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Alright, so way back in 4th edition I played Raven Guard. Now that you actually get benefits from playing Raven Guard (though not good ones) I was thinking about using them again. However, is Shrike really any good? I mean, for 185 points, you get a model with ONLY 3 attacks (bs really), crappy str, crappy AP, but you just get to re-roll everything. He has nothing good, except the fact that he gives ONE unit that MUST join him and MUST have jump packs infiltrate and stealth. Sure that gets you there fast, but really, when are you going to put enough points in an assault or vanguard squad for it to be worth taking shrike, especially when you can take a jump chaplain for almost half the point costs and get +1 attack on the first round due to hatred. Please enlighten me on what I am missing so I don't feel as though I have a big hunk of metal perched on a little plastic base lol.

Thanks in advance!

If you are trying to squeeze every single point of efficiency out of your list, then generally, no. 5E Shrike was pretty worth it though.

He does still open up interesting options. You have to weigh if the 20-30 points more he costs over a similarly equipped captain is worth the Stealth, Infiltrate, and special LCs. I think it would be if he didn't slapped with the jump restriction.

Go with Korvydae instead, basically a PA captain w/ TH and unlocks ASM troops.

 Krellnus wrote:
Go with Korvydae instead, basically a PA captain w/ TH and unlocks ASM troops.

Is that a FW special character?

Yes, IA:8 I believe.

 labmouse42 wrote:

 Krellnus wrote:
Go with Korvydae instead, basically a PA captain w/ TH and unlocks ASM troops.

Is that a FW special character?

Yup

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Space_Marines/Space_Marine-Infantry-and-Accessories/RAVEN_GUARD_SHADOW_CAPTAIN_KORVYDAE.html

Shrike costs 50 points more than a captain with twin claws and JP. That's quite a lot, so is it worth it? For that, you're getting:

- Master crafted (considering that one of your 5 attacks is likely to miss, this is basically an extra attack)
- Stealth (if you're sticking him with a big squad of jump marines, it's not a bad bonus to give them)
- Infiltrate (if there is a rule which is gonna justify his purchase, it's this one. You get to deploy his unit last, which means you won't get stuck at the wrong end of the table because your opponent deployed second. It also probably gets you into combat a turn earlier. Basically, it could easily be the difference between spending half the game walking to the fight or starting the game right next to your highest priority target)

Depending on how you run it, I would say he could potentially be worth it. He actually does become a force multiplier because of infiltrate, and to a lesser degree stealth. He does "buff" an ASM or VV unit, just not in the same ways as giving re-rolls or +1A. But if he gets the squad into combat even a single turn earlier, that "buff" is not just +1A, but a whole turn of attacks you otherwise wouldn't have got. Plus it's one less turn of getting shot at, and one less turn they have to deal with him and his unit before they become untargetable. Personally he's still a bit of a blender against power armour, but you absolutely have to make use of him by sticking him with a squad if you want to make him worthwhile.

At first I thought he was a total rip. I'm still under no illusion that he's a bargain, but I think he's around about fairly costed.

Combine him with 5 VV's and a chappy + 2 sternguard drop pods on first turn, and you got yourself some devestation.


Shrikes acctually the only way i could see myself fielding VV's

So are you allowed a first turn assault with Shrike's Boys since they can deploy within 18" and with Jump Packs and Charge range could on average get within 18"?

I do not own the current Marine Codex, don't know if there is a special rule preventing this.

If you go first, then a T1 assault is disallowed even if you are in range. If not, then yes you can assault T1 if the enemy is close enough.

 Paradigm wrote:
If you go first, then a T1 assault is disallowed even if you are in range. If not, then yes you can assault T1 if the enemy is close enough.

Thank you for the quick reply.

I know that the Scout rule prevents using Scout moves then assaulting the first player turn but since I Play Orks I never use the Infiltrate rules. I'll check them out tonight.

Thanks again.

To OP, if Shrike COULD assault First Turn, then I would say he and his unit are near-priceless.

Lets all hope Snikrot/Orks will be able to assault from reserves.

I say ally him with BA and have him join 30 deathcompany with jump packs... lol

Or 10, or however many. I just think there has to be a combo out there for him to abuse lol.

Korvydae isn't usable yet because FW forgot to add him in the character FAQ.

Thatguyoverthere11 wrote:
I say ally him with BA and have him join 30 deathcompany with jump packs... lol

Or 10, or however many. I just think there has to be a combo out there for him to abuse lol.

Can he join a squad of 30 death company with jump packs, thats 990 points of second-playerturn assault goodness... JUST CHECKED, HE CAN! Omg, that is just beautiful...

Is that a good plan? Its 540 points for 30 death company, and 990 with jump packs (you need jump packs for shrike to join) what upgrades should I give them? That is game-changing magic right there.

Edit: Its only too bad that they cannot score, but I think that would be a little overpowered, I think this looks like a really good plan. Is it just me?

Edit: forgot to calculate how much jump packs cost

Edit2: After calculating how much jump packs cost I still think it is a very good strategy for games that are 1500+ points. What do you guys think?

1000 points for a deathstar with only 3+ armor and no invuln doesn't seem like a very good idea.

 Tyberos the Red Wake wrote:
1000 points for a deathstar with only 3+ armor and no invuln doesn't seem like a very good idea.

Does anyone do it better or cheaper?
You get: 5, str5, and for a 125 points, you get a chaplain and can re-roll failed to-hits and to-wound rolls. Thats 150 str 5 attacks that re-roll to-hit and to-wound for 1115pts. What is great about them, is that you get all of that and they only get attacked back by a single unit, instead of 3 separate units attacking back. The only bad thing is being out in the open after you demolish a unit in assault.

Except that, RAW, when Shrike is joined with a jumppack unit, they can only outflank via the Infiltrate skill. You can't place them on the table.

 Ryan_A wrote:

 Tyberos the Red Wake wrote:
1000 points for a deathstar with only 3+ armor and no invuln doesn't seem like a very good idea.

Does anyone do it better or cheaper?
You get: 5, str5, and for a 125 points, you get a chaplain and can re-roll failed to-hits and to-wound rolls. Thats 150 str 5 attacks that re-roll to-hit and to-wound for 1115pts. What is great about them, is that you get all of that and they only get attacked back by a single unit, instead of 3 separate units attacking back. The only bad thing is being out in the open after you demolish a unit in assault.

I doubt anyone does it better. DC are known for being extremely expensive, not for being weak. I'm sure you can do it cheaper, just likely not from a marine codex.

Volume of dice works for shooting, but it's not that great for assault. You don't need that many dice usually unless you are assaulting things you should not be charging in the first place. Also HoW requires base to base contact, so if you're using the jump pack to get over buildings or travel 12" you won't get the HoW anyway, and if you use it during the assault phase, you need to be in BtB to get that bonus attack. A small Honor Guard squad would probably have a larger impact than a billion chainsword attacks. But assuming we are talking about joining the deathstar with Shrike, that is irrelevant. It's one of the problems with Shrike's new restrictions.

 Tyberos the Red Wake wrote:

 Ryan_A wrote:

 Tyberos the Red Wake wrote:
1000 points for a deathstar with only 3+ armor and no invuln doesn't seem like a very good idea.

Does anyone do it better or cheaper?
You get: 5, str5, and for a 125 points, you get a chaplain and can re-roll failed to-hits and to-wound rolls. Thats 150 str 5 attacks that re-roll to-hit and to-wound for 1115pts. What is great about them, is that you get all of that and they only get attacked back by a single unit, instead of 3 separate units attacking back. The only bad thing is being out in the open after you demolish a unit in assault.

I doubt anyone does it better. DC are known for being extremely expensive, not for being weak. I'm sure you can do it cheaper, just likely not from a marine codex.

Volume of dice works for shooting, but it's not that great for assault. You don't need that many dice usually unless you are assaulting things you should not be charging in the first place. Also HoW requires base to base contact, so if you're using the jump pack to get over buildings or travel 12" you won't get the HoW anyway, and if you use it during the assault phase, you need to be in BtB to get that bonus attack. A small Honor Guard squad would probably have a larger impact than a billion chainsword attacks. But assuming we are talking about joining the deathstar with Shrike, that is irrelevant. It's one of the problems with Shrike's new restrictions.

I disagree with the statement that an honor guard squad would do better than massed chainsword attacks. Yes, the honor guard would do just as good against high save models like terminators, BUT, having so many attacks mean they do great against low armor save opponents, as well as having so many models allow them to soak up fire from low av weapons like plasma spam.

HG can have up to 5-6 attacks on the charge. You will mulch any weak squad regardless if you charge with HG or DC, unless you are charging extremely high model count squads.

 Tyberos the Red Wake wrote:
HG can have up to 5-6 attacks on the charge. You will mulch any weak squad regardless if you charge with HG or DC, unless you are charging extremely high model count squads.

HG?

 Paradigm wrote:
If you go first, then a T1 assault is disallowed even if you are in range.

There is no such rule.

There is actually. The question was whether you can infiltrate and attack first turn with Shrike, and the answer given was that if you go first you can't attack on the first turn. It's clearly outlined in the BRB under "Infiltrate" pg 38.

The sentence I quoted was a bit missleading. It did not mention infiltrating, but made a general statement about 1st turn assaulting.

Well yeah, but it was an answer to a question, it only becomes misleading when taken out of context. Fair enough though.

On the death company +shrike star, shrike is a pretty cheap delivery system,buff for 30 death company. The points cost is still pretty high but that is a TON of reliable attacks with a chappie

 Senortaco wrote:
On the death company +shrike star, shrike is a pretty cheap delivery system,buff for 30 death company. The points cost is still pretty high but that is a TON of reliable attacks with a chappie

Ya, I got 25 jump marines painted black for my raven guard army I played back in 3rd ed that I havnt used since... just got to paint a red ex on em and WAM, insta blood angel goodness.