ARMY OF DEATH!
By Gav Thorpe - Chapter Approved
Blame Gordon Davidson. It was all his idea. Okay, now I've got that out of my system, I'll explain myself a little better. Whilst writing Codex Blood Angels, Gordon and I were talking about the Death Company and, quite innocently on his part I'm sure, Gordon brought up the concept of a whole Blood Angels army that has succumbed to the Black Rage. That's right, an army of Death Company! Initially my well-honed Games Developer instincts recoiled in horror from such a mad idea, but the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't escape the obvious appeal. So, to vent my troubled soul I've put together this short article.
This was the first question that assailed me; is it feasible, within the Blood Angels' background, for an entire army to succumb to the Black Rage? Well, of course it is. I can easily picture the scene in my mind...
It is during a major campaign, perhaps the Battle for Armageddon, and the Blood Angels Chapter is fully mobilised. It is the eve of a large engagement and a sizeable force of Blood Angels has assembled in prayer. When their thoughts turn to Sanguinius, they are assailed by visions of their Primarch's death at the hands of Horus. All around them the world lies devastated by their foul enemies and it seems as if the soil itself cries out for vengeance. Countless millions of lives have been lost and their death cries still linger in the air. Infused with hatred, tormented across the millennia by Sanguinius' bloody sacrifice, the Blood Angels feel their anger rising uncontrollably. Who can blame them for succumbing to their savage instinct to kill and destroy the Emperor's enemies? Have they not been raised and trained for just such a purpose? Are they not the protectors of mankind, with a sacred duty to avenge those who have fallen?
It starts with a few Space Marines; their rage breaking forth with hysterical shouts, the quivering of powerful muscles, the blinding waking nightmare of the Black Rage. Like stones cast into a puddle, these few send a ripple of burning ire through their comrades, and more and more of the Blood Angels feel Sanguinius' ancient energy rising through them. The Chaplains themselves fight hard against the urge, but even they cannot hold against the surging tide of anger that sweeps around them. There is no time for rituals now, no time-honoured anointing of armour or prayers to Sanguinius and the Emperor. The whole army is filled with the need to bring terrifying destruction upon their enemies, to fulfill the charnel greed that suffuses their minds and bodies. As one, the army spills forth towards the enemy, baying for blood, chanting the battle cries of the Blood Angels. Like a terrible storm they fall upon their foes, half-blinded with rage. knowing nothing but the need to spill blood; to tear their enemies apart; to wade knee-deep in the gore of the Emperor's foes!
IN THE WARHAMMER 40,000 GAMESo it's perfectly feasible in the background, but how do you field a Death Company army in a Warhammer 40,000 battle? Well, for a start you can fight only with the agreement of your opponent - you can't just turn up with a Death Company army for any old battle! Secondly, it's unlikely that any but the most frenzied Blood Angels player is going to have enough Death Company models to field an entire army of them!
I've come up with the ARMY OF DEATH! Mission which follows. Forces are chosen as for the Battles scenario, with the following exceptions to the Blood Angels army:
No vehicles except Dreadnoughts, Rhinos and Razorbacks may be taken.
All Dreadnoughts follow the rules given for Moriar the Damned, the Blood Angels special character (although their weapons and vehicle upgrades may vary).
All units add +25% to their cost (rounding up). For example, a Tactical Space Marine will cost 19 points instead of 15, an Assault Space Marine will cost 31 points, and so on.
Chaplains cost 75 points each but are not accompanied by any extra Death Company.
As all your units are Death Company, it is pointless rolling at the start of the game to see if they become Death Company again...
In addition the following rules apply during the game:
All units add +1 to their Attacks and Leadership. All characters add +1 to their Attacks.All units automatically pass any Morale checks they have to make.
All models benefit from the Ignore Injury rule as detailed in the Death Company entry of the army list.
Librarians may not use their psychic powers or a force sword.
Do not roll a dice at the start of each turn for the Black Rage - every unit moves towards the enemy as if you had rolled a 1.
As the whole army has gone mad at the same time, it's assumed that they'll go to battle wearing their normal armour - there's no time to paint it black and adorn the armour with symbolic wounds of Sanguinius (though of I know some players, they will anyway!).
OVERVIEW
A large
force of Blood Angels has succumbed to the Black Rage and falls upon the
enemy in a whirlwind of destruction. Their only consideration is to
annihilate their foes, while their enemies must do all they can simply to
survive.
SCENARIO SPECIAL
RULES
Army of Death uses the Victory Points, Random Game
Length, Infiltrators and Deep Strike scenario special
rules.
SET-UP
The defender deploys his entire force up to 24"
from one of the long table edges.
The Blood Angels get the first turn as they launch their assault.
MISSION OBJECTIVE
The
Blood Angels must wipe out their enemies, totally destroying them if
possible.
At the end of the game work out victory points as normal, with the following addition. The Blood Angels score double the normal number of victory points for every enemy unit wiped out (not units that are falling back or have already fallen back oft the table edge). Each defending unit that has not been destroyed, or is falling back off the table, is worth its points in victory points to the defender.
|
RESERVES None. |
GAME
LENGTH The game last a random number of turns. |
| LINE OF
RETREAT Units which are forced to fall back will do so towards the long table edge of their deployment zone, using normal fall back rules. |
