Raptors unit size

[Bloody Legionnaire]

I'm putting together my Raptors that'll be part of my Black Legion Army and I'm not sure how I should be building the squads. I was initially thinking 1x15 but I'm wondering if I should be doing 3x5. Also, Melta or Plasma for the special weapons?

[Tallarn Commander]

Legionnaire,

 

It depends on how you are going to use your Raptors. Here are three configurations I like:

• Light assault duties--more is better, with 10-15 you can tie up and harass light enemy units nicely. Don't expect too much from them though, my Raptors in 8th Edition are much less impressive in melee than they were in 3rd through 7th editions. In this edition they are a shooting unit first and a light assault unit second. Take Warp Talons for true assault duties.

• A deep-striking shooty unit--I've found squads of 5 with triple plasma work best

• A non-deep-striking shooting unit--I've found squads of 7 to 8 with triple melta work well. If I can get off a Turn 1 Warptime I can sometimes get within the 6-inch melta range. And if I can't use Warptime on Turn 1 I can often position them for a juicy Turn 2 shot. The extra bodies help keep the squad around awhile longer.

 

You probably already knew this, but I recommend Mark of Slaanesh for Endless Cacophony and the Host Raptorial for the extra 2 inches and for the "Vicious Descent" stratagem.

 

Also, consider taking your Raptors in a Night Lords Outrider detachment. A "Raptor Lord" with Claws of the Black Hunt, 2 Spawn, and a Raptor Squad isn't that many points. And the new Night Lords tricks in Faith and Fury are fluffy and fun. Plus, painting red and blue on some models after so much black for your Black Legion models will seem like a breath of fresh air. :)

 

 

Night Lords, "The quick and the dead."

[Bloody Legionnaire]

Thanks for the reply Tallarn Commander! Everything you said was pretty much what I had been considering, except the 7 to 8 man units starting on the table. That sounds kind of interesting. A Night Lord's outrider detachment sounds pretty good as well! We'll see.. I'm not really concerned about my Black Legion being super competitive. I just really like some of their characters like Abaddon and the Worldclaimer (yes I know his rules aren't the greatest).