Blood Ravens - Chapter Combat Doctrine: The Blood Ravens believe by studying one's enemy, one can predict their movements before launching any attacks, rather than charging in like an uncontrolled berserker or using spontaneous lightning assaults. This has caused friction with other, more headstrong Chapters.Those who prefer a clear-cut approach to battle have branded the Blood Ravens as cowards for their overly methodical approach to waging warfare. But this is an unfair assessment, for once the Blood Ravens take to the field, they fight with righteous fury and a zeal the equal of any other Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.Once decided upon, the Chapter never deviates from the chosen strategy, from its initial planning stages to its final execution, executing it with ruthless efficiency. The thoroughness of their planning is such that every eventuality is accounted for, thanks to their Librarians' powerful divinations.Their uncanny abilities to predict enemy attacks or invasions has helped them warn or respond well before other Imperial organisations have even been made aware of the threat. More puritanical figures within the Inquisition have whispered in dark tones of the sad tale of the Thousand Sons Legion and their fallen Primarch Magnus the Red and his ultimate fate. A path trod to damnation that began with the abilities to predict such dire events, much like the Blood Ravens.In preparation for combat, members of the Blood Ravens invariably begin with intense study of their opponents and their tactics. All forms of reconnaissance and any relevant historical or psychological resources are fully utilised in the course of this exhausting research. Only once all reasonable means have been undertaken to compile data is this information thoroughly analysed. The analysis process may take solar days or even weeks, depending upon the reliability of the information acquired and the prior experience that the various battle-brothers might have with their opponents.Finally, once a thorough analysis has been compiled, only then is a tactical solution to the issue devised. Invariably, during the course of this analysis and planning, command officers rely heavily upon the input and advice of any Librarians available. These talented psykers are expected to use their talents to also plumb the depths of the Warp for additional information upon their foes and to conduct any divinations that might be appropriate. Among the Blood Ravens, these skills are every bit as crucial for a Librarian as the more forceful talents of the battle-psyker that are applied during a direct physical conflict.With a thoroughly compiled plan in hand, the Force Commander presents it to the Space Marines participating in the mission. Generally, these plans contain a myriad of alternative plans that account for an immense number of outcomes, often going into explicit and excruciating detail. Once these plans have been reviewed and accepted by the battle-brothers, they are very seldom changed.Through the course of a given battle, the Blood Ravens almost always adhere rigidly to their plans. This is in part due to the fact that the agonising level of detail permits the plans to accommodate a variety of different outcomes. However, it is more often due to the fact that the insight of their talented Librarians almost always provides accurate data such that the final plan is appropriate and consistent with the conditions encountered on the field of battle.At times, the Blood Ravens willingly make deviations from standard Codex Astartes directives when creating their complex strategies. In those circumstances where they have additional information or an unusual piece of wargear, they make such items a cornerstone of their plans.In this way, the Chapter maintains the belief that they follow the philosophy and general directives of the Codex Astartes without being constrained by the fact that the text is 10,000 standard years in age. For though these battle-brothers believe that their secrets must be carefully preserved, they also believe that their resources must be appropriately exploited in order to overcome their foes with a minimum of risk.