Games Workshop has released a cool new Codex and tons of great new models for the Dark Angels both in multi-part sets and in the Dark Vengeance Warhammer 40,000 starter set.This article will focus on decorating ideas for the generic Space Marine models that are also used in Dark Angels armies to give them the same flare of the Unforgiven as the dedicated Dark Angels models.
Since all the tracked vehicles and Dreadnoughts used for the Dark Angels come from the generic Space Marines model range you'll likely want to customize them a bit to make them fit in more with the models that are already dripping in Dark Angels iconography.
Below are a few examples of how to use these bits and some themed painting to generate the look of the First Legion.
The Dark Angels Ravenwing Accessory Pack contains many great vehicle sized Dark Angels badges for decorating larger models. In the photo below you can see three such badges.
The winged skull and sword badge on the top front door and the two identical badges on the top of the hull over the tracks all come from the aforementioned sprue.
In the circled area in the photo below you can also see a bit of conversion work to further customize this vehicle for that Dark Angels look. The pauldrons and head of the gunner comes from the Dark Angels Veteran Space Marines boxed set. The cool Mark VI Corvus Armor helmet has the winged sword icon of the Dark Angels right on the face. I've also customized the gunner's shield by cutting an extra Ravenwing bike faring to size and gluing it to the sides of the gun.
My Venerable Dreadnought conversion was built from the old dedicated metal Dark Angels Dreadnought kit. However, I've replaced the arms with those from the Space Marine Dreadnought plastic kit then added Dark Angels badges to the "shoulders".
A Dark Angels icon and book have also been added to the front and top of the hull and the metal greaves have been covered with the Dark Angels greaves from the Dark Angels Ravenwing Accessory Pack. The left arm has been converted to carry a large sword. The sword and hilt are both bits from other GW model ranges.
So far I've painted two Deathwing themed Land Raiders for this army. I not only added plastic badges and icons to their hulls, but hand painted the Dark Angels' winged sword icon on the front assault ramps.
These are just a few ideas for making your models Unforgiven. More to come in the near future. In the meantime, who's revisiting a Dark Angels collection with new models? Who's starting a Dark Angels army for the first time? Ravenwing? Deathwing? Powered armor? Or a little or a lot of everything?