+++++RANT WARNING+++++
First READ THIS.
So I want to know what they were thinking with the new SW. Were they not thinking? In all fairness, I haven't seen the Codex yet. I am basing all this off the Rumour mill. Maybe it won't be as bad as it looks to me right now. But I have a soapbox, and I am going to stand on it.
First off: The Good/Okay
It is okay that Bjorn is AV 14. I get that. Fine. Whatever.
Ragnar should be a combat beast.
Njal. Okay, Tigurius is suppossed to be wicked powerful, looking into the Shadow of the Nids. But it seems like Njal is more of a combat Librarian. Sure he knows crap tons-o-powers, but he will most likely only use 2-3 a turn. As long as he is super expensive, cool. Oh, and Mephiston better get an I save when the new BA come out.
A little weird that Logan Grimnar is now the best SM leader, but okay I guess. At least all these dudes are wicked expensive. But they are characters. I'd rather have some sweet expensive ones from a fluff and balance point than the new Guard tactic of TAKE ALL THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK.
SW should have acute senses. Agreed.
Non-Gay He-man Character with a wolf pack. Pretty cool. Anything that can pull off He-Man minus the Homo-eroticness is fine by me.
Where it really starts to go down hill:
1. Wulfen.
Unless it is something like DC they jacked it up. What the hell needs to be more "mysterious". They are werewolfs. Done. If you read the SW novels, you understand fully what they are already. They should have done with Wulfen what they did with The Legion of the Damned in the SM codex. My friend owns 15 Wulfen models. What is he going to do with them now?
2. Sagas
So let me get this straight. You remove the trait system from the SM. You remove Doctrines from the IG. You make SM use chapter tactics, which you can use only one of.
Then you add Sagas to Space Wolves. Why? It is chapter traits with a different name and instead of just generally selected, a Character takes them. Big Whoop. They still affect the whole army.
3. Counter attack.
They already got acute senses. Why should they be better than ever SM out there? Huh? And the rule is called Battle Brothers (at least right now). WHAT! All SM are battle brothers. SW are more drinking brothers than battle brothers. Actually, just drinking buddies. I am pretty sure they are into the whole "Personal Glory" thing. Thats why you gave them the SAGAS. So what is it? A tight knit band of brothers, or a bunch of glory hounds (pun intended)? MAKE UP YOUR MIND. Yeah, so you say they are all wicked expensive and you will always be outnumbered. BUT when facing SM they should have roughly the same number of guys and same ability. SW shouldn't be these gods amongst SM.
4. Multi use blood claws.
This can swing two ways. I am fine with them being used as Infantry, Jump Infantry or Bikes IF AND ONLY IF Jump Infantry and Bikes make them fast attack. If they stay troops, then why play any other SM list?
5. Long Fangs.
They were better than normal devs already. Now they are doubly better. Since SW are better than normal Marines and then Long Fangs are better than normal Devs, you get twice the bonus. So what if I pay more, THEY SHOULDN'T BE LEAPS AND BOUNDS AHEAD OF NORMAL SM.
6. Two Special Weapons
SO now they are better than Chaos Marines. Damn. Damn Damn. Damn.
"Ten men and 2 special weapons for 150". WHAT THE HELL. It costs Blood Angels 190 for a ten mand squad (which does give 1 DC), but UNUPGRADED. AND I don't have counter attack and acute senses. ANGRY!!!! Wait, I remember seeing things saying "The SW will be super expensive and you will always be outnumbered". 150 pt, twin special weapon, 10 man scoring units. Really?
7. BOLT PISTOL, BOLTER, AND CHAINSWORD!!!!
YOU ARE NOT CHAOS MARINES! YOU ARE NOT CHAOS MARINES!
Now go back to bullet 6. 150 pts. 10 men. 2 Special weapons.
Now read bullet 7 again. There is no intelligence left in codex writing. They do whatever they want each time and don't even read the other books. They don't care about balance. I seriously think that in play testing, if a new army doesn't win 2/3rds of the time or more, they delay it and make it better. Thats why it is taking forever for Dark Eldar.
8. Terminator Troops.
Well, there is no point to play Dark Angels anymore. They killed a codex. Flat out killed it. SM can have bike troops, SW terminator troops. Game Set Match. You had a good run Dark Angels. Sorry your list was the last one written with some semblance of balance and thought. Obviously there was a board meeting the day after your release where it was decided from now on everything would be, and I (hypothetically) quote the GW game designers, "More Super Awesomer" than the previous release.
So with my luck either they will realize the monster they created and make BA worse, or they won't stop and make BA even better. Either way, I am scared and I lose.
This post is dedicated to the Dark Angels. Rest in Peace.
1996-2009