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Ok so after about 5 months of gathering dust, I have decided to redo my DA 3rd Company army into a DW/RW army. Because I currently am lacking about 2/3rd of the modles needed I have decided to try to figure out my tatics and a list before buying all the necessary modles. It seems fairly simple but I have a few questions.

1) What should I kit out Belial with (and do I give him a comand squad)
2) Do I really need Sammael or can I get by with an Interrigator Chaplain?
3) Can I get by without using Dreads as elites for fire support and tank hunting (are RW with meltas good enough)?
4) For the RW part should I invest in attack bikes and Land Speeders as part of a RW squad or as a seperate squads?
5) LRC or regular LR if most of my army is deepstriking?

Thanks in advance.

Casper wrote:Ok so after about 5 months of gathering dust, I have decided to redo my DA 3rd Company army into a DW/RW army. Because I currently am lacking about 2/3rd of the modles needed I have decided to try to figure out my tatics and a list before buying all the necessary modles. It seems fairly simple but I have a few questions.

1) What should I kit out Belial with (and do I give him a comand squad)
2) Do I really need Sammael or can I get by with an Interrigator Chaplain?
3) Can I get by without using Dreads as elites for fire support and tank hunting (are RW with meltas good enough)?
4) For the RW part should I invest in attack bikes and Land Speeders as part of a RW squad or as a seperate squads?
5) LRC or regular LR if most of my army is deepstriking?

Thanks in advance.

1) Depends entirely on what is in your list. My preference is for SB/PW but only because my list is shooty and it still allows him to utilize his I5.
2) No, but after using him several times I feel that he can be worth the points spent on him. I would take sammael over a chappy anyday of the week. He also adds the option for an apothecary to your bikes which greatly helps in keeping those termies alive, or bikes armed with plasma as well as bikes counting as troops.
3) Yes, but I suggest spending the 50 points and getting MM attack bikes instead of meltas on bikes.
4) The landspeeders are a debatable inclusion. One I personally avoid as they aren't so hot in this edition concerning how many weapons can be fired on the move.
5) Again, depends on the list. The LR godhammer pattern does add quite a bit of AT to the army, but carries only 5 passengers. The LRC is best when trying to add belial into a unit to be transported.

I use the following for my 2000 point deathraven list.

1. I run Belial with TH/SS only because I like the ability to instagib opposing HQs, and 2 members of his squad have LCs. I also like the 4+ invul in CC that it gives him. I know most DW players use him with the LC option.

2. Sammel is GOLDEN! I prefer him in his speeder varient, because TL Assault Cannons and HBs at BS5 is huge fire support for my army, plus even on his bike he can't join a unit, since he isn't an IC. This makes the bike option fairly fragile, even his his wargear. Adding in him with my LRC really makes my opponent divide anti-tank. Sammael's only prob in a speeder is assaults, thanks to AV10 on the rear, so keep him away from those.

3/4. I run MM ABs and MM/HF speeders. Yes, they do die horribly fast, but they also destroy enemy tanks like no other, thanks to their speed...this leaves my DW and RW bikers to concentrate on more important things like killing oppposing scoring units and taking objectives. I have actually taken my Dread out of my DW/RW list.

5. The LRC all the way. All LR varients are tranports first and gunboats second. The LRC gives you the ability to stick Belial and a squad inside (with the apoethcary). This gives you a 6" bubble around your LRC for your temies to take advanttage of the Apoth (plus I have a second Apoth in a bike squad)...this only adds to an already resilient core of your army. Plus, the LRC has a TL Assault cannon and a MM for anti-tank, both of which are better anti-tank than Lascannons in 5th. Finally, the LRC has all those lovely bolters (plus a storm bolter upgrade). That is a lot of DEFENSIVE weapons that you can use on the move against horde armies.

Here is a strategy article I wrote on the B&C concerning Deathraven.

No tactics yet as I haven't had the time to dedicate to it, but I think there is some interesting thoughts in there from others who have contributed, especially atra angelus compelling quote on how to best equip your RW elements.