My first 40k army: 2,000 points of Blood Angels, fully assembled and partially painted

With my final squad assembled, I now have 100% of my first army list — exactly 2,000 points of Blood Angels with WYSIWYG wargear — assembled, primed, or painted. Which means it’s photo time!

I haven’t quite worked out how best to take this sort of photo, but it is my first go so that makes a bit of sense. Hopefully future shots will turn out a bit clearer. Still, I love seeing them all in one place for like this!

Breaking it down

23 completed (20 Marines, 1 Dreadnought, 1 tank, 1 teleport homer):

• Squad Karios, 2nd Company, 1st Squad — Battleline Space Marines
• Squad Ultio, 1st Company, 2nd Squad — Shooty Terminators
• Squad Cain, 10th Company — Scout snipers
• Narses, Librarius — Librarian Dreadnought (HQ)
• Relentless, 2nd Company, Rhino 3, designated transport for Squad Karios

35 works in progress (32 Marines, 1 Dreadnought, 1 tank, 1 teleport homer):

• Commander Dante, Chapter Master (HQ)
• Squad Dolos, 2nd Company, 3rd Squad — Primaris Infiltrators
• Squad Barakiel, 1st Company, 1st Squad — Close combat Terminators
• Squad Remiel, Sanguinary Guard
• Brother Abaoz, Sanguinary Guard — Sanguinary Ancient
• Squad Zahariel, Death Company
• Squad Adamo, 2nd Company, 7th Squad — Jump Assault Marines
• Squad Amedeo, 1st Company, 3rd Squad — Sternguard Veterans
• Turiel, 1st Company — Furioso Dreadnought
• Arrius, Reclusiam — Chaplain (HQ)
• Judgment, 1st Company, designated transport for Squad Barakiel — Land Raider Crusader

Here are all the kits I used:

One of my original goals was to use 100% of the minis I bought for my initial army in my initial army, so if a kit was 10 Space Marines, I’d include all 10 in my force. But I realized a few weeks into assembling it all that I’d have more fun with 5 Infiltrators instead of 10, so I swapped in 5 Sternguard and juggled the wargear on a few units at the same time. So I came pretty close!

And it’s not like those 5 Infiltrators will go to waste: They’ve just joined my backlog, and will be part of my larger army — available to swap in as needed.

I’ve wanted to have a 40k army since I was around 10 years old, and I’ve spent the better part of the past 30-plus years being alternately frustrated with, disinterested in, or occasionally enjoying painting miniatures. It’s been a joy to rediscover — and, at the same time, discover — the side of myself that enjoys painting minis, and a new hobby that I love. Painting my Blood Angels has been a blast, and I’m still going!