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So the new Codex is out and once again Games Workshop has said, "Oh you play Raven Guard? That's so cute! [MOD EDIT - Please do NOT use 'workarounds' for the expletive filter - Alpharius]"

The only, even remotely useful rule (scout move) has been removed in exchange for Shrouded on the first turn (+2 to cover save or 5+ in the open to a maximum of 2+) to any infantry or jump infantry that didn't start the turn in a vehicle. and a plus one to your dice roll when deciding if Night fighting will be in effect during the first turn.

Granted, they kept Winged Deliverance, which allows jump infantry to use there jump packs in the movement and assault phase of the same turn.

So basically the only way to take advantage of these rules is to use Korvydae to spam Scouts and Assault Marines. But the Assault marines won't really benefit because the best they can hope for with Shrouded and Night Fighting is a 3+ cover save, and big whoop, they already get a 3+ armor save. So basically you have to spam scouts, with camo cloaks, on foot.

Thoughts? Ideas on how to better take advantage of this rule or why GW hates passerine birds with black plumage?

You seem to believe that 3+ cover is useless when you have 3+ armor. I may just misundertand you, but man 3+ cover on Assault Marine is awesome.

It means that 'WHATEVER' hit you, you can take your 3+ (except against Ap3 and lower ignore cover stuff). Sadly, I have the feeling that the low AP ignore cover stuff is going to be really present in the current meta, with Jinking Eldar bike and Ravenwing re-roll jink + stealth.

But yeah, you are right. I don't think Raven Guard tactics are the best tactics in that book. Spam Scouts + Vanguard Vet + Assault Marine is the way to go I think, if you decide to run with Raven Guard.

Um lets see... take techmarines and thunderfire cannons as support.

Take Korvydae and bring 2 10 man scout units and 4 10 man assault marine units with jump packs. Buy 2 landspeeders for some fast obsec units with assault cannons, but don't put the scouts in them.

Give your assault marines 2+ cover saves on turn 1 from the bolster defenses.

Bring 2 units of vanguard veterans with power weapons and a command squad all with jump packs and grav guns.

Captain Shrike could be useful too.

RG would have been less pointless, had the (powerful) skyhammer didnt dish out wing deliverance to any chapter anyway. unlike ultra tactics, this is not replicable.

Honestly, there is never a reason to play RG using the RG rules. you might as well use Raptors instead for "sneaky marines"

Yeah there isn't any way around it.

All those "chapter tactics" are totally useless after turn 1. Heck even Winged Deliverance only went so far. And now without Scout, that turn 2 charge is even more fragile and unlikely. At least last codex you could have fun with the RG.


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I dunno how useless last edition was for RG. I have a small army of about 1000 points that did really well using Scout to keep people guessing as to how I would deploy. Plus using Scout on Devastators was a really great way to get into a good spot for laying down fire.

I could argue the merits of 6th ed RG, but oh well... No one is forcing anyone to buy anything right?

It's worth noting that Bikes benefit from Shrouded. SOOOO there's that for AT and you let the Assault Marines take care of the rest?

Admittedly Raven Guard did get the worst of the SM chapter tactics. IMO they are still actually pretty good. It is funny that people complain how broken CWE scatbike spam, Skyhammer, and Drop Pod Skitarii/War Convocation are but then completely discount the chapter tactic that neuters these three heavily alpha strike reliant army builds.

Some of the uses for their shrouding turn 1 that a lot of people don't realize;
*Scout units with camo cloaks + shrouded will almost always have a 2+ save. This can be very annoying against most armies as they have to dispose of 60 T4 Sv2+ models already on objectives. You should also have combi gravs on the sarges so the return fire is not a joke.
*The dakka dread is probably best as raven guard as it gets shrouded turn 1. This means you can have a shooty unit with either 2+ or 3+ cover so it gets a chance to make the opponent pay.
*Skyhammer is normally pretty fragile. ASM are not exactly known for their durability. With shrouded on them turn 1 this can help a lot.
*My favorite is a line a barricades, IG artillery units, and libby conclave with raven guard libbys. The raven guard libby give them Ld10, ATSKNF, and shrouded turn 1 and the IG artillery can go to town with the psychic powers and orders without having to worry over any decreased effectiveness from being focused down as T7 Sv2+ is definitely not an easy nut to crack.

I thought the CT for shrouded only applied to non-bulky infantry provided they didn't disembark from a vehicle...

It applies to all non-vehicle units provided they didn't disembark from a vehicle.

Dreads are vehicles. Just say'n.

SJ

Ah yeah I knew it was in there somehow. I remember seeing the leaks and going oh poor RG. Then I thought well maybe a dread could... But a few days later when the codex dropped and I could actually see it I was like.... Oh...

And then I typed a bunch of dots like this...

...