Blood Angels - Warhammer 40k Guide

The Blood Angels offer a visually stunning army that rewards both tactical play and creative painting. Whether you’re charging into battle with your Death Company or painting the ornate armor of a Sanguinary Guard, the Blood Angels are a chapter rich with character and lore that will bring a powerful presence to any Warhammer 40,000 battlefield.

A dynamic, illustrated battle scene featuring a group of Blood Angels Terminators in their iconic red power armor. The central character has a fierce expression, blonde hair, and wields a pair of lightning claws, while the other armored warriors, with glowing green eyes, are engaged in combat. The background is filled with explosions, banners, and other angelic symbols, contributing to the chaotic atmosphere.

Who Are The Blood Angels?

Known for their noble demeanor, artistic appreciation, and intense martial prowess, the Blood Angels are descendants of the Primarch Sanguinius, a figure of near-angelic beauty and power.

They fight valiantly for the Imperium, often in the most brutal and desperate battles, but they are cursed with a flaw known as the “Red Thirst” and the “Black Rage.”

The Red Thirst causes a near uncontrollable bloodlust in battle, turning even the most disciplined warriors into berserk killing machines. The Black Rage is even worse — a genetic defect that drives them mad with visions of Sanguinius’ death, leading afflicted Blood Angels to die in suicidal charges.

Despite these flaws, they remain one of the most elite and feared armies in the Imperium.

A vibrant illustration of a large-scale battle between Blood Angels Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines. The Blood Angels, clad in their distinct red armor, are firing weapons and wielding chainswords against the dark, spiked armor of the Chaos forces. The backdrop is filled with fire, smoke, and a large mechanical war machine towering over the battlefield, highlighting the intensity of the fight.

What Are The Blood Angels Army Strengths?

Speed and Mobility: Blood Angels excel in fast, aggressive play. With units like Assault Marines, Sanguinary Guard, and Death Company, they specialize in closing the distance to the enemy quickly and wreaking havoc in close combat. Many units have access to jump packs, and their unique “Red Thirst” rule provides an extra boost to their charges, making them deadly when they engage.

Close-Combat Expertise: Their army-wide bonuses to charging and fighting in close combat make them fearsome opponents. Units like Death Company Marines and Sanguinary Guard can tear through enemy ranks with ease. They offer incredible damage potential to the front lines with characters like Chapter Master Dante and the Librarian Dreadnought.

Durable and Resilient: In addition to their offensive power, the Blood Angels can also field resilient units. Sanguinary Priests can enhance survivability with the Narthecium, while the Black Rage grants certain units feel-no-pain-style saves, making them harder to kill than other Space Marine chapters.

Versatile Stratagems and Units: The Blood Angels have access to a wide range of stratagems that enhance their combat potential, allowing them to react to various battlefield situations. Whether it’s giving extra movement, boosting combat effectiveness, or protecting units from damage, their stratagems add versatility to their army.

Where Should Beginners Start?

Some of the best models for beginner Blood Angels players include:

Sanguinary Priest: The Sanguinary Priest is a crucial support character that enhances the durability of your units by healing wounded models and reviving fallen ones. He also grants nearby units the Red Thirst bonus, which improves their ability to charge and fight in close combat. For beginners, he’s easy to use and helps boost your army’s survivability, making your force more forgiving.

Sanguinary Guard: This elite unit embodies the Blood Angels’ love of aerial combat and close-quarters fighting. Equipped with powerful weapons and jetpacks, they are great for beginners due to their high mobility, durable armor, and devastating melee attacks. They’re an excellent strike force for hitting hard and fast, which plays to the Blood Angels’ strength in aggressive play.

Death Company Intercessors: Death Company Intercessors are a troop choice that exemplifies the Blood Angels’ furious combat style. They can dish out a ton of attacks and are particularly effective in close combat. For beginners, they are straightforward to use—charge them at the enemy, and they’ll do significant damage, making them perfect for players learning the game’s melee mechanics.

Ba’al Predator: The Ba’al Predator provides reliable firepower, offering a ranged option that complements the Blood Angels’ melee-oriented army. For beginners, it’s a solid choice for learning how to handle ranged combat and manage battlefield control. With twin assault cannons and heavy bolters, it can mow down infantry and light vehicles, giving your army some much-needed fire support.

How to Paint Blood Angels

Painting Blood Angels is an exciting challenge – striking blood-red armor, golden accents, and noble appearance make for a standout force on the battlefield. Their ornate armor allows for creative highlighting and shading, especially for characters like Sanguinary Guard or the legendary Commander Dante.

Color Scheme Ideas

Sanguine Knights

Base Color: Mephiston Red. The primary color for the power armor, giving the Blood Angels their signature deep, blood-red appearance, symbolizing their noble lineage and tragic curse.

Shading: Nuln Oil. In recesses and panel lines to enhance depth and create stark shadows in the armor, giving it a battle-worn yet heroic feel.

Highlights: Evil Sunz Scarlet. For edge highlights on the armor, brightening the raised areas and making the red pop.

Accent Colors: Retributor Gold. On shoulder pad trims, chest emblems, and weapon details, adding a rich, regal contrast to the red armor, highlighting their noble and artistic nature.

Additional Accent: Abaddon Black. For weapons, knee guards, and some armor details, providing a strong contrast to the red while reinforcing their warrior discipline.

Highlight for Accents: Stormhost Silver. To edge highlight the metallic parts, such as weapons and mechanical details, adding a sharp, polished look.

This scheme embraces the classic Blood Angels look, with a strong focus on vibrant reds, rich golds, and sharp contrasts that evoke both their nobility and tragedy.

Angels of Death

Base Color: Khorne Red – A darker, more muted red for the armor, reflecting a grimmer, more somber side of the Blood Angels, particularly focusing on their tragic flaws.

Shading: Agrax Earthshade. Apply to recesses to add depth and a weathered, battle-worn feel to the armor, emphasizing the Blood Angels’ eternal struggle against the Black Rage.

Highlights: Wild Rider Red. For edge highlights, creating a bright contrast on the dark armor, evoking the deadly precision of their strikes.

Accent Colors: Leadbelcher. On weapons, armor trims, and bionics, adding a cold, industrial metallic look that contrasts with the dark red armor.

Additional Accent: Bonewhite (Ushabti Bone). For purity seals, wings, and icons, adding a neutral but warm contrast to the dark red and emphasizing their spiritual and artistic heritage.

Highlight for Accents: Runefang Steel. For edge highlights on the metallic parts, giving the weapons and bionics a sharp, reflective look.

This scheme brings out the darker, more tragic side of the Blood Angels, with deep reds and somber metallics, representing their constant battle against the curse of the Black Rage.

Sons of Sanguinius

Base Color: Evil Sunz Scarlet. A brighter, more vibrant red for the armor, presenting the Blood Angels as the shining, heroic paragons of the Imperium.

Shading: Reikland Fleshshade. For shading the recesses, adding a warm, subtle depth to the armor while maintaining its bright, bold appearance.

Highlights: Fire Dragon Bright. For crisp, bright edge highlights, enhancing the armor’s radiant, almost glowing quality.

Accent Colors: Auric Gold. On shoulder pad trims, chest emblems, and weapon hilts, adding a warm, regal contrast that emphasizes their noble, artistic heritage.

Additional Accent: Caliban Green. On eye lenses, purity seals, and icons, giving a sharp contrast that evokes their connection to life, nature, and the regenerative powers of Sanguinius.

Highlight for Accents: Stormhost Silver. To edge highlight metallic parts, giving them a clean, polished finish that enhances the heroic look.

This scheme captures the Blood Angels’ role as noble, shining defenders of the Imperium, with bright reds and warm golds that highlight their heroic and artistic nature, evoking the glory of their primarch Sanguinius.

A close-up view of three Warhammer 40k miniatures depicting Blood Angels Bladeguard Veterans. The models are wearing red power armor with intricate detailing, including large red shields adorned with skull emblems and winged insignias. Each figure holds a bright blue energy sword, and the base features a rocky terrain with patches of dry grass.

Blood Angels Painting Techniques

Basecoat and Shading: Start with a smooth base coat of Mephiston Red for the armor. Apply evenly, ensuring that it covers the entire model. Once the base color is applied, shade the recesses and armor joints with a wash of Carroburg Crimson or Agrax Earthshade to give depth and richness to the red. For metallic areas like shoulder trims or weapons, use Retributor Armour for gold and Leadbelcher for silver.

Highlighting the Armor: After the shade has dried, it’s time to highlight the red armor. Use Evil Sunz Scarlet for the first edge highlight, carefully picking out the edges of the armor plates. To add an extra pop, apply a second, lighter highlight using Wild Rider Red on the most prominent edges and corners. This will give the model a more dynamic look on the tabletop.

Painting Gold Details: For gold details like shoulder trims, weapons, or other accessories, start with a base coat of Retributor Armour. Shade it with Reikland Fleshshade to give it a rich, deep tone. For highlights, apply Auric Armour Gold, followed by a final edge highlight with Liberator Gold for a gleaming finish.

Adding Black Elements: For the black details, such as weapons or parts of the armor, start with Abaddon Black and apply a light drybrush of Dawnstone to create subtle highlights. If you’re painting helmets or insignia, you may also add a sharper highlight using Administratum Grey for more definition.

Special Techniques for Blood Angels Characters: For characters like Sanguinary Guard or Death Company, consider using additional techniques like non-metallic metal (NMM) for their gold armor, or extra weathering on their weapons and armor to give them a battle-worn appearance. Use small amounts of battle damage by stippling Rhinox Hide or adding scratches with Stormhost Silver.

Glowing Eyes and Plasma Effects: For those iconic glowing Blood Angel eyes, paint the eye sockets with Caliban Green and highlight with Warpstone Glow or Moot Green. For plasma weapon effects, start with a bright blue like Temple Guard Blue and layer it up to White Scar at the very tips, blending the colors smoothly to create a glowing effect.

Image Attribution

Image 1 – Blood Angels Terminators (https://www.goodfon.com/games/wallpaper-blood-angels-space-marine-wh40k-warhammer-40k-voiny-soldaty.html) by mark22 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Image 2 – Blood angels vs Chaos Marines (https://www.goodfon.com/fantasy/wallpaper-warhammer-40k-space-marine-chaos-imperial-guard-cadian-blood.html) by Xpolf (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Image 3 – Primaris Blood Angels Bladeguard Veterans (https://www.deviantart.com/shtebbie/art/Primaris-Blood-Angels-Bladeguard-Veterans-863115185) by Shtebbie (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/)