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So with the recent core rulebook FAQ, the strategy of the Archangels Orbital Intervention Force in drop pods is now perfectly legal. Here's my first take on a list using this strategy.

Blood Angels CAD

HQ
-Brother Corbulo

Troops
-5x Tactical Marines
2 Hand Flamers
Heavy Flamer
Drop Pod

-5x Tactical Marines
2 Hand Flamers
Heavy Flamer
Drop Pod

Fast Attack
-Drop Pod

-Drop Pod

-Drop Pod

Archangels Orbital Intervention Force

-5x Assault Terminators
TH/SS
Banner of the Archangel Host

-5x Assault Terminators
TH/SS

-5x Assault Terminators
TH/SS

Skyhammer Annihilation Force (Ultramarines)
-5x Devastators
2 Grav Cannon
Drop pod

-5x Devastators
2 Grav Cannon
Drop pod

-5x Assault Marines
Vet Sgt with Power Fist
Eviscerator

-5x Assault Marines
Vet Sgt with Power Fist
Eviscerator

So Corbulo goes with one of the tac squads, mainly for the reroll (to prevent a bad scatter or something) and to pass out his ws5 bubble to any terminator squads that need bailed out of combat. The skyhammer does skyhammer things and the assault marines are geared for tank hunting.

The 3 terminator squads hop in drop pods and assault things on turn 1.

Can you provide a link to the FAQ that supports this idea? I'm not seeing it on GW website.

EDIT - i found the article that breaks this down. if you ignore battle brothers, liberally interpret deep strike reserve to include embarked on a drop pod which is in deep strike reserve, it is possible.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/faqs-and-errata.html

Look at the Core Rulebook FAQ. But here are the relevant parts.

While Battle Brother allies are unable to deploy in eachothers transports, units from the same faction but different detachments may still do so (this is also covered in the FAQ). This means that the Archangels can hop in the CADs drop pods, since there is also no rule that states terminators can't ride in pods.

Second, units arriving via drop pod are "counted as arriving via deep strike," meaning that the condition from the Archangels assault from deep strike rule has been met.


Edit: there's no liberal interpretation of deep strike at all. It's right here in the FAQ.

Q: Do units disembarking from a deep striking transport also count as entering play via deep strike?

A: Yes

Is there any reason not to use some lightning claw Terminators?

Tau exist. And so does 2+ armor.

 kirotheavenger wrote:
Is there any reason not to use some lightning claw Terminators?

Under normal circumstances (like if I took Assault Terminators as a part of an Archangels Demi company) I would take 2 sets of claws per 5 terminators. Str5 ap3 init5 shred is pretty good. But since no part of this force has the Red Thirst special rule (+1 init on the charge), and the terminators have to make a disordered charge the turn they come in, lightning claws become a lot less attractive.

I personally detest lightning claws because of AP 3. I don't want to have to cover from 2+ armor.

Not gonna lie, I had TOTALLY forgotten about the archangels banner. Preferred enemy and 12in bubble of rerolls on morale/pinning is pretty good, particularly on hammernators.

 th3maninblak wrote:
Not gonna lie, I had TOTALLY forgotten about the archangels banner. Preferred enemy and 12in bubble of rerolls on morale/pinning is pretty good, particularly on hammernators.

Whats the banner from the archangels host from? I didn't know it did preferred enemy. Also does this archangels banner replace a claw or shield like the company standard?

 DocStammson wrote:

 th3maninblak wrote:
Not gonna lie, I had TOTALLY forgotten about the archangels banner. Preferred enemy and 12in bubble of rerolls on morale/pinning is pretty good, particularly on hammernators.

Whats the banner from the archangels host from? I didn't know it did preferred enemy.

Shield of Baal Exterminatus. Its an Archangels relic. PE for the unit, and the standard rerolls from banners.

Bit of a bump, but I'm surprised no one else has tried to poke holes in the rules for this strategy.

There aren't any.

Martel732 wrote:
There aren't any.

That's good to hear. Thoughts on dropping the LATF for Skyhammer?

It's gonna be better vs a lot of lists, but worse vs others. Very all-in. However, the synergy is probably better. Probably over all better because you are losing the land raider.

Martel732 wrote:
It's gonna be better vs a lot of lists, but worse vs others. Very all-in. However, the synergy is probably better. Probably over all better because you are losing the land raider.

Good thing it's tax season.

I still don't think you can do this. I mean, this formation is meant to join the battle at turn 2, not on turn 1. In my opinion you are bending the rules.

He's not. Any given unit follows the deployment rules of the transport they are in. Joining a non-formation IC to the formation poisons it, not putting it in a transport. For example, the Lucifer armored task force gives all tanks scout. I can put a non-scouting unit in the land raider and it still gets to move along with said land raider.

Besides, he's paying over 100 pts for the privilege to do what skyhammer does for free. It's perfectly fair. Really 200 pts to get three pods turn 1.

So basically you could have 5 terminators disembarking from the land raider and potentially charge on turn 1? (I'm talking about the Lucifer armored task)

Spado wrote:
So basically you could have 5 terminators disembarking from the land raider and potentially charge on turn 1? (I'm talking about the Lucifer armored task)

If you scout or infiltrate you cannot charge. That's in the BRB.

Commenting on the terminators in pods original idea... can blood angels take cataphractii terminators?

Mainly I ask because I have a squad with all chainfists but they are for normal marines... but anyway, can you take regular terminators in this formation? and if you can take chainfists then perhaps one squad would be good.. think about it, 5 chainfists on the charge to get the drop on superheavies is a pretty awesome thing. You may even be able to take out a Stompa, if you roll lucky on the hits!

Also, on that drop pod, you could apply the one Legacy of Glory from the Imperial Armour book (I think its the Istvaan dropsite one?) that makes your pod not scatter... and it's only 20 points.

This is a pretty cool take on "turn 1 assault".. I like it!

Also, what about dropping the armoured task force for an ally of some sort? Maybe a conclave or skyhammer?

Dropping the armored force for the skyhammer is this list mkII

 xTHExCLINCHERx wrote:
Commenting on the terminators in pods original idea... can blood angels take cataphractii terminators?

Mainly I ask because I have a squad with all chainfists but they are for normal marines... but anyway, can you take regular terminators in this formation? and if you can take chainfists then perhaps one squad would be good.. think about it, 5 chainfists on the charge to get the drop on superheavies is a pretty awesome thing. You may even be able to take out a Stompa, if you roll lucky on the hits!

Also, on that drop pod, you could apply the one Legacy of Glory from the Imperial Armour book (I think its the Istvaan dropsite one?) that makes your pod not scatter... and it's only 20 points.

This is a pretty cool take on "turn 1 assault".. I like it!

Also, what about dropping the armoured task force for an ally of some sort? Maybe a conclave or skyhammer?

Regular Terminators in that formation get to shoot twice on the turn they arrive, Assault Terminators get to make a disordered charge the turn they arrive. So I'm afraid turn 1 chainfist assaults couldn't happen :(
Charging hammernators is the best you'll get for this I'm afraid.

Did they FAQ that Legacy of Glory? Because it says it must be taken by a unit with deep strike, Drop Pods don't have deep strike, they have 'drop pod assault'.

BA can't take cataphractii. Of course. If it's it good, don't even bother asking. We can't get it.

 th3maninblak wrote:

 DocStammson wrote:

 th3maninblak wrote:
Not gonna lie, I had TOTALLY forgotten about the archangels banner. Preferred enemy and 12in bubble of rerolls on morale/pinning is pretty good, particularly on hammernators.

Whats the banner from the archangels host from? I didn't know it did preferred enemy.

Shield of Baal Exterminatus. Its an Archangels relic. PE for the unit, and the standard rerolls from banners.

I am a bit late for this discussion but are you even able to get the banner while taking AOIF from Angel's Blade book? Technically, while having same name as AOIF from Exterminatus, it is a different formation because they have different rules. And it's also written in Exterminatus that relics and warlord traits from it could be taken ONLY for formations from that book.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to try it out but I'm playing Devil's advocate right now because Angel's Blade's AOIF doesn't overwrite Exterminatus' AOIF (however it should. latter one is redundant as of right now) like formations and units from Imperial Agents doesn't overwrite thing from their own Codicies.

Correct me if I'm wrong (which I hope I am)

It also says that all Flesh Tearers and Archangels relics may be taken in addition to Blood Angels relics.

That means that you can take Blood Angels relics in your formations from Exterminatus, doesn't it?

"Units chosen from the Archangels detachment and formations can also make use of the relics and warlord traits below"

This phrase restricts relics only to things from exactly this book.

That's not the way I see it at all, or the folks at ITC see it.

Archangels OIF is an archangels detatchment. It's in the name.

Martel732 wrote:
Archangels OIF is an archangels detatchment. It's in the name.

Only if you take the AOIF from the Archangels book. That's what makes it an Archangels detachment, not a shared name.

Are we sure about that? That basically makes all that wargear useless.