Secondaries Strategy for RG in 9th

[Alcyon]

I'm working on a post for the Tactica forum based on this 9th edition breakdown by Stormcoil on Reddit. Basically I'm trying to come up with a list of codex units that can be used to score the most efficient secondaries, namely Engage On All Fronts, Linebreaker, and Deploy Scramblers.

Notably you can still successfully perform an action if you fight in the fight phase after getting charged but not if you charge; it's possible that a unit like Assault Terminators with no guns could perform something like Teleport Homer without needing the support to get off a charge the turn they arrive, but that strategy is still probably bad since you have to do it three times to get an appreciable amount of VP. 

 

This means units that can arrive in other table quarters/the enemy DZ as early as possible, hold there for Linebreaker and perform actions for Deploy Scramblers. We're also looking for ways to perform the tactic of pinning an enemy in their deployment zone by blocking them in or charging them turn 1.

 

For this post, I want to focus on the fact that Raven Guard have a bunch of redeployment and repositioning tactics available via our Stratagems and Warlord Traits. Obviously this could all change next week but from what we've heard I doubt much will shift, and I'll happily update it when that happens. I've laid them out below and I'm going to work through them and see how they can be used to fulfill these various goals.

 

Master of Ambush

• the most common and probably most powerful RG ability
• can easily facilitate a 1st turn charge, but needs to be supported by units with Concealed Positions that can keep the pressure on and split enemy fire/combat ability
• since you get to do it after you know who goes first, you can also deploy more defensively with it by repositioning a very resilient unit (i.e. Aggressors) alongside a buffing character (like an Apothecary granting a 5++ or 6+++ depending on new codex) onto objectives
• probably won't facilitate Linebreaker unless your opponent doesn't deploy up to their deployment line (rare in 2000 pt games because terrain leaves little space) but you could potentially move into their DZ and then charge
• perfect for Engage On All Fronts since you can choose which table quarter to move into on the fly after seeing entire deployment 

Highlight unit: Aggressors with a character

 

Infiltrators

• another ability that happens once you know who gets first turn. This opens up options like deploying your Concealed Positions units further back than you normally might while still being able to walk onto or charge onto an objective turn 1. 
• incidental to the objective focus but this also allows short-range units like Eradicators to bring their guns to bear more easily on turn 1 (including by initially deploying behind obscuring terrain) rather than deploying from reserve. It also gives 6" moving combat units without Concealed Positions, like Bladeguard and Assault/Veteran Intercessors, a 16-36" threat range including charge depending on your dice rolls - which may make Impulsors less necessary, though they are very good on their own anyway.
• also incidental but gives infantry units with Heavy weapons (Devastators, Eliminators, Heavy Hellblasters (presumably going to s9 3 damage in the new codex!), Suppressors, Heavy & Stalker Intercessors) without being -1 to hit during Devastator Doctrine
• the ability to move twice in a single turn opens up a lot more units to being very maneuverable. There aren't a lot of Infantry units with a lot of movement but jump pack units are super thematic for Raven Guard and we have some good options. 
• Inceptors can move up to 26" right off the bat using this strat, and with T5 and their Crushing Charge rule they can inflict damage while tarpitting an enemy unit in their DZ. Can no longer fall back and still shoot and charge without support from a Chaplain or stratagem use, and might benefit from Rapid Assault if you make units like this a significant part of your army.
• firstborn jump troops like Assault Squads and Vanguard Veterans are the other route, they can move and charge 29-49" depending on dice (using Strike From The Skies) if you don't mind them not shooting their pistols (though 12" Flamers are ok!) The latter squad has the potential to deal a ton of damage with 3 damage Thunderhammers and will be more resilient (albeit expensive) with 2w.
• The former is a cheap option compared to Primaris troops with Concealed Positions; you're currently down 20pts from a 5-man unit of Incursors, though that gap should narrow slightly as the firstborn go to 2 wounds. They have the same number of attacks and same AP though as apparently Incursors are losing exploding 6s and gaining AP-1, whereas the Assault Marines get +1 attack and -1 AP from their Astartes Chainswords which were confirmed for all units. Remains to be seen whether their discount and high maneuverability compensates for their lack of ObSec and shooting ability, but they're a screen and a tarpit, we expect them to die.

Highlight unit: Vanguard Veterans, or Assault Marines if you need a cheapish tarpit

 

Strike from the Skies/Swift & Deadly

• these allow both an Advance and a Charge roll which can greatly extend unit range. We already covered Skies with jump troops so this mostly applies to Bikes and jump pack units if you want to use the ability for multiple turns without spending CP by using an HQ.
• Scout Bikes have the longest range with their 16" base move, and should become the cheapest option as regular Bikes go to 2w. Their 4+ save shouldn't matter as much turn 1 if they're using Skilled Riders but the chance you'll want to run your Outrider Chaplain with a chaff squad is probably pretty low. These guys might be good for Linebreaker/Engage On All Fronts but we have lots of other units for that, and they can't Deploy Scramblers as they aren't infantry.
• I think regular bikes and Outriders are in the same boat for RG, there's no particular benefit to running them for us as Swift & Deadly doesn't get you more than a bunch of S4 attacks. Between all the Concealed Positions troops, Infiltrators and MoA you already have a ton of potential sources of those even on turn 1. They do stand out as a T5 unit so could be good for tarpitting, and they can keep up with a Bike Chaplain for Look Out, Sir.

Highlight unit: Bike Squads/Outriders as retinues for the Smash Chaplain

 

Strike from the Shadows

• this ability basically allows any unit to Teleport Strike, which I think majorly reduces the benefit of Terminators even with them going to 3w. With this you can deploy T5 Centurions in the enemy's DZ on turn 2 with buff characters to give them a 5++/6+++, improve their shooting or help them make a 9" charge (Chaplain w/ Canticles of Hate - IF you have a way to deliver him so he's on the board early enough to cast it, i.e. a bike or jump pack.) That's probably better than Terminators which are T4 and have just ok guns.
• that said, if your plan is to Deploy Scramblers and simply count points for Linebreaker, you can run a unit that's tough on their own and cheap without a lot of firepower or combat ability, i.e. Assault or regular Intercessors, Tactical Squads, even Servitors. Normally these units would have to wait until turn 3 to arrive in the enemy's deployment zone and we can do it on turn 2, which is a big help for Linebreaker or mission-specific objectives like Vital Ground that involve objectives in the enemy DZ. However you only need to Deploy Scramblers in the enemy DZ once, so it can probably wait until you've dealt a deathblow to whatever units are hanging out back there.

Highlight unit: Centurions, either Assault w/ charge support (Chaplain) to seize objectives

 

Takeaways

• RG are still a very combative army simply because the datasheets available give us a lot of powerful options. Play to objectives but still plan to deal damage, therefore Secondaries like Bring Them Down, Assassinate, Thin Their Ranks etc., are still available
• You should probably be running one unit of Aggressors and one unit of Assault Centurions, still after all the nerfs etc.
• Infiltrators is a true swiss army knife and might be our best stratagem

 

Would love to hear any feedback or insights!

Edited October 1, 2020 by Alcyon

[Alcyon]

One thing I just realized I didn't take into account is how the CT and Surgical Strikes applies to both the Secondaries and the use of these abilities. 

 

Shadow Masters (or Stealthy for successors)

• the major drawback here is that any unit using Infiltrators, MoA, SftS, etc. to get close to the enemy turn 1 is forsaking the cover bonus, and if you fail your charge you're still hung out to dry, easily within 12" much less 18".
• Accordingly I would make sure that combat troops have plenty of support - Chaplain Canticles, Hungry for Battle, etc. and that your list isn't 100% combat troops - there are other armies that do it better, and we're better off having some/most units with at least 24" range so they can fire from afar and enjoy the benefits of cover wherever they are. Those units include Hellblasters, Heavy & Stalker Intercessors, Suppressors and Centurion and firstborn Devastators. Units which shoot on their way into combat, namely Dreadnoughts, are also pretty good with a 2+ and they can move far enough that they don't suffer so much from missing out on the Infiltrators strat.
• The CT is also quite strong for long-range vehicles as giving them a 2+ save is big - particularly for flyers which already have -1 to hit them and are great for Engage On All Fronts. Flyers also aren't hurt as badly by the tons of terrain on 9th edition battlefields, which can reduce the effectiveness of long-range LoS units we'd otherwise want to run, like Predators, Mortis Dreadnoughts, the RepEx and the upcoming sniper Gladiator.
• Generally you might not want Melta, Flamer or Bolter weapons so much unless it's a unit where the value outweighs the loss of the CT benefit (Eradicators) or it has good combat ability (Aggressors). Assault and Heavy variant Bolt Rifles are an exception because of their improved range. Accordingly we should probably plan to deploy with Concealed Positions and ideally charge with units with Rapid Fire Bolt weapons, as they're probably safest/most effective when they're in combat and not using the CT anyway. So that means you should probably be aggressive with your Scouts and Incursors to pin people in their DZs, and maybe keep your Infiltrators back using Smoke Grenades so that they can hold objectives and make sure their screening ability sticks around long enough to block Strategic Reserves/DS on later turns.
• Conversely units that don't need LoS, like Whirlwinds and Thunderfire Cannons, tend not to benefit from the CT and might make less use of our strengths. 
• In my experience so far, Eliminators w/ Las Fusil have far worse damage output than Eradicators for the price, and their Camo Cloaks don't trigger off the CT which means they have to actually be in cover to get that 1+ save - wasting the CT.

Surgical Strikes

• On a personal level, I've mostly seen the impact of this ability when fighting enemy characters with my troops or shooty HQs. +1 to hit and wound lets BS3 hit on 2s and turns S4 into effectively S5, making regular Intercessors/Infiltrators etc. decent against T4 characters with invulnerable saves that would ignore high AP weapons anyway (though a 2+ or 3+ is nothing to sneeze at.) I wouldn't necessarily recommend planning to do this from the outset, but maybe if you have something with AP-1 (Assault Intercessors, Outriders) near a character T2 you can consider charging them.
• This is an interesting one because it affects very few units, and I think generally it's one of the weaker Super Doctrines for that reason. I'm also kind of surprised it doesn't apply during Devastator given that all weapons with Look Out, Sir are Heavy, but there it is. This doctrine almost exclusively applies to Eliminators and Sniper Scouts, and so I think the question is whether it's worth running either or both of those units. If we can get enough firepower to accomplish Cut Off The Head on turn 1 or even by T2, we will be one of the few armies with that ability. So, time for some mathhammer.

Scoring Cut Off The Head

• Let's go with a Captain as our example unit since Primaris and normal will have the same number of wounds; this also works for Kor'sarro Khan though he's probably in an Impulsor. I'll also look at Captains with Storm Shields because those are still super common, as are ones on bikes (and much less often, Gravis) for T5.
• Turn 1 we can assume he won't be in LoS and so we'll have to use Executioner Rounds, and Sniper Scouts probably can't see anything. They do ignore cover and they're shooting at AP-2 because of Devastator Doctrine but we assume a 4+ invuln. Because they get +2 (capped at +1) to hit, and we're already wounding on 3s against T4, it's better if the Sergeant shoots too. Accordingly one squad of Eliminators will inflict an average of 0.83 wounds and you would need 3 squads firing to have better than a 50% chance to kill the target. If the Captain has a bike, you're obviously worse off at T5 7w but I think 3 squads still have over a 50% chance. Let's assume you do the average 2.5 wounds to T4 and move on.
• Turn 2 if the model is visible you can switch to Mortis Rounds, which, even without calculating the mortal wound bonus, should kill our 6w Captain in one round on average. If he's down to 3.5 wounds you'd still need to shoot two squads at him for him to die on average. If it's a Bike Captain, you're looking at dealing 5 damage which *should* kill him if you managed to do the average 1.875w to him on t1, especially if you add the potential for MW. If your opponent has While We Stand We Fight or is conscious of you taking Cut Off The Head, he may again hide his HQ and force you to use Executioner Rounds in which case you still have an over 50% chance to kill, and will kill on average if you did 2.5w the previous turn.
• I think the takeaway here is that Cut Off The Head may well be a unique option for Raven Guard to score a consistent 10 VP and occasional 13 VP (against T3 warlords with a 4++) but it requires you to spend 270pts on backline objective holders that need to be in cover to get their 1+ save. You can get away with only two squads (180pts) if Mortis rounds are available turn 2 but a savvy opponent will deny that opportunity, so this isn't a reliable way to go.
• At the end of the day I think you can only really justify 2 Eliminator squads given how much they fill up Heavy Support slots, and their effectiveness really depends on how many characters are in your meta and how tough they are. At top tables I think the prevalence of T5 warlords locks out this strategy and thus RG really suffer competitively from an underpowered Super Doctrine.
• Vindicares may be an option to tip over the edge of competitiveness, but they still require LoS and so I don't think their output is reliable. In a meta with t5 bike smash captains that aren't infantry this guy will still only wound on a 4+ and that's just not enough.

Edited October 1, 2020 by Alcyon

[Alcyon]

Here's an example of a Raven Guard list for the current state of Pre-New Codex competitive 40k with the above taken into account. The idea is to demonstrate what an RG list might look like on the top tables as of right now.

 

The Relic Contemptor rolls with the Hellblasters and Captain (though who knows if the former will be reasonably pointed and it probably won't be Core.) Apothecary MoAs the Aggressors onto an objective while the Incursors and Scouts aim for a turn 1 charge to hem in the enemy's deployment zone, or to hold objectives and perform actions in turn 1. Centurions arrive turn 2 within range of the Chaplain for Canticles and the Eradicators show up to melt things.

 

For me this fulfills the goals of having a combat wave and board presence on turn 1 with supporting units moving up, a very tough to shift objective holder on turn 1, and a strong beta strike. I don't know if this is a list I would want to play, but the thought experiment is to try and find out what makes RG CT tick and what the optional setup might be.

 

++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Imperium - Adeptus Astartes - Raven Guard) [94 PL, 8CP, 2,000pts] ++

 

Relics of the Chapter [-2CP]: 2x Number of extra Relics

 

+ HQ +

 

Chaplain on Bike [Legends] [5 PL, 95pts]: 6. Canticle of Hate, Benediction of Fury, Bolt pistol, Litany of Hate, Swift and Deadly, Swift as the Raven, Warlord

 

Primaris Captain [5 PL, 90pts]: Bellicos Bolt Rifle

Master-crafted auto bolt rifle

 

+ Troops +

 

Incursor Squad [5 PL, 105pts]: Incursor Sergeant

4x Incursor: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Occulus bolt carbine, 4x Paired Combat Blades, 4x Smoke Grenades

 

Infiltrator Squad [6 PL, 120pts]: Infiltrator Sergeant

4x Infiltrator: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Marksman bolt carbine

 

Infiltrator Squad [6 PL, 120pts]: Infiltrator Sergeant

4x Infiltrator: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Marksman bolt carbine

 

Scout Squad [4 PL, 70pts]

Scout Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Boltgun

4x Scout w/Combat Knife: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Combat knife, 4x Frag & Krak grenades

 

+ Elites +

 

Aggressor Squad [12 PL, 270pts]: 5x Aggressor, Aggressor Sergeant

Auto Boltstorm Gauntlets/Fragstorm Grenade Launcher

 

Centurion Assault Squad [9 PL, 240pts]

Centurion: Hurricane bolter

Meltaguns: 2x Meltagun

Centurion: Hurricane bolter

Meltaguns: 2x Meltagun

Centurion Sergeant: Hurricane bolter

Meltaguns: 2x Meltagun

 

Primaris Apothecary [4 PL, -2CP, 60pts]: Healer's Aegis, Master of Ambush, Stratagem: Chief Apothecary, Stratagem: Hero of the Chapter

 

Relic Contemptor Dreadnought [9 PL, 185pts]: 2x Twin lascannon

 

+ Fast Attack +

 

Outrider Squad [6 PL, 135pts]: Outrider Sgt

2x Outrider: 2x Astartes Chainsword, 2x Frag & Krak grenades, 2x Heavy Bolt Pistol, 2x Twin Bolt rifle

 

Suppressor Squad [5 PL, 105pts]

2x Suppressor: 2x Accelerator autocannon, 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Frag & Krak grenades, 2x Grav-chute

Suppressor Sergeant: Grav-chute

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Eradicator Squad [5 PL, 120pts]: Eradicator Sgt

2x Eradicator: 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Melta rifle

 

Eradicator Squad [5 PL, 120pts]: Eradicator Sgt

2x Eradicator: 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Melta rifle

 

Hellblaster Squad [8 PL, 165pts]: Plasma incinerator

4x Hellblaster: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades

Hellblaster Sergeant: Bolt pistol

 

++ Total: [94 PL, 8CP, 2,000pts] ++