Clan Raukaan is now available as a digital release, and is a Space Marine codex supplement for the Iron Hands third company. As with all First Looks, these are my first impressions of the book.
First off, lets get right on down to the rules for Clan Raukaan, since that is what most of you are curious about.
Additional Chapter Tactics
March of the Ancients
This lets you field Dreadnoughts, Ironclads and Veteran Dreadnoughts as either elite or heavy support choices whether or not you have a Master of the Forge.
Scions of the Forge
This simply allows two techmarines per HQ, 3 if that HQ is a Master of the Forge. Lots of techmarines running around with this one.
Warlord Traits
These are rather moderate, and range from re-rolling a repair vehicle failed attempt, choosing to fail or pass moral checks, or re-rolling ones in the shooting phase for your Warlords unit.
So nothing really major stands out on these, but can prove themselves useful
Gifts of the Gorgon
These are not bad, as there are some good AP2 melee weapons, The Ironstone, which allows tanks and walkers within 6" a "it will not die roll" of a 4+, and fixes immobilized and weapon destroyed in addition to the hull point if a 6 is rolled.
There is also a cool weapon called the Betrayers Bane, which acts like a master crafted combi weapon but can choose to fire its melta or the bolter any time it fires.
Tempered Helm also seems to have some use, allowing all friendly units within 24" to use the bearers leadership, and can choose a single unit within 12" to re-roll 1s in the shooting phase.
Of course one that will be talked about quite a bit, is the Gorgons Chain. It has different effects that weaken as the bearer takes damage, but as long as there is either 0 or 1 wounds suffered, grants eternal warrior and a 3+ invul save. Additional wounds take away the eternal warrior and then reduce the invul save to a 4+. Healing from your it will not die roll, can move you back up the chart.
Conclusion
I have only delved a little into the background, but it is intriguing from what briefest bits I have read. Including an account of an Alaitoc Autarch analyzing what had befallen in battle against Clan Raukaan. So very interesting indeed.
As far as rules go, the greater access of Dreadnoughts simply come from being able to take them as elites or heavy support without the inclusion of a Master of the Forge. There are some great artifacts about, and my favorite might be the Tempered Helm and the iron stone. I can see these two artifacts having a wide effect on gameplay, as they are an area effect on the tabletop. After all taking the Ironstone with a Dark Angel invul save nearby, will make some of your armour neigh improbable to break.
