Topic: 1000 Points Ravenwing

[Falstead]

Picked up 2 battle forces and a codex yesterday. One box came with an extra attack bike sprue, this is the list I've come up with. Any feedback is appreciated.

Master of the Ravenwing on Jet bike
205

Ravewing Attack Squad

6 Ravenwing bikers, standard bearer, apothecarie, veteran sergeant has a powerfist

Attack bike w/ multi melta

Land speeder tornado

435

Ravenwing attack squad

3 Bikes, 1 w/ melta gun

Attack Bike w/ multi melta

180


Ravenwing attack squad

3 Bikes, 1 w/ melta gun

Attack Bike w/ multi melta

180

Total: 1000

[Halfpast_Yellow]

Looks nice, Plasma gun would be a weapon of choice for me though with the Apocathery.

[YuenglingDragon]

I think plasma would be good in the two other squads.  The multi melta's should be enough at this level and they'll likely be ignored in favor of the bike squads.

[Guildmage Aech]

I consider plasma to be a terrible plan on bikes, they kill themselves just as easy as a regular marine but cost much more points. Sure, an apthocary helps but hes quite valuble using skills on the enemies shooting rather than your own....
While you can fire two shots and charge you can't shoot at long range while moving because it isn't bike mounted. A meltagun is nearly as good against infantry, better against vehicles and doesn't burn your hands.... overall I'd say its the better choice.


Incidently do you have to have a standard bearer? Otherwise I'd proably just live without thim in favour of more points. And maybe more meltaguns or weapons on the sarges in your attack squads.

[Wuestenfux]

This army can approach the enemy very quickly, thanks to the scout move.
However, if you plan to take on Orks or Nids, you need to outmaneuver the enemy and decimiate him first. For this, I suggest to consider heavy bolters and plasma guns for the two small Biker squadrons.

[Halfpast_Yellow]

I consider plasma to be a terrible plan on bikes, they kill themselves just as easy as a regular marine but cost much more points. Sure, an apthocary helps but hes quite valuble using skills on the enemies shooting rather than your own....
While you can fire two shots and charge you can't shoot at long range while moving because it isn't bike mounted. A meltagun is nearly as good against infantry, better against vehicles and doesn't burn your hands.... overall I'd say its the better choice.


Incidently do you have to have a standard bearer? Otherwise I'd proably just live without thim in favour of more points. And maybe more meltaguns or weapons on the sarges in your attack squads.

A melta isn't 'nearly' as good as Plasma vs Infantry, it's half the shots, so half as good. Take that into account, take that it's superior against MC's into account (infinately superior vs the Avatar ), the fact that he has plenty of MMs for anti tank (2 Str 7 shots isn't exactly poor either), and that the Apocathery negates the overheats, and there's no reason not to equip a few bikers with Plasma guns.

[YuenglingDragon]

The man speaks truth.

I know that there is a 1/6 chance every time you rapid fire a plasma gun that you lose your gunner, but against some armies it's a risk you'll have to take in order to lay down enough fire to win.  Ravenwing armies are not going to put a lot of boots (wheels, I guess) on the ground.  Rate of fire is important.

[Guildmage Aech]

A melta isn't 'nearly' as good as Plasma vs Infantry, it's half the shots, so half as good.

Yes, but since 'two' isn't a vast number of shots to start with that only makes 0.55 less kills if you have a meltagun. Or if Mr Target isn't being so helpful as to stand in the open and is instead enjoying heavy cover the difference drops to 0.27 kills (at which point you'd probably rather your bolters.

There isn't actually wrong or right answer on whether its the best choice or not, it depends if you're happy with the risk for the advantage it entails. Killing an extra half marine on average isn't worth a 1 in 6 chance of the biker falling down dead in my opinon.

[Halfpast_Yellow]

A melta isn't 'nearly' as good as Plasma vs Infantry, it's half the shots, so half as good.

Yes, but since 'two' isn't a vast number of shots to start with that only makes 0.55 less kills if you have a meltagun. Or if Mr Target isn't being so helpful as to stand in the open and is instead enjoying heavy cover the difference drops to 0.27 kills (at which point you'd probably rather your bolters.

There isn't actually wrong or right answer on whether its the best choice or not, it depends if you're happy with the risk for the advantage it entails. Killing an extra half marine on average isn't worth a 1 in 6 chance of the biker falling down dead in my opinon.

I understand that, but if that risk is neutralised via the apocathery...it's like something for nothing, isn't it?

[Falstead]

I have a two fold problem with plasma guns

1 - They're actually more expensive than melta guns.

2 - I have a bunch of melta gun models, but no plasma gun bitz 

Also I'm pretty sure I can't rapid fire my plasma and charge in the same turn since it's not a bike mounted weapon. All these factors mean that I'm leaning towards melta guns.

Still not 100% on using the ravenwing command squad, but it could be quite fun.

[Halfpast_Yellow]

You can rapidfire and charge while on a bike, you just can't move and fire once up to 24"...

I forgot Plasma is more expensive in Codex DA though...

I would definitely use the command squad, saving a biker and rerolling morale checks would be good.

[Falstead]

I would definitely use the command squad, saving a biker and rerolling morale checks would be good.

I don't need to re-roll morale tests, my whole army is fearless 

What's awesome about the banner is the way it gives everyone in the squad +1 attack. 5 powerfist attacks from the veteran sergeant on the turn he charges, yum.

[Guildmage Aech]

I understand that, but if that risk is neutralised via the apocathery...it's like something for nothing, isn't it?

Sure, but thats your once per turn gone before the enemy have got angry at you (once per turn is not once in your turn and in the opponents remember - p14).

Incidently the rule stating that bikes can use rapid fire weapons and charge is at the end of the shooting section in the bike's rules on p53. This is a seperate rule to the one saying that they can move and shoot at full range if it's bike mounted.

I still prefer the meltagun though, mainly because without it tanks are a lot more worrying, and you can't easily powerfist a moving vehicle so they're real handy.

What's awesome about the banner is the way it gives everyone in the squad +1 attack. 5 powerfist attacks from the veteran sergeant on the turn he charges, yum.

Yes, that is awesome.

[Falstead]

I understand that, but if that risk is neutralised via the apocathery...it's like something for nothing, isn't it?

Sure, but thats your once per turn gone before the enemy have got angry at you (once per turn is not once in your turn and in the opponents remember - p14).

Actually Dark Angel's apothacaries can use their narthecium  once per player turn. So on my turn and his turn!

However for now I think I'll still try out the melta heavy list, I can always switch things around later.

[Halfpast_Yellow]

I understand that, but if that risk is neutralised via the apocathery...it's like something for nothing, isn't it?

Sure, but thats your once per turn gone before the enemy have got angry at you (once per turn is not once in your turn and in the opponents remember - p14).

Actually, that's incorrect, it's the opposite way around. Despite the better wording for the Dark Angel Nartheciums, all of them work the same way, once per player turn, not once per game turn.

BGB FAQ clarifies P.14

[Guildmage Aech]

Whoops, my mistake that does make it a lot better then. I still prefer melta though, I prefer to be not quite as effective against some targets if the trade off is to be able to hurt everything you encounter.

Incidently can someone tell me I'm wrong when I say it looks like the master of the ravenwing is not an IC? If really he doesn't have it then its rubbish beyond beleif as he can be picked out with say lascannons and that iron halo will only stop so much before hes instant killed off the table (not least that it means he can't join his own bodyguard....)
If thats the case then the armour 14 speeder sounds like the better choice everytime - even if he did loose the cool 'sword swipe' from the cockpit.

[Falstead]

He's not an independant character. He can always be picked out, however on the flip side he's also a scoring unit.

If really he doesn't have it then its rubbish beyond beleif as he can be picked out with say lascannons and that iron halo will only stop so much before hes instant killed off the table

That's impossible. He has both an iron halo and adamantite mantle. He dies after taking 3 wounds, and not before then.

[Guildmage Aech]

Both excelent points I hadn't considered! Being a scoring unit does make him quite tasty.

Still its a bit of a shame he can't join his command squad though. I'd probably be tempted to squeeze in chaplian to do that not to mention that his presence will make them hit harder than a sackfull of hammers. No thoughts on what would be removed though.