2k Raven Guard Casu-petitive

[nidzy]

Hi All,

I have a bunch of marines that I have sort of generally mistreated and dicked around with over the last 8 years or so. Recently, I had the idea of transitioning them into a Raven Guard army to play with when I get bored with nids. I think Raven Guard aren't top tier in the marine book, but they can put out a fairly survivable firebase and a pretty strong assault core. Marines have plenty of units that take advantage of their chapter tactic, stratagem and general asthetic and playstyle. I have always loved the Vanguard vet kit so I wanted run heavier on them.

Any ideas on how to optimize this? I wrote this list keeping in mind mostly models I own. The idea is that the dreads and devs make up a hard to hit firebase, buffed by captain and LT. Shrike drops in the scout claimed space with the vanguards and tries to instigate shenanigans via the assault phase. The stormtalons fly out to take advantage of his reroll hits bubble and clear screens.

I play in a really competitive group vs Admech, Tau, DG, DE and Daemons in addition to nids so I need to bring a good list but I am not really looking to take this list to tournaments as my beloved Nids will always fill that role for me.

Battalion:

Captain: power axe, MC boltgun
LT: power axe, MC boltgun

Scout squad: 5xpistol/blade
Scout squad: 5xpistol/blade
Scout squad: 9 scouts, sniper rifle/cammo cloaks

Dreadnought: twin lascannon, missile launcher
Dreadnought: twin lascannon, missile launcher
Dreadnought: twin lascannon, missile launcher

5 devestators: 1 lascannon, 3 heavy bolter, cherub
5 devestators: 1 lascannon, 3 heavy bolter, cherub

Stormtalon Gunship: twin assault, 2 heavy bolter
Stormtalon Gunship: twin assault, 2 heavy bolter

Vanguard:

Kayvaan Shrike

3x5 Vanguard vets: 2 w/stormshield and chainsword, 1 with 2xchainsword, Sarge and 1 vet with Thunderhammer

[irondreddknight]

I like your list, maximising the range space marines have to utilise the -1 to hit for raven guard is smart. I also like how you outfitted the devastator squads, using heavy bolters as the “ablative wounds” astheure the cheapest weapon, but they’re still contributing fire power.

Just a thought, but consider swapping the lascannons for a missile launcher in the devastator squads. They offer more versatility for the same points, you lose S9 AP-3 for S8 AP-2 (which is only worse against T8+) and they can be anti horde while the lascannon can’t. As well offering mortal wounds using the flakk missiles stratagem. I feel you get more mileage out of missile launchers than lascannons.

[nidzy]

Jun 29, 2018 6:45:34 GMT irondreddknight said:

I like your list, maximising the range space marines have to utilise the -1 to hit for raven guard is smart. I also like how you outfitted the devastator squads, using heavy bolters as the “ablative wounds” astheure the cheapest weapon, but they’re still contributing fire power.

Just a thought, but consider swapping the lascannons for a missile launcher in the devastator squads. They offer more versatility for the same points, you lose S9 AP-3 for S8 AP-2 (which is only worse against T8+) and they can be anti horde while the lascannon can’t. As well offering mortal wounds using the flakk missiles stratagem. I feel you get more mileage out of missile launchers than lascannons.

Yeah I love the heavy bolter and missile stratagems and played some versions of this list with ML tac squads in place of some of the scouts. For a while I trashed the vanguards and was working on adding in more dread and ended up with a couple of redemptors and a deredeo but I stalled out on this project as I have been working more recently to finish up some more painting with my nids.

I will post back some day with an update

[irondreddknight]

I’m very envious of how many dreads you own, I currently have 1 very mistreated dread. It’s been painted and repainted, broken and repaired again and again during the last 14 years.