Tips for an aspiring Ravenwing player?

[ZeBaron]

Hello, my fellow Unforgiven brethren.
 
As much love running a bike-heavy Ravenwing list, it seems that it just doesn't survive very long no matter what I do.
 
The composition of my battles, as you would expect, are my forces trying to charge towards the enemy gunline.  Because a lot of Ravenwing is shorter-ranged, this gives the opponent a few turns to unload on my units while I am just trying to get close enough to lob off more than just a few supporting shots.  Of course, once I manage to get in threat range, my units can demolish a lot of the enemies forces (horrible rolling aside). But by then it is generally too late, and though I have dealt some serious blows my opponent, he still managed to whittle down my forces enough in the early game that he has enough of his remaining units to deal with my crippled army.
 
Even with Scouts and turbo-boosting, I don't feel like my bikes make it up to the enemy lines quickly enough before they are crippled.
 
Are there any Ravenwing players on here that have experienced more success than me with relatively bike-heavy armies? What I'm really looking for, though, is not a good list composition, but rather what exactly I should be doing with my bikes in terms of specific tactics. 

[Chaplain Lucifer]

You should be doing hit and run tactics. Use your speed to attack the enemy weakest flank en masse.That means all your army rolling on the enemy weakest flank. Also, never try to oukill the opponent always plays for the objectives. With RW speed you can use diversionary attacks for the whole game and move in for the objectives in the last minute. Stay out of CC unless you can win or unless it's safer than being in open ground.

[facmanpob]

Always try to Outflank at least part of your army, especially Multi-melta attack bikes. The threat of these tends to make a lot of players cluster vehicles away from the flanks, opening the flanks up to your bikes for the first turn scout and turbo-boost. Use long range Typhoons to hammer away at anything that can really harm your T5 bikes.

[Brom MKIV]

Awesome comments Chaplain Lucifer. The outflanking mmabs can be gold against Mech as fmp stated. I first learned how effective this type of strategy was when I felt the same effects from outflanking gene stealers on my doublewing in 4th. Just don't outflank more expensive squads unless you do so to protect them or for long board deployments maybe.. I would like to add that if you are facing infantry and you run the SoD and have eliminated their firebase then switch to defensive mode. Stay at 24" range and outshoot them. Not even GKs can match your focused fire power. If a squad gets badly damaged in any game hide it until last turn, these remnants are your objective grabbers/contestors and very annoying for an enemy to deal with.

[ZeBaron]

My main problem is that I have been facing a Guard/Marine player who has basically outgunned me every time. Not being able to assault on the first turn hurts. Should I just hide my guys in cover until I can, or what?

[MithrilForge]

as stated by the others here...

Outflanking-bringing in Attack bikes(MM) from flanks, false deployment and scout/turbo boost redeploying to other areas can help force opponents to place forces in areas that will be useless or force them to move to your new zone(they aren't firing at you while there moving) hit your opponent in one focused spot...wipe it out and move back/away the game lasts more than one turn,people always seem to have buck fever on the first turn and overreach or do things too early... speed is your greatest weapon,use it.

 

Mithril

[Brother Moridius]

Typhoon speeders are your friend it terms of range, they can stay in the back field and fire all the way across the board. Speaking of that, what size of table and how much terrain are yo u using? My gaming group first started off on the ol' kitchen table with no terrain and I found it was hard to use bikes vs a gun line even with a 5+ cover save from just moving. A proper board with lots of cover can negate a lot of the Imperial Guard firepower when combined with the Ravenwing's speed.

 

Out of curiosity can you give us a run down on your bike list and what your opponents brings?

 

M 

[AngelVeto]

I found that with my ravenwing army deploying flank Denial is a great strategy. Use the black knights grenade launcher to drop toughness on a unit of multi wound guys and paste them with plasma shots, or use the initiative debuff to let your knights go first in melee. 4 attacks on the charge with s5 rending is nice in a full squad. SoD lends a lot of firepower to standard RW bikes. Use the neph to help control ground forces along with outflanked mmab and typhoons as others have pointed out

 

That's worked well for me at least

[Brother Landrain]

With sixth edition, I thought Turbo-boosting in the scout move went away.

 

Did I miss something in the rules?

[Brom MKIV]

 

With sixth edition, I thought Turbo-boosting in the scout move went away.

Your correct, scout is now just a redeployment.

 

 

My main problem is that I have been facing a Guard/Marine player who has basically outgunned me every time. Not being able to assault on the first turn hurts. Should I just hide my guys in cover until I can, or what?

You've received some excellent feedback so far, further insight would require your list and the general idea of his although we can probably guess at the IG allies. Remember if he has infantry like a blob behind an aegis they can GtG for 2+ cover wasting even your entire army's firepower. Dont get tricked into wasting shots on these guys unless thats all thats left or you have template weapons. 

 

Also forget about combat, pretend it doesnt exist. RAS are basically units of 3-6 tac marines with T5.. my 4 year old hits harder. There is a time and place but its never the primary game plan.

 

Anyway between scout 12" move 12" and option to turbo boost 12" you should be able to get anywhere you need. Consider for a second what you can do with a 36" redeployment of your entire force... Now build strategies around this because you can do it every game. If you run the standard of devastation theres no need to get closer than 24" bolter range except for your anti tank elements meaning you essentially have a 60" threat range. Also dont forget skilled rider is passed from sammael to RAS if you need and it also lets you deploy and move through dangerous terrain with impunity.

 

Also as stated typhoons are excellent for ravenwing because everything else in your army is < 24". If you arent running typhoons and multi melta attack bikes I suggest investing in some. These MSU elements can really make RW tick.

 

Lastly you could always try a diversionary tactic like scouting a MMAB forward to drop a unit of deathwing knights (add terminator IC as needed) and say deal with it. Its a nails unit that will absorb tons of fire leaving your bikes to go about their business.

[Jehoel]

What Brom MKIV said, plus don't forget about Black Knights. Twinlinked plasmaguns with an 18 inch range and a 1/3 grenade that weakens your enemy by -1T should not be forgotten. Plus, they are good at crushing stuff that decides to get too close to your RAS.