Horus Heresy 2e Review: Dark Angels Legion Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, rounded down. The rules are really rather good, and some of the best in the game in my (biased) opinion. Your mileage (and builds) may vary. 

Background.

The Dark Angels are the First Legion and hold a lot of the organization of the initial formations over compared to other legions. Horus saw to it that they were well out of the way when the Heresy began. They soon rejoined and were drawn into the Thramas conflicts with the Night Lords. Unleashing their forbidden weaponry, they would eventually crush them, but were unable to head back to Terra and instead found themselves at the side of Sanguinius and Guilliman in Ultramar. They set about countering the traitors and this would lead them to destroy many strong holds including Barbarus of the Death Guard and Chemos of the Emperor's Children. Purging galore in fact. Then they realized they could also get back to Terra. But were a touch late, because reasons. 

Legion Rules Review.

I think the key thing to acknowledge about the Dark Angels legion is that they are pretty much a Swiss Army Knife. This is also why I'm reviewing this legion last - it can be as mutable as the Alpha Legion and just as interesting. 

They can do lots of different things, sometimes at the same time, and no two constructions of this legion that you face will ever quite be the same. Okay, you could say that about any legion, but with the Dark Angels it is much more magnified and exaggerated. It can play in lots of delicious ways! 

This is in turn reflected by the core rule: The Hexagrammaton. All units have to choose one of 6 special rules!

(a) Stormwing. +1 to hit with bolters (including combi's and pistols, and even in a reaction). This is the obvious default choice for your tactical squads. Its fairly outrageous the output that this can cause! Other legions will weep.

(b) Deathwing. +1 to hit with most varieties of swords. This is awesome for your close combat sword wielding squads in any type of armour! Or +1S if you are a ramming vehicle (you won't really take this most of the time I guess). 

(c) Dreadwing. S-1 from incoming flames, plasma, volkite, and phosphex. Also reduction in effectiveness (to wound) of poison and force weapons. Great for those objective sitters, and units that you want to hang around a touch longer (perhaps backline ones like heavy support). 

(d) Ironwing. Re-roll 1's to hit against vehicles. Snap shot at BS=2 if you are a vehicle. Default choice for tank hunters, and all of your tanks. Don't underestimate BS=2 on your vehicles - it can be awesome.

(e) Firewing. Get +1 to wound against independent characters. This rule is for your warlord hunters and for those precise snipers. 

(f) Ravenwing. +1 to running distances will make the White Scars blush. Cavalry get re-rolls to shrouded. But vehicles get +2 movement at cruising speed. Put it on your bikes. And then think if you're facing White Scars and if so put it on your vehicles too - it will really upset them. 

Arsenal of the First Legion gives access to the armoury, Scions of the Hekatonystika yields the Paladin consul upgrade, and The First Legion rule gives the warlord traits. 

Advanced Reaction.

The Angels of Death reaction gives fearless and fear when charged if a Ld test is passed at a level of 2. Otherwise its fear at level 1 and stubborn if failed. This is a cool reaction and can be used in a protective sense, but also in a durability sense to tar pit enemies further when required (in fact, this style of play is one I wholly recommend to you all). 

Difference to First Edition.

All change! Goodness me, its hard to draw a parallel. I will say that I think they're tremendously improved though!