Editing Raptors (Chapter) (section)

== Tactics ==
[[File:Raptors Scout Marine.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Notice the face paint. The Raptors understand the [[Scout|Scouts]] are actually supposed to be sneaky.]]
The Raptors were given unique chapter Special Rules by [[Forgeworld]] in 6th and 7th edition, and dammit if that doesn't turn them into the sneaky snipers they are made out to be in fluff. All non-Vehicle models not in transports on the first turn get Shrouded just like the Raven Guard, but the real beef lies within their [[Bolter|Bolters]]: [[Awesome|All Bolters and Bolt Pistols have the alternative profile of Heavy 1, ''Rending'' for no additional cost.]] This makes every Tactical Marine and especially their Sternguard into something akin to Tau Fire Warrior teams on pretty aggressive steroids. Find them a good place with cover and a good view of the battlefield and enjoy your S 4 AP 5 Rending Anti-everything infantry weaponry.

In 8th edition, the Raptors are now slumming it, have to utilize the Chapter Tactics of the [[Raven Guard]], which oddly enough seems to fit the Raptors better than their more emo big brothers. Your opponent must subtract 1 from any hit rolls when shooting at units with this tactic if they are more than 12" away...you'd think the Raven Guard would get that benefit at LESS than 12in away, considering they're all about assault...but all the better for us Raptors players who are used to using our rending gunlines in 6th/7th. Regardless, this means your Devastators and "Rifleman" Dreadnoughts cause enemy plasma to kill their bearers on 2s rather than 1s. Stick your long range shooters in cover and enjoy near immunity to return fire. Sadly, this does not apply to vehicles which do not receive Chapter Tactics, so replace that tri-las Predator with a Devastator squad if you don't plan on moving. Obviously, this is *very* fluffy for the Raptors...too bad you can't take the Stalker Pattern Boltguns that are a [[Deathwatch]] exclusive.... But wait! The Primaris Vanguard are here, bringing [[Infiltrator]] and [[Eliminator]] units that play on the table the way Raptors were always supposed to fight in fluff.

[[Forgeworld]] has also blessed us with the rules for the Raptors' [[Chapter Master]] [[Lias Issodon]], who is quite a curious character in both [[fluff]] and [[crunch]], and the rules reflect that fact. Lias has the stats of your standard [[Chapter Master]], but with less focus on melee and more on shooting, boasting a high BS for a Marine. He lacks Orbital Bombardment and any kind of Invulnerability Save, but his gun and special rules make up for that: in 7th edition, his personal [[bolter]] Malice is a Salvo 2/4 Range 30" Bolter with access to the same Special Ammunition as the Sternguard and is one of the better weapons in the game period, and his special rules make him into a [[Just As Planned|highly strategic character]], penalizing the enemy's reserve rolls while being able to re-roll his own and being able to cripple one MC or vehicle of the enemy's before the game has started. In short, Lias is exactly what you would expect a Raptors Chapter Master to be: [[Shooty]], strategic, and reasonable.

In 8th edition, he's even better, and one of the few ways you can still infiltrate your power armor without a drop pod. His bolter "Malice" is now 30" Assault 3 S5 AP-4 D1d3...which is possibly the strongest bolter in the Imperium. Disappointingly, GW has mixed up his characterization as either a "rifleman" or a "sniper;" while he is stealthier than any other character with his "0+" save in cover, he can't "snipe" characters. Instead, he shows off his marksmanship ability by negating the cover bonus to the saving throws of his targets...so at AP-4, MEQs will essentially NEVER get a save against him. So instead of "Carlos Hathcock" sniper-crawling through the enemy's lines for the perfect assassination, he's more of an "Alvin York," infiltrating enemy lines and taking out the enemy's priority weapons. This analogy is even stronger considering he LOVES launching assaulting forces forward with his +1in to movement and charges. Keep him in your mid-field battleline or well hidden among your infiltrators, and he'll do your army many favors with his shooting and other utilities. He has no official model, but if you want to run him (and can’t be asked to convert your own) the Forge World Alpha Legion Praetor, Legion Vigilator, or any marine from the Mk IV Recon Squad will serve as a fantastic proxy. A Vanguard Captain with an Eliminators bits are also good proxies if you want shiny truescale.