[Tactica] Raven Guard

[Berzul]

In the spirit of the couple of Tactica threads that have shown up, I want to start this one.

 

As someone who has never faced the Raven Guard, can anyone here share some insights into what kind of game and friendship breaking shennanigans I should expect?

 

For reference, my opponent is most likely to bring:

 

Shrike

Vanguard Veterans in Jump Packs with Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields

Inceptors with the Heavy Bolt Pistols

Infiltrators

Scouts with Sniper Rifles and with Bolters

Stormraven Gunships (probably one, maybe two)

 

My model range is somewhat limited. No forgeworld, for starters, and no Primaris either. But I have plenty of tactical marines, devastators, terminators, and a couple of dreads. Two razorbacks, a drop pod, a whirlwind and a predator with all the options, and a Dark Talon. Three librarians, one fourth in TDA, as well as an Azrael model and a couple of jump pack characters for close combat.

 

Saddly, for my upcoming match I do NOT have either my bikes, or my darkshroud.

[Wrath of Bruinen]

D6 Evolution on YouTube do some great general tactica videos, and uploaded a couple recently on Raven Guard sneakiness. I haven't watched those ones yet, so I can't say how helpful they'll be to you, but as a minimum I expect that highlight the key rules and stratagems to be aware of. If you're lucky, they might even cover some ways of countering those factors.

[G8Keeper]

Just from general stuff I've heard about them (can't remember their rules) you may well want to keep your characters hidden, so go for buffy ones over fighty ones I guess? Do they still get -1 to hit them on cover? If so we may actually be one of the better armies to face them with a built in reroll 1's when stationary from grim resolve.

[Chaplain Elijah]

Do they still get -1 to hit them on cover?

 

Raven Guard units get the benefit of cover if they're being shot beyond 12".

If they're not vehicles and happen to be entirely on or within a terrain feature (not just receiving cover), enemies must also subtract 1 from their hit rolls.

[Wrath of Bruinen]

Unfortunately this won’t help Berzul, but for posterity as a tactica thread, this would make the Talonmaster’s ignore cover quite valuable, yes?

[Berzul]

Indeed. Since I have my bikes unavailable at the moment, my Talonmaster becomes a bit pointless. But, in the future, definetly!

[aura_enchanted]

He's gonna hammertime any vehicles he can reach apart, but deathwing knights parked on an objectively basically never move for him. He simply lacks an effective unit to move them and any vanguard sent in after them won't be coming home or spend the rest of the game smacking a shield and doing little else productive.

 

Eliminating his infiltrators will do a serious blow to his fighting effectiveness, same with anything with lightning claws which is a thing ravenguard players tend to have in their wallets all the time. Find a way to single those out and eliminate them.

 

Make him come to you but deny him charge bonuses when you can. This maximizes your ability to shoot at him, and minimized return melee strikes.

 

Finally watch out for random Invictus warsuits, they are no joke and can pound in the pain and play to his strengths, deal with them post haste.

[G8Keeper]

 

Do they still get -1 to hit them on cover?

 

Raven Guard units get the benefit of cover if they're being shot beyond 12".

If they're not vehicles and happen to be entirely on or within a terrain feature (not just receiving cover), enemies must also subtract 1 from their hit rolls.

 

 

Tasty! 

 

One thing to watch for will be a character with the Shaowmaster warlord trait (no overwatch) tying up your dangerous shooty units.  I guess screens are a big thing vs RG. 

[Berzul]

Well, I had a match today, and I have to say that the board control of this army is something that amazed me.

 

Clearly it is an army that dominates the deployment phase, but seems a bit dependent on getting to go first, too. He seriously exposed his army on the pre-game redeployment, and I think he would have been in a lot more trouble had I taken the first turn.

 

In any case, the things I have to take into consideration in a future match that including a heavy force of Ravenwing are clearly a must, to take against them. Their control of the board necessitates something FAST with which to counter it. Also, something that can get into their 12" bubble to negate their cover, or straight up deny them cover (through the Talonmaster).