Raptor success story

[Tzimisce169]

I played a couple of games last weekend and was rather shocked by the awesomeness of my raptors.

 

My current load out is as follows:

 

Champion with plasma pistol and power sword

2 guys with plasma guns

2 standard guys

VotLW

 

Anyway, they got their points back and then some during this game. It went something like this:

 

My Turn 3 - Raptors turn up to support Abaddon who found himself without a bodyguard. They don't scatter and gun down the enemy commander who is falling back.

 

Enemy turn 3 - They get charged by a dreadnought and open up with overwatch fire, destroying the dreadnought.

 

My Turn 4 - They bounce across the board and rapid fire into the back of a Vindicator, immobilisiong it and wrecking the main gun.

 

Enemy turn 4 - They get nail heavily by a scout sniper squad, leaving 1 plasma gunner. He doesn't fall back. My opponent also turns his ironclad around to face my havoc squad, exposing the rear to the raptor.

 

My turn 5 - I accept the invitation, jump my lone raptor across the table and rapid fire into the rear of the ironclad which goes up in smoke.

 

Enemy turn 5 - The lone raptor in finished off by a storn bolter from a drop pod, ending the reign of plasma-death.

 

Unfortunately in the next game, they turned up and got nailed by a tactical squad and a devastator squad, I guess my opponent learned his lesson.

 

[Kol Saresk]

:drool:

[Iron_Within]

Another good thing about them: With Master of Deception Warlord Trait they can infiltrate, Bikes cannot, I realised this on the first turn when I first got it and I had to restart the game.

[the jeske]

So in one game they did some hard over avarger rolling[str 7 destroying av12 walkers on overwatch . killing a +3inv meq HQ in a single turn with 5 shots , killing an av10 target with 2 str 7 shots] or is there more ?

[Tzimisce169]

Nope, thats it. I know that gunning down av10 targets isn't that impressive but everytime i've used them in the past they have been next to useless, so this time I tried a more cowardly tactic and avoided any close combat.

 

I think this is going to be my default tactic with them from now on. Fast moving, cowardly gun platform used for picking off the weak and vulnerable.

[Brother Ambroz]

Raptors aren't necessarily a bad unit, it's just we have better ones to choose from.

[Lieutenant Steel]

Raptors aren't necessarily a bad unit, it's just we have better ones to choose from.

 

You could basically say this about any unit that isn't a Baledrake or Plague Marines though...

 

It's nice to hear that Raptors are getting some love, but I can't help but agree that the circumstances (or perhaps the tactics) were in their favour.

[Brother Ambroz]

Yeah I haven't used either this edition Lt Steele so I wouldn't say that exactly.

 

Circumstances were definitely in their favor but still it can happen, an opponent ignores a unit and said unit makes them regret it.

[derpasaurus]

I usually have good luck with my raptors. I run 2 melta guns and tend to outflank or infiltrate. (I also run Huron, and apparently since he's not a juggerlord he's useless, so what do I know?)
2 plasma is a fantastic way to run them if you want to murder heavy infantry and light vehicles while being highly mobile. I tend to make mine more into tank hunters and melee butchers. What usually happens with mine is they jump up, blast a tank, and then proceed to kill whatever charges them, moving along and harassing back lines, etc. I give mine MoK because up to 41 attacks on a charge (and 31 if you're assaulted) is pretty damn terrifying no matter what you are.

Having said this, I do want 2 smallish squads of bikes, as well. My test runs for them have been very good, and some relentless plasma with higher base T would do great in my army. 

[AekoldHelbrass]

It sounds just as very lucky dice rolling, nothing special Raptors have done really. So I would not expect them to repeat their success any other day.

 

I'm using this combination:

2 Plasma guns

Sorcerer with Jump Pack, Skalathrax, Telepathy 3rd level (keeping it as cheap as possible)

If have spare points - add more bodies.

 

As there are only 5 of them (and you want them to shoot) - giving them VotLW and PW to champion is a complete waste. Also I just hate plasma pistols so I don't take them, even combi-plasma is cheaper. Skalathrax is extremely devastating, so you can just jump around with it, casting Invis on everything and firing those who has any kind of cover save. Plus closer to the end of the game you can detach Sorc from the unit to shoot some other target, even if he will die - whatever, just don't make him your Warlord.

[*Furyou Miko]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/KaguraHakubi/Forum%20Comments/MikoSmug_zps4b0b1a74.png Ignore the people saying "it was just awesome rolling" - they don't understand the true glory of a gloating thread, clearly. 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/KaguraHakubi/Forum%20Comments/MikoChildJoy_zps0b300f5f.png Nice one. Jump troops can be really awesome with the right gear, although I'd have used meltaguns personally.

[Trevak Dal]

 

I usually have good luck with my raptors. I run 2 melta guns and tend to outflank or infiltrate. (I also run Huron, and apparently since he's not a juggerlord he's useless, so what do I know?)

2 plasma is a fantastic way to run them if you want to murder heavy infantry and light vehicles while being highly mobile. I tend to make mine more into tank hunters and melee butchers. What usually happens with mine is they jump up, blast a tank, and then proceed to kill whatever charges them, moving along and harassing back lines, etc. I give mine MoK because up to 41 attacks on a charge (and 31 if you're assaulted) is pretty damn terrifying no matter what you are.

Having said this, I do want 2 smallish squads of bikes, as well. My test runs for them have been very good, and some relentless plasma with higher base T would do great in my army. 

I guess I don't have a desire to take the Juggerlord because I sort of want to be the "shiney penny" and be different (same with Nurgle deep down I suppose).

 

I've had good luck with my Warptalons, then again we run a series of house rules that allow for a unit to "shoot" a frag grenade in and all units attacking that target that was fragged count as having Frag Grenades so yeah.

 

Our justification was that GW was trying to make the game "more cinematic" and the abstraction from a unit that doesn't have Frag grenades going last just by virtue of the fact they didn't have Frag Grenades was kind of dumb-especially if you had another unit shoot a frag grenades into the enemy target before hand.

[Chaeron]

Pleasing to see - because I love the models!

[derpasaurus]

 

 

I guess I don't have a desire to take the Juggerlord because I sort of want to be the "shiney penny" and be different (same with Nurgle deep down I suppose).

hahahah, Exactly. I'm not a fan of 'netlisting' because it's all the same damn thing. I know my meta better than the internets, too. I know what I can get away with. I'm almost 50/50 against my buddie's DeathWing/RavenWing army with pretty much nothing that's "any good" except for the baledrake and forgefiend. (and depending on who you talk to av 12 walkers are stupid so whatever)

[Brother Ambroz]

Juggerlords aren't really netlisting either guys, they're cool and I love mine, but they're not part of "the list" as Jeske or someone would say.

[nurglez]

I've been meaning to try out a raptor squad with 2 plasma and a combi plasma on the champ, as I don't really consider assault marines/raptors decent close combat troops. The only thing going for them is their movement.

 

Of course, moving into the fire support role, we can always take termicide with combi weapons, especially as fire support raptors are competing with drakes and bikes, but I like the raptor models and shall make a plasma death squad, eventually :D

[Lieutenant Steel]

I've been meaning to try out a raptor squad with 2 plasma and a combi plasma on the champ, as I don't really consider assault marines/raptors decent close combat troops. The only thing going for them is their movement.

 

That's a very interesting point; it's not something I've paid too much attention to before but it's very true in most situations- however I suppose they are designed to help out with the 'Chop the shooty/ shoot the choppy' maxim by engaging shooting units which have inferior melee abilities, rather than using them as a spearhead to tackle dedicated melee units.

[derpasaurus]

Yup. See Tzeentch. See Tzeentch save. Save Tzeentch, save.
Unless they're staring at 41 melee attacks from Khorne Raptors.

Same thing with Plague/MoN Marines. I ran my Raptors into a block of 20 and killed. Them. All. It tarpitted my raptors for a few turns, sure, but it kept 20 freaking boltguns from the field, so I think it paid off.

[*Furyou Miko]

The difference there is that the Thousand Sons will slaughter the raptors with AP3 bolters before combat, where the Nurgle marines are about the same effectiveness in or out of combat.

[Vesper]

The difference there is that the Thousand Sons will slaughter the raptors with AP3 bolters before combat, where the Nurgle marines are about the same effectiveness in or out of combat.

That is true, but Thousand Sons are way overpowered.

[*Furyou Miko]

Oh, I know. I sometimes feel bad for taking them, my poor opponents just don't stand a chance...

[derpasaurus]

 

The difference there is that the Thousand Sons will slaughter the raptors with AP3 bolters before combat, where the Nurgle marines are about the same effectiveness in or out of combat.

That is true, but Thousand Sons are way overpowered.

AP3 bolters, god. :(

But yeah, once you tie them up they pretty much suck.

 

I was actually surprised the raptors did that much damage to the T5 20 blob, tho. I shot them up a bit before assault, and the first turn was like 41 swings, champ had a pair of claws. They were outnumbered almost 2:1 in the first turn. Makes me wonder if that works out somewhat similarly each time or if my combat was an exception. It doesn't usually come up like that at my store so I haven't been able to see it often.

[Lieutenant Steel]

The Thousand Sons would more than likely light up a unit of Raptors, sure. The Raptors do have the advantage of being able to use terrain to their advantage though, including buildings/ ruins with multiple layers. I think though that you could use Derp's statement as more of an example of how you can deal with any defensive unit, or unit that has a good armour save, like Terminators- just overwhelm them with attacks.

In the Plague Marine example, Plagues are good at both combat and shooting, but at least when you engage them with your Raptors you are forcing them to deal with the unit of your choosing- which has enormous tactical value; better they fight some Raptors over a couple of turns than you let them mow down the large cultist blob you've got defending an objective.

[happybounce]

Nice shooting, tex!  I love the Raptors, but I always run a full squad, MoK, Icon of Wrath started on the table so obviously mine serve a totally different purpose.  

 

I have a buddy that runs a small squad with two meltas in a mixed list; he gave that 5-man squad the Mark of Khorne and two meltas (with nothing else), and it's actually a really good bully unit.  It usually blows one important thing up, and if it's left alive can dish out almost 20 attacks on the charge against a small unit or as part of a larger assault.

[derpasaurus]

The Thousand Sons would more than likely light up a unit of Raptors, sure. The Raptors do have the advantage of being able to use terrain to their advantage though, including buildings/ ruins with multiple layers. I think though that you could use Derp's statement as more of an example of how you can deal with any defensive unit, or unit that has a good armour save, like Terminators- just overwhelm them with attacks.

In the Plague Marine example, Plagues are good at both combat and shooting, but at least when you engage them with your Raptors you are forcing them to deal with the unit of your choosing- which has enormous tactical value; better they fight some Raptors over a couple of turns than you let them mow down the large cultist blob you've got defending an objective.

Oh yeah, rapid fire AP3 makes Raptors cry I'd rather assault them and have them hit on 6's than rapid fire me during their turn. And pretty much. Just drown something in armor saves and eventually the rolls will go your way.

And exactly. By assaulting even a unit that hugely outnumbers me, I'm able to prevent them from shooting 40 shots at something else, and they only get the 20 attacks, (assuming they don't have the 2nd weapon and all get into combat) whereas my marked Raptors would have like 41 attacks from 10 models on the first turn. Even if the combat rolls downhill for me, I've kept a lot of guns busy to allow something else to sneak past or escape.