1750 raven guard tournament list

[ironwithout]

Evening all! Next year I am going to my first Tournament's and am trying to build a competitive list, something which I have never even attempted before which I would seriously appreciate some help. I will be using Raven Guard Chapter Tactics and will try to explain my logic as best as possible.


Chaplain
Jump Pack - 105 points

Assault Squad x10
X2 Flamer
Veteran Sargeant
Power Axe
Combat shield - 210 points.

Scout Squad x5 - 55points

Scout Squad x5 - 55points

Scouts x10
Sniper rifles
Camp cloaks
Missile Launcher - 154 points

Tactical Squad x10
Missile Launcher
Flamer - 160 points

Aegis defence line
Comms relay - 70 points

Sternguard Squad x5
X5 combi melta
Drop pod - 205 points

Storm Raven Gunship
Assault Cannons
Multi Melta - 200 points

Stormwing formation

Storm Raven Gunship
Assault Cannons
Multi Melta

Storm Talon Gunship
Assault Cannon
Typhoon Missile Launcher

Storm Talon Gunship
Assault Cannon
Typhoon Missile Launcher - 490 points

1704 points




The chaplain and Assault squad obviously go together. The 2 dirt cheap scout squads go in a Storm Raven each as late game objective grabbers. The scouts with the sniper rifles will sit on the defence line for a nasty caver save. The comms relay because I want the flyers in on turn 2. Drop pod Sternguard Is there to take out juicy targets and any anti air as a priority. The 2 Storm Raven Gunships have the loadout for flyer hunting first then anything else that comes up. The Storm Talons I thought with the assault Cannons and the Typhoons would give them a lot of flexibility. I have 46 points left to spend for 1750.

So what are your opinions? How can I make this better? And also As I will be using this for tournaments how would you adjust this list to 1650 points and 1850 points.

Would really appreciate some help on my first tour lol!

[Learn2Eel]

Howdy, and welcome to the forums! I hope you enjoy your visit!

Speaking honestly, I would be a bit cautious with such a flyer heavy army list. Two Stormravens and two Stormtalons at 1750 is a bit much and doesn't leave you much on the board. I know the whole Stormwing Formation has a single 2+ roll to make for them to come in which is very nice indeed, but it still is just a tad too much for me. I would honestly consider dropping both of the Stormravens, but if you want to keep at least one then that's fine.

Having a five-man Sternguard squad and a big beefy Assault Squad as your only real forward elements before the fliers come on likely won't end well. You need target saturation for this kind of list to work as you want to avoid losing your expensive assault unit early on - which you will against competitive armies. Switching your Scouts and Tactical Squads out for Bikers would be a good bet and would make more sense with the flyers. Or rather, by making the most of Raven Guard Chapter Tactics, exchange all your Troops for Tactical Squads in Rhinos with plasma guns and combi-plasmas or the equivalent in meltas. Your Troops need mobility and protection to make up for so many of your points being off the board on turn one, and maybe even turn two. Consider dropping the Aegis if you do go this route.

I would also reconsider the Chaplain as the HQ choice, personally. They simply aren't that good and you are probably better off taking a Captain or Chapter Master on a Bike to unlock Bike Squads as Troops. Alternatively, you could add a cheap Terminator Librarian to the Sternguard squad to soak up a few wounds and be a nuisance with Psychic Shriek after they pop a tank.

Last bit, if you want to save some more points consider switching the typhoons for skyhammers on the Stormtalon. As cool as the flyers are, they aren't game-winners and you need more bodies on the ground and to actually have them do something. This list doesn't have enough real threats to be a true competitive contender.

[ironwithout]

Howdy, and welcome to the forums! I hope you enjoy your visit!

Speaking honestly, I would be a bit cautious with such a flyer heavy army list. Two Stormravens and two Stormtalons at 1750 is a bit much and doesn't leave you much on the board. I know the whole Stormwing Formation has a single 2+ roll to make for them to come in which is very nice indeed, but it still is just a tad too much for me. I would honestly consider dropping both of the Stormravens, but if you want to keep at least one then that's fine.

Having a five-man Sternguard squad and a big beefy Assault Squad as your only real forward elements before the fliers come on likely won't end well. You need target saturation for this kind of list to work as you want to avoid losing your expensive assault unit early on - which you will against competitive armies. Switching your Scouts and Tactical Squads out for Bikers would be a good bet and would make more sense with the flyers. Or rather, by making the most of Raven Guard Chapter Tactics, exchange all your Troops for Tactical Squads in Rhinos with plasma guns and combi-plasmas or the equivalent in meltas. Your Troops need mobility and protection to make up for so many of your points being off the board on turn one, and maybe even turn two. Consider dropping the Aegis if you do go this route.

I would also reconsider the Chaplain as the HQ choice, personally. They simply aren't that good and you are probably better off taking a Captain or Chapter Master on a Bike to unlock Bike Squads as Troops. Alternatively, you could add a cheap Terminator Librarian to the Sternguard squad to soak up a few wounds and be a nuisance with Psychic Shriek after they pop a tank.

Last bit, if you want to save some more points consider switching the typhoons for skyhammers on the Stormtalon. As cool as the flyers are, they aren't game-winners and you need more bodies on the ground and to actually have them do something. This list doesn't have enough real threats to be a true competitive contender.


Cheers for the reply learn2Eel.

I was thinking about dropping the fliers down to 2 Storm Ravens as the last minute objective good with the 2 small squads meaning only 400 points of fliers. If I'm honest I'm trying to avoid bike squads as 3 of my tournament buddies are running bike heavy lists already. If I'm honest I am just having problems with making a competitive list because I keep coming back to using tactical squads in Rhinos but they just don't seem to have the killing power. What is your opinion on assault squads now? With raven guard chapter tactics they seem great with being able to use the packs in the move and assault phase.

[Learn2Eel]

Cheers for the reply learn2Eel.

I was thinking about dropping the fliers down to 2 Storm Ravens as the last minute objective good with the 2 small squads meaning only 400 points of fliers. If I'm honest I'm trying to avoid bike squads as 3 of my tournament buddies are running bike heavy lists already. If I'm honest I am just having problems with making a competitive list because I keep coming back to using tactical squads in Rhinos but they just don't seem to have the killing power. What is your opinion on assault squads now? With raven guard chapter tactics they seem great with being able to use the packs in the move and assault phase.

Yeah I'm not adverse to that either, I mean Stormtalons with Skyhammers are something like 130 each? A Stormraven kitted out as you have them is at the 200 point mark, has +1 hull point and - very importantly for a flyer - +1 armour on all facings, as well as a better short ranged anti tank gun as opposed to the more generalist Skyhammers. Add to that the transport capacity and they are quite valuable. I think I prefer a pair of Stormtalons for such purposes though. One thing to note about Stormravens is how well they work with Centurion Devastators - if you are willing to give them a shot - armed with grav cannons; it is quite brutal actually!

Fair enough on the Bikes, almost every competitive Space Marines army list seems to spam them nowadays which is a bore.
Space Marines tend to have issues with their Troops from a purely competitive view-point, trust me, you aren't alone there. The issue is that 6th Edition is based around killing everything so darn quickly, and while Space Marines are cheaper than ever, they also die quicker than ever. Other armies like Eldar get Rending-lite on their Troops, or you have the Tau/Chaos Space Marine situation where their Troops (Cultists for CSM) are cheap as heck and don't care about AP3 large blasts like Space Marines do.

That isn't to say the Space Marine Troops choices are bad though on their own terms, just that unfortunately 6th Edition hasn't been that kind to them. I think Tacticals in Rhinos, while not really killing too much, are still a solid and versatile unit, particularly with Scout. They're still "Space Marines" after all, they have krak grenades and special weapons - preferably plasmas I think - to cover most bases. What you want from your Tacticals is to do some good stuff, but mostly just take and hold objectives. Other army builds are better suited to massed Tacticals - like Ultramarines or Imperial Fists - but Raven Guard can still put together a decent list with them.

Assault Squads with Raven Guard Chapter Tactics are very nice indeed. They are inexpensive for what they do and mobile as heck. The trick that everybody forgets with Assault Marines is to not charge actual dedicated combat units like, for example, Incubi and units of that calibre. They are there to put the boot down on enemy Troops choices and occasionally go vehicle or monster hunting.