What is up with some players and Dark Angels?

Dark Angels were one of my first armies and I still love them dearly. There is just something very cool about Marines in long flowing robes. I even once had a Fallen Angels army that took 8th place in the Charlotte GW GT back in 2003. My how time flies and things change. I was horrified when I read the new Dark Angels codex. I still play Deathwing occassionally and even brought mine to the Adepticon Gladiator match last year... They fared pretty darn well too, beating one of those Super Titan lists.

I have been following a thread over on Dakka's YMDC forum regarding a poll about Dark Angels using the new wargear from the Space Marine codex. We all know that the new Space Wolves have access to 3+ stormshields and 2 shot cyclone missile launchers so what's the big deal if your opponent plays Dark Angels and wants to use the new wargear? I am willing to bet the new Blood Angels will also have access to 3+ stormshields and 2 shot cyclone missile launchers. If somebody asked me I'd say sure but you must use the new smoke launchers and PotMS as well. It seems some people have gotten their shorts all twisted up in a big knot saying fearless troops of terminators with the new wargear would be broken. I say that's just a bunch of bunk. I play Deathwing and I'm pretty darn good with them so I know their limitations. Any five man unit in the game that is single wound & T4 will die to torrents of small arms fire. The all around 3+ save would help but to play a competitive Deathwing army it's not just about putting as many terminators with 3+ stormshields on the table. The 2 shot missile launcher is actually much more of an advantage in my opinion. It's all about popping rhinos and chimeras now and that extra shot makes a huge difference since it basically doubles your odds. People complaining about the stormshields simply can't see the trees from the forest.

While you can win a lot of games with Deathwing it's always hard to crank out the massacres and that in and of itself limits the performance of the army at a tournament versus other veteran gamers. Sure everyone will thinks it's cool to bring this fluffy army but they will also be glad you did since the perception is DW is an easy army to beat, not an easy army to win games.

Of all the special characters in the game to me no one is more deserving of a 3+ stormshield as Belial... 3 attacks base and he can't even carry the fabled Sword of Secrets? What the hell was Jervis thinking? To me people that won't allow Dark Angel players to use the new wargear simply want every advantage they can muster to win. That's how I see it.

G