The end of Rhinos? Maybe not.

So after my first two games with no transports, I was thinking that I would have been in alot of trouble that second game if my warlord hadn't rolled outflank as a power.  I have 2 Stormravens, so I thought I would make a list to take advantage of them. (Had to use 2, because if 1 Stormraven was the only vehicle I had on the board, it wouldn't last long despite it's coolness.  Here are are my thoughts on the subject:

Stormraven = 200 pts                                            Rhino = 50 pts (cheaper with assault squad)  Stormraven = Heavy FoC                                      Rhino = No impact of FoC

Stormraven = Earliest assault is turn 3                  Rhino = Earliest assault is Turn 3

So with both vehicles, you are getting a turn 3 assault

If you are talking about just transporting ability, the Stormraven can take more people (only complaint about Rhino is it can't take a squad and a character), and it can take a dreadnought. On the other hand, if a Rhino gets popped, it will probably not take my whole unit with it. After the Rhino drops the troops, it can stay there to block counter assaults or provide cover. All things considered, while the Stormraven can fill a niche for fast assault armies (although you could put you dread in a drop pod for cheaper, and have on the board on turn 1), it hasn't really replaced the Rhino for getting a standard assault squad across the board (the rhino is just as fast, and is 15 points for assault squad, instead of 200.

This means that the Stormraven is going to have to make up at least 150-185 points in fire power.  Say you have the assault cannon and the Multi-Melta, along with blood-strike missiles.While IG might provide a target rich environment (but is also the most likely to have a way to shoot you down), and maybe marines (especially of everyone start taking bikes), but 185 points worth? What if you are playing against orcs, or a foot-slogging army (about to be more popular I think). If you take something a little more versatile, like Typhoon missile launcher and/or hurricane bolters (You will need to take the sponson if you want to maximize your ability to fire 4 weapons a turn at ballistic skill after turn 3 (when you've fired off all you bloodstrike missiles). This would take you to at least 230 points, which is enough to 2 whirlwinds, or 2 devastator squads, or a Land raider (with assault marine discount). All of these have similar firepower, but is more likely retain some of the firepower after a lucky round of shooting, whereas the Raven could be killed with 1 lucky shot.

For the same points, I opted for a tooled out assault squad with jump packs, who can still assault on turn 3. There is a place for Ravens, but since I am playing 1500 points, and I believe taking one by itself would be 200 points wasted (and maybe everything it was carrying), I just can't afford to put 400-460 points into 2 vehicles, whereas a Rhino can get them there just as fast, and cheap and buy some breathing room (by blocking assaults, providing cover, etc).



I guess the bottom line is: take a Stormraven if you need its particular transporting abilities, but if you just need to move 10 guys from point A to Point B, the Rhino is still a better choice.