Email in: Dark Angel Veteran list, help please!

"Dear Kirby,

I've been a long time reader and huge fan of your site for several years, and was hoping you'd help me build a Dark Angels list that focused primarily on veterans and plasma. Certainly not optimized, but something that still had a chance to win. Here is a very messy and fat filled list that I would be very curious to see you trim whilst still trying to keep a few components that I know are absurd.

(2070 points)


HQ- Interrogator Chaplin w/plasma pistol
(135)

Elites:

Company Veteran Squad (10)
10 plasma guns, Veteran Sergent w/lightning claw
Dedicated Drop Pod-(425)

Company Veteran Squad (5)
Veteran Sergent powerfist/plasma pistol, 4 stormshield/power weapons
Dedicated Razorback w/twin linked lascannon, extra armor, stormbolter (100)
(340)

Troops:

Tactical Squad (5)
Veteran Sergent w/powerfist + plasma pistol, melta gun, 3 bolters
Dedicated Razorback w/twin linked lascannon, extra armor, stormbolter
(240)

Tactical Squad (5)
Veteran Sergent w/power sword + plasma pistol, melta gun, 3 bolters
(230)

Fast Attack:

RavenWing attack squadron
-6 Bikes, two meltas, sargent w/powerfist and plasma pistol
-Attack bike w/multi melta
(330)

Heavy Support:

Predator
-Twinlinked Lascannon
-Lascannon sponsons
-Stormbolter
-Extra armor
(185)

Predator
-Twinlinked Lascannon
-Lascannon sponsons
-Stormbolter
-Extra armor
(185)

I really want to keep the veteran squad of 10 guys with plasma guns dropping in a pod , likewise with the other veteran squad of stormshields that hang with the Chaplin (also important), the 6 ravenwing bikes, and at least a single predator though as these are very important to the "fluffy"-ness of the army, even though I know they are probably a huge waste. I might be getting my hopes up to think that you'd try and clean this mess of a list up but I figure it's worth a shot, before the DA get updated. Turning this into a somewhat useful 2000 point list would at least probably be a challenge to you. Most of all I dont want to use any special named characters, which I imagine wont be hard with the units I've tossed at you"

The simple answer to make this 2000 is to drop the TLLC turrets from the Preds. The overall army though is still going to be bad I’m afraid – you’ll have that one turn of HAHAHAHA when the plasma drops in but then you’ve got a bunch of really expensive Marines with no improved survivability means. It’s cute but that’s about it.

If you really wanted to run something Plasma based I’d be looking at BA – run two Honor Guard squads with Plasma (and they have FNP) and then build a list around that. If you were focused on using DA, trim the Vet squads down – 5 strong with plasma guns gives you some nice killing power without breaking the bank or the entire army and then add in Ravenwing, Preds & Tacticals around them. But that of course moves away from the fluff you want - so I’d be looking to drop those TLLC turrets and just run with what you like until the new book drops if you’re set on those units.