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So I was wondering: Does anybody use raveners these days? I really like the models, but the 5+ save kinda feels like it kills such an expensive model, and it forces them to hide behind cover, but I was thinking about a new use. Does anyone think it would be a good idea to use them as a counter charge unit in a tyranid gunline? Essentially having a gunline, with a few units to go harass forward, and raveners assaulting anyone that dares getting close? Tell me what you think as well as other ravener strategies, and I hope to have an army list in no time.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
OK, got an army list up. One is pure gunline, the other I have left points for raveners (lol the list didn't come out exactly as I had predicted)

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/300254.page#1666564

A Tyranid gunline?!?! And you have to remember raveners still cost points, you cant afford to simpley sacrifice them when the tyranids in the gunline usually enjoy being in melee. A tyranid gunline sounds ludicrous to me, what if you face mech IG? They'll have a field day!

Jaon wrote:A Tyranid gunline?!?! And you have to remember raveners still cost points, you cant afford to simpley sacrifice them when the tyranids in the gunline usually enjoy being in melee. A tyranid gunline sounds ludicrous to me, what if you face mech IG? They'll have a field day!

Man, apparently you have no idea. From what I've read from Shep, Tyranids can outshoot Mech IG in the long run. It isn't the most cut-throat built, but it is more than viable. As for your lists, I like the latter if you drop the Prime and a Tervigon for a Hive Tyrant with guns.

I like Raveners in certain lists. What they give you is a fire and forget weapon, like Termicide, that can function as part of your army if no target presents itself. For this role, I'd take Rending Claws and a Devourer. If the enemy has backfield targets (Long Fangs, Predators, Night Spinners), Deepstrike the Raveners and let Feed and Rending Claws do their job. If you find you use them almost exclusively for that role, drop the Devourer.

Personally I think they are great. 19"-24" threat range for the charge, rending, reroll 1s. I combine groups of them with multiple MCs and it starts to mess with opponent's target priority for his high str guns.

EDIT: I'd say only take the thorax weapons on them if you plan on deepstriking them, and even then it's kinda iffy as they should only be shooting them on the turn that they arrive.

I want to get them up and running with a cloud of gargolyes, hormogaunts, shrikes, and the Parasite, with a few primes and make that the fast hitting list.

I like them w 2 pairs of scytals to hunt light tanks and fast skimmers, using swarmlord to grant FC. Otherwise I use rending claws.

Also a shot of Catalyst never hurts, either.

I never leave home without them, people just dont expect "beasts" charge range, and my ravenors usually go un noticed as long as they sort of mosey innocently up the field behind my tervigons, people just think they are warriors most the time, then I move out from behind the MC and charge, they do well vs transports

I agree. Anything with a save worse than 4+ has no business being in CC with infantry unless it can decimate the ranks before getting hit back. I wish regular genestealers had a 4+ like ymgarls do. That being said, a large enough squad will hit on 3's against most things (barring HQ's) and then with toxin sacs they prettymuch rend the CRAP out of infantry models (4+, with re-rolls and all 6's are power weapons. hellz yea!)

As for raveners, the rending claws are useful but i have a hard time sacrificing the re-rolls from both sets of talons. I like the idea of skulking a genestealer squad near a transport, distracting the enemy, pulling off a 12" (usually unexpectedly so) charge w/ ravs and cracking the tank, then the opponent has one turn to decide whether to shoot my FNP raveners (thank you tervigon, sir) or my stealers in cover, either way i'm usually assaulting the contents on my following turn.

Another good thing about a 12" charge is that it makes it insanely easy to pull off multi-charges vs multiple transports, or even a transport and a non-cc squad (like a heavy weapons team, or a 5 man scout squad), effectively doubling the output of your squad (if they manage to kill what they touch, that is).

I take squads of 20 genestealers normaly, and 20 genstealers with T-sacs usually can easily decimate a 30 man ork squad if the stealers get the charge, if not then they still kill allot and usually end up on top. I had 8 Yamgrals with FnP cast on them take out a 20man boy squad.

anyway back to raveners, with no furious charge option, and not taking the swarm lord they almost have to take rending to hunt transports. its kinda odd that they are the only fast attack that cant take adrenal glands

I have never had Raveners survive to even move on the next turn after a deep strike.

Use Warriors instead. Same points for a base model that it also a synapse creature.

As I've said before, I like Ravs for their plug-and-playability. They can't handle the really powerful stuff like Shrikes can, but then you don't have to build around them like you do with Shrikes. Termagants or (even better) Hormagaunts screen them just fine without holding them back. No need for Gargoyles.

I run mine with rending claws and call it a day. At 35 pts they're a solid package. I tend to run at least six in a brood. Rending's effectiveness drops off precipitously as you lose models, so I think it pays to keep units a little larger.

Mattlov wrote:I have never had Raveners survive to even move on the next turn after a deep strike.

Use Warriors instead. Same points for a base model that it also a synapse creature.

deepstriking raveers is not a good plan, A) it put a big sign on them that says im close and about to assault you next turn so kill me, B) its a waist of their exceptional table movement, no need to deep stike when you should be able to assault tun 2

+1

Yeah, either run them up behind other stuff, or walk them on from your table edge (which can get them halfway across the table on a good roll).