Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I've recently switched to playing marines and have picked up a storm raven from ebay but looking at the rules I'm really confused about its function.

Is it ever worth taking as a transport option?

If I read the rules correctly it must start in reserves so despite being an assault vehicle any troops it can carry can only assault out of it on a whole turn after it comes in from reserves which would be turn 3 at the earlies.

So is it ever worth using it to transport anything for assault purposes?

I assume therefore that its only best used in the formation?

They are not terrible gunships. Take the MM up front, and either the AsC or LC up top. Those plus the missiles makes for a decent amount of firepower.

The transport and assault rules are a trap IMHO. I’m sure it could work for certain builds, particularly if there are special rules attached. But as you say, it’s a late game assault if everything goes well.

I’m not a fan of large chunks of my army loitering around in reserves anyway. The SR itself is already 200+ points, and a cargo just bumps that higher. If you do want to put someone inside, I’d stick to a 5 man squad, probably scouts, just to hop out for a late game objective grab.

The only time I’ve put anything in mine was for a null deployment themed list. I had just finished painting my 4th dread, and wanted to get them all on the table. As I only own 3 pods, one got to ride in the raven. Put a tac squad and techmarine inside. This was under the last codex. The dread I had it carrying was a shooty one. I put locator beacons on the first wave pods, so was ably to kick the dread out the back at speed without scattering when it came on the table. It worked, but my opponent was a little on the green side in a more casual meta. Not sure I would have put so many eggs in one basket against a more seasoned foe.

You could put a Full Honour Guard w/ banner, your chapter master Smashfether and a Leviathan Dread in there so when your enemy shoots it down, they effectively eliminate half your army

Maybe with 10 Scouts.

Because the Scouts have Move through cover so ignore the dangerous terrain test while being cheap enough that you don't particulary care if they die.

Actually now I want to try that.

 Frozocrone wrote:
Maybe with 10 Scouts.

Because the Scouts have Move through cover so ignore the dangerous terrain test while being cheap enough that you don't particulary care if they die.

Actually now I want to try that.

I think 5 scouts with shotguns might be a decent load. Not really seeing the need for a full 10 man squad. It’s not like they are going to be on the table for long.

The modeler in me really wants to try to rig up some scouts going down rapid repel lines out the doors of the raven. I think the guys from the LSS could be made to work with minimal fuss. Still probably beyond my skills. If done right, you could replace the silly flight stand.

ravenhawk assault force, deepstrike on a dim lots of high quality shooting on good platforms and basically point at something and command it to be smote

I'm torn on the late-game assault. It worries me to have any number of points off the table for more than 2 turns, but with the right HQs you can almost ensure a timely arrival. I do like the surgical nature of putting the medicine right where you're hurting, but it seems like drop pods are still the way to go there.

 Nevelon wrote:

The modeler in me really wants to try to rig up some scouts going down rapid repel lines out the doors of the raven. I think the guys from the LSS could be made to work with minimal fuss. Still probably beyond my skills. If done right, you could replace the silly flight stand.

One of the Storm models is actually holding on to the handle of the winch line. The others might be a bit odd, although some of their seated positions might imply midair descent, legs sprawled for balance.

 MacPhail wrote:
I'm torn on the late-game assault. It worries me to have any number of points off the table for more than 2 turns, but with the right HQs you can almost ensure a timely arrival. I do like the surgical nature of putting the medicine right where you're hurting, but it seems like drop pods are still the way to go there.

 Nevelon wrote:

The modeler in me really wants to try to rig up some scouts going down rapid repel lines out the doors of the raven. I think the guys from the LSS could be made to work with minimal fuss. Still probably beyond my skills. If done right, you could replace the silly flight stand.

One of the Storm models is actually holding on to the handle of the winch line. The others might be a bit odd, although some of their seated positions might imply midair descent, legs sprawled for balance.

Seated guys could be providing covering fire while waiting their turn to descend.

The SR, like the LR, is a multipurpose vehicle that pays a premium to do a lot of different, conflicting, things. At least the SR can still fire on the move, unlike the LR. But if all you want is to deliver units to the battlefield, drop pods do it better. Need air support? Talon, the new bird, or other options can get the job done for a lot fewer points. The one big perk the raven brings is the assault ramp. But to use it, you need to hover. And while it might be tougher then other flyers, once anything can target it, it’s probably going down. On the bright side, you’ve probably had 3+ turns to clear up any threats before it comes in for a landing.

Like most marines, it’s an overpriced generalist in a game that rewards specialization. Now it has a lot of features you can utilize in your lists, but how much efficency you can eek out of it is a tough question. Odds are, you are not going to use all of it’s features. IMHO the assault ramp is the one to ignore. That said, there are times you will want to use it. Depends a lot on the rest of your list.

Dropping in shooting units with locators beacons in play has been working surprisingly well.

 ionusx wrote:
ravenhawk assault force, deepstrike on a dim lots of high quality shooting on good platforms and basically point at something and command it to be smote

Yeah the Ravenhawk assault force is a cracking little formation. Especially when teamed with the Talon strike force so you can bring the hawk on in turn one.

Don't forget the humble Skyshield Landing Pad. Pay the Fueled for Take Off upgrade (Very cheap, it's a melta bomb's cost) and you can start your Storm Raven on the field with a 4+ invulnerable save versus shooting.

Turn 1, move up in hover mode 6", deploy out of it another 6" from the front hatch, (Assault vehicle) and try to charge in versus infiltrators or other forward units. Bonus points for jump pack re-rolls on charge distance.

That's how I plan on fielding my Storm Raven anyway.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

5 scouts, camo cloaks and no other upgrades gives you aa cheap objective secured unit. throw in a dreadnaught in games over 1500 give it flamers instead of the storm bolter as if you come in in case of horde army (still decent against meq). the dred its a 100 point distraction carnifex. if no flamer targets that are juicy pop smoke in cover.

 General Kroll wrote:

 ionusx wrote:
ravenhawk assault force, deepstrike on a dim lots of high quality shooting on good platforms and basically point at something and command it to be smote

Yeah the Ravenhawk assault force is a cracking little formation. Especially when teamed with the Talon strike force so you can bring the hawk on in turn one.

or a land raider excelsior, but you didnt hear about that from me

note if the new drop pod faq happens I would always leave the dreadnaught spot open and get a drop pod, huge denial area

 G00fySmiley wrote:
note if the new drop pod faq happens I would always leave the dreadnaught spot open and get a drop pod, huge denial area

It's the most stupid FAQ I've seen from them and probably going to use it once in games to demonstrate it to my friend and then never again.

Besides, Fast Rhinos are working out better for me.

I recently bought a Stormraven, as well. I have to say that it looks a lot better IRL than it does on the box.

My plan is for it to carry 10-man Scout Squad with a mix of Shotguns and Bolt Pistols and an Ironclad Dreadnought. If I need some extra Anti-tank, a 5-man Assault Squad with an Eviscerator and Power Fist could replace the Scouts. Should be quite a potent reinforcement unit, providing my Reserves Shenanigans pay off.

 Spineyguy wrote:
I recently bought a Stormraven, as well. I have to say that it looks a lot better IRL than it does on the box.

My plan is for it to carry 10-man Scout Squad with a mix of Shotguns and Bolt Pistols and an Ironclad Dreadnought. If I need some extra Anti-tank, a 5-man Assault Squad with an Eviscerator and Power Fist could replace the Scouts. Should be quite a potent reinforcement unit, providing my Reserves Shenanigans pay off.

IMHO the kit does need a little modding to look better, but it’s not hard to do.

I went with a lower profile top turret, and ditched the air scoop up top. What is that thing for anyway?
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/675594-SR%20done-ish.html

I'm pickung up RG so the rule that a scout unit can follow a unit in from reserve and giving shrouding, that and assulting I find tempting

 Nevelon wrote:
IMHO the kit does need a little modding to look better, but it’s not hard to do.

I went with a lower profile top turret, and ditched the air scoop up top. What is that thing for anyway?
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/675594-SR%20done-ish.html

I went with the Chapterhouse Studios extension kit for mine, it looks a lot better with the additional length.

For transport, I favor a cheap CC scout squad if anything. The dreadnought capacity is a trap. I once tried to use a SR to play taxi for a mishapped Ironclad, and all I really accomplished was taking both units out of the battle for the rest of the game. Colossal waste of time.

Creeperman wrote:
For transport, I favor a cheap CC scout squad if anything. The dreadnought capacity is a trap. I once tried to use a SR to play taxi for a mishapped Ironclad, and all I really accomplished was taking both units out of the battle for the rest of the game. Colossal waste of time.

The only way you could have put a misshapped Dreadnought in your Stormraven, if I remember the Reserves rules correctly, is if the Stormraven was also in Deep Strike Reserve (which is distinct from your regular Reserves). A Stormraven that Deep Strikes will always enter play in hover mode, which is just asking for trouble.

Bring it on safely from your own table edge, strafe something on the ground, use the generous Flyer movement to get it into a safe position, then switch to Hover Mode and deliver the passengers next turn. If it survives that turn, the Raven can then switch back to Zoom and be a Supremacy flyer for the rest of the game.

 Spineyguy wrote:

Creeperman wrote:
For transport, I favor a cheap CC scout squad if anything. The dreadnought capacity is a trap. I once tried to use a SR to play taxi for a mishapped Ironclad, and all I really accomplished was taking both units out of the battle for the rest of the game. Colossal waste of time.

The only way you could have put a misshapped Dreadnought in your Stormraven, if I remember the Reserves rules correctly, is if the Stormraven was also in Deep Strike Reserve (which is distinct from your regular Reserves). A Stormraven that Deep Strikes will always enter play in hover mode, which is just asking for trouble.

Bring it on safely from your own table edge, strafe something on the ground, use the generous Flyer movement to get it into a safe position, then switch to Hover Mode and deliver the passengers next turn. If it survives that turn, the Raven can then switch back to Zoom and be a Supremacy flyer for the rest of the game.

I meant that the Ironclad's drop pod scattered off the table, which then allowed my opponent to (gleefully) place it in the corner of my own deployment zone. I tried to pick the dread up from there, and wound up wasting a couple turns of the SR's shooting, instead of writing off the dreadnought as I should have done.

Creeperman wrote:
I meant that the Ironclad's drop pod scattered off the table, which then allowed my opponent to (gleefully) place it in the corner of my own deployment zone. I tried to pick the dread up from there, and wound up wasting a couple turns of the SR's shooting, instead of writing off the dreadnought as I should have done.

Ah. I see. Well, that might have worked if the mishap had happened on Turn 1. I'd have done the same, if I knew I was going to be in desperate need of the heavy assault power. When in doubt, though, just run your mishapped unit straight at the nearest objective and hope for some good Run moves.

Generally, though, I'd distinguish the Stormraven as a snap transport option from a Stormraven as a delivery method.

Ive used the stormraven a lot in a old space marine list and in greyknights and I rarly got my points back. Its no where near as good as vendettas which I always allie in I never used it as a transport though I didn't want so many points in one unit.