Hello everyone, I wanted to try my first post and throw out there my idea for a First Founding Chapter the Raven Guard. I think the Chapter is an excellent fit for DeathWatch, very independant and their tactics are very different than what is presented in the main book. Just a note that I do not have Rites of Battle yet and am looking forward to getting a copy here in Canada soon so I can adjust this very rough outline. With that said, please offer any suggestions to tool out this rough stating point. I have access to a great deal of GW material from as far back as Rogue Trader days and hope to be able to flesh out a few of the Main First Founding Chapters for our group of players. (Salamanders, Crimson Fists and Blood Raven for sure)

Of course, for those of you who have the Rites of Battle, if the Raven Guard are already included (as I know Imperial Fists will be) then mentioning that now would be apeciated so I don't kill myself trying to figure this out. Thanks again for some feed back and glad to be a non lurker.

RAVEN GUARD

Raven Guard Space marines perform precision strikes and are fiercely independent. This Chapter’s warriors possess both great reflexes and instincts for strategy and unit command.

A Raven Guard Space Marine gains the following benefits: +5 Agility, +5 Fellowship and the Strike Hard, Strike Fast Solo Mode ability (see following)

Implants: Raven Guard Space Marines do not posses either the Betcher’s gland or Mueranoid gland as their gene seed has been mutated to the point that they do not function. Raven Guard characters do not gain the benefits of either of these implants. The Melanchromic Organ however has a unique mutation that over the years of service causes the skin of the Battle-Brother to grow paler, eventually they will be as white as their Primarch and their hair and eyes will darken, becoming black as coal.

Chapter Demeanour

Strike at the Heart, is a Demeanour (see page 32) unique to Space Marines from the Raven Guard Chapter. The Raven Guard follows the dictates of the Codex Astartes closely, though they do differ in the tactical application of their troops. The Raven Guard depend heavily on their ability to act alone for extended periods of time.
Tactical prowess and personal initiative are seen as more important than mere might. If there is the possibility of using a swift dagger to the heart instead of a drawn out fight, the Raven Guard are the ones to find it and act. These beliefs cause some tension between the Raven Guard and other Chapters, particularly the Blood Angels who they see as brutish and clumsy.

Chapter Trappings

Deliverance, the Raven guard’s Chapter planet and base of operations, has the production capacity of a small forge world, ensuring that the Raven Guard rarely lacks for the materiel to prosecute its campaigns.

Imperial Laurel: Add +3 to Parry Tests
Iron Skull: Add +3 to Command Tests
The Marksman’s Honour: Add +1 Damage on the First Attack Roll in a Combat
Raven Guard Drop Pin: Awarded to Veterans for Multiple successful Drop Pod Attacks, Add +1 to Initiative Rolls

Raven Guard Chapter Advances

Advance Cost Type Prerequisites Found/From
Command 400 Skill Ultramarines Points
Command +10 400 Skill
Command +20 400 Skill
Move Silently 200 Skill Same as Blood Angel
Move Silently +10 600 Skill Acrobatics advance
Move Silently +20 600 Skill
Air of Authority 500 Talent Fel 30 Rank 1 Tactical
Hammer Blow 500 Talent AdeptusAstartes Storm Warden List
Hatred (Chaos Space Marines) 500 Talent Standard Points
Hatred (Orks) 500 Talent Standard Points
Hip Shooting 500 Talent BS 40, Ag 40 Rank 2 Tactical
Paranoid 500 Talent Dark Angel List
Swift Attack 500 Talent WS 35 Rank 1 Assault
Thunder Charge 1000 Talent AdeptusAstartes Storm Warden List

Solo Mode Ability

Strike Hard, Strike Fast
Required Rank: 1

Effects: Raven Guard are well known for their use of the precise application of force to cripple their enemy while avoiding a protracted engagement. This Combat Doctrine has insured the Chapters survival through the Millenniums. Ounce per combat, a Battle-Brother of the Raven Guard may perform a Running Assault. As part of a normal Charge Action, a Battle-Brother may move up to their Maximum Charge Distance again, ounce the Charge Action is complete but before any other actions are taken. The initial Charge Action also benefits from an enhanced bonus of +20 to Weapon Skill vs. the normal +10 bonus.

Improvements: At Rank 3 and above the Penetration of the Melee Weapon used during a Charge Action gains a bonus of +2. At Rank 5 and above this bonus melee weapon Penetration rises to +4. At Rank 7 and above the Battle-Brothers Agility Characteristic is treated as having the Unnatural Trait for the purpose of determining their Max initial Charge range as well as the following movement for this Solo Mode Ability.

Chapter Attack Patterns (pg222)

Chapter Name Action Cost Sustained Note
Raven Guard Lightning Strike Reaction 2 No Same as Storm Warden Ability (fits perfectly)

Chapter Defensive Stances (pg225)

Chapter Name Action Cost Sustained Note
Raven Guard Shield and Sword Free 2 Yes Same as Storm Warden Ability (is a pretty good fit)

Thanks for your time

Looks decent, might want to go into possible primarch's curse, and one thing I had read is that they favor the "beaked" helms from older armours.

Honestly? I think the RG's Solo ability should be the exact counter-part to the SW's Wulf Senses, improvements included. Where those boost perception, the RG should receive pretty much the same boost for all things stealth.

Alex

ak-73 said:

Per ROB, you can one Characteristic or two Skills. Two Skills would be Concealment and Silent Move. Selecting one Characteristic - Agility in this case - is considerably stronger since it also assists with Dodge, Drive, and Pilot. I'd argue that the Characteristic-based one is too strong.