Ravenwing dismounted - vanguard possibility

[Cyrox]

This is a bit of lore speculation in regards to the Ravenwing, and hopefully will encourage some discussion.

 

As we know, they are a fully mounted company, and prosecute campaigns on bikes, speeders, aircraft etc, but at the end of the day they are still Space Marines, experienced ones at that. It’s perfectly reasonable to expect that when they do apprehend a Fallen target, they sometimes will fight on foot to capture them in certain circumstances

 

Let’s say for example the Fallen is holed up in a bunker, they would have to dismount for the final stages before they capture them, and this is where I feel Vanguard Marines could come in, they would be an ideal fit in the Ravenwing for when a dismount is the only option. Perhaps it could be some sort of Primaris bikers in Phobos armour - the greaves on Phobos armour are definitely more bike friendly.

 

I’d love to see some sort of Primaris biker in Phobos armour.

 

In fact I’m half tempted to paint my DA Vanguard Infiltrators as Ravenwing rather than Greenwing colours, if nothing else they look really good in Black.

 

Lore wise I know it would be a while before Primaris are trusted with the Ravenwing secrets, but as tgere are now Primaris being slowly accepted into the inner circle, it’s a possibility

 

Thoughts?

[Gederas]

To be perfectly honest, I do feel the Vanguard Primaris fit the Ravenwing, as the Ravenwing (aside from being ALL MOUNTED, ALL THE TIME) are stated to be a scouting/outrider force. So Primaris in the Ravenwing would be scouts, ie: Vanguard.

 

The White Dwarf article corroborates this, as the Primaris battle brother who joins the Ravenwing was inducted because he's really, really good at tracking and hunting down targets (and unintentionally helped the Ravenwing capture a member of the Fallen).

 

Also:

Let’s say for example the Fallen is holed up in a bunker, they would have to dismount for the final stages before they capture them,

You mean the Ravenwing, the dudes who went onto a cramped Space Station while staying on their bikes? :lol:
 

[G8Keeper]

The thing is, I see RW as the guys that pursue the Fallen as well as scout them out.  They can't pursue them fully on foot and thus half of their raison d'être is lost.

 

A second point to consider is Phobos units are already listed as 10th company AND battle companies, it would be quite lazy for GW to paint them black and call them RW too.

[m_r_parker]

In all honesty, I was already kit bashing a new Invictus Warsuit as a "Reconnaissance Dread" (with the Sarcophagus from the Redemptor) and planning to paint it in Ravenwing colours. Scouting forces that can infiltrate feel aligned enough to the Ravenwing in my head to justify it fluff-wise.

[UtariOnzo]

You mean the Ravenwing, the dudes who went onto a cramped Space Station while staying on their bikes? :lol:

 

Who also fought on foot in near company strength after having to climb a mountain in the same book. The station fight was mostly relegated to the large transit corridors and other more bike friendly parts.

 

Anyway I digress. Vanguard marines give the Ravenwing a dismounted light infantry wing that compliments its mounted tactics very well. Vanguards are also going to be proficient at hunting, tracking and fighting mostly unsupported, which really helps when dealing with Fallen, and gives the Ravenwing options for where they need a unit to take and hold ground on a temporary basis in a hunt. By having an interal contingent of Primaris Vanguard to do it, the Ravenwing won’t need to call upon general line brothers or uninducted Vanguard marines of the 10th Coy. It works and gels really well, and would be even better if we can get mounted Primaris too. It’d diversify the Ravenwing toolbox a little while still maintaining its role as outflanking scouts and huntsmen.

[Sandlemad]

Let’s say for example the Fallen is holed up in a bunker, they would have to dismount for the final stages before they capture them,

You mean the Ravenwing, the dudes who went onto a cramped Space Station while staying on their bikes?

 

The idea of the Ravenwing conveniently finding large concourses about spaces stations that allow them to practice their high speed form of warfare makes me think of Knightboat from The Simpsons.

 

"Oh, no! They're headed for land. We'll never catch them now."

 

"Incorrect: look! A canal."

 

"Oh, every week there's a canal. Or an inlet. Or a fjord."

[Cyrox]

Who also fought on foot in near company strength after having to climb a mountain in the same book. The station fight was mostly relegated to the large transit corridors and other more bike friendly parts.

Anyway I digress. Vanguard marines give the Ravenwing a dismounted light infantry wing that compliments its mounted tactics very well. Vanguards are also going to be proficient at hunting, tracking and fighting mostly unsupported, which really helps when dealing with Fallen, and gives the Ravenwing options for where they need a unit to take and hold ground on a temporary basis in a hunt. By having an interal contingent of Primaris Vanguard to do it, the Ravenwing won’t need to call upon general line brothers or uninducted Vanguard marines of the 10th Coy. It works and gels really well, and would be even better if we can get mounted Primaris too. It’d diversify the Ravenwing toolbox a little while still maintaining its role as outflanking scouts and huntsmen.

Exactly - having a Vanguard element within the 2nd company eliminates the need to involve other companies finding out about the fallen

 

 

Also - yep I knew someone would bring up that novel where they ride the bikes on the starfort :D, but we all know that book was literally an advert for the new Ravenwing miniatures, the descriptions were cringeworthy at times.

[Grimdark_Garage]

100% painting all my Phobos units as Ravenwing. I already have the shoulder pads ready for when the Infiltrator/Incursor kit comes out

My Eliminators are ready to be primed black also!

 

I am on board with Phobos joinging the Ravenwing!

[Grand Master Raziel]

I'm taking a wait and see approach. Personally, I want my Ravenwing to be bike and speeder mounted, but with the introduction of flyer transports, Inceptors, and the Vanguard units, I could see how going forward GW might state that the Ravenwing adjust their tactics to reflect the new equipment. That said, I think daddy would have to show up to persuade the First Legion to swallow that particular pill. If GW paired up the return of the Lion along with the 'Wings adjusting to the realities of their new equipment (Phobos gear for Ravenwing, Gravis gear for Deathwing), then they could write it up as El'Jonson instantly grasping how best to employ the new Primaris units and directing his Legion to make it so.

[Cyrox]

Yeah it could well be the Lion that creates a wave of new options

 

It would be awesome if/when Primaris bikes arrive, it’s because of the Ravenwing getting an update

[UtariOnzo]

Well going by White Dwarf, the two Wings are already in that process of inducting, and presumably using, the varied Primaris options right now with neither sight nor sound of the Lion needed. It’s Azrael’s gamble paying off on a Deathwing Primaris inductee that’s already making those wings change, so I don’t see the harm in having this talk based on what units and armour already exist and how they’d likely fit in. We could speculate about what additional units are needed, sure, and some kind of mounted Primaris unit would be great. As far as unit types that already exist, it’s mostly based on a single WD article and what makes the most sense for the moment.

 

Of course, model wise, I’m not making anything Ravenwing or Deathwing till we see some rules. Lore is one thing and I’ll talk till the cows come home about that, but we need something more concrete than some interesting background stories to make me commit paint to plastic.