Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Howdy All,

With the new changes to armor in 7th and some new competitive players in my meta, I am trying out a bolter banner RW list centered around a super Land Raider Crusader.

HQ
Sammael on Corvex

Ravenwing Command Squad X5. RW grenade launcher, Apothecary, Ravenwing Company Banner.

Command SquadX5.Banner of devastation, bolters instead of chainswords.

Techmarine. Servo harness, Power field generator.

Troops
Ravenwing Attack SquadX6. 2 melta guns, Multi Melta attack bike.

Ravenwing Attack SquadX6. 2 melta guns, multi melta attack bike.

Ravenwing Attack SquadX6. 2 melta guns.

Fast
Ravenwing darkshroud. Heavy bolter.

Heavy
Land Raider Crusader. Multi melta, deathwing vehicle.

List Tactics
Techmarine and Command Squad both start in the crusader to make a box of death and guard the banner. Crusader goes flat out until it is in 24" range, then starts removing threats. If needed, the unit can jump out and use their mass combined bolter fire thanks to the banner.

Sammy joins a ravenwing attack squad to confer skilled rider, a plasma cannon etc.

Ravenwing command squad functions as a mini black knight squad, with the apothecary giving some added protection and the banner handing out utility.

Ravenwing squads stay near the darkshroud to gain stealth, and once in range get near the crusader to let loose bolter hell. Melta guns for AT if needed. Attack bikes outflank.

Darkshroud deploys to give cover to everything and jinks anytime it is shot at, drawing fire and buying my bikers time. If I need, it can be intervening to block an assault against the Crusader or a bike squad, or help me win an assault and force a sweep against GEQ.

Land raider crusader simply does not die, and shoots everything once in range. Would it be worth it to get a storm bolter and/or dozer blades to add more dakka/help movement, respectively?

Do I have enough bikes to justify the bolter banner? I have not really seen it in action, and the idea of a crusader shooting 24 bolter shots at full range is nice, but how does it work in practice? Having to jink with the bikes reduces the damage potential of all the added dakka. Alternatively, my opponent could just focus down my bikes and ignore the raider; can the raider really do enough damage? What are things I should look out for? Gunline IG can be a pain with ignore cover orders and mass dakka. Eldar are a problem but with my speed I could probably catch and assault serpents. Deamons can't reliably stop the land raider and could possibly outsummon what I can shoot. Tau fusion blasters are a major threat with their mobility, and I have no effective early game solution to markerlights. I currently have 12 points spare. Should I hand the techmarine a combi weapon, trick out the land raider, or maybe some melta bombs or stuff on the sarges?

Edited based on comments below.

it is a very uniquily dark angels list, at least

this is cool but might have too many points stuck in toys

cut the libbi and give the PFG to the techmarine.

I don't think the dark shroud is necessary either since the bikes will be in range of the PFG. But it does provide flexibility...

drop the apothecary option these guys are not going to see most of the fight so don't waste the points.

drop the entire ravenwing command squad. too expensive.

take all of the points saved and add more bikes.

Well, I second Deuce. Instead of all the fancy toys, adding RW Bikers would make the army more flexible.

Liking the feedback so far.

The libby was a hangover from a previous version of this list when I had a deathwing command squad, so I needed a terminator HQ to unlock. Now that I am going with a vanilla command squad, I can easily drop the libby for more points. Having a +1 to deny powers is nice, but I agree it is not worth it or needed.

The darkshroud is there to be flexible, as it has really saved my bacon a couple of games. Having to cross a field against a gunline means losing bikes, and being able to jink to a 3+ or 2+ cover really mitigates that.

Figured as much on the apothecary for the command squad, doubly so now that I am tossing the libby out.

I fail to see how the RW command squad is too expensive. Is it the banner/apothecary? They are black knights that cost less, and black knights are pretty solid in my opinion. I know I need more bolter bikes but I still want some plasma in my list. Ravenwing grenade launchers also really help against certain armies.

Changes made above, keep the feedback coming!

Land raider does not synergize well with bikes. The bikes have scout, that 12 inches before the game starts, then you have turn one another 12 inches, place them at the end of your deployment zone your bikes will be with in double tap range of most armies turn one. With a landraider you cant do this. Ignore the advice about the black knight command squad it is the best unit in the codex.

Run the dev banner in your ravenwing command squad. Then your bikes become salvo 2/4 and are relentless your 6 man bikes now shoot 24 shoot, and are twink linked. The ravenwing is a fast army you want fast units. The command squad, plus two to three 6 man bikes squads with there high mobility can unleash a torrent of fire power on an enemy turn one. The black knight alone are a massive threat with there plasma talons.

That being said the devastation banner does work well with the land raider. Most people will take 3 landraiders though and run them all next to each over to they all get the power field and all get the banner bonus it is a very scary list in 7th. However so is pure ravenwing.

Mixing the two makes them weaker. My suggestion is run pure ravenwing, bikes, black knights, dark shrouds, landspeeders and atk bikes.

When I run the devastation banner with my ravenwing my army looks like this:

Sam
Command squad with apocathary, champ, devastation banner and grenade launcher

3 6 man bike squads, bare bones, I only plan on using there bolters for me the extra guns like melta's are not worth it, I do take melta bombs on the sargent, with how fast bikes move I tend to assault most vehicles and kill them that way.

I then take 3 landspeeder with hb and ml, then take three atk bikes with multi-meltas to deal with things like land raiders and lemon russes.

That list comes to about 1500pts, I think it is a little shy of it.

The list works very well, and allows for synergy I just wanted to post it to show you what a strong ravenwing looks like, and show you how much extra dakka you can bring for cheaper, if you lose the land raider standard command squad and the libby.

Hope this helps, happy wargaming!

Thanks Desrok,

I normally run a pure RW list, but I am very hesitant to take the banner on the RW command squad. Having it out in the open means it can get killed; most opponents will just focus the squad down and poof banner gone. I tried a bolter banner RW list before and it got sniped out T1. Barrage is pretty common in my area, and I want a TAC list.

Since the banner works if only 1 model is within 6, could I not just conga line the RW squads into range? I know I will be moving 24' by my turn 1, but the land raider can flat out and get 18", so I would be able to keep a model back from the RW bikers and dakka away, right?

Jinx is a 4 up save now, darkshroud gives shrouded plus 2, I put sammy with the command so he gets fnp, with 2 up cover, t5 and fnp, I have yet to fight someone that can kill the squad in one turn. Yes you can congo line, but it might put a few of your guys out of double tap range.

An example. I played against guard. Sammy took 12 plasma cannon wounds, and didnt take a single one, saved 10 on the two up save and fnp the other two. It is the most durable squad in the codex, unless your playing against ignore cover ap3 stuff.

Anyway that is what I do, I think a majority of the games I play the banner/squad never gets wiped out.

Remember cover works against ap2 and stuff, so its a 2 up against everything, and then you will have fnp to help.

Just how it has gone for me when I play. But your congo-line land raider seems like a cool idea as well.

Good idea using Sammy to tank for the squad, but it still does not help against that one lucky barrage roll, and since the banner is not on a character I don't get look out sir! A bike libby or techmarine with a PFG might help...hmm. Maybe I am just paranoid...I could bring my crusader first game and a lucky lascannon shot just owns it. Such are dice...

Ignore cover AP3/2/1 is about 1/3 of what I play against, sometimes more. My FNP saves are garbage unless it is on the apothecary, and then only when he is the last dude left. Still worth it, cause it only takes one to earn the points back.

As far as I understand, bikes are relentless so they can always shoot the full value at full range, and with salvo 4 at 2' that is just ugly.

May want to check that I play it, they shoot two shots at 24 inches, and 4 at 12. Also yeah if your fighting a lot of ap3 flamers and such it is just rough for you.

I understand the barrage concern, it can happen, I try to prioritize those target on the first round of shooting.

Either way the list is a glass cannon, I just prefer the mobility over the landraider.

Either way gl with your list!