# Need the specs and details of a Raven Guard army!



## Dead4XxX (Jun 29, 2008)

Hello, i recently started playing Space Marines and do not yet know what eac army's tactics are. My friend recommended Raven Guard so i want to to know the main theme of the chapter. Main questions are:

Weapon Spec?
Tactic Spec?
Unit Restrictions
Hero

And all the other fluff. Thanks!:victory:


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## rgw (Jan 29, 2008)

Best fluff is in the current codex, but seeing as a new one is coming out, its unknown how much fluff will be in there.

Raven Guard like Assault Marines and Scouts. Anything that can infiltrate or deep strike and get closer to the enemy. They are masters at surrounding the enemy, using fast attack tactics and operating behind enemy lines.

Their poster-boy is Kayvann Shrike. He is armed with dual lighning claws called "Raven's Talons" and leads an elite unit of assault marines.

Space Marine traits are soon to be dropped, but currently they can take furious assault for their tac and assault squads, and their assault marines can be elites if they take the skill. This allows them to have alot of assault marines that are good at what they do. Drawback they are forced to take is that they don't field as many heavy vehicles.

As for more fluff, try the lexicanum for info on Corax (their primarch) and some more of their backstory.


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## Vrykolas2k (Jun 10, 2008)

Traits are going to be dropped?
I think the people at GW have gone directly out of their fucking minds.


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## chaos vince (Jun 10, 2008)

weather they have or not, it follows the pattern of taking away the customizable aspects of armies(see new chaos codex):threaten:


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## ReaperOfHeresy (Jun 8, 2008)

All i can say is that Raven Guards are a fast army Assault marines, bikes, and all infatary troops in rinos.



> weather they have or not, it follows the pattern of taking away the customizable aspects of armies(see new chaos codex)


I miss the old chaos codex :cray:


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## lomaxxdurang (Jun 24, 2008)

They are also Albinos like Corax was. Each one as they age grows paler and their eyes redden.
Kind of like Space Wolfs and their long fangs. They are missing a couple of organs becaus Corax tried to speed up the growth of a space marine after his catastrophic losses at the drop site massacre.


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## Lord Reevan (May 1, 2008)

thing is with th e flesh over steel trait they can't take that many assault squads and tac. squads in rhinos as they both take up a fast attack slot....


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Assault Squads take up a FA slot anyways. 

Either way, as stated, Raven Guard are all about fast attack, lightning raids, Blitzkrieg. 

And no, you do NOT have to use the traits in the codex, although if you do use traits, the given ones are the ones you must use.

-Dirge


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## Lord Reevan (May 1, 2008)

Dirge Eterna said:


> Assault Squads take up a FA slot anyways.
> -Dirge


Yeah so if they mechanise thetac. squads that are mandatory you can only take one assault squad bar the vet. ones. 

Plus you cannont use shrike unless you use the relevant traits...


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

As long as you play Raven Guard, you may take Captain Shrike. Traits are OPTIONAL. They're just little snippits that you CAN use to personalize your force. If you play one of the chapters listed in the predefined traits, you do not have to take the Traits rules (Although if you choose to use Traits, you must take the traits listed under your army). Just play a Codex list for a non-Codex army.

So, if we follow this, you may take 2-6 Tactical squads or Scout Squads in Rhinos, and Three Assault Squads, Land Speeder Squads, Bike Squads, etc. And in Apocalypse the FOC is completely dismembered in favor of putting everything down, so this would only apply to 3000- games.

-Dirge


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

There's no necessity to take either tac squads or rhinos at the moment though, it's perfectly possible to field a Raven Guard force with, for instance, 2 small scout squads (say, one with a heavy bolter and one with a missile launcher), 3 assault squads (who may be given _furious assault_), and three elite assault squads (who *must* be given _furious assault_), plus Shrike and his command squad.

That's 7 jump-pack squads and 2 squads of infiltrators with heavy weapons (you could of course take _more_ scout squads...)

Of course it remains to be seen how the new codex will screw this up, but if the new rules for RG turn out _really_ bad, it might be worth re-tooling them using a Blood Angels list.

:my two cents cyclops:


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

remember its not cool to post _actual rules from a codex in full._

just a warning.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

Ah, right, if that's to me, sorry.

:contrite cyclops:


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## bobafett012 (Jun 14, 2008)

Red Orc said:


> There's no necessity to take either tac squads or rhinos at the moment though, it's perfectly possible to field a Raven Guard force with, for instance, 2 small scout squads (say, one with a heavy bolter and one with a missile launcher), 3 assault squads (who may be given _furious assault_), and three elite assault squads (who *must* be given _furious assault_), plus Shrike and his command squad.
> 
> That's 7 jump-pack squads and 2 squads of infiltrators with heavy weapons (you could of course take _more_ scout squads...)
> 
> ...


yeah i am guessing that GW will have most of the traited armies screwed up. one thing i dislike is the fast that once the marine codex does come out you will HAVE to take the special character to get that armies rules. plus with 5th rules you will have to take more troop options so like you say if you like assault marines my guess is gonna be that blood angels are the way to go.


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## Vxx (Feb 7, 2008)

The more traditional Raven Guard lists I have been looking at always utilize the traits that have been assigned to them in the book. Also they really dont use bikes, rhinos or any tanks in general. Land speeders, drop pods and the occasional Dreadnought are warmly welcomed.

I am in the process of making a Raven Guard army and it evolves the more I research them. In an 1850pt list I plan on taking Shrike (possibly with his retinue), a couple of full assault squads with lightning claw equipped sergeants, a couple of scout sniper squads complimented with rocket launchers, A couple of tac squads in drop pods with some plasma weaponry, two land speeders with multi-meltas and two Dreadnoughts with Lascannons and missile launchers. If there are any points left over I will think about a bolter scout squad or maybe Shrikes retinue. Its an expensive HQ choice coming in at around 370pts for 5 models who will more than likely not regain their points but are fluffy and fun to field. I know that Shrike is the captain of the 3rd company but I am not sure what squads are included in it. Once I find out my list might change again.  I fear that I will complete this army and once the new codex comes out I will have to change things up. But such is life.


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## bobafett012 (Jun 14, 2008)

Vxx said:


> The more traditional Raven Guard lists I have been looking at always utilize the traits that have been assigned to them in the book. Also they really dont use bikes, rhinos or any tanks in general. Land speeders, drop pods and the occasional Dreadnought are warmly welcomed.
> 
> I am in the process of making a Raven Guard army and it evolves the more I research them. In an 1850pt list I plan on taking Shrike (possibly with his retinue), a couple of full assault squads with lightning claw equipped sergeants, a couple of scout sniper squads complimented with rocket launchers, A couple of tac squads in drop pods with some plasma weaponry, two land speeders with multi-meltas and two Dreadnoughts with Lascannons and missile launchers. If there are any points left over I will think about a bolter scout squad or maybe Shrikes retinue. Its an expensive HQ choice coming in at around 370pts for 5 models who will more than likely not regain their points but are fluffy and fun to field. I know that Shrike is the captain of the 3rd company but I am not sure what squads are included in it. Once I find out my list might change again.  I fear that I will complete this army and once the new codex comes out I will have to change things up. But such is life.



a few things as i run a ravenguard army too. unless you are doing it for sheer fluffly reasons drop the LC's on the sergs and make them PW or PF's whichever you prefer.

another thing, as you already know about the new marine codex comin out in sept i would hold off till then because i am betting, like you, that the army composition could be drastically changed 

i went to GW's site and purchased 4 pairs of lightening claws off the SM honor guard set and made my sweet retiue for shrike and they are awesome in CC, absolutly devastate most everything they hit. and now i am wondering if shrike will even get his retinue in the new codex among other things??....sigh


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