WTF how is this working?

Ravenwing have won TSHFT, the new book has some teeth, get over it. 

 ·         HQ – Sammael – Raven Sword, Adamantite Mantle, Corvex, Night Halo.
·         HQ – Librarian – Mastery Level 2, Auspex, Space Marine Bike, Force Staff, Psychic Hood.
·         HQ* – Ravenwing Command Squad – 3x – 2 Corvus Hammer, 2 Plasma Talons, Champion w/ Blade of Caliban, Apothecary w/ Narthecium, Standard Bearer w/ Banner of Devastation & Grenade Launcher.
·         Troops – Ravenwing Attack Squad – 6x + 1x Atk Bike – 2 Plasmaguns, Multimelta.
·         Troops – Ravenwing Attack Squad – 6x + 1x Atk Bike – 2 Flamers, Multimelta.
·         Troops – Ravenwing Attack Squad – 6x + 1x Atk Bike – 2 Meltaguns, Multimelta.
·         Troops – Ravenwing Attack Squad – 6x + 1x Atk Bike – 2 Meltaguns, Multimelta.
·         Troops – Ravenwing Attack Squad – 6x + 1x Atk Bike – 2 Meltaguns, Multimelta.
·         Fast Att – Ravenwing Black Knights – 5x – 4 Plasma Talons, Power Sword, 1 Grenade Launcher.

Im exsatatic about the win for the good guys. But on my FLGS forums there is some question of how this list has the ability to deal with whats out there at a major tournament. So i started a reply that turned into a wall of text. We all know how much I love walls of text, so I decided to bring it over to here to share with the masses. (all 15 of you...)

the beauty of the list is the black knights and the librarian. Why is amazing? Its mostly due to the grenade launcher. Running up behind a screen of other bikes, as they get into their optimum range of breathing down your neck, they fire a rad grenade dropping enemy "Unit" toughness by one. Then they rapid fire plasma into you. With the plasma being S7 and your now most likely T3 your hosed. tyranid warriors, nobs, paladins. Yup your screwed. Because with that unit he has there its 8 twin linked plasma rounds that wound on 2s ignore armor and insta kill what they shot at. 

 

 See this guy? Kill him FAST!

Then if you want to absolutely guarantee you kill what you shot at use the command squad to launch a stasis grenade in there then charge in. Now that's a I10 hammer of wrath at S4 then 15 attacks at S5 rending swinging at I4 while your probably reduced to I3. Its just a whirlwind of hurt from these guys. With the librarian and rerolling to hit it can get messy.

Just a ton of hurt right there.

And just to be a dick I would put sammael in there too so now you have a BS5 small blast of DOOM! Nah he probably ran with the mini death squad, with the librarian hopping in and out for twin linked melta love.

I wouldn't worry overly about flyers with them. Your going to take a hit when enemy flyers come in but i don't see a flyer vapeing an entire squad in one pass. With the amount of high speed melta scattered everywhere get your librarian to a squad and use your reroll hits (which i still think its crap that its the default) or if they don't have a better target use the twin linked plasma on the death dealers (TM that's what I'm going to call mine  ) 

 

Noi to mention the 5 other squads of bikers flying around the board that you will have to deal with. With the standard thats 20 twin linked bolter shots. With the standard its 40 on the way in and 80 at 12" then melta love for all the metal bawkses.

Some lists will give the ravenwing issues like the flying circus, or 3 max squads of flamers and screamers. Such is life in 40k, it seems as though this guy was able to run the gauntlet and avoid the rock to his scissor on the day. But that's what the meta of these tournaments has come to. Play hard and just hope to get lucky on the draws. 

I'm just so happy. the ravenwing are finally the bad asses they were meant to be from the beginning. Its the first codex in a long time that i actually get excited from reading and cant wait until i get my bikes up and running. 

So theres my thoughts on why the reavenwing seem to be doing so good right now. I know given time there will be strategies built to counter them and the meta will get used to dealing. But for now the ravenwing are back to the riders of the apocalypse that they were always meant to be. 

Stay thirsty my friends