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So since I'm playing Blood Disciples I am hoping to use quite a few Raptors (And they look super cool!) and I'm trying to think on how to use them.
So i'm thinking of squads of 5, 2 meltaguns and the leader with a plasma pistol and power fist, this costs 138 pts.
My plan is to drop them down near a vehicle or highly-armoured enemy and to shoot them, hopefully my daemon prince could be in range to give them re-roll 1's, after shooting I may try to charge, it really depends on the circumstance.
Next turn get close to an enemy target, shoot at them and then charge them, the power fist gives me lots of flexibility as charging tanks is now a viable option, after the first charge I jump away from combat and shoot at them again, rince and repeat.

The one issue I find is Raptors still die as easy as marine, so when oon average each model costs 28 points I am worries for their survival, I was thinking maybe squads of 8 so more normal raptors can get shot down, but in 650 pt games that is very costly, and a squad of 10 tactical marines will kill 2 raptors without special weapons.

I just picked up a couple of boxes of raptors because they're so cool looking and I was thinking plasma. But you saying melta has got me thinking they'd be good to drop in with meltas to break open tanks.
But then I started thinking for 4 points more I can add an extra las havoc to my squad and have very similar fire power, hide in cover, be shooting from turn one and probably benefit from a lords rerolls easier too. :/


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My original thinking for raptors is I generally play quite gunline and I thought I'd drop the raptors in to tear apart something at rapid fire range, probably get torn apart back and whatever survives will hopefully have enough range of movement to reach an uncontested objective and hold out in cover. Is be worried with plasma pistol and melta you won't have enough range to still be in the fight whilst camping on an objective...

Plasma guns are the way to go. They can drop in, get 5 plasma shots off (2 guns and a pistol) and then if any survive they become a skirmish force / harassment force. Don't drop them in with 0 support or they will die. But otherwise they do their job well enough.

Azuza001 wrote:
Plasma guns are the way to go. They can drop in, get 5 plasma shots off (2 guns and a pistol) and then if any survive they become a skirmish force / harassment force. Don't drop them in with 0 support or they will die. But otherwise they do their job well enough.

Plasma all the way for Raptors. Melta really needs to be within 6 inches to reach max potency, Plasma is reaches max potency at 12 inches, and you get get within 12 inches from a Jump Pack Assault. Also you can get up to 6 plasma shots with either dual Plasma Pistols or a Combi Plasma on the Champion. Its a nice little bomb. 125 points for a deep striking plasma bomb is pretty solid for what you get.

If you want Melta Guns, Bikers are probably the best platform with that. 14 inch movement and a possible Warp Time, in addition to the fact that they can make a 20 inch advance and still shoot their Meltas. Raptors are great, but unless you plan on starting them on the board I would stick to Plasma Guns on them.

raptors can be played in narrative only, with warptime+AiP nerf they are close to useless, why play a plasma team with them when you can use termies more durable? raptors are one of those units give chaos codex some flavous but pretty useless in competitive plays, if you go with plasma then you need a Lord/Pd baby sitting them, how can you expect an unit with 1 wound and ta 3+ will survive with the massive firepower/melee an average army can unleash right now. If you want an harrasment unit play 5 slaanesh termies with 5 plasma, 20 shots when they drop then if they survive another volley of shots and charge, they can do some serious damage... but how many termies you see play? more or less 0, so why play raptors lot and lot easier to kill.

 blackmage wrote:
raptors can be played in narrative only, with warptime+AiP nerf they are close to useless, why play a plasma team with them when you can use termies more durable? raptors are one of those units give chaos codex some flavous but pretty useless in competitive plays, if you go with plasma then you need a Lord/Pd baby sitting them, how can you expect an unit with 1 wound and ta 3+ will survive with the massive firepower/melee an average army can unleash right now. If you want an harrasment unit play 5 slaanesh termies with 5 plasma, 20 shots when they drop then if they survive another volley of shots and charge, they can do some serious damage... but how many termies you see play? more or less 0, so why play raptors lot and lot easier to kill.

Which FaQ is this in sorry?

To be fair you're can have two squads of plasma raptors for the price of 5 plasma terminators. Potentially as survivable as the terminators due to immunity to multi damage weaponry. Plus with 12" movement over 5" they have the range to get themselves out of danger next round.
Very different units.

Potentially as survivable as the terminators due to immunity to multi damage weaponry.

seriously? yeah they die just with guard lasguns... very survivable every failed saving throw means 1 raptor died. Really dont know what level of game you play, but if you face a competitive army you ll see the bucket of dice it rolls every turn (try De for example or Tau).

Which FaQ is this in sorry?

Last big faq release says you cant ds anymore turn one, and when you do you cant move for any reason neither with warptime, so unless you start with them on the table, you can ds turn 2 and move and try a 9" charge.
Of course termy and raptors are different units, but if i must choose between them i sure choose termies, at least i can stand a chance against some retaliation.

I've run raptors with ok results. Just get some plasma. No real need for a mellee weapon - their cc damage is not worth the price, however, they can annoy the opponent and thanks to having a Fly keyword just fly out of mellee and shoot again.

Not amazing but playable.

but you aware or not that against any competive list they last 1 turn? pointless have fly kw when you ripped apart in 1 single turn. Then if we are talking about casual matches, i agree with you they can be playable.

My point was raptors are half the price so theoretically you can have ten raptor wounds for the same price as ten terminator wounds, ablative wounds means you need to lose a few before they start eating into your plasma weapons. Their movement range means they have more chance to get out of trouble and the fly keyword means you can charge something that isn't gonna hurt too much and stop them getting shot at for a round whilst not being tied down.
They're not particularly competitive agreed, but they have a purpose and could be fun


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Strange you talk about raptors not being competitive then suggest terminators?

Not every list needs to be min maxed for a GT, and raptors do a fine job at delivering piping hot plasma where you need it on the table. Strictly speaking Obliterators are a stronger squad on the Deep Strike, but raptors are easier to slot into a list and they look really nice on the table. If you want to run Raptors, have fun with them. Just don't expect them to do anything in close combat with their 1 base attack each, and don't expect them to do much damage outside of the three guys with Plasma. And while they are made of paper, sometimes they do survive more than you would expect them to, even just one Raptor surviving is another guy who can move and rapid fire Plasma.