Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Blood Angels (section)

==Building Your Army==

So you've decided the Boys from Baal are the army for you, but you're not sure where to start? 
*Your first purchase should be the Start Collecting! Blood Angels box set. In days of yore the Battleforces were the way to go for a new army, but for savings, this is the best stop. With a decent discount (by GW standards) this will net you a Captain in Terminator Armour, ten Tactical Marines, and a Baal Predator. This sets you up off the bat with a Patrol Detachment, at either 25 or 26 Power depending on whether you chose one Tactical Squad of ten, or two of five. One squad of ten is probably best, since you only need one Troops choice, for a Patrol Detachment, and you can combat squad them anyway.

*The Start Collecting! box is decent value for money (£60). To buy the contents separately (Captain, tactical squad, Baal Pred) would cost £81. Combine with the Space Marine Start Collecting! box for an additional tactical squad another Terminator Captain and a standard Dreadnought (as we can't use venerable dreds).

*Devastator Squad. Okay, so heavy weapons aren't really our style, but they still have their place. Each Devastator boxed set comes with multiple options for heavy weapons. If you have spare bodies, you can actually make two 5-man devastator squads with one box. They won't all be armed with the same heavy weapons, but with split fire now a regular thing in 8th it's not such a problem now when mixing heavy weapons. Just try to use weapons with matching range, for example Missile Launchers+Lascannons, Heavy Bolters and Plasma Cannons or Heavy Grav Cannons and Multimeltas. 

*Sanguinary Guard. These guys are relatively cheap to obtain compared to their in-game capabilities. GW is currently selling a 5-man squad for £25.

*If you're looking to buy Rhinos, don't bother. Spend a few more shekels for a Razorback, so you can swap between the Razorback and Rhino option. Obviously, don't glue the roof hatch in place. The boxed set comes with a choice of twin heavy bolters or twin lascannons. For added impact and versatility, if you already have a Land Raider Crusader armed with twin assault cannons, ensure you don't glue it in place, giving you the option to use it on your Razorback when not fielding the Land Raider.

*Your next step should be to find any or all of the following box sets, if they are still available.

Blood Angels Death Company Strike Force: Includes a Chaplain with Jump Pack, three 5-man Death Company units, and a Death Company Dreadnought. Now we're talking! 

Blood Angels Orbital Intervention Force: Includes two five man Assault Terminator Squads, and one Terminator Squad. This is probably the least preferable kit to go for, as Terminators are a huge pointsink. If you do choose this, you'll have enough for a Vanguard Detachment, and the extra Command Point that brings, but may Sanguinius have mercy on your soul.

Golden Host: If the Sanguinary Guard is your thing, this is definitely the box for you.  Includes three 5-man units and the Sanguinor.

Blood Angels Chapter Ancients: Includes three Blood Angels Dreadnoughts, any combination of Furioso, Furioso Librarian, and Death Company. If you go with this option consider building one of each, or two Furiosos and one Death Company. This and your Start Collecting! box gives you a Vanguard Detachment, for an extra Command Point.
This set now appears to be available again on the GW webstore, so don't pay 75 dollars over its retail price on ebay (or do, I don't want to tell you how to live your life).

Blood Angels Crimson Spear Strike Force: Still on sale as of mid 2020 and is a pretty good buy as you get both a Sanguinary Guard unit, 5 Death Company, the extra Blood Angel special Jump Pack Chaplain and a Terminator Captain. Along with a Baal Predator and a squad of Intercessors.
This is well enough to form a pretty powerful Vanguard Detachment if you paint your Intercessors as some angry Death Company. But most importantly, 2 whole upgrade sprues and the Holy Blood Angel Transfer Sheet. 
As it is on GW for £110, buying all the things individually would clock in round about £180.50 so you are saving a good £75.50

Lastly, magnetize the backs of your HQs. Yes, you're often told to magnetize parts of your models, but this time we really, really mean it. Don't worry, backs and backpacks are a lot simpler than weapons. 
Why bother?
Between the Index and Codex, almost all of your Character models can take multiple backpack options. From the plain backpack to the fluffy jump pack to the myriad of weapons available to Techmarine, you'll want to be able to swap them as your list du jour demands.