Open Topped !

New Tau

I want to say up front I welcome the new Tau with open arms including the Forgeworld monstrosity Taunar and the new gargantuan Surgetide. This could possibly be the end of my Ravenwing as a competitive army - that would be a really short life for something I sank a lot of money into and really love to play... But so what. Dark Angels were my first army, I started playing at the beginning of third edition. Somehow I feel that Ravenwing will remain strong and I'm not worried about it.

People say the game has devolved to Apocalypse which is true in many regards but I want to stay current and play the game by the book. Space Marines got everything I wanted plus some so I won't begrudge the Tau or rain on their parade. There will always be new armies that shake up the meta and force us to change whether or not we like it. We need to stop crying, grow a pair and deal with it. It's time for tactics to come back to the game again.

The gargantuan Surgetide is looking like a true beast and I really like the looks of the model - I think it'll be very popular and bring Tau back to the tables. It's received mixed reviews all the way from craptastic to totally over the top OP. Back in sixth edition I learn how to beat four Riptides with Chaos Space Marines... I can do it again. Every time we change a rule or ban a unit it makes us all collectively weaker as players. It's a really sad state of affairs to see vocal minorities petitioning TOs to fix the game and it's a lose-lose scenario. Playing the game should be about just that - playing the game. Things change, it's what it is.

So give the new Tau a chance before you immediately throw in the towel and threaten to quit a game you love. You don't need anyone to hold your hand for you... It'll be alright.

Breaking News !!! KV128 Surgetide Rules

Bang Bang

I was five and he was six
We rode on horses made of sticks
He wore black and I wore white
He would always win the fight

Bang bang, he shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down.

Seasons came and changed the time
When I grew up, I called him mine

He would always laugh and say
"Remember when we used to play?"

Bang bang, I shot you down
Bang bang, you hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, I used to shoot you down.

Music played, and people sang
Just for me, the church bells rang.

Now he's gone, I don't know why
And till this day, sometimes I cry
He didn't even say goodbye
He didn't take the time to lie.

Bang bang, he shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down...

Just Got Paid

I just got paid today, 

got me a pocket full of change.

Said, I just got paid today, 

got me a pocket full of change.

If you believe like workin' hard all day, 

just step in my shoes and take my pay.

I was born my papa's son,

when I hit the ground I was on the run.

I had one glad hand and the other behind.

You can have yours, just give me mine.

When the hound dog barkin' in the black of the night,

stick my hand in my pocket, everything's all right.

I just got paid today, 

got me a pocket full of change.

Said, black sheep, black, do you got some wool?

Yes, I do, man, my bag is full.

It's the root of evil and you know the rest

but it's way ahead of what's second best.

Editorial - The Awakening

Hi everyone !!! It's your ever friendly Black Blow Fly swinging through your neighborhood to shock and amaze you yet again. The Summer of Sigmar is officially over now with the first day of fall in the Western Hemisphere. The company some love to hate will be returning their focus to Warhammer 40k for good or bad and you can never truly tell what is going to happen... At first 7th edition was proclaimed as a period of the restoration of balance to the game with the release of weak codices for races such as Astra Militarum, Orks, Dark Eldar and Blood Angels.

You might have noticed I did not include Grey Knights in the above list of nerfed armies. To me and my way of thinking this was a perfectly written codex that has as close to perfect balance as you'll ever find from the development crew at Games Workshop. The thing is Grey Knights now require some actual modicum of skill to play competitively. They lost their OP-ness but also gained some quite nice points reductions for certain units such as their Librarians and the Dreadknights.

Grey Knights are truly a strong army when fielded using their Nemesis Strike Force detachment and allied with another Imperial army such Space Marines - this is how the game is intended to be played now like it or not. While Draigowing is a relic from the past, DraigoStar is extremely competitive and can beat any other army in the hands of an experienced competent player.

Give and Take

GW gives with one hand and takes with the other... We have all seen and experienced the OP-ness of the newer codices such as Admech, Eldar, Space Marines and Necrons. What was really good in sixth edition is even better now and I think we should except that for what it is rather try to impose our sense of how the game can or should be played.

Continuing on with this train of thought there is a general vib permeating the Internet that the new Tau codex will continue the neo OP trend - however anything could happen such as the Greater Good getting the Ork treatment. Tau are one of those armies that has always been very strong initially upon release but then wan over time as the game continues to progress. A good example is the effect upon Tau as a competitive army in 6th edition and what they have lost in 7th edition with the advent of Maelstrom missions and the refinement of what constitutes battle brothers in regards to allied choices... Tau-dar which once highly was vaunted as Ched-dar is now looked upon as nothing more than a limp biscuit... hurrr hurrr !

Some herald the release of the new Tau Lord of War choice (I.e., the Taunar) from Forgeworld as a true indicator that the greater good will continue to receive the royal OP treatment from GW. While the Taunar is indisputably very strong we should keep in mind that there is and always has been a general disconnect between Games Workshop and Forgeworld for whatever reason. Also keep in mind that for the points cost of one Taunar you can roughly field two bare bones Wraithknights.

We have all seen the picture of the new Surgetide which will probably be classed as a super heavy walker and it's truly a huge model towering over the likes of other Tau units such as the ever humble Fire Warriors. Ask yourself this one question - will it be viable to build a competitive Tau 1850 point army with a gargantuan monstrous creature and a super heavy walker ? I highly doubt it simply due to what will be the most likely points cost for the Surgetide. Wraightknights are competitive mainly because they are criminally under costed. So most likely you'll have to make a decision which of the two is best suited for those of you that like to play Tau.

What to do now and where do we go
This is a serious issue for armies such as Orks. Many of us were shocked when we saw new codex. Many of use expected a bit more and Orks require the use the use of at least two separate codices to build a semi decent army list. It seems that GW has finally got it right now with Khorne Deamonkin, Eldar, Necrons, and Space Marines - everything you need is in one codex again and I think this is a good move on their part.

A lot of players are using allies of convenience and Come the Apocalypse to supplement their army of choice and this seems to be the best route to building an army that can perform well on the tabletop. It is literally the age of the ally now. Interestingly enough the most buffed OP races such as eldar, Necrons don't really need any allies with their super amazing formations and detachments that provide yet even more awesome rules. While this may well be a marketing ploy I just have to say wow it really seems to be working well for them... and so we come back to our dear old friends the Tau - will the trend of uber OP-ness continue or come to an end ? What do you think ?

Skarbrand !!!

40k Batrep Part 1 • Ravenwing vs. Necrons • Eternal War (1850)

This game is from earlier this afternoon. We were testing one of the BeakyCon5 sample missions (same as the game versus Salamanders):

Deployment - Vanguard Strike

Primary Objectives:
1) Emperor's Will
2) Slay the Warlord

Each primary objective is worth 20 battle points if you win, 10 battle points for a draw and 0 if you lose.

Secondary Objectives:
First Strike - Line Breaker - Last Strike

You score First Strike if you destroy an enemy unit the first turn.

You score Last Strike if you destroy an enemy unit the last turn.

Each secondary objective is worth 2 battle points.

The number of game turns is fixed at six turns and the game must go at least four turns.


Here is my army list:

+++ Ravenwing (1850) +++

++ Ravenwing Strike Force (1625) ++

+ Fast Attack (930) +

Ravenwing Bike Squad (215)
4x Ravenwing Biker - 2x Grav Gun
Ravenwing Attack Bike - Multi-Melta
Ravenwing Sergeant - Melta Bombs

Ravenwing Bike Squad (215)
4x Ravenwing Biker - 2x Grav Gun
Ravenwing Attack Bike - Multi-Melta
Ravenwing Sergeant - Melta Bombs

Rules:
Grim Resolve - Hammer of Wrath - Hit & Run - Outflank - Ravenwing - Scout

Ravenwing Black Knights (205)
4x Black Knight
Huntmaster - Melta Bombs

Ravenwing Black Knights (200)
4x Black Knight
Huntmaster

+ Elites (215) +

Ravenwing Command Squad (215)
4x Black Knight - Ravenwing Company Banner
Ravenwing Apothecary
Ravenwing Champion

+ HQ (480) +

Sammael (200) - Iron Halo

Warlord Trait:
Rapid Manoeuvre

Corvex (Jetbike) - Plasma Cannon
Raven Sword

Interrogator-Chaplain (170) - Auspex - Power Fist - Rosarius - Crozius Arcanum - Shroud of Heroes - Space Marine Bike

Librarian (110) - Psychic Hood

Force Sword - Space Marine Bike
Psyker Mastery Level 2
Telepathy Lore: Psychic Shriek - Dominate - Shrouded

++ Dark Angels Formation Detachment (225+95) ++ Ravenwing Support Squadron (RWSS)

Rules:
Grim Resolve - Interceptor - Ravenshield - Strafing Run - Support squadron - Anti-Grav Upwash

Ravenwing Land Speeder - Heavy Bolter - Typhoon Missile Launcher
Ravenwing Land Speeder - Heavy Bolter - Typhoon Missile Launcher
Ravenwing Land Speeder - Heavy Bolter - Typhoon Missile Launcher

Ravenwing Darkshroud (95) - Assault Cannon

Warlord Trait: Rapid Manoeuvre:
Your Warlord, and any unit he joins, can either roll 2 dice when they run, using the highest roll, or can add 3" to any Turbo-boost or charge they make (or Flat Out move, in the case of Master Sammael on his Land Speeder).


Unfortunately I don't have a copy of my opponent's army list so I'll have to go by memory:

Necrons Decurion Detachment (1850)

+ HQ +

Zanhdrak

Warlord Trait - Adaptive Tactics - Each turn Zanhdrak can choose a Warlord Trait from either the Necron codex or rulebook.

Destroyer Lord - Phase Shifter - Res Orb

+ Troops +

10x Warrior
Ghost Ark

10x Warrior
Ghost Ark

10x Immortals - Gauss Blasters

+ Elites +
10x Deathmark

+ Fast Attack +

4x Destroyer

4x Destroyer

4x Destroyer

10x Tomb Blade - Ignore Cover - 3+ Armor

Deployment
My opponent wins the roll and chooses his side of the table. He also wins the roll to go first and does so. Here are pictures of the table and our deployments.

I deploy such that my entire army is outside Necron ranged shooting for the first turn. My opponent places his Emperor's Will objective marker back in his corner with the Immortals guarding it. I place mine in my corner as well but a bit more forward to bait the Necrons closer. I opt not to scout move to maintain a safe distance.

Pre Game Analysis
Two mobile armies... Mine is a bit faster overall. Shooting seems fairly even but I've got the support squadron which is very fast and can out range the entire Necron army with the missiles and heavy bolters. My biggest worry is Zanhdrak and the Destroyer Lord attached to the Deathmarks and held in reserve. The Tomb Blades could be a problem too since they have the wargear that ignores cover so I need to focus down on these two units first.

Every battle point is important as they all can be hard to achieve.


Opening Story Line
Sammael, Master of the Ravenwing, has been informed this time by the Inner Circle that a Necron detachment is nearby ravaging the local inhabitants and laying waste to the manofactorium. There are no Fallen reported amongst them but the xenos must be purged with cleansing vigor. The Librarian Xclops pulls forth his force sword anointing it with a special fluid to sharpen the monomolecular edge. Interrogator Chaplain Lionus grips his massive power fist in anticipation. "We will come to grips with them soon enough." says Sammael. "Lets be quick so we can re continue the search for the Fallen!"

New Tau Gargantuan Creature KX139 TA'UNAR SUPREMACY ARMOUR

Just what we needed and only 600 points.

Are tactics a thing of the past ?

I read this over on Dakka Dakka:

"These days, the only skill required in 40k is list building. All you need to do is look at your list and see if it'll be able to defeat scatbikes and wraiths. The match was over the moment you decided on your list. The tactics forums are full of nothing but armylists and unit comparisons. There is nothing relating to movement, deployments, flanks, distance, cover, etc. There is no glory in winning a 40k tournament. You had the most meta list, that's all."

I don't agree with this line of thinking for primarily the following reason... Suppose there are two gamers of equivalent skill both playing top tier lists taken from the Internet and assuming it's not a mirror match. The two army lists versus each other have their own strengths and weaknesses that can be exploited. You can simply watch video battle reports to learn all the tricks but I think the following holds true:

The player who has played the most games versus a wide variety of different armies stands to have the best odds of winning barring bad dice. This is because that player will be the most intimately familiar with their army and have developed solid tactics to counter other top builds. The other player that solely relies upon their army list to win will be hard pressed to adapt to the game at hand. Some people will still claim there are no tactics involved but in truth they are wrong and simply don't want to admit it for whatever reason.

Claiming there are no tactics is a cop out plain and simple.

Tau Stormsurge * The new Riptide !

The new 'big' riptide. Named the Stormsurge. This is the GW alternative to the forgeworld R'varna. Definitely the heavy support variant.
Clearly carries a massive Rail weapon as the primary, 4 seeker missiles, and a huge missile pod payload. You can also see more missile pods setup for indirect fire, possibly an SMS system.

The legs sport stabilizing rods, which might translate to movement restrictions in-game when firing at full effect.

Lots of optics and targeters, including what looks like an independent targeting AI thingamabob opposite the main weapon. Maybe a TL AFP for clearing out those pesky infantry hordes? Room for support systems too. Man this thing looks like it will hit so hard. It reminds me of when the Hammerhead was first introduced, with the huge Railgun that was an unheard of S10 AP1 Range 72" and wowed everyone. Pretty much no reason to take the humble hammerhead now...

You get a peak at the new firewarriors, the other new riptide variant, and possibly new crisis suits. We have seen conversions in the past that are very similar to these, so they might just be conversions. Then again, they may have been available back when the Farsight codex was released and were a hidden easter egg. Either way, they look cool.

And here we have the 'little' riptide, plus some extras. No idea what the name is for it. This is GW's alternative to the Y'vahra and definitely looks like a close support stealth riptide. Carrying some sort of stripped down Ion weapon, fusion blasters, possibly a missile pod, and some advanced maneuverability.

Looks like it comes with yet another type of drone, what could they be for? Some sort of close support flechette drone? Either way they look Awesome!

And here you can see the New. Fire. Warriors!!!!!!! Holy crap they look so good. Those carbines look super modern and the new helmets make them look way cooler than before. I love our Tau, and this makes me want to sell all the Tau I own!

You also get to see the Stormsurge in the background with an Ion primary weapon instead of the Rail weapon. So the SS will definitely have lots of options!


EDIT: these are from B&C. Shows the new name: Ghostkeel for the smaller stealth riptide

40k Batrep - Part 5 - Ravenwing vs. Salamanders Battle Company [1850]

Turn 4 - Ravenwing
I make a pretty big mistake this turn... My opponent's Warlord is down its last wound and out in the open unattached to any of the combat squads. I should have gunned him down with a large salvo from the command squad's plasma talons for Slay the Warlord which is one of the primary objectives but instead I decide to go after the combat squads instead via another multi charge and catch the Salamander Captain so I can finish off more enemy units. Sammael and his retinue shuffle around into position for the assault electing not to shoot. The Salamander Chaplain and his jump squad seem far enough away that I decide to to focus all my backfield units on the two combat squads and punch the scoring drop pod with a melta bomb in assault. The lone Black Knight moves up to shoot the Captain.

Shooting from the lone Black Knight only manages to hit once and I roll a 1 to wound the Captain. My backfield units pour fire power into the two combat squads - they both go to ground... There is one survivor from one squad and a couple more from the other squad and they both pass their leadership tests. One of the Black Knights dies from an overheat bringing that squad down to just two Black Knights.

I first multi assault with Sammael and his retinue but roll poorly for the charge and even with the extra 3" can't quite reach the Captain. Both combat squads are shredded though. I then multi assault with my backfield units. The Ravenwing sergeant attacking the drop pod with his melta bomb only manages to strip one hull point and one Salamander survives and breaks but is caught.

Salamanders: Emperor's Will (20)
Ravenwing: First Strike (2)


Turn 5 - Salamanders
My opponent informs me he has a long drive home and this will have to be the final turn. First the Captain jumps into an empty transport and it pulls back into the castle. Luckily for me my opponent makes a mistake here as he should moved up his tanks and transports to block off the Captain's transport. He thinks awhile decides to move the Chaplain and jump squad up towards my two remaining Black Knights in the back field - they will need around 9" to make the charge.

There is a bit of shooting which is ineffective even though I opt not to jink Sammael's squad. The Chaplain then declares the charge and passes off a couple wounds from Overwatch to the jump squad. They just make the charge - I finish off the jump squad but both Black Knights are dropped as well. The Chaplain then consolidates but is still too far away to claim my Emperor's Will objective. I then finish off the last Marine from the combat squad claiming my objective, however the melta bomb attack fails to finish off the drop pod.

Turn 5 - Ravenwing
I need to take out the drop pod and slay my opponent's Warlord. The two Ravenwing squads encircle the drop pod while Sammael and his retinue pull up to the front of the Salamander Captain's transport. The Librarian splits off for Line Breaker. Shooting explodes both the drop pod and the transport - the Captain spills out the back roughly 9" away from Sammael. I stick the charge and finish off the Captain... Game over !

Salamanders: Emperor's Will (10) - Last Strike (12)
Ravenwing: Emperor's Will - Slay the Warlord - First Strike - Line Breaker - Last Strike (36)


Post Game Analysis
I played the game at a fairly moderate pace taking out big chunks of the battle company over the course of the game and was able to recover from my mistake. Had I not been been able to slay my opponent's Warlord then the game would have ended 12 - 16 in my favor so the final turn was a big swing. It takes time to delete all those combat squads, drop pods and transports... I probably should been more focused on going after the main objectives rather than simply grinding down enemy units.


Story Line
Sammael reports back to the Inner Circle immediately after re boarding his waiting battle barge in geosynchronous orbit:

"I am sad to report we were unable to successfully locate the whereabouts of the Fallen Angel. All the Salamanders were slain in order to maintain the code of silence."

40k Batrep - Part 4 - Ravenwing vs. Salamanders Battle Company [1850]

Mid Game Analysis
Presently up to this point I've protected my Emperor's Will objective, scored First Strike and denied it to my opponent. It's a close game though and there is one Salamandsrs drop pod full of ten Marines onboard that will combat squad on the drop this coming turn and we know where's it's go to try to land. I probably should have positioned my backfield biker unit to bubble around my Emperor's Will objective rather than focus on destroying the pods... Hindsight is 20/20.

The Captain is out in the open though locked in melee and has lost a wound so Slay the Warlord is up for grabs. My opponent still has a good number of Marines left over on his side of the table though and he will need to put them to work. Sammael and his retinue are still at full strength though and much better equipped for ongoing melee. I need to slay his Warlord while keeping Sammael alive and I should be in good shape since I lead on secondaries plus my opponent failed to score First Strike... So the pressure is on him.

Turn 4 - Salamanders
The last drop pod full with two tactical combat squads sticks its landing right on top of my Emperor's Will objective... Suddenly there are three enemy scoring units holding my objective - not good.

The tactical squad that fell out of the wrecked razorback pile around the four Black Knights while the remainder from the tactical squad that broke move back into position to re enter melee along with another fresh combat squad. The Chaplain and his jump squad jump in closer towards my objective just beyond rapid fire range.

Shooting up front sees the forward Black Knight squad reduced to just one Knight left even though they jinked. Shooting in the back around my objective sees a couple Black Knights dropped as well as I chose not to jink them.

The two squads of tactical Marines both charge into the scrum. Sammael slips another wound psst the Captain and the Interrogator Chaplain finishes off the last of the Captain's bodyguard taking a wound in return. The Black Knight command manage to drop another Salamander losing one in return. The Captain then breaks and manages to slip away along with one of the combat squads that also broke forming a protective ring of bodies around their leader. I then elect to Hit and Run moving deeper into the corner.

Salamanders: Emperor's Will
Ravenwing: First Strike

The wily Salamanders have suddenly slipped into the lead though precariously.

Battle Company and what people are doing wrong

I see a lot of battle company armies and they all suffer from the same intrinsic flaw. If you are losing assaults to Warp Spiders then all I can say is shame shame. Many people are making the same mistake... They want to go pure shooty. The army needs one dedicated melee unit that has real balls and can crush things like feeble Warp Spiders. Just think about it - if you have just one strong dedicated melee centric unit it acts as a deterrent to units such as Warp Spiders rampaging through your lines. The unit must be fast too so it can catch enemy units and crush them on the charge.

My answer is the following for the Lion's Blade BattLe Company:

Master - artificer armor - jump pack - storm shield - power fist - shroud of heroes

Interrogator Chaplain - jump pack - power fist

Assault Squad
7x Space Marine - jump packs - eviscerator
Sergeant - lightning claw

They are combined together and form a counter assault unit. They can be easily hidden behind transports and move quickly to intercept enemy melee units headed into your battle line. Sure it's a fair chunk of points which is offset by the free transports. Will it hold up to Thunderwolves - no but you have other answers to deal with those threats.

Think about it.

40k Batrep - Part 3 - Ravenwing vs. Salamanders Battle Company [1850]

Turn 3 - Salamanders
The last drop pod fails to arrive from reserve but the second jump squad lands, dropping in close to their Chaplain.

As I was hoping there is some vehicle movement and several combat squads disembark all taking aim on the forward squad of Black Knights, including the Salamander Captain. The Chaplain completes the movement by joining the second jump squad... They are situated further back this time beyond my waiting bikers' rapid fire range.

Shooting is split - some is concentrated on the forward Black Knight squad killing the only one the Salamanders have line of sight to target. The rest of the shooting is concentrated on Sammael and his retinue whom jink and the Master of the Ravenwing suffers one wound.

Turn 3 - Ravenwing
The mice have come out for the cheese so it's time for the big black cat to pounce ! Sammael and his retinue race through the ruins moving into position to multi assault the remaining heavy bolter Devs, tactical Marines in the woods beside the central ruin and the combat squad with the Salamander Captain.

The forward Black Knight squad races into a corner beside a razorback which had sheered off from its castle.

The two Ravenwing biker squads and other Black Knight squad drop back around my Emperor's Will objective to focus on the Salamander drop pods.

Shooting from the two biker squads and Black Knights wreck both drop pods and I elect not to shoot with Sammael and his command. The forward Black Knights wreck the razorback.

I issue the multi charge taking one wound on the Librarian from combined Overwatch. Sammael and command easily make it into combat with all three squads.

The heavy bolter Devs are destroyed along with two tactical Marines in the woods while Sammael and the Captain trades blows - the Captain suffered one wound in the exchange. The tactical Marines break while the Captain's squad sticks. All of the Ravenwing command piles in.

Salamanders: 0
Ravenwing: First Strike

40k Batrep: Ravenwing vs. Salamanders • Part 2

I believe I rolled on the Telekinesis lore this game. I rolled poorly throughout the game when attempting to cast psychic powers which did not play a big roll in the game.

My opponent won the roll to choose his deployment zone picking the side with an open corner to deploy his anti-air force. He then won the roll to deploy first:

This picture shows the layout of the table and terrain:

My opponent castles in his corner with the ground transports blocking off his anti-air formation. The Devastators with heavy bolters deploy in their rhino beside the central line of sight piece of blocking terrain. He places his Emperor's Will objective marker all the way back in his table corner. The assault squads are both held in reserve to deep strike along with his Chaplain attached to one of them. Note that his full infantry units will break into combat squads.

Here is my counter deployment along with my scout move:

I placed the Ravenwing support squadron (RWSS) in the middle so all the other units can take advantage of the Darkshroud stealth bubble. I place the Typhoons forward to soak incoming firepower from the enemy Hunter and Stalkers. I deployed Sammael and his command squad with the Interrogator Chaplain and Librarian attached so they can get to grips with the Salamander castle quickly. One squad of Black Knights and the two biker squads will hang back to protect my Emperor's Will objective marker. The other squad of Black Knights are free to go wherever needed the most. My Emperor's Will objective marker is placed in a clump of trees by the side of the table just behind my bikers.

My opponent is going first and I fail to seize.


Turn 1 - Salamanders
Down come two drop pods. One is the Devastators with multi-meltas and the other is one of the tactical units which splits into combat squads. One combat squad of tactical Marines jump out of a rhino and jump into some woods over beside the central ruin.

The other Devastator squad with heavy bolters disembarks and jumps into the central terrain.

I then elect to intercept the melta Devastators with the RWSS. They kill three of five leaving the sergeant and one gunner who break and fall back.

The anti-air force then lights up the RWSS managing to drop two of the Typhoons. The heavy bolter Devs snap fire at the remaining skimmers but fail to do any damage. The razorbacks with line of sight follow up with the final volleys from the castle but can't get past the jink save. The rest of his shooting is ineffective from the podded tacticals putting one wound on an attack bike. My opponent's turn ends and he failed to score First Strike.

Turn 1 - Ravenwing
It's a target rich environment but I can't assault this turn as my entire army scouted. It's okay though, I've got lots of twin linked fire power. The two biker squads and both Black Knight squads drop back to surround the two tactical combat squads while Sammael and his retinue move up behind the central objective taking aim on the two remaining melta Devs.

The RWSS scoots forward as well and can't shoot this turn as they chose to intercept.

My shooting phase wipes out the melta Devs for First Strike and I delete one of the tactical combat squads. The other combat squad is dropped to just the sergeant who breaks and is destroyed since he is trapped between my bikes and his own drop pod. It's almost a perfect clear out except for the two drop pods, neither of which are close enough to control my Emperor's Will objective marker.

Salamanders: 0
Ravenwing: First Stike


Turn 2 - Salamanders
The Salamanders' Chaplain along with his jump squad are the only reserves to arrive this turn. They drop in towards the back on my side of the table and scatter right towards my backfield bikers.

This is a fairly fast turn with not much movement except for his Chaplain and jump squad who elect to run but don't get very far. The Salamander anti-air force takes out the remaining Typhoon and Darkshroud (note the Stalkers ignore jinking). The heavy bolter Devs elect to target the Ravenwing command whom jink taking no wounds. The razorbacks are also ineffective and the two drop pods in my backfield fail to wound any of my bikers either.

2nd Turn - Ravenwing
I elect to move and turbo boost one squad of Black Knights just poking past my right side of the central ruin in a gambit to lure some of my opponent's Marines from out of their transports.

Sammael and his command remain tucked behind the central ruin to target the heavy bolter Devs. My two Ravenwing biker squads and the remaining Black Knights all line up to torrent down the Salamanders Chaplain and jump squad. I kill the Devs I can see and the jump squad is blasted... The Chaplain however rolls very well for his armor and Rosarius saves only taking one wound.

Salamanders: 0
Ravenwing: First Strike

40k Batrep - Part 1 - Ravenwing vs. Salamanders Battle Company [1850]

This game is from last weekend over the Labor Day holiday. We were testing one of the BeakyCon5 sample missions:

Deployment - Vanguard Strike

Primary Objectives:
1) Emperor's Will
2) Slay the Warlord

Each primary objective is worth 20 battle points if you win, 10 battle points for a draw and 0 if you lose.

Secondary Objectives:
First Strike - Line Breaker - Last Strike

You score First Strike if you destroy an enemy unit the first turn.

You score Last Strike if you destroy an enemy unit the last turn.

Each secondary objective is worth 2 battle points.

The number of game turns is fixed at six turns and the game must go at least four turns.


Here is my army list:

+++ Ravenwing (1850) +++

++ Ravenwing Strike Force (1625) ++

+ Fast Attack (930) +

Ravenwing Bike Squad (215)
4x Ravenwing Biker - 2x Grav Gun
Ravenwing Attack Bike - Multi-Melta
Ravenwing Sergeant - Melta Bombs

Ravenwing Bike Squad (215)
4x Ravenwing Biker - 2x Grav Gun
Ravenwing Attack Bike - Multi-Melta
Ravenwing Sergeant - Melta Bombs

Rules:
Grim Resolve - Hammer of Wrath - Hit & Run - Outflank - Ravenwing - Scout


Ravenwing Black Knights (205)
4x Black Knight - Ravenwing Grenade Launcher
Huntmaster - Melta Bombs

Ravenwing Black Knights (200)
4x Black Knight - Ravenwing Grenade Launcher
Huntmaster

+ Elites (215) +

Ravenwing Command Squad (215)
4x Black Knight - 2x Ravenwing Grenade Launcher - Ravenwing Company Banner
Ravenwing Apothecary
Ravenwing Champion - Blade of Caliban

+ HQ (480) +

Interrogator-Chaplain (170) - Auspex - Power Fist - Rosarius - Crozius Arcanum - Shroud of Heroes - Space Marine Bike

Librarian (110) - Psychic Hood

Force Sword - Space Marine Bike
Psyker Mastery Level 2

Sammael (200) - Iron Halo

Warlord Trait:
Rapid Manoeuvre

Corvex (Jetbike) - Plasma Cannon
Raven Sword


++ Dark Angels Formation Detachment (225+95) ++ Ravenwing Support Squadron

Rules:
Grim Resolve - Interceptor - Ravenshield - Strafing Run - Support squadron - Anti-Grav Upwash

Ravenwing Land Speeder - Heavy Bolter - Typhoon Missile Launcher
Ravenwing Land Speeder - Heavy Bolter - Typhoon Missile Launcher
Ravenwing Land Speeder - Heavy Bolter - Typhoon Missile Launcher

Ravenwing Darkshroud (95) - Assault Cannon

Warlord Trait: Rapid Manoeuvre:
Your Warlord, and any unit he joins, can either roll 2 dice when they run, using the highest roll, or can add D6" to any Turbo-boost they make (or Flat Out move, in the case of Master Sammael on his Land Speeder).


Unfortunately I don't have a copy of my opponent's army list:

Double Demi Air (1850)

Space Marines

++ Gladius Strike Force ++ (1850)

Chapter Tactics - Salamanders

Core (1555)

Battle Demi Company I (805)

HQ
Captain - Combi-Melta - Relic Blade /Warlord

Fast Attack
Assault Squad (130)
4x Assault Marine - Jump Packs - Flamer - Eviscerator
Space Marine Sergeant - Chainsword - Plasma Pistol

Heavy Support
Devastator Squad (110)
4x Devastator - 4x Multi-Melta
Sergeant
Drop Pod

Troops
Tactical Squad (170)
9x Space Marine - Meltagun - Multi-Melta
Sergeant - Combi-Melta
Drop Pod

Tactical Squad (175)
9x Space Marine - Meltagun - Multi-melta
Sergeant - Combi-Melta - Melta Bombs
Drop Pod

Tactical Squad (95)
4x Space Marine - Flamer
Sergeant - Chainsword - Plasma Pistol
Razorback - Dozer Blade - Twin-linked Heavy Flamer

Battle Demi Company II (750)

HQ
Chaplain (120)
Jump Pack - Plasma Pistol

Fast Attack
Assault Squad (105)
4x Space Marine - Jump Packs - Flamer
Sergeant - Chainsword - Plasma Pistol

Heavy Support
Devastator Squad (135)
4x Space Marine - 4x Heavy Bolter
Sergeant
Razorback - Dozer Blade - Twin-linked Lascannon

Troops
Tactical Squad (120)
4x Space Marine - Meltagun
Sergeant - Combi-melta - Melta Bombs
Razorback - Dozer Blade - Twin-linked Lascannon

Tactical Squad (110)
4x Space Marine - Flamer
Sergeant - Plasma Pistol - Power Sword
Razorback -Dozer Blade - Twin-linked Heavy Bolter

Tactical Squad (160)
9x Space Marine - Flamer - Missile Launcher
Sergeant
Rhino

Auxiliary
Anti-air Defence Force * (295)
Hunter
Stalker
Stalker
Stalker

Warlord Trait - Rites of War - All units can use the Captain's leadership


Pre Game Analysis
Wow that's a lot of Marines and it's a fairly mobile army with the transports and jump infantry. If my opponent deploys correctly it will be all but impossible to take his Emperor's Will objective so I'll have to be careful and plan on playing that objective to a draw. He might also be cagey with his Warlord so I'll have to try enticing him to venture out for some good old fisticuffs. This game could easily come down to secondary objectives and they can all be scored by both armies.

My opponent's anti-air formation can make short work of my skimmers if I'm not careful... There was a good sized piece of line of sight blocking terrain in the middle of the table so I'll have to use that to my advantage.

My army is more mobile and stronger in melee so I'll have to use those attributes to my advantage. I also have more armor ignoring shooting to quickly cut down any green Marines foolish enough to stray too far from their transports.

Should be a close game so have to play smart.

Story Line
Sammael, Master of the Ravenwing, has been informed by the Inner Circle that it's possible a traitorous Fallen may have duped a nearby Salamander detachment infiltrating them. The Fallen Angel must be captured even if every last Salamander is lost as a casualty of the hunt. There is no time for any remorse. Upon discussion with Interrogator Chaplain Lionus whom has collected five black pearls it is decided there can be no discretion.

Ravenwing 102 • Special Rules & Enhanced Cover Saves

Sometimes people ask did GW really intend for there to be a 2++ re rollable save or was it simply an oversight. If we look to the new Dark Angels codex the answer is obvious. The Ravenwing special tells us these units can re roll their jink save.

The basic jink save is 4++.

Black Knights have Skilled Rider so they have a 3++ jink save combined with the Ravenwing special rule.

The Darkshroud is a skimmer that is shrouded conferring 2++ to itself and its unit (i.e., Ravenwing Support Squadron). The Darkshroud also has the special rule Icon of Old Caliban which confers the special rule Stealth to any friendly units within 6". Therefore the Black Knights can have a 2++ re rollable jink save since if one model is shrouded then it is conferred to the entire unit. So even a basic Ravenwing biker squad within 6" of the Darkshroud has a 3++ re rollable jink save. This is one of the reasons why the Ravenwing Support squadron is so powerful when combined with a Ravenwing Strike Force. Stealth is conferred automatically so it's always there unlike cover saves conferred by psychic powers such as Shrouded from the Telepathy lore which must be cast. Just think how powerful dark eldar would be if they had a mobile unit with a stealth bubble to protect their skimmer craft.

Ravenwing biker units also have the universal special rule Scout so they can outflank. Note that if you run the Ravenwing Strike Force all units in this formation must either be deployed at the beginning of the game or all be held in reserve. If you elect to run a small strike force this is a great option however if you run a large formation it's best to deploy. The Ravenwing Support Squadron is a separate formation so you can elect to hold it in reserve versus enemies that have strong alpha strike potential. This gives you some nice options.

If the Ravenwing Strike Force is deployed they can turbo boost the first turn, jink then shoot at their full ballistic skill the next turn. This is very powerful when combined with the scout move.

Ravenwing 101

I have had three games so far with my Ravenwing using the pure list composed of the Ravenwing Strike Force and Ravenwing Support Squadron I posted. It is a nice break from rolling with super friends army lists. Ravenwing is the new White Scars because overall they collectively have better rules. For example you don't have to waste any points on a mediocre HQ to scout. It makes sense for GW to make Ravenwing better than White Scars so players will want to buy new models. I am hoping Tau are toned down and they fix msrkerlights. Tau have three things that break the game:

- Ignore Cover
- Interceptor
- Skyfire

They have these abilities in spades and it's all automatic plus undercosted. Tau are not popular anymore though because as a whole the army is not highly mobile and they are no longer battle brothers with eldar. The lack of mobility is very detrimental for Maelstrom missions and they lost the broken combos with eldar such as the batsuit joining a Riptide.

7th edition fixed many of the problems with 6th edition which also was a nerf to Tau. As an example assault is much stronger now since central tenants to the game such as challenges work properly helping a choppy army versus screwing them. Assault armies are much stronger now as a direct result which overall helps to better balance the game.

Tau is one of those armies that has always got really strong codices upon the initial release and is not easy to balance since they are devoid of strong meleecentric units. I am sure they will get new formations and detachments to bring them in line with the new edition which they need but I am hoping they are more balanced overall rather than relying upon game breaking rules to be competitive. Tau do not need gargantuan Riptides and D to win.

So back to Ravenwing... These are the best rules for Dark Angels ever and I'd hate to see the codex ruined within a few months of its release by the next codex to drop. As a pure army they do not have the uber over the top melee abilities. Sammael is a good HQ but not a total beast like Smashfecker. I enjoy playing the pure army so I can more fully flesh out the army and play a more tactical game. Ravenwing can beat Tau versus the abundance of ignoring cover due to high mobility and over saturating an area with many units as opposed to a super friends army that has an overall low model count and relies upon the deathstar to do all the heavy lifting.

I like a mix of Black Knights and Ravenwing biker squads as the core of my army. The Black Knights are specialists while the Ravenwing biker squads are more generalists. Combined together they are strong. I took what I learned from playing White Scars to design my Ravenwing biker squads:

Sergeant - melta bombs
4x Ravenwing biker - 2x grav gun
Attack Bikd - multi-melta

Two squads of Black Knights on average will delete a Wraithknight or scatter bike squad in one turn so versus eldar it's all about the Divide and Conquer tactic to concentrate a larger percentage of your army to eliminate key enemy units. The high mobility is key.

I was going to present a battle report for my recent game versus a heavy drop pod Imperial Fist Gladius Strike Force but unfortunately we discovered the Imperial Fist army list was illegal due to an oversight regarding which formations it can draw from collectively to design it. The mission was Contact Lost from Maelstrom and was hard fought due to all the drop pods being able to control objectives since they are objective secured. The game ended in a draw after six turns but would have most likely been a win for Ravenwing if it had gone on to a final seventh turn. I had another game versus a Salamanders Gladius Strike Force and it came down to the final turn... Brilliant game and I might write a batrep for that one.

ThunderDome takes NOVA Open

Aaron Aleong won both the invitational and the open this year beating a host of the country's top players including Nick Navatni and Pajamapant's top daemon armies. I'm not sure what army Aaron played in the invitational but he was playing Champions of Fenris and Ravenwing in the Open. ThunderDome is a monster deathstar and it will probably become very popular. It is similar to my BikeStar but much stronger in melee dedicating the vast majority of the army to the deathstar. The hub of the army is the Ravenwing command squad as opposed to the White Scars. Ravenwing can do everything White Scars can do plus more for basically the same points plus they have scout without having to waste the points on a mediocre HQ. The army has little to no shooting. ThunderDome does have the Conclave as well so it's quite strong in the psychic phase as well.

Aaron's ThunderDome looked something like this:

Sammael
DA Chaplain on bike
RW Command Squad on Bikes
DA Scouts
DA Tacs in Rhino
Wolf Guard Battle Leader on TWM
3x Iron Priests on TWM
Blood Claws in Rhino
Grey Hunters in Rhino
3x Biker Librarians (Conclave)
Rune Priest Biker

Congratulations to Aaron for a job very well done !

Horus Heresy Book 6 Rumors • 30k

Book 6 is called 'Retaliation'.

The main story will cover a shattered legion (Iron Hand/Raven Guard /Salamander) force taking the fight to the traitors, primarily being Iron Warriors.

Dark Furies are finished but not on show yet.

IW seige tyrants are about finished but not on show.

Book 6 will include early rules for dark mechanicum (rules not units) and will also include basic rules for mixed legion armies (shattered legions).

The main delay with prospero is FW wanting all the pretty models done beforehand so that they can be used in all the artwork and page backgrounds, plus having the models done help with rules writing for those units (what wargear etc).

We will be seeing Prospero releases a while before Inferno is released.

Expect to see Thousand Onns head/torso/shoulder pads before the end of the year and space wolves stuff early next year, with the basics like vehicle doors, contemptors, transfer sheets etc coming far earlier than the book

Book 6 will also include new rites for all legions. Two examples were:

- Word Bearers: Gal Vorbak as troops
- EC: Noise Marines as troops

Also basic rules for BA, DA and WS will be included - including a rite or two, special equipment and legiones astartes rule. Argel Tal will be in a later book - not book 6.

Grey Knights 7th Edition • Part 1

I think Grey Knights are still one of the top armies if played right. I have played them since fourth edition when they were not considered competitive. Grey Knights did not get a new codex that is over the top like eldar, Necrons or Space Marines but they have all the tools to win big. It is hard for a lot of veteran players to make the transition to the new edition but multi factions is part of the game now. The year I made it to the Ard Boyz finals playing the PDF Blood Angels I had Grey Knights as an ally. Nowadays Grey Knights with another faction bring it to the table and they pair very well with Space Marines. Grey Knights are one of the top psychic armies on the same level as daemons and eldar. This article is my advice how to optimize Grey Knights for the current meta in seventh edition.

Warp Charge
Grey Knights can generate lots of warp charge and the psychic phase is a big part of the game. Armies such as Necrons and Tau have access to zero warp charge so right off the bat that's a huge advantage. Based on my experience the following units are your best choices to field:

— Lord Khaldor Draigo (level 2 psychic mastery) /Lord of War
— Librarian (level 3 psychic mastery) /HQ
— Strike Squad (level 1 psychic mastery) /Troops
— Purifiers (level 2 psychic mastery)/ Elites

These are your four go to units.

Purifiers
Note that taking a full squad of Purifiers and breaking them into two combat squads automatically generates four warp charges. Purifiers are often overlooked because the general consensus is they die just like any other Space Marine but on the flip side they are amazing in terms of offense. Cleansing Flame (nova) is hands down one of the best psychic powers from the Santic lore and they come with it built in. Purifiers are the best Space Marines unit in power armor and I'll take them every time over Grey Knight terminators. The Stormraven is the perfect transport for Purifiers delivering them right where you need them most. Grey Knights need synergy to win so it's all about creating all the right combinations.

I take one full squad. The Keeper of the Flame is armed with a Nemesis Daemonhammer. I field one Purifier with another Nemesis Daemonhammer and then two psycannons. They are good at both shooting and assault. Besides Cleansing Flame their next go to psychic power is Hammerhand... They can bring down Wraithknights in melee.

Draigo
I really hated it when it was envogue for the oldhammer TOs to ban all Lords of War. The good news is Lords of War are much more accepted now. Draigo is still a major beatstick right up there at the top and can easily drop a Wraithknight in the first round of melee... That's quite significant. He is still one of the ultimate tanks as well - especially when Sanctuary is up for the 2+ invulnerable save. His main psychic power is Gate of Infinity but his Warlord Trait lets him cast Banishment on a 2+ with is great versus daemons which are one of the top armies.

Librarian
I arm mine with a Nemesis Daemonhammer, stormbolter and Liber Daemonica. The Librarian gives you access to the Divination Lore - you want Prescience which is automatic since it's the Primaris, Perfect Timing and Misfortune. WS5 with the Daemonhammer, Hammerhand and Force are another great combo for dropping Wraightknights. The main reason I take the Liber Daemonica is that the unit he is attached can reroll 1s when casting Santic which can be clutch to make sure Gate of Infinity goes off when you need it most. Level 3 psychic mastery is also huge pumping up your pool of warp charge.

Strike Squad
This is your one mandatory troop choice for fielding the Nemesis Strike Force detachment. I deep strike mine and try to keep them alive to make the late game objective grabs.

Pre Battle Report • Ravenwing vs. Imperial Fists

I had a very exciting local league game with my Ravenwing versus Imperial Fists this evening. I took a lot of pictures and will be posting full battle report over the holiday weekend. I ran my pure Ravenwing list I posted earlier this week. My opponent had a heavy drop pod army. It was a real blood back and forth blood bath.

Ravenwing is strong but more of a tactical army compared to BikeStar or DraigoStar. I really like the mobility and firepower. Corvus hammers are a bit underwhelming but the plasma talons are really good.