Tactics and Strategy with the Talon Strike Force Detachment

With the new Kauyon Campaign Supplement hitting the shelves this week Tau is seeing a major boost, but they aren't alone.  Ravenguard and White Scars are also getting brand new special rules including their own Decurion style detachments.  While I don't see anyone leaning away from Battle Company with White Scars anytime soon, the new Talon Strike Force provides Ravenguard with a means to play the game that is both competitive and true to their fluff.

Here is an 1850 list designed for the Talon Strike Force:

Talon Strike Force 1850

Core:

Pinion Battle Company

2 scout squads w/ camo cloaks

3 tac squads w/ grav cannon/amp in rhinos

1 assault squad

1 devastator squad w/ 4 grav cannon/amps in rhino

1 Captain w/ power sword

Auxiliary

Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force

1 Landspeeder

3 tac squads w/ grav cannon/amps in drop pods

Formation

Skyhammer Annihilation Force

2 assault squads

2 devastator squads w/ 1 missile launcher each in drop pods

So, how does this list work exactly?  Well the Talon Strike Force allows you to re-roll for deployment and when picking table sides.  So, instantly you have an advantage on where you're going to deploy and what side of the table you will take.  Deployment is crucial here because with this list, you're going to want to let your opponent go first (we'll get to that in a bit).

For your warlord trait, you won't get to re-roll but if you can get Exit Strategy from the Ravenguard table, you'll have yet another advantage on determining when the game ends, which is absolutely huge.

With this list you're going to choose to deploy first, place one rhino with a tactical squad in cover, and the landspeeder in cover.  Then let your opponent deploy and allow them to take turn one.  Everything else will be in reserve.

The Skyhammer Annihilation Force will come in on turn 1. In addition 2 of your pods from your Skyhammer orbital strike force will also come in turn 1. From there, you will lead a tactical squad on outflanking with the scouts on turn 1 with a 4+ roll and the other scout squad will do the same with the devastators from your pinion battle company.

On your turn 1 you are able to lay down a huge alpha strike here with devastators and/or tacticals firing grav cannons that ignore cover (thanks to the scouts in the Pinion Battle Company) and pinning other units with the skyhammer devastators.  You'll then use those skyhammer assault marines to assault units you can't blow away to prevent return fire on your opponent's turn. 

Your skyhammer orbital strike force will drop down on a specific point laying down a lot of grav cannon firepower that will be twin linked and re-rolling to wound.

By turn 2 your opponent will likely have been dealt a heavy amount of casualties and be tied up in assault with his nasty shooting units (thanks to skyhammer annihilation force).  Meanwhile your tac squad and landspeeder you deployed zoom around the battlefield collecting objectives.

All in all this list gives you a lot of control over how the battle will be fought and is very difficult to counter with deployment.  In my opinion, while the Tau get a big boost in this new campaign book, the Ravenguard really outshine them overall here.