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Is there any use for one of the most iconic Dark Angels characters in the codex?
I used him a few years ago when I started and I love the model/fluff, but now I cannot see any situation to field him as my Warlord.
In addition, he is not an HQ choice anymore which means I will have to pick another HQ aswell...

+1 to seize is nice , but the times its going to be usefull are limited.
Lions Roar got nerfed and is a simple mastercrafted combiplasma now :(
He has 6 attacks on the charge at S6 AP3 Master Crafted, nice. Against Chaos he should be very deadly.

The ability to pick any Warlord Trait looks fun at first - until you realize there is nothing really usefull for him.
- Precision Shots and Ignores Cover... we only have 1 Shot with our combi plasma!
- 12'' Fearless Bubble... Every DA can use his LD already and it cannot be negatively modified!
- Furios Charge.... Might be the only slightly usefull trait, although he himsel already has S6!
- Modifying Reserve rolls is nice to have, but with the ravenwing and deathwing strike force not an issue.
- +3 to Run or Flat out... ok I guess if you put him in a LR...
- Feel no Pain while next to an Objective... he has FNP already!


One way I can see Az beeing usefull is in a LR with a 5 or 10 man Veteran squad. Pack it with CC items (Power Swords / Fists + Plasmapistols) preferably and take furious charge. Ada a Chaplain for rerollable hits.
Therefore the LR and every Model gets 4+ Invul.
But neither of them can deploy in the LR so they are vulnerable to Pods and other stuff. The unit is incredibly expensive. It takes 2-3 Turns unitl they touch an enemy model.

Any other ideas?


PS: Why do Veterans have a Assault Cannon in their sprue if they can't take one?

From a completely competitive standpoint, Azreal is a lynchpin model in a unit of wolves taken as the formation. 50-75 dogs led by Azreal and a librarius conclave is currently one of the more common tournament lists.

The entire unit gets a 4+ invulnerable save. The unit covers most of the table, so they can benefit more from his warlord traits, like feel no pain, +3" run/charge, and furious charge.

Certainly a useful model to a deathstar.

You can also attack him to Drop Pod or Spartan Centurions. The benefits are superb.

 Rypher wrote:
From a completely competitive standpoint, Azreal is a lynchpin model in a unit of wolves taken as the formation. 50-75 dogs led by Azreal and a librarius conclave is currently one of the more common tournament lists.

The entire unit gets a 4+ invulnerable save. The unit covers most of the table, so they can benefit more from his warlord traits, like feel no pain, +3" run/charge, and furious charge.

Certainly a useful model to a deathstar.

I think this build is what's called the "bark bark star". It's disgusting, but it does make Azzy useful, so can't be all bad.

I've looked at some other competitive DA lists, and seen several that seem to put him with a unit of Rapier batteries (presumably to give them a 4++). Never seen that done in person, though. What I have seen done is putting him with a big unit of guardsmen. Up to 50 guardsmen with 4++ can be a supremely nasty tarpit, especially if they can get FnP somehow (not sure if guardsmen benefit from the warlord trait since my codex is not in front of me right now).

The main downfall of Azzy in competitive play is the fact that he is way too easy to kill for his points. Sure, a 2+ save with a 4+ invuln, FnP, and 4 wounds is no joke, but if he eats one S8 shot and fails his save, he's dead thanks to his rather unforgivable lack of Eternal Warrior. Lack of an AP2 weapon is the final nail in the coffin for him (competitively at least) other than gimmick builds such as the aforementioned bark bark star. Sadly, Azrael is not alone, as very few of the named Space Marine heroes see play other than Kor'sarro Khan. A shame, as all of them have pretty nice models. Most of their rules/wargear are just meh.

Dark Angel veterans sprue has lots of upgrades for other kits like terminators.

Azrael is probably fun in larger and apocalypse games. Competitively, as above he supercharges big deathstars.

As others have said, Azrael's main use is for deathstars. He gives his unit a 4++ which is really useful, and as you said, he lets DA use his LD and he grants +1 to seize. The fact that his sword is only Ap3 means he isn't a close combat powerhouse like some of the other marine LoWs. Similarly, his best ranged weapon being a one use plasma gun means he doesn't have strong dakka either. His role is to support and augment your army. Also, his ability to choose his WT doesn't seem that great, until you realize that he is a support character. He already has fnp, but his unit probably won't so that gives it to him. The fearless can also be useful as even Ld10 fails sometimes and the furious charge affects his whole unit so even if he doesn't need hit other models may. The +3" to run and flat out also increases charge distances for his unit so it is also good. Plus, remember that he doesn't have to choose his WT until just before deployment so you can adapt to the game you are playing. Objectives? Great, fnp when in range of one. Mobile enemy? +3" to run, flat out and charge makes it easier to catch them. Lots of high T/MCs? FC makes it easier to hurt them.

azreal isnt good beyond some really niche uses no, the ds/bs applications are okay but thats about it. of the dark angels in the codex he only works well with either basic terminator squads in raiders or veterans. everyone else he either slows them down, or is being wasted on them, and finally isnt doing anything for them at all.

thats 4++ save granting is literally all he is good for, he has a baseline inferior to other chaptermasters, his relics suck, and his special rules beyond that 4++ are at best mediocre.

on top of that you have his cost, for 100 points more which isnt that much in the grand scheme of things considering what kinds of point values youd take him in you can start considering imperial knights to replace him as an oathsworn and those can be used pretty much anywhere. and compared to others lords of war, he struggles to find matchups he can walk away from let alone obliterate like dante or logan or papasmurf.

so i consider him the worst lord of war in the game behind even ghazzy, because if two of them meet ghazzy is walking away and he isnt

Worse than Ghaz? Surely you aren't serious?
He has the exact Stateline as the rest of the Chapter Masters for one. Two, he slows down nothing if you know how to slingshot him, which is a common tactic to learn for things like Super Friends, Wraithstar, etc.

He's also not meant to be a challenge monger. Any other character is easily used for challenges, and he helps mostly with larger tarpits. 5 S6 Master Crafted attacks while being Fearless will keep him going.