equipping Tyranid Raveners, especially for a Godzilla list

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**Clang**

Ok, I need some Fast Attack for my lumbering Godzilla army, and I'm hearing good things about Raveners.

How many units do people use, and how many Raveners in each?

Rending claws sounds more flexible (expecially against armour and high toughness infantry) than another pair of scything talons - do people agree?

Are the deathspitter etc weapon symbiotes a waste of points? if not, which symbiotes do people use?

**vsurma**

3 units
1-3 ravs per unit
always rending
no guns

**The Happy Anarchist**

Another note. If you have 6 Raveners, it is better to have them in units like so.

4 Ravs
1 Rav
1 Rav

This way you still have some cheap throwaway units for objective taking and wasting opponents fire, but you also have a bulky unit that you can use to countercharge.

**vsurma**

I would still personally go with 3*2 myself, +40pts is not horribly even if you do have to sacrifice the unit and 2 ravs have a easier time emptying the kill zone than 1, (personally I like to make sure only 1 makes it into btb)

Both have their uses, if you know the ravs are likely to get into CC unharmed (as they normally do in zilla lists) then you can afford to run 3*2 formation, other wise the 4,1,1 might be better....

(crazy football formations)

Either way pretty much all zilla lists could benefit from 2-3 units of ravs. I can't understand people that don't use them! heck ANY tyranid list should have ravs!

**Onnotangu**

St/rending No gun
I'd rather take a brood of Gargoyles or Mycetic Spore sacks.
but when I have to take ravs, I would take them either Solo or in pairs and run them up the sides.

**Longshot**

When you "have" To take ravs?

Man, they are by far the best fast attack available to you. Gargoyles? Please.

**methoderik**

Yeah Rav's pretty much shred. For the points they are a must. Rend/Talon, forget the guns, you need to fleet.

**The Happy Anarchist**

Posted By Onnotangu on 10/08/2006 3:55 PM
St/rending No gun
I'd rather take a brood of Gargoyles or Mycetic Spore sacks.
but when I have to take ravs, I would take them either Solo or in pairs and run them up the sides.

Do you happen to be fortunate enough to be in an area that is primarily nonMEQ?

Even then I am not sure that Gargoyles are the best option, due to the wide variety of mobile anti-infantry guns (Tau Devilfish, Stealth Suits, Eldar Jetbikes, Dark Eldar Everything, Destroyers, Landspeeders, really, what doesn't decimate them?)

They don't have the be really cheap, likely clear the charge zone for no retal, one easy to hide model and supercheap scoring.

**CaptKaruthors**

Using the spore sacks from IA4 is an option as well. Use one FA slot of 3 sacks. Str5 AP3 large blast, then the ability to make smaller acid ones...it's a tasty little treat to bomb the crap out of someones units. 2 units of 2 raveners then adding those would be cool.

Capt K

**The Happy Anarchist**

That seems nice for odd use of points, but raveners score, screen for assaults and will be where you need them to be in a matter of 1 or 2 turns.

**Gen_eV**

Statistically speaking, Rending is always better than Scytals, as the increase in attacks never gets you any more wounds, even when hitting on 3s/wounding on 2s versus enemies with no armour. Factor in the fact that most opponents ignore at least 1/3 of your wounding hits, Rending claws just get better and better.

They may cost a few extra points, but they turn Raveners from an annoyance into an actual danger.

As for the idea of numbers, why would you need one big unit to act as a counter-charger? I personally stick with three equal units, and just send more than one in at a time versus thany important targets. They're usually all within assault range of the same thing anyway.

**Clang**

ok guys and gals, you've convinced me to go for 3 units of 2 Raveners (deployable in different sizes for special occasions) with rending claws. If i can think of a nifty way to do magnetic weapon symbiotes (e.g stuck to bellies?) then I may try it just for flexibility - I can see it being useful for some battles, although probably not for a tournament 'all comers' list.

**The Happy Anarchist**

Posted By Gen_eV on 10/12/2006 6:21 PM
Statistically speaking, Rending is always better than Scytals, as the increase in attacks never gets you any more wounds, even when hitting on 3s/wounding on 2s versus enemies with no armour. Factor in the fact that most opponents ignore at least 1/3 of your wounding hits, Rending claws just get better and better.

They may cost a few extra points, but they turn Raveners from an annoyance into an actual danger.

As for the idea of numbers, why would you need one big unit to act as a counter-charger? I personally stick with three equal units, and just send more than one in at a time versus thany important targets. They're usually all within assault range of the same thing anyway.

The main idea is to use the one model to waste whole squads of firepower, or as an objective taker or throwaway unit.

2 Raveners go down almost as easily as one, so the enemy has to waste firepower if you have just one Ravener. Furthermore, 4 Raveners are able to put major hurting on even dedicated assault units, as well as potentially causing the opponent to need two or more squads to eliminate them.
And if you need all six, you can do the same thing with 411 as you can with 222.

This is not set in stone though, it very well could be better with equal squads.

**Longshot**

I run 4/1/1. I really like the flexibility of having one big squad to run with my Flyrant and swarm of gaunts. Basically means I have one big assault contingent that will only be exposed one turn before hitting you.

The singleton squads I use for sacrificing to the dark gods of necessity, or simply reserve them for table quarter grabs or carnifex defense. Really varies on the game.

**vsurma**

You can still make an enemy waste fire on a unit of 2, stick 1 behind cover with 1 sticking out, if they go for it you still have a scoring unit in that live ravaner.

Still in Zilla lists the ravs never really get shot so I prefer the 2,2,2 in lists with no walking walls I can see the 4,1,1 perhaps being better...but I play zilla

**The Happy Anarchist**

You definitely raise a good point.

**(´,,,´)**

I prefer guns to raveners, they might cost loads of point but very effective. Devourer gives 6attacks wich is kinda nice when max attack with rending claws are then 11!

**Frazzled**

The Modquisition has found this thread guilty of heretical necromancy.