What have your Raven Guard done lately?

[War of the Eagle]

Played a 2000pt game vs Eldar today. Brought some of the new point dropped units like 2x gladiators. He brought allot of Wraith units so our armys where very similar in toughness and size. I luckily got 1st turn and was able to box him into his deployment zone, letting me rake in the engage on all fronts and mission specific objective. I had a ton of fun, even though I won by a landslide in points we traded blows all match till pretty much only both our tanks where left.

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2021 by War of the Eagle

[War of the Eagle]

Played 2000pts vs Orks today. Second time playing this guy and same as the first time I crushed him pretty handelly even tho I brought some silly units. Never played orks before so not sure where hes going wrong with his list and or tactics but hopefuly the new ork codex brings a new lease on orks. Speaking of which I let him play his orks all with T5, which really helped him shrug off my bolter fire but dint swing the battle.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by War of the Eagle

[Dracos]

Some awesome conversions there War / Eagle. 

[XeonDragon]

Very awesome of you to let him run T5 orks :)

[tentagil]

Until the codex comes out Orks really lack AP and don't have alot of ways to cause mortal wounds, which are both big things this edition. From what's been teased so far though, both those issues are going to be dealt with, with Boyz getting AP -1 on their Choppas, and several things gettin the ability to cause Mortal Wounds in large numbers. I think the biggest worry most ork players have right now is the point increases that might entail, as we still really need the hoardes to make our infantry viable. Buggy and Walker armies though are both fairly viable this edition already, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of changes we see in those areas.

[War of the Eagle]

Very awesome of you to let him run T5 orks :)

Well since its a confirmed change it was good practice for both of us. Also after beating him so soundly the first time I thought it might give him an edge.

 

Some awesome conversions there War / Eagle.

Thanks! Just need more time to paint it all. The Stormraven Helicarrier dose strike an imposing visage looming over the orks even unpainted tho.

[mertbl]

Played a 2k game against 5 Exhalted bloodthirsters and 50 or 60 blood letters and 5 blood crushers. Lost by 3 points. I played as a successor with born heroes and warded. Killed all the blood thrusters by turn 3, he had blood born or something where they could only take 8 wounds per phase. Our super doctrine was super clutch.

[WAR]

Played 2000pts vs Orks today. Second time playing this guy and same as the first time I crushed him pretty handelly even tho I brought some silly units. Never played orks before so not sure where hes going wrong with his list and or tactics but hopefuly the new ork codex brings a new lease on orks. Speaking of which I let him play his orks all with T5, which really helped him shrug off my bolter fire but dint swing the battle.

 

 

 

So when are we gonna see better pics of what I believe is a Storm Raven/ Shield Helicarrier

[War of the Eagle]

So when are we gonna see better pics of what I believe is a Storm Raven/ Shield Helicarrier

I did a build post on it last year here http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/367319-tempest-eagle-pattern-gunship-project/?fromsearch=1

 

Because its so big its been at the bottom of my to paint list, but I really need to just take the dive.

[WAR]

IT looks amazing

[War of the Eagle]

Played another 2000pt game vs my Ork player friend.

 

He used allot of the new ork rules.

He used the Goffs Clan kulture, The Goffs warlord trait, T5 orks across the board, new choppa rules, the new Kamando points and rules, the new mech with 6+ forcefield, and the new Whaag rules.

 

He didnt use any of the new dakka weapon rules or any of the new strategems tho.

 

It was a very close match with him winning on points in the end, tho I eventualy reduced him to almost nothing left on the field.

 

 

[XeonDragon]

Played a small tournament on the weekend. Went 0-3 on roll-offs for first, and 0-3 in the games against a Chaos list with 2 helldrakes and 3 obliterators, a GSC list with way to many hand flamers and a Drukhari list with 3 raiders blah blah. GSC games was the closest (lost by 12). Tabled by DE end of turn 4, lost by 52. Lost by 60 to Chaos - his obliterator mortal wound spam just kept me locked in my deployment zone

 

Gotta say, after that experience and listening to a recent art of war podcast where they noted Raven Guard are the second-worst performing army in the meta at the moment (narrowly in front of GSC), I have to agree with the AoW dudes... RG are just not competitive at the moment :( Seriously considering picking up the pace on painting my 'nids list and making shelving my RG army for a while. I don't mind losing, but losing games regularly even when you didn't make many mistakes and got good rolls etc. is getting a bit frustrating. A win once in a while would be nice. 

Edited August 4, 2021 by XeonDragon

[jpwyrm]

That is said to read Brother. I definitely understand your feeling though since it's exactly how I felt at the begining of 8th edition. I haven't been able to play yet due to the Plague, but I'm getting worried too. Did you play true RG or Successors? Were you banking on alpha strike and got robbed of first turn?

[XeonDragon]

RG successors. I tried pure RG at the beginning of 9th, found it too easy for people to get within 18/12" etc. I built my list around maximising alpha strike if I got to go first but also being able to hide and do a counter-strike, as well as mobility (e.g. guerrilla tactics for engage points). I did really well at minimising exposure to 1st round shooting and charging, all my opponents commented on how well I hid my key shooting and melee units. I did good a screening my backfield, controlling the centre, making them deploy in ways they didn't want too. People I know, trust and regularly team up with in teams events complimented me on my list and how I had deployed etc. 

 

The issue is even when I hide my alpha-strike units, once they are out they either don't do the job, or get get wiped out. For example, I did well at popping the raiders (all gone by end of my turn 2) - but what spilled out just straight out killed half my army. Likewise with the chaos game: took out the helldrakes in turn 1 (to deny opponent engage points), but his obliterators just munched my eradicators, my VGV did diddly squat blah blah.

 

It's not a list issue. I am very particular about math-hammering my unit choices, they are very 'meta' but built on a 'meta informed TAC basis', if that makes sense. Lots of people saw the last, looked at a spare paper copy and made comments like "this is really optimised and flexible" and "great choices" etc. Before the weekend I'd lost 4/5 games before that, with virtually the same list against Tau, Chaos demons, Salamanders, and Craftworld. I won a game against Death Guard - narrowly.  Some of it is pilot error to be sure, but this weekend I had my opponents and some of the observers (dudes who had finished other games early and were watching) comment positively about my tactics, movement, positioning and decisions - i.e. little or no pilot error. 

 

I have the tools. I use them well enough. They just don't get the job done - nor do they even get close to doing the job 

 

I am sure this sounds very salty, and you know what? it, I can own it. I am salty. I am sick of losing games that I have played well in with a good list, good terrain and missions I know well enough. I sucks, and I am salty about it. It has gotten to the point where I feel against some armies (DE, Ad Mech in particular) there is virtually no reason to even play, the conclusion is forgone the only issue is the margin I will get smashed by. I'd just love to actually have a chance once in a blue moon of winning, rather than feeling I am fighting with 1 arm tied behind my back and and a 500 point handicap. 

 

Sorry for the rant. I love RG... in the lore, I love the look, I love the fact they are kinda-reasonable-marines, I really do. I am just not loving getting smashed game after game after game after game, even against 'lower tier' meta armies. And you know what? It's not just me, the data clearly shows RG and RG successor are dumpster-tier trash at the moment. And that makes me salty, sad and somber. 

 

Seriously considering just running my army as Dark Angels for a while, or shelving it and starting a new marine army (either BA, FT or DA). I'm just sick of not even being in the contest. 

 

**rant over**

Edited August 4, 2021 by XeonDragon

[Alcyon]

DE and AdMech are certainly very strong despite their nerfs. I've come to feel that 40k is not the type of game I should play competitively - it requires too much modelling too quickly and is too dependent on a codex release cycle and GW's ideas about balance. I play to collect and build a cool army and to participate in campaigns, etc. with my friends. I'm signed up for a tournament in September but my goal is just to finish my army by then and go have a good time, drink some beers and not beat myself up if I make mistakes - I know I'm an underdog and I'm not playing to top 8.

[XeonDragon]

That is an awesome attitude Alcyon. I suppose for me, it is a bit different. When I was younger (last millennium lol) I competed at the Olympic trial level and was a provincial level representative. I'm very competitive by nature. I can handle losing, but I can't handle not being competitive. But maybe I should switch over to a crusade campaign instead of tournaments.... hmmmmm.... 

[War of the Eagle]

Well as they said in one of art of wars videos, SM are being proped up by only a few units most of which are dreadnoughts. SM cant dish out near the mortals other 9th codex armys can and the newer codexs are getting more and more multi damage weapons to easily kill even 2 or 3 wound SM.

 

Ravengaurd traits, strats, warlord traits and so on are also very at odds, especially with current trends. So would take a rework of how RG operate or for the core rules to shift back away from objectives for us to shine.

[Jacques Corbin]

Well, we started as a paint scheme and some fluff, then we got rules as jump pack ninjas, now in this and the last edition, we play more like our Raptor successors. I'd rather play as infiltrating ambushers than a gunline hiding in cover.

 

I, for one am actually glad we are not considered "competitive" anymore. I was sick and tired of all the meta chasers jumping on the band wagon. But, here in VA, :cuss-ing covid restrictions are coming back because of this so called "Delta Variant" garbage. :cuss you Nurgle, :cuss you in the most Slaaneshi way possible.

 

What about your list? I know you SAID it was not a list issue, but how long have you been using that list? I try to change up my lists, even if they are "winners" to keep things fun, but to avoid becoming predictable as well.

 

Damn, I want this pandemic to be over with, and the hobby getting back to normal. I want to go and hang out with fellow hobbyists, and just enjoy the social aspect, and escapism.

[XeonDragon]

I used that list for 2-3 games beforehand, and the core of it for about 5-6 games on top of that. I try and not change my list too often, to rule out pilot error as the cause of success/failures. I figure I need to make sure I have given myself a real chance to 'learn' how to use the units in a list to actually determine if they are good or not. 

 

Funny you should mention cover. I personally think that if GW made it clear that the RG/stealthy bonus stacks with cover, that could really help. So an RG in light cover, being shot at by more than 18" away would get +2 to save (+3 with a camo cloak!).

 

That'd mean that our basic troops would be saving on 5s against massed melta or 4s against plasma. I can't for the life of me see how (from a logical rather than RAW perspective) the super-sneaky RG marines can get cover saves in the open, but only get the same benefit as flesh tearers, BA or UM when they actually have cover to be sneaky in.

 

Same with the dense cover. If we had a special rule that if we were shot at whilst in dense cover from more than 12" it was -2 to hit, that could do wonders. I think it would reflect RG very well - set up in cover, ready to ambush. Super hard to dislodge, baiting the enemy into moving into a trap and BANG jump troops drop down to slaughter the enemy, or the units rush out of hiding to kill the remnants of the enemy unit that had tried in vain to locate them and shoot them :D You know, taking your time to make the odds favour you... ;)

 

Otherwise allowing RG troops to shoot at characters despite the "look out sir" rule if within 12" would be great - maybe as a 1CP stratagem, or maybe only allowing sergeants to do it for free. 

 

I think cover-save stacks would really help our durability, and allow us to "hang" in the game long enough to use our movement shenanigans to charge key units, pop up behind them and shoot etc, whereas right now we die so quickly that even if we do use our tricks, there is too much left on the board so it is easily countered. 

 

So. Damn, Frustrating.  

Edited August 6, 2021 by XeonDragon

[Claws and Effect]

My XIXth Legion got air support in the form of a Primaris-Pattern Lightning Strike Fighter.

 

I took a cue from WWII fighter planes and did white stripes on the wings that I will be putting black Legion symbols on.

 

I'll post pics.... eventually.

[Claws and Effect]

And XeonDragon, I feel your pain.

 

I have almost completely abandoned 40k in favor of 30k.

 

Same saltiness. I got tired of getting just stomped in games where the result was a foregone conclusion.

[XeonDragon]

I also think Ork Kommandos getting an ability (sneaky gitz) that gives +2 to cover saves when in cover whilst RG don't get the same is just nuts. So sneaky Orks get +2 to cover saves when in cover, but sneaky marines still get +1? Yeah, logical. Makes sense - not. It's not like they have a camo cloak, the wording of the ability points to the Kommandos being sneaky, not to equipment. 

 

Again, big logic fail by GW. Sneaky Orks getting additional benefits from cover - sure thing! Sneaky marines getting additional benefits from cover - no way! 

 

And XeonDragon, I feel your pain.

I have almost completely abandoned 40k in favor of 30k.

Same saltiness. I got tired of getting just stomped in games where the result was a foregone conclusion.

[War of the Eagle]

Played a 2000pt match vs Astra militarum. He used Lamdum Lions traits for the Sions, a plasma tank commander and 3 forge world russ variants im not familiar with.

He got first turn and deleted my Las fusal Elimimators and my outriders.

I then focused on his Russ variants hurting 2 and killing one.

Turn 2 all his Sions jumped out and killed my assault intercessors, Stormtalon, ATVs, Incursers, and most my bladgaurd.

I then killed almost his entire army besides his tank commander Russ which I tied up in combat and a squad of Sions on an objective.

Turn 3 was mostly clean up. I lost the rest my blade gaurd and most my normal intercessors then finished him off. Was a great game and his turn 2 shooting had my sweating bullets.

 

 

 

[Dracos]

Are those Kasrkins?

[WAR]

Are those Kasrkins?

 

looks like it

 

and are those Supposed to be Leman Russ Annihlators?