first stab at raven guard

[gigasnail]

playing with RG stuff. assume ITC environment (3 detachments with only 1 repeat, decurion-style detachment counts as 1 detachment, primary modified EW missions w/ modified maelstrom 2ndary).

first run at RG battle company. i want to run up and punch things, because that's what i like to do. RG lets you do that, in spades. stay with me, because the list building options get really complicated.

using Talon Strike force from the Kauyon campaign book:
1850/1850 at the moment, nothing is set in stone here this is a real loose first run.

(battle company)
captain, shield eternal, bike, power maul, articifer armor
chaplain, bike
command squad, bikes, apothecary
RB w/ dozer blades (had 5 points left at the end)

X6 tac squads w/ pods (bare bones at this time)
X2 attack bikes w/ MM

X5 devastators w/ grav cannons, RB w/ HB
X5 devastators w/ ML, RB w/ HB

(shadowstrike killteam)
X5 scouts, LSS
X5 scouts, LSS
X5 VV, X3 with X2 LC, 1 w/ fist/claw, sgt with axe/SS, jump packs
X5 VV, X3 with X2 LC, 1 w/ fist/claw, sgt with maul/SS, jump packs

so, everything in the battle company part has OS and comes w/ free vehicles, it is a standard SM battle company.
the kill team's VV can choose whether to pass or fail reserve rolls, can assault from reserves, and can no-scatter DS and if they are within 9" of the two scout units.
the talon SF command benefits let you re-roll mission/deployment zone (not useful in ITC, your mission/deployment is pre-determined), and re-roll to see who deploys first.
also lets you start rolling for reserves T1 (on a 4+), and can always choose to fail a morale check
RG tactics give your non-vehicles shrouded T1, and lets you +1 for night fighting as well as use jump packs in movement and assault, and everything re-rolls HoW wounds.

so, 6 tac squads + pods (may switch out for RB for volume of fire/mobility vs. a pod's durability) and two attack bikes (monster/building/tank hunters) for objective holders, medium-choppy command bike squad (1st turn 2+ jink) for counter assault, and the kill team comes in turn 1 (or, if needed, later in the game since they can choose to fail) and assaults. devastators are OS in battle company so make great campers.

annnddd yeah, that didn't work out.

[WestRider]

The Talon Strike Force unfortunately doesn't have the Company Support Rule, so you don't get free Transports in it. Very frustrating.

[gigasnail]

it should. it's a straight up SM battle company, referencing the SM codex by page number. it again also references that you keep the individual formation rules as well as gain the detachment rules.

[WestRider]

The Demi-Company is straight from C:SM, yes, but Company Support isn't part of the Demi-Company Rules. It's part of the Gladius (and Lion's Blade) Strike Force Command Benefits. The Talon Strike Force and Scarblade Strike Force don't have that Command Benefit.

[gigasnail]

ohhhhhhh, i see what you're saying and you're right so far as i can see. the free vehicles is not from having a battle company, but from taking a battle company in a gladius. pg. 112, SM codex.

curiously enough, the way i did it is how it also works in army builder. i will forward this question on to the ITC folks, because everyone may be doing it wrong.

edit: i put in a question and then found they'd already covered the question when they initially reviewed the TSF:

" In the Talon Strike Force, you do not gain the benefits of the Company Support and Codex Astartes command benefits (free transports if you take two Battle Demi-Companies or access to all of the Combat Doctrines)."

feelsbadman.jpg

thanks for pointing it out. i will go and think some more. might work out better; won't have the TAC spam to eat up points so i can add more punchy. note: you still get the demi-company rules from SM, so everything in the battle company/demi company is OS.

[WestRider]

Yeah, you do still get the OS, there's just no real reason to take a second Demi-Company.

[gigasnail]

true, for sure.

[gigasnail]

man, i know a *LOT* of people playing battle company wrong. everyone is playing battle company with the Gladius command benefits, but without taking that auxiliary choice to actually make it a Gladius.

i reported the issue to Army builder; they're usually pretty good with getting errors corrected.

[gigasnail]

ok so, 2nd go. i am taking the talon strike force instead of the cheaper CAD because:

1) everything in the demi-company i have to take is obsec, including the captain and devastators and the devastator's drop pods.
2) access to doctrines for those drop-in re-rolls for my melta/MM
3) reserves start coming in on T1 (crucial for the killteam)

so:

1850/1850 talon strike force/skyhammer annihilation force

talon:
demi-company
captain, shadow armor, TH/SS, bike (2+/3++ w/ stealth, shrouded if it doesn't move)
X5 tac, drop pod, melta + combimelta
X5 tac, drop pod, flamer + combiflamer
X5 tac, drop pod, flamer + combiflamer
X5 devastators, prop pod, MM
X5 bike squad, vet sgt w/ power maul
killteam
X5 scouts, CCW/BP
X5 scouts, CCW/BP
X5 VV, X2 bp/ccw, LC/LC, PF/LC, sgt w/ power maul
X5 VV, X2 bp/ccw, LC/LC, PF/LC, sgt w/ LC/LC
skyhammer:
X5 assault marines, vet sgt w/ power sword
X5 assault marines, vet sgt w/ power sword and melta bombs
X5 dev, grav cannons w/ pod
X5 dev, MM w/ pod

skyhammer + two pods + VV on turn 1, possibly all in on T1. scouts infiltrate + scout move in if possible to get into position for VV to donkey punch something. if not, can hold off since VV in the formation can choose to pass or fail their reserve rolls here. it's a lot of MSU; i wanted more bodies for combat squading but couldn't fit it in w/ upgrades.

[WestRider]

What's your Dev Choice for the Demi-Company?

Other than that, looks good. The Talon Strike Force and Skyhammer go together really well.

[gigasnail]

they're in there, just forgot to write it in. MM in pod. thanks for the heads up.