Ravenwing

[kamedake88]

I'm really Jones-ing to start a new army and I have my sights set on Ravenwing. I was wondering I should go ahead and start or wait for the the possibility of a new codex and models. Quite frankly I'm a loss.

Also does anyone know if the current Ravenwing battleforce has the "new" landspeeder sprue rather than the old one, in it

[Rob and Roll]

I believe it has the new one with the new flight stand with ball and socket.

[DeaNos]

I would wait the last thing you want is to play with out dated models (although I will be) but I hope they don't change them much

[Beppo1234]

The current Ravenwing box is pretty safe from updating. It's only 1 edition old.

[Mini77]

The battleforce has the old land speeder sprue unfortunately, though it does come with three of the ravenwing upgrade sprues so you do get all the parts for typhoons and tornadoes, as well as the upgrade bits for sammaels speeder.

[Chem-Dog]

The current Ravenwing box is pretty safe from updating. It's only 1 edition old.

Hardly a guarantee of safety in GW related issues

Not to mention that the bike itself has been about since the late '90s. I doubt they will get massively overhauled though.

[TheDoctor]

I'm really Jones-ing to start a new army and I have my sights set on Ravenwing. I was wondering I should go ahead and start or wait for the the possibility of a new codex and models. Quite frankly I'm a loss.

Also does anyone know if the current Ravenwing battleforce has the "new" landspeeder sprue rather than the old one, in it

It is the old sprue.

Also, unless you are taking some Deathwing along with the Ravenwing, I would play them as vanilla marines for now.

Advantages Ravenwing: Sammael (AV14 landspeeder), cheap typhoons, scout moves (though no turbo-boosting), power weapons on sarges not replacing bolt pistol (so you get extra attack)

Disadvantages Ravenwing: Fearless, base squad is 30 points more expensive than vanilla marines (though this is the in-built teleport homers, which are wasted unless you take deathwing), attack bike is separate and easy kill point, non-variable squad sizes, piss-poor psychic defence

Advantages Vanilla Marines: Combat tactics, Customizable Captain, Command Squad on bikes, useful Librarians, points costs are cheaper over the entire book, Combi-weapons

Disadvantages Vanilla Marines: No Deathwing, no Scout moves on bikes

[Chem-Dog]

no Scouts

I was with you right up to this point Doc. Am I reading it heinously wrong or are you saying Vanilla Marines can't get scouts?

[TheDoctor]

I was with you right up to this point Doc. Am I reading it heinously wrong or are you saying Vanilla Marines can't get scouts?

Oops, I meant vanilla bikes can't get scout moves, I just edited my post.

[Rob and Roll]

Thank you for correcting me. I was mislead by the new flight stand, which is better then the one I got in the speeder box.

I like playing my Ravenwing (as DA) at the moment, but I do use 1 Deathwing squad to give them that extra punch and use the teleport homer gimmick. Might not win a tournament, but it is a lot of fun to play.

[Bartali]

I'd at least wait for sixth edition and the corresponding DA FAQ before splashing out on new models. What works in 5th may end up being very different to what works in 6th

Something to bear in mind if you do purchase any of the RW boxes - they don't contain any of the special weapons for the bikers, unlike their Vanilla counterparts.

[Elios Harg]

I would also suggest waiting for 6th to drop before committing. However, I feel ravenwing is actually superior to vanilla bikers due to fearless and scouts. Sure, fearless sucks in CC, but you shouldn't be getting into CC with your bikes anyway unless you are certain you will win. Fearless is downright awesome in shooting.

Additionally, if the changes to rapid fire are true, ravenwing attack squads will be pretty potent mobile fire bases that have the option to outflank with 2 relentless plasma guns.

As to the comment on psychic defense, sure a librarian on bike is only Ld 9, but his hood is table wide. So you have psychic defense on everybody, it's just weaker.

[Bartali]

Sure, fearless sucks in CC, but you shouldn't be getting into CC with your bikes anyway unless you are certain you will win. Fearless is downright awesome in shooting.

The problem is that RW bikers need to be 12" away with Plasma, or 6" away with Melta to be at their most potent. This of course leaves them vulnerable to being charged next turn.