Well, SW has been out for a few weeks now and I have had a chance to look over the rules some what.
First things I noticed: Berserk Charge, Counter Attack
Well, yes, Space Wolves are supposed to be a brutal army. But Blood Angels live for Close Combat. So, we should see some enhancements for combat coming our way.
Wait, you say, Blood Angels have assault squad troops, elites, and HQ, that should be good enough. Well I say NO. Why? 5th edition is a game of Mechanized forces. I love Jump Troops, but in 5th it is much harder to assault infantry with them. Why? Well they are in a transport and if I assault the transport, they then get the assault on me after they pile out.
Now how this relates to Space Wolves is that all their units have counter attack, and all iterations of Blood Claws have Berserk Charge, giving them typically 4 attacks on the charge and 3 when charged, which is more than my assault troops, who get 3 offensively and 2 defensively. Yes, the Blood Claws are WS/BS 3 but lets number crunch. Our opponent will be one of the most common scoring units in the game right now: Nurgle Plague Marines. WS 4 T 5 I3 3+ Armour Saves.
Lets make the Squads.
So SW first
150 pts for 10 models, though they can get to 15, so lets do that, bringing us to 225 pts.
Now for special weapons. I can get my first flamer for free, melta for 5 or a plasma gun for 10. Since this is 5th ed, I'm taking the melta gun. Since I have 15 guys I get to take my second one for free. Brings us to 230 pts. I'll do one Blood Claw with a Power Weapon and Plasma Pistol, so we are now at 260.
Now if I stuck with 10 models, I would buy a transport. Rhino with Extra Armour. I'd loose the second melta gun, but still be effective. That route costs 245.
Blood Angels Assault Squad
250 pts for 10 models (allready 100 pts more, though 30 buy a Death Company Marine). So 10 Blood Claws in a Transport with Upgrades is already cheaper.
Now to upgrade my squad. Well, since I can't take melta-weapons or two special weapons, I'll take what I can. 3 Plasma Pistols and a Power Weapon. 310 pts now. A melta-bomb so I can handle vehicles like the Blood Claws. 315.
Now to do a break down (rounding up 2+ rolls to a 100% sucess rate for all cases)
15 Man Blood Claws Assault a 10 man Squad of Plague Marines.
Shooting:
2 meltas- 1 Hit, 1 Wound beats armour and allows no Feel No Pain
1 Plasma pistol- Hits 1/2 the time, 1 wound, beats armour, 1/2 casualties
12 Bolt Pistols- 6 Hit, 2 wounds, so they suffer a casualty 1/3 of the time
So lets call that 2 dead from shooting, rounding up.
On the Assault:
1 Power weapon, hits 1/2 the time, wounds 1/3rd the time. So 4 attacks, 2 hit, lets say 1 wound. 1 Casualty.
The other attacks have the same statistics to hit and wound. There are 54 attacks. 27 Hit, 9 wound, 6 save, 1.5 Feels No Pain. 1.5 Casualty.
2.5 dead from Assault. 4.5 Total Down.
10 Man
Shooting. Melta causes a casualty 1/2 the time. Plasma 1/2 of the time. 8 bolts pistols, 4 hit, lets say 1 wound (6 got 2). 1/6 of the time a casualty is taken. So lets call it 2 dead from Shooting.
Assault: Same probabilities. 1 Wound from Power Weapon. 35 Normal Attacks. 18 Hit. 6 wound. 4 save. 1 Feels no Pain. 1 Casualty.
3 Dead Total
Blood Angels:
Shooting
3 Plasma Pistols. 2 Hit. 2 Wound. 2 Casualty.
7 Bolt Pistols. Lets say 5 hit to keep with my rounding up I have been doing. 2 wounds. 1/3 of the time a Casualty will be taken.
Lets call that 2 Casualty from shooting.
Assault
Power Weapon. 4 attacks. 2 Hit. Lets say 1 wound and 1 casualty.
27 Normal Attacks. 14 Hit. Lets say 5 wound. 4 Saves. 1/2 Casualty.
1.5 Casualties
3.5 Total.
Now I know that is rough math, but I did round up everytime giving the roller the Benefit of the doubt.
The thing is the 10 man assault squad lost hands down to the 15 man Blood Claws, and barely eeked out over the 10 man. Plus they were 70 points MORE, for only .5 more casualties. And against lesser troops, like Guard, I'd do far worse in comparisson since I'd just be way under on the number of attacks. The difference between WS 3 and 4 is insignificant when attacking. It does make it easier when getting hit back, but both units are T4 and power armoured, so it won't be that much worse for the Blood Claws. And the Rhino transported blood claws are better protected from shooting. They will almost always go into assault with 10 men. My BA assault squads almost never do.
Blood Angels deserve to get Furious Charge back. Or at least something like this Berserk Charge or maybe base 2 attacks. Something to make us Assaulty again.
More on what Space Wolves mean for Blood Angels tomorrow.
And I will try and have God Machine up this weekend.
