There's an interesting unit in the Dark Angels codex which interests me and that's the Ravenwing Black Knights. At first glance they appear over costed and have the same profile more or less as a normal Ravenwing Biker. So are Black Knights any good?
Know your Knight
The Black Knight costs 42 points and has a profile pretty much the same as a normal Ravenwing Biker, only difference is an extra attack and gets LD9.
Like the Ravenwing Biker they have the scouts, grim resolve and hit & run special rules. As an extra the Black Knights get the skilled rider special rule - this means they get +1 cover save when they turbo boost and also ignore dangerous terrain. Considering that Bikers have to take dangerous terrain tests when entering or leaving area terrain, this is a real nice bonus.
Wargear wise you're looking at normal stuff i.e bolt pistol, grenades and teleporter homer. In addition the Black Knights get a corvus hammer (S+1 AP-, rending) and a plasma talon, which is a twin-linked plasma gun but at 18" range. If you consider that the Black Knight will get 4 attacks on the charge and will also bring rapid fire plasma into the party, which is twin-linked - devastating!
For some extra bits you can switch a plasma talon for a grenade launcher, you can do this for every three models. The Huntsmaster (squad leader) can take a power weapon and also melta bombs.
The grenade launcher at first glance doesn't look such a good idea as it isn't twin-linked, however the big bonus/combo of the grenade launcher is the rad shell S3 AP-, blast), which can do -1 toughness until end of turn if it hits. As the rad shell is a blast then it stands a fair chance of hitting something providing it doesn't scatter too much. When you throw plasma guns into the mix this means you can instagib multi wound T4 models i.e Tyranid Warriors, Paladins, Nobz etc. You can also hit monstrous creatures so the plasma is wounding them on a 2+ and corvus hammers wounding on a 4+ instead of 5+.
That's not all the grenade launcher can do; it can bring rapid fire krak and frag grenades and also stasis shell; the stasis shell does -1 weapon skill and initiative to target unit end of turn. Like the rad shell the stasis is a blast, though it has no form of damage. Once again the grenade launcher brings another way of synergise with the unit.
When you consider all of the above 42 points isn't too expensive for a single model. Also consider that a normal Ravenwing Biker also costs 42 points when armed with a plasma gun. Sure you get longer range with the plasma gun, but that's all you get.
Unit size you want to be looking at something 5-6 costing about 210-252 points. It's a big investment for such a small unit. Keep in mind if you go a unit of 6 then you could get the second grenade launcher.
Chink in the armour
It's not all dragon smashing face for the Black Knights, they do have a fairy princess side and that's survivibility wise they are the same as a normal Ravenwing Biker.
One big issue for Black Knights is survivibility. Lets take the same Tactical Squad above, I'll add in a plasma gun and combi plasma to balance out the cost and presume the squad has a missile launcher and in this instance hasn't been split into combat squads.
Tacticals unleash rapid fire bolters with 14 shots - hit 9.24 - wound 3.04 - 1.03 dead Black Knights.
Missile has 0.66 chance to hit - with a 0.84 chance to wound.
Plasmas rapid fire and hit 2.64 - wound 2.21.
This gives a total of 3.05 jink saves, which in this case I will say the Black Knights have moved flat out and will get a 3+ cover save. This will fail 1.04 saves, this in total is 2 dead Black Knights.
Considering the same amount of wounds is done against a normal Ravenwing unit (also 5 strong), they would fail 1.53 jink saves (remember they get 4+ for going flat out), which would bring the total dead to 2.56 dead Ravenwing - if you round this up you're talking possible 3 Ravenwing Bikers in total.
So survivibility wise the Black Knights aren't that much different from the normal Ravenwing Bikers.
You also have the cost as well, sure 42 points gets you a lot for your points, but that's a big investment for a unit which can be dakka'd fairly easily. Also consider the average Terminator is 40 points and you get 2+ armour save, 5+ invulnerable, deep strike, power fist and storm bolter for those points. I guess you can argue that the Black Knights get T5, more attacks, more fire power and are faster.
Knight, defend my honour!
So what exactly are Black Knights good for? Quite a few things actually; they are excellent for destroying multi wound T4 models, hunting down units of 2+ armour, hunting monstrous creatures, light armour destruction, and basic troop annihilation.
The Black Knights are pretty simple to use and have a broad range of targets. You basically pick a target based upon target priority and send them on search and destroy missions.
Due to the short range of the Black Knights weapons you should turbo boost them first turn to get into range, though they could be in range first turn of plasma death providing you deploy 12" from your table edge and then scout 12" and then move 12" in your own turn - this gives you a 36" movement altogether, however you cannot charge first turn after scouting so keep that in mind.
What you could do is scout and then turbo boost in your first turn, this will give a 3+ cover save as they have skilled rider and park them in terrain with no LOS. The opponent then will have to deal with your other units while the Black Knights chill out hidden away or absorb fire with their 3+ cover saves, though cover is dependant on what is firing at them.
Here's a few example of the Black Knights in action. I'll be using units of five Black Knights which includes a single grenade launcher. In all cases I'll be presuming the grenade launcher hits.
Black Knights vs Tactical Marines
Black Knights rock up and blast the Tacticals with 8 plasma shots - hit with 7.08 - wound with 5.88, presuming the Tacticals are in terrain (5+ cover) that's 3.93 dead Tacticals.
Grenade launcher fires using the stasis shell and hits; Tacticals are now WS3 and I3.
The Tacticals have lost 4 Marines in total and then overwatch into the Black Knights - hit 1.92 - 0.63 wound - 0.21 dead Black Knights.
The Black Knights will get hammer of wrath and wound 2.5 Marines and 0.85 will snuff it.
Black Knights unleash 20 attacks - hit with 13.2 - 8.71 wounds which is 1.39 rends - 2.07 dead Marines plus the rend making it about 3.5 dead marines in total.
At this point the Tacticals now have two models left, lets presume one is a Sgt - 4 attacks - hit with 2 - wound 0.66 - 0.22 dead Black Knights.
That's one seriously mauled Tactical Squad. Now I know the Tacticals are 170 points base, though add in a meltagun or plasma gun and you're talking 180 - 185 points and the squad tends to have a Rhino as well or even a combi weapon which will make it about 195 points at least.
Black Knights vs Terminators
Same situation as before, Black Knights rock up and will kill almost 4 Terminators (Terminators get 5+inv so same maths as for Tacticals), the Black Knights would fire the rad shell also at the same time, which still would leave a single Terminator.
In close combat the Terminator would hit 0.32 with storm bolter in overwatch.
Hammer of wrath will see 0.40 chance of failure of armour save for the Terminator.
The Black Knights will swing first with 20 attacks - hit 10 - wound 8.4 1.34 rend - 1.13 failed armour save and then 0.44 chance to save that rend.
At the end of the scrap you're looking at a destroyed unit of Terminators.
From the above you can imagine what Black Knights will be like against monstrous creatures, armour and other targets. Against the right targets the unit should make the points back.
Oh fair Knight
Are the Ravenwing Black Knights good? Hell yes! They are more than capable of destroying reasonable sized units via shooting or close combat. The specialise in 2+ and 3+ armour hunting along with monstrous creature slaying. Units of this nature are roughly about the same points cost as the Black Knights.
As Ravenwing has plenty of dakka with those twin-linked bolters (can be more dakka thanks to banner of devastation), the multiple plasma guns can help an army tackle those tougher monstrous creatures and 2+ armour save in a single volley followed by an assault.
The downside is the Black Knights are expensive, but when you think they are the version of biker Terminators armed with plasma guns then things do not seem too bad.
What are your thoughts on Ravenwing Black Knights?