Friday, November 12, 2010

Storm Raven Model: The Good and the Bad


Alright, so now that the whole internet has seen the Storm Raven let's take a look at this model from two perspectives. First the model as something you'd have to look at everyday and then the model's potential on the table.
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First, I am writing this article under the assumption that this IS the Storm Raven, so let's leave that arguement for another post. So, Moving on ...

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Alright, if you are like most of us, you had a giggle when you saw this model. Do I believe it looks like it can fly? Hell No! It's a little (understatement) heavy in front of the wings, which even with the dreadnought wouldn't fly correctly without some fluffy rub about grav shutes lining the bottom.Is it so ugly I would never buy one? No, it is ugly, but I also think the rhino is ugly. I also think the land speeder is ugly. I have both of those models in spades in my garage. Would I like to see the aircraft a little more "bird of prey"? Sure. Is it dissapointing, yeah, but not a deal killer. I will probably make an evil looking one of these in the future!
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Now, I am done picking apart the work of modellers who are obviously more accomplished than myself, let's talk about how this vehicle has been built to function on the table.
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Weapons placement: The mult-melta is right on the nose, where it needs to be to deliver an armour peicing shot on a transport so the contents of the raven can assault out. The forward placement also means that the tank is giving it's maximum reach to it's shortest gun. Good design and better than something underslung in the middle and much better than placing the weapon on some top turret.
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The top turret also has a lot of promise game-wise, giving at least 180 degrees of targeting range and being up top, coupled with the range of the guns, means nothing will ever be totally out of line of sight from the storm raven. This is a good answer to the Land Raider style, which blocks half of its own line of sight much of the time.
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The wings, while unlikely to ever hold that box in flight, are also high up enough it seems that a combat could still happen on the side of the ship without the wings being too much in the way and the placement of the missile is at least believable.
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I am a fan or the door on this model as well, giving you the embark and dissembark capabilities of the land raider without blocking your own guns the way some land raider designs can lend themselves to. Finally, I also like how the aircraft does not have a massive rear armour arc (at least from this angle), meaning that most of the time, the enemy will have to at least deal with AV12 (though that isn't THAT big of a problem.
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In summary, I like the tank for it's gameplay potential, but am not in love with it's looks, which I think is something I can live with because, as I stated, the other marine vehicles aren't pretty to me either (they just aren't as ugly as this one lol).
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So now that we have all had a moment to calm down over the horrid looks of the Storm Raven, are there any thoughts that come to mind about how it would function on the table? I am curious about the dread having to dissembark in the back.

4 comments:

  1. Props to you for not juust uploading the image and saying "Ooooh".

    I think you've actually got in there with the first proper appraisal of the new model and I have to say it looks like an interesting source of bits.

    I wonder if GW will include any particularly tasty pieces that we will all want to incorporate into our collections?

    It's rather like the Tau's missile ship. Utterly hopeless in game terms but since it costs the same as a Hammerhead and has extra bits in the box why on earth would anyone buy the Hammerhead kit? It just doesn't make any sense...

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  2. I'm a fan of the model, and because I know my opinion is all important and awe inspiring I'll tell you why.

    Its main mission is as a transport vehicle right? Not a fighter, not a bomber, but a battleground insertion transport.

    I like the idea of a ugly transport, I know everyone wants it to be sexy but think about it can you name one real life "sexy" transport? Sea Knight? Osprey (may they burn in hell)? 5-ton?

    All ugly as sin but they get the job they were designed for done.

    Leave the sexy sleek lines for the fighers and the bombers.

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  3. Fighta Bomma! Its just a Fighta Bomma in disguise! I play neither BA not GK and have been apathetic to the crying about it not being released in the BA 1st wave. Yet after seeing the Raven, that thought hit me & and now I can't wait to get one!

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  4. Aspects of it don't do it for me. I'm okay with the model, I just think things like the turret and intake tower need to be left off, in favor of converted components. While I can see where they were coming from I think the positioning of component sections are a bit funny. For example, the wings being so high up that the wing thrusters cook marines standing underneath. I think a simple and common enough conversion will be to move their position forward and down.

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