The Corvus Blackstar is a pretty cool flyer for the Deathwatch – but it’s got some glaring issues that need simple fixes.

When was the last time you saw the Corvus Blackstar in action? Oh sure, Deathwatch Armies aren’t exactly killing it on the competitive scene right now but they can be effective with mass special ammo shooting. Plus, they are black and there might be a few mostly black space marine armies for sale at the moment…

Anyhow, one of the cool stand-outs and a really unique vehicle in that army is the Corvus Blackstar. It’s got a different look than most other Space Marine Flyers. The Blackstar looks more like the Colonial Space Marines gunboat transport than say an Adeptus Astartes Thunderhawk. Perhaps it’s a nod to their Xenos Hunting duty.

This gunboat is truly unique because it’s one of the few transports in the entire game that can transport Infantry, Jump Packs, Terminators, and even Space Marine Bikes! It’s got a versatile set of options that make it a fine addition to any Deathwatch Mission as well.

So why isn’t this fly getting used by more lists? Well, there are some issues with it that are larger than the benefits to be frank. We’re going to hit the highlights:

It’s too expensive – this is a common complaint for players. For what you’re getting out of the transport/gunboat isn’t worth the price of admission

– this is a common complaint for players. For what you’re getting out of the transport/gunboat isn’t worth the price of admission Transports are in a bad state in the current edition – another common issue for pretty much ALL transports and the Corvus Blackstar happens to fit in that category and so it’s gets lumped in as well.

– another common issue for pretty much ALL transports and the Corvus Blackstar happens to fit in that category and so it’s gets lumped in as well. It’s not tough enough – this goes back to the points cost. Toughness 7, 14 wounds, Supersonic/Airborne and a save re-roll and folks still think it’s not tough enough to get the job done. In the current meta, sadly, I kind of agree with them.

– this goes back to the points cost. Toughness 7, 14 wounds, Supersonic/Airborne and a save re-roll and folks still think it’s not tough enough to get the job done. In the current meta, sadly, I kind of agree with them. No Primaris transport option – this is possibly the biggest and most glaring issue. For some reason, Games Workshop doesn’t want Primaris to ride with the rest of the Space Marines. We’re still not 100% sure if they are even allowed in the same Strike Cruisers or how they get around the galaxy if they can’t even ride in a common transport.

Are Space Marine Battle Barges ALSO Primaris-Free zones?

It doesn’t make a lot of sense that a Transport that you can park a bike in can’t “fit” a Primaris Marine inside. It’s just kind of…dumb. I get that GW doesn’t want to mix the Classic Marines with the Primaris Marines but if one army should be allowed to share transports, it’s the Deathwatch. /rant

Quick Fixes

Now that I’ve got that rant out of my system let’s talk some quick fixes.

Points – Should it be cheaper? Maybe. But maybe the issue is that it’s fairly costed and that’s why it’s “too expensive” to some folks. Whatever. If you want to quell this argument, the fix is simple: Shave off some points.

Transports are bad in the current edition – This is a systemic issue that doesn’t have a quick fix. Sorry folks. But we can mitigate the issue with 1) points drops and 2) other benefits. Transports need to have more utility to overcome the perception that they are “bad” in the current meta. Again, not a quick fix, just some thoughts.

Not enough protection – even with the -1 to be hit, there are too many re-rolls out there for it to really help. If you upped the Toughness to 8, you’d basically have a flying Land Raider. It’s the same issue with giving it a 2+ save as well. So both of those options are out. Maybe it could have some type of reactive armor plating that lowers the damage from a hit by 1 to a minimum of 1. Would that be enough protection to make it worth taking?

Primaris Transport – This is easy. Let the Blackstar transport Primaris Marines. Heck, you could make a “Primaris” version that ONLY transports Primaris instead of Classic Marines. If GW doesn’t want them to mix, that’s the simplest fix and you just gave Deathwatch Players a reason to run Primaris Marines AND a Corvus Blackstar.

The Corvus Blackstar needs some love. Can we get a fix that doesn’t involve throwing Command Points at the problem?

How would you “fix” the Corvus Blackstar? Let us know in the comments!

Edit: Oh yeah, No Power Of The Machine Spirit. Yet one more easy fix.