Using Stormravens for C:SM

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**UltraTacSgt**

I am trying to decide whether or not to add a Stormraven to my C:SM lists. I have a good balance of threats and abilities but I'd rather have the SR able to destroy armor, MCs, and other fliers as its primary mission, with transporting units and attacking infantry as a secondary function.

So tell me your experiences with Stormravens and how you equip them.

Is it worth it to take a single Stormraven as your only flier? Or is it too easy for an enemy to focus it down? Are they worth the points in the role I've mentioned above?

**djz05**

With high priority targets like that (e.g vindicators, landraider variants) i always make it a point to bring at least 2. It is just too easy to lose that 1 unit while having 2 greatly increases the survival of both units.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ive beeen using my ravens as a gunship. If i have extra points i get bolters, but most of the time I take a tl-mm/tl-AC with the missiles. Maybe put a smal cheapl 5 man squad inside for last minute objective capping.

**jetstumpy**

djz05 wrote:
With high priority targets like that (e.g vindicators, landraider variants) i always make it a point to bring at least 2. It is just too easy to lose that 1 unit while having 2 greatly increases the survival of both units.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ive beeen using my ravens as a gunship. If i have extra points i get bolters, but most of the time I take a tl-mm/tl-AC with the missiles. Maybe put a smal cheapl 5 man squad inside for last minute objective capping.

What are the stats on the C:SM Storm raven missiles? Are the better at infantry killing or tank/flier hunting?

**Martel732**

I'd use a single stormraven and escort it with storm talons. That way, your air power doesn't come in piecemeal. I have beat so many players that piecemeal their lists just from the piecemealing effect alone.

**DakotaBlue**

A stormraven and a scorting stormtalon + an aegis, manned by Telion if possible, should be enough to kill, at least, 2 fliers per turn.

Maybe the math hammer hit me on the face, but I'm bad at maths, so if someone want to do it...

**CaptainJay**

jetstumpy wrote:
djz05 wrote:
With high priority targets like that (e.g vindicators, landraider variants) i always make it a point to bring at least 2. It is just too easy to lose that 1 unit while having 2 greatly increases the survival of both units.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ive beeen using my ravens as a gunship. If i have extra points i get bolters, but most of the time I take a tl-mm/tl-AC with the missiles. Maybe put a smal cheapl 5 man squad inside for last minute objective capping.

What are the stats on the C:SM Storm raven missiles? Are the better at infantry killing or tank/flier hunting?

Str8 Ap2 according to this guy
http://atomicspud40k.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/death-from-skies-and-thoughts-on-marine.html

so probably better off tank hunting!

**jetstumpy**

Definitely sounds like it! So for 15 more points than the nephilim, you get +2 strength and ap to your missiles and a free multi melt? Not to mention better armor and transport capabilities.
As far as the 'Raven's use, I plan on doing the risky shock-drop with shooty termites in order to keep the bird flying around.

**wuestenfux**

Well, a Stormraven with a mounted unit of Assault Termies w/ th,ss led by a Librarian w/ terminator armor, avenger, nullzone would certainly be a good buy.

**Gornall**

wuestenfux wrote:
Well, a Stormraven with a mounted unit of Assault Termies w/ th,ss led by a Librarian w/ terminator armor, avenger, nullzone would certainly be a good buy.

And take up about a quarter of your points... while not being able to assault anything until Turn 3. :-/ Potentially devestating, but also a big risk, IMO.

**davou**

Gornall wrote:
wuestenfux wrote:
Well, a Stormraven with a mounted unit of Assault Termies w/ th,ss led by a Librarian w/ terminator armor, avenger, nullzone would certainly be a good buy.

And take up about a quarter of your points... while not being able to assault anything until Turn 3. :-/ Potentially devestating, but also a big risk, IMO.

Yup, I prefer a small scoring squad with minimal upgrades. Something that cant sit in there for most of the game without costing much of your firepower. They sit in the gunboat as it goes to town on the field, and then are available as an option to score/contest in the last moment.

**NickTheButcher**

So, I have a 2500 point game coming up in a campaign and I'll be facing a Necron army composed of about 6-7 flyers.

I'm taking 3 Stormravens mainly as gunboats, taking the TL LC and TL MM -- hoping this will be enough anti-air (will also have Telion on an ADL Quad gun)

Only 1 of them will - for sure - have a 5 man squad of Combat Bladed Scouts in it as a last minute objective snatch

I haven't decided if the 2 squads of TH/SS Terminators are going to stay in reserve and deep strike in, or if they are going in the other 2 Ravens.

Simply because I like the idea of dropping the "hammer" on my opponents face, I'll probably stick them in the ravens - whether or not it pays off, is a risk, but will be EPIC if it works.

All in all, I think it's best/safest to take Stormravens as follows:

1. Take more than 1. It's going to be a high priority target
2. Take them empty or only put a small scoring unit in them

**TanKoL**

If you put costly guys inside, put a locator beacon on those stormravens
Then drop the guys less than 6 away with the Skies of Fury > no scatter > no misshap > smile and bash (that's if you need to move far away and don't want to have to hover)

**davou**

Too bad you cant assault when you skies of fury

**TanKoL**

It would be quite overpowered if you could davou, it would feel "Night Scythe + despairTek + deathmark" broken

**UltraTacSgt**

I really like the idea of running a Stormraven as a gunship and putting some combat scouts in it for a late game objective run.

In casual games it would also be fun to drop an ironclad off the back and let him crump some chumps.

I am worried about the prospect of running a single SR but my army includes two vindicators so I have several large threats to take the heat off it.

I am tempted to take the TL-LC's instead of the TL-AC's as I like the reliability of the LC. Do you guys think the Stormstrike missiles (or whatever they are called) plus the TL-MM are enough anti armor to justify taking the AC for rends and versatility versus hordes/troops?

**hazal**

The Stormraven loadout

- Assault Cannon
- MM

Fill with hammer time.

** equipped best to take on other flyers + a assault element which can survive the crash if it occurs.
*** TW-AC will out perform a TL-LC most of the time 4 Str 6 shots with rending dmg range 7-15 is greater than 1 shot str 9 with damage range 10-15. I will restress that never take a TL-LC over a TL-AC on something that can move 36"

Also you only need 1 raven, with their stat line they are hard to take down unless a opponent has dedicated anti-air in-spades in which case a second would go down as well.

**Thaylen**

I run one with hammernators and TL LC and TL MM. Gives a few turns of 4 S8+ AP2- shots. Good for killing vehicles, elite infantry or even monsterous creatures.

**LValx**

I think the SR is a great buy for SM now that the Heldrake model has begun to pop-up everywhere. The Heldrake is simply too efficient at killing your expensive troops to simply ignore, as was the case against Scythes and Vendettas. Taking 2 is a risky proposition because if you run into a list with air-superiority (Vendettas, 4-5 Scythes and Barges), you'll likely lose your Ravens (also dependent on who goes first) which means a large chunk of your points may end up wasted. I would lean towards taking 1 in a TAC-list, equipped with TLAC, TLMM and Hurricane Bolters. I would also shy away from filling it with anything more than a combat squad. I'm not a fan of too many eggs in one basket.