Elite of Baal- Sanguinary Guard Part 1
Hi
I felt that it was time to stretch to a non compliant chapter for a change, which brings me to the Blood Angels.
Sanguinary Guard have been iconic since their release. Their sculpted often golden armour, wings and single thruster jump packs add something unique looking across the marine range so lets take an in depth look at them.
The Sanguinary Guard are the elite praetorians of the Chapter, dating back to the times of the Horus Heresy and before when they acted as the bodyguards to the Primarch Sanguinius himself. When the legion was split, and new founding raised, each successor had a formation of these warriors which continue to these days under the directions of Azkaellon (pictured above).
Sanguinary Guard are ancient warriors, I almost think of them as approaching Custodes in their age and role, sporting antique wargear who's forging is only known to those within the Chapter.
What gear do they have then?
Sanguinary Guard sport ancient power armour, as decorative as it is protective, which confers a 2+ save. Their winged, single thruster jump packs, unique to their order confer the FLY keyword.
They sport wrist mounted ranged weaponry, with a Plasma pistol, Infernus pistol which contains the power of a meltagun at short range, or the assault Angelus Boltgun variant which kicks out 2 shots with AP-1.
Their Glaive and Axe Encarmine are said to be impervious to damage, never scratched or broken, their secrets known only to the chapters artisans, pumping an additional point of damage through when they wound.
Perhaps one of the most iconic parts of their wargear however is the Death Mask. The lore behind these is fascinating. The machine spirit forms a loyal bond with the wearer, which manifests on the wearers death. The mask is placed in the Sarcophagus of Sorrows for seven days and nights while it mourns and takes on the visage of its former wearer. In battle the masks terrify the enemy forcing your opponent to subtract 1 from hit rolls when an melee attack roll is made against them.
On top of the rules from their wargear, they carry the standard Angels of Death and Death from Above rules. They also run the Heir of Azkaellon (the leader of the Sanguinary Guard at the time of the separation of the legions) allowing them to add one to attack rolls if they are within 6 inch of a Blood Angels Warlord. They are rightly so the escort to your swift Warlord.
Whilst there are a number of stratagems that can affect them, the Unbridled Ardour stratagem is Sanguinary Guard specific, 1CP to enable you to heroically intervene 6 inch after your opponent has passed his Heroic Intervention stage of his Charge Phase. Combined with the FLY keyword and the exact timing, you can throw them in and boy will they hurt.
That’s a lot.. anything else?
Ok, on top of all that, these chaps are Blood Angels, and as such benefit from +1 advance and charge rolls and adding one to wound roles when they charge, were charged or intervened. With the changes to power weapons also rolling onto the Encarmine weapons, swords alone will have you striking at strength 5, with a plus one to wound. To break that down, you'll wound standard marines on 2s, tougher models like Plague Marines on 3s, and even Imperial or Chaos Knights on 4s.
Couple that with an extra attack in Assault Doctrine for a grand total of 5 each and its choppy time.
Surely its not all roses, check out part 2 for more.
