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Hello all! Just coming back into 40k after a few years out (last significant play was at the very beginning of 6th).

Through the years of Tau, 'Crons, and SM, I continue to find myself drawn to Raven Guard so I decided to start an army this time around.

Trying to to stay relatively fluffy (holding off on Assault Squads for points/lack of experience for the time being), and develop a relatively versatile entry force. Ideally, this should be able to handle as many threats as possible due to budgetary constraints. Basically, after this initial investment, I won't have enough models to make any significant game-to-game alterations for quite a while. Having said that, I understand that 750pt lists are fragile to begin with, and I'm going to end up with some glaring weaknesses.

Below are the two lists I've drawn up sans any semblance of play testing. List 1 incorporates a heavily tooled assault commander that should be able to handle virtually anything he comes up against. The second list trades some of his features for another Land Speeder (w/ assault cannon).

LIST ONE (750)

CHAPTER TACTICS
Raven Guard

HQ
Captain (185)
-Power Fist, Teeth of Terra
-Artificer Armor, Iron Halo, Jump Pack

TROOPS

Scout Squad (143)
Scout Sergeant, 4 Scouts
-Bolters (x3), Storm Bolter (Sergeant), Heavy Bolter (x1)
-Camo Cloaks
-Land Speeder Storm (w/ Assault Cannon)

Scout Squad (82)
Scout Sergeant, 4 Scouts
-Camo Cloaks
-Sniper Rifle (x4), Heavy Bolter w/ Hellfire Shells (x1)

Tactical Squad(170)
Space Marine Sergeant, 4 Space Marines
-Bolter (x3), Storm Bolter & Chain Sword (Sergeant), Lascannon
-Razorback (w/ Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun)

Tactical Squad(170)
Space Marine Sergeant, 4 Space Marines
-Bolter (x3), Storm Bolter & Chain Sword (Sergeant), Lascannon
-Razorback (w/ Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun)

BREAKDOWN

HQ: 24.67%
Troops: 75.33%

4 Lascannons, 2 TL Plasma Guns, 5 Sniper Rifles, 1 Assault Cannon, 2 Heavy Bolters (1 w/ Hellfire Shells)

SUMMARY: This list gives me high mobility and a huge amount of heavy firepower for 750pts, in addition to having 4 scoring units. However, it suffers from low model count and very little to handle a true horde. Also, while I recognize the lack of significant Counter-CC capability, I don't want to give up the points for an assault squad as mentioned above.





LIST TWO(751)

CHAPTER TACTICS
Raven Guard

HQ
Captain (135)
-Lightning Claw (x2)
-Iron Halo, Jump Pack

TROOPS

Scout Squad (138)
Scout Sergeant, 4 Scouts
-Bolters (x4), Heavy Bolter (x1)
-Camo Cloaks
-Land Speeder Storm (w/ Assault Cannon)

Scout Squad (138)
Scout Sergeant, 4 Scouts
-Bolters (x4), Heavy Bolter (x1)
-Camo Cloaks
-Land Speeder Storm (w/ Assault Cannon)

Tactical Squad(170)
Space Marine Sergeant, 4 Space Marines
-Bolter (x3), Storm Bolter & Chain Sword (Sergeant), Lascannon
-Razorback (w/ Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun)

Tactical Squad(170)
Space Marine Sergeant, 4 Space Marines
-Bolter (x3), Storm Bolter & Chain Sword (Sergeant), Lascannon
-Razorback (w/ Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun)

BREAKDOWN

HQ: 18%
Troops: 82%

4 Lascannons, 2 TL Plasma Guns, 2 Assault Cannons, 2 Heavy Bolters

SUMMARY: This list retains the high mobility, and gives me a decent balance amongst my heavy firepower. Additionally, this list provides even more redundancy. Additionally the mobility of two AC Land Speeders should be nice to have (I really do love Land Speeders...). But again I have to question the lack of a.) Counter CC capabilities, and in this list I lose the anti-MC/IC utility of the snipers. I had thought about consolidating the Tactical squads, buffing the Sgt for CC and taking a specialty weapon, and using the leftover points to get a sniper squad back in there.

Common problems to both lists include low model count and lack of anti-air (would it be worth the extra points to swap the Tac Squads Lascannons for Missile Launchers with Frakk Missiles?). But I feel like it puts enough fire power on the board to play like a static gun line army. The nice thing is that it (should) retain at least some of it's mobility, and everything gets to infiltrate (I believe), meaning that board control is essentially mine in the beginning. Any thoughts/comments are appreciated, but especially those analyzing the commander in list one, weapons distribution/loadout, and the viability of maintaining enough of the armies mobility to prevent it from becoming a permanent static gun line before the end of the game... Thanks!