Raven Guard 3K Decapitation Strike

[TompiQ]

Hey!

 

I want to build a new force out of a couple of B@C boxes with some extra bits and bobs, and this is my current idea. I'd love for input and advice as I haven't had a chance of playing many HH games yet, but that'll soon change.

HQ

Alvarex Maun w. Cameleoline 145pts

-- Legion Drop Pod 35pts

 

ELITE

Contemptor w. Chainfist, Power Fist, 2 Graviton Guns 205pts

-- Dreadnought Drop Pod 65pts

 

Contemptor w. Chainfist, Power Fist, 2 Graviton Guns 205pts

-- Dreadnought Drop Pod 65pts

 

Apotecharion, 2 Apotecharies w. Augury Scanner, Artificer Armour 120pts

 

Deathstorm Drop Pod w. Frag launchers, Drop Pod Assault 115pts

 

TROOPS

Tactical Squad, 20 men, Vexilla, Sgt w. Power Fist, Artificer Armour 285pts

 

Tactical Squad, 20 men, Vexilla, Sgt w. Power Fist, Artificer Armour 285pts

 

Tactical Support Squad, 10 men, Plasma Guns 325pts

- Legion Drop Pod 35pts

 

Tactical Support Squad, 10 men, Plasma Guns 325pts

- Legion Drop Pod 35pts

 

FAST ATTACK

Primaris-Lightning Strike Fighter w. Battle Servitor Control, Ground-tracking Auguries, 4 KRAKEN PENETRATOR HEAVY MISSILES 210pts

 

Primaris-Lightning Strike Fighter w. Battle Servitor Control, Ground-tracking Auguries, 4 KRAKEN PENETRATOR HEAVY MISSILES 210pts

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

Deathstorm Drop Pod w. Frag launchers, Drop Pod Assault 115pts

 

Total: 2780pts

 

 

Maun infiltrates with the tacticals, and during the almost guaranteed first turn I drop the Contemptors and Deathstorms who unleash their payload into the enemy. Second turn, due to re-rolls I'd probably see at least one of the Lightnings come in to crack open a spartan or super heavy, while a freshly dropped plasma squad or two wipes out whatever remains of the contents.

 

I've never played a heresy drop pod army before, but I'm in love with the fact that you don't have to disembark and think this alpha strike list would be a blast to play. 4K would see me add Corax and some dark furies to the mix.

[Nusquam]

Using Mauns ability to get a pod to up the count is clever. With the points remaining I would put a vox on one squad and perhaps grab a command rhino. An additional large no-scatter bubble can help with pod accuracy. While orbital bombardment, with two vox's to draw LoS from, can help with the alpha strike.

 

Looks pretty solid and brutal.

 

Oh wait that still leaves you with 110 points left. You can sneak in a librarian or a regular centurion with some nice gear to escort Maun.

[TompiQ]

I hadn't actually considered the Damocles, but seeing as I'll be presenting plenty of Av12 targets of higher priority it might actually be a great choice!

 

Now, I haven't had a chance to see my local meta (if there is one established, otherwise I intend to start my own circle!), but speaking from your own experience, do you find apothecaries worth it? I was thinking I could exchange them and use the ~110 extra points to add another squad to run in the now empty pod, or perhaps infiltrate some mor deythan snipers?

[Nusquam]

I rarely use them. I consider them for Zone Mort and Strategic Raid missions, but normal games my tacs are rarely shot at due to all my forward threats. I also only take two 10-man squads with a vex and vox. So they might be worth it since you have so many and will be bigger targets. Just be wary of being too close to Typhons turn one. An additional scoring unit with sniper rifles is never a bad thing either. There's no wrong answer here, just preference and what you're facing.

 

Now Mauns Dedicated Transport option is in a weird spot within the rules. Technically only he and he alone can go in the pod(or any DT he purchases) due to the rules governing dedicated transports. Though RAI, I even asked FW about it, is that he can grab a unit to go with him in the transport. But due to it being a dedicated transport he's going to have to be in it at the minimum for another unit to go inside. A command rhino can be a good alternate to guide deepstrikers, but losing out on his reroll to seize is a consideration.

[TompiQ]

The plan was rather to take a unit which can take a dedicated pod and have the pod as their transport rather than Maun's, as I've read some about the RAW issues connected to him. I'm not sure what unit that'd be, though?

 

Do you feel 2x10 men is enough when you play, though? This might have to do with my HH experience coming from over a year ago when blobs seemed more prevalent, but I'm not sure how important they are to the staying power of an army?

 

...as a sidenote, do you have any experience with Corax, and would he be a decent pick at this points level?

[Nusquam]

Ah gotcha, I was thinking too literal.

 

I usually take Mor Deythan and/or Seekers myself, both which are scoring. So I always have at least four units that can take objectives. As for staying power, like I said, my tacs are rarely shot at when Mor Deythan, Seekers, Contemptors, Destroyers and sometimes Corax are up in my opponents face.

 

Speaking of Corax, I usually take him starting at 2.5k. He's very points-efficient being able to move 12" on his own and not requiring a transport or a retinue, vs others that need a spartan and some elites.

[TompiQ]

The 2*10 tactical squads does seem viable in that case. Is this true even with Maun attached?

 

Right now I'm playing around with changing out the blobs and adding Corax. Another idea is to remove the elite Deathstorm pod and infiltrate two*three quad mortars... Decisions, decisions!

[Nusquam]

That's where I stick Maun, a quad mortar battery.

 

As for the tacs. Really it's up to you. I chose to save points on them by taking only 10 and use those points for gear on Mor Deythan and Seekers. But infiltrated blobs are still scary in their own right.