Search the Community

Hi! So I was given a random assault intercessor by my son, which I converted into a vanguard vet using spare parts I had in my bits box, including a sanguinary guard jump pack. This has inspired me to start a Raven Guard army, as I’ve always loved the idea of an all-beaky force. Here’s the first guy. I’m quite proud of the hand painted symbol on the shoulder pad. Found a great image at www.fromthewarp.blogspot.com which gave me a step-by-step method that made this really much simpler than I thought it would be. Also posted a screenshot of that image in case it’s handy for anyone. Next up will be my attempt at Kayvaan Shrike!

I just played a 2k game against Black Templar with Imperial Fist allies. His was more of a test for IF allies, mine was a test for DA allies. My list: HQs Shrike Sammael(Corvex) Elites Vanguard Vet Squad - x10 Jump packs, 4x PWs, Sarge with P Axe and SS (RG) Venerable Dread - Drop Pod, MM Troops Sniper Scout Squad (DA) Tactical Marines - x10, Meltagun (RG) Scouts in LSS, Bolters (RG) Fast Attack Assault Marine Squad - x10 men, Meltabomb, CS, PW Ravenwing Black Knights x5 (DA) Heavy Stormraven - TLMM, TLPC(RG) Thunderfire ADL/Quadgun His list(Best I can recall): Emperors Champion IF Captain with PF Master of the Forge Conversion Beamer Command Squad with Apothecary Drop Pod x5 Man Crusader Squad x5 Man Sniper Scouts x10 Man IF Tac Heavy Bolter x10 Man IF Tac Heavy Bolter x9 Man Sternguard x5 Combi-melta x4 combi-plas Drop Pod x10 Man Vanguard with a large assortment of PW and SS loaded for bear ADL/Quadgun Mission: The Scouring Deployment: Dawn of War Deployment He won the roll off, he deployed first. There were a lot of ruins and some mysterious terrain. The objectives were almost perfectly divided. His ADL/QG were front on center with an objective behind it and a tall ruin. He put both Tac squads on either side of the QG behind the ADL with the MotF above and behind them in the ruin. The crusader squad was on my left in a ruin towards the left midfield objective. I deployed my TFC on my right flank in a ruin and the ADL/QG on my left using the ruin to box in an objective and put my AMs in it at the edge of my deployment. The BK/Sammael were outflanking. My Tac squad was in the 'Raven. I won the roll off for infiltrators. I put my Sniper Scouts in the ruin above the objective. Shrike on the VV infiltrated into a body of water 12" (LoS blocked by a ruin) from his right Tac squad, near the edge of my right and center tile edge. I put my LSS right next to them for the jamming beacon on the tile edge and behind another ruin. He put his Sniper Scouts in a ruin to my far right next to the board edge and an objective. I did not try to seize. The hunt had begun. Turn 1 Night-fighting in effect. The objective next to his IF tacs was worth 4 points, mine was worth 3, the one on the left was worth 1 and the center-ish one was worth 3 and the one near my TFC was worth 2 and the one near his snipers was worth 2. His objective was a grav-wave generator. The others were too far away. He was going to drop his Stern/IF Cap next to Shrike but he realized my LSS had a jamming beacon(He had fallen for it a few games back already) so he tried to drop it exactly 12" away almost in the exact center of the board. It scatted 10" in front of his QG. Bonus! He disembarked them on the opposite side of my VV/Shrike towards his ADL. He shuffled his eft IF Tac into the ruin to join with the MotF. His snipers took a wound off my TFC. His Conversion Beamer wounded some AMs but I saved them all. I was too far away/out of LoS for anything else. My QG intercepted his stern and killed 1. My objective was also a grav-wave. Ven Dread came down right next to his DP and in front of the ADL. The Dread disembarked with his DP between it and the QG. My AMs jumped up towards his Stern. VV/Shrike jumped over the ruin and were right in front of the right IF Tac squad. LSS followed the VVs. Snipers killed 2 Sterns. TFC whiffed. Dread ate his DP. First Blood to me. AMs tried to assault his stern but were short, even with WD. I shouldn't have shot at the stern. Their casualties made me fail the charge. VVs easily got into CC with his IF Tac squad. My VV Sarg with PA/SS challened his IF sarge. I lost 1 plain VV and he lost all 9 tac marines. 4 from Shrike alone and the rest from PWs. My sarge died in the challenge. He tried to break but I caught him and we were locked in CC. WHich was good. Turn 2 None of his reserves came in. He moved his stern towards my AMs. He killed off my TFC and killed 3 AMs from everything that could shoot them. Sterns only used bolt pistols. Shrike watched while the VVs killed the IF tac sarge and consolidated 5" towards the ruin with the MotF/IF Tac squad in it. The sterns assaulted my AM's and we tied combat. His captain broke off to fight my dread but a failed invul ID'd him. My 'Raven and BKs came in. I moved the 'Raven up about 20" where a DP blocked LoS from his QG. The BKs came in from the left side, which is where I wanted them. I knew he would send his Champ after Shrike so I wanted to set up Sammael to intercept. Shrike and crew hopped into the ruin with the IF Tacs. My lonely Tech ran towards the snipers. The Snipers/BKs/'Raven killed the crusader squad on the left. PotMS missile took a wound off the QG. Shrike assaulted the Tacs and refused the challenge. His sarg had a PF and I wanted to take no risks with Shrike. the VVs killed all but the MotF and a random Tac. He tried to break but I caught him. My dread charged in with the Stern and my AMs and won 3-1 wounds. He passed morale. Turn 3 His VV and CS/Champ came in. He planted his CS/CHamp right next to the ruin with Shrike. Just as planned. his VV landed next to my Tech. No idea why he did that. My QG intercepted them and killed one. His snipers headshot my Tech. Shrike maimed the MotF and the VV killed the last Tac. I consolidated 5" out of the ruin away from is CHamp. Dread/AM lost combat 2-0 due to the Dread whiffing but didn't break. His VV ran towards the 2 point objective and it was sabotaged and exploded killing none. Sammael and crew moved up next to his ADL and CS/Champ and unloaded killing 2. 'Raven flew up and unloaded killing 2 more. Tacs stayed inside. LSS moved up, scouts jumped out and killed the QG. Shrike and crew joined my Dread/AMs and slaughtered the stern. Sammael made the charge into the Champ and the last Vet. The BKs killed the Vet and Sammael and the Champ did no wounds. Turn 4 My Tacs jumped out and grabbed the 4 pointer. My SNipers huddled around the 3 pointer. His snipers grabbed the 2 pointer and the VVs made a break for my snipers. They were over 48" away so I wasnt worried. At this point he knew it was over so we just did Sammael vs Emperors Champion. Sammael won. Eternal Warrior was key here. Victory 10-3 me. 7 Objective Points, 1 Slay the Warlord, 1 First Blood, 1 Line-breaker. He got 2 Objective Points and Line-breaker. Over all it was fun. I expected his Stormtalon but was surprised he didnt bring it. Shrike/VV and Sammael/BK were two unstoppable pain trains. The support from my 'Raven and Snipers were perfect. Going second with SHrike/VV infiltrating so close was great. My LSS jamming beacon probably won me the game as SHrike/VV got in CC without a single casualty and I only lost 4 VV the whole game as they were in CC every turn they made their points back and more. Sammael is the perfect HQ hunter and Shrike is the perfect assassin. Winged Deliverance did a bunch of wounds but he saved them all. The re-rolls for charge range didnt really affect the game but were a nice back up.

Hello brothers. For those that are interested here are some images of Shadow Captain Shrike. I did not paint the model, I only took the images. Hope you like.

So on an impulse I decided to buy the Shrike novel to give me something to read for a few days. I've read all the Gav Thorpe stuff from the Horus Heresy so I was prepared for a main character that had some odd moments (looking at you Corax), on the chance I had to endure that again. That being said, I know George Mann has written a lot of RG stuff in that past, and I even remember reading one story that had Orks and Eldar and a Captain out-stealthing the Eldar. Imagine my surprise when I finished the book wishing for Gav Thorpe's Corax, mental breakdowns and all from Weregeld. Where to start. I think the biggest thing that broke my immersion was also one of the first; the description and references of Kiavahr and then later on Deliverance. Forests. Forests everywhere! Where did all this come from? "Great landmasses, near subsumed with the ever-living forest"; I though Kiavahr was a pseudo-Forgeworld, with tech-guilds and giant amounts of factories and irradiated wastelands from where Corax dropped nukes during his uprising. This is how advancements like reflex shield technology comes from, as well as explanations for the vast amounts of materiel produced during the Heresy for the XIXth. The Tanith-esque description made me feel like it was a vehicle for the bird hunting. This goes double for Deliverance; it's supposed to be a literal rock with force domes, why is there descriptions of clouds and atmosphere? The bird hunting. Of course the Raven Guard are going to have actual ravens and their skulls, they have an animal in their name. It's so contrived, and a ton of emphasis is put on retrieving the bird skulls of dead marines. This was a bit easier to swallow than the surprise makeover of the planet and moon, since 40k is highly ritualized compared to the 30k era and I could see a lot of emphasis being put on tradition over time, compared to the planet being completely different with no explanation. The literal inclusion of 7th edition Detachments and Formations. It felt so unnatural to hear, especially since their function was never expanded upon; they just mention them in passing instead of having a point in the story. The references to Astra Militarum, Militarum Tempestus and Tempestor Prime were fine, because when the general referred to them as "the Guard" and "storm troopers" it kind of showed the difference between Shrike and normal humans. Formations just seemed like forced product placement, which was especially bad when the author referred to both an Imperial Knight and Storm Talons guns as auto cannons. The relentless mention of the Raven's Talons wasn't pleasant either, mix it up and just say "his claws", "lightning claws", etc... and only use their name for important moments. The bolter porn. The entire book is almost all action, and the fighting scenes are imo over described and last way too long. The only respite was the flashbacks, of which I was bombarded by tales of the vast forests again. Shrike. He kind of sucks as a character. He's angry at Orks for the entire story and wants to kill that warboss in particular because his friend died. He doesn't display any real change in character from being a Veteran to Chapter Master; no displays of strategic or tactical planning, or any of his famed guerrilla warfare. He just beelines for the warboss at every opportunity. If his arc was supposed to be "destroys tremor cannon"-"evacuates some humans and material"-"doesn't rush in alone" then its rather poorly done and non-impactful. It's also very odd that the focus is on his vengeance against a random Ork Warboss. It's not Skullkrak, whom he's been warring with since 4th ed; it's not Shadowsun who killed the Chapter Master and a significant part of the Chapter, it's an Ork who got one of his friends killed and then got away. Doubly odd that they put vengeance above rescuing citizens and overwhelmed worlds, since that has a huge part of the character in the past. Anyone else have issues with the book, or am I missing some key parts?

Stats: 12" move, 2+ WS/BS, 4 S/T, 5 wounds, 5 attacks, and a 3+ Equipment: Ravens Talons: user strength, AP -3, D3 damage and can re-roll wounds. Iron Halo: 4+ invulnerable save Special Rules: Chapter Master: You can re-rolls of failed hit rolls for friends RG units within 6" Winged Deliverance: You can re-roll failed charge rolls for friendly RG jump pack units with 6" And he's 150 points. At first I was really annoyed when I saw that he still has a 2+ armor save. It really ticked me off, specially because a lot of the other characters are still rocking 2+ like Calgar, Captain Sicarius, Captain Lysander, Pedro Kantor, High Marshal Helbrecht, Vulkan and the whole lineup of BA, SW and DA characters. The points for these guys fluctuates seemingly without reason....for example Lysander is 150 points same as Shrike while Kantor is 170 points if I remember correctly. Anyway, a drink or two later and a quick flip through the rest of the leaks and I started to feel a little better. Seem like the ability to re-roll charges are a rare commodity. I think I only saw something similar on one of the space wolf sheets. It's pretty powerful as that increases your odds of charging off the deep strike quite a bit. The Chapter Master special rule is pretty nifty too. Also, one of my big issues with Shrike in previous editions was that you could easily replace him with a equally able captain for less points. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore. What do you guy think? Just for the Wings of Deliverance rule alone he seems like an auto include.

As the title suggests, I'm looking into kitbashing a Shrike model. I really hate the official model, and have little hope we'll get a new one any time soon. Space Marines do not frolick! My goal is to get my kitbash to look as much like the cover of the Shrike novel as possible. I plan on getting Edryc Setorax for his claws and jump pack. I am going to use the left pad from Korvydae, and I have a helmet from the FW upgrade pack that will work. I'm just stuck on the rest of his body. I'm considering getting the FW etched brass to use a small symbol for the middle of his chest, but I don't know if the sizes will work. Any suggestions on parts to use? (I'll post the WIP and results in this thread)