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This review has an alternate title; "How to justify the Dark Angels Codex to those of us who have already painted our armies".

Okay, so I'm a Dark Angels player, and I had read many of the comments surrounding the latest 40K stone tablet from Games Workshop on the newsgroups and from other people. Now that I own the book, I have only one comment to add to the discussion.

Sigh.

Yeah, I read the codex. Read it twice in fact. And I came to the conclusion that I was expecting something that, well...wasn't there. Some rule that would make them stand out, a special ability that would make my opponents tremble and whisper over a half empty beer glass to friends about "those....damn Dark Angels......my poor Bloodthirster never had a chance........" before breaking down into a fit of sobbing. Something that would make the Unforgiven the feared chapter that we read about in the codicies and background history.

Just flipped through it again while I typed this. Still nothing. I like the stubborn rules ("thou shalt not roll morale under any circumstances"), but picturing my tac squads getting butchered in mindless hand to hand against a dreadnought with no way to leave is not making me feel real warm and fuzzy. The intractable rules don't bother me much (roll a D6 for each squad and character, on a "1" they stand still, get "stubborn", and get to shoot); I like shooting anyway, but trying to temper the ability with giving intractable squads "stubborn" is kinda like handing out steroids to professional wrestlers; they pretty much already have it, so why offer it again. Now, the possibility of capturing a fallen angel in the opposing army (on a six at the start of the game, randomly pick an enemy character. If he's dropped in hand to hand, you win a moral victory) as an automatic game winner is novel, but if I manage this in the first or second round, what's the point in continuing, and so therefore, what's the point at all.

So is it a bad codex? Should you paint your figures over? Not at all. Personally, I had to step back and look at the book as a whole, through dry eyes before I saw the true beauty and uniqueness of this army. First, the all-Terminator or all-Ravenwing army options are pretty darn cool. Expensive yes. Difficult to play, yes. But *definately* cool. Land speeder command sections, and the Master of the Ravenwing as a must, not a special character in Ravenwing armies is a nice carrot to feed us, and the rules are sweet (twin assault cannons, twin heavy bolters, and a 4+ invulnerable save is nothing to laugh at).

For that matter, the main DA army is still a lot of fun to play as well....just don't expect fancy rules to win the game for you (as is the case with the Blood Angels and their special rules crutches ....oops! Did I type that out loud?). No, the successful Dark Angels Grand Master will prevail due to superior tactics and a good use of what he has to work with, not a reliance on black-armoured mindlessness.....there I go again. Sorry!

The new codex is true (for the most part) to the Dark Angel background, and the alternate Deathwing / Ravenwing armies gives this chapter a flavor all its own. If you are a Dark Angel player, you may feel let down and discouraged at first by the new codex. Don't be. On the surface it may look like a Kia, but it's still a Lexus inside. 3rd edition Dark Angel players are going to win due to bike saves and "stubborn"-ness, and because they are good, not because they get free suicide squads and bouts of black rage........gotta watch myself there. Sorry.

Besides, thanks to the lower codex prices ($9.99 for these smaller books), for my money it's a good buy whether you play them or not, if for no other reason than to add them to the library of opponents.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Codex: Dark Angels
Author: Jervis Johnson Category: miniature Company/Publisher: Games Workshop Line: Warhammer 40K Cost: 9.99 Page count: 24 ISBN: 1 869893 67 0 Capsule Review by Jason Driver on 05/18/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction	This review has an alternate title; "How to justify the Dark Angels Codex to those of us who have already painted our armies". Okay, so I'm a Dark Angels player, and I had read many of the comments surrounding the latest 40K stone tablet from Games Workshop on the newsgroups and from other people. Now that I own the book, I have only one comment to add to the discussion. Sigh. Yeah, I read the codex. Read it twice in fact. And I came to the conclusion that I was expecting something that, well...wasn't there. Some rule that would make them stand out, a special ability that would make my opponents tremble and whisper over a half empty beer glass to friends about "those....damn Dark Angels......my poor Bloodthirster never had a chance........" before breaking down into a fit of sobbing. Something that would make the Unforgiven the feared chapter that we read about in the codicies and background history. Just flipped through it again while I typed this. Still nothing. I like the stubborn rules ("thou shalt not roll morale under any circumstances"), but picturing my tac squads getting butchered in mindless hand to hand against a dreadnought with no way to leave is not making me feel real warm and fuzzy. The intractable rules don't bother me much (roll a D6 for each squad and character, on a "1" they stand still, get "stubborn", and get to shoot); I like shooting anyway, but trying to temper the ability with giving intractable squads "stubborn" is kinda like handing out steroids to professional wrestlers; they pretty much already have it, so why offer it again. Now, the possibility of capturing a fallen angel in the opposing army (on a six at the start of the game, randomly pick an enemy character. If he's dropped in hand to hand, you win a moral victory) as an automatic game winner is novel, but if I manage this in the first or second round, what's the point in continuing, and so therefore, what's the point at all. So is it a bad codex? Should you paint your figures over? Not at all. Personally, I had to step back and look at the book as a whole, through dry eyes before I saw the true beauty and uniqueness of this army. First, the all-Terminator or all-Ravenwing army options are pretty darn cool. Expensive yes. Difficult to play, yes. But definately cool. Land speeder command sections, and the Master of the Ravenwing as a must, not a special character in Ravenwing armies is a nice carrot to feed us, and the rules are sweet (twin assault cannons, twin heavy bolters, and a 4+ invulnerable save is nothing to laugh at). For that matter, the main DA army is still a lot of fun to play as well....just don't expect fancy rules to win the game for you (as is the case with the Blood Angels and their special rules crutches ....oops! Did I type that out loud?). No, the successful Dark Angels Grand Master will prevail due to superior tactics and a good use of what he has to work with, not a reliance on black-armoured mindlessness.....there I go again. Sorry! The new codex is true (for the most part) to the Dark Angel background, and the alternate Deathwing / Ravenwing armies gives this chapter a flavor all its own. If you are a Dark Angel player, you may feel let down and discouraged at first by the new codex. Don't be. On the surface it may look like a Kia, but it's still a Lexus inside. 3rd edition Dark Angel players are going to win due to bike saves and "stubborn"-ness, and because they are good, not because they get free suicide squads and bouts of black rage........gotta watch myself there. Sorry. Besides, thanks to the lower codex prices ($9.99 for these smaller books), for my money it's a good buy whether you play them or not, if for no other reason than to add them to the library of opponents. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 3 (Average)

Codex: Dark Angels