[HH1.0] Raven Guard Tactics

[Nusquam]

I use two tac squads. Either in drop pods or infiltrated. Most of the time theyre ten man. They usually just go for objectives with them. My forward units do most damage when they come in and draw aggro.

[defl0]

So what do you guys think of this as a tactic?

 

Chaplain with assault marines with melta bombs with the Angel's Wrath ROW.

 

Hit and run keeps them mobile. Chaplain gives you re roll with attacks (which is great with melta bombs, especially against knights, contemptors etc. And you get S9c+2d6 melta bombs on the charge. Also, melta bombs only give you one attack, so disorderly charge to snipe multiple vehicles is the name of the game

 

Camoeloline helps keep the guys alive. and you could take a nantyte blaster or a void shield if you wanted to go crazy. 

 

Finally, for those that play with infiltrating jumpers, it a good turn two concept. Or if you are playing with maun, you can deepstrike them in turn 2 and hit tun 3.

 

Thoughts?

Edited January 1, 2015 by defl0

[Slips]

You can't give Cameleolines to Jump Pack Units, iirc.

 

The void Shield Harness would get the most utility since it makes them immune to bolter fire.

 

Apart from that, it should work well enough especially if you have target saturation.

[defl0]

Ah... Good call. 

[Nusquam]

Maun would have to start in a flyer and be stuck in reserves so using him for deepstrike accuracy wouldn't work but he would always come in turn 2. Also furious charge doesn't apply to meltabombs so they remain S8. But they do have armourbane so they work against ceramite. It's hard to pick a generic RoW over our own. Hit and run on jump units is nice but ours gives you so much more with fewer restrictions. A great chance for turn 1, access to normal drop pods without the downside of the orbital row, and IC hunting. It's a good example of good vs great. Angels RoW isn't bad with RG I just feel DS offer so much more.

[defl0]

you guys use seekers at all? 

 

10 infiltrating in rhino seems deadly.

 

Move 6" deploy 6" rapid fire with 20 3" templates. 

 

Plus they are fast attack so it opens up your elites a little.

[Slips]

Uh, little correction about Tempest Bolts (the 3" blast ones)...they're 18" range, iirc. So they're rapid fire range is 9" :p

[Nusquam]

I love Seekers. I usually pod them in to get them in perfect position.

[defl0]

Do you run them naked or tooled up with something like combi plasmas?

[Nusquam]

Usually with combi-plas. They don't tend to last long, but I have yet to try it when they stay inside the pod.

[Nusquam]

Speaking of staying inside pods; blitzing Deathstorms got more desirable. Especially if you know you're going against an infantry heavy force. Two fragstorm pods coming down next to Seekers, Melta/Plas equipped Tac support squads in a pod. The fragstorms killing and pinning anything near, with forced re-rolls on successful checks, and your Infantry safely inside their drop pod(s). Could make for some brutal alphas.

[Tiger9gamer]

It's ideas like that that makes me want to use an HH force for my upcoming Apoc game. Excellent idea! question: do you need to buy the drop-pod  special rule thing?

[defl0]

It's interesting you say that. 

 

My comment about naked seekers was about how I think seekers in a pod seem a better value than the frag death storms. 

 

It's the krack missile deathstorms that seem interesting to me. I like the idea of trying to kill all the anti air and light transports first turn, and then second turn bringing in all the anti infantry and things like raptors. Mor Deythan in dark wings or drop pods, etc. 

 

The other concept i am warming up too is Mor Daythan with combi metas in drop pods with a siege breaker consul. Re roll armor pen is especially nasty on rending S8 weapons, even if ceramite armor ignores the melta rule. You will definately chew through a spartan with that combo. Plus the phosphex bombs add some utility to the squad in later turns. And you don't care about landing within 6" anymore so you probably don't need to leave the drop pod. 

[Nusquam]

Siege Breaker only gives Tank Hunters to Heavy Weapons in the squad. I really wish Mor Deythan could take pods with our RoW, but they can't unless we take Orbital RoW. Which means no infiltrating, rerolling who goes first etc.

 

What the fragstorm offers over Seekers is d3 S5 pinning blasts that force rerolls on pinning on every unit with 12" of the pod the turn it comes down. That can pave the way for a successful landing.

[Tiger9gamer]

Waaaait the siege breaker only affects heavy weapons? what kind of sense is that. so the only melta he touches is designer multi-meltas? 

 

 

 

And besides cant you let the mor dyneth ride in Mauv's drop pod?

Edited January 14, 2015 by Tiger9gamer

[Nusquam]

Putting them in with Maun is a pretty good idea. Forgot he has a garage of vehicles.

 

And yes; it's specifically "heavy weapon shooting" in the squad that gets TH.

[Tiger9gamer]

Thats just weird in my oppinion. Ah well. 

 

what do you use for a budget preator, if I may ask?

[Nusquam]

Most of the time I use Maun for my RoW needs. When I do use a praetor I use my Tyberos model for thematics. If I were to do a budget praetor I would give him a boarding shield, digital lasers and paragon blade for 150.

[defl0]

I don't think a praetor really adds much to a RG force unless you are trying to unlock a  ROW. For marginally the same points you get more from a termi squad. 

 

If you are going for a ROW, you are probably taking  a termi praetor. Orbital assault, armored spear head and pride of the legion seem very pro termi.

 

For Angel's wrath you are probably going jump pack or jetbike praetor.

 

If you are not unlocking a ROW, I think cameleoline is pretty much always worth it as well. At least then, you are getting a multiplier out of your HQ. And you are probably going infiltration heavy. 

 

I also think the nanyte blaster is an awesome choice for a RG Praetor. Other legions have ways to increase the durability of their Praetors, making them must better beat sticks than ours. But RG are all about hitting hard and early. The nanyte blaster really seems to fit that bill. 

[Tiger9gamer]

I mostly agree, but I think the Preator can help a squad in close combat or something a bit more than mauv (mostly because I dont know his loadout) but I like them still. 

 

 

How about a volkite charger, camoline and a master crafted paragon blade? it comes down to about 165 points if I remember correctly.

[defl0]

Yeah. But I don't think anything helps a close combat squad as much as a chaplain. I can get a chaplain and a apothecary plus gear for the price of a Praetor. 

[Nusquam]

I echo defl0's feelings on the Praetor.

 

The only time I can see myself using a Praetor is in an army composed of gritty Terran-born XIXth and do what they do best: Fight fast, fight dirty and maximize casualties.

 

Now taking a Praetor kitted out for CC is fine and all, but it's the rest of your list and tactics that will make him either worth it or just a points sink.

 

Usually I go for thematics on such lists but if I wanted to make a Praetor without using Tyberos' model as a base(AKA not sinking points into the Rule of Cool) I would use the loadout I mentioned above as a springboard.

 

• • Legion Praetor (200pts)

    Artificer Armour, Digital Lasers, Cameleoline, Fractal Harrow-blade, Iron Halo, Paragon Blade

    Independent Character, Legiones Astartes, Murderous Strike

 

Now he isn't cheap, but he will get the job done. The Harrow Blade is unique in that it is one of the few CC weapons that have a passive ability on it(like the Axe of Blind Fury); the model need only have it equipped for the Bloody Ruin rule. This means he can go to town with a Paragon Blade and clear house against other termi squads(after they were softened up by some firepower) or slaughter anything with a 3+ with the Harrow Blade. I'm tempted to put him in a Termi squad but I would want him sweeping as many units as possible. Now since this is RG, you'll have formulated a plan to make sure the Praetor won't just get shot off the board once he sweeps his first victims. Let your own termis take on the tougher units to crack, other termis/2+ units, automata etc. Use this Praetor to sow Bloody Ruin in your opponents rank and file. A Command Squad would be best for this role. They are limited to only 5 models but have Fearless from the Standard, 2+, Chosen Warriors, Fleet from being RG and can each take a power weapon. Chosen Warriors is key here; this means that so long as one is alive they can keep tanking challenges. Add a Primus Med to taste.

 

• • • Legion Command Squad (215pts)

      5x Combat Shield, 4x Legion Space Marine Chosen, 5x Power Weapon

      Chosen Warriors, Legiones Astartes, Retinue

The idea is the classic divide and conquer. While your termis and focused shooting take care of the big threats to your army the Praetor and crew go Troops-hunting. If it scores, it dies.

 

Now if I wanted to make a Praetor good in CC, but relatively cheap I would go with the budget one in my earlier post. Though like defl0 said before; a CC Praetor won't really offer you anything more than getting a RoW without Maun or Corax. Sure he get's Fleet or FC depending on armor but that's it. And we all know what buffs Maun and Corax bring. Though relics do shake things up a bit. Namely the Nanyte Blaster mentioned before and the Void Shield Harness. The first has obvious offensive power while the second has defensive.  For a Praetor I would lean toward the Harness. The Praetor does best in CC and denying overwatch is a huge boon when you want to assault a 20 man Tac blob. Or for preventing a nearby Fury of the Legion attack after you sweep the first unit.

 

Again though, any legion can do this. What makes it Raven Guard is how you do it. While World Eaters go after anything that moves, Emperors Children find the biggest baddie they can dance around, Imperial Fists seek the Warlord and other worthy opponents, we Sons of Corax exploit weakness. Fighting fair are for the glory seekers. We may not have the biggest Death Star around to support a Praetor but we are really, really good at killing anything. Our RoW is perfect for alpha strikes and applying the correct counter to your opponents units when and where you want.

 

"The First Axiom of Victory is to be other than where the enemy desire you to be."

[Tiger9gamer]

You do raise a very good point for that, and I may have overlooked it. I lean more towards the non-named because I like crafting my own story, but your right about the point sink. 

 

 

I guess I have to get the books and play sometime instead of thinking on a purely theoretical basis x-x

[defl0]

True. From a fluff perspective, a pratetor in termie armor feels really right, with a squad of deliverers. 

 

Nusquam I like the idea of the harrow blade guy running around causing havoc! Although that is really expensive! To me this guy belongs in the wrath of angel ROW. Hit and run lets you sling shot through units and get into the back field, where he can be a night mare. 

 

i think the short answer, is if you want a really good cheap Praetor, you just take Maun ;)

 

It's true, what RG does best localized fire superiority either through deepstrike, infiltrate or maneuverability. Or we do it through cover save resilience. Maun with cameleoline does all that and gives us a good chance to first turn alpha strike.

[defl0]

I really wish Mor Deythan could take pods with our RoW, but they can't unless we take Orbital RoW. Which means no infiltrating, rerolling who goes first etc.

 

What the fragstorm offers over Seekers is d3 S5 pinning blasts that force rerolls on pinning on every unit with 12" of the pod the turn it comes down. That can pave the way for a successful landing.

 

So have you ever tried mor deythan in an infiltrating, scouting rhino? 

 

Also, it strikes me that frag storms could be really good with a librarian with telepathy.