The Dark Angels include two Companies that have a unique structure and organisation. The Chapter's 1st Company is known as the Deathwing and is made up exclusively of Space Marine Terminators, while the 2nd Company is known as the Ravenwing and is made up exclusively of Space Marines mounted on bikes, attack bikes and Land Speeders. Normally squads from the Deathwing or Ravenwing will fight alongside squads from the other companies in the Chapter, but sometimes they will be fielded as detachments drawn only from their own Company. The following special rules can be used to represent a 'pure' Deathwing or Ravenwing army.
Deathwing Army
A Deathwing army must include the Master of the Deathwing as one of its HQ choices. It may include Interrogator-Chaplains and Librarians as additional HQ choices, but may not have any other type of character. In a Deathwing army, only the Master of the Deathwing may be accompanied by a Command squad.
Aside from characters, the only units allowed in a Deathwing army are Deathwing Terminator squads, Dreadnoughts and Land Raiders. Deathwing Terminator squads may be chosen as Elites, Troops, Fast Attack or Heavy Support choices for the purposes of the Force Organisation chart being used for the mission being played. Note what category (eg, Troops, Elites, etc) each squad you take counts against, in case the scenario to be played requires some types to be held in reserve.
Dreadnoughts are taken as Elites choices as normal and Land Raiders may be taken either as Heavy Support, or as a transport for Terminator squads and Command squads that consist of no more than five models (the unit has to be able to fit inside its transport vehicle!). Land Raiders taken as a transport vehicle still cost 250 points, but don't count as one of the army's Heavy Support choices. Terminators that have a Land Raider transport vehicle may not deep strike into battle.
Ravenwing Army
A Ravenwing army must include the Master of the Ravenwing as one of its HQ choices. It may also include Interrogator Chaplains and Librarians as additional HQ choices, but may not have any other type of character. Chaplains or Librarians must be given a bike as an additional item of wargear. In a Ravenwing army, only the Master of the Ravenwing may be accompanied by a Command squad.
Aside from characters, the only other units allowed in the army are Ravenwing bike squadrons, Ravenwing attack bikes and Ravenwing Land Speeders. When you are fielding a Ravenwing army, bikes count as Troops units and Attack Bike squadrons count as Heavy Support units, instead of Fast Attack choices as would normally be the case. Land Speeder squadrons still count as Fast Attack choices. These changes are summarised on the table below.
| Unit | Normal Type | Ravenwing Army |
|---|---|---|
| Bike Squadron | Fast Attack | Troops |
| Attack Bike Squadron | Fast Attack | Heavy Support |
| Land Speeder Squadron | Fast Attack | Fast Attack |
Errata — Chapter Approved: Codex: Dark Angels Q&A (v2.0): A Ravenwing army may include Interrogator Chaplains & Librarians as additional HQ choices, but not any other type of character — meaning no Apothecary/Techmarine/Standard Bearer/Veteran Sergeants either. This has been amended in WD266: the Master of the Ravenwing may not have a Command squad if accompanied by a Land Speeder squadron but has all the usual options if accompanied by a Ravenwing Bike squadron.