Codex: Dark Angels is out now, and after having a week to look at it I have got to say I am very impressed. There are a lot of little nuggets in that codex that are going to take time for everyone to figure out the synergy between the different units and how best to use it, but once they do I think it will do very well in the tournament scene.
THE GOOD
DEATHWING: Terminators in this codex are more expensive than terminators in other codex's, however this is for a very good reason. First of all, every terminator is a member of the Inner Circle. This special rule gives them Fearless and Preferred Enemy: Chaos Space Marine. Furthermore, you get to choose wether your deepstriking terminators come in on turn 1 or 2 two automatically without reserve rolls. When they come down, they automatically count their shooting attacks as twin linked AND they can split fire, so if you position yourself right, you can shoot the heavy weapon at one squad and the storm bolters at another. They also maintained the ability to put a cyclone missile launcher on a Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield Terminator (or twin lightning claws) and have an option to take a Plasma Cannon! Plus, they got two new Terminator units, Deathwing Knights, and Deathwing Command Squad
RAVENWING: Bikes with Teleport Homers so your Deathwing wont scatter. Plus you can get 6 Bikes, an Attack Bike, and a Land Speeder as a single Fast Attack Choice (or Troops choice with the Azrael or Sammael). The Ravenwing Knights models are awesome and have twin linked 18 inch rapid fire plasma guns and +1Str Rending close combat weapons. There is a command squad option as well, but since its limited to only 3 models, I dont think it will be used much.
LIBRARIANS: 65 Point Librarian with Divination = Winning!
MULTIPLE SMALL UNITS (MSU): Dark Angels can take a 5 man Tac Squad with a Sgt, Missile Launcher and flak missiles for 95 points. If you need something to sit on an objective, you might as well take a couple small quads with heavy weapons, hide them on turn 1 or 2 till your Deathwing come, and then pop out and start missiling things!
BANNERS: Dark Angels have access to some of the best banners seen in the game to date. Feel no Pain to everything within 12 inches, OR make all bolt guns within 6" Salvo2/4 weapons are awesome!
THE BAD
ASSAULT SQUADS: Granted, there are other things in the fast attack slot to spend your points on (Ravenwing Knights and Land Speeders come to mind), but it is as if Jeremy Vetock (the Author) didnt want you to take Assault Squads at all. The only weapon upgrades for the squads is Plasma Pistol or Flamer. No access to Melta Guns OR Plasma Guns
PLASMA WEAPONS: Dark Angels did not get the rumored special rule to make Plasma Weapons safer for them. Since the Dark Vengeance box comes with a Tax Squad with Plasma Gun, Plasma Cannon, and Plasma Pistol, it would have been nice to have some protection.
THE UGLY
LAND SPEEDER DARK SHROUD: Its a 3 man Land Speeder with a piece of building mounted on the back. Seriously, they couldnt come up with something that looked better than a piece of wall with a statue?
Overall, It looks like this Codex is fairly well balanced against Codex: Chaos Space Marine, and if that proves to be true of future Codex releases for 6th edition as well, that is going to make this a very good game in the years ahead.
