Fire Raptor Gunship in a Khorne Assault Army Sound Good?

[Schurge]

I am in the middle of collecting and assembling my first army. I'm Khorne (Crimson Slaughter aesthetically because I can relate but haven't decided if I will use CS rules) and assault focused... Korne Juggerlord or Daemon Prince alongside Spawn, Berserkers and / or Possessed in Rhinos (or maybe all in one Spartan Assault Tank) as my core. Forgeworld is legal at the local store and they usually play 1500 points.

The Fire Raptor Gunship looks cool and sounds cool and I like the idea of having a Navy soften up my enemies before I charge into melee (generally how I play in strategy games). Would a Fire Raptor Gunship fill this sort of role well? I really don't want to use a Helldrake because it is so cheasy and I don't really like the model... and it doesn't have that "Navy" feel. Is there a better way to simulate what I am going for (long range artillery, allying with Traitor Guard maybe)?

[Schurge]

I feel like that new guy to the forum that is ignored because his post is old news.

 

Just thinking on my own I am not sure the Fire Raptor is something I should invest in now, when I haven't even played a "regulation" game yet, just played skirmishes with one or two units or watch others at tournaments. Since I am going to primarily be assaulting I want all my units constantly engaged in close combat while some junk units capture points. Fire Raptor would need to soften the enemy up in the first turn because ideally in the second or third turn I've engaged in close combat limiting it's combat options.

 

At least until I have more experience with the game and can optimize my army for Assaulting I am probably better off playing with a pair of Heldrakes, one Hades and one Flamer.

[brother_contagion]

From what I've heard, Fire Raptors are a powerful gunship: Avenger Bolt Cannon's S6 AP3 7 shots, 4 Hellstrike Missile which are Krak Missiles that have the Ordinance special rule, and two independently firing Twin-Heavy Bolters (or for Chaos 2 Reaper Autocannon Batteries). That thing could easily open up transports for your Berserkers to charge and soften up other infantry squads with it's Avenger Bolt Cannon. I don't think it's too powerful to leave your army with nothing to charge, but would definitely help weaken the enemy for your Marines.

 

I think if you ran two Heldrakes with Baleflamers (because the Fire Raptor could take care of any other fliers) it would make your list very dangerous.

[Emperors Immortals]

Mate I meant to post s reply before because I actually use a FR.

 

Check out Morticon on the BloodAngel forums (I party there too sometimes) he ran one very successfully in the SA nationals, convinced me to finally buy the sexy Damocles too.

 

Its a very heavy gunship, it reliably wrecks vehicles and troops (3+, 2+) and puts up with the AA. I run it for my Slaaneshis and WorldEaters but sometimes swap it for a spartan with Khârn and cultist ala sheesh mode.

 

It can soften for an assault, clean up stubborn units and run a very good distraction, plus the chaos one is a bit better IMO.

 

I have run it and a helltalon before, and the talon survived because the AA was distracted.

 

Easy to model - a storm raptor kit and pladticard will do nice job and let you try the storm eagle, another good unit.

 

Drakes times 2 would be an excellent base for a beginner army.

[Zeratil]

  I've had quite a bit of success with my Fire Raptor, personally though I would wait to see what IA13 brings us, as the experimental rules are rather out of date, specifically the raptor's missiles are ordnance weapons and thus kinda suck because of the 7th ed rules. The Space Marine variant has been updated to have S8 AP2 Concussive missiles in the new IA2, but I suspect that we shall get something a little different. At the forgeworld open day the writers apparently said that IA13 will have lots of heresy era model's rules, just like IA2, but they would be changed to reflect the thousands of years being changed by the warp.

 

  It sounds like you want your raptor to provide you with fire support and act as a can opener before your assault units charge, that can work, although if your raptor doesn't come in turn 2 then it could leave your assault elements flapping in the wind while the enemy are holed up in boxes. In my experience the raptor does very well as demolishing light armoured vehicles and softenting up marine blobs. I always upgrade to the reaper cannons and fly the raptor through the middle of the battlefield, I tend to point it a big blog of 3+ dudes I would like to not be there any more, and use the reaper cannons to get side armour shots on transports or start putting wounds on MCs/Tough targets.

 

The problem with the Raptor is that it has a much harder time against high AV facings/targets. On things like predators or russes this can be circumvented by getting those easy side and rear armour shots (I tend to drop mine into hover mode in it's 2nd or 3rd turn) but things like land raiders are going to be almost impossible for it to hurt unless the missiles change to be extremely good against high AV targets (i.e get something like sunder or armourbane, which I feel is unlikely).

 

So I'd say that yes, a Fire Raptor could be a good addition to the army, but you'll need something that can reliably pop those high armour vehicles. As I side note the Raptor can be quite useful in hurting Imperial Knights, provided that you can get something else that threatens it into another arc so it has to choose where to put it's shield.

[Schurge]

Thank you for your input guys... I think I will either order it today or next pay period.