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I have a Farsight Enclave Tau army and was looking to get Blood Angels to ally with (or vise-versa) mainly because I like the Angel mottif and they're Red too so they'll look good together. But I know very little on Blood Angels so I have a few questions:
1. In each slot of the Blood Angel Codex, which are the best and worst unit(s)?
2. Even though Assault is their thing (I assume, if I'm wrong, please correct me ), is there any good use for a Tactical Squad or two? I have a AOBR Squad still on sprue...
3. Which of the Special Characters in the BA Codex are worth using?
4. What can BA bring to the Tau and the Tau to BA?

Okay here we go. This is a possible solution that may work so I'll be objective as possible. Disclaimer: I kind of know the Tau, but not the specifics.

1) Troops: One of the hardest ones first. Well I don't see any reason to bring scouts to this party so we'll say they are the worst. The best? I assume you want some HTH elements for the list so I guess we'll go with plain old assault marines with jump packs. They score, too unlike the Death Company. BA tac marines are very meh.

Elites: Best elites are furiosos armed with frag cannon in a drop pod, sternguards and sanguinary priests. You'll want the priest to give your assault marines FNP. Worst include sanguinary guard and chaplain. I don't much like blood talon furiosos, but many will disagree.

Fast Attack: Best here by far imo are multi melta attack bikes. These bad boys can be given FNP by a priest to have a 5+ jink and 5+ FNP against non-STR 10 shooting. Other decent picks are regular bikers and Baal preds. Baal preds have the achilles heel that they are AV 11 on the sides and they have shorter ranged weaponry. Worst picks include vanguard and speeders.

Heavy support: This is a bit of a dilemma as well. Obviously many are going to say Stormraven. I personally feel that the Stormraven is seriously overcosted compared to its well-world comptition, the Vendetta and the helldrake. The Tau have AA covered, so I would never bring an allied Stormraven. Other heavy support to consider would be the whirlwind or standard predator or even a Vindicator. I think devs are the weakest choice. I'm not sure I'd use any BA heavy support as a Tau player

HQs: Best is level 1 libby by a huge amount. Worst: practically all the others. Sad but true. Dante: super overcosted. Mephiston: overcosted for 6th edition. Tycho: just a captain. Reclusiarch: nice try, but libby primaris divination power is better.

2) You would think that assault is the BA thing, but the truth is that weren't not that good at it anymore. Not more init 5 charges, can't assault out of non-assault transports, FNP is worse against melee attacks, the list goes on and on. Space Wolves make the BA look completely inept at assaulting by comparison.

3) None. Some will say Mephiston. I will say they are wrong for *250* pts. Yes, that's 250. 2. 5. 0. And he's AP 3 and only gets two powers. Oh wait, forgot corbulo. He's a special sanguinary priest. Too bad he's on foot and you can't change his wargear.

4) BA can bring troops that are harder to kill than Tau troops that can't be "demeched". They can go in and beat up enemy troops that firewarriors can't to claim objectives. They can also bodyguard your Riptides. However, realize that assault marines contribute NOTHING to shooting and many xeno lists and hell other marine lists have units that thrash BA in HTH.

You may want red-coloured Space Wolves as allies. Space Wolves, by the way, still have very rude psychic defense. For now. Oh, and I think Space Wolves have a special character or two worth using.

I also like Space Wolves, but didn't think of them because I like armies in a scheme that is in the fiction (I don't think there are Red Wolves). And even if there are some, I think Wolves look better in the Blue-Grays. I have 40 Tactical Marines (10 are AOBR) new in boxes ready to go and these are easier to "Wolfify" with the Wolf Pack Kit that it is to turn them to Assault Marines for BA.

This puts me in a conundrum...

I don't know how much it matters to you, but the SW are a MUCH better list than the BA.

Martel732 wrote:
I don't know how much it matters to you, but the SW are a MUCH better list than the BA.

I actually own a copy of the SW Codex. Yeah...


There is a third option...Vanilla Marines, they're Battle Brothers, and they're do for an update. But Vanilla is well, Vanilla.

Actually, I'd wait for the vanilla dex. There might be great stuff in there.

Martel732 wrote:
Actually, I'd wait for the vanilla dex. There might be great stuff in there.

Yet we know they'd get a lot of new toys. Which while cool, they but the bank. I think BA or SW are the best options for me.

Honestly C:SM is what you want. They are BB, give good psychic buffs, and even have a handful of units that can contribute meaningful dakka to a Tau list. (TFC, libby, and drop pod/sternguard)

Many people forget there are also a whole slew of red paint job C:SM chapters
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Pictorial_List_of_Space_Marine_Chapters_M-Z#.UdjlMTu1Fic