List to kick off 9th - 2000 Points Raven Guard Successor

[Riddlesworth]

I've had a couple of games of 9th so far. While I'm building a cheeky white scars force, i think i'm going to stick with some raven guard for a bit.

 

Raven Guard Successor

Chapter Tactics - Bolter Fusilade, Whirlwind of Rage

 

Battalion

HQ: Shield Captain - Warlord, Master of Ambush, Swift and Deadly, Chapter Master

HQ: Primaris Chaplain on Bike - Master of Sanctity, Benediction of Fury, Wise Orator, Mantra of Strength, Catechism of Fire

 

TR: 5 incursors

TR: 5 incursors 

TR: 5 incursors 

TR: 5 intercessors - auto bolters

 

EL: 5 Aggressors -  boltstorm gauntlets

EL: Invictor Warsuit - incendium cannon

EL: Invictor Warsuit - - incendium cannon

 

FA: 5 inceptors - assault bolters

FA: 3 outriders

FA: 3 outriders

 

HS: 3 eliminators - bolt sniper rifles

HS: 3 eliminators - bolt sniper rifles

HS: 3 eradicators

 

This should be around 1965 points (could be 1975 if i've calculated the invictors wrong).

 

Pre game CP spend: 6 (chapter master, master of the trifold path, master of sanctity, hero of the chapter, 1x strike from the shadows)

 

General gameplan is I have 3 pressure threats, who are a threat from turn 1:

1. 5 aggressors inserted into midfield who can advance, fire with no penalty rerolling all hits, then charge, rerolling all hits (stealing some white scarz sklills)

2. 5 bolter inceptors backed up by the bike chaplain. 30 shots rerolling 1s to hit and getting +1 to wound if i position correctly., plus 20 attacks on the charge and mortal wound output. raven guard chapter litanty will let them fall back, shoot and charge in the same turn. i've seen Dracos from this forum post about how infitlrators is a great stratagem for them. I'm already quite CP spendy, but if there's the chance of putting the biker chaplain and them into a turn 1 charge, it might be worth it.

3. 2 invictor warsuits. they got a price hike. And that 320-330 points could get me a lot more bodies (my 8th ed list had 15 incursors and 15 intercessors) but they demand immediate response. lot of guns. punchy. infiltrating without CP spend.

 

This then leaves the incursors to get onto objectives for primary. I could convert 2 of them into infiltrators, but with whirlwind of rage and paired combat blades, they're tougher to dislodge in melee and the shooting output is still decent. eliminators because despite the price hike, they are still very very good. I sdhould have enough board control to mitigate the eradicators being screened out for strike from the shadows. the outriders are there to contest non troop held objectives, screen, generally be a nuisance and to help me score on all fronts secondary, which I will likely take in every game that isn't no mans land.

 

I've tilted the army bent into bolt weapons because of the chapter tactic, and for a lot of 8th, drowning tanks in volume of dice worked, but there's going to be more tanks this edition. I'm comfortable dealing with them in combat (father pain chaplain build, invictors, aggressors), but at least one unit of eradicators is super handy.

 

So I have 25-35 points left. No fast attack slots, no heavy support slots, and i'm pretty CP heavy already.  Some advice I could use:

- that lone unit of intercessors. they are always a solid unit. but I don't know that I need them. Question is, what would I do with the extra 125-135 points if i cut them?

- primaris/phobos libraian? the umbramancy powers are decent. -1 to hit being the go to, with the occasional shadowstep. Note that I'm not sold on the captain, i just love the model. A librarian could carry the same warlord traits, and the CP spend could instead be for another relic (tome of malcador probably). I do lose the full hit rerolls on the aggressors though

- use the chapter master CP on taking 2 patrols instead of a battalion and free up another HS slot (hi eradicators), or another fast attack slot (i do have some plasma inceptors)

- Slot in some bladeguard veterans. because the models are cool? would have to spend more CP for positioning.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Riddlesworth

[Lukoi]

RW,

 

Interesting list. Nice and infantry heavy, as befitting RG (imo). Quick question....once you've deployed, got invictors and maybe some phobos out front in concealed positions etc, how do you handle having to go second on the smaller board, given the way you intend to deploy?

[Riddlesworth]

great question.

 

i think i always deploy as if i'm going second, using obscuring terrain where possible to hide my threats.

 

invictor warsuits have a 10 inch move. the incendium cannon has a 12 inch range and its the shortest range gun it has.

inceptors can fly 10 inches over terrain after they've received their shooting buff from el chaplain and shoot out another 18

aggressors average move 8 (with an advance roll) and shoot out 18, plus the master of ambush.

 

on the smaller boards, even if forced to deploy refused flank or out to the flanks, all 3 should effectively be able to threaten the mid board.

If i then end u[p going first, i'm l;aunching the aggressors at something and following up with the other two threats while the incursors go secure an objective.

[Lukoi]

Ok, so your intent isnt to deploy the invictors or the phobos forward of your lines then.

 

Instead you'll use infiltrate and MoA to propel some assets up if you get a 1st turn charge opportunity, but otherwise deploy more conservatively within your own DZ.

 

Am I understanding that all correctly?

 

Thanks.

[Riddlesworth]

Pretty much.

 

If theres positions outside my DZ that don't have great lines of sight for my opponent, then I can deploy outside my zone. If I'm up against a list with minimal concealed positions/infiltrators, my concealed position units can go down last to make the most of this

[Lukoi]

Awesome. Ok, at this point then my only recommendation for your extra points would be to tweak the list a bit for more AT.

 

A dreadnought, swapping an Elim for a second Erad, etc. You seem light in that category and you definitely have some options for it.

 

The librarian is cool, and I love the umbrancy line BUT i am just not a fan of effects or buffs that arent relatively assured. To get there though, would be more CP costly I think, and I dont think you want to do that.

[Riddlesworth]

I'd sub the captain out for the libby if I was that desperate for the Umbramamcy line.

 

Haven't checked on the points for contemptors or redemptors in 9th. Doubt they'll be in the 135 range, which kinda leaves plumping for another eradicator unit. No slots for suppressors really.

 

I'll have to test with and without the chapter master upgrade. Without, I can probably afford double patrol and an extra eradicator unit. With and maybe I just upgrade a unit of eliminators.

 

I was used to 8-10 CP in 8th. Must remember that starting with 5 in 9th actually means 10 over the course of the game

[Lukoi]

I'd sub the captain out for the libby if I was that desperate for the Umbramamcy line.

 

Haven't checked on the points for contemptors or redemptors in 9th. Doubt they'll be in the 135 range, which kinda leaves plumping for another eradicator unit. No slots for suppressors really.

 

I'll have to test with and without the chapter master upgrade. Without, I can probably afford double patrol and an extra eradicator unit. With and maybe I just upgrade a unit of eliminators.

 

I was used to 8-10 CP in 8th. Must remember that starting with 5 in 9th actually means 10 over the course of the game

 

I feel ya on the CP issue.  I'm down to 6 at start, but actually getting 2-3 more per game than I'm used to.   

 

I'm running a Relic Contemptor Dread that comes out to 185 with TLC and he's there for anti-tank (or anti-anything really).

[Riddlesworth]

 

I feel ya on the CP issue.  I'm down to 6 at start, but actually getting 2-3 more per game than I'm used to.   

 

I'm running a Relic Contemptor Dread that comes out to 185 with TLC and he's there for anti-tank (or anti-anything really).

 

 

honestly at this point, i'd run the captain and use the CP to unlock double patrol. i still think 2 eliminator units are super helpful in killing the characters that remain and also capping DZ objectives.

 

Which would make the list:

 

Patrol+Patrol

HQ: Shield Captain - Warlord, Master of Ambush, Swift and Deadly

HQ: Primaris Chaplain on Bike - Master of Sanctity, Benediction of Fury, Wise Orator, Mantra of Strength, Catechism of Fire

 

TR: 5 incursors

TR: 5 incursors 

TR: 5 incursors 

 

EL: 5 Aggressors -  boltstorm gauntlets

EL: Invictor Warsuit - incendium cannon

EL: Invictor Warsuit - - incendium cannon

 

FA: 5 inceptors - assault bolters

FA: 3 outriders

FA: 3 outriders

 

HS: 3 eliminators - bolt sniper rifles

HS: 3 eliminators - bolt sniper rifles

HS: 3 eradicators

HS: 3 eradicators

 

Fixed pre-game spend: 5 (2 WL traits, Patrol detachment, Master of Sanctity)

Probable additional spend: 2 (SFTS eradicators)

Occasional "I'm going first" spend: 2 (inceptors and bike chaplain)

 

 

5-10 left for in game (occasionally 3-8). I can live with that.

 

And if we get a multipart eradicator kit that makes them 3-6. Combat squads HO!

Edited July 24, 2020 by Riddlesworth

[Lukoi]

Real quick question, I know you can use Hero of the Chapter to give someone a WL trait, but for Wise Orator, doesnt the cheese wording say specifically the chaplain has to be your warlord to get that specific trait?

 

I run my two the other way for that reason. My chaplain is my warlord, and I give him wise orator, and then trifold for a second trait, and then my captain gets a WLT via HotC.

[Riddlesworth]

"If a Master of Sanctity model is your warlord, you can give them one of the following Warlord Traits:

 

Wise Orator

When you roll to determine if a litany recited by this Warlord is inspiring, you can re-roll the dice"

 

Hero of the Chapter wording: "Use this stratagem before the battle, after nominating your Warlord. Select one Adeptus Astartes Character model from your army that is not your Warlord and determine one Warlord trait for it; it is regarded as your Warlord for the purposes of that Warlord trait."

 

Hero of the Chapter for me trumps the requirement for the Master of Sanctity to actually be the Warlord. No-one has ever called me on it so i didn't even know it was a thing in question and had to look up the specific wording. 

 

It would cause me one or two issues in this army. I think i'd have to swap the captain for a phobos libby to get swift and deadly aura on the aggressors and the chaplain would spend his first turn catching the inceptors.

[Lukoi]

Oooooh, I see how you are interpreting that....interesting.

 

In the end, it doesnt change anything for me, so I'll leave it as it is, but it is good to know that interaction exists for future lists I'm sure I'll end up doing. My Captain comes in with his group, so they cannot move upon landing anyway. I use S&D to get my intercessor and BG vets a charge since they advance every turn basically.