DOCTRINAE RAVENWING By ( Centurian99 ) |
This article has been reproduced with kind permission from the author. It's use here is not intended as a challenge to the original authors copyright and is reproduced here for the sole purpose of enhancing the Dark Angel spirit and the warhammer 40,000 experience |
Troop Units: Bike Squadrons "Speed Kills the enemy." Well, you have one choice: a Ravenwing bike squadron. So there's the core of your force. Now, how that core is organized is the difference between a victorious Ravenwing army and a collection of spare parts. You have several options available to customize your bike squadrons, and each must be considered carefully. Veteran sergeants. Special weapons. Attaching an attack bike. Unit size. But before we consider those options, you must first answer a question: Specialization or Generalization: These are two competing schools of thought among Ravenwing players. The generalization school of thought teaches that because a Ravenwing force is so small, each unit must be able to do multiple tasks. Generalization players often field smaller squadrons so as to field more separate squadrons, and often equip their squadrons with a combination of special weapons. The other school of thought, and the one that I believe in, is specialization, or at least limited specialization. The Ravenwing are not designed to engage the enemy head-on. Rather, they should isolate and destroy portions of an enemy's army, weakening it until they can deliver the coup de grace. For that reason, when the Ravenwing attack a particular target, that target must die. Otherwise, the likely result is a Ravenwing unit that is out in the open, vulnerable to enemy attack. Similarly, the unit must have the ability to survive long enough that it can destroy its targets. On the other hand, I have heard anecdotal experiences of generalized Ravenwing forces that preformed well on the battlefield. And indeed, with your selection of units limited by the high points cost of Ravenwing bikers, it's important that you have units that can perform multiple duties. Once you've decided whether specialization or generalization is the way to go, it is time to consider the options. First off is unit size. Here, I believe that the magic number of the Ravenwing Bike Squadron is five. At five models, a squadron has to suffer two shooting casualties before it takes a morale check. Falling back from combat can sometimes be good, and sometimes be bad, but in general, you don't want your expensive troops falling back, perhaps off the table, but definitely out of position. If you're running out of points, a smaller squadron may need to be taken, but such a squadron will usually serve in a reserve role, backing up your full-strength squadrons. The second option that must be considered is which special weapon or weapons to take. Each squadron can take up to two, and I would advice taking full advantage of this. As a Ravenwing commander, you have the choice of meltaguns, plasma guns, and flamers: Plasma guns, I believe, have no place in a Ravenwing army. If you stand still to rapid-fire, you give up one of the chief advantages of the Ravenwing, that of mobility. If you move, the plasma gun is simply an inferior meltagun. Take those plasma guns and put them in your regular Dark Angels army. Melta-guns are your primary tank-killing weapon. Additionally, they have an AP of 1, which will make a mockery of any armor short of an invulnerable save. Place these in your units which you intend to hunt tanks. Flamers are a great anti-troop weapon. Combined with the Ravenwing mobility, two flamers can wreak untold havoc on any squad of enemy troops. Careful maneuvering can place your flamers in position to hit the maximum number of enemy troops, annihilating weakly armored squads and causing significant damage to better-armored ones. Even Space Marine's will fail their saves if they have to make enough of them. The third option is whether or not to place a veteran sergeant in your bike squadron. Here is where considering the purpose of your squadrons is vital. If your squadron is intended to kill troops, a veteran sergeant with an armor-defeating weapon can be the difference between victory or death. But if your squadron is intended to kill tanks, a veteran sergeant is a pricey upgrade. Often, you will find that a veteran sergeant in those squads are simply points that are better spent elsewhere. If you have two squads of tank-hunters, for the cost of two veteran sergeants with power weapons you can purchase an additional landspeeder. Finally, there is the attack bike. With a multi-melta, twin-linked bolters, and a 2+ save, an attack bike gives some hard-hitting punch to your squadrons, especially since their multi-meltas can threaten tanks from 24" away. Again, consider the purpose of your squadrons. In an anti-tank squadron, attaching an attack bike can add significant AT punch. They have less use in a squad intended for close combat, but with a base of 2 attacks and their 2+ save, they can add additional punch, and more importantly, additional numbers. I would consider them essential in an AT squadron, and desirable, but ultimately optional in a squadron intended for anti-personnel. Fast Attack: "We meet 'neath the sounding rafters" Landspeeders are your only fast attack choice, and every Ravenwing force should have at least two, in addition to the Master. There are really only two limitations in this area: any composition requirements and in points you have left to spend. Since you've assigned any basic heavy bolter landspeeders to your Master as his bodyguard (you did assign those speeders to the Master, right?) I would advise that any speeders you pick up as fast attack choices be tornados. The assault cannon will be your preferred weapon, with the heavy bolter available for long-range fire or for additional punch, in certain situations. Heavy Support: "Recon in force" In addition to being available as add-ons to your regular bike squadrons, attack bikes may be taken as your heavy support. Every Ravenwing force should have at least one, for the simple reason that heavy support troops are generally deployed first on the battlefield. Placing a single attack bike behind woods or other significant cover allows you to react to your opponent's deployment, a key issue that will be dealt with in greater detail later. Wargear: "Where does he get all those wonderful toys" As a Ravenwing commander, you'll often find yourself with a significant amount of points left over. This is your wargear stash, the points you should use to upgrade your characters. Several upgrades are worthy of special note, as being exceedingly useful: Auspex: With the advent of Tyranids, for two points, this piece of wargear is almost necessary. Meltabombs : With your speed, you can get close enough to make these useful. For several reasons, discussed later in the Tactics section, this should never be a primary means of taking out tanks, but in a pinch, they can be the blessing of the Emperor himself. Master Crafting: According to the latest GW "clarifications," characters on a bike cannot take two HTH weapons. Master-crafting is the next best thing the re-rolled attack is effectively another strike. Though this upgrade is expensive, when you've got 44 points left over and can't afford another unit, this upgrade deserves careful consideration. Stubborn/Purity Seals: I generally don't think that purchasing the Stubborn ability is an effective upgrade for your veteran sergeants. Often, its to the Ravenwing's advantage to fall back from combat, and removing this option entirely seems like a bad idea. Purity seals can be another blessing of the Lion, however, as they can help keep your units from falling back off the table, or from getting crossfired themselves. Army Construction Conclusions Here's one example of how this might work. Here's a 1500 point Ravenwing force constructed along the lines detailed above. Master of the Ravenwing(255) with 1 Ravenwing land speeder(60) Librarian(85) on a bike(35), master-crafted(15) lightning claw(25), auspex(2), frag grenades(1), meltabombs(5) Ravenwing bike squadron with 5 bikes(225), 2 flamers(6), veteran sergeant(15), master crafted(15) thunder hammer(30), purity seals (5) Ravenwing bike squadron with 4 bikes(180), 2 meltaguns(20) Ravenwing bike squadron with 4 bikes(180), 2 meltaguns(20) Ravenwing land speeder tornado(85) Ravenwing land speeder tornado(85) Ravenwing attack bike(75) Ravenwing attack bike(75) Total: 1499 points |
TACTICA RAVENWING |
