Killing Time: Ravagor

[PG_BloodRath]

Greetings Legionnaires. It’s Killing Time! This Issue I want to discuss our Loogie Spitting Burnanator the Ravagor! This guy is the pinnacle of combined arms. At first glance it doesn’t look that impressive. 1 long range decent pow gun, and two average pow claws. But underneath that blighted carapace is the most versatile beast legion has in our bag of draconic goodness. As always I like to break things down into simple categories. This time I want to break down the Ravagor into three aspects. In each of these aspects the ravagor doesn’t score off the charts however when you combine the three you get one well rounded dragon.

1. Artillery
2. Muscle
3. Mobility

ARTILLERY
This is the Ravagor obvious and most often used aspect. At range 14” pow 15” aoe 3 scather the ravagors breath weapon is of the best single shot bombs legion has access to. When you combine that with eyeless sight, a fire granting animus and the mobility of the Carnivean body you have one awesome-sauce mobile artillery piece. Its overall threat range without any help is 20” with slip stream it has a 22” threat or a 16” threat while aiming.
The Down Sides
• Typed damage: immunities to the ravagor shot are never fun for legion
• Rat 5: lowish rat means that in needs to aim to hit average def reliably. The best way to mitigate this is painting the target via help from warlocks, knock down, or the black frost shard.

MUSCLE
This is arguably the weakest aspect of the ravagor. However im not convinced. As a cryx player pow 16 isn’t that low. The Ravagor is in a faction FULL of damage buffs. It also has two open fists giving it the option to throw power attack targets to set up killing time for more powerful melee heavies. Also since the ravagor spends most of the game shooting it’s awesome breath loogie it makes a great second wave beater to finish off damaged heavies. You may call it pillow fisted but I say you must sleep on some hard pillows.
The Down Sides
• Mat 5 means it will typically need to boost to hit its target without help.
• It typically needs a damage buff or two to break heavy arm targets
• If it’s in melee it is not shooting its sweet sexy blight bombs

MOBILITY
This is not a unique aspect to the ravagor because it has the standard speed 6, pathfinder
body the rest of the Carnivean bodies have (but that’s nothing to scoff at). However the latter do not pack the formers abilities from the ARTILLERY section. When you combine those two you have very mobile artillery peice that can boost to hit and damage, fire animus, eyeless sight aoe bomb its target at 20” away from its original position. Add in a second and or even third ravagor and you have superior fire power that begins to push into board control.

That’s my basic break down. I could go into 100 different ways to use the Ravagor but im going to leave that to you. Please take a minute and Kill Time with me.

The Menu
• Who is your favorite warlock to abuse the ravagor with? Lylyth 1 &2 come to mind
• Every warlock can use one but who needs one (or two)?
• What are some of your favorite tricks to using scather?
• What’s your general experience with the burnanator?

Thank you to every one who reads and participates in my discussions. May the blight be with you...always

[@ndreas]

... I "discovered" the Ravagore a few weeks ago.

I think it is one of our best heavy beasts, and I especially like the Scather-template: nothing prevents a full unit of weapon-masters from charging your valuable models better than placing a Scather-template in front of the charged target (abused with Dark Sentinel with pVayl).
They charge in and just die there (in that particular case the didn't save them, because they got one damage point on entering and one after ending activation. Most of them didn't pass the second tough-roll *eg*)

The low RAT is buffed by using pVayls Incite and a Chiller-delivering Raek, that always works (if not, headbutting Raeks also do the job).

The double-handed throw is a viable option when trying to get out of melee-engagement too.

Typed damage is the only real downside I see so far.

But nevertehless: Ravagore - never leave home without one

[Seferon]

It is in just about every list i make. Its just to hard not to take one. However, i do not agree that it is are most Versatile beast. I rather think that the Angelius is are most Versatile beast.

Anyways, everything has been said about it basically. It has one of the highest pow guns in the game on a warbeast. Its also on a warbeast so the fact that it is a rat 5 isn't nearly as big of a deal as it would be in a Warmachine faction. It has a aoe that can set anything on fire which is great for taking out key solos if you didn't completely kill it with black damage. It has a scather template to help stop charges on key models by weapon masters. At the same time, its a board control model in a the sense that it forces your opponent to come to you in those lists when you want them to come to you.

Most of the time i have 1 in just about every list i play. eLylyth sometimes gets 2 but i find that i play 2 with eVayl and Kallus more then any of my other warlocks.

[PG_fildrigar]

They charge in and just die there (in that particular case the didn't save them, because they got one damage point on entering and one after ending activation. Most of them didn't pass the second tough-roll *eg*)

Do note that the wording is "...entering or ending it's activation..." You only get one damage point.

[@ndreas]

... are you sure?
"Or" is not just the same as "either... or", so I would think, in both cases the rule is triggered: model entering template -> check, triggered. Model ending activation in template -> check, triggered.
I see no exception that it isn't allowed to be the same model that meets the rule. That's at least how I understand that.

Maybe I should ask for clarification in the rules-section...

edit: I got a link to a similar ruling regarding another template. Our "or" is indeed the Boolean operator "XOR".
So only one damage whichever of the conditions is first met.

[Cursed]

... are you sure?
"Or" is not just the same as "either... or", so I would think, in both cases the rule is triggered: model entering template -> check, triggered. Model ending activation in template -> check, triggered.
I see no exception that it isn't allowed to be the same model that meets the rule. That's at least how I understand that.

Maybe I should ask for clarification in the rules-section...

PG_fildrigar is right.
I like to throw eGaspys mists on enemy models that ive engaged with my models becouse then they have to move and take a free strike or remain in it and at the end of thair activation they take a point of damage.

[Alexwheeler]

Don't forget that if you cast the animus on him the scatter also has

So this works very well on multi wound infantry.

[Ordrek]

Ravagore Animus on Typhon is good times.

[Lich_Lord_X]

The fact that the Ravagore is go versatile is it's major selling point. A power 15 AOE with scather hurts both jacks/beasts and warrior models and when it's done shooting it can charge in and do some damage. I think as a faction we look at 2x POW 16 fists and scoff a little but that can still put a hurting on something.

[Seferon]

The fact that the Ravagore is go versatile is it's major selling point. A power 15 AOE with scather hurts both jacks/beasts and warrior models and when it's done shooting it can charge in and do some damage. I think as a faction we look at 2x POW 16 fists and scoff a little but that can still put a hurting on something.

Sure, 2 pow 16s look kinda ehhhh but they can get the job done. The thing that makes me so reluctant about sending him into melee is the mat 5. Its just not high enough without some help to make me want to send him into melee. I see myself slamming or throwing models around more then flat out sending him in to finish/help finish off a heavy target.

[Lich_Lord_X]

Sure, 2 pow 16s look kinda ehhhh but they can get the job done. The thing that makes me so reluctant about sending him into melee is the mat 5. Its just not high enough without some help to make me want to send him into melee. I see myself slamming or throwing models around more then flat out sending him in to finish/help finish off a heavy target.

If a heavy warbeast is close I'd still rather charge in than sit there and shoot at it. I would never charge infantry and unless it's a Cryx jack MAT 5 should get the job done.

[Seferon]

Depends on the jack/warbeast. I just don't feel safe charging with it when your looking at defense 12 warjacks/warbeasts. At that point, i'd rather just get a aiming bonus and pop the shot into something else. However, this of course depends on if there is no other heavies around to deal with the target that is in front of the ravagore. If i have a choice in the matter, i personally like to use the Ravagore a walking artillery platform rather then stick him into melee.

[Phury239]

The low RAT is buffed by using pVayls Incite and a Chiller-delivering Raek, that always works (if not, headbutting Raeks also do the job).

The incite def helps for RAT but the chiller requires the enemy model to be within 2 inches of the chiller model and since the Raek has a weapon, the Ravagore would be shooting into melee and suffer -4 to the attack roll, -2 after chiller.

I likke to get the two handed throw off on warjacks if I can to toss them out of their warcasters control area preventing focus allocation. Try to hit it a couple times and then use the last couple fury to boost a throw preventing focus allocation to it next turn. A warjack without any focus isn't as potent and next turn for me the Ravagore can work to finish it off if need be.

[boingboing]

I likke to get the two handed throw off on warjacks if I can to toss them out of their warcasters control area preventing focus allocation. Try to hit it a couple times and then use the last couple fury to boost a throw preventing focus allocation to it next turn. A warjack without any focus isn't as potent and next turn for me the Ravagore can work to finish it off if need be.

does this work? can you buy melee attacks against something and skip initial attacks then sacrifice initial attacks for the throw?

[Northern Ronin]

I likke to get the two handed throw off on warjacks if I can to toss them out of their warcasters control area preventing focus allocation. Try to hit it a couple times and then use the last couple fury to boost a throw preventing focus allocation to it next turn.

This is not legal, power attacks require the sacrifice of Initial attacks, and must be the first attack you make, while you may buy (melee) attacks after a power attack, it's rare you'll ever do that after throwing (you might if someone else happens to be near, or your throw hits them against a building / heavy right next to you).

[Phury239]

Correct. I have always done throw first. I had a temporary lapse while writing that BUT the throw out of control area still works but has to be first.

[Northern Ronin]

Correct. I have always done throw first. I had a temporary lapse while writing that BUT the throw out of control area still works but has to be first.

What's really fun if you can pull off the positioning, is throw something out of control and into the threat of an Angel / Scythean / Carni (even a Seraph). More so with Refuge.

[Seferon]

The incite def helps for RAT but the chiller requires the enemy model to be within 2 inches of the chiller model and since the Raek has a weapon, the Ravagore would be shooting into melee and suffer -4 to the attack roll, -2 after chiller.

I likke to get the two handed throw off on warjacks if I can to toss them out of their warcasters control area preventing focus allocation. Try to hit it a couple times and then use the last couple fury to boost a throw preventing focus allocation to it next turn. A warjack without any focus isn't as potent and next turn for me the Ravagore can work to finish it off if need be.

Think he meant something like turn the raek so that the model your wanting to have chiller on isn't in its front arc, then you get the chiller bonus. You can also do this with infantry and just get good at eyeballing 2 inches or a inch and a half. You can spread the chiller effect out a lot more that way.

[@ndreas]

... Seferon is right, the facing of the Raek is crucible, it has to be turned away from the target I try to shoot.
But I would do that only if the Raek is gonna get sacrificed for being already dead.

If he is in full health, I'd rather try a headbutt, after that the target model is knocked down, thus neither engaging nor having more than 5 DEF (usually, if it has some buffs, the Chiller would kick in, me thinks).

[SteakAndSpirits]

Gone are the days when every ranged attack was made with the expectation of a counter charge. Enter: The Ravagore. And they are the reason that Legion isn't "The Ranged Faction of Hordes" in name only, anymore.

In general terms, I like them in pairs because they are built on the sort of platform that can put a shot nearly anywhere they need to, and together they can concentrate fire on a hard target. But even including a single Ravagore can be worth its weight in gold, based on its ability to force an engagement on Legion's terms. Some specific synergies come to mind:

Vayl1: Feat + Incite + Ravagorex2 = Multiple rounds of shooting, feating to reposition, and finally incite to compensate for their P+S allowing them to adequately close the deal. Throw Chiller on a Lesser or a Raek to 'paint' their target down -2 DEF.

Lylyth1: Feat + Parasite = Very accurate, long range powerful single shot. The threat alone can force a WC to camp and focus starve their battlegroup. Parasite compensates for low melee P+S, feat compensates for MAT. Blood lure means they're showing up with up on the charge to lay out 6, highly accurate attacks.

Lylyth2: Obvious applications. Add Night Lurker to pick off Protectorate or Incorporeal targets.

Rhyas: Good Rapport target. MAT: 8, RAT: 6 on a Ravagore makes for a credible threat throughout fight. Helps force the engagement to move to melee, where Rhyas shines.

Saeryn: Breath Stealer + Ravagore(s) = Easier to hit target that's kept at range for more devestating bombardments. Feat to walk out of Melee and do it again.

They're an absolutely excellent addition to Legion. When they aren't wrecking hard targets, they're making life miserable for most infantry with their scather templates. Or making like uncomfortable for opposing WCs and WLs. Always worth consideration when putting together a list as forcing an engagement is one of the surest ways that Legion can get their decisive Alphastrike.

-s&s