Well, it is official, Black Templars not only get the Stormraven with S8 AP2 missiles, but we get the new and improved Stormtalon. Now, IMO, the Stormtalon was a better, although marginal, buy than the Stormraven before, but with the new rules, the ST is now the flyer of choice. At 110 points (-20 from before) with TL Ass Can & TL HB, the new 15 point Skyhammer ML (-10 from before, 60" S7 AP4, Heavy3, replaces HB) is almost a mandatory pick. Yes, you can get the TLLC or Typhoon ML and still come off cheaper than before even though the price on both of those went up by 10 points. It keeps Escort and adds Strafing Run to its special rules. So, a small profile flyer at 125 points that can do defensive AA fire and shoot up a lot of stuff on the ground at BS5 with Pinning added...what's not to like? AV11 & 2HP? It can hurt, but I've been running Necron flyers with the same AV11 and while it isn't all that hard to take one down, you still need to commit to it. All, I can say to that...try and park it near enemy formations...
Yeah, the most likely flying targets are AV12, but so what? It averages at least 1HP of damage each turn in the Ass Can + Skyhammer configuration and is >90% likely to score a penetrating hit (go, go, Rending). Nope, not the greatest flyer out there, but if I didn't have to pay the HQ tax and AACNMTO hadn't gotten nerfed, I'd be BT primary with three of these bad boys. As it is, I'll just pair it with a Valkyrie and see how it goes.
Yeah, the most likely flying targets are AV12, but so what? It averages at least 1HP of damage each turn in the Ass Can + Skyhammer configuration and is >90% likely to score a penetrating hit (go, go, Rending). Nope, not the greatest flyer out there, but if I didn't have to pay the HQ tax and AACNMTO hadn't gotten nerfed, I'd be BT primary with three of these bad boys. As it is, I'll just pair it with a Valkyrie and see how it goes.