Don’t miss the full rules for Relics, Warlord Traits, and Psychics from the Raven Guard supplement that’s bringing a totally different play style to 40k.
Raven Guard are gearing up to be the single-target assassinators of all the Loyalist Chapters. With their codex rules, relics and more covered earlier, we’ll be going over their stratagems that have been making their way around the web as well. Be sure to get caught up on the earlier rules first!
Be sure to keep in mind in some cases these rules are paraphrased and may not be the EXACT codex wording. There is a chance we got some terms, and/ or phrases wrong. Other than that, enjoy the new Traits, Psychics and Abilities of the Iron Hands!
Full 40k Raven Guard Codex Rules: Relics, Traits, Strats & Psychics
Just to familiarize yourself with their new Chapter Tactic (from the SM codex), they get a cover save at over 12″ away. And if they’re standing in cover already and not a Vehicle, they also proc a bonus -1 to hit! Not too shabby!
Now with this rule in mind, check out how the Raven Guard will be playing once their supplement drops.
Bonus Rules for Doctrines
With the new codex and supplements, the Chapters are getting bonus rules called Doctrines. All Chapters start with the same Doctrine active at the start of the game. However, as the game progresses, they can switch up the rules and pick which Doctrine is best for the stage that turn.
Raven Guard get all of the Doctrines. However, if they have the Tactical Doctrine active, they also get a nifty bonus ability. Raven Guard units will be able to add 1 to hit and wound rolls against Character units. Now this might not seem too great because characters are usually hidden behind enemy lines or screened
But keep in mind, Eliminators are also coming out with this wave and will be able to put mortal wounds even easier. It’s also worth noting any Knight with relics, some IH dreadnoughts, and even IG Tank Commanders are characters…
Warlord Traits
We saw Shadowmaster (which is Shrike’s Warlord Trait as well) let’s take a look at the rest now:
- Master of Ambush: At the start of the battle if this character is on the battlefield you can choose a Raven Guard unit, remove them both from the battlefield and place them at least 9″ away from any enemy models.
- Swift and Deadly: Raven Guard within 6″ can choose to charge even if they advanced
- Master of Vigilance: Unmodified hit rolls of 6 in melee cause 1 mortal wound
- Feigned Flight: When this warlord falls back, they can move across models and terrain as if they were not there. They can also shoot and charge the same turn they fall back.
- Echo of the Ravenspire: Once per battle at the end of your movement phase, they can disappear if they are more than 6″ away from any models, they re-enter at the end of your next movement phase more than 9″ away from any enemies.
Relics
Let’s take a look at the other relics we haven’t seen as well.
- The Ebon Claws: Replaces lightning claws, User Str, -1 Ap, d3 damage
- The Armor of Shadows: Any ap -1 becomes ap -0 when wounding this unit, in addition, 1, 2, and 3s to hit this model always fail.
- The Raven Skull of Korvaad: Once per round a model with this relic can re-roll a hit, wound, or damage roll. If an enemy unit kills this model, that unit is +1 to hit by all friendly Raven Guard.
- Ex tenebrus: Replaces a master-crafted range weapon, 36″ range, assault 3, str 4, -2 ap, 2 damage. You can also target a character if they aren’t the closest and add 1 to the hit roll, the target also does not get a cover bonus to their saving throw
- Oppressor’s End: Replaces Combat Knife, +1 str, -2 ap, 1 Damage. In addition, they get an extra attack, and if the target is a character the damage is changed to 3
Psychic Discipline: Umbramancy
Adding even more speed to the army, you’ll be able to pick up a character within 18″ of your Psyker and fling them down the board turn 1 on a roll of a 7. If you make a Raven Guard Smash Captain and need him in a spot quickly, your Librarian can give him a quick boost!
- Umbral Form: Warp charge of 5, until your next psychic phase this psyker gets a 4+ Invulnerable save
- Enveloping Darkness: Warp charge of 7, select one enemy within 18″ and visible to the psyker. That unit can’t fire overwatch until your next psychic phase and they get -1 to hit
- Spectral Blade: Warp charge of 5, until your next psychic phase, this psykers strength is equal to their leadership. Also, if they target a unit with a melee attack and they have lower leadership, the attack has an ap of -4
- The Abyss: Warp charge value of 6, select one enemy within 18″ and visible to the psyker. Roll 3d6 for each 4+ that unit suffers a mortal wound, if any models are slain the unit gets -1 to leadership until the end of the turn
- The Darkness Within: Warp charge of 6, select up to 3 enemies within 18″ of the psyker roll 1d6 for each of those units, add 1 if the psychic test was more than 10, on a 4+ they take 1 mortal wound
Raven Guard Stratagems Revealed
Starting off, the Raven Guard are getting a 2 CP strat that lets them fall back, shoot, and charge. That’s adding two phases of the game back to a unit that normally would be completely out of commission.
Capitalizing on the Tactical Doctrine even more, if it is active, you can pop 2cp and your entire army tacks on an additional AP to Rapid Fire and Assault weapons for wounds of a 6+. For a 2cp strat that covers your entire army, it can only be used once per battle.
Decapitating Blow nukes the enemy army with a -1 Ld debuff across the board. It might take a little finessing to pull it off just right, but the enemy Warlord should be the first thing you kill. Primaris Eliminators can make that happen easily with the Surgical Strikes rule.
Your Raven Guard Infantry can set up booby traps on objectives in-game. The next time the enemy would ever come within capturing distance, there’s a chance to deal 3 mortal wounds straight to their face!
In a pseudo-Forlorn Fury stratagem for the Blood Angels, Raven Guard can charge after advancing and add 1 to the result. Not bad if you don’t want to wait for turn two to roll around for your Jump Pack units to drop in.
Iron Hands have the same stratagem as this (just titled different). Essentially, you can give your non-named Warlord an additional trait. It’s extremely useful as you can turn that one character into even more of a beat stick.
For 1CP, you can give a Sergeant out of a unit a special selection of relics. That’s pretty cool if you’re going to be using big blobs of units like Intercessors or Infiltrators. They might not have character protection, but they do have a wounds sponge.
Raven Guard will be able to get a free movement (including advance) for 1 CP before the game begins. You just have to end your movement 9″ away from the enemy. Imagine comboing this with a squad of Infiltrators. You’ll be able to get right up next to the enemy’s deployment line assuming there aren’t any models closeby.
If you are only planning on focusing one enemy unit down in melee but have a risky charge on your hands, you can pop 1 CP to reroll the charge roll. Pretty self-explanatory.
For 2Cp, you essentially get a Callidus Assassin ability added to your force. You just need Phobos Primaris or Marine Scouts on the field. But on a 5+ each time your enemy plays a stratagem, it will cost an additional CP or else it is canceled. This can only be used once per battle but holy moly the power of this stratagem is bonkers.
If you’re going against characters or some serious elites that aren’t Vehicles, you can pop 1CP to essentially become a Blood Angel for the duration of combat.
If you’ve got a unit acting as Engineers in your ITC games, you can pop 1CP and make them -1 to hit. What’s even cooler is that you can combo this with the Infiltrators smoke grenade making them -2 to hit (-3 if in terrain and more than 12″ away too). This is perfect for sitting on an objective in a hot spot.
Strike from the Shadows is back and powerful! For just 1CP, you’ll be able to set up the units more than 9″ away from the enemy at the end of any movement phase. This means you can plop down Aggressors, Intercessor blobs, etc. right next to the enemy in an unexpected spot.
And finally, if you’re going against Word Bearers, Iron Warriors, Night Lords or Alpha Legion in your games, you’ll be able to reroll hits. This is a fluffy little stratagem based off of what happened to the Legion 10,000 years ago. But might be a bit dodgy to use in-game.
With all of the codex supplement stratagems gone over, what do you think about the Raven Guard? Be sure to check out Shrike’s new rules set as well!
Primaris Kayvaan Shrike: Raven Guard Full Rules REVEALED
Check out the full 40k rules for Chapter Master Kayvaan Shrike from the Raven Guard codex supplement book. It’s death from above time!
Raven Guard are definitely looking quick, elusive, and deadly. But with their stratagems previewed, how will you be playing these guys? How many Eliminators will you be bringing? What’s the most powerful stratagem from above? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and sign up to get your free hobby updates newsletter (with discount coupon codes) each morning as well!
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
