeed. Something to maybe throw at tanks and provide cover for your guard. I mean, if you bump it up points wise and lose a guard, you can grab some assault squads/death company and some devastators. You could also lose the powerfists, then, probably I'd guess (or give them to other things.)

I mean, I'm not a big fan of Sanguinary guard, but hey, ymmv

Hashbeth wrote:
Yes, that's also a weakness. I run a raider w/termies in 1500 which will give you a massive headache.
You would need shooty fodder, indeed. Something to maybe throw at tanks and provide cover for your guard. I mean, if you bump it up points wise and lose a guard, you can grab some assault squads/death company and some devastators. You could also lose the powerfists, then, probably I'd guess (or give them to other things.)

I thought that a tactical squad or devastator squad (either in a drop pod to maintain the DoA theme) would be a better addition than an assault squad, and I could probably lose the powerfists to better equip them (since the ranged support would be officially in charge of high strength attacks and tank busting).

Hashbeth wrote:
I mean, I'm not a big fan of Sanguinary guard, but hey, ymmv

I like the models, I like the fluff, and I think they have an interesting set of advantages. I'm pretty confident that the Sanguinary Guard has a place in most Blood Angels lists - right now I'm using them as my Librarian's escort in the list I'm probably actually making - but I'm not sure that a list like this can actually work, however pretty or "neat" it might be.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Here are three potential lists based off the original.

List A: Now With Correct Math!

This list uses some extra points I discovered I had to add some land speeders, who could provide both screening for newly dropped sanguinary guard and fire support later in the battle. I'm considering dropping the Power Fists on the sanguinary guard for more effective tank-hunting gear on the land speeders, but I'm not sure yet.

HQ

Commander Dante

Elites

3 Sanguinary Priests w/Jump Packs

Furioso Librarian mounted in a Drop Pod w/Locator Beacon

Troops

5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Power Fist, 1 w/Chapter Banner

5 Sanguinary Guard 1 w/Infernus Pistol, 1 w/Power Fist

5 Sanguinary Guard 1 w/Infernus Pistol, 1 w/Power Fist

Fast Attack

2 Land Speeders

List B: Assault Marines

Here, I've added a great big squad of assault marines to act as cannon fodder with teeth. Also, I've been able to kit out the land speeders a little more heavily thanks to the difference in cost between the sanguinary guard squad I dropped and the relatively inexpensive assault marines.

HQ

Commander Dante

Elites

3 Sanguinary Priests w/Jump Packs

Furioso Librarian mounted in a Drop Pod w/Locator Beacon

Troops

5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Chapter Banner

5 Sanguinary Guard, 2 w/Infernus Pistols

10 Assault Marines, 2 w/Meltaguns, Sergeant w/Power Fist

Fast Attack

2 Land Speeders w/Tornado-Pattern Heavy Flamers

And finally... List C: Devastation!

In this list, I added a devastator squad instead of assault marines. Of the two variant lists, I think I like this one the best because I think I'd enjoy the flexibility of deciding to split the devastators when they drop, so I can split their heavy weapons fire two ways, probably from the relative safety of proximity to the Furioso Librarian (or some nearby cover).

HQ

Commander Dante

Elites

2 Sanguinary Priests w/Jump Packs
1 Brother Corbulo

Furioso Librarian w/Magna Grapple, mounted in a Drop Pod w/Locator Beacon

Troops

5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Chapter Banner

5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Infernus Pistol

Heavy Support

9 Devastator Marines, 2 w/Missile Launchers, 2 w/Lascannons, Sergeant w/Power Fist, mounted in a Drop Pod w/Locator Beacon.