Bolter Power: Raptors Battle Reports

[Ania Redfang]

I have decided to set myself a challenge to only play games with the models I have painted. The result of this is that I constructed a list that has getting on for 40 tactical marines in it, and using the Raptors chapter tactics I've played a couple of games. Here's my list at 1500pts

 

         HQ

• Lias Issodon *

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics: Raptors, Cunning Strategist, Independant Character, Infiltrate, Isolate, Destroy, Shrouded, Warlord

  Bolt Pistol, Malice (^), Power Sword

Elites

• Sternguard Veteran Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  4x Veteran

  • Razorback

    Tank

    Twin-Linked Assault Cannon

  • Space Marine Sergeant

    Boltgun, Melta Bombs, Power Weapon

Troops

• Tactical Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  9x Space Marine

  • Space Marine Sergeant

    Bolt pistol, Bolter, Melta Bombs

• Tactical Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  9x Space Marine

  • Space Marine Sergeant

    Bolt pistol, Bolter, Melta Bombs

• Tactical Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  8x Space Marine

  • Space Marine Sergeant

    Bolt pistol, Bolter, Melta Bombs

• Tactical Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  Meltagun, 9x Space Marine

  • Drop Pod

    Deathwind Missile Launcher

  • Space Marine Sergeant

    Bolt pistol, Bolter, Melta Bombs

Fast Attack

• Bike Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  Plasma Gun, 5x Space Marine Biker

  • Attack Bike

    Multi-Melta

  • Biker Sergeant

    Bolt pistol, Melta Bombs

• Bike Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  Plasma Gun, 5x Space Marine Biker

  • Biker Sergeant

    Bolt pistol

Heavy Support

• Devastator Squad

  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads

  2x Lascannon, 2x Missile Launcher, 4x Space Marine

  • Space Marine Sergeant

    Bolt pistol, Bolter               

 

Lots and lots of scout, infiltrate, rending bolters. People are intimidated when they see just how many men I get out of my case. It's glorious. Anyway, I've played two games with this list, one against space wolves where the only difference was the Sternguard were in the pod and tacticals in the razorback, and one against chaos space marine where it was as it is now.

 

Game One: Space Wolves

He had Krom Dragongaze in a unit of terminators, another unit of terminators, some grey hunters in a razorback, an axe and shield venerable dreadnought, a bastion with lascannon longfangs and a stormwolf with Grey Hunters in (I think this was all)

 

I infiltrated three of the tactical squads all around the board, essentially camping on all the objectives, since we were playing the mission where you get cards for the number of objectives you hold each turn. He went first and killed just a few of my marines. The highlight of the first couple of turns was Issoden doing three hull points to the bastion with Isolate, Infiltrate, Destroy. :) I managed to rend off one of the squads of terminators and my bikes were harassing the dreadnought, keeping it away from my tacticals. When the Stormwolf came on I thought I was done for but by that point I had so many objectives thanks to the number of squads I had and the speed of my units, that he had to table me to win, which he almost managed to do as I was left with two devastators and two bikes at the end, having destroyed all of his army apart from the stormwolf and the longfangs in the bastion. This was a great game, and I feel that the rending on the bolters, whilst it doesn't kick in all that often, makes bolters just that bit more tactically flexible. Final score 17-4 to the raptors.

 

My second game was against a Slaanesh and Tzeentch themed CSM list. He had a Ahriman, a level three sorcerer, a unit of terminators, a unit of slaanesh marines in a rhino, a unit of slaanesh bikers, a forgefiend and some thousand sons. Again I infiltrated and scouted really close, and took two hull points off the forgefiend with isolate (such a good ability). In my first turn I destroyed the forgefiend with my assault cannon, and took off nine out of ten of the thousand sons with the tacticals nearby and the drop pod squad. Highlight of the first part of the game was my tactical marines killing one bike which left him off the objective I needed allowing my bikes to turbo boost onto it. :) The game pretty much went my way from there, I was able to tie up his terminators with a squad of bikes, shoot off everything else, then mob the terminators with everyone at the end. Final Score 16-1 to the Raptors.

 

Raptor chapter tactics are amazing. Taking Issoden, giving a bunch of units infiltrate and scout, which you use to get into a good position, then open up and rend things all the way to the bank. Simply stunning. I feel like if I'd gone up against more mech i'd have struggled, and I'm thinking of swapping out a bike squad for a stormtalon. Anyway, that's my short defense of the humble bolter, thoughts?

 

[SyNidus]

Well done indeed!

 

So here's a couple of questions:

 

- what are the things you did well in the game?

- what are the things you could have done better?

- what have noticed about the strengths and weakness of your list?

- what, if anything, would you change anything about your list and playstyle?

[Tiger9gamer]

very nice! glad to see someone is using raptors too! great tactics and issodon is the icing on the cake! 

 

almost surprised to see bikers though. how do those do? are they just distractions?

[Ania Redfang]

Things that went well: I was able to get into position with all my squads using scout and infiltrate so that they were on objectives and didn't have to move. This gave me card advantage right from the start, coupled with the bikes to boost to any other objectives if needed.

 

Better: I think I wasted my drop pod in both games, I ought to have used it to try and get onto an objective, instead of dropping it behind the enemy troops wherever. I'm used to having Sternguard with melta in a pod, which it's normally obvious where they need to go (towards the nearest heavy vehicle) but with tacticals or non-melta sternguard the choice is less obvious.

 

Strength is numbers, people are scared to see that many power armoured bodies. Weakness is in Reliable AP2 firepower and also in combat.

 

If I were to change the list I'd put in a storm talon, replacing one of the bike squads I think. Though that isn't painted yet, so it doesn't quite get to be in yet.

 

@Tiger: The bikers are a distraction and an objective grabbing force, plus I have two squads painted. ;) Like I said I'd probably drop one for a storm talon when it's painted.

 

Thanks for the comments.