# Blood Angel's Company Organisation



## shakrut (Apr 30, 2007)

I have a background quandary that I would like to have your opinion on....

I have always played my Blood Angels army as a Traditional Codex Chapter, with each company consisting of 6 tactical, 2 Assault and 2 Devastator squads. I have been in the process of and am still building my army up to contain (amongst other things) an entire company.

Whilst working out some numbers a thought occurred to me.. Now that assault squads are available as troops choices, the implication is that they are just as common place as tactical marines.. Following this on a step this suggests to me that either;

1) The same 20 Assault marines in each company do most of the fighting whilst half of the tactical squads kick back...

or

2) Within each company Assault marines are more numerous than in other chapters.

As option 1 seems unlikely (ahem!) I'm finding myself wondering what the squad composition in a BA company actually is... is it the traditional 6 2 2 or is it somewhat different.. perhaps something along the lines of 4 4 2? 

In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter that much as all of the units will be legal to use in games, however if I'm going to the trouble to expanding my company by 40 odd men, I want to make sure that it feels right and is appropriately representative of the background. 

Thoughts? Advice? 
I would welcome your views....:grin:


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## ACoz (Oct 23, 2007)

Damn fine question.

Sorry, but I have no answer... but I wouldn't mind finding out, wither.


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## Asmodai (Dec 30, 2006)

Unfortunately, without an updated Codex we don't have the breakdown.

Blood Angels had the Assault Squads as Troops rule in the 3rd edition rulebook list and it didn't seem to effect their composition.

My personal theory is that the Blood Angels field units from their reserve assault company more frequently than other chapters.

Also, by fluff, each normal Marine is trained to function as a Tactical Marine, Devastator or Assault Marine. The Blood Angels might just give 'Tactical Squads' jump packs and chainswords while leaving them listed as a 'Tactical Squad' on the books to satisfy any prying inquisitors.


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## sprldancer (Jul 11, 2008)

blood angels are organized just as every other codex chapter, they detail it in the apocalypse rule book. As for the assault squad conundrum i have no idea


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

That's actually a very good point.

There was an Apoc battle in WD some months ago where the BA were organised as a straight codex chapter - 6,2,2.

However, in the latest WD there's an Apoc datasheet for a BA strikeforce that seems to be arranged 2,4,-. Which doesn't give you 10 squads admittedly, but does give more than 2 Assault Squads, without indicating these came from different companies.

And as Son of Horus has pointed out, but I'm too lazy to check up where, the FOC choices for troops, fast attack and heavy support are designed for a battle company; 6,3,3 is 6,2,2 with a bit of leeway for chapter-level armoury (eg, 2 speeders and a landraider).

That would imply that a BA battle company would be something like 3 Tac, 3 Assault (=6 troop), 2 bike/attack bike squads (=2 fast attack) and 2 devs.

:crunching the numbers cyclops:


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## Lax (Jun 16, 2008)

From a fluff point of view, there is a difference between a company organisation and forces fielded.
Firstly, there are dead guys to replace.
Secondly, there are reserve companies (one of 10 squads of each type).
So, you can field the 4th company helped by assault squads from the 8th (if it's the one with assault squads).

Now, for apocalypse data sheets, I don't know ^^


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## frost_reaver (Dec 15, 2007)

According to the 2nd Edition Angels of Death Codex, the Blood Angels Chapter Organization is as follows:
1st company - 20 5 man Term squads or 10, 10 man Vet Assault Squads
2nd - 5th companies - 6 tact, 2 Assault, 2 Dev
6th and 7th companies - 10 tact
8th - 10 Assault
9th - 10 Dev
10th - Scout Company

I've never seen it published anywhere else, but then again, I don't own a copy of Apocalypse.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

OK, that's standard codex company organisation, but is it still relevent? Were Assault squads 'troop' choices under that codex for instance? If 'yes' then you can probably assume that company organisation is by the book, and the extra assault squads in the Blood Angel Strikeforce (or whatever it's called) are from the Assault reserve; if 'no', then the way the chapter is organised has been changed somehow (remind me to post up details of the early Ultramarines company organisation sometime).

:awaiting with baited breath cyclops:


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## frost_reaver (Dec 15, 2007)

Back then units weren't seperated the way they are now, they were seperated into 3 types:
Characters
Squads
Support

They were considered Squads, but so were Devs. 

In my personal opinion, I think they are a codex chapter and the extra assualt squads come from the first company. When not in Term armor, First Company BA are fielded as assault marines as per the same Codex.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

No, they're _Veteran_ Assault Squads, different to regular Assault Squads. Regular Assault Squads are Troop choices... and there are more than 2 of them in the strikeforce, which is all supposed to be from one company. Hence the confusion...

:not now clear at all cyclops:


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## Crimson Shadow (Jan 15, 2009)

Personally I'm basing my Battle Companies (2-6) as a 4,4,2 set up. What I haven't decided on is whether or not to include a Veteran Assault as part of the Company, or to limit VA Squads to the First company only. It stands to reason, to me at least, that each Company would have it's own VA squad that then is promoted to the First Company after years of successful campaigns. Thus allowing each of the Companies to fight more independently and freeing up the First Company to pick the truly worthy engagements. Just my two cents.


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## Skye (Oct 22, 2008)

Company Disposition
Like all Codex chapters, Blood Angels are divided into ten Companies. Each Company is led by a hero of the Chapter, who - in addition to his Company command - is in charge of a particular aspect of the Chapter's logistics. Such Blood Angels commanders may be accompanied by a type of command squad unit particular to the Chapter, the Honour Guard. A more notable breach with Codex stricture is the informally organised non-Codex unit designated as the Death Company. 

Another possible breach with Codex organistation is that the Blood Angels are believed to form their Chapter's scouts not from new recruits, but instead from the most aggressive of the Blood Angels, and as such, they are much more geared towards closing with the enemy to engage in close combat.
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Blood_angels#Organisation

This raises questions rather than answer them (as was my original intent)
I find it odd though, because in the new BA "codex" it talks about scouts having to prove themselves before they become actual space marines. This I found odd as well due to thier force-org. position of elites. We have some pretty non-codex things fer sure: DC, Furiosos, Scouts as elites, Assault marines as troops..... Gaaaaah!!!



Crimson Shadow said:


> Personally I'm basing my Battle Companies (2-6) as a 4,4,2 set up. What I haven't decided on is whether or not to include a Veteran Assault as part of the Company, or to limit VA Squads to the First company only. It stands to reason, to me at least, that each Company would have it's own VA squad that then is promoted to the First Company after years of successful campaigns. Thus allowing each of the Companies to fight more independently and freeing up the First Company to pick the truly worthy engagements. Just my two cents.


VA squads are specifically first company members not wearing Terminator armour, so you can scratch them from anything but 1st company.


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## Crimson Shadow (Jan 15, 2009)

I'm not convinced that ONLY the first company is Veteran Assault squads. It does say that when not in Terminator armor the First company can be fielded as VA troops. If you'll notice, all tactical, scouts, assault, and devastator squads are lead by a veteran sergeant. This is in addition to the fact that all Honor Guards which accompany the Company Captain are entirely veteran troops. It seems to me that each company has to have a pool of Veteran Marines to fill the sergeant roles and honor guard roles. These could easily be extended to include Veteran Assault squads. Making the First Company the "best of the best" so to speak. Not saying it's so, but it makes sense to me.

Although in rereading the codex, they do make a point of showing the Skull shoulder badge for Veteran Assault Squads.


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## Skye (Oct 22, 2008)

True enough, but I would say that Sgts. are just those that are close to being put into 1st company. Terminators are all 1st company, and when they take off thier armour they are Vet. Assault marines, but they are still first company. It actually states that much in the codex just below them on the bottom of the page. Also (as you said) they make a point of putting the skull marking next to their picture.
("their" being Vet. assault marines )


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## Crimson Shadow (Jan 15, 2009)

Maybe when we get a new Codex, fingers crossed for March of '10, our questions will be answered.


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## Skye (Oct 22, 2008)

I have heard from an ex-redshirt that it will most likely be released OCTOBER '10.


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