Written by: DV8, Deathwing Commander
"Let them face the wrath of Angels!"
The Deathwing are one of the visible differences in organization that set the Dark Angels apart from their Adeptus Astartes brethren. Although a subject of much debate, what is important to know is that the Angel progeny of Lion el'Jonson are equipped with great numbers of Tactical Dreadnought suits, more commonly know as Terminator armour. This has allowed the 1st Company of the Dark Angels to take to the field of battle entirely in Terminator armor, a tradition that has been maintained through the harsh millennia.
To field a Deathwing army is to have at your command the most elite units in the game. Terminator squads are capable of shrugging off the most grievous of blows and dealing death to even the toughest enemies. Backed up by mighty Dreadnoughts – great warriors of the past – and supported by lumbering Land Raiders, a Deathwing army arrayed for battle is a sight to behold!
Like any other army, the heart and soul of the Deathwing are its Terminators, and an interesting, if not challenging, variant style of play is to field only Terminators on foot, without the support of Dreadnoughts or Land Raiders. However, where any other army would be found lacking were they to restrict themselves in such a way, the Deathwing are more than capable of holding their own. Terminator squads are a truly versatile unit, with the armour to withstand all but the most deadly of salvos, and the weaponry to take on any foe, mighty or numerous.
This is what this Tactica deals with.
Limited resources
Not only are you limited in your choice of units
(a grand total of two, barring characters), you
are also limited by the number of those units
you will have at your disposal. This means optimisation
on your part, selecting the proper units and weapons
to balance out your army, and to utilise target
selection with extreme prejudice. Understand that
as a Deathwing player, you will be outnumbered
and outmaneuvered by virtually every other army
in the game.
Mobility and reach
Without transports or drop pods, you will be unable
to outmaneuver your more agile opponents. This
means that you will think ahead and formulate
a plan, creating a list of objectives you wish
achieved. You must be willing to see this plan
through to the end, without faltering. Every mistake
you make in the movement phase is two turns wasted
as you recover (one to make the mistake, and another
to reposition). It is in the movement phase that
the outcome of many of your games will be determined.
There is also a concept that you must grasp when you begin playing Deathwing, and that is the idea of reach. Every army has it, but most people don't think about it because it is generally the same for most other armies. Reach may change when units are mounted in transports, and may flux depending on whether a unit armed with a heavy weapon chooses to move or remain stationary. Most players tend not to think about this concept. You don't have that luxury.
Terminators always move and shoot as if stationary. They may also charge after firing (including heavy weapons). This means that you should always be on the move. Every turn you do not puts you six inches further away from your objective. This also means that your reach is considerably further than others, as you can fire to full effect on the move.
Be aggressive
A Deathwing army may lack numbers, but it is by
no means a defensive force. Always play aggressively,
and push the enemy. Force them to react to you,
and not the other way around. Take control of
the game early on and you will find it much easier
to complete your objectives.
Play the odds
Always remember that while one or two guns will
not be enough to by-pass your armour, twenty or
thirty will. The more firepower that is thrown
at you, the odds are the more saves you will fail,
and every casualty will slowly add up.
For Terminator Assault Squads we have a different situation. Some like to get a shooting weapon as a bit of firepower in a squad that otherwise couldn't have any. Personally I don't bother. I prefer my lightning claw squads to have as many attacks as possible for clearing infantry. I do need the occasional anti-tank/big creature attack though. Often this is achieved by adding a thunder hammer terminator to the squad, however I find it better to give the Sgt the thunder hammer and upgrade the storm shield to a power sword (The "El Jason pattern" Sgt) for [xx] points (remember the 1 wound discount). This gives him the four thunder hammer attacks on the charge for vehicles/creatures but also leaves him the option of four power weapon attacks too: almost like the lightning claws!
Deep striking
Terminator squads also have the added benefit
of always being able to Deep Strike, regardless
of the mission rules being used (exceptions Cityfight
missions, where a stratagem must be used). Although
this grants you considerable initial mobility,
remember that every turn afterwards you are like
any other infantry model, moving six inches a
turn.
Should you wish to Deep Strike, think carefully about where you want your squads to enter play, and keep in mind that your units can and will turn up randomly, more often than not arriving piecemeal. For an all-infantry Deathwing army, I highly recommend walking onto the field, rather than Deep Striking (although there are the rare exceptions where it will be beneficial to Deep Strike).
Deployment
The pre-game is incredibly important, both as
a time to formulate a game plan, and to size up
your opponent. The deployment phase is critical
for a Deathwing player, because once the game
begins, you are committed; you will not have the
opportunity to redeploy. There are several things
you want to keep in mind, and what follows is
a short list to get you started on what you want
to be thinking about:
1. What are
the mission objectives?
2. Is the layout
of the table beneficial or detrimental to you
completing those objectives?
3. What kind
of cover is there?
4. Are there
visible or invisible lanes of fire, or perhaps
chokepoints?
Because you can move and fire to full effect,
deployment behind terrain is a good thing. Should
you lose first turn, you will be able to avoid
the initial volley of incoming fire. Be careful
to position your units so that you can move out
blazing on your turn.
Movement
Always, always, ALWAYS move. This cannot be said
enough. If you are not moving, then you are doing
something wrong. Stick to your game plan, and
always be thinking several steps ahead. You must
capitalize on your opponent's mistakes, as they
will capitalize on yours (and you will not be
able to recover as quickly as they can).
Be especially wary of potential enemy assault units. One thing you want to avoid is unnecessary assaults, especially those that catch you early on in the game. Every unit tied up in an assault is a unit that is not shooting the enemy.
Shooting
Unit cohesion is absolutely critical. With so
few units to coordinate their firepower, efficiency
is the name of the game. Remember your objectives
and carefully select your targets accordingly.
Pressure the enemy and if you can take out whole
units, do so. Each enemy unit completely eliminated
is one less unit that you have to worry about
dealing with later on. Avoid over-extending yourself
as well. If you don't think you can afford to
waste fire at a unit, then don't try. Never let
your units handle more than they are capable of,
and never gamble with units.
Assault
Never engage in an assault unless you are sure
of the outcome. Once you find yourself in a melee,
never let yourself become bogged down. You cannot
afford to lose a turn of shooting by having a
unit or two tied up for several turns, and a war
of attrition is one that you can neither afford
nor win.
Weaponry and
wargear for characters
What follows is an outline of weaponry and wargear
suitable for your character(s). When kitting out
your characters, remember always never to over-spend.
Keep it cheap and simple, as it will allow some
measure of flexibility elsewhere with your list.
Storm Bolter
A fantastic mainstay weapon, and a great way to
get in some more shots without spending too many
points. Great for a Chaplain or a Master, but
I wouldn't recommend it for a Librarian as half
the time you will want to be using your psychic
powers.
Combi-weapons
An expensive way to get a one-shot weapon you
wouldn't normally be able to take in Terminator
squads. Not highly recommended as the points are
better spent elsewhere.
Pair of Lightning
Claws
Great weapon for a Master, as you get a bonus
attack and the ability to re-roll your to-wound
rolls. Also a good choice for a Chaplain because
of the Litanies of Hatred, but then you will have
paid extra points for his Crozius Arcanum, which
he can no longer use. Not recommended for a Librarian
(you want to take full advantage of that Force
Weapon).
Power Weapon
Respectable choice for a Master. Cheap, yet effective.
Also an option for a Librarian or Chaplain bestowing
an extra attack, but, at a price.
Power Fists/Thunder
Hammers
Why bother? Leave these for the sergeants to tote
around.
Storm Shield
Great if you want to boost your invulnerable save
in close combat.
Sword of Secrets
Fun in a box. Essentially an uber-Power Weapon,
but at almost triple the points-cost. A good way
to turn your Master into a combat monster. For
the record, the Sword of Secrets is NOT a relic.
Wargear
Terminator Armour
A mandatory choice, so I'll just give some pointers.
Don't forget that because you are using the latest
stats in Codex: Space Marines, you are back to
paying the full cost for Terminator armour, and
that includes Terminator Honors for the bonus
attack. Also keep in mind that you can never Sweeping
Advance.
Iron Halo
If you absolutely must have that invulnerable
save, then go right ahead. But if you really want
a relic, your points are better spent on an Adamantine
Mantle.
Adamantine Mantle
Great way for your Librarian to run in, soak up
hits from the combat monsters out there (like
Daemon Princes), and then strike back with the
Force Weapon. Also a decent choice for either
a Chaplain or Master.
Weaponry for
Sergeants
What follows is an outline of weaponry
suitable for your squad sergeants. Again, remember
always never to over-spend.
Pair of Lightning
Claws
A nice little way to give your Sergeant a little
more edge in combat, but remember that you are
giving up both a Power Weapon and your Storm Bolter.
I'd recommend against this, taking instead…
Thunder Hammer
A fantastic weapon for Sergeants, as they can't
be picked out, and they can still take full advantage
of their Storm Bolter. A nice, if somewhat pricey,
addition to a Terminator squad.
Combi-weapons
Same points as listed above, but because they're
cheaper for Sergeants, they are worth a second
look. Combi-flamers are a nice touch for crowd
control if you find yourself lacking in that department.
Characters
Personal experience and preference, along with
the game size, will dictate the optimal number
of characters. I personally recommend one and
only one regardless of game size, for the very
reason that it saves points, and allows you to
field more Terminators.
The Grand Master of
the Deathwing
He is no longer a mandatory choice, and thank
the Emperor for that. Not of much use here, because
of Stubborn. Paying the extra points per model
means that your army will not gain much from the
Rites of Battle. However, taking a Grand Master
of the Deathwing is the only way to gain access
to the Sword of Secrets, so if you want to use
that most potent of weapons, than the Grand Master
is for you.
The Chaplain
The cheapest character available, because he does
not have to pay for Stubborn, [note: this is NOT
officially endorsed by Games Workshop] and he
already has a free Power Weapon and the Rosarius.
He is the optimal character to choose if you feel
your army needs that combat edge. He also has
the added benefit of extending Litanies of Hatred
to whichever squad he chooses, which is great
for helping swing the tide of combat in your favor.
The choice between the Reclusiarch and the Master of Sanctity is one of personal preference. The Leadership bonus means nothing as he is already fearless, so if you feel you would need that extra wound, then take the Master of Sanctity.
The Librarian
The Epistolary is the only choice worth taking
in the category of psykers. His Leadership 10
gives you the edge you need to both cast and stop
psychic powers with ease. Librarians, however,
have the great negative of being enormous points
sinks should you choose to deck them out.
Storm of the Emperor's Wrath is great for knocking out nearby deep-striking units, or for heavily armored models. It's free too.
Fury of the Ancients is a fantastic choice, as it allows you to pin enemy units and help to minimize incoming fire. It also has the added benefit of virtually unlimited range, letting you extend your reach just that much further.
Fear of the Darkness is a nifty little power, but won't always work considering just how high every other army's Leadership is. Or they tend to have ways to work around it. A neat little surprise if you want to fit it into your list, but not one I would recommend as a mainstay power.
Might of Heroes is incredibly potent, making your Librarian a combat monster. Also great as support because it can boost models around him; perhaps the Thunder Hammer toting sergeant, for when something absolutely, positively must die.
Veil of Time has its ups and downs. It will make him much more potent in combat, but not by much, as he shouldn’t be taking any hits in combat at all.
Vortex of Doom is basically Storm of the Emperor's Wrath on crack. I would suggest sticking with Storm as Vortex of Doom just isn't worth the points in an already expensive army, for an already expensive model.
Keep in mind that you cannot use both a psychic power, and attempt to instant-kill with your Force Weapon in the same turn, though you can still continue to use the Force Weapon as a Power Weapon. You also cannot take a Familiar as you are equipped with Terminator Armour.
The Terminator squads
Because you do not have the mobility of Land Raider
transports, the only squad you should take is
the Terminator squad. Terminator Assault squads
have the unfortunate luck of being equipped with
no ranged weapons at all, and in an expensive
army that needs all the shots it can get leaves
the Terminator Assault squad coming up short.
Unless you plan to free-roam your character around, give your character a Command squad. This gives him the option of Deep Striking with the rest of the army, should you so choose. It also makes him much harder to take down should any enemy reach you in combat. It is also a great way of giving your characters access to Veteran skills (more on that later).
The optimal squad size is six. With five man squads, you only need take three casualties to be below half-strength. With six man squads, you need to take four. Any larger and your squads start becoming too unwieldy and expensive.
Of the three weapon choices that your squads have, Assault Cannons and Cyclone Missile Launchers are prime choices. A recommended ratio is 2:1. For every two squads armed with Assault Cannons, one squad will have Cyclone Missile Launchers. Although overall, Assault Cannons are better in every way, Cyclones have the added benefit of range, extending your reach further, and allowing you a first-strike weapon to knock out armour, or to wound a monstrous creature, early on in the game. They also allow you the potential of great crowd control as you can fire both the Storm Bolter and the Cyclone Missile Launcher in the same turn, on the move.
Your squads also have the option of equipping models with Chainfists. Although not absolutely necessary, they are a great way to fill up points, and to individualise squads.
Veteran skills
The following applies to both characters and squads.
Furious Charge A good skill for characters and their retinues. Librarians get a little edge to knock out enemy characters first, or to start thinning out enemy numbers. Sergeants also benefit as they are armed with Power Weapons, and will strike at the same time as most other characters. Terminators sporting Power Fists will still go last, but will get a strength bonus against armor, or the ultra-tough monsters (Wraithlords, Toughness 7 Carnifexes, the Nightbringer, etc).
Tank Hunters Great skill for squads armed with Cyclone Missile Launchers, making them effectively walking Lascannons against enemy armor. Also usable against light armor, as your Storm Bolters become Strength 5, allowing you to take out medium tanks.
With all that in mind, I began drafting up my list. I had never used a Librarian before, and with the new psychic powers, I couldn't wait to try one out. So that was on my list of must-haves. An Epistolary, with his superior Leadership and three wounds, would serve me well.
I had initially thought Fear of the Darkness a fun power, and had been keen on trying it out. But after careful consideration, it just wasn't effective, and my Deathwing needed all the edge they could get. On the note of Deathwing, I had also opted to field an army based around the Ultramarines 1st Company at the Battle for Macragge, dubbing them the Ultrawing (although I'm sure that term's been used before).'
In regards to gear, I didn't give him any additional wargear other than mandatory Terminator armour, as I still wanted him to remain relatively inexpensive. I turned towards the psychic powers, and began some crafty calculations. I took for my first power Might of Heroes, and Fury of the Ancients as my second. This way, it only cost me 14 points, as opposed to the 18 it would've cost me had I taken them the other way around. Might would give me the edge to deal with big squads, and Fury would allow my Librarian to cause some damage as I closed with the enemy.
I decided to give my Epistolary a Command Squad, so that I could Deep Strike him if necessary, and to act as his bodyguard in-game. After some quick calculations, I allotted four Terminators for this duty. I knew that I would be seeing some combat against big nasty monsters, so I gave both my Librarian and his retinue Furious Charge, to boost their combat prowess. Two Assault Cannons completed the squad.
As I was aiming for 1000 points, I didn't have much else choice. All I could take was two Terminator squads.
First I took a five-man squad, armed with Cyclone Missile Launchers, to be my first strike weapons against enemy armour. I also gave them Tank Hunters to increase their potency.
Second was a six-man squad, armed with two Assault Cannons. I had 6 points left, and since I couldn't afford to give the last squad a Veteran skill, I opted for a Chainfist instead, to give them some edge against heavy armor in combat.
So I give you…
+++ ULTRAWING +++
HQ
Epistolary Bastiaan [162 points]
Force Weapon, Psychic Hood, Terminator Armour
Might of Heroes, Fury of the Ancients
Stubborn with Furious Charge.
Terminator Command
Squad [232 points]
Sergeant w/ Power Weapon, Storm Bolter
3 w/ Power Fists, 1 Storm Bolter, 2 Assault Cannons
all Stubborn and with Furious Charge.
Troops
6-man Terminator Squad [315 points]
Sergeant w/ Power Weapon, Storm Bolter
5 w/ Power Fists, 1 Chainfist, 3 Storm Bolters,
2 Assault Cannons
All Stubborn.
5-man Terminator Squad
[290 points]
Sergeant w/ Power Weapon, Storm Bolter
4 w/ Power Fists, 2 Storm Bolters, 2 Cyclone Missile
Launchers
all Stubborn and with Tank Hunters.
Total 999 points with 16 Terminators in 3 point-scoring units.
+++++
And so I end this article, and I hope those who
have read it through from beginning to end will
have gleaned some wisdom from my somewhat wordy
drivel. The most important thing to remember is
that these are not set rules. This Tactica is
merely a guideline, and everyone needs to find
a style of play that suits them best. The most
this article (and others like it) can do is point
you in a suitable direction. The journey is for
you to make.
----------
DV8
