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Hello,

This is my latest attempt at making a strong Talon Strike Force list. With my other lists I've consistently struggled against GMCs and MCs as I had relatively little Grav. Let me know what you think about the list:

+++ Ravenguard Talon Strike Force Detachment +++

++ Pinion Battle Demi-Company Formation++

Chaplain [Crozius, Bolt Pistol, PA]
Assault Squad [Jump Packs, x2 Flamers]
Devastator Squad [x4 Missile Launchers]
x3 Tactical Squad [Grav Cannon & Grav Amp]
x4 Scout Squads [x5 Boltguns]

++ Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force ++
x3 Tactical Squad [Drop Pod, Meltagun, Combi-Melta]
Land Speeder [Heavy Flamer]

+++ Ravenguard Air Superiority Detachment +++
x2 Stormtalons [TL Assault Cannon, Sky Hammer Missile Launcher]

TACTICS
The chaplain joins the devastators and deploys in the backfield, ideally on an objective and in ruins. One scout squad deploys nearby out of LOS to provide ignores cover to the devastators. If the opponent has long range artillery or ignores cover, the devastators can deploy out of LOS and lose a turn of shooting to move. The remainder of the force is held in reserves as follows:

x3 scouts & x3 tacticals w/ Grav Cannons = Outflank
x3 tacticals /w Drop Pods, land speeder, assault marines = Deep Strike
X2 storm talons = Regular Reserves

Assuming my opponent has no fliers in reserve, all of my non-flier reserves will come in on turn one with a 2+ reserves roll. The Meltaguns target any armor the opponent has and try to land as centrally as possible to put heavy pressure on the center. The ability to run and fire granted by their formation lets them get into melta range even with a scatter. Meanwhile, the outflank tacticals and scouts move into cover and eliminate any threats near the board edges. If the opponent deployed in the center to avoid being flanked they will instead run into nearby cover and wait for the second round of shooting when the Grav-Cannons DPS and range improves. The assault marines, speeder, and storm talons are all intended to be fast moving units able to remove lightly armored enemies.

Out of curiosity, why are you planning on putting your chaplain in the backfield? I haven't played one yet but I'm starting to put together a Raven Guard force as well, and looking the chaplain over, I get the impression he's good in a melee-oriented squad like assault marines or vanguard vets. I feel like he's wasted sitting on an objective, or am I missing something?

BossJakadakk wrote:
Out of curiosity, why are you planning on putting your chaplain in the backfield? I haven't played one yet but I'm starting to put together a Raven Guard force as well, and looking the chaplain over, I get the impression he's good in a melee-oriented squad like assault marines or vanguard vets. I feel like he's wasted sitting on an objective, or am I missing something?

Really its just 2 reasons in this list. First, I don't have the points to pick up a Jump Pack. Secondly, the fearless helps mitigate losing rounds of shooting if the devastators would fall back. I could take a barebones captain and he'd serve basically the same purposes, albeit LD 10 rather than fearless but with an extra wound.

Hell of a lot of non-obsec troops with not much hitting power imo. I'm really not a fan of the orbital strike force - the bonuses don't make the tac marines worth it. Bear in mind the reroll of ones only works on wounds not AP rolls, so not much use on those meltas.

I'd be wanting ditch the SOSF for a Shadowstrike KT and moving some of those scouts over into that formation. Gives you a bit more hitting power. Realistically you only need one scout squad in the Pinion to give the devs ignores cover - the others are better replaced by Pods for the tac squads as DS > outflank imo.... And then you're better off taking a regular Demi BC for obsec rather than ignores cover on a single unit of devastators (just take a WS librarius if you really want that, but I wouldn't bother).

In my Talon SF list I run a Demi Company with grav centurions and podded grav tacs, a Shadowstrike KT with 3 scouts squads, a Raptor Wing (unfamiliar with the air superiority detatchment) and a UM conclave with Tigurius. To get it down to 1500 I'd just drop the conclave and put more into the VG vets

Edit: taking a regular Demi Company would also allow you to take a Cataphractii Terminator Captain. Put him in the devastator unit to give them SNP far more useful than the chaplain

 Brother Payne wrote:
Hell of a lot of non-obsec troops with not much hitting power imo. I'm really not a fan of the orbital strike force - the bonuses don't make the tac marines worth it. Bear in mind the reroll of ones only works on wounds not AP rolls, so not much use on those meltas.

I'd be wanting ditch the SOSF for a Shadowstrike KT and moving some of those scouts over into that formation. Gives you a bit more hitting power. Realistically you only need one scout squad in the Pinion to give the devs ignores cover - the others are better replaced by Pods for the tac squads as DS > outflank imo.... And then you're better off taking a regular Demi BC for obsec rather than ignores cover on a single unit of devastators (just take a WS librarius if you really want that, but I wouldn't bother).

In my Talon SF list I run a Demi Company with grav centurions and podded grav tacs, a Shadowstrike KT with 3 scouts squads, a Raptor Wing (unfamiliar with the air superiority detatchment) and a UM conclave with Tigurius. To get it down to 1500 I'd just drop the conclave and put more into the VG vets

Edit: taking a regular Demi Company would also allow you to take a Cataphractii Terminator Captain. Put him in the devastator unit to give them SNP far more useful than the chaplain

Thanks for the feedback.

I've run the SKT several times, and although its fun, the prevalence of Tau in my local meta made me drop it. The combine over watch really shuts it down in my experience. As for the Air Superiority Detatchment, it gives +2 to all reserve rolls and -2 to the opponents so long as you have fliers in reserve and they do not. It was the best way I've found to ensure a turn 1 alpha strike. I'll certainly look more into the obsec options, I've just never had it really be much of a problem in the games I play. Once again, thanks for taking the time to comment.