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Index Astartes - Dark Angels
Index Astartes - Dark Angels
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.
Battleline
Veteran
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.
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.
STRATAGEMS
In this mission, the players can use Command Points (CPs) to use the following bonus Stratagems:
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
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.’
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.
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.