Combat squading Ravenwing?

[John_f]

Soooo.. First blood is a fairly big deal in 6e and killing 3 marines is not hard. How are you running your Ravenwing? Units of 6 or 3?

[shortysl]

Full squadrons and Combat Squad the Attack Bike and Speeder.

[facmanpob]

For clarification you don't combat squad the speeder and AB, they are deployed as completely independent units.

 

Edit - spelling

[shortysl]

Yes you're right. I'd misunderstood the Combat Squad entry for Ravenwing. Thanks for the clarification.

[John_f]

Yeah, but the attack bikes are rarely an issue for first blood since the mostly outflank come turn 2. But I would like to get some more input on the combat squad.

 

3 man squad:

 

Pro

-increased target options

Con

-easier to give away first blood

-easier to kill special weapons and sergeants

-easier to force moral check

 

Any other imput? How are you running them?

[shortysl]

As i originally said, I'm running full squadrons. My 2k list features 14 individual units meaning my opponent had to exercise very careful target priority while allowing me multiple offensive options. That's without Combat Squadding the Bikes.

[facmanpob]

I usually run melta in 3 man squads outflanking, and plasma squads as 5 or 6 man squads as their target profile usually requires the extra bodies.

[elphilo]

Yeah as others have said, don't combat squad the bikers. Leave them full at 6 and out flank the Attack Bikes. You'll give your opponent a nice melta suprise

[Brother Immolator]

I dont combat squad my bikes. For that matter the only thing I do combat squad are my devs to gain a sembalance of split fire and thats only when they have multiples of weapons to ensure that the HBs dont hit tanks for example.

 

I wish the bikes could combat squad and remerge in game... Oh the tactics one could pull through that way...

[SnaRf.za]

Yeah, but the attack bikes are rarely an issue for first blood since the mostly outflank come turn 2. But I would like to get some more input on the combat squad.

 

I didn't even know that it was possible to deploy your Ravenwing Attack Squad on the table and have the Attack Bike go into reserve and outflank.

I was under the impression that they have to be deployed together?

 

Edit: Actually, Ignore me (Previous codex syndrome I guess...)

I see that GW made it nice and clear on page 47 under Ravenwing Combat Squad

[Brom MKIV]

In 5th I used 3 man RAS with melta but now full squads seem superior, not just for FB but more importantly because of hit and run.

[Master Avoghai]

New codex has introduced 2 new features that makes me play my bikes differently.

 

vet sgt are not compulsory, hence I can use the sgt as a casualty (whereas before, I felt pain to use 15pts for protecting my specia weapons)

 

It's no longer 3 or 6 bikes, you can add marines one by one. 

 

 

Consequently, I like playing 4 bikes with 2 meltas (or 2plasmas) in my multiwing army and make them outflanking, it's perfect to seek for hidden tanks or nnying units like tau crisis suits.

 

In my RW army though I prefer playing them by unit of 6 and not combat squad them in order not to give a 1st blood point and not beeing outnumbered too much if I reach CC