Stormraven as a transport

[Serekth]

How reliable is it to use a Stormraven as a transport? If it gets blown up, then it's a death trap to the unit inside. So would it be worth it to use it as a delivery method for a hard hitting CC unit like Death Company?

 

On a side note, what are some good load outs for the Stormraven. I'm considering a multi-purpose role by taking a meltagun and a plasma cannon. The missiles and the meltagun and the missiles would be used against other flyers, and the plasma cannon would be for infantry.

[Red Comet]

I personally feel that the Stormraven is best used as a gunboat. The transport capacity can too easily kill a whole squad of DC. All it takes is that one random lucky shot from a Quadgun to knock you out of the skies. From what I have seen we have one of the best anti-vehicle, and anti-flyer flyers. Our Bloodstrike Missiles are amazing, and so is the addition of a multi-melta, and Assault Cannon or Lascannon.

 

As for the loadout I feel that the Plasma Cannon is a waste because it cannot be fired at Flyers at all. Its such a waste because then you are forced to fire the Plasma Cannon at ground troops and snap fire at a Flyer with either a meltagun, Heavy Bolter, Blood Strike Missiles, or Typhoon ML. As good as a Plasma Cannon can be, its just not worth it to be snap-firing all of your other weapons so that you can fire a small blast weapon even if it is AP2.

[TheHarrower]

I used the Storm Raven a lot at the end of 5th and I honestly think it has blown up more in 6th. Statistically, I don't think its less survivable, but I've had a string of bad luck.

 

I played in a 2 Headed Tournament and ran a Storm Raven with Lemartes and Death Company. Lucky meltagun shot took it out Game 1, Turn 2. Lemartes and 1 Death Company survived only to get assaulted and trashed by a unit of THSS Terminators. Game 2, my Storm Raven suffered locked velocity and the DC had to deploy via Skies of Blood. Rolled mishap and lost the whole squad. Game 3, Storm Raven never came in from reserve and we quit at the end of Turn 3. Lemartes was apparently enjoying coffee and a danish.

 

Last time I played, I thought I'd be smart and just put Mephiston and a DC Dreadnought in it. Storm Raven blew up and scattered off the board (I rolled an 11 or 12). Nothing like losing 605 points in 1 shot. I still won that game, but I haven't used it since. Everyone in my club takes the mandatory Aegis Line with Quad-gun and 10 Scouts w/ Sniper Rifles and Camo Cloaks. It just seems like a 270 point sink to me. To make that choice more worthless, I've been leaving my Raven at home, but I'm in our league semi-final and I have it back in solely as a gunship.

 

For load out, I'd recommend Twin-linked Multi-melta, Twin-linked Assault Cannon, and Hurricane Bolter Sponsons. Those occasions where I did use it, I ran out of targets pretty quick with TLMM and TLLC. No infantry unit is afraid of a TLMM and a TLLC. That's basically just 2 wounds/dead models once there is no mech to shoot at. My opponents just ignored it and it seemed like a waste of points.

 

It has enough fire power with the Blood Strike missiles to down enemy flyers. TLAssC is multipurpose and works good against almost anything. HBs will chew through infantry. Plus, the TLAssC and HBs are better against flying monstrous creatures and there has seen a definite down trend with mech so far. Plasma Cannon just isn't worth it. You can't shoot at enemy flyers and there is always a chance (however slight) of overheating and losing a hull point.

 

If I ran 2 Ravens, I'd probably change up the load out on 1 of them and maybe go TLLC and Typhoon Missile Launcher. Probably still wouldn't take the TLPC. Good luck brother.

[DominicJ]

I think its just too many points to risk on one reserve role.

 

Especially when you throw in the complicated way we debark and assault from flyers now.

 

A hammer in a raven is a lot of points that might turn up on turn four and assault on 6.

[Serekth]

Okay thanks for the great feedback! This will really help me modify my list so that I can get the most out of the units I pick.

[CitadelArmyGuy]

I've found just a Furioso as transported works just great. At125pts its not too expensive if you're waiting on it, while still getting great results from the Assault Ramps.

 

In large-point Friendly games there's few things more fun than DC charging from a Raven but I think everyone has already highlighted its not a terribly competitive option, since eveyone taking both a Strength 4 hit then a Strength 10 hit if it explodes is really quite punishing.

[Shaggy12009]

Don't discount the plasma cannon too quickly. Ravens have a machine spirit and the cannon is turreted so it can pop termies like they're wearing flack jackets. I usually run multimelta, plasma, and hurricane bolters. The plasma and bolters make quick work of infantry while the machine spirit lets me hunt vehicles too. In a pinch, I'll use melta and missiles at a vehicle that needs to die and throw the cannon at some heavy troopers.

 

As far as a transport, I like to roll up like above and hammer a flank. Next turn, I switch to hover, drop out my sanguinary guard and a furioso and finish the flank. It's not perfect, but it works more often than not. It's about 550 points in one basket but if that's all it takes to roll a flank, I'm happy

[TheHarrower]

The problem with the Plasma Cannon is you can't shoot at opposing flyers and ground troops in the same turn. If you shoot air to air, you can only snap fire to the ground which renders the Plasma Cannon useless since it's a blast weapon (you can shoot at a skimmer normally though). The idea of a twin-linked Plasma Cannon is sweet and I used it in 5th Edition to great effect. Sadly, it just isn't the same in 6th.

[Midnightmare]

I always run a Furioso in one of mine, rarely DC nowadays as it can be to many points tied up waiting to be shot down, but a Furioso is cheap and cheerful when dropped on 3+ save troops and has a good chance of surviving a crash.

[Deschenus Maximus]

The trick with the storm raven is not to have the guys dilly-dally in it. Curiously, I've found that paradropping Tacticals works the best because they can still have an impact on the battlefield when they arrive. I've also been toying with the idea of using a 5-man jump squad with flamer and nothing else to sit inside the Raven and clear out/contest an objective on T5 if the ride doesn't get shot down.

[Drunken Angel]

I have stopped using it as a transport its just to damn good as a gunship. I have been very happy I have only lost my raven once in the last 6-8 games. The raven has taken out land raiders, defilers all manner of monsterous creatures and more squads of anything than I can remember. I dont want transport I am happy to hold things back and wait for the shooting to clear then move in. Maybe one dread at the most but thats all it needs to carry, keep it zooming.

[Demoulius]

Ive used my stormraven a few times in 5th but never really build a list around it. Ran a list where it (basicly) was my only vehicle and was carrying VV's and a Furioso to boot... thats not to great for the AV12 vehicle's survivability.... :)

 

I do see an increase in flyers and flying monstrous creatures... Might be a good choice to take on to counter it, and mount some assault troopers on foot in it :) Ive been looking to add some combat terminators to my lists. Might be a good way to do it ^_^

[DominicJ]

You can put foot slogging assault troops in a raven, but you cant use the 35pt discount against the raven, its not a dedicated transport.

 

Nor can you buy a pod and put a tactical squad in it.

 

In theory, you could run a free empty pod, or a rhino/razor that starts empty, and either picks up a squad on turn one, or just runs empty