So as everyone who is into 40k and well... tabletop war gaming in general may well know that Games Workshop FINALLY released an update to their old Dark Angels codex. The last edition came out LONG AGO way back in third edition of the 40k rule set. Well here we are it is 2013 and I know that old codex is more than a decade old I say it is about time. But they really need to get things in gear and look at releasing one for the Black Templars and the Tau. Then go back through and look at updating the rest of the books that came out for 5th edition.

So Dark Angels... this is actually a well made book. Games Workshop has gone to all of their army books being hardback instead of softcover like they have been all along. Of course with this also comes the fact that the book is now full color (the Chaos Space Marines were the first 40k army to get this treatment) and also with this comes a heavy price tag of $49.50us which is a bit steep if you ask me. But then again Games Workshop games in general have gone to the land of outlandish prices. If you take the price out of the situation it is actually a great book. good heavy cover and the paper is a heavy stock. Of course GW has a habit of recycling artwork going all the way back to the 1980's but then again what else is new.

The "fluff" is actually pretty good in the book. I personally am not all that familiar with the Dark Angels back story I do know that there are some pretty heavy changes with what used to be. The writer has completely cut out all references to the army having sort of a Native American inspired background. The entire army is based on knights and honor and all that kind of stuff and now the Deathwing are just the elite of the elite and are the first step to the inner circle. They are still after "the Fallen" and there is mention of Cypher in the book but the split that originally took place is now all together different. Because Cypher didn't lead the split and he is not the leader of the Fallen. The split is now lead by some guy named Luther and he is being held in the Rock. Now like I said my knowledge of the Dark Angels fluff isn't the greatest but I am pretty sure that is not how things happened.

Isn't there someone back there at GW that fact checks the stuff that is being written with the stuff from the past so that everything lines up properly? Or do they just not care anymore?

Stepping away from the fluff of the book, the army list section looks fairly stout. there are some new entries into the army like the Deathwing Knights, the Nephilim Jet Fighter, and the Landspeeder Vengeance just to name a few. The Vengeance and the new flyers the Dark Talon and the Nephilim are filling the roles of something that the Ravenwing side of the army was lacking and that was hard hitting fire support. Now just as before the army is Plasma Cannon heavy but with the new rules for 6th edition enough glances can take out tanks. The Deathwing Knights have a really cool one time use ability called smite that makes their melee attacks strength 10. The regular Deathwing terminator squad has access to a plasma cannon (see told you they are plasma heavy) but they have the Split fire ability. I could go on and on telling you about all the cool new toys and special rules they have but then what would be the point of you going out and getting one of these yourself.

I am not saying that this is going to be the next king of the heap army out there as I am a little rusty when it comes to how things work in 40k as I have been avoiding 6th edition for a little while now, but the army list looks pretty solid and with the right list build and if the dice are in your favor it should do really well. But at the same time that goes with any army in 40k. All in all from my personal opinion if you can make peace with spending $49.50 for the book then it is really worth it. If you are a Dark Angels fan you should really look at picking it up. But take this review as it is... my opinion.

Labels: Dark Angels