Stormraven Tactics/ load out

[Irishsean21]

Guys I just bought a new stormraven, so I want to know how you guys use yours and what your weapon load out is?!

Also what units and dreads are you carrying for assult?!

[blackarmchair]

Keep it with TwL Assault Cannon & TwL Multi-Melta.

As it's only AV12 all-around it can't take A LOT of attrition so you need to turbo-boost it every turn to keep your cover save.

The strategy is to move it 18"-24" every turn and use Power of the Machine Spirit to fire either gun (whichever is more appropriate).

This maximizes survivability against damage output.

[dannyat2460]

agreed, until you need to kill something then 6" and unleash hell with blood strikes and multi melta and assault cannon,

again this will draw a lot of attention and as such will more than likerly be destroyed

[sangrail777]

Well I put an 10 man Assault Sq.(TH, and 2 Flamers) W/O JP, a SP and a Furioso in one StormRaven
and 10 man Assault Sq. (PF, Meltagun) W/O JP, a SP and a Assault Cannon Dread in another StormRaven
(still building the third)

I tend to use them to ram these where I deem fitting. Assault Sq.'s and Furioso helping each other in assaults. With the dread in support. Ravens stay on station to unleash hell for a turn, then move around and cause mischief.

I like the Plasma Cannons and the Assault Cannons for the Storm Ravens.

[Tynskel]

really, it depends what you are using them for and what is the army composition.

However, they are very similar to a Land Raider: the gotta deliver the goods before they really become useful.

[plawolf]

I tend to run a pair of SRs.

In one, I take a 9 man DC + Lemartes (which is cheaper than a 10 man DC + Chaplain and doesn't use up an elite slot), Librarian with shield and sword and a DC dred (Lemartes is also DC afaik because he is a DC only upgrade character and also has the black rage rule, that makes 10 DC, so allow you two DC dreds).

In the other, I take either an assault termie squad with termie Apoth, or a pimped out honor guard squad with fists, claws and a few storm shields. The second SR also carries the other DC dred.

With this set up, you can deploy both SR as normal (behind cover if you can find any high enough), within 6" of each other and pop shield to help keep them alive first turn. They would move 6" for LoS and blast the most dangerous target with everything they have. I prefer to run them with TLAC, typhoons are nice to have, but I usually don't have the points for them, and they are usually not used often enough to justify anyways. I prefer hurricane bolters instead.

After you unleashed your blood missiles, go flat out and drop your troops in their face.

After that, your SRs should take a lot less fire as the enemy is too busy with the two deathstars and 2 DC dreds in their lines, and also because he has fewer guns to shoot at the SRs if you used your alpha strike and deployed your payloads well. In which case the SRs cruise around blasting the crap out of everything with AssCans and hurricane bolters or MM.

[Maelstorm]

Right up until it's hit. In the Apoc game last weekend a Stormraven along wth it's Thunderhawk big brother - both lost with all-hands on board... 3,000 points in two big smoldering piles in 1 turn.

[Angelus Mortifer]

(Lemartes is also DC afaik because he is a DC only upgrade character and also has the black rage rule, that makes 10 DC, so allow you two DC dreds).

Except that Lemartes isn't DC unfortunatley, he is "Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost" who can be included in the Death Company. As such, he doesn't contribute to the totals needed to unlock the DC Dread option. Same goes for DC Tycho.

[plawolf]

Except that Lemartes isn't DC unfortunatley, he is "Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost" who can be included in the Death Company. As such, he doesn't contribute to the totals needed to unlock the DC Dread option. Same goes for DC Tycho.

Not wishing to hijack this thread, but fluff wise, Lemartes' description clearly state he fell to the black rage and was part of the death company.

If you want to go RAW, his entry is as a squad upgrade for a death company squad, and the wording of his entry states that 'The Death Company can include Lemartes'.

I take that as indicating that Lemartes is included as a DC member.

If he was merely a separate character not counted as member of the DC, I would expect the wording to be along the lines of 'The Death Company may be accompanied by Lemartes'.

Guardian of the lost is just a title he has.

DC Tycho not being able to join a DC squad is a clear oversight with the wording of the rules, and I think only the most ridiculous rules lawyers would stop people including him in a DC squad.

[DarkLink]

If it was such an obvious oversight, why did GW not fix it in its FAQ/Errata?

[blackarmchair]

RAW Lemartes does not count towards unlocking a dreadnought.

If I were playing and my opponent wanted to use him as the 10th guy I wouldn't take issue with it because he is obviously supposed to count.

But yes, under the DC Dread listing it does use the term "Death Company models" thus Lemartes would not count. If you want to be a rules lawyer.

[plawolf]

If it was such an obvious oversight, why did GW not fix it in its FAQ/Errata?

Maybe because the vast majority of players apply a tiny bit of common sense and are not pedantic hair splitting rule lawyers so this doesn't get asked very often?

[plawolf]

RAW Lemartes does not count towards unlocking a dreadnought.

If I were playing and my opponent wanted to use him as the 10th guy I wouldn't take issue with it because he is obviously supposed to count.

But yes, under the DC Dread listing it does use the term "Death Company models" thus Lemartes would not count. If you want to be a rules lawyer.

Well since Lemartes' entry comes within the Death Company entry, cannot be taken without other Death Company models nor could he leave his Death Company squad (unless they were destroyed), he has all the DC rules (except relentless, but that is a pointless rule for him to have anyways), so I would consider him as a DC upgrade character, and as such he is a member of the DC and is a DC model.

Its the same thing with Corbulo.

[DarkLink]

I don't see any reason why Lemartes isn't a death company model, as he is explicitly taken as a squad upgrade. GW is never very precise about how they define stuff in this game anyways.


Maybe because the vast majority of players apply a tiny bit of common sense and are not pedantic hair splitting rule lawyers so this doesn't get asked very often?

:rolleyes: That was a rhetorical question.

And since when was not following the rules common sense? I mean, choosing to house rule it so Dante joins the Death Company is fine, but you're saying that anyone who doesn't agree with this 100% is a pedantic hair splitting rule lawyer. Ever stop to think that some people just play the rules and don't worry about stuff like that (that's another rhetorical question, btw)?

[Sanguinary Dan]

Am I the only one who prefers the Typhoon Launcher? It gives you more shots than the MM and is very useful against infantry when combined with the Assault Cannons.

Though I'll admit that the Lascannon/Multi-melta/Bloodstrike combo is terrifyingly effective against vehicle squadrons.

[plawolf]

I don't see any reason why Lemartes isn't a death company model, as he is explicitly taken as a squad upgrade. GW is never very precise about how they define stuff in this game anyways.

:rolleyes: That was a rhetorical question.

And since when was not following the rules common sense? I mean, choosing to house rule it so Dante joins the Death Company is fine, but you're saying that anyone who doesn't agree with this 100% is a pedantic hair splitting rule lawyer. Ever stop to think that some people just play the rules and don't worry about stuff like that (that's another rhetorical question, btw)?

Perhaps you do not realize the irony in making a big show and dance about rhetorical questions in responding to my comment, which was also a rhetorical question.

Nor must you realize how amusing it is for someone to make a long-winded self-righteous monolog about 'just playing the rule' when you actually agree with my interpretation of what the rule means.

So what would you call someone who will focus on some loose wording to try to purposely make the rule say something it wasn't intended to say or to lead to some silly situation?

I doubt I am the only one who looks down on such behavior, nor the only one who would apply some simple common sense, courtesy and goodwill when I play someone.

But if you want to be like that, be my guest, have fun with all the other rules lawyers.

[plawolf]

Am I the only one who prefers the Typhoon Launcher? It gives you more shots than the MM and is very useful against infantry when combined with the Assault Cannons.

Though I'll admit that the Lascannon/Multi-melta/Bloodstrike combo is terrifyingly effective against vehicle squadrons.

Anyways, back on topic.

Typhoons are good and all, but I find that beyond the initial alpha strike, there is just really limited scope and opportunity for using them to full effect, if you get to use them at all.

With the Typhoon, part of the points cost you pay is for the range. On paper, a SR with Typhoons and Lascannons and Bloodstrikes makes for a pretty cool long range AT platform, and that is all well and true.

In theory, you can using the superior range and mobility of the SR to outrange a lot of the things that are really dangerous to SRs, or at the very least restrict how much you expose the SR to such weapons.

However, in practice, few gaming tables outside of Apoc are big enough for you to use the SR like that, the limited number of game turns also makes it impractical to do so, especially if your SRs are carrying elite troops and dreads.

So, you can either sit the SR in the back field and blast away with all guns, or you can boost it into the enemy's face and deploy your CC specialists.

If you sit back, sure, the survivability of the SR will go way up, especially if you equip it with Typhoons and LCs and have a big enough table to make the range and mobility really count.

However, you are giving up on the carrying capacity of this beast as well as its melta nurfing special rule that you are paying so many points for. With the Bloodstrikes being one shot, after they are gone, the SR really isn't that impressive as a long range fire support platform with its Typhoon and TLLC.

If you boost the SR close to deploy troops and dreads, the longer range of the Typhoon is wasted, and opportunity cost of giving up the MM is higher, since you will have more targets within 12" for 2 D6 goodness.

At that range, the AC is also a lot more attractive with its much higher shot output as well as better versatility.

The final factor is the flat out move. With the SR, you would ideally want to use the bloodstrikes to alpha strike things that are a real threat, like the common hydra squadrons. Once they are gone, you should be going flat out most of the time to rely on PoTMS to get a cover save as well as still being able to shoot. That makes the Typhoon more of a liability since you would have had to pay a lot of points for it, and would be tempted to use it more often.

Best case, you use it to kill a few extra guys or blow up that tank your AssCans of Las missed. But worst case, you don't go flat out when you know you probably should since you are loathed to miss out on shooting your Typhoon and loose the SR because of it.

I guess the biggest question would be if you were feeling lucky. ;)

[Tynskel]

I don't see any reason why Lemartes isn't a death company model, as he is explicitly taken as a squad upgrade. GW is never very precise about how they define stuff in this game anyways.



:rolleyes: That was a rhetorical question.

And since when was not following the rules common sense? I mean, choosing to house rule it so Dante joins the Death Company is fine, but you're saying that anyone who doesn't agree with this 100% is a pedantic hair splitting rule lawyer. Ever stop to think that some people just play the rules and don't worry about stuff like that (that's another rhetorical question, btw)?

There is also the precedent that the Tyranid FAQ set: units that look like a duck, quake like a duck, are probably a duck---- Swarmlord and Tyrants, Death Leaper and Lictors, ect.

[DarkLink]

Perhaps you do not realize the irony in making a big show and dance about rhetorical questions in responding to my comment, which was also a rhetorical question.

Actually, I was thinking more about the irony of replying you your pithy comment with one of my own:p.



Nor must you realize how amusing it is for someone to make a long-winded self-righteous monolog about 'just playing the rule' when you actually agree with my interpretation of what the rule means.

It's not about your or my interpretation of the rules. My comment was about how you called everyone who disagrees with your position a pedantic hair splitting rule lawyer. That's just a little bit rude and completely unrealistic, regardless of which side I'm on.

I have no problem with Lemartes counting as a DC model, as he is explicitly an upgrade to a unit of DC. DC Tycho, however, can't join a unit of DC, as he completely lacks any rule that would allow him to do so. So without houserules, he can't join a unit of DC, and we don't really play with house rules around here. I don't have a problem playing with houserules sometimes, but it's not standard practice in my gaming group.



So what would you call someone who will focus on some loose wording to try to purposely make the rule say something it wasn't intended to say or to lead to some silly situation?

DC Tycho isn't a case of loose wording. He simply has no rule that lets him join the Death Company. It would make sense if he could, but he can't. I wish my DH Storm Shields gave me a 3++, but they don't, so I live with it. Commuppance will come when the new GK codex comes out:D.

Just because I play it like that doesn't mean I'm some #$%^&* rules lawyer. Neither does it make every person in my local gaming group a #$%^& rules lawyer.



I doubt I am the only one who looks down on such behavior, nor the only one who would apply some simple common sense, courtesy and goodwill when I play someone.

So you look down on anyone who doesn't agree to use your houserules?



But if you want to be like that, be my guest, have fun with all the other rules lawyers.

I guess if you want to think of everyone that disagrees with you in any way as someone to look down upon, I can't stop you, but an elitist attitude like that isn't going to make many friends. Not everyone uses houserules, and not everyone does it because they're cheesy jerk@$$ rules lawyers.