Raven Guard

“Vinctorus aut Mortis”

-- Motto of the Raven Guard

The Raven Guard specializes in devastating strikes behind enemy lines, guerrilla warfare, and rapid reactions
to enemy maneuvers. During the Great Crusade, the Raven Guard conquered countless worlds that were
thought impregnable. The Guard did so through the precise application of force at an enemy's weakest point. At
the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, the Raven Guard was almost destroyed, and only by employing the most
desperate of measures was the Legion saved.

COMBAT DOCTRINE
"Knowing where to land your blow, so that it achieves the greatest damage with the minimum force, is the
key to victory in war."
Instructor Sergeant Alenpo, 4th Company
-Index Astartes: Raven Guard

The above quote represents the combat doctrine of the Raven Guard perfectly. Covert warfare and guerrilla
tactics are well known to the Raven Guard. The very skills that made them legendary during the Great Crusade,
and allowed them to survive the fires of the Horus Heresy now make up the greater part of the chapter’s
combat doctrine. While the Raven Guard are fully capable of deploying in force when necessary, recruitment is
still slow and dangerous and as such the chapter still relies on sabotage and stealth to a large extent. Captain
Kayvaan Shrike is the pure embodiment of these tactics and his campaign against the Orks of Targus VIII has
become legendary.
The Raven Guard are also famed for their ease of deployment, the Chapter's forces are often highly mobile
or will deploy in Drop Pods. This allows the fighting forces of the Raven Guard to quickly assess and adapt to a
rapidly changing battlefield. Furthermore the Raven Guard are exemplars of squad level tactics and rapid
deployment and these aspects of the Chapter are closely studied and have even been incorporated into the
doctrines of other Chapters. Sharing experience and knowledge is not necessarily uncommon, but the extent to
which the Raven Guard’s skill in these areas is acknowledged is impressive.
The Chapter's combat doctrine has led the Raven Guard into contention with fellow Astartes from time to
time, most notably the White Scars. The dour warriors from Chogoris and the Sons of Corax have had a troubled
history of botched operations and nearly coming to blows in numerous warzones and battlefields across the
galaxy. Among these incidents are The Fall of Kordon, The Battle for the Ring of Night, the Assault on Hive Lin-
Mei and the Last March on the Saphire Worlds. One of the most egregious conflicts arose during the disastrous
Operation Chronos, where the two Chapters were deployed to face an incursion by the Enslavers, during the
fighting a celebrated Raven Guard Chaplain was overcome and enslaved by the vile xenos while a nearby band
of White Scars failed to intervene. Fortunately the Hunt for Voldorious has helped bring the two ancient
Chapters closer and go some way towards healing old disagreements.
The Raven Guard adhere closely to the dictates of the Codex Astartes, however they rely heavily on Assault
Squads and independently operating Scout Squads and the Chapter's Dreadnaughts commonly deploy via Drop
Pod.

1
Demeanor: Raven's Gaze – Raven Guard Marines tend to be independent, calm, introvert and quiet, yet alert
observers. They don't talk much but analyze a situation for themselves very closely and wait for the right
moment to seize the initiative with decisive force. When Raven Guard's strike, it's either because they have
located the weak point in the enemy or because they are forced to by circumstances. No Raven Guard marines
can be rushed into action unless it's a pressing emergency as they are all independent thinkers.

Characteristic Bonuses: +5 Intelligence and +5 Agility

Solo-Mode Ability: Raven’s Stealth, Required Rank: 1

Effects: While for most chapters the need for stealth ends when a scout is promoted to Battle-Brother and
receives his power armour for a Raven Guard the stealth training has just begun. Whenever a Battle-Brother of
the Raven Guards Chapter is in Solo Mode he may re-roll any failed Concealment, Shadowing and Silent Move
Tests. This ability cannot be used if the character is wearing Terminator armor.
Improvement: At Rank 3 the Battle-Brother ignores 10 points of the penalty on Concealment and Silent Move
Tests when wearing Astartes power armour. This increases to 20 points on Rank 5 and to 30 on Rank 7. At Rank
7 the character also is able to accomplish a “quiet kill” on an individual target that is unaware of his presence. To
do a “quiet kill” the character must pass a Challenging (+0) Move Silently Test, this is a Free Action. The
character may then attack his unsuspecting target with a quiet weapon (the GM adjudicates what counts as a
quiet weapon; it normally includes such things as unarmed attacks, bladed or silenced weapons). Any attacks
made in this manner will cause no perceptible noise. Note, that during the surprise round the character can
make multiple attacks against this specific target as long as he is otherwise allowed to and all of the attacks are
carried out with “quiet” weapons.

Squad-Mode Attack Pattern: Exploit Weakness

Action: Free Action
Cost: 2
Sustained: No
The Raven Guards are masters of exploiting the weakest spot in their enemies’ defenses. The Raven Guard can
observe his enemy and often determine where this weakness lies. When this ability is activated the Battle
Brother and all of those within support range add +5 to their WS or BS against the specified foe (which can be a
Horde) for each additional Battle Brother who attacks that target. This is cumulative so for example, if four
Raven Guard fire their Bolters at the same target each will gain a +15 bonus to their WS for that attack.
Improvement: At rank 3 and above each Battle Brother can also adds +2 Penetration to their attacks against that
target, this benefit is tripled (+6 Penetration) against vehicles or static targets (buildings, bunkers, etc.). At Rank
5 if a Horde is attacked in this manner and suffers enough magnitude loss to incur a WP test the Horde suffers a
-10 penalty to WP Tests to avoid breaking, due to the speed and effectiveness of the attack.

Squad-Mode Defensive Stance: Merge Into Cover

Action: Free Action
Cost: 2
Sustained: No
The Raven Guards are masters of scouting and inflitration and so move with a keen awarness of the availble
cover in their proximity. Whenever any member of the Kill-Team is fired on and this Stance is activated then any
Battle Brother in Support Range can make an immediate movment to any available cover within Agility Bonus
meters. In addition the Battle Brothers may ignore any Pinning effects from the attack until they reach cover.
Improvement: at rank 4 and above each Battle Brother may move double their Agility Bonus in meters and they
add +4 AP to any cover that they reach.

2
RAVEN GUARD CHAPTER ADVANCES
Advance Cost Type Prerequisites
Concealment 400 Skill --
Concealment +10 400 Skill Concealment
Concealment +20 400 Skill Concealment +10
Evaluate 200 Skill --
Evaluate +10 200 Skill Evaluate
Evaluate +20 200 Skill Evaluate +10
Move Silently 200 Skill --
Move Silently +10 400 Skill Move Silently
Move Silently +20 400 Skill Move Silently +10
Tactics (Recon and Stealth) 300 Skill --
Tactics (Recon and Stealth) +10 300 Skill Tactics (Recon and Stealth)
Tactics (Recon and Stealth) +20 300 Skill Tactics (Recon and Stealth) +10
Hatred (Orks) 500 Talent --
Sure Strike 500 Talent WS 30
Hard Target 600 Talent Ag 40
Sprint 500 Talent --

Dark Raven Pasts

1d5 Result Past Experiences
Veteran of Targus VIII – You served with Captain Shrike and an elite team of infiltrators
that was cut off behind the Ork lines when your pick-up Thunderhawk was shot down. For
more than two years you and you fought a guerrilla war deep in Ork held territory, stealing
1 supplies and munitions, sabotaging Ork installations, ambushing and slaughtering the
greenskins whenever they could, as well as relaying vital intelligence to the Imperium’s
forces fighting in the campaign. You and your brothers’ actions brought the campaign to a
successful conclusion decades earlier than predicted.
Chaos Incursion into Ultramar – You were part of the Raven Guard squad that fought
alongside the Ultramarines. Your squad proved to be an invaluable asset, turning the tide
of battle multiple times when it swung against the forces of the Ultramarines and their
allies. Most impressive was the destruction of the terrible Black Basilica, a massive mobile
2 fortress of the arch-enemy. Your squad infiltrated deep behind the lines and scaled the
sides of the horrific mobile weapon and shrine to the dark gods. Your squad planted
demolition charges within the mobile fortress' primary munitions room. The destruction of
the fortress broke the back of the invaders.
Nimbosa - The planet of Nimbosa is a hotly contested world on the Eastern Fringe, where
the Tau Empire and the Imperium have clashed on numerous occasions. Several Space
Marine chapters are reputed to have fought the Tau on the planet at one time or another
3 and the world has changed hands many times. You were a part of the Raven Guard force
that assaulted the Tau positions on the planet and forced the xenos to retreat during the
Campaign.

3
 The Downfall of the Megarchy - In 748.M41 the Hive World of Thruskus denounced the
Imperial Creed. The stirring oratories of the local ruling council of elders known as the
Megarchy whose charismatic and persuasive oratory held the hives of Thruskus in their
4 thrall. However their rule was short lived. You were with the Raven Guard who struck like
lightning, defeating the Megarchs and hanging them from their own hive spires. Within a
day of the Megarch's death the world of Thruskus was brought back to compliance.
Defense of Ammoriss – You fought with the Raven Guard forces that responded to the
distress call from Ammoriss when the Tyranids invaded that world. The splinter of Hive
5
Fleet Behemoth was defeated by the Imperium in no small part thanks to the deep strikes
carried out by you and your Battle Brothers.

Chapter Trappings
The Raven Guards often wear the skulls of the large raven-like raptors who are native to the moon Deliverance,
the moon on which the Ravenspire resides. These Raven Skulls are often eteched with battle hymns and codex
passages on the underside and act as battle tokens.
 Eyes of Ravens Token: +3 to Awareness Tests.
 Strike of Ravens Token: Add +1 Damage if the character hits with his attack, during a Charge action.
 Conspiracy of Ravens Token: Add +3 to Tactics (any) Tests made by the character.
Corvus Beaked Helmet: Many of the Raven Guards wear helmets of the older Mk. IV-VI armor and some have
been cosmetically modified to more closely match the beak of a giant raven. These helmets make the Raven
Guard Battle Brother appear even more frightning than normal. Add +2 to Intimidate Tests.

Relic
The Raven’s Wings: This is a highly ornate Astartes Jump Pack that was used by Captain Valagria during his tour
with the Deathwatch. Raven wings are molded in deep relief on the sides of the jump pack and the shape of a
raven skull adorns the top. This Jump Pack allows a character to multiply their movement distance by two and a
half time (base move x2½). If this Jump Pack is used in the maximal thrust mode it gives the wearer Flyer (15)
instead of the normal 12 of other Jump Packs. In addition if the user is called upon to make a Piloting (Personal)
Test when operating the Jump Pack he will gain a +10 bonus to any such test.

Psychic Powers
This section has not been done by me. No character in my campaign has chosen to play the role of a Raven
Guard Librarian. If and when this changes I may create this section.

Specialty restrictions
The degeneration of the Raven Guard gene-seed means several of the unique organs of the Space Marines no
longer function or work improperly. A Raven Guard does have inactive Mucranoid and Betcher's Gland. The
Melanchromic Organ has a unique mutation that causes the skin of the Space Marine to grow paler. Eventually
each Marine's skin becomes pure white while their hair and eyes darken, becoming black as coal. The Raven
Guard adhear fairly closely to the Codex; there are no Speciality restrictions.

Primarch’s Curse
Shadow of the Raven
The Raven Guard have always been masters of stealth and other unique tactics, such as sabotage and
assassination. While other Chapters might consider anything but a massive use of force to be a waste of time,
the Marines of the Raven Guard know full well how much damage a single Meltabomb can cause, if it is used in
the right place and at the right time.

4
Level 1 - See, but don't be seen
The tendency for Marines from the Raven Guard Chapter to always think "outside the box" can have its
drawbacks. While the "direct approach" might be more advantageous at times, Marines of the Raven Guard
tend to think of such tactics as heavy-handed and limited. For the Raven Guard, only missions that rely heavily
on stealth and the precise application of force are ever truly successful.
Level 2 - Birds of a feather...
The Raven Guard are used to the high degree of freedom and independence that their Chapter's organization
grants their commanders. In fact, even Raven Guard Scout Squads are expected to be innovative and free
thinking.
This notion of independence from a conventional command structure can manifest in Raven Guard Marines
as an inability to follow the orders issued from a Marine of a different chapter. In this case, a Raven Guard
Battle Brother will not openly disagree with an issued order, but will simply do what they feel is necessary once
the mission has begun. If the order just happens to be in line with what the Raven Guard Battle Brother believes
to the most applicable course of action at the time, then the Raven Guard Marine will follow the order.
Level 3 - A Murder of Crows
Raven Guard Marines spend years, if not decades, away from their Chapter on protracted missions behind
enemy lines. During this time, Raven Guard Battle Brothers learn to work together almost instinctively, and can
perform complex maneuvers without a word passing between them. This is not only to maximize surprise and
stealth, but also because each Battle Brother has learned to work together as a small unit, rather than as part of
a massive formation. Unless the Killteam is comprised of only Raven Guard Battle Brothers, then the Killteam's
Cohesion is reduced by 2, as the disruption in communication and coordination proves to be disruptive in the
field.