Return to Blood Angels

February 4, 2025

Written by: Jonas Ståleker

I have been collecting, building, painting, and playing with miniatures on and off since I was less than ten years old. It’s a hobby that I have a real love/hate relationship with. Of all the different miniature games I’ve played, Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 have a special place in my heart, and I always seem to return to them. Whether it’s for the minis, the books, the video games, or something else, Warhammer always manages to light a passion in me.

I first got into Warhammer through my friends in elementary school, and it quickly became a shared interest. Later, when I was around 16-17, I met a friend who was just as into Warhammer as I was, and we bonded over it. My grandpa, who built model ships, also supported my hobby a lot, which meant a lot to me.

Recently, I began playing a god-awful gacha mobile game called Warhammer 40k: Tacticus. While the game is grindy and very much P2W (pay to win), it did reignite my love for Warhammer. My faction of choice has always been the Blood Angels, even though I’ve dabbled in other ones in the past. Blood Angels are part of the Armies of Mankind—specifically the Space Marines. They’re not really the good guys (no one is in Warhammer), but they’re the closest you get to it. These bioengineered warriors, clad in red and gold, are tragic heroes with a vampiric theme. Cursed with the Red Thirst, they crave blood and eventually fall to madness, this Black Rage makes them relive ancient battles without being able to tell friend from foe. Despite this, they try to suppress their urges and act with even more grace, honor, and kindness—at least outside of battle. When facing the enemies of mankind, however, their bloodlust often takes over, turning them into an unstoppable force.

I just think they’re neat.

So, of course, I went to my local geek store, Science Fiction Bookstore, and found a very nice Blood Angels mug—but sadly not the novels I was looking for. I also picked up Space Marine 2 on Steam and have started playing the campaign with a friend. And lastly, I dusted off some old miniatures I had lying around that I want to paint and display.

Having hobbies is great! Having several so you can switch between them when interest wanes is even better.