Dark Angels and Bolter Acolytes, experimental concept.

A while back I was discussing potential uses of Dark Angels in the TDC chat since I'll be picking up a Dark Vengeance box sometime soon to drag a friend of mine in the hobby (roughly 1500 points worth of units for just 80 Euros tends to get people drooling for good deals). Since I generally don't approve THAT much of most standard MEQ armies, I thought it was high time to exploit a fun little loophole I came across: Bolter Acolytes!

What I mean by this is that you take three squads, each with 12 Acolytes armed with bolters. A single unit of these is dirt cheap, clocking in at 60 points for units with a horrible armor save and 3 BS, but loads of bolters. Individually these things wouldn't even be worth looking at... Unless... UNLESS! You throw in a banner of devastation. All of sudden these somewhat weak and feeble bolter carrying units become devastating sons of the Emperor, prepared to wipe any opponent off the board in the name of the Imperium of Man. Throw in a librarian with Psyker level 2, prescience and a forcefield and these valiant men will shoot 144 rerollable bolter shots each turn. Don't you just love the smell of gunpowder in the morning?

As such, I have created two lists of which the effectiveness is yet in dispute. Any advice regarding improvements of these lists or potentially entirely different ideas are appreciated. In both instances I have chosen to get the Ravenwing involved to get some fast-hitting anti-tank and objective capturing units on the field. The choice of these too is to be disputed.


List 1, slightly bigger Ravenwing:

1750/1750 Pts

Fortifications:
Aegis Defense Line w/ Quad-Gun (100pts)
Notes: The role in relation to the acolytes should be obvious.

Dark Angels Primary:
Command Squad w/ Banner of Devastation (165pts)

HQ (335pts)
Librarian w/ Infra-visor, Force Sword, Power Field Generator, Psyker Level 2 (135 pts)
Notes: Protect the weakly armored Acolytes with forcefield and use Prescience to make them hit far more often.

Sammael (200pts)

Troops (492pts)
Ravenwing Attack Squadron (246pts)
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta, Typhoon Missile Launcher

Ravenwing Attack Squadron (246pts)
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta, Typhoon Missile Launcher

Fast Attack (378pts)
Ravenwing Black Knights (126pts)

Ravenwing Black Knights (126pts)

Ravenwing Black Knights (126pts)
Notes: The grenade launchers on these are especially useful. If it manages to affect a squad of units with toughness three, these units are now turned into insta-kill material for mere bolters. No saves to wound required!

Iquisitorial Detachment:

HQ (100pts)
Inquisitor Coteaz (100pts)
Notes: Aside from joining one of the henchmen bands, Coteaz will man the quad-gun for fun an profit.

Elites (180pts)
Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband (60pts)
* 12x Acolytes w/ Bolters

Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband (60pts)
* 12x Acolytes w/ Bolters

Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband (60pts)
* 12x Acolytes w/ Bolters


List 2, Additonal HQ:

1748/1750 Pts

Fortifications:
Aegis Defense Line w/ Quad-Gun (100pts)

Dark Angels Primary:
Command Squad w/ Banner of Devastation (165pts)

HQ (330pts)
Librarian w/ Force Sword, Power Field Generator, Psyker Level 2 (130 pts)

Sammael (200pts)

Troops (532pts)
Ravenwing Attack Squadron w/ 2x Meltagun (266pts)
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta, Typhoon Missile Launcher

Ravenwing Attack Squadron w/ 2x Meltagun (266pts)
* Land Speeder w/ Multi-Melta, Typhoon Missile Launcher

Fast Attack (378pts)
Ravenwing Black Knights (126pts)

Ravenwing Black Knights (126pts)

Iquisitorial Detachment:

HQ (100pts)
Inquisitor Coteaz (100pts)

Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor w/ 3x Servo Skulls, Psyocculum, Psyker Level 1, Force Sword (89 Pts)
Notes: I threw this guy in for several purposes. The Servo Skulls to stop any Scouts based army and shoot them to smithereens, the Psyker Level 1 for extra psychic fun and the Psyocculum to utterly detroy whatever even dares to include a psyker. I get the feeling Grey Knights will suffer severe pain.

Elites (180pts)
Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband (60pts)
* 12x Acolytes w/ Bolters

Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband (60pts)
* 12x Acolytes w/ Bolters

Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband (60pts)
* 12x Acolytes w/ Bolters

I have to say that your list is intriguing. I do like the inquisitorial detachment quite a bit. I did menyion in chat that the only drawback i see is lack of AA. One quad gun may be a bit too tight. Of course you now have other options with stronghold assault and may want to upgrade that fortification ... vengeance batteries or firestorm perhaps?

Why would the Banner of Devastation work for units in an Inquisitorial Detachment? It's DA-only units.

Mandor wrote:

Why would the Banner of Devastation work for units in an Inquisitorial Detachment? It's DA-only units.

I have to disagree there. The exact reading is "All friendly Dark Angels within 12" inches re-roll failed morale and pinning tests and all models within 6" treat their bolters as salvo 2/4 instead of rapid firing."

The emphasis here is "ALL models with 6"". You are correct however on one account, that being that the morale boost is given to Dark Angels only, but the salvo buff counts for any model with a bolter. Meaning I could even take Desperate Allies to the Dark Angels that have bolters aswell (If there even are any) and they would still "benefit" from this buff. You could say it's like the forcefield the librarian has... Just different and more specific.

Randozart wrote:

Mandor wrote:

Why would the Banner of Devastation work for units in an Inquisitorial Detachment? It's DA-only units.

I have to disagree there. The exact reading is "All friendly Dark Angels within 12" inches re-roll failed morale and pinning tests and all models within 6" treat their bolters as salvo 2/4 instead of rapid firing."

The emphasis here is "ALL models with 6"". You are correct however on one account, that being that the morale boost is given to Dark Angels only, but the salvo buff counts for any model with a bolter. Meaning I could even take Desperate Allies to the Dark Angels that have bolters aswell (If there even are any) and they would still "benefit" from this buff. You could say it's like the forcefield the librarian has... Just different and more specific.

That's not what is says at all.
Page 66, Codex Dark Angels hardcopy: "Any friendly Codex: Dark Angels unit within 12" of this standard re-rolls failed Morale and Pinning tests. In addition, all friendly Codex: Dark Angels units within 6" of the standard treat their boltguns as Salvo 2/4 weapons."

Mandor wrote:

Randozart wrote:

Mandor wrote:

Why would the Banner of Devastation work for units in an Inquisitorial Detachment? It's DA-only units.

I have to disagree there. The exact reading is "All friendly Dark Angels within 12" inches re-roll failed morale and pinning tests and all models within 6" treat their bolters as salvo 2/4 instead of rapid firing."

The emphasis here is "ALL models with 6"". You are correct however on one account, that being that the morale boost is given to Dark Angels only, but the salvo buff counts for any model with a bolter. Meaning I could even take Desperate Allies to the Dark Angels that have bolters aswell (If there even are any) and they would still "benefit" from this buff. You could say it's like the forcefield the librarian has... Just different and more specific.

That's not what is says at all.
Page 66, Codex Dark Angels hardcopy: "Any friendly Codex: Dark Angels unit within 12" of this standard re-rolls failed Morale and Pinning tests. In addition, all friendly Codex: Dark Angels units within 6" of the standard treat their boltguns as Salvo 2/4 weapons."

My apologies, it indeed does not. I've been reading some of the wrong rules it appears. Thanks for pointing it out.

Randozart wrote:

My apologies, it indeed does not. I've been reading some of the wrong rules it appears. Thanks for pointing it out.

Would have been awesome though.   

unless there was an faq i didnt see it still works on hurricane bolters from DA flier and the landraider crusaders and with ravenwing is fairly standard ... very fun to do as well

Mandor wrote:

Randozart wrote:

My apologies, it indeed does not. I've been reading some of the wrong rules it appears. Thanks for pointing it out.

Would have been awesome though.   

Certainly, it's a shame the "cheap option" didn't work. Seems like the expensive tacs will have to do instead.

helvexis wrote:

unless there was an faq i didnt see it still works on hurricane bolters from DA flier and the landraider crusaders :)and with ravenwing is fairly standard ... very fun to do as well

Which is exactly why I'm experimenting with different Dark Angels setups, maximizing the efficiency of their individual units. Since going full Ravenwing cuts too much in your firepower in my honest opinion.