Your Favorite Raven Guard Unit?

[Dracos]

I've chosen mine for tactical or army building reasons but if it's for fluff just let us know that.s why

 

 . . . and speaking of . . .  I'll be choosing all Primaris units . . . because I want to.

 

 

Primaris Chaplain

Aggressors

Eliminators

Intercessors

 

 

 

I haven't built them, and might be getting rid of them but . . . 

 

Honorable Mention: Assault Centurions

 

Centurions are Aggressors cranked to "11" but there is a substantial point saving taking 5 Aggressors over 3 Centurions, and honestly Aggressors work so well in a Raven Guard list, I almost feel dirty just thinking about using them in my "Primaris" army :(. My hope is the next wave of Primaris has a unit that grabs me like Aggressors and Eliminators.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Dracos

[Race Bannon]

This may be stereotypical but still Lightning Claw Assault Marines.

 

It's quintessentially "Raven Guard" to me ^_^

[MajorNese]

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already.

[duz_]

Primaris Shrike

Supported by a full squad of jump pack Vanguard Vets

:D

 

Both are usually a core of my army although not always a full VV squad :tu:

[Dracos]

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already.

 

I love them too. I was keeping myself limited to an HQ and 3 other choices or they'd be on my list also. I just wish they cost about three points less per model.

 

 

I never pictured myself a lead farmer but all the best Primaris units farm lead. Hint hint Race

 

 

PS: By all means give me a non-character Primaris with Lightning Claws and I'll be making many ot them.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Dracos

[Jacques Corbin]

Sorry, but Thunderfire Cannons. Not considered fluffy by most, but it is much easier to be stealthy when the enemy is focused on, or at least distracted by, the loud artillery. I can't wait to see the Primaris version!

 

Incursors. Love these guys, cheaper Phobos troops. The paired knives are gravy, but the ignoring penalties to hit is awesome. A great counter to stealthy units, also fire at full BS when using Auspex Scan. Place the mine, and use the booby trap strat, then ask your opponent just how badly they want that objective. I mean, they might take it, but odds are not good they will still have anybody holding it down after your next shooting phase.

 

Good ol' Lieutenebris. I started out dropping him in with Grav Chute and Carbine Reivers, because it was a cool theme, but Bolter Inceptors are T5 and put out more shots. Dropping in a serious threat to enemy character with screen that is quite resistant to small arms, just forces the opponent to rethink his next turn.

 

Wishlist

Gravis armor, with Lightning Claws and meltaguns, that are either shoulder- or wrist-mounted. Shoot open the transport, and shred whatever tumbles out.

 

Suppressor variants with heavy flamers would be a great drop-in speed bump, or a rapid response to a approaching horde, or another counter to -1 to hit units like Tau stealth suits.

 

A Primaris Techmarine gunner with option for either a Thunderfire Cannon, or a Conversion Beamer. Anti infantry or anti armor, just like Eliminators.

Edited April 12, 2020 by Jacques Corbin

[thewarriorhunter]

Presently for me it's the Xiphon from a thematic perspective. Given my Sicarii are based on assassins I love the look of the flyer. It looks like it should be fast, coming in low to the ground, undetected, obliterating it's target, and then flying off for an large arc that brings it around again from another undetected angel.

 

I also love Inceptors. There is something to be said for dropping in those guys and obliterating whatever chaf/infantry screen was in your way. I've had more that one game where they drop into the backfield and remove opponent's models from objectives and help swing the VPs to my favor.

[HighMarshalAmp]

Sternguard.

 

There's something about the simplicity of 10 guys with the same guns sitting back scoring VP and being hard to hit while making their points back I just like.

 

Sure, that role can now be filled by Stalker Intercessors jus as nicely, but I'm partial to Beakies

Edited April 27, 2020 by HighMarshalAmp

[Riddlesworth]

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already. :sweat:

I'd love to hear the reasoning on this one given the hole suppressors fill for a primaris list

[thewarriorhunter]

 

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already.

I'd love to hear the reasoning on this one given the hole suppressors fill for a primaris list

 

As I said a couple posts up:

 

 

 

I also love Inceptors. There is something to be said for dropping in those guys and obliterating whatever chaf/infantry screen was in your way. I've had more that one game where they drop into the backfield and remove opponent's models from objectives and help swing the VPs to my favor.

Thematically they fit: They drop in from no where and obliterate whatever is in front of them. There's a really good opening scene in the first Dark Imperium novel that features a unit of Inceptors dropping down.

 

From a gaming perspective they're great as well. T5, 3W, and Str5 AP-2 weapons when they drop in T2. They throw out 18 shots of that and if you are able to get them into cover they are going to take a lot of dedicated fire to remove. They FLY so they go wherever and if they're assaulted they can bail out easily next turn and still shoot (They suck in CC, keep them away). I think the Tactical Doctrine really makes them shine. They were good before than and now with it they are great.

[Dracos]

 

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already.

I'd love to hear the reasoning on this one given the hole suppressors fill for a primaris list

 

 

Survivability and rate of fire would be my guesses. I run a 5 man squad myself and they delete stuff. Suppressors are  nice also but more easily give up First Strike or Kill more VP

[thewarriorhunter]

 

 

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already.

I'd love to hear the reasoning on this one given the hole suppressors fill for a primaris list

 

 

Survivability and rate of fire would be my guesses. I run a 5 man squad myself and they delete stuff. Suppressors are  nice also but more easily give up First Strike or Kill more VP

 

I need to get a couple boxes so I can do them up in my new scheme. I've debated on repainting my Raven guard but I just don't have it in me to do that. I don't feel like going through the process of stripping them. I don't know why but I've only considered running them as a unit of three. Going up to 4/5 is something I'll need to really consider.

[sultansean]

Vanguard Vets with a mix of Thunder hammers, Storm Shields and Chain swords. They are so fast and killy with the infiltrators stratagem and advance and charge warlord trait. 

Also lets be honest Assault Centurions are amazing, if not really making as much sense lore wise. (Maybe they installed some of the sound dampers from an invictor?)  

[SanguinaryGuardsman]

Intercessors with bolt rifles.  I like deep striking them behind enemy lines and using Rapid Fire and pumping 40 shots into the enemy warlord.  It makes me happy even though it rarely happens.

[MajorNese]

 

Bolter Inceptors, clearly.

 

Which I bet I've mentioned a few dozen times in various threads already.

I'd love to hear the reasoning on this one given the hole suppressors fill for a primaris list

I don't do suppressors. Too fragile, not reliable as AT, and too small squad size.

 

But for Inceptors, well...T5, 3W, 2+ armour (in cover or >12"), and sometimes -1 to hit means these are damn resilient, it usually takes AT guns or dedicated CC units to kill them.

With larger squads (I usually field 6-8 models in total), from turn 2 on, that's a ridiculous amount of lead, at S5 AP-2. Given Deep Strike and their mobility, it is quite possible to be in a position to shoot a character, giving them another +1 to hit/wound, meaning they will kill anything including Knights. Yes, with bolters. And they will kill hordes with ease. And they will wrestle wounds off vehicles too.

 

Now, combine these guys with Shrike. Reroll to charges (for mopping up), full reroll to hit (so advancing is compensated), a strat that still allows them to charge (with Shrike's charge reroll), and Shrike adding anti-character shooting and good CC. Then fall back and shoot again. Any non-dedicated CC unit will struggle to do anything against these guys. Also, I tend to drown enemies in dice when doing CC, something like 30-40 primaris can indeed wreck vehicles with just bolter and blade, and Inceptors contribute to that nicely. The mobility will also mean they will find a meaningful target, and they can evade the heavier counter units - take out units on the fringes, don't send them into the thick of it, unless most of that thick is your own dudes swarming a target.

 

For my last experience fielding these guys, there's a few posts on this page.

[WAR]

Fluff reasons and at the time when  I first started building Raptors it was the only way to get the image of sneaky troops on the battlefield to disrupt the enemy lines. 

 

Scouts

Scout bikers 

 

For true Raven Guard- white armed twin lightning clawed beaky helmet, vanguard vets. 

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Thematically I like Infiltrators. They can pull guard like shenanigans with their comms array thingy, that lets them use an LT's aura from anywhere on the table, or they can infiltrate and cap the mid field and just stick with the mini apothecary they can take. Add to that the deep strike denial bubble, if you daisy chain them across the table and overlap their bubbles you can deny a lot of terrain, or just keep a lot of units from deep striking within charge range.

 

Incursors are also neat, since they are a bit more CC oriented. I plan to use some Reiver models as incursors, because Reivers look cool, but I don't know if they're really worth one of my already contested elites slots.

 

Of course there are the old standby's: Scouts. The OG infiltrators for SM, and one of my favorites. Assault Marines nothing like seeing a bunch of power armored dudes leapfrog over your front line infiltrators and beat face.

[Dracos]

Nice to see someone else actually liking the "appearance" of the Reivers. Cool models mediocre rules, though I think they are nice cheap points and give a unit that takes advantage of the Assault Doctrine. Still I just used the heads for my Incursors in place of those god awful goggles. I call them my Frankenstein Phobos lol

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I really like the Phobos armored Vanguard units. They're the backbone of my WIP 3rd Company. I prefer the Infiltrators over the Incursors, because I just think the Incursors models are a bit less robust. I bought two of the Vanguard start collecting boxes to start my army. I've got two boxes of bolter scouts on the way, and I've got a bunch of CC scouts that I can use too.

[thewarriorhunter]

Nice to see someone else actually liking the "appearance" of the Reivers. Cool models mediocre rules, though I think they are nice cheap points and give a unit that takes advantage of the Assault Doctrine. Still I just used the heads for my Incursors in place of those god awful goggles. I call them my Frankenstein Phobos lol

 

I love the Reiver heads. I wish they were easier to get, or at least some decent 3rd party options.

 

[Dracos]

. . . I prefer the Infiltrators over the Incursors, because I just think the Incursors models are a bit less robust. I bought two of the Vanguard start collecting boxes to start my army. I've got two boxes of bolter scouts on the way, and I've got a bunch of CC scouts that I can use too.

I should probably ask in your thread but .... :) I’m curious what you mean by “robust”? I assume you mean the models look better, but also maybe the Reserve Denial makes them situationally harder to kill? Which if so, I agree with and generally plan on using Phobos Captains with my Incursors in the mid field to get a similar (but not as broad) effect. The Captains are also the safe zone for dropping in two squads of Aggressors at the mid field T2 and since I’m not flexible enough to use Scouts yet (I still might do that Reiver becomes Scout conversion someday) Incursors are my cheapest “infiltrating” unit besides Eliminators.

 

Wow, rambling. Really looking forward to June when we allow businesses to open back up again. So many new things to test play. Actually burned out a bit on painting up the army a bit. Still have a Grav Captain conversion and couple Warsuits to complete the 2k list. Then test play and adjust. Or remodel, I’m not sure I like my Thunder Sergeants. Looking into converting two more for better look if the parts ever arrive from overseas.

 

Which is why I’m glad to have Project:Phobos Apothecary in the works :) Model I don’t plan on using competitively but can. I have Special Snowflake syndrome. I love simple conversions.

[Kouran]

 Fluff reasons: Raven Guard Morita (aka Company Champion). If you commit 1cp to him and make him Chapter champion it's very fun to play! With our doctrine it's a nightmare to characters. Heroic intervention of 6". Rerolls hit and wound against characters in mele. +5 invu save and and -1 to hit in mele. Always strikes first against characters.  I usually give him Blade of triumph (+2 strength, Ap-4, damage 3) to make sure than he can go against t7-8 characters with a chance to make real damage. I play him with Strike from the shadows, his small size makes him easy to deploy inside enemy backyard solo to break havoc like a real Morita should, or you can deploy him along with your other Master of Ambush/ Strike from the shadows units as a counter charge threat  against  enemy characters. Remember also that he is a Elit choice, so can help to fill battalions or  free  elit relic slots at a very low point tag. All in all it costs 47 points and 3cp (Chapter Champion, Extra Relic for the sword, and Deployment) so not very competitive but I encourage you to try it in more casual games and you won't be disapointed! 

 

On a side note, I'm indecise how to convert mine, either using the new phobos lt. or wait to the new made to order Lt. to arrive... 

[jpwyrm]

The company champion is an oldmarine too, thus making him eligible to be used with Lias Issodon's Ambush ability. For Raptors, this can be quite useful and saves you 1 CP.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

 

. . . I prefer the Infiltrators over the Incursors, because I just think the Incursors models are a bit less robust. I bought two of the Vanguard start collecting boxes to start my army. I've got two boxes of bolter scouts on the way, and I've got a bunch of CC scouts that I can use too.

I should probably ask in your thread but .... I’m curious what you mean by “robust”? I assume you mean the models look better, but also maybe the Reserve Denial makes them situationally harder to kill?

I mean that the Incursors have some spindly bits that seem like they'd be really easy to break and nasty to repair. The Infiltrator's antennae aren't as bad as the blocky spindle mounted whatevers on the incursor backpacks and bolters. But also I do mean that the Infiltrators are a bit stickier with the helix adepts they can take as well as the deep strike denial bubble keeping them out of range for a charge from deep strike, giving them a turn to shoot at whatever just dropped in.