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Hello! I have tiny group of marines who are painted up as Revilers, so would use the Raven Guard Chapter Tactics.

HQ
Librarian lvl 2 = 90
Troops
Tactical Squad, Flamer, Heavy bolter, Rhino = 190
Scout Squad, 4x Sniper Rifles, Missile Launcher, Camo Cloaks = 84
Heavy Support
Devastator Squad, 2x Missile Launchers, 2x Plasma Cannon = 130

That makes 494 points in total.

I've played Marines in the past but never been very good at putting a solid list together. I figured the new Chapter Tactics would help me theme things a little better. With that i mind, what would be the best way to expand in this force to 1000 points, and beyond? (i have a few friends with small armies, so i'm not looking beyond 1500 just yet)

I'm guessing some jump infantry to make use of the ravenguard tactics would be a good place to start, but i know they can be tricky to use, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

PS: I also have an assault cannon dread, but figured it is pretty useless as i could get a Stormtalon for 5 points fewer
PPS: to start with i would like to keep the bulk on what is listed above in the list (besides the librarian)

Libbies aren't that great since there's no real advantage or strategy to taking them, their effectiveness is entirely based on a pre-game dice. That's why I can't stand C:SM Libbies.

Take combi-weapons. You want more firepower in the Rhino squad to offset the craptitude of bolters. Heavy bolters are a waste of points honestly, if you take a backboard heavy infantry squad a Lascannon or Plasma Cannon is always what I'd do.

I would only ever take Scout Snipers as a minimal, cheapo backfield unit because you can't afford anything better, which is not the case. They're really crappy at actual shooting, and even the range isn't a good enough reason to take them.

For your Devastators A) never mix and match weapons, ever and B) If you're going AT, take Lascannons so they're not as useless against the harder MC's like Riptides and Wraithknights. They're so cheap now there really is no reason to take ML's over LC's. A Plasma Cannon squad is something I'd only take if every other base is covered and you have spare points.

To upgrade the points, I'd take some more Tacticals and maybe some Sternguard in Rhinos, with duplicate weaponry to your other Tacticals, and no melta, just plasma or flamers. With RG you really want to exploit the first turn scout alpha strike you can pull off, make the most of the stealth and maybe take jump infantry as a bully unit.

What would be a better alternative to the libby?

i figured sniper scouts where fluffy, and would make good back field objective campers. I'm not a very competative gamer, so i'll keep them in and see how it goes.

I was thinking another tact in a rhino or razorback for the fire power would be good.

Ontop of that, would it be worth taking a stormtalon in a small points game?

Thanks.

Storm Talon in a small points game isn't a bad idea, but think of it as a support unit that has the added bonus of AA. If you take a Razorback squad I'd give the Razorback either a TLAC or TLHF.

For HQ the Captain isn't a necessarily bad choice now, Master of the Forge is a pretty good support character but not very Raven Guard. For the former option you could take a command squad in a Rhino in a small points game and that might do well, if you had a couple of special weapons and maybe an Apothecary or Company Champion. I'm a big fan of the shield eternal/storm shield with thunderhammer, maybe artificer combo, makes him quite a formidable CC threat and for a relatively small investment. Relic Blade seems the obvious choice but honestly its really not that good in my opinion.

For more on wargear though you may want to look at this thread:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/553879.page

Would shield eternal/ Thunder hammer combo + Jump pack attached to a unit of vanguard or assault marines work at all?

Also, how can i better kit out the dreadnought i have? i don't mind pulling his arms off and getting some better guns.

Shield eternal, thunder hammer, JP could be an effective little asset to a unit. I'm not really in a good position to comment on loadout of Vanguards having never really used them but personally just off the top of my head I'd do:

Stormshield/Chainsword x2, TLLC's x2, Power Fist Sergeant, Jump Packs -215

Relatively cheap, bullies MEQ, with the Captain can have a go at an MC and lightweight, preferably weakened TEQ with some odds of coming out on top, moves fast and is quite resilient. Storm Shields are with chainswords so you don't have to risk a special CC weapon to defend the squad from fire.

With Assault Squads I'm truly lost. I've never used them to any great effect and often they don't fit into my lists that well. I'd take a pair of flamers and give the Sarge something like a power fist.

Edit:

Actually thinking about it with no discount on the second LC maybe replacing the chainswords with power weapons and the extra LC with bolt pistols is a good idea. You lose one attack on two guys but turn 3-4 ap- attacks into 3-4 AP2/3/4 attacks for the storm shield guys.

sounds a good load out to me. thanks. I may be up against tau soon (no riptide, yet) so they could mess up suits. can storm shield not replace the chainsword leaving the pistol free?

I'll toy around with them a bit, but they should be fun to. play even if they aren't the most competitive unit.

edit: having checked the dex, it would appear that a lighting claw would be best paired with a storm shield, since the shield causes the bearer to loose their bonus attack, so they can instead have a re-roll.

as a veteran raven guard player (over 10 yrs) i love the scouts with missile launcher and snipers. PPl say they suck at shooting, well comared to a marine a little less yes, but to other armies not at all.

Raven Guard is about movement and redeployment. That means scouts and scouts and more scouts. Also to include are jump pack (they rock) and a few AA and tank hunters.

My entire list for 5th and still revising on 6th due to anti air issues can infiltrate, scout, or deepstrike. Its a real fun list. and I win more games than I lose even in tournies.

Think about adding some drop pods for a tactical or dread delivery system.

I run my captains with jump packs to get into CC pretty fast and try to keep your vanguard from getting too exspensive, the trap that is vanguard is a lot of awesome hitty power but still a 3+ save which means enemy is like oh so i can shoot them and kill them the same as a marine but they cost like 3x times more, hell yes. I only give like 2-4 upgrades and keep the rest vanilla. I mean 5pts more for an extra attack over assualt and doenst take fast slot. very good.

So you have devastators for AA and tank, and rhino tac sqaud, so good start, now just need some jump pack marines and some anti armor and your heading in the right direction.

My advice is to either borrow or proxy some units you think you would want to buy for a few games to see if its really your play style and what you like before dropping the cash on the actual models.

Find your play style and enjoy it. PPL will says this is better and that is and this sux, but if thas not what makes the game fun for you, then its not good period. I like the redployment aspect of raven guard and showing up where i need them. Its tons of fun, i have to adjust my strategy a little from last edition since CC got nurfed some in 6th , but over all it stays the same becasue its what I enjoy.

Hey sever14, what's your loadout for your Captain now that the new codex came out?