Tournament Battle Report

[Brother Tiberus]

Ho, fellow brothers of the Ravenspire.
 
I have to report on the glories of the Raven Guard in a tournament I played in recently. This will share feedback and thoughts I've had after said tournament.
 
I will break down each game in a post of it's own in this thread, so don't worry if you don't feel like reading a wall of text.
 
Without further ado, here is the basic breakdown:
 
Tournament - 1 day only - 3x 1500 point games and 1x 500 point game - Unbound lists allowed!
 
Standing - I tied for 4th place (which is REALLY good for me, as I'm more a casual gamer and the other lists were brutal)
 
My 1500 point army list:

Talon Strike Force
Pinion Battle Demi Company

• Captain - artificer armour, auspex, melta bombs, ravens fury, swiftstrike & murder - 170pts
• Assault Squad - 5x marines with jump packs, 2x flamers, sarge with melta bombs - 100pts
• Devastator Squad - 5x marines with 4x lascannons - 150pts
• Scout Bike Squad - 5x scout bikers with 2x grenade launchers, sarge with combi-melta - 110pts
• Scout Squad - 8x scouts with camo cloaks, 6x sniper rifles, missile launcher, veteran sarge with nihilus - 150pts
• Scout squad - 5x scouts with bolters, sarge with combi-melta, land speeder storm with mutli-melta - 115pts
• Tactical Squad - 10x marines with grav-cannon, grav gun, sarge with combi-grav, drop pod - 235pts
• Tactical Squad - 5x marines with missile launcher, sarge with combi-flamer - 95pts
• Tactical Squad - 5x marines with missile launcher, sarge with combi-flamer - 95pts

 
Raptor Wing

• Land Speeder - 2x heavy bolters - 50pts
• Stormtalon - skyhammer missles, assault cannon - 115pts
• Stormtalon - skyhammer missles, assault cannon - 115pts

 

 

 

So, on to my thoughts:

 

The Good:

• The Raptor Wing is golden. These guys are easily my team of the match. They took out so many targets and caused so much havoc it was crazy.
• Ignores cover is big. My devastators were awesome with this rule and popped many a priority target for me.
• Scouts are great. Most of my opponents either thought they were an easy kill or were useless and got a nasty surprise for their hubris.
• Scout bikers are a must. The grenade launchers helped quite a bit with a number of targets with its versatility.
• Having Shrouded for the first game turn makes the army so survivable. Could weather the storm of fire and come back for a nice counter punch.

 

The Ugly: 

• My Captain was "eh" at best. The extra hits were great, but on anything tougher than a marine you suffer greatly. Having the auspex on him was a waste, so need to change that idea.
• Having only 1 squad of bare minimum assault marines didn't make the best use of Winged Deliverance, so was pretty underwhelming. It did help the scout bikers a little, but nothing major to report about.

 

Hope this helps everyone in some way. Feel free to comment or ask questions for me to clarify.

 

Victorus Aut Mortis!

[Jacques Corbin]

Great job! I feel the same way about the Captain. A jump Chaplain will serve a single Assault Squad better. Maybe use the extra points for a Veteran Sergeant upgrade and Lightnng Claws, or just a Power Sword on a regular sergeant.

 

I agree on scouts, since I started playing, I ran a Scout-heavy force, and people laughed, until we actually got into the game. Then 7E dropped, and Scouts are BS/WS 4 now. I am still a huge fan of the Land Speeder Storm, and now with its Cerebus Launcher being S4 and firing at BS3, it's markedly better.

 

The Raptorwing is gold, agreed.

[Brother Tiberus]

1st Game vs Tyranids

 

 

Rough Idea of the List:

• 2x Dakka Flyrants with regen
• Carnifex with crushing claws, talons and regen
• Big dakka bug (tyrranofex?) with regen
• 3x flying warriors with ap3 swords
• 3x flying warriors with a venom cannon
• Mawloc

 

Hammer & Anvil Deployment - Kill Points Primary - 4 Objectives Secondary

 

There were plenty of ruins on this table for me and him to hide in, but also for me to hide in. I manged to win deployment and got first turn. I had the warlord trait where you could run and assault. His trait was an extra kill point per challenge.

 

I deployed my devastators with a commanding view of the battlefield to pick on targets and infiltrated my sniper scouts just off middle of board (with the sarge within 9" of the devastators). Had my assault squad in the middle of the board. Scout bikes were just to the left side along with storm. 1 tac squad deployed in the ruins near both scouts and one deployed back field, but could still draw a bead on a few targets.

 

He had his big gun bug in a ruin opposite the tac squad and all my scout bikes and storm (gulp) with the ap3 flying warriors. His 'fex was in the middle facing my sniper scouts. 1 flyrant started on the far side of the board away from everyone else, while his warlord flyrant started at the back of the board behind some ruins out of line of sight.

 

Turn 1

My pod came down next his warlord and crushed the life from his body! Grav FTW, giving me warlord and first blood. I moved my assault squad aggressively forward towards his fex, making a good 6" run and got my charge into him too. Took off 3 wounds but then he pounded my guys to pulp, leaving just my sarge and captain left in the fight. Gave my devastators and raptor wing ignore cover and killing the big gun bug. Then had my sniper scouts knock off a few wounds from his other flyrant, while my tac squads managed to frag missile a wound or 2 off his flying warriors. 

He then killed off my captain and remaining assault squad and consolidated towards my snieprs, flew his ap3 warriors into my bikes and murdered most of them. He glided his other flyrant to my grav guys to shoot then assault them, but killed 2 guys which put him out of charge range! His other flying warriors went towards my snipers.

 

Turn 2

Grav, once again, turned a flyrant into paste (the bolters did help a little) and my snipers poured fire into his 'fex, killing it outright. His ap3 warriors killed my poor bikes and moved up to my snipers, but I had my storm scouts join the party to finally end their shenanigans. His mawloc didn't like the idea of being the only bug on the board and decided not to turn up.

 

Turn 3

His other warriors got into my sniper scouts again, but were bogged down and killed off by all the scouts. His Mawloc turned up and had all the guns aimed at it and died.

 

So I scored all kill points (7 in total I think) and all secondary points for a nice beginning to the game. 

 

 

[Brother Tiberus]

Game 2 vs Daemons

 

 

My list:

 

 

Combined Arms Detachment - 500 points

Captain with artificer armour, auspex, ravens fury, murder& swiftsrike - 165pts

Tactical squad - 5x marines with grav-cannon - 119pts

Tactical squad - 5x marines with grav-cannon - 119pts

Assault squad - 5x marines with 2x flamers and jump packs - 95pts

 

 

Daemon List:

 

 

Bloodthirster

Great Unclean One

 

 

 

Game was Vanguard deployment with the center objective giving re-rolls to hit and wound. I got to deploy first and managed to seize initiative!

 

I deployed in a close line near the objective that was sitting on a skyshield landing pad.

 

Turn 1

I moved towards the objective and ran forward as well. He shambled forward with his Unclean One and flew up with his thirster. Took a pot shot at my assault squad but missed and was out of charge range.

 

Turn 2

Moved 1 squad near the objective and setup my assault squad to get his thirster with as many HoW attacks as possible. Fired all my guns into him and he was left with 1 wound. Went for the charge and he saved 5 HoW attacks!!!! He then just massacred the squad.

He moved his unclean one forward and tried to cast a power on them, not getting enough warp charges. He tried to assault with his thirster and got killed in overwatch thanks to me controlling the center objective.

 

Turn 3

I had spread out my 2 tac squads to both benefit from the objective and poured fire into his last daemon. Now grav sucked, so he didn't take much. Plus trying to wound a T7 W8 MC is a little difficult. Managed 2 wounds and then he charged me, wiping out a squad.

 

Turn 4

Tried more wounds, he charged again and wiped out all but my grav-cannon guy. That guy managed to run!

 

Turn 5-7

It was a game of cat and mouse, where I constantly run below the objective and back onto it with him chasing me. Last turn he managed to catch me a lucky 12" charge, sealing the victory for the daemons.

 

On a side note, I did manage to get him down to 3 wounds remaining, so it was a small moral victory.

 

ObSec saved my bacon and kept me in the game big time for this game. I miss it in my normal pinion, but the ignore cover is so useful I can't resist it.

 

 

[Brother Tiberus]

Game 3 vs Tau

 

 

Rough Idea of the opponent list:

Stormsurge with 4++, D-cannon and all the rest

Riptide wing - 3 riptides, all with 4++. One had skyfire and burst cannon, 2 had interceptor and ion cannon and I think something that gives FnP

Firewarrior commander guy (warlord)

2x 10 man firewarrior squads

Devilfish

 

Dawn of War Deployement - Maelstorm mission where you have 1 less card as turns go on.

I won the rolloff to deploy and I got first turn. Night fighting was in effect as well.

I forget what his warlord trait was. My trait was for overwatch to take effect, leadership test -2

 

The short version is I managed a win 11 to 7. I did get lucky with the objective cards I drew, being able to achieve the majority of them and only discarding 2. Unfortunately I can't remember what I drew per round,so I'm not going to focus on that.

 

I deployed my devastators and sniper scouts in a center ruin, with a tac squad just behind for support. The scout bikes, assault squad and tac squad in ruins to my right and one more squad on a tower to my left. They all had objectives so that's my reasoning. He had his warlord and one firewarrior team on an objective to my right, along with 2 riptides. The Surge was deployed behind a bastion-type-thing in the middle. His other Tide behind a building on my left, with a firewarrior squad in the devilfish just next to him.

 

I scouted my bikes forward towards his warlord, but hiding behind crates. And I also scouted my storm to the middle of the board. He didn't sieze! *huge sigh of relief*

 

Turn 1

My pod dropped down in front of the ruins by his surge and I managed to get far enough onto it that I had my whole squad in cover. The storm moved to cover of the building on my left and spotting the surge, giving my Pod Tac squad ignore cover. I moved my scouts to threaten his warlord, and peppered the squad with fire, while my assault marines with captain moved to just behind them. I poured the rest of my firepower into the surge, knocking it down to only 1 wound. He then returned fire, killing my storm (first blood!), killing some of my pod marines and the rest of my guys just weathered the storm of fire (thank you shrouded). I got lucky with his stomp attacks, he only had 1 that didn't do anything and my marines fell back towards an objective in the middle of the table.

 

Turn 2

Oh wow. Where do I start. I poured my entire armies firepower (barring the scout bikes and assault squad) into the stormsurge and couldn't kill it. It only had 1 wound left! :( My captain made up for it and, with his warlord trait, made the overwatch useless for his firewarriors and riptides on that side of the board. He then showed them what's what, taking out the whole squad and tau warlord.

His turn didn't hurt all that much, he downed a stormtalon and thinned out my bike squad and killed my assault marines, leaving my captain on his own. He charged the captain with a riptide and they sat in combat for the rest of the game, throwing punches at each other. His firewarrior team disembarked from the devilfish and hid in the ruins, knocking down 1 scout that jumped out my wrecked speeder storm. His drones detached from the fish and made way to my tac squad on the tower. So I managed to weather the storm again.

 

Turn 3

Finally managed to kill the Surge and then turned my attention to other targets. Had my scouts pop a few shots into the firewarrior team and charged them, killing 3 and they did nothing in return. So I managed to sweep them! Rah! The rest of my shooting was trying to take out a 'Tide with skyfire, but couldn't crack his armour or FnP.

His turn he didn't do much either, he couldn't budge my scouts that killed the warriors and whittled down my 1 tac squad on the tower to just a missile launcher marine.

 

That was as far as what we got, as time was tight and there many rules being explained between us. But my opponent was very gracious and friendly, so it was a fun game.

 

 

 

[Brother Tiberus]

Game 4 vs Renegade Guard/Chaos Marines

 

 

Rough Idea of his List:

• Pask in a Punisher with Heavy Bolters
• Demolisher Russ
• Hellhammer Baneblade
• Veteran squad with autocannon
• Veteran squad with flamers
• Tzeentch Choas Sorcerer on Bike with axe
• 10x Cultists with weapons and autoguns
• Forgefiend with cannons

Hammer and Anvil Deployment with Relic mission - Night fight in effect.

His warlord trait was a nasty preferred enemy.

He won deplyement and first turn, but my warlord trait allowed me to seize on a 5+, which I promptly did! Yay!

 

He deployed his Hellhammer to the left of a center ruin, with Pask and Demolisher next to each other on the right of that same ruin. He had a squad of veterans in another ruin behind the demolisher and the other squad on the ground behind them as well. The sorcerer on Bike was deployed at the back left corner with some cultist bubblewrap and the forgefiend at the back middle.

I deployed my scouts in a center ruin middle of my deployement zone, with my bikes and storm on a ruin to the right (scouted forward as well) to threaten pask. The devastators where in a high ruin on my right pretty far back into my deployment zone, with a tac squad below them. My last tac squad was high in a ruin to my left.

 

Turn 1

My pod came down and fired everything into the Forgefiend doing... nothing! Doh! Luckily that seemed to use up all my bad luck so the rest was epic. My bikes moved up to pask to assault range, but my storm fired it's multi-melta (ignore cover from the crew) and blew him to kingdom come anyway! First blood and warlord all rolled into one. My lascannons then fired into the demolisher (ignore cover from snipers) and made that kick out too. My scouts in the storm double tapped into the veterans in the ruin (the tank wrecks blocked LOS) and downed quite a number (ignore cover from the bikes) with some help from my snipers. My 2 missile tac squads and nihilus managed 2 hull points off the baneblade. My assault marines just moved up to touch the center ruins, losing 1 to dangerous terrain. I wasted my raptor wing on the baneblade, realising I couldn't hurt it only after the shooting at it. Doh!

His turn his forgefiend fired into my grav tacs, killing 2, and his sorcerer came up and psykicked (get it?) 2 more dead. His hellhammer killed 1 assault marines and 1 bike and (thankfully) missed it's big shot by a mile. The veterans moved up to flame my storm, downing it and only killing 1 scout, who took cover behind a building out of LOS of everything. His cultists failed to charge my grav marines, but his lord made it in and killed 2 more.

 

Turn 2

Split my captain from the assault marines and punch up the middle to help the combat with the sorcerer, while my assault marines lined up perfect flamer shots into the veterans killing majority of them. They then quickly finished them in the assault phase. My bikes moved to fire into the hellhammer and assaulted it, dealing 2 more hullpoints. My raptor sorted out the forgefiend and the rest of the units fired into the hellhammer, knocking it down another 2 hullpoints. My captain did sweet blow-all in the assault phase. 9 hits, zero wounds with re-rolls. Sorcerer knocked off a wound form him in return.

He moved his cultists into assault as well, which my tac marines killed 1 of for nothing in return. His sorcerer finished my captain but didn't catch my tacs who moved away and he tried to consolidate behind the cultists for cover. His hellhammer nuked my devastators and tac squad, killing all but 1 devastator and my missile launcher. He fired the rest of his gun into my snipers and bikes, killing 2 scouts and 1 bike. He did try Blitz the bikes as well, but luckily rolled low on the chart and they made a save.

 

Turn 3

My assault marines moved up to aim at the cultists and I regrouped my grav tacs. Flamed the cultists to remove the cover save from the sorcerer and then proceeded to crush him in his warp tainted armour with my grav. I hovered my raptor wing to the rear armour of the hellhammer, but one got immoblilzed so was stuck seeing it's side. But, between them, my scout 2 remaining scout bikes and missiles, I managed to nuke it, but it did take a scout bike with it.

 

The rest of the game it was finishing off the last veterans who were hiding in a ruin.

 

It was a fun and intense game with my opponent. He's a great sport and whenever we play it's very back and forth with our games, so this time was my lucky time. It would have been a very different game if I didn't seize the initiative.