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I'm reconsidering my Blood Angels list. After several dramatic losses against a rather inexperienced Imperial Guard player, I've decided that I might need more effective fire support for my assault-heavy Descent of Angels list. This has combined with my plans to buy a Contemptor Dreadnought (to field as a Furioso) and the fact that I'm beginning to think that the Sanguinor has become something of a sacred cow - worthwhile, but possibly not worth its points.

This is the list at 1500 points. At higher points values, I'll totally re-integrate the Sanguinor.

HQ
* 1 Librarian w/Jump Pack (Might of Heroes, Shield of Sanguinius)

Elites
* 5 Sanguinary Guard w/Death Masks, 1 w/Power Fist, 1 w/Chapter Banner
* 1 Furioso Dreadnought w/Blood Fists (x2), Heavy Flamer and Meltagun, mounted in a drop pod
* 3 Sanguinary Priests w/Jump Packs

Troops
* 10 Assault Marines, 2 w/Meltaguns, Sergeant w/Power Fist
* 10 Assault Marines, 2 w/Meltaguns, Sergeant w/Power Fist
* Drop Pod w/Deathwind Missile Launcher, Locator Beacon (Empty)

Fast Attack
* 1 Land Speeder w/Heavy Bolter, Typhoon Missile Launcher
* 1 Land Speeder w/Heavy Bolter, Typhoon Missile Launcher

The librarian hangs out with the sanguinary guard. One priest deploys with the sanguinary guard and each assault squad. The assault squads do not generally separate with Combat Squads, unless I am playing a scenario that involves holding many objectives against an equally divided foe. Note that the land speeders are not in a single squad. I would like to have each land speeder drop alongside a different assault squad so that I can use them to outflank whoever the assault marines charge at, winnowing down their numbers to prepare them for the hammer blow.

The empty drop pod is there for two reasons. Firstly, it allows me to mount a dreadnought in a drop pod without forcing it to deploy ahead of the rest of my army thanks to the Drop Pod Assault rule. The empty drop pod is equipped with a deathwind missile launcher and a locator beacon, enabling me to use it in a variety of ways. I could drop the pod in my own backfield, on one of my own objectives, to guard the objective and give me a scatter-free drop site for reinforcements. I could drop it in the midfield, behind cover, so that I can be assured of a good landing-spot for my forward forces on the next turn. Or, I could place it in my opponent's deployment zone, right next to something that absolutely positively must be Deathwinded right away - it might get blown up on turn two, but if my 65-point drop pod can decimate a 200-point Guardsman blob (or something) on its way out, it's worth it.

Obviously, the assault squads are my main combat units. The dreadnought and Librarian/Guard squads are my trouble shooters, the elite archangels that take on my opponent's elites.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

In case anyone's reading (and probably no one is, since I didn't get any comments...), I played a game with basically this list (albeit a bit smaller, since my Imperial Guard opponent could only field 850 points). I've decided to swap out the Librarian for a Captain and the Sanguinary Guard's death masks for the points to give him a power sword and a hand flamer. I like the psychic powers - and perhaps I'll add the Librarian back in for larger games, or if I expect to face the right opponent - but I just don't think the Librarian packs enough of a punch in the assault. Captains, on the other hand, with their three wounds, WS 6, Initiate 5... yeah, he'll do.

Incidentally, I was very happy with the performance of my empty drop pod and drop pod w/dreadnought strategy. The empty drop pod didn't score any kills before its missile launcher was disabled, but it did soak up some enemy firepower. The scatter-free drop site allowed me to place one of my main combat squads in the middle of some extremely dangerous territory without worrying about mishap. I was pleased, and eager to try it again.

I'm eager to hear what you think about this choice.

3 Priests in 1500 is crazy talk. You don't need that many, one max. That's just a huge point suck.

You need to buy the empty Drop pod for a squad. You don't have any squads other than the Dreadnaught that can legally take one.

The obvious fix is to drop two priests and buy a 5 man Dev squad or a shooty Dread.

However Ultimately, shoehorning that squad in plus an empty pod to ensure a reserve roll Furioso drop isn't what I'd do, when the real answer is staring you in the face, and it's named a Stormraven, which can even take a Locator Beacon. The locator part is eh though ...if you can't bring yourself to gamble on a D6 scatter you might as well play chess.

But then you get very close to my 1500 DoA list, so perhaps I'm biased. Which is

Astorath
Command squad
Furioso
ASM
ASM
Landspeeder
Landspeeder
Stormraven