1750 Raven Guard, 7th Co.

[Lord Lorne Walkier]

(1750pts)
Raven Guard Chapter Tactics
(2HQ, 2E, 2T, 2FA, 2HS. 1 Fortification)


HQ
Captian = 160 pts
Artificer armour, Combi-Melta, Relic blade, Jump Pack.
Warlord


Librarian 90 pts


Elites
Vanguard Veterans x5 = 205 pts
Storm shield, 2x Plasma pistol, Power axe, Power sword, Power fist, Jump packs.


Dreadnought = 120 pts
Power fist, Storm bolter, Assault cannon.


Troops
Tactical Squad x10 = 140 pts
Bolt guns, Bolt pistols. Combat Squad.


Scout Squad x10 = 130 pts
Bolt pistol, CCW. Combat squads, Camo cloaks.


Fast Attack
Stormtalon Gunship #1 = 140 pts
Twin-linked Assault cannon, Twin-linked lascannon.


Stormtalon Gunship #2 = 145 pts
Twin-linked Assault cannon, Typhoon ML.


Heavy Support
Stormraven Gunship = 235 pts
Twin-linked Plasma cannon, Twin-linked Multi-melta, 4x Stormstrike missiles, hurricane bolters, Extra armour.


Stormeagle Gunship Roc = 315 Pts
Twin-linked Vengeance launcher Roc, 2x Twin-linked Lascannon, Twin-linked Heavy bolters.
Legacy of Glory : Isstvan V.


Fortification
Aegis defense line = 70
Comms relay



My thoughts:

This list if for the Norcon tournament. The basic idea is to play with 4 Raven Guard flyers and make it competitive and fun. My force is split up into three groups, one deployed, and two reserve, flyer groups.


Deployed (320 pts)
Dreadnought
Scout Squad x10
Aegis defense line

My deployed units at the start of the game are my 10 scouts and a dreadnought. These guys only duty to my overall strategy is to live until my half of turn 2. Anything beyond this will be an extra bonus. My first thought is to deny a flank and deploy in a corner far away from the bulk of my opponent. The Scouts will deploy behind the Aegis defense line and along with their turn 1 stealth, due to Raven Guard CT, should have a 2+ cover save. The Dreadnought will try and fend off any hard charging alpha strike. Any survivors of this group will expect to be evacuated/ redeployed via the Stormraven, once it parts ways with the Captain and Vanguard. They can then be used to grab objectives late game.


Reserves


Group A, (740 pts)
Captain
Vanguard Veterans x5
Stormraven Gunship
Stormtalon Gunship #1


The plan with them is to zoom around the table to get air superiority. The Raven will hover for a turn, as early as possible, to unload the Jump troops. After that, evacuate any survivors form the deployed units. My Captain and co will search for softer targets of opportunity. They are not powerful enough to take out a "Death Star" but can finish one off once they are softened up by the flyers.


Group B, Deepstrike (545 pts)
Librarian
Tactical Squad x10
Stormeagle Gunship Roc


The Roc pattern Stormeagle gunship is form the Imperial Armour 2, 2nd edition. I gave it the Legacy of Glory : Isstvan V. This extra ability makes it so that it will never deviate if and when it Deep strikes. After the zooming, deepstrike, I plan on off loading the Tactical combat squad for late game Objective grabbing. The initial dreepstrike can either be to give cover to my other flyers, should i feel the need or to drop behind something big and nasty. 2 twin liked Las cannon, and the Missiles to back armour can ruin some things day.

Group C (145 pts)
Stormtalon Gunship #2

This solo flyer group will try and draw any interceptor shots, by being my first unit i bring on from reserves. If I can bring a dataslate AND a fortification then i will add this flyer to my other Talon and Raven to form a Storm Wing.





I have played with this basic army for a a couple games and have found its major weakens is not surviving until my half of Turn 2. Once the Flyers show up i am very competitive. Some people take no flyers or anti air at all. I don't see how i loose to that. Some take one anti air tank or maybe a flyer. These are the forces i built the list to deal with, 4 flyers of my own gives me a strong advantage in any dogfight. Also all of my flyers have strafing run so that's BS 5 against all ground units. I have not played against anyone with 2 or more dedicated air fighting units but i have a feeling their wont be many of those for some time.

Another clear weakness in the list is its low numbers of Troops or scoring units. This was intentional and some what necessary to fit the 4 flyers in. The jump troops are also necessary for the theme of the Raven Guard Chapter Tactics of which i play exclusively. I Let my foe go first if i can help it so i have the last turn. I may have few troops but the two units i have in my Stormeagle can control two objectives at the end, if i play my cards right. Also two of my flyers are fast attack and two Heavy support for when the mission allows them to score. What ever the case this is a known weakness and the fun is in overcoming it to win.

NORCON
July 25th and end Sunday July 27th 2014.
Rounds: 3
Points: 1750
Single Force Org
Single Allied detachment, fortification or dataslate allowed.

You are allowed one Forgeworld Warhammer 40K approved unit in your main FOC. No Forgeworld fortifications or stationary turrets(units that cannot move on their own).





‘We are the skyborne, the angels macabre, the death that strikes from above. We cut the life-cords of our foes even before they realize the mortal danger they are in. We are the storm incarnate, and we will not be denied.’
– Captain Hougandez of the Mortifactors

[xTHExCLINCHERx]

You will have issues with surviving turn 1; a dreadnought can be 1-shotted by barrage weaponry, and the coms relay squad smashed by overwhelming fire. I think you should go for a null deploy list, or put more on the field to start. Are you able to use formations? If so, try the Storm Wing formation and have the raven and talons come on all at once. I'd drop the coms relay, put tacs in pods, put scouts in a land speeder storm for deepstriking, and go for a null deploy list. You seem to have a lot of fliers... maybe too many? You could also try tac squads in rhinos or a land raider. Overall, your achille's heel is gonna be surviving turn 1, and a dreadnought doesn't help with that.

[Lord Lorne Walkier]

Thanks for the thoughts.

Yes, i know full well the challenge in this list is surviving turn 1. I added the Aegis defense line on the suggestion of others, to help with just that. The scouts have camo cloaks so with Stealth turn 1 that = a 2+ cover save. I plan on setting up 2nd so i think i should be able to place my Aegis defense line in a place were i should be out of Los to 90% of my enemy. That 10 % who will beble to draw Los if i have my choice, and i will, should not have the fire power to take 10 x T4, 2+ cover save, I hope. The Dreadnought will also be set up in the Aegis defense line, so while i know he is killable, a 4+ cover save will help. Even still with that i do fear the turn 1 beatdown.

I had thought about a Null deployed list, but i was told at my local GW shop that i needed to have models on the table to bring on reserves. IE, that i would have to survive 2 turns of enemy shooting if i went 2nd, to bring on my flyers. I might think about just loading the Dread in a Drop pod and dropping the Aegis, if i only had to survive to the end of Turn 1. The Chance that i actually get to use the the Comms relay is hard to pass up though. Re rolling reserves for my 4 flyers could make or break the fight. I'm torn.

About the Stormwing formation. The rules for the tournament is "Single Allied detachment, fortification or dataslate allowed." I was convinced to add the Aegis defense line into the list so i had to break up my Stormwing. If my understanding about my limitations is wrong, i would take the Stormwing back in a heartbeat.

[SON OF ROMULOUS]

Check with your TO on the use of the ROC pattern if you read it's rules its only for the minotarurs chapter and forgeworld has also confirmed that you need to be using their chapter tactics to field them.

[Lord Lorne Walkier]

Check with your TO on the use of the ROC pattern if you read it's rules its only for the minotarurs chapter and forgeworld has also confirmed that you need to be using their chapter tactics to field them.

I disagree with you but i think that your comments points out a big enough fluff issue that i can not dismiss it off hand. The Roc pattern says that it can be used by any Codex: Space Marines army or a Minotaur army in the Badab war. You might be right about FW clarifying this with some faq but the Regular Stormeagle will do me just fine. Going with the stock pattern will save me the 10 points that i was looking for to upgrade my Librarian to have Terminator Armour, with some other minor changes. Having my fluff in order is very important to me.

[SON OF ROMULOUS]

Hi Sean,

Thank you for your email. The Roc pattern Storm Eagle is only currently available to the Minotaurs Chapter. Their pattern may have been copied and used in a very limited capacity by other chapters but in game it is only available to the Minotaurs.


If there is anything further we can do to assist you, or if you have any queries about the information we have requested or provided, please telephone us.

Regards,
Forge World



That's the reply i got from forge world this week... I have my own storm eagle that i had planned on using as the Roc Pattern. A player pointed it out that it was for the minotaurs only i read the rule as you did thinking it was open ended. The player insisted so i shot them an email early this week asking for clarification. The above statement is what they email back to me. So i would say atleast for now if your going to play friendly games use it as the Roc but in a Tournament I cannot see anyone giving you the same leverage.

[Lord Lorne Walkier]

Right on and thank you for passing on the information. I have swapped the standard Eagle in and do feel a bit better about it now that i have been shown the light.

[SON OF ROMULOUS]

Not trying to show you the light i sent them a 2nd reply asking when they would open it up to other chapters I want to be able to use mine as a Roc Pattern as well i can get away with it in friendly games but i know the Tourne crowd won't let me.