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So I am going to run the Angel's Wrath formation for my Blood Angel's list. I have my Assault Squads figured out (2x Meltagun for each squad, one sergeant has a Power Maul, the other has a Combi Melta), but I don't really have my Vanguard Veterans figured out. Here is what I currently have thought out.

Sergeant - Storm Shield, Relic Blade, Bolt Pistol
2x Storm Shield, Bolt Pistol
2x Twin Lightning Claws
230 pts

The Storm Shield marines will sit up front when the squad lands to try to soak up fire, then they all charge the second turn. My concern is that there is too many points being spent just to get those Meteoric Impact attacks and scatterless Assault Squads. How can I cut points while keeping the Vanguards survivable and effective?

7-8 marines, 1-2 power axes, everyone gets melta bombs. 246 points for the squad of 8 with 2 axes, some survivability through numbers and a credible threat to all MCs because of huge mass bombs.

Power Axes don't really seem worth it to me. They are dropping with tank hunter units. It seems like they should be hunting something else. The Relic Blade is expensive, but the Str7 on a charge is pretty nice. The twin LCs are to make up the attacks the Storm Shield marines miss out on. I also like their appearance. But swapping them out for a couple power weapons might be more points efficient.

Axes are S6 on the charge with an extra attack and higher AP than the relic blades. I think the AP3 LC attacks and shields are overcosted. I'd rather have the extra bodies and extra S5 attacks. The MBs aren't for anti-vehicle as much as MCs.

I don't really want to buy more than the minimum for the Vanguards, though. They exist almost purely as a delivery mechanism for the Assault Squads. One idea I have rolling around in my head is the following:

Sergeant Relic Blade, Storm Shield, Bolt Pistol
2x Lightning Claw, Storm Shield, Bolt Pistol
2x Chainssword, Bolt Pistol

It comes in at 30 pts cheaper than my initial plan, and the LC/SS aren't missing out on an attack that they wouldn't already have lost.

Which is fine. I just think storm shields are a waste in a 5 man squad. The 8 man squad is only 16 points more than your original plan. For cheap, effective vanguard you're almost always better off with more bodies and less elaborate kit.

PanzerLeader wrote:
Which is fine. I just think storm shields are a waste in a 5 man squad. The 8 man squad is only 16 points more than your original plan. For cheap, effective vanguard you're almost always better off with more bodies and less elaborate kit.

Truthfully, they only really need to survive long enough for the Assault Squads to hit. I might put a Locator Beacon on my Stormraven so the Vanguards won't scatter and then push my Assault Squads even further up. I cant decide if that is a waste or not. I could also put a Sanguinary Priest with the Angel's Wing with the VVs and that way they don't scatter as much and get FNP and +1 WS.