What have your Raven Guard done lately?

[autek mor]

Cheers dude, the best part of this list is that i'm down to 4 drops, almost guaranteeing i always get first turn. SftS also gives me the flexibility to deploy more of my troops on the table in a forward position, so if say my opponent has 6 or 7 drops, i can always take one of the units out of the stormravens to deploy them so they can be effective from turn 1.

yeah thats what i like about the stormtaxis. the ability deploy forward without getting pinned or pushed back by most tarpit units. with marine armies getting less for the points, i fell the ability to find space so you can get clear shots and charges to be crucial. at the moment just thinking of ways to squeeze in a fire raptor and still have 8-9 units in a 2k list and thats not including any dedicated transports.

[thewarriorhunter]

Cheers dude, the best part of this list is that i'm down to 4 drops, almost guaranteeing i always get first turn. SftS also gives me the flexibility to deploy more of my troops on the table in a forward position, so if say my opponent has 6 or 7 drops, i can always take one of the units out of the stormravens to deploy them so they can be effective from turn 1.

 

I haven't been able to read through all the rules as thoroughly as I'd like but I thought deploying units in a transport counted as a drop... so if I wanted to deploy a rhino with a tac squad in it it would actually be two drops, not one. Am I wrong in this thought process?

 

 

*****

 

Today my Raven Guard formed up the detachments that will engage the enemy on Sunday. It's no where near 'optimized', rather it's what I have that can be put on the table. I'm happy that more of it is showing up painted than last time as continual progress is what I'm after.

 

My thoughts are to SFTS the dev squad and either a tac squad or an assault squad (if it's the latter shrike will be in reserves and come down to help buff charges), I'd like to do it to the larger tac squad but I want the captain hanging around them and that would be 2 points for two units. Inceptors and terminators will teleport in. Assault squads will hopefully move up quickly. I'm hoping for Dawn of Warish deployment, last game was hammer and anvil and it was pretty brutal for getting into position.

 

I've never run a dev squad before. I'm hoping they can get a good field of fire while in cover and surpress a lot of board to limit my opponents movement options.

 

100PL

 

++ Battalion Detachment +3CP (Imperium - Space Marines)++

 

Captain: Master-crafted boltgun, Storm shield, The Primarch's Wrath

 

Captain in Cataphractii Armor: Chainfist, Combi-melta

 

Scout Squad

. Scout Sergeant: Chainsword, Sniper rifle

. Scout w/Heavy Weapon: Missile launcher

. 3x Scout w/Sniper Rifle: 3x Sniper rifle

 

Tactical Squad

. 8x Space Marine

. Space Marine Sergeant: Plasma pistol, Power sword

. Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Plasma gun

 

Tactical Squad

. 4x Space Marine

. Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Power fist

 

Assault Squad: Jump Pack

. 2x Space Marine

. Space Marine Sergeant: Chainsword, Plasma pistol

. Space Marine w/Special Weapon

. . Plasma Pistol & Chainsword: Plasma pistol

. Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Flamer

 

Inceptor Squad: Assault bolter, 2x Inceptor, Inceptor Sergeant

 

Devastator Squad

. Space Marine Sergeant: Combi-plasma

. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Heavy bolter

. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Heavy bolter

. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Heavy bolter

. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Missile launcher

 

Predator: Hunter-killer missile, Storm bolter, Twin lascannon, Two Lascannons

 

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Space Marines) ++

 

Kayvaan Shrike [8 PL, 150pts]

 

Cataphractii Terminator Squad

. Cataphractii Sergeant: Combi-bolter, Power sword

. Cataphractii Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw

. Cataphractii Terminator: Chainfist, Combi-bolter

. Cataphractii Terminator: Combi-bolter, Power fist

. Cataphractii Terminator: Combi-bolter, Power fist

 

Contemptor Dreadnought: Combi-bolter, Dreadnought combat weapon, Multi-melta

 

Vanguard Veteran Squad

. Space Marine Veteran: 2x Lightning Claw

. Space Marine Veteran: 2x Lightning Claw

. Space Marine Veteran: 2x Lightning Claw

. Space Marine Veteran: 2x Lightning Claw

. Veteran Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Chainsword

[SkimaskMohawk]

The transport rules say you instead of deploying passengers normally you deploy them all at the same time as the transport, cutting down on drops. The larger transports like spartans and storm eagles can really help cut down on drops as you can cram a few different units and characters in them

[thewarriorhunter]

OK, that's good to know, thanks for clarifying that for me. I guess after the cataphractii I'm working on it's time to start working on some transports.

[MajorNese]

Fought against the choleric spikey marines, at 750p (try out campaign list).

 

Captain, jump pack, relic blade, MC bolter

10 assault marines, 2x plasma, 1x grav/axe

5 reivers, carbines, grav shute

6 tacs, plasma, storm bolter

Razorback, TLLC, storm bolter

Thunderfire cannon

 

Enemy (roughly):

Khârn the beertrayer

berserker squad

rhino

5 warp talons

hellbrute (fist + missiles)

maulerfiend (AT loadout)

 

Opponent had first round anyway, so tacs deployed in a ruin instead of their transport. 3 drops on the field (those + TFC), 3 deep strikers. Opponent filled one corner with the vehicles and chose to DS the warp talons. As I wanted to stay away from his CC squads, I chose the opposite corner.

 

First round, not much happened. His vehicles advanced, warp talons DS'd next to the razorback and failed the charge. My razorback got a lucky hit on the rhino, taking it down to 4 wounds (which regenerated back to 5 next turn), but the warp talons soaked up everything else, and just lost one dude.

 

Kept the reserves back, because his units were still too clustered, that would have just made it a sure counter-charge. As next turn, he advanced again, this time splitting his 3 vehicles. Center, the rhino went through a ruin, while the hellbrute/maulerfiend each advanced around one side of the ruin. Warp talons damaged the razorback a bit.

That turn became interesting for me...the razorback pulled back from the warp talons, to get healed by the TFC's techmarine. TFC and tacs vaporized the warp talons, giving me some breathing space before his assaulters would arrive.

 

Now that the hellbrute was alone on one flank, the reserves were just right. A line of assault marines (in pistol range), then the captain, then the reivers. Storm of Fire warlord trait for wannabe rending bubble (-1AP for ranged wound rolls of 6), lots of bolt carbine shots, safely overcharging plasma and a well-wounding grav pistol later, the hellbrute was almost dead. It charged next turn, failed to hit, and died to chainswords.

 

Now that the center of my army shifted a lot, Khârn and his berserker buddies turned back to counter them. Khârn alone managed to get the charge, and promptly killed the assaulters (9) to the man, only to get killed by my captain's blade next turn. Berserkers (though having lost a few guys) wiped the reivers on the charge, captain killed most, then pulled out of CC. Remaining guys were toasted by the techmarine, whose servo arms disassembled the rhino.

 

The maulerfiend, you might ask...it went around the ruin, recognized it couldn't climb the ruins to get at the tacs, and decided to eat the TFC instead (parked to prevent it from getting the razorback or techmarine). Failed to kill it (1W left), but this way I couldn't shoot it. Techmarine hopped into the razorback and drove off, which causes the cannon to be removed. Now everything shot and killed the maulerfiend, because rapid fire plasma and lots of bolters.

 

 

Main takeaways:

-SftS may be the latest hotness, but deep strike is my preferred method of deployment, considering I don't use the heavier guys. Going second, they were not left out in the open, and could hold back until they wouldn't just suicide into the enemy army's core.

-assault marines may be nice, but reivers are nicer. 20ppm instead of 16, but 2W and a lot more range and shots. Will stock them up to 10 for next month

-TFC is versatile. The techmarine can repair D3 on a razorback/predator/whirlwind every round without sacrificing shooting, the cannon will always stack wounds on anything, anywhere. And in a pinch, the cannon can block, while the techmarine has a flamer, plasma pistol and servo arm (thunder hammer attacks) to either take care of matters, or go somewhere else

 

Other side:

-Khârn will rip apart anything. Solo one squad after the other if remaining alive.

-berserkers are badass too. Not very expensive, S6 AP-1 and LOTS of attacks. Kill before they get close.

[Jacques Corbin]

Defeated Black Templars in a Matched Play but Open War game. We played 2000 points each. I brought Strike and a Jump Librarian, and he brought Helbrecht and Grimaldus. You know what he did not bring? Any Neophytes at all. Thought that was a bit odd. Full batrep in the works.

[thewarriorhunter]

Played a 100PL matched game against admech today and got hammered. We called it after turn three due to time, but I probably would have called it anyways because there was no chance of me pulling a win. Mission was the scouring and the superior objective happened to be the one my sniper scouts deployed on. They were quickly overrun and it went downhill from there. Add too that incredibly cold dice on my part and incredibly hot dice on my opponents part and it was pretty hopeless. I realize it's a dice game but the rolls were incredibly demoralizing, and even my opponent felt bad and kept apologizing. (For example he needed 5+ to hit on 8 dice and he'd get ALL OF THEM, and then follow it up with the majority hitting, then I'd roll 1s and 2s for saves, it was incredibly brutal).

 

I learned a lot this game and next time plan on doing the following:

• Game will be no more than 75 PL, and I'd probably like to be around 50-60. I'm still learning the game and learning my army. It slogged on because of that, and my opponent was fielding his admech for the first time so we were both a little slow. I think having less to manage would also be a big help for me to learn a few units and get solid with them so I can play faster/better.
• I tend to see red when I play and just want to go for the kill. The location of the superior objective favored his deployment since he had more heavy hitting stuff there but if I'd made some different firing decisions I may have been able to do better. I'm going to make a concentrated effort to play the mission.
• Not be so aggressive with my deep strikes. Two games in a row now I've deep struck into poor position and payed for it. I tend to leave units hanging out in the open rather that position them for strong counters.

 

I'll probably play a few practice games against myself or my son as well. I feel I'm decent on the rules, and having the rule set be so small is a plus so I can easily reference things. I'm looking forward to painting some more, his army was fully painted and one side of the board had all painted units and looked really good.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Sy5WZ0l.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/9qCpaRn.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/4ynqQNv.jpg

[Race Bannon]

3rd Edition tree terrain represent!

 

Good read :tu: Interesting thought about aggressive DS. It seems the goal is to do exactly that, lately.

[MajorNese]

3rd Edition tree terrain represent!

 

Good read Interesting thought about aggressive DS. It seems the goal is to do exactly that, lately.

Lately, I've made a lot better experiences with turn 2 deep strikes than turn 1. Let the enemy rush towards my fire base, wait for them to get into gun range and overstretch their lines, and DS there. Turn 1 DS mostly got overrun by being too close to most of my opponent's army, instead of overwhelming isolated targets and rolling up things from there.

[thewarriorhunter]

 

3rd Edition tree terrain represent!

 

Good read Interesting thought about aggressive DS. It seems the goal is to do exactly that, lately.

Lately, I've made a lot better experiences with turn 2 deep strikes than turn 1. Let the enemy rush towards my fire base, wait for them to get into gun range and overstretch their lines, and DS there. Turn 1 DS mostly got overrun by being too close to most of my opponent's army, instead of overwhelming isolated targets and rolling up things from there.

 

 

That's exactly what I did too... turn 1 put everything in to try and make stuff happen, but it ended up stretching me to thin. Next game I plan on holding until turn 2 and being more conservative.

[Mileposter]

 

 

3rd Edition tree terrain represent!

 

Good read Interesting thought about aggressive DS. It seems the goal is to do exactly that, lately.

Lately, I've made a lot better experiences with turn 2 deep strikes than turn 1. Let the enemy rush towards my fire base, wait for them to get into gun range and overstretch their lines, and DS there. Turn 1 DS mostly got overrun by being too close to most of my opponent's army, instead of overwhelming isolated targets and rolling up things from there.

I'd like to also emphasize this. Turn 1 DS only seems to really pay off when you are using melee units to deny an opponent turn 1 shooting with a unit or two. And even then, it's a most likely suicidal endeavor for those units.

 

If you won't be going first, better to hold until Turn 2 where you can control the tactical response to your drop. The enemy can't just throw dice at it and hope to win.

 

It's even doubly hilarious if you use DS with primarily ranged units (Drop Pod Sternguar d as an example). I've won more than one game because the opponent charged my face turns 1 and 2... Only to have to turn around and trek all the way back across the field, under fire, to tackle the guys I DS'd.

[Jacques Corbin]

Nice! I will have to remember that dirty trick.

 

I hope this thread keeps going! Nice to see my fellow Ravens are not all paint brushes and no dice, like certain Crusaders.

 

Yeah, that's right, I said it! Fresh off a defeat of one Marshal, and I want to grind another beneath my boot!!!

[Biscuittzz]

 

 

3rd Edition tree terrain represent!

 

Good read Interesting thought about aggressive DS. It seems the goal is to do exactly that, lately.

Lately, I've made a lot better experiences with turn 2 deep strikes than turn 1. Let the enemy rush towards my fire base, wait for them to get into gun range and overstretch their lines, and DS there. Turn 1 DS mostly got overrun by being too close to most of my opponent's army, instead of overwhelming isolated targets and rolling up things from there.

I'd like to also emphasize this. Turn 1 DS only seems to really pay off when you are using melee units to deny an opponent turn 1 shooting with a unit or two. And even then, it's a most likely suicidal endeavor for those units.

 

If you won't be going first, better to hold until Turn 2 where you can control the tactical response to your drop. The enemy can't just throw dice at it and hope to win.

 

It's even doubly hilarious if you use DS with primarily ranged units (Drop Pod Sternguar d as an example). I've won more than one game because the opponent charged my face turns 1 and 2... Only to have to turn around and trek all the way back across the field, under fire, to tackle the guys I DS'd.

 

 

There's RG fluff where Word Bearers leave the confines of a fortress to attack harrying RG forces only to trek back to base and find it in the hands of scouts. Annihilated in the ensuing crossfire. 

 

Very fluffy. 

[Race Bannon]

Citation please ^_^

[duz_]

Its in the new Codex under the RG section I believe :D

 

Either that or the new BRB, I can't remember I've been reading both fluff sections lately it gets confusing! 

[Race Bannon]

Haha no kidding.  Been reading both in little bits when in the Throne Room myself

[thewarriorhunter]

My codex should finally arrive today. I've been reading the BRB lore in between sets while lifting, I plan on replacing that soon with the codex.

 

As for my RG: They've licked their wounds and are out of the medicae and ready for their next (smaller ) engagement. I've been reading a lot of what my fellow RG brethren have suggested as well as some of the tactics and have put together a 75PL list:

 

Battalion Deatchment, 73PL:

 

Captain: Jump Pack, Lightning Claw, Master-crafted boltgun, The Primarch's Wrath

 

Shrike

 

Scout Squad: Camo cloaks, 4 x sniper, missile launcher

 

Tactical Squad: Combi-Plasma, Plasma gun, 3 x bolt guns

 

Tactical Squad: Plasma Pistol, Power sword, Plasma Gun, 3 x bolt guns

 

Cataphractii Terminator Squad: 5 x Combi-bolter, grenade harness, power sword, 2 x power fist, chain fist, lighting claw

 

Contemptor Dreadnought: Combi-bolter, Dreadnought combat weapon, Kheres pattern assault cannon

 

Inceptor Squad: Assault bolters

 

Devastator Squad: Combi-Plasma, 2 xx heavy bolter, 2 x missile launcher

 

Razorback: Twin lascannon

 

Total PL: 73

 

Normally I hang Shrike out to die because I'm too aggressive with him. I'm thinking this time I'll keep him in the backfield and use him to boost either the devs or scouts to give them rerolls. The other captain has a jump pack  so he can hop around from unit to unit up front and allow the plasma to safely overcharge (i realize they can fail still, but it's mitigated). Inceptors and cataphractii will still DS but they'll not come in till turn 2 unless theres a safe place to put them. If I can get shrike or the captain near them even better for rerolls. Predator will tank hunt and contemptor will be anti-infantry and try to assault vehicles, its CC is pretty devastating.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Played against my buddies Guard today.

 

I was using my normal 30k models again so had:

 

Guilliman (Corax)

 

Issodon

 

Chapter Ancient, Relic Banner

 

5xCompany Veterans, 4 Plasma, 1 Combi-plasma

 

5xCompany Veterans, 4 Plasma, 1 Combi-plasma

 

5xCompany Veterans, 4 Plasma, 1 Combi-plasma

 

6xSternguard, 6 Combi-flamer

 

6xSternguard, 6 Combi-flamer

 

Infernum Razorback

 

Infernum Razorback

 

3xRapier Battery, 3 Quad Launchers

 

Stormtalon with Typhoons.

 

 

 

He had something like:

 

Greyfax

 

Yarrick

 

Primaris psycker

 

Company Commander

 

Company Commander

 

Master of Ordnance

 

20xConscripts

 

20xConscripts

 

20xConscripts

 

4xCommand Squad, 4 Plasma

 

4x Command Squad, 4 Melta

 

3xHeavy Weapon Squad, 3 Mortars

 

 

3xHeavy Weapon Squad, 3 Mortars

 

3xHeavy Weapon Squad, 3 Lascannon

 

Hellhound, Heavy Flamer

 

Vendetta

 

3xBasilisk

 

Manticore

 

 

 

I finished deploying first on Triangle Shirt Edges and he failed to seize, so I plopped all the plasma, Issodon and the Ancient down on his left flank where he had the hellhound; I killed it for First Blood, the units of Mortars, 25 Conscripts and put 5 damage on the Vendetta. Interesting note, that between the 4" of disembark, plus Bobby's aura, it's fairly easy to disembark-move-advance-shoot the combi-flamers, depending on deployment.

 

In return, he whittled down some of my squads; 4 from one command, and 5 from a sternguard. He also put 2 damage on my Talon in a stunning display of bad luck (9 lascannon, 4 plasma, 4 melta with orders). The Trait really hurts their damage output, despite some pretty decent rolls from the artillery.

 

My turn two saw 10 wounds on a basilisk, with two of the Conscript squads finished off, as well as the Las team.

 

He finished off my depleted squads and did a couple more casualties to the other two plasma squads.

 

Turn 3 I killed Yarrick, Greyfax, his command squads, the basilisk and the Vendetta, where he decided to call the game.

 

 

Second time with the list and its performed really well, combination of alpha strike and Robbie being over the top can be a bit oppressive. I'm going to start not using him or Forgeworld and see how it goes, though I have to repaint and base a bunch of stuff to make it consistent 

[duz_]

Looking at both this lists looks like neither of you hold your punches!

 

I can only dream Corax comes back to 40k!

Any pics of yours? :)

[MajorNese]

Played a 500p fill-your-Konor-card game with a friend. My Raptors (intercessor, stalker intercessor, reiver (each 5 models), stalker captain and tarantulas (2x HB, 1x assault cannon)) against his Iron Hands (gravis captain, 2x5 intercessors, 5 plasma primaris).

 

To make it short:

To rely on S4, even with -1 or -2 AP and considerable range, just didn't work. Few wounds, even fewer failed armour saves, nearly nothing died. Plasma and powerfists on the other hand worked consistently well. The only fun thing on my side were the tarantulas, they just stacked loads of wounds on the nearest unit, even after being surrounded in CC. Will definitely field that one in the main army, but I'll keep the stalker rifles to a minimum. They might be nice to hold objectives while still shooting at stuff, but don't count on them to actually kill anything. Might consider working on the plasma dudes, once the reivers are up to 10 models.

[Noxnoctis22]

I had 2 Relic Whirlwind Scorpius DELETE a units of 4 Centurions armed with Lascannons & Hurricane Bolters on Turn 1.

 

The Centurions were in ruins so they got +1 to their save but boy did my opponent roll tons of 2's.

 

Having Shrike and a Lt. near those 2 Scorpius made them VERY deadly.

[duz_]

Had a 2000pt game against my friends GK's again

Game ended on T5 and I lost by 1 pt (11 vs 10, line breaker difference!) and he had a single Power Armoured Grey Knight stuck in close combat with a tac squad!

 

Took some proxy Plasma Inceptors and a Gatling Dakka Redemptor Dread. Plasma inceptors were expensive but laid waste to his GM NDK. Although because I was deliberately being hyper aggressive with them, they didn't last more than 2 turns. I think for the difference in cost 6 of the bolter versions would be better. The dakka dread was insane! His guns didn't do much against the NDK's or terminators, but he punked them all in CC with his 4A, S14, AP-3 D:D6 hits! :D
Definitely buy this guy when my funds become available!

 

Highlight of the match:

I opted to have my 2 VV's StfS, while Shrike, Lt and Inceptors came in deep strike. I had planned for the 5 of them to ambush some units and lay waste. However due to going second I had to place both VV's in a large building in the centre of the table. This kept them mostly out of site, with a +1 save and still within threat range for my turn.

My friend decided to go chase them down with a 3 man Paladin squad... he soon learnt what lurked in the shadows, only 1 died to shooting and with the 2 storm shields on them managed to shrug off the attacks from the Paladins and laid waste to them in return. The new changes to AP are great and make VV's a threat even to 2+ saves! :D 

My friend and I were both taken back at how effective they were, my friend obviously a bit more salty than I.  ;)

[Mileposter]

50PL game against our nemesis Alpha Legion.

 

1 Melee Captain w/ jetpack

1 Ranged Captain

2 5 man TacSquads, combi-plas and plasma gun

2 Bolter Scout Squads

1 Sniper Scout Squad with Camo Cloaks

1 Sternguard Vet Squad

1 Vanguard Vet Squad

1 Stormtalon Gunship

 

4X4 battlefield, so SftS was used minimally, to move a single TacSquad into a backfield position. There were much shenanigans on both sides of the field as each set of troops tried to bait the other side in, and it seemed that all would be lost for the Eclipse Marines, until the Captain and a squad of Vanguard Veterans dropped in turn 3 and sharged, power swords a-flaming. Had saved 2 CP just for the charge, so that after they had dove in to cut down a good chunk of the bubblewrap arond the commander, used the Strategem so they could get another round of fighting in. The enemy's lines broken, the rest fell to pieces.

[Gulltramarine]

I run a Raven Guard successor chapter of my own devising, and things have been going very well for me in 8th. Run a 2 x Devastator squad firebase with Stormraven. I use 3 scout squads for area denial and then it's just Vanguards and Assault Marines out the wazoo

[thewarriorhunter]

How are your devastator loaded out? I've started running a squad but have only fielded them once as I don't get to play much. I've got two heavy bolters and two missile launchers right now. I plan on swapping it one of each for a plasma Cannon and Las Cannon for utility.