Blood Hawk <Raven Guard> Primaris anti-Tank/Monster Tactics

[Dracos]

Should be more like “Asking for Thoughts on ... “ :)

 

Just finished deflashing building and basing 20 Intercessor head, torso and legs for the bulk of what is to be the main body of the Blood Hawks. (Should be posting pics of primer basecoated models Wednesday). Will start work on doing the same with the Sniper Scouts next and the will be the bases of a double Battalion if I need them. I’ve had some thoughts on my overall build strategy and wanted to ask for some input.

 

The Troops are the Anvil of the army. I’m comfortable with the combination of Intercessors and Scouts (wish like hell Reivers had Infiltrate :() . . . with Strike from the Shadows I don’t have to lament board control like other Primaris Chapters, so that <Fly> Infantry units give a decent ability to apply a surgical Hammer ... so to speak :)

 

The real weakness as always is the Big Ones. Tanks, Primarchs, Carnifexes etc. My initial and maybe long term approach, so as to maintain the Primaris theme is Heavy Plasma and a cheap Captain on the Hellblasters. Bubble wrapped in Intercessors they should be relatively similar to a quasi-lascannon Devestator squad ... but not. I’m mulling over a few other approaches to this area and here’s what I’m contemplating.

 

1/1000 points

 

1) Xiphon Interceptor. Sweet looking and 4 Lascannon and Missle Launcher for 35 points for than a Stormtalon (which is convertiable to look better but I’m not a fan of the cost) the Xiphon alone seems doomed to die on Turn One without a wingman and 480 is ouch on the pocketbook and points.

 

2) Quad-las Predators. Sort of the land based brother of the Xiphon. With all the plus and minuses except a bit cheaper. I just wish the body wasn’t built on the Rhino chassis. I’d really like a more modern Abrams looking vehicle.

 

3) Spearhead Detachment of Cadian Lascannon Heavy Weapon teams and cheap Commander. Just a touch over 250 and world in the old school 25% rule back in 2nd edition. I use to play a Cadian army and having the survivors of Cadia setting up shop with the Primaris works for me in my head canon.

 

I could go Redemptor. He seems beastly but I’m not a huge fan of the point cost and options are to repetitive with other Primaris unit weapons.

 

Ditto to the Repulsor in many ways. An expensive beast and unlike the Aggressors which I’ve grown to actually love ... this tank needs a makeover more than the Predator does.

 

 

And with that I’m hoping just to here some thoughts from a Raven Guard perspective. I’m big on Infantry as it makes my opponents big guns less effective but open to other ideas at h moment. And while having my Chapter tell a good story and influenced by the Rule of Cool, equally I want to be competitive when I start playing tournaments. Thanks for just reading this post to anyone who made it this far. ;)

[MajorNese]

I've tried plasma inceptors a few times. Without captain, they'll die when overcharging, but either way they remove something big with an average of 12 plasma shots per min-sized squad. 18" range means they can stay out of the 12" interceptor stratagem bubble, mostly land in cover, and stay above 12" for the -1 to hit. If you add a captain (for example deep strike next to one), they dish out hard, and stick around despite overcharge, which creates pressure on the opponent to kill those guys quickly. With 14" move, you can sometimes even get behind enemy units and snipe the characters. As you mention the Xiphon...once, my inceptors took the last wounds off one by charging it. Mortal Wounds for every charging model on a 4+ can finish something off, which no one would have guessed for a shooty unit.

 

Heavy hellblasters seem interesting. Not the number of shots that the assault hellblasters get, but out of range for small arms, and in range turn 1. Meaning, they will draw the heavier fire, which should take pressure off your vehicles. Also, assault hellblasters just go up to S7, while heavy hellblasters get S9, meaning S9 will have twice the to-wound rate against T8, which will make up for the number of shots.

[Dracos]

Damn ... ;)

 

Not point for point but you pretty much reinforce everything all my original buys were designed for. I even have a <Shrike> conversion in the works to run with the Interceptors.

 

I was/am worried I’m missing something by going all Infantry. My old strategy always includes either Preds or Dreads for Lascannon support.

 

Since I plan on running mostly Captain HQs then the issues with Overcharging are at least mitigated. Plinking at 2W a shot and one less AP with the Inceptors still has me concerned a bit with handling the Big Stuff I guess. I know even with two Heavy squads in the backfield the Hellblasters are going to be lucky to ever survive Turn 2, but from Battle Reportd I’ve been viewing that can be said of most Marine anti-tank/monster unite.

 

Your thoughts are much appreciated

[Riddlesworth]

Was running numbers on this this morning. 3 deep striking inceptors overcharging will put 10.66 wounds on anything below T8 and with a 3+ or worse save. They'll also lose 2 models. Better with ultramarines (reroll strat), dark angels (plasma strat), but the ultramarine advantage can be nullified if you drop a captain in with them and the dark angels strat, well that's their thing. let them have it.

[Lemondish]

I'm a fan of regular old Dreads. They maintain the Chapter Tactic where the other options do not, can solve your access to anti-tank weapons, and options like the venerable end up being extremely resilient (especially with the RG tactic). While they don't necessarily house Primaris, neither does a Xiphon, Cadian detachment, or Predator ;) Edited March 12, 2018 by Lemondish

[Dracos]

Wow guys ... :)

 

Kestrel <Shrike> is an auto-include when the Inceptors join the list and ...

 

... I just tried to buy the Raven Guard Contemptor Dreadnought with two sets of arms two twin Lascannon and other powerfist and the kheris cannon. Something hinky on the PayPal I’m following up on

 

 

Love the advice. Decided I could use the Contemptor per Codex when running into folks who have issues with FW units. Not sure how to swap him into the list builds but hey it’s anfreat looking model so gotta. :)