1850 Fluffy Raven Guard

[Rabid1903]

So I've always been a huge fan of Raven Guard, but only just decided this summer to actually take the plunge and start the army. I have attempted to make a fluffy, moderately competitive, and really fun army.


Without further ado, this is the list I've made.


Blood Angels are the primary army:

Headquarters:
Librarian - Jump Pack, Epistolary, Force Sword (don't know what psychic powers to choose)

Troop:
10 man Assault Squad - 2x Plasma Gun, Sgt with Plasma Pistol and Power Sword
10 man Assault Squad - 2x Flamer, Sgt with Hand Flamer and Power Sword
10 man Assault Squad - 2x Melta Gun, Sgt with Infernus Pistol and Power Sword

Fast Attack:
2 Land Speeders - Typhoon Missile Launchers, Heavy Flamer

Space Marine detachment:

Headquarters:
Shrike

Troop:
8 man Scout Squad - 8x Sniper Rifles, Camo Cloaks
10 man Tactical Squad - Flamer, Missile Launcher, Sgt with Chainsword, Drop Pod

Fast Attack:
5 man Vanguard Vet Squad - 5x Power Lance, Jump Pack upgrade (of course), Sgt has Melta Bombs

Total - 1848




So this is what I came up with. I felt that using blood angels to get Assault Marines as troops was definitely the best choice. The only thing that sucks is the lack of Fleet on the Assault Marines, instead they get The Red Thirst.

Please comment/critique/question anything in the list. I know some of it sounds weird but like I said the main thing is to have fun with this list.

[ElectricPaladin]

First of all, a question: how are you planning on deploying this list? As it is, you have one unit that is likely to start in play - a singly largish scout squad - and five things that you'll probably want to keep in reserve and deep strike. That's illegal, since you can only hold half your army in reserve (not counting stuff that has to start in reserve, like drop pods and flyers). So, that means that you'll have to start with some assault marines sitting on the table, ready to be shot at and die. Also, which squad will Shrike join and Infiltrate with?

Also, like the Blood Ravens list I posted a while ago, you've got a strong midfield presence, good mid-range shooting, and very little fire support.

I think you should make space marines your primary force. That way you get to enjoy the Fleet special rule with more of your units. Keep the scouts quad and the tacs, but put them in a rhino (so you can have them start on the table and keep your force balanced). Have one large assault squad, for Shrike to join, to Infiltrate alongside the scouts. I'd also put something with power and range in there with your space marines, like a predator. I'd also keep the Land Speeder Typhoons, but as part of the space marine force.

Then, for your Blood Angels allies, include a Librarian and two big assault squads. I'd make your vanguard vets also a BA choice. Assault squads don't need Fleet as much, since they already enjoy a reroll on charge distances, and the red thirst great for them.

So, basically I'm proposing this (you'll have to work out points for yourself):

Primary Detachment (Space Marines)

HQ
• Shrike

Troops
• 10 Tactical Marines, Rhino
• 10 Scouts

Fast Attack
• 10 Assault Marines
• 2 Landspeeder Typhoons

Heavy Support
• Predator

Allied Detachment (Blood Angels)

HQ
• Librarian

Troops
• 10 Assault Marines
• 10 Assault Marines

Fast Attack
• 10 Vanguard Veterans

See, now you've got more fire support (thanks predator!) and your 5 deep striking elements (landspeeders, Blood Angels assault squads one and two, librarian, vanguard veterans) are balanced by your 5 deployed elements (rhino tacs, scouts, infiltrated Raven Guard assault squad, infiltrated shrike, predator).

Anyway, that's my two cents.

[Seirin]

For starters I'll agree with most of what paladin said. I'll also add than rhinos are great for keeping your scoring units alive - especially tacticals.

For myself, a few things. First, for the tacticals consider dropping the ML/flamer for melta/multi and a combi melta on the sgt. For the speeders, if you have typhoon missiles then you ideally won't come close to your opponent much - making the flamers fairly wasted. Swap for heavy bolters or multi meltas depending on what you prefer imo.

Sang. priests in your assault squads are great, you'll survive much more. As for psychic powers, blood lance and shield are ok, but personally I'd swap for divination. Prescience on a charging assault squad? Hell yeah. Also with epistolary you get the chance of getting one of the better 'rolled for' powers too.

[ElectricPaladin]

For myself, a few things. First, for the tacticals consider dropping the ML/flamer for melta/multi and a combi melta on the sgt. For the speeders, if you have typhoon missiles then you ideally won't come close to your opponent much - making the flamers fairly wasted. Swap for heavy bolters or multi meltas depending on what you prefer imo.


Good point. I recommend heavy bolters, as their range is closer to that of the typhoon launchers so you'll have more synergy.

[Rabid1903]

Deployment I was still definitely in the 5th edition mindset (first 6th edition game I have slotted for this weekend). With the mobility in the list that I have I don't see a problem with starting with assault marines on the table. I could be wrong, and I'm sure that if I am that I will find out very quickly.

As for the list changes, I really don't know how I could change them around to get that many models on the board. I know I have some upgrades I could get rid of, but there are a lot of models you were talking about adding. The other thing I don't feel is fitting with the fluffy list is bringing the predator.

A couple places that I could free up some points:
-Getting rid of the cloaks on the Scouts
-Changing the pistols for the Sergeants back to bolt pistols
-Taking away the Epistolary upgrade?


I'm really not sure, I'm throwing it against the wall to see what sticks.


Changing the Heavy Flamers back to Heavy Bolters is something I should do, I honestly don't remember why I changed them in the first place haha.
Thanks for the help on picking psychic powers too, I really don't know much about them and which ones are good/terrible.


So a few quick questions:
-Why change to melta stuff? I thought melta wasn't near as good anymore.
-Drop pods are much more fluffy than rhinos which is why I defaulted to them. How could I make it work?
-I have the force org slots, should I make the typhoons into two squads?
-Any way I could squeeze a chaplain into this? Re-rolls are always so nice, I'd love it if I could have my three ICs with my vets. That would just be a jumping ball of death that hardly anything could survive on the charge.

[Seirin]

Losing epistolary wouldn't be a bad idea, especially if you're taking divination where the power you want is the signature power.

Pistols on sgts wouldn't be a bad idea either.

I'd keep the camo cloaks though - you'll want your scouts to survive, and their best bet is cover saves.

As to your questions...

Melta is the king of anti-vehicle still, and that is really one of your main weak points atm.

Assuming you're starting your assault marines on the board, drop pods are fine as you'll be under your 50% reserve limit.

The typhoon thing is a yes - I assumed you meant singles anyway. Vehicle sniping is their game and being able to hit two a turn is better than one a turn.

Two points on the last question. 1; prescience from divination is a carte-blanch re-roll to all misses on the target unit, making it generally superior to a chaplain's re-roll. 2; don't stick all your characters in one unit without great cause. All your eggs in one basket doesn't usually work too well unless that basket is made of immortality.

I've PM'd you a few links you might find useful for the new psychic powers

[Rabid1903]

Losing epistolary wouldn't be a bad idea, especially if you're taking divination where the power you want is the signature power.

Pistols on sgts wouldn't be a bad idea either.

I'd keep the camo cloaks though - you'll want your scouts to survive, and their best bet is cover saves.

As to your questions...

Melta is the king of anti-vehicle still, and that is really one of your main weak points atm.

Assuming you're starting your assault marines on the board, drop pods are fine as you'll be under your 50% reserve limit.

The typhoon thing is a yes - I assumed you meant singles anyway. Vehicle sniping is their game and being able to hit two a turn is better than one a turn.

Two points on the last question. 1; prescience from divination is a carte-blanch re-roll to all misses on the target unit, making it generally superior to a chaplain's re-roll. 2; don't stick all your characters in one unit without great cause. All your eggs in one basket doesn't usually work too well unless that basket is made of immortality.

I've PM'd you a few links you might find useful for the new psychic powers


That is true, I forget that spending that many points on a death ball that isn't full of 2+ or invuls is generally a poor idea. I didn't think there were near as many vehicles that needed Melta to take it out. Just curious, can I use a Lascannon instead? It'll make it so I don't have to get as close with the Tac marines.

[Seirin]

Just for the record; you CAN use anything. That you are using drop pods made me assume that you wanted that tactical squad close up - hence I suggest meltas.

The vehicles that needed melta before still need it - although thats none as its never been 'needed'. Yes, you can destroy anything without melta. Is melta still best for it? Yes. You're long distance anti-vehicle is limited to 2 typhoon missile launchers and a ML on tacticals. Any mech list will just overwhelm that - meltas have a very high destruction rate, especially on light vehicles, which is your best bet for filling that weakness.

[Rabid1903]

Just for the record; you CAN use anything. That you are using drop pods made me assume that you wanted that tactical squad close up - hence I suggest meltas.

The vehicles that needed melta before still need it - although thats none as its never been 'needed'. Yes, you can destroy anything without melta. Is melta still best for it? Yes. You're long distance anti-vehicle is limited to 2 typhoon missile launchers and a ML on tacticals. Any mech list will just overwhelm that - meltas have a very high destruction rate, especially on light vehicles, which is your best bet for filling that weakness.

Very true, and normally I would take this to heart. However, I am just playing this for fun and I don't plan on facing any armored companies with this.

The master plan that I came up with from my vast amounts of experience and obviously cannot fail... was to deep strike the drop pod on turn one in relatively close proximity to the assault marines. Then on turn two anything that has gotten close I can deep strike the Vanguards on top of and with fleet I'm pretty much guaranteed to get deep strike + assault. After that the assault squads and remainder of the army will be mobile enough and close enough to be able to counter attack.

Obviously this can't fail.

[Seirin]

Hmm. If you wanted to play that route, why not try this; Tool the tacticals up with las or ML and plasma gun, the deep strike into an unoccupied region and bunker up? Sort of like a mobile second front.

Fair enough! Only reason to play anyway.

[Rabid1903]

Hmm. If you wanted to play that route, why not try this; Tool the tacticals up with las or ML and plasma gun, the deep strike into an unoccupied region and bunker up? Sort of like a mobile second front.

Fair enough! Only reason to play anyway.

I think that's the route I'm going to go. That sounds like Raven Guard to me. Scouts to gather intel, Tactical Marines arrive via drop pod at the exact location needed (providing a distraction too), Assault marines strike their targets, and Shrike arrives with his wing wherever he's needed.

I think I'll go with this on Saturday. What's the worst that happens, I learn something?


Thanks for all your help, I'm sure I'll be back soon haha. Who knows, I might even post a bat rep on Sunday.

[Seirin]

Good luck and enjoy. Don't forget to check out the new psychic powers, you'll drool.