Fresh-Faced New User
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Hail brothers, Ive come for some opinions/critiques/what have you for a list I am thinking of fielding in the near future. I have had some good traction with using my Ravenwing in collusion with an Imperial Knight (or two), but now that we've had a Formation released this past December I wanted to try my hand at a bit of a swiss-army-knife sort of list. But I'll get into my intentions/expectations in a moment.
Here is the list (with some minor options/choices). This IS intended for at least semi-competitive play, but without being a Meta/cheese list.
1850pt
CAD: Dark Angels
HQ: Sammael, Corvex
HQ: Librarian, Bike, ML2, Force Axe
-: Ravenwing Command Squad, 5man, Banner of Devestation, Apothecary, Grenade Launcher
-: Ravenwing Command Squad, 4man, Ravenwing Banner, Apothecary
Troop: Ravenwing Attack Squad, 6man, [CoMelta, 2x Flamer] OR [2x Melta gun]
-Attack Bike, Multi-melta
Troop: Ravenwing Attack Squad, 6man, [CoMelta, 2x Flamer] OR [2x Melta gun]
FA: Darkshroud
FA: Assault Squad, 5man
-(Free) Rhino
Formation: Librarius Conclave
Ezekiel
Librarian, ML 1, PA, Force Staff
Librarian, ML 2, Bike, Force Axe
Librarian, ML 2, Bike, Force Sword
1847/1850
Now I realize that is only 37 models, comes to 45 wounds total and 5 hull-points. The Ravenwing element functions much the same as Ive used it before: surgical strikes, moving around the field, jinking for effect. In this case I wont have the threat of the Knight(s) to draw my enemy's fire, but I can add an additional layer of threat in the 10+d6 warp charges, 5 ICs. The Assault marrines are there for ablative wounds for Ezekiel, and they can bring the Rhino if they drop the Jump-packs, giving him a ride to roll around and keep up with the bikes.
Now I understand the sentiment to what Im about to bring up, but again, this is to be a semi-competitive list attempt and my feelings are that in a tournament setting, fluff and esoteric elements only count as so much when translated to actual gameplay/viability of a list. I love the Unforgiven, tried and true, I chose them as my first Legion back in 5th even before finding out convenient things such as their presence in the Starter Box and whatnot. I have played them, allied here and there, but always as a primary for my entire stay in this hobby, but I also enjoy playing the game without handicapping myself when others will not be so ready to pull their punches/not use all the tools made available. (not to come off as defensive/ranting, I just have had quite a bit of pushback when discussing this style both online and in my FLGS).
What am I talking about: Summoning. With 11-16 starting Warp Charges, and being able to manifest powers on a 3+ and mitigate perils with FnP, I feel that this list can use this power as one possible line of play. As Ive discussed with others before: in a game where one is fixed to a certain number of points that can only buy a fixed number of units, being able to add MORE units is extremely powerful. Furthermore, as Ive played AGAINST a very strong Flying Circus list many times I have seen first hand just how powerful the ability to make changes to a lists playstyle/plan of attack from game to game when playing multiple opponents can be devastating. Now am I talking about Summoning Spam? No, not in the strictly cheesy sense. First, it wouldn't work with how the Conclave works (in order to get the 3+ I cant summon multiple times within the Conclave as no power can be cast more than once by a Psyker). But to be able to go into a fight and go "Hmm, they have quite a few armor options, more than what my 6 melta guns can handle, why don't I try to summon a unit of Tzneech Screamers and send them to assault that end of a tank line while my bikes focus on the other side!" .. or "Hmm, I need a durable unit to camp this backfield objective while my bikes move around and deal with the enemy, why not put a set of Plague bearers in cover over next to that objective and then basically forget them as they'll never die with a 2+ cover save!". Ultimately, Summoning would be just ONE of the tools I would employ, and it would primarily help offset the limited models brought by summoning reinforcements.
Beyond that, I would be able to take a whopping 16 powers (if you include Force and if one assumes that Ezekiel can only select 2 powers and Mind Worm takes his 3rd mastery level- another topic for debate). Invisibility, Misfortune (come now, how does 64 twinlinked RENDING shots sound on that deathstar? Or that Riptide/WraithKnight? Or that Deamon Prince?), Perfect Timing, Levitate/Gate of Infinity, Sanctuary (3++ Sammael tanking wounds!!).. and what about Terrify into Mind-worm into Psycik Shriek(they die hard). And with Bikers moving to and fro, Zeke's Rhino in the middle of the pack, you can shift your focus from turn to turn to maximize the reach of your psykic might.
Also, with this many ICs, I can give one to every other squad, making the whole army Fearless, Preferred Enemy Chaos, LD10, with an AP2 or potentially Instant Death melee attack. If I dont want to use the Conclave's ability I can cast powers on an individual basis, spreading Witchfires, buffs like Forewarning, Invisibility. Depending on what powers are rolled and what army you're facing this can mean the list plays very fluidly where most lists build to one degree or another and acceed other avenues of play in hopes of pushing the form they have emphasised.
Alas, grand-standing and sales-pitching aside, Im here to seek counsel. I want to know what you think of my list. What are it's flaws, weaknesses. Is there something I should be careful about, concerned? What threats should I prioritize first when facing a foe? Already I know that mass fire and or Ignores Cover will be an issue (target priority: Wave Serpents, Pathfinders, Wyverns, Bale-flamers make me want to cry).
But also, is there an army out there that you see/play that would NOT want to play vs my list? Im hoping to get some testing games but it's difficult to find the time/opponents (Im looking into the Vassal program as a possible alternative to at least try the list if I can in some capacity).
On a side note: I have plans to model my daemon models to tie them into my fluff. The idea is that they will be various aspects of lost Caliban (the Plague Bearers are those wounded/sick souls on the planet during its destruction; Bloodletters will be novitiates/trainees, still just starting their combat drills, full of fury; the daemonettes will be lovers/youths full of desires but mine will be modeled in a more chaste way, lending to their suppressed emotions on the harsh Deathworld before its destruction; Pink Horrors will be spirits, whispers of the power(likely already warp touched) of the dark Forests that the Lion helped to cleanse; and the medium-larger daemons will be aspects of those Great Beasts of Caliban that the Order, under Lionel's leadership, brought low before the coming of the Imperium.... they wont be your normal GW stock, and in a fluff aspect the members of the Conclave are releasing these lost souls from the limbo they have been caught in ever since the Chaos powers ripped apart Caliban along with the bombardment of the traitors following Luthor. (I said I loved the fluff and by no means do I just want to power game, so this work/thought is an attempt to tie in an available mechanic in game to the greater aesthetic that is playing a Dark Angels army for me.
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~Ice~ 
(plus it's 4 squads of bikes... that's not like I'm bringing 11 Venom or 9 Nightcyths)
