INDEX ASTARTES: DARK ANGELS

he Dark Angels were founded in a time

older than legend, and since then, they
have been amongst the staunchest of
Mankind’s defenders. Merciless and
relentless in the attack and stubborn and zealous
in the defence, there are few foes of the
Imperium they have not defeated. Their name is
held in awe by those who look to them for
protection. But for all their fame, a thick air of
mystery surrounds them. The Dark Angels keep a
terrible secret – one so dreadful and shameful it
is kept even from many of their own order.
Should outsiders discover what the Lion’s sons
have hidden for ten thousand years, damnation
could follow. In the Era Indomitus, never have the
Dark Angels been more awake to such a danger.

ORIGINS
The very earliest days of the Imperium are known
to even the most learned of the 41st Millennium
largely through texts and records that are little
more than collections of myth and allegory.
Stories are told of the Unification Wars, the
Shrouded in mystery are the Space Marines mighty struggles in which the Emperor brought
the disparate tribes of Old Terra to heel. With
known as the Dark Angels. For ten thousand Humanity’s homeworld finally secured, it was
years they have harboured a dark secret – one then that the Emperor’s eyes turned to the stars.
Countless trillions of human beings toiled on
that could lead to their destruction should it millions of worlds, separated from their planet of
ever be discovered. The induction of origin by warp storms, calamitous events, and
worse. The Emperor’s aim was nothing less than
Greyshield Primaris Marines has forced the Mankind’s domination of the stars, every man,
Dark Angels and their successors to challenge woman, and child united by a single cause. Thus
did he create the Primarchs, his sons, mighty
their traditions and test their loyalties. beings who would lead their Legions of Space
Marines in a Great Crusade to sweep the stars
clean of the traitor and the alien. Twenty such
beings did he create. What the Emperor’s original
plans for them were can never be known, for the
twenty incubation capsules holding his greatest
works were scattered across the galaxy by forces
impossible to understand. The capsule
containing the being who would later be known
as Lion El’Jonson was cast to the heavily forested
death world of Caliban. With Caliban’s vast
population of mutated and predatory creatures,
those humans who called Caliban home lived in
feudal societies under constant threat of attack.
Their rulers, a warrior elite, dedicated their lives
to defending their settlements, on occasion
setting out on quests to slay particularly large or
dangerous creatures.

How the Lion survived on such a world as a child

for years was a mystery. In but a short time, he
grew tall and strong, far faster than any human
child could. The stories say that he survived for a
decade before encountering a single human
being. Whether by fate or chance, the Lion was
discovered by a group of knights that belonged to
a martial organisation known as the Order.
Believing him to be a dangerous beast, they
 INDEX ASTARTES
made to strike the young Primarch down. It was by multitude of points, agree that the first stirrings of
the intervention of a man of their number named envy murmured in Luther’s heart.
Luther, who recognised El’Jonson as undeniably
human, that they did not. Instead they realised During this time, the Emperor’s campaign to unite
that El’Jonson was not a threat and brought him the stars under Humanity’s rule had been raging
with them to civilisation. Due to his wild nature for some years. When the Imperium’s outriders
and the place of his discovery, they named him finally discovered Caliban, the Emperor was
Lion El’Jonson, meaning ‘The Lion, the Son of the reunited with his lost son. He gave over to the
Forest’. This mysterious man adapted to their Lion command of the First Legion, those created
language and ways with remarkable speed, and with El’Jonson’s gene-seed. It is said that the Lion
when he was brought to civilisation he quickly accepted the Emperor’s rule without hesitation,
assimilated with Caliban society. During this time feeling the powerful bond between them and
he and Luther formed a firm friendship, in which understanding the drive to unite Mankind.
the strengths and weaknesses of each melded Wishing to follow him in battle across the stars, a
seamlessly, and a formidable partnership was great many of Caliban’s knights were implanted
made. Together, they climbed the Order’s ranks, with the Legion’s gene-seed to become Space
the organisation expanding as its fame grew from Marines. Those too old underwent transformative
word of their great victories. Eventually, the Lion surgery, making them stronger than ever before
and Luther declared a grand crusade to sweep but still no match for a true member of the
Caliban clean of its monsters and beasts. It was Legiones Astartes. Luther was among this cohort,
Luther whose charisma and oratory skill rallied and no doubt the embers of jealousy within him
Caliban’s nobles and knights to the cause, and it grew, even as he became the Legion’s second-in-
was the Lion’s incomparable strategic genius that command. When he was dispatched back to
resulted in the crusade’s victory after a decade of Caliban after a handful of campaigns fighting
hard fighting. alongside his Primarch to oversee the Dark
Angels’ recruitment, it felt more like a dismissal
Upon this achievement, the Lion was proclaimed to him. It can only be inferred how the sparks of
the new Supreme Master not only of the Order, Luther’s jealousies were stoked into a raging
but the whole of Caliban. It was at this point that inferno by the news of the Lion’s great victories
the scattered fragments of apocryphal tales, and of his valour and courage across hundreds of
many of which conflict or even contradict on a battlefields as the years ticked by.
 THE BETRAYAL tool. Both the Lion and the Dark Angels’ fury
When the terrible betrayal of the Horus Heresy knew no bounds at the thought of their own
came, the Dark Angels were far from the civil war’s turning against the Emperor. The Lion
main battlefronts, dispatched there by Warmaster orchestrated a strike directly against Luther, the
Horus where they could not disrupt his plans. Primarch determined to personally punish the
Despite the Lion’s efforts, his Legion could not man who was formerly his closest ally even as the
reach Terra in time before the Throneworld was Dark Angels’ fleet pounded the surface of
besieged by Horus’s armies, and by the time they Caliban. The bombardment was so powerful that
arrived the cataclysmic battle was already over. it destabilised the planet itself, shattering its
The only course left to the Dark Angels was crust and unleashing ruinous tectonic forces.
revenge, and the Lion’s sons played a principal Luther, by now made grossly powerful thanks to
role in the events later named ‘the Scouring’, when the Chaos Gods, was more than a match even for
the remaining traitors were destroyed or pushed the Lion in personal combat, and the Primarch
into the Eye of Terror. Little did the Dark Angels only subdued him after hours of brutal duelling.
know that there was one final act of treachery left In the final moments, the Lion could not bring
to be discovered. himself to cut down his former friend, and in that
moment of hesitation Luther struck him with a
Returning to Caliban, the Dark Angels fleet furious psychic attack that left him mortally
moved into orbit and was immediately beset by a wounded. The deed lifted a veil from Luther’s
barrage of defensive weapons fire from the eyes, revealing the extent of his betrayal to him.
planet below. Despite the immense shock of such He cast aside his sword and collapsed to his
an act, the Lion’s superhuman reactions and knees, his sanity shattered by the realisation of
immense intellect allowed much of the fleet to what he had done.
withdraw to safety in order. He realised that
Luther’s jealousy must have warped into If the reports held are true, the Dark Gods were
bitterness and hatred. With his undeniable so angered by the loss of this servant that the
charisma and powerful oratory, it was easy to see warp around Caliban convulsed with their rage,
how Luther could have turned generations of new and a warp storm engulfed the planet. The
recruits against the Primarch and his warriors. The unleashed energy swept across the surface, the
Ruinous Powers easily exploited Luther’s anger as world itself splitting into fragments on a crust
the weakness it was, and he had become their weakened by the intense fury of the Dark Angels’

The squad number is borne The Dark Angels Chapter

upon the right shoulder. icon – the winged sword
– is a symbol adopted
from the ancient Order
of Caliban.

Battleline

Veteran

3RD 4TH 5TH

Close support

Fire support 6TH 7TH 8TH 9TH

In the Dark Angels, the
brothers of the Battle and
The battlefield role is Reserve Companies wear their
shown by the icon on the company markings upon their
right pauldron. Brother Balor, 5th Company, left knee pads.
3rd Squad (battleline)
 INDEX ASTARTES

orbital bombardment. Those of Luther’s ‘Fallen’ survived the warp storm that had engulfed THE ROCK
Dark Angels who still lived were sucked into the Caliban, the Masters of the Legion saw both All that was left of
warp vortex and cast into time and space, and all opportunity for redemption and the threat of Caliban after
Luther’s betrayal
but one part of destroyed Caliban went with their secret shame being revealed. The need to was the ruins of the
them. Protected by an ancient force field, the pursue and capture or kill the Fallen has been a Dark Angels’
Legion’s fortress monastery and a hunk of driving force of the Dark Angels ever since. Until fortress monastery
and a vast hunk of
bedrock remained. Dark Angels loyalists scoured the last Fallen is eliminated, all Dark Angels bedrock on which it
the devastation, seeking survivors and the would be known to each other – but not to the sat. The Dark Angels
whereabouts of their gene-sire. All they found wider Imperium – as Unforgiven, a term given to rebuilt the fortress
and dug deep into
was Luther, curled in a foetal ball and endlessly all successor Chapters following the Legion’s the bedrock, over
repeating the same phrase, that the Lion had acquiescence to the Codex Astartes. For ten time outfitting it
been taken away by the Watchers in the Dark and thousand years the Unforgiven have together and with docks and even
warp engines. For
that one day he would return to forgive Luther of in secret pursued this mission alongside their thousands of years,
all the sins he had committed. Luther was locked primary duty as Space Marines. it has been known
away in the bowels of the Rock. Of the Primarch, simply as the Rock.
there was no sign. DARK IMPERIUM AND THE ERA INDOMITUS Unlike many other
When the Cicatrix Maledictum tore across the Chapters, the Dark
In the aftermath of these terrible events, the galaxy, the Rock was situated in the northern half Angels have no
official homeworld.
surviving Masters of the Legion decided that of the Imperium, known later as the Imperium Instead they recruit
none of the events that had transpired would be Nihilus. Totally cut off from the Astronomican, from a number of
revealed to the wider Imperium, lest they invite Imperial worlds and assets were and remain to worlds. All aspirants
are screened
retribution for their Fallen brothers’ crimes. The this day highly vulnerable, and the Rock was no thoroughly, and from
Inner Circle was formed to safeguard the Legion’s exception. When the Fallen Daemon Prince the moment they
secrets, and an overlapping system to watch over Marbas invaded it, blood flowed in every hall and join the Chapter
their past lives are
the Dark Angels was developed to scrutinise any corridor, dock and dungeon. But without warning, made irrelevant. To
and all of their number for signs of corruption, the invaders vanished. The survivors considered a Dark Angel, only
sowing the seeds of mistrust and secrecy that themselves fortunate, believing the attack’s only the Chapter
matters.
defines the Dark Angels Chapter in the 41st purpose to be mindless slaughter. This was false,
Millennium. When it was discovered that though only Supreme Grand Master Azrael has
somehow some of the Fallen Dark Angels any idea of the assault’s true aims. Luther, raving
 madman and betrayer of Lion El’Jonson, buried
CAPTAIN LAZARUS OF THE 5TH COMPANY
deep in the Rock, had vanished. Whether he was
Captain Lazarus attained his rank when his predecessor,
taken unwillingly or escaped with the attackers of
Captain Balthasar, was slain in the chaotic battles that
his own volition, Azrael did not know. Nor could
erupted in the aftermath of the Cicatrix Maledictum’s
he know why this happened. Nonetheless, Azrael
emergence. Lazarus fought bravely in War Zone Stygius and in
remains ever vigilant for the slightest hint of
the fighting aboard the Rock in the Fenris System, after which
Luther’s whereabouts, paying close attention to
he developed a powerful hatred for the forces of the
battlefield reports, calls for aid, and any other
Thousand Sons and the followers of Tzeentch. An expert
intelligence the Unforgiven have. Never has the
strategist and tactician, his leadership prevented a total rout
Dark Angels’ security been breached in such a
of Imperial forces on the ice world of Rimenok, though he was
potentially catastrophic way, and never will
severely wounded by fell sorcery during the fighting. With even
Azrael allow his Chapter’s secrets come to light.
a Dreadnought’s sarcophagus incapable of preserving his life,
the only option remaining to the Dark Angels’ Apothecaries
In the wake of this event, and the Darkmor
was to put Lazarus through the crossing of the Rubicon
Massacre in which hundreds of Unforgiven were
Primaris. After days of surgery, Lazarus was a changed man,
slain in a brutal ambush whilst in pursuit of the
but very much alive, his determination to punish the servants
Fallen, Azrael convened an emergency gathering
of Tzeentch stronger than ever. This was a historical event. As
of the Unforgiven. Every loyal son of the Lion
a member of the Inner Circle, becoming a Primaris Space
made the arduous journey to the Rock. Many
Marine made Lazarus the first Primaris in that elite group.
never arrived, lost in the warp or embroiled in
conflicts en route. Azrael waited as long as he
dared for as many of the Unforgiven to arrive as
possible. As he prepared to commence the
council, one more fleet arrived – not one last
Chapter of Unforgiven, but that of Roboute
Guilliman, Lord Commander of the Imperium.

Azrael feared the worst, that the returned

Primarch had come to destroy the Unforgiven to
punish them for their past sins. Azrael considered
standing and fighting, or ordering the Chapters of
the Unforgiven to withdraw to safety. Either was
an admission of guilt, something he had sworn to
never do before those outside the sons of the
Lion. Instead, he gave permission for Guilliman’s
fleet to dock. Azrael’s fears were unfounded; the
Primarch brought reinforcements rather than
censure. These were the Primaris Space Marines.
There were thousands in the colours of the Dark
Angels and their successors as well as entirely
new Chapters claiming to be descendants of the
Lion. The Supreme Grand Masters pledged their
allegiance to the Lord Commander, the
Imperium, and the Indomitus Crusade.

Mistrusting of others by nature, the Dark Angels

and the Unforgiven were not quick to assimilate
these new arrivals. These Primaris had not heard
the apocryphal tales or gone through the long
indoctrinations like those of the Unforgiven.
They were not tested in battle. Their
loyalty to their parent Chapters had not
been ascertained in the painstakingly
detailed way the Dark Angels preferred.
But those who had suffered most at the
Darkmor Massacre, the Angels of Vengeance,
Consecrators, and Guardians of the Covenant,
were more eager than others to use the Primaris.
Thus began a great period of intensive testing
and scrutiny. The Primaris performed superbly in
battle, notably in Stygius, Saltire Vex, the Siege of
Hive Trall, Allhallow, and the Gratyann Incursion.
 INDEX ASTARTES
The Primaris were found to adapt well to the
APHARAN OF THE DEATHWING
Unforgiven’s ways of war and fight competently
Brother Apharan joined the Dark Angels directly from the
alongside their battle-brothers. In addition, their
Greyshields. Many battles later, he is the only warrior left alive
various squad types, weapons, and vehicles
from his original squad of ten. A grim figure possessed of the
proved useful assets for those commanding Dark
taciturn nature observed in most Dark Angels, Apharan knew
Angels strike forces across numerous war zones.
that wearing Dark Angels colours alone would unlikely be
Bonds were forged in battle, and many observed
enough to earn his brothers’ respect or to be accepted into
that their Primaris brethren’s temperament and
their cloistered brotherhood. Despite already having a wealth
tendencies were very much like their own,
of victorious battles to his name, Apharan made it his personal
presumably as a result of shared gene-seed. The
task to learn every lesson he could from his new brothers,
Dark Angels hastened to induct more Primaris
absorbing what little of their history they revealed, their rituals,
Space Marines from scratch after observing their
combat patterns, and more. Rapidly taking in this complex
battlefield capabilities, indoctrinating these
information, Apharan applied it on battlefield after battlefield,
neophytes as they would any other recruits. Thus
swiftly earning a reputation for competence, efficiency, and
were more Primaris added to the Chapter’s ranks,
ruthlessness. During the boarding of the Heretic Astartes strike
moulded in exactly the manner the Chapter
cruiser Pain Aeterna, he single-handedly defended a vital
desired. Some of the Dark Angels chose to cross
chokepoint against waves of traitor cultists and crew after
the Rubicon Primaris, impressed by the physical
having run out of ammunition. His actions drew the attention of
feats that their new brethren could achieve. Some
the Deathwing, who initiated him into their ranks.
traditionalists refused to go through such a
process. Others advised against this course of
action; with a high risk of death, the Chapter information bore upon his thinking, as did his
could lose many of its warriors. Some crossed own experience of seeing the Greyshields’
without choice, returned to battle readiness after impressive skills in battle. He thought long on
suffering grievous injuries. The Inner Circle the matter. Luther’s escape weighed heavily on
decreed that the Apothecarion would carry this his mind. This burden was only made heavier
out with seriously wounded battle-brothers to when rumours reached him of a mustering of the
ensure that the Chapter had more Primaris Space Fallen beginning in the Somnium Stars. He
Marines who could be fully trusted. The Primaris doubted little that Luther himself was in some
were undoubtedly powerful and useful, but many way responsible. Should these rumours hold any
of the Inner Circle retained misgivings over the truth, potentially every one of the Unforgiven
former Greyshields. would have to be ready to meet the threat. No
doubt this played a significant role in his decision
Inevitably, questions arose around whether to permit the induction of the former Greyshields
Primaris Space Marines formerly of the and warriors of the Ultima Founding into the
Greyshields and of the Ultima Founding Chapters Inner Circle, should they be deemed worthy of
should be inducted into the Inner Circle. Some such an honour and indeed judged capable of
argued that it simply could not be allowed to withstanding the shock of the truth.
happen. Others stated that as inheritors of the
Lion’s genetic legacy, they should have the When Azrael made his decision known, many of
mental fortitude to handle the secrets they might the Masters and Chapter Masters were incensed.
learn, and indeed a responsibility to play their Knowing that he could not tell them of Luther’s
part in the eventual defeat of the Fallen. Some escape, Azrael faced the prospect of causing a
took a more pragmatic view, their stance being second schism amongst the sons of the Lion. The
that battlefield attrition alone might require it. gravest threat the Dark Angels and their
The debate moved from a purely theoretical one successors had faced in ten thousand years
as some members of the Inner Circle personally brewed in the Somnium Stars, and he risked
vouched for certain individuals or reported making more of his brothers renegade.
incidents where the Fallen had been observed Employing all of his diplomatic skill and
by those who should not have seen them. One appealing to the successors’ unimpeachable
such example was Interrogator-Chaplain Zaeroph, sense of duty, he persuaded all to consider
who had been serving alongside the 3rd another test. The Deathwing had petitioned him
Company in the Chalnath Expanse. His testimony with one Brother Apharan. The former Greyshield
was of particular significance, given his previous had earned their attention, and the Deathwing
hostility to the reinforcements brought to the believed he might be worthy of joining their
Rock by Roboute Guilliman. number. Azrael put to the Chapter Masters and
Masters that he had confidence that Apharan
All of these arguments informed Azrael’s thinking would pass the trials, hear the truth, and succeed
on this most important of questions. His as any Dark Angel might. Azrael staked his
knowledge of the Dark Angels’ secrets surpassed Chapter’s entire reputation on a single warrior.
all others, and he alone knew the full risks and Many of those sceptical were moved by Azrael’s
opportunities in any course of action. All of this conviction and humility before them, despite his
 superior rank. Many were persuaded by this act The Unforgiven operate with great coordination
alone, knowing that Azrael would never make in these most trying of times. Accusations of
such a choice without total confidence in future Legion building are spoken louder than ever
success. Azrael personally oversaw Apharan’s before in some Inquisitorial circles, but the
trials, which the former Greyshield passed. Whilst counter arguments in defence of the Dark Angels
some of the successor Masters remained and their successors are now made just as loudly.
sceptical, they still conformed, their loyalty to The Unforgiven’s martial might is beyond
and trust in Azrael outweighing their doubts. question, their tally of victories now beyond
count. Some make the argument that such a force
With this matter resolved, the Dark Angels and acts as an essential counterweight to the growing
the Unforgiven ply the stars with renewed vigour power of Ultramar following Guilliman’s return.
and unity of purpose just as the Lion and his The ferocity of this debate has grown such that
knights swept old Caliban, purging the galaxy of internecine conflict has broken out among some
the traitor, mutant, heretic, and alien wherever Inquisitors, each participant believing they are
they find them. For the Unforgiven, the slaying of doing what is best for the Imperium.
every foe is an act of repentance. They break
sieges, crush rebellions, and stymie invasions. All COMBAT DOCTRINE
the while the Inner Circles remain ever vigilant for Though the Dark Angels have spent nearly ten
signs of the Fallen, following leads wherever they millennia hunting the Fallen, the great majority of
are found. Those Primaris formerly of the their battles have nothing to do with their
Greyshields have knowledge of Mars and the heretical forebears. As loyal Space Marines, the
returned Primarch beyond the wildest dreams of sons of the Lion deploy to defeat the enemies of
the Librarius and Interrogator-Chaplains and the Imperium as would any Space Marine
provide vital intelligence that the Dark Angels Chapter. Nevertheless, each battle-brother is
never had access to before. vigilant for signs of sedition on every battlefield.
To most of the Dark Angels this is simply a part of
Despite their eventual embrace of their Primaris their loyalty to the Emperor. To those of the Inner
brethren, the Dark Angels were less accepting of Circle, anything found could be an essential clue
the Martian magi who accompanied them when in the hunt for the Fallen.
Guilliman reached the Rock. These Tech-Priests
are essential to the induction of the Primaris With the exception of the Deathwing and
Space Marines, a state of affairs the Chapter finds Ravenwing, the Dark Angels follow standard
extremely irksome. Many pains have been taken Space Marine combat doctrine as written in the
to give them as little access to the Rock as Codex Astartes. Tactical flexibility, rapid
possible and keep them under heavy deployment, and combined arms are key
surveillance. At the same time the Dark Angels’ components of their strategies. This is common to
Techmarines and Apothecaries strive to learn all most Space Marine Chapters, though they have
they can from the magi, in the hopes that they been noted by some observers for their
can render the Martian priests redundant. especially dogged resistance even in the face of
overwhelming odds.
NERAEL OF THE RAVENWING
Recruited on Kimmeria, the very same world as Chapter In the same vein as their father, Dark Angels
Master Azrael, Nerael very nearly failed the Dark Angels’ officers are expert tacticians and specialists, and
punishingly difficult aspirant tests. Nerael pushed through the have been quick to capitalise on the skills of the
incredible pain of the monster hunts and the psychic invasion Primaris Space Marines and the particular
of his mind with sheer force of will alone, earning a place in capabilities of their different squad types. New
the 10th Company. He soon began to excel in all areas of specialised formations have been developed to
training. His dogged determination set him apart, even from work alongside ancient patterns such as the
those as mentally and physically robust as Space Marine Hammer of Caliban and Scout Recon Stalker Strike.
recruits have to be by virtue of their position. Nerael was Caliban’s Reach is but one example, which
implanted with the Primaris organs as a part of his induction combines the immense firepower of Hellblasters
to the Dark Angels. Upon ascension to full battle-brother, he and Devastator Centurions to incredible effect. The
progressed through many companies before returning to the advanced infiltration and reconnaissance skills all
10th as a member of the company’s standing Vanguard Primaris Space Marines learn as a part of their
squads. There, serving in a number of different capacities training in Vanguard squads is of great value to a
over the course of many battles on Talegoh VII, he Chapter seeking hidden foes whilst keeping
unknowingly helped the Ravenwing secure a member of the secrets of its own. The omniscramblers of Infiltrator
Fallen. His skills at hunting down quarry without thought of Squads can severely disrupt enemy
rest impressed the 2nd Company greatly, and as a result communications, enabling Ravenwing squadrons to
battle-brother Nerael was inducted into their number as a strike without the possibility of their quarry being
member of the Ravenwing. warned. The Divinator-class auspexes and
transpectral combat visors of Incursor Squads
 INDEX ASTARTES

collect data from battlefields that previously would The Dark Angels 2nd Company is known as the
have been almost impossible to extract, and yield Ravenwing. A highly specialised formation made
new intelligence for the Inner Circle to act upon up of expert riders and pilots, the Ravenwing’s
without the Vanguard Space Marines’ knowledge. warriors are masters of the rapid attack. Though
most of their number are unaware of it, their true
ORGANISATION purpose is to hunt down Fallen Dark Angels. By
The Dark Angels are, for the most part, strict necessity, therefore, each of their number’s faith is
adherents to the Codex in terms of their of the greatest depth, as it is far from impossible
Chapter’s structure. The 3rd through 5th that they might see the Fallen in battle.
Companies are Battle Companies, the 6th through
9th are Reserve Companies, and the 10th GENE-SEED
Company maintains a permanent number of As the first Space Marine Legion, the Dark Angels’
Vanguard Space Marine squads as well as being gene-seed is amongst the purest and least
the home for the Chapter’s aspirants and Scouts. degraded strains of all. Remarkably, the Dark
Angels’ Apothecaries have observed that gene-
It is the Dark Angels’ 1st and 2nd Companies that seed carried by the Primaris Space Marines is
deviate the most from the Codex Astartes. universally of the highest quality they have ever
Roboute Guilliman himself approved of the seen, and so the Chapter’s stock is qualitatively
Unforgiven’s continued use of this alternate and quantitatively in excellent health.
structure so long as the Dark Angels and their
successors continued to serve the Emperor well. There are no known aberrations in the Dark Angels’
gene-seed, which makes the historic reluctance of
The 1st Company of the Dark Angels is known as the High Lords to utilise it in the founding of new
the Deathwing. Rather than the Chapter’s green, Chapters perplexing. In the Era Indomitus, however,
they fight clad in bone-white armour to this policy appears to have been relaxed. Some
commemorate the valour of predecessors who Inquisitorial circles argue that this is due to Roboute
fought to cleanse one of the Chapter’s recruiting Guilliman’s direct involvement, the Primarch
worlds of a Genestealer infestation. Never going to recognising the Dark Angels’ genetic strength and
war without the heaviest of Terminator or Mk X commitment to the Imperial cause. Others contest
armour, they deploy most often by teleporter, Land that it is due instead to a desire in some Terran or
Raider, or Repulsor. They are the Inner Circle’s Martian circles to increase the Unforgiven’s overall
hammer, each an elite veteran with incredible skill strength and thus act as a potential counter-balance
at arms and absolute loyalty to their Chapter. to the successors of the Ultramarines.
 CRUCIBLE OF WAR
THE HUNT
The Dark Angels have identified an agent of the Fallen in the ranks of their enemies. All prior objectives
have been abandoned for one goal: the agent must be captured and brought before the Interrogator-
Chaplains. Doing so will take the Unforgiven one step further along the road to redemption. For the agent
of the Fallen, they must hide amidst their allies and hope the Dark Angels can be held at bay.

THE ARMIES attacks made by DARK ANGELS units whilst they are
Each player must muster an army from their collection. within 12" of CYPHER.
The Attacker commands the Dark Angels attempting
to apprehend their target. The Defender commands THE BATTLEFIELD
an army that is harbouring an agent of the Fallen. A Create the battlefield using the deployment map below
player can include any models in their army, but if their and then set up terrain.
army is Battle-forged they will also be able to use the
appropriate Stratagems included with this mission. DEPLOYMENT
The Defender deploys their army wholly within their
FALLEN AGENT deployment zone. The Fallen Agent must be set up on
Before the battle, the Defender must select one model the battlefield during deployment and cannot be set
from their army to be the Fallen Agent. If their army up by any other means, e.g. via Teleport Strike. For the
includes any FALLEN CHARACTER models, they must purposes of deployment, a Fallen Agent that starts the
select one of them to be the Fallen Agent. Otherwise, battle embarked within a TRANSPORT unit counts as
they must randomly select one CHARACTER model from being set up on the battlefield so long as the TRANSPORT
their army that is not a MONSTER or VEHICLE model. unit itself is set up on the battlefield. The Attacker then
If the Defender has no such models in their army, then deploys their army wholly within their deployment zone.
their Warlord must be the Fallen Agent. When resolving
an attack made by a DARK ANGELS model against the FIRST TURN
Fallen Agent, treat the Fallen Agent as having the The Attacker chooses who has the first turn.
FALLEN keyword (if it doesn’t already have it).
BATTLE LENGTH
ABHORRED FOE At the end of battle round 5, the player who had the first
If CYPHER is selected as the Fallen Agent, the Defender turn rolls one D6. On a 3+ the game continues, otherwise
cannot make use of the second part of this model’s the game is over. At the end of battle round 6, the player
Mysterious Protection ability (note that this model who had the second turn rolls one D6. This time, on a
would still have a 4+ invulnerable save). However, the 4+ the game continues, otherwise the game is over. The
Attacker cannot re-roll hit rolls or wound rolls of 1 for battle automatically ends at the end of battle round 7.

Defender’s Deployment Zone

Attacker’s Deployment Zone

 NEW RULES

STRATAGEMS
In this mission, the players can use Command Points (CPs) to use the following bonus Stratagems:

NEVER FORGET, NEVER FORGIVE SLIP AWAY

Attacker Stratagem Defender Stratagem
A moment of laxity spawns a lifetime of Heresy. The Fallen agent has spent years on the run.
Use this Stratagem before a player rolls, to determine Use this Stratagem in your Movement phase. Until
if the game ends. The game continues (do not roll). the end of the phase, the Fallen Agent can Advance
when Falling Back and can move across other models
as if they were not there.

RETRIBUTION OF THE INNER CIRCLE

Attacker Stratagem
The doom that befalls the Fallen is absolute. SURREPTITIOUS NATURE
Use this Stratagem in your Movement phase, after Defender Stratagem
setting up a DEATHWING unit from your army using Naught is left but a shadow as the agent vanishes.
the Teleport Strike ability. That unit can move D6" Use this Stratagem at the start of your opponent’s
(even though it has arrived as reinforcements). Shooting phase. Until the end of that phase, enemy
models cannot target the Fallen Agent with attacks
made with ranged weapons whilst they are more than
12" away. This Stratagem has no effect if the Fallen
SALVATION THROUGH SUFFERING Agent has a Wounds characteristic of 10 or more.
Attacker Stratagem
The Unforgiven fight to rid the galaxy of their shame.
Use this Stratagem in any phase, when a DARK
ANGELS unit from your army within 3" of the
EVADE CAPTURE
Defender Stratagem
objective marker, or that contains a model that has
The Fallen agent will do anything to avoid capture.
captured the objective marker, would lose a wound.
Use this Stratagem in your opponent’s Charge phase,
Until the end of the phase roll one D6 for that wound,
when the Fallen Agent is chosen as the target of a
and for each other wound a model in that unit would
charge. Before the charge roll is made, that model can
lose this phase. On a 4+ that wound is not lost.
immediately move up to 2D6". You can only use this
Stratagem once per battle.

STASIS ROUND
Attacker Stratagem
Ensnaring rounds from the Dark Age of Technology.
HEINOUS CANT
Use this Stratagem when a RAVENWING model from Defender Stratagem
your army shoots with a bolt weapon (e.g. twin The agent taunts the Dark Angels into an ill-
boltgun, heavy bolter, hurricane bolter, etc.). You disciplined fury.
can only make one attack with that weapon. If a Use this Stratagem at the start of any phase. Until the
hit is scored, until the start of your next turn halve end of that phase, subtract 1 from hit rolls for attacks
the target’s Move characteristic and subtract 2 from made by DARK ANGELS models whilst their unit is
Advance and charge rolls made for it. The attack within 6" of the Fallen Agent.
sequence then ends.

INCAPACITATED the model from the battlefield the Attacker places the
If the Fallen Agent is destroyed, before removing the objective marker within 1" of the model.
model from the battlefield, the Defender places one
objective marker within 1" of the model to represent the VICTORY CONDITIONS
incapacitated Fallen Agent. A model from the Attacker’s At the end of the game, if one of the Attacker’s models has
army can capture the objective marker by finishing a move captured the objective marker, or the Attacker controls
within 1" of it. The Attacker then removes the objective the objective marker, the Attacker wins. Otherwise, if the
marker from the battlefield. If the model that has captured Fallen Agent has been destroyed, the battle is a draw. Any
the objective marker is destroyed or flees, before removing other result is a victory for the Defender.
 THE ANGELS OF DEATH

THE ANGELS OF DEATH

With Dark Angels very much the theme of this month’s Warhammer 40,000 section, we
got in touch with renowned hobbyist Gareth Etherington, who has been studiously adding
Primaris Marines to his Dark Angels collection. Here’s his army in all its glory.
ARMY SHOWCASE
If you look closely at
Gareth’s units, you’ll
notice that several are
under strength. ‘I’ve
been collecting the
Warhammer 40,000:
Conquest magazines,
and because of the
way the models come
in each issue, not all of
my squads are
complete yet,’ explains
Gareth. ‘I paint all the
models I receive in an
issue before the next
ones arrives, which is
why, for example, I
only have two
Inceptors (1). I did buy
Shadowspear, too,
though. So far I’ve
painted the Librarian,
Suppressors, and
Eliminators.

‘To paint the Chapter

symbol, I started with
a white semicircle.
Then I painted a green
semicircle inside it.
Next I painted a
vertical green line
down the centre,
followed by a white
one in the middle of
that for the sword.
Lastly, I cut out the
wings.’ You can see
the Chapter symbols
on Gareth’s
Aggressors below (2).
1

2
 ARMY SHOWCASE
So how does Gareth
get his green power
armour looking so
smooth? ‘I use a
basecoat of Caliban
Green followed by
several thin glazes of
Warpstone Glow
around the edges of
the armour panels,’
says Gareth. ‘It can
take five or six layers
to build up the
transition of colour,
but it’s worth it to get
the vibrant green on
the armour (3). I use
Moot Green for the
final edge highlights to
really make it pop. My
inspiration for this
style of painting came
from Kim Syberg’s
Space Wolves, which
were featured in
White Dwarf back in
3 the ’90s. His power
armour was always so
smooth and he always
used such vibrant spot
colours. That’s part of
the reason all my
weapons are red (4).

‘I have several
Imperial armies in my
collection, and I’ve
kept the desert bases
and spot colours
consistent across
them all so they look
like a unified force (5).
For example, all the
power weapons, eye
lenses, and plasma
coils in my Imperial
armies are blue.’

You can see more of

Gareth’s work on his
painting blog:

taleofpainters.
blogspot.com.
4

5
 PAINT SPLATTER
DEATHWING REDEMPTOR DREADNOUGHT
This issue’s Index Astartes features the green-clad Space Marines of the Dark Angels. But
we’re not showing you how to paint green this time. Instead, studio miniatures painter
James Perry provides stage-by-stage advice for a Deathwing Redemptor Dreadnought.

ames painted this BONE ARMOUR BARE METAL

Deathwing Redemptor
Dreadnought in sub-
assemblies, making it
easier for him to paint the joints
under the arms. He undercoated
all the pieces with Corax White
spray, then used several thin
layers of watered-down Ushabti
Bone to get streak-free bone-
coloured armour. As this is the
predominant colour on the model,
it’s worth taking the time to make
sure it looks good! Next, James
applied a wash of Seraphim Sepia
to the armour recesses, being
careful so that he wouldn’t need to
tidy it up later. James’ top tip: use
adhesive putty to figure out where
you want all your transfers to sit
before applying them.
 PAINT SPLATTER
CONVERSION CORNER
Before painting the
Redemptor Dreadnought,
James added a few extra
icons to show that it’s a war
machine of the Dark
Angels Chapter. All three of
these pieces come from
the Ravenwing Accessory
Pack, which is available to
order from the Games
Workshop website. James
also added some spare
pieces of Sector Imperialis
buildings to the model’s
base to show that the
Dreadnought is fighting in
an urban environment.

WARHAMMER
TV PAINTING
GUIDES
There are many
painting guides for
Dark Angels on the
Warhammer TV
YouTube channel,
including how to
paint green power
armour (both
layering and
drybrushing),
Deathwing bone
armour, tanks, and
(gasp!) Fallen.