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Hello people!!

I really don't know a lot of things for Space Marines as I am a Grey Knight player but I wanna make a list for a new player and friend of mine who is new to the game and has already started to collect his first Raven Guard. I am looking for a semi-competitive list (not a tournament list but because in our local store there are 4-5 old players and we want to run a campaign next month I want the Ravens to put up a good fight -of course the player makes the choices....)

So here is the 1k list I came up with:

Hq: Shadow Captain Kayvaan Srike 195points

Troops: a) 10x Tactical Squad w/ 1x flamer and 1x missile launcher 170 points
b) 10x Tactical Squad w/ 1x flamer and 1x missile launcher 170 points
c) 9x Scout Squad w/ 9x Sniper rifles and 9x Camo Cloaks 154 points

Elites: 5x Sternguard Veteran Squad w/ 2x combi-melta and 2x melta guns 145 points

Fast Attack: 5x Assault Squad w/ pair of lightning claws at Sergeant 130 points
(these guys go with Srike)

Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod 35 points
(here we have the Sternguard)

Total point's 999


Now for 1.25k I think that I 'll add 1x scout same as the above (+16) another 5x Sternguard 1x normal + 4x same as the above (+145) and another 5x assault marines (+90)


As for tactics I think it's pretty obvious that 1st round the Sternguad Drop pod assault in key place doing as most dmg as possible with Srike and the assault (they 'll infiltrate) shoot something and then go back to cover with jump packs , scouts try to take down enemy Hq(or maybe combat squad) and the tactical go in for safe guard some points. As for next rounds I think Srike should try to engage enemy via assault (correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that 20x atks 8x of them with re-roll to wounding and 4x of these last rending after hammer of wrath hits?)
These all are to theoretical but I think that's how this list should play
Finally for 1.5k+ points (for bigger missions) I 'd think for some termies

Any thoughts for how this list looks , feedback and constractive critisism ???

Thanks in advance

This isn't very constructive, but Blood Angles do what shrike does much better (sadly). Your friend could collect BA and just paint them the ravenguard B&W color scheme. Shrike just doesn't fit in the Vanilla codex.

Edit: you can try it, but you'll be disapointed. Shrike is just way too expensive at 195 points. Look at what Dante does for his points and then compare it to Shrike.

I'm not sure Shrike is worth the points, but won't begrudge someone for using the named character from their chapter. And he does have some nice perks.

I use less troops in my 1,500 point lists. I would probably drop the scout squad down to 5 guys, and give them a ML/HB. My stock answer is also to get your tac squads some rhinos, but with them gaining fleet from Shrike, they might be OK just legging it across the table. More vulnerable to fire, but hopefully fast enough to get to objectives.

The only AV fire is the suicide drop sternguard. I'd normally recommend just going with combis, but you might need to get multiple meta shots off, assuming you don't die after the drop. A fluffy (semi) waste of points would to give the sarge a single lightning claw.

I'm not a fan of that much gear on a assault marine sarge. I would give the sarge something to deal with things Shrike would have problems with. Maybe meltabomb/axe, or a power fist. Also grab a flamer for the squad. You are going to give up one attack from one guy to bake 3-7ish guys before you charge in. Worth it IMHO.

Depending what other people are bringing, this could work. But it is very light on anti-tank and anti-air fire. Given that this is for a growing campaign, it might be worth just running as is, and seeing where it needs to grow.

Some ideas for places to go:

ADL w/quadgun. Possible Talion sgt. upgrade for scouts
Some fast melta: A pair of MM attack bikes, reg bike squad, or speeders
Your own flyers.
Fill out the sternguard to 10 men, possibly add a librarian to them

First and foremost thanks a lot for your replies !!

My friend is new to the game as I already told you and he is a big Fluff player right now and I can totally understand his reasons, so that's why he likes Shrike and the Scout Squad

In the campaign and in other games generally we don't use a lot of flying units (maybe you'll see 1 or 2 and that's from a specific player) so that's why I didn't add ADL or any flying unit to my friend's list .In other words no worries there

Now for the Assault Squad Sergeant I also considered using a Power fist for the same points (I think the power axe/melta bombs combo is better actually thanks for that ) but then I though "are these guys really going against some +2 save termies or smth like this??" --->"Don't really think so!! " that's why I decided another extra atk with re-rolls to wound and also AP3 .Now the flamer(s) are really good idea but I don't know how I can manage the points....

As for anti-tank I believe Sternguards have a lot of firepower (especially the 10man squad) or am I wrong here?? And can't they stand against +2 save as well?? Can you propose me some other unit's instead of them for the same job??

For Raven Guard you want to keep thing fast. Hit hard and fade away. How to translate the fluff onto the table can be a little tricky, but doable.

Melta is your go-to choice for cracking open heavy armor. Drop sternguard will do this very well, but are probably only getting one target. If you are facing an IG armored list, or something like it, you will need more.

Suicide speeders, with one or two MMs work well here. Zip up, press your nose against the big thing, pull the trigger. Boom. Hope you live and find something else to kill.

Bikes, either a normal squad with 2xmeltas and a MM attack bike, or a squad of 2-3 attack bikes. also do the job. Better in a few ways, worse in others. It's a lot of personal preference in what you take.

Drop pod dreads are another way of getting melta into someone's face. MM/DCCW(HF) or ironclads are your boys here.

And last but not least is the humble tactical squad. MM/M, c-melta on the sarge. In the 1,000 point list this is probably your best option, as the others are going to bump your points up a little too much. By dropping the scouts down to a 5 man cloaks + heavy squad, you save 54 points. This will be enough to get some better guns for the tac squad, as well as pay for the assault marine's flamer.

From an army structure standpoint, I like hybrid drop lists for Raven Guard forces. Half your army starts on the table. Everything is a highly mobile unit. Bikes, jump packs, skimmers, scouts and infiltrators. The other half is waiting in orbit on the strike cruiser. Teleporting terminators or support in drop pods. Flyers as well. The mobile force draws the enemy into a kill-zone of their choosing, and the hammer drops from the sky wiping them out.

Seems to fit their style form a fluff standpoint, and makes for a nice TAC list from a mechanical one.

I can't thank you enough for your advises and directions

I 'll show my friend your replies and let him decide what he suits him best! Thanks again and Emperor Protects