I'm a fan of always using the Jump move in both movement and assault phase. Teh shrouded is good, the packs are what I want to Raven guard for.Because one turn of Shrouded (you can't even pick which turn, it has to be first) and +1 to the roll to see if Night Fight happens is shit compared to army-wide Hit and Run/Skilled Rider/Str5 Hammer of Wrath/re-roll Run, or +1 Feel No Pain on the whole army and IWND on all vehicles, or two turns of your entire army re-rolling 1s to hit with shooting and two turns of your entire army re-rolling 1s to hit in melee with your core infantry units getting flat re-rolls, or all your Devastators getting Tank Hunters and your entire army re-rolling 1s to hit with Bolt weapons including Special Ammo.
For a free benefit, Shrouded on turn 1 is a solid benefit especially if it comes with Night Fight, but given that you give up other Chapter Tactics to use it, I don't think it's good at all.
Also Shrike is one of the worse Special Characters. Not the worst, sure, but nothing particularly special in my view.
Charming.Um...... is someone missing there village idiot?
The thing is, Assault Marines are still kind of terrible all told, and Vanguard can re-roll their charge distances anyway so all you're really getting is the Str4 Shred Hammer of Wrath. That's not inconsequential, but I don't think it's really enough to make up for the deficiences of Assault Marines and probably isn't as strong as other Chapter Tactics on Vanguard - let alone the consideration that of all the Chapter Tactics, Raven Guard is the only one that doesn't affect your whole army.I'm a fan of always using the Jump move in both movement and assault phase. Teh shrouded is good, the packs are what I want to Raven guard for.
I think the idea that Raven Guard are 'stealthy' is a bit of a misconception. You're right, you can't sneak up on someone wearing power armour.I'd have given Raven Guard re-rolling reserves, Outflank, and made Winged Deliverance the ability to assault on the turn you arrive from Reserves as long as you didn't Deep Strike.
I think it's ridiculous that they're 'the sneaky Marines', because Marines aren't sneaky - their Scouts are, but Power Armour makes a noise like an idling V8 and that's just standing still. You might be able to sneak up on a half-deaf Ork sleeping off a hangover, but not much else.
*shrug* my BA are playing better out of this Codex than ever before (and I came back into the game during the glory days of the razorback rush in 5th). Assault marines can stay FA for all I care, what will push me over the edge is buying a new book every two years.well that gives me hope BA will get ass marines as troops again in A YEAR AND A HALF when they get their next codex.
True, but the reason I want a new codex despite having received on just six months ago is that I want my units to be on a par with the new SM book, furiosos shouldn't have a lower number of attacks than regular vanilla dreads, our demi company is less flexible and lacks obj secured and I would like WS/BS 4 scouts, ass marines as troops again would just be a bonus. I wouldn't have wanted these things if the vanillas hadn't gotten them with this release, it's lik when DA ere stuck with 4++, combat only storm shields when everyone else got 3++ equivalents. The solution to this would be the design studio writing all the marine codexes at once, even if they released them a few months apart.*shrug* my BA are playing better out of this Codex than ever before (and I came back into the game during the glory days of the razorback rush in 5th). Assault marines can stay FA for all I care, what will push me over the edge is buying a new book every two years.
There's always the Fleshtearer detachment from the Shield of Baal book if you need to up your FA slots.
I think you're bang on for their warfare methods, but that's not how GW are writing them and that's the problem.I think the idea that Raven Guard are 'stealthy' is a bit of a misconception. You're right, you can't sneak up on someone wearing power armour.
I see Raven Guard more as masters of guerrilla tactics, ambushes, hit and run attacks etc. more than straight up stealth.
Smells like an inconsistent plot device to me.Plus Corax and I believe some others have the ability to make people not notice them even in plain sight. I don't know if that's a skill that has survived 10,000 years.