Stormraven as transport

[Aethernitas]

My question is: What are your experiences in using the Stormraven as a transport and what units do you normally embark?

 

I have only recently picked up Grey Knights to revive my old Demonhunter army and I was instantly intrigued with the Stormraven and it's way of unloading destruction into the middle of your enemys army. Thing is since then I have also read alot of threads about how the Stormraven is only ever viable as a Gunship. I can totally see it in that role too but I would prefer to make use of the transport capacity and the survivability as a flying transport.

 

I have played 3 games with a Scriptor/GM + 5 Paladins + Dread riding the Stormraven. 2 times it kicked ass (used a psychic communion inquisitor to bring it in early) and the third time a Hyrda platform (the Aegis defense line thingy) brought it down hard and everything except the Dreadnought died horribly...

Is it always like that? High risk - high reward?

 

edit: typos

[spartan249]

Stormravens lost a lot of value as a transport because of the absolutely deadly consequences for any interference by the wheel of fate. If anything, the contents of the stormraven must be cheap enough to not destroy your chances if it is destroyed, but must still pack enough punch to make a difference. CC henchmen are probably the only thing I'd put inside a raven.

[Zeratul29]

Well now that their rule's been fixed in the faq, you can use it as a transport to allow a squad to destroy something. A lot of people would reccomend a cc warband with a techmarine in there, or paladins. I've done a squad of purifiers, a techmarine with grenade belt and a librarian and they would pop out and murder the first thing they saw. But yes, its viable as a transport, depending on how it fits into your list

[Gentlemanloser]

I'm actually more sceptical of the SR now after the recent FAQ.

 

With the ruling it cannot start in Hover Mode, you're forced to be subject to Interceptor/Skyfire.

 

While mostly not an issue currently (unless you're a masochist and let your opponent use the Saber batteries), you can bet that more and more Interceptor/Skyfire units will be introduced.

 

And it will suck to bing your zooming SR on Turn 2, to get it blown up by an Interceptor, and lose the squad inside.

[TheDarkOne]

I used to run Libby, cc henchmen and a tech marine in the raven, but the consequences of getting shot down are devastating to passengers, so now if I were to transport anything in the raven, it would just be the cc henchmen, so of they die I'm not losing 3 kill points - just 1.

 

I've also thought it would be fun to run a combat squad of interceptors, with 2 incinerators, and drop them

Out without scatter along the raven's entry vector. You should typically be able to hit something with that unit...

 

 

Paladerps don't seem like a great idea, the explosion not only negates their armor, but instant kills them...

[Aethernitas]

With the ruling it cannot start in Hover Mode, you're forced to be subject to Interceptor/Skyfire.

 

Thats one of (if not THE) biggest point on my contra-list. Two of my most frequent opponents play Chaos in all it's shapes and forms und since we have a necron player with scythes and my stormravens they bring the Hydra AA platform 90% of the time. Without it the risk of beeing shot down is acceptable but as it is I take at least two rounds (one in my second turn and one in his) of flak firewhich is totally not worth the reward...

 

I already switched the Paladins with a gory henchman cc squad + techmarine but I still wonder about the dreadnought. One of the cool things with Dread + Paldins + Scriptor/GM was that you could potentially assault three units when arriving and I'm not sure whether to leave my dread on the ground with the rest of the army or not.

 

The Interceptor-drop idea is worth trying too. I like the idea of that Interceptor-flamer squad to port out of a zooming flyer and fry some chaos scum and next turn shunting to the other side of the map to... fry some more I guess :)

 

as kind of a follow-up question: If you don't use the Stormravens to deploy your Paladins where they are needed most then whats your preferred Option?

[RedemptionNL]

The only squad I would put in a Stormraven in any kind of list that isn't just for fun would be a henchmen squad with Crusaders and/or Death Cult Assassins. These are cheap enough that when/if the Stormraven goes down, it's not a huge loss, and they both have invulnerable saves to take against the crash and burn damage to limit casualties.

 

Also note that Paladins, Terminators, Strike Squads and Interceptor Squads all have the ability to Deep Strike, so whether you put them in a Stormraven or Deep Strike them, they won't arrive until turn 2 at the earliest and can't assault until the turn after that. And unless your opponent has little to no anti-air and lots of anti TEQ/MEQ, they're probably safer outside of the Stormraven than inside it.

 

And if you want to assault from the Stormraven, you have to put it in Hover mode which makes it a lot more vulnerable, so you're basically putting 2 units in greater risk if you want to use the transport capacity.

[Inquisitor Fox]

The thing to keep in mind is Interceptors deep striking from a Raven don't scatter. You need to drop exactly in a three inch zone between two sets of piping or something? Not a problem. Want to drop in exact range to maximize your flamer templates? Not a problem. It's the most effective way to get pinpoint strikes behind enemy lines, whereas everything else you have your scatter chance (unless for some reason you got a Mystic downfield right away).

[spartan249]

The problem though is that interceptors already boast extremely high speed and precision without the stormraven. The raven only limits the squad size, nothing more.

[Inquisitor Fox]

I disagree. Interceptors do NOT have precision on initial deep strike deployment, no more so than Terminators. The only way to get behind enemy lines and come down EXACTLY where you want to is either via a Mystic, or Interceptors deploying from Storm Raven (which also acts as a Teleport Homer itself potentially). You have the Raven fly over the target point, and shove the Interceptors out the door. This allows them to still have their Shunt move for later in the game, and come down exactly how you want them to. There's nothing else in our arsenal that does that. Yes you could have them walk on and shunt right where you want, or you can have them drop down right where you want them to be via Storm Raven deployment. It does a lot more than just limit the squad size by 4 guys, it gives you total control over where those Interceptors are landing to do the most good.

 

Paired with a standard cargo Dreadnought, you can have the Storm Raven, Interceptors, and Dread come down on a flank for serious firepower. You can give the Storm Raven a Teleport Homer to bring down additional troops (say a Personal Teleporter DreadKnight) via Psychic Communion manipulation. It can be highly effective in establishing local fire superiority. It's a different playstyle though that some may not like.

 

It might not fit everyones style, and some may disagree as to it's utility, but the fact is it's there and its an option that must be discussed when talking about the Storm Raven as a transport. It alone gives us 100% precision with our Interceptor deployments (unless you're footslogging a Mystic across the table, past all the enemy guns, and right where you want your Interceptors to be, or doing something really funny with a Librarian or Purgation Squad).

[Gentlemanloser]

I've long liked Interceptors coming in from Shadowied Skies. Who cares if they can't assault, they're toot at asaulting really. :lol:

 

But I'm still not sold on SR versus Interceptor (the Skyfire kind). It seems like a waste of an expensive unit for your opponent to get free shots at it when it's allowed to come on.

[Aethernitas]

Skyfire + Interceptor is indeed dangerous even for the AV12 Stormraven. I guess one just has to settle with the idea to ALWAYS have to evade and go flat-out the turn you come in. With a Scriptor inside thats a 3+ cover save and the only thing u really have to worry about is a lucky roll of 6 and the instant destruction of your beloved aircraft. Math-hammer tells me that when evading the chances for beeing destroyed (either wrecked or exploded) by 8 shots (2 rounds of fire St7 DS4) from a Skyfire-Interceptor Hydra are as following:

 

with...

... combat or cruising speed: 29,74 %

... going flat-out: 18,71 %

... going flat-out and a scriptor with shroud: 9,85 %

 

Those are actually quite reasonable percentages. I should have looked them up earlier :rolleyes:

[Lysere]

Thats one of (if not THE) biggest point on my contra-list. Two of my most frequent opponents play Chaos in all it's shapes and forms und since we have a necron player with scythes and my stormravens they bring the Hydra AA platform 90% of the time. Without it the risk of beeing shot down is acceptable but as it is I take at least two rounds (one in my second turn and one in his) of flak firewhich is totally not worth the reward...

 

How did he manage that? Weapons fired with the interceptor rule can not be fired in the next turn. So if you went first, and he fires at your storm raven when it comes in, how can he fire at you again? He'd have to wait till after his next turn. In addition last I checked Hydras don't even have interceptor, they just have skyfire.

[Aethernitas]

How did he manage that? Weapons fired with the interceptor rule can not be fired in the next turn. So if you went first, and he fires at your storm raven when it comes in, how can he fire at you again? He'd have to wait till after his next turn. In addition last I checked Hydras don't even have interceptor, they just have skyfire.

 

Holy Moses?! That derp cheated... well THATS good to know. Just looked it up and u r of course right. Niiice :D

 

Concerning the Hydra - thats my fault for not using the units correct name cuz he was actually using that Hydra-platform thingy u can buy for the Aegis defence line.

[Gentlemanloser]

The Aegis Quad Gun. :D

 

Now, if anyone needs ny other proof of Forgeworld being, er, unballanced, check out the new Sabre & Heavy Artillery Platforms. ;)

 

~70 T7 Wounds. Go Go!

[spartan249]

I disagree. Interceptors do NOT have precision on initial deep strike deployment, no more so than Terminators. The only way to get behind enemy lines and come down EXACTLY where you want to is either via a Mystic, or Interceptors deploying from Storm Raven (which also acts as a Teleport Homer itself potentially). You have the Raven fly over the target point, and shove the Interceptors out the door. This allows them to still have their Shunt move for later in the game, and come down exactly how you want them to. There's nothing else in our arsenal that does that. Yes you could have them walk on and shunt right where you want, or you can have them drop down right where you want them to be via Storm Raven deployment. It does a lot more than just limit the squad size by 4 guys, it gives you total control over where those Interceptors are landing to do the most good.

 

Paired with a standard cargo Dreadnought, you can have the Storm Raven, Interceptors, and Dread come down on a flank for serious firepower. You can give the Storm Raven a Teleport Homer to bring down additional troops (say a Personal Teleporter DreadKnight) via Psychic Communion manipulation. It can be highly effective in establishing local fire superiority. It's a different playstyle though that some may not like.

 

It might not fit everyones style, and some may disagree as to it's utility, but the fact is it's there and its an option that must be discussed when talking about the Storm Raven as a transport. It alone gives us 100% precision with our Interceptor deployments (unless you're footslogging a Mystic across the table, past all the enemy guns, and right where you want your Interceptors to be, or doing something really funny with a Librarian or Purgation Squad).

 

Who said anything about deep strike? They have the shunt, and that's all they need.

[Inquisitor Fox]

If you bring them in by deep strike, you can get pinpoint accuracy intially and still have the shunt for late game shenannigans or tactical use. Using the shunt right off and blowing your wad early is potentially a waste when you can get the same effect by Storm Raven deployment as well as have some defense against enemy fliers. I'd rather let them effectively shunt twice :D

[spartan249]

All this for the price of half a squad... I don't think it's worth it.