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.

Hey guys!

Getting ready for a team tourney coming up in a couple months. Our team came third of 17 last time, but I (who was captaining) dragged the chain a little with my list. We’ve decided for this one that we’ll all go similar lists so there are no easy counters, and we’re going with heavy hitters. One fella runs 2 shadowswords, a baneblade and RG (he murders everyone). Another dude will be running the new Knights, and a third guy will running assorted chaos knights/big dudes. My list is going to centre around 3 fire raptors.

They’ve been nerfed hard in points, but I believe they still can perform well if you build around them. The 3 raptors will take me to about 1200-1300 points, leaving about 700 for other stuff. Thoughts have been:

Deredeo dread for 5+ invuln aura and access to WoTA
DA Darkshroud so all the planes start at -2 to hit
Shrike, Az or some other chapter master for the re-rolls
Captain, Lt, or some dreadnought for rerolls
A stormraven for extra firepower and still at -1 or -2 to hit.
Skyshield landing pad

The list which I thought was “perfect” was 3 raptors, the Raven, the Darkshroud and the deredeo.
If I can hide the Darkshroud in the bottom level of ruins or generally out of LoS I can avoid getting tabled, and the planes are all at -2 to hit whilst getting a 5++ and two turns of rerolling ones to hit. But then I realised the deredeo needs another elites choice in the same detachment, which isn’t possible...

Anyway, if anyone is able to give some ideas that’d be awesome! I’m afraid I’ve got a bit of a creative wall...

Thanks!

I'm not sure how you'll be gettign -2 on your aircraft. Most aircraft only get their default -1 if they're in Supersonic mode. If you're trying to hover around the Darkshroud you won't be able to stay within the bubble anytime past Turm 1.

3 Fire Raptors isn't going to do much against the lists you said you'll be expecting. I came up against one with my Knights a couple of weeks ago. First turn Volcano Lance annihilated it before it could do anything, a Shadowsword's Volcano Cannon will probably do much worse.

1 Fire Raptor may still be good, 3 of them may be a points-sink rather than a tactic. If you're struggling with super-heavies, a tactic I've always found handy is Lias Issodon. Take him with 3x Devastator Squads, load up on Melta and infiltrate them. You'll be getting 5x Multi-Melta shots + Combi-Melta per squad.

Additionally, you could consider a Leviathan. Take him with 2x Grav Bombards and you're putting out 2D3 shots with D5 against super-heavies.

You do know that you are tabled when your opponent kills all your ground troops ? With 4 flyers at ~1600 pts. there isnt much left on the ground.

Those lists I mentioned aren’t ones I’m expecting to verse, I said they’re my teammates. But even still, my list should do fine against lists like those I think. At -2 to hit and a 5++, even 3 shadowswords are only 50/50 to bring down a single raptor. One knight, or even one shadowsword, taking out a bird at -2 with a 5++ would be extremely lucky. In fact, with re-rolling ones to hit, I place a single volcano lance at doing about 4 damage to a raptor. The -2 and 5++ make a big difference. On the other hand, I should be able to kill 1.5 shadowswords if I go first, and have a lot of dakka options for infantry too (78 heavy bolter rounds for a start...) As I said already, they’re only -2 at the start of the game, which basically just ensures I get a full turn of shooting except for maybe Dark Reaper spam (which is less popular) or 3 volcano cannons which is still only 50/50. After that, 14 lascannons, 78 heavy bolter shots / 24 autocannons, 30 avenger bolt cannon shots, a couple of storm strikes and whatever else is in the list, will usually be enough to seriously dent the opposition. After that, being at only -1 (either from flying or hovering near the Darkshroud) will be fine.

Yep, I know about boots on the ground haha. Risky for sure, but if I can keep the Darkshroud and deredeo (or whatever else I fill with those points) in the bottom level of ruins (ITC rules) and out of LoS it should be fine. Not much can blow up two tanks without LoS. Deep strikers will become my main threat, but depending on the board I may be able to make that work and I think they’re going out of fashion with the new rules. If they have a Melta rush list like sister or Harlies I can hopefully use the planes to corner them off and keep them outside of 6 of the ground vehicles.