2 Games of Reaverstar- First ones with new dex

League play last night, and the first time I was allowed to use the new dex.

These are 2 1000 point games. Please keep in mind this league is competitive, so hard lists are common.

My list:
Lhamian

2 x 5 warriors with blasters in venoms

1 razorwing with dual Dark lances

5 scourges w/4 haywire blasters

12 reaver jetbikes w/ champion (warlord) and 4 cluster caltrops

1 farseer/ bike/ shard/ spirit stone/ spear

3 windriders


Game 1: Vs Space Marines

He had:
Librarian w/ jumppack
big unit of assault marines
2 las/plas razorbacks
5 man squads in each
8 bikes
contemptor dreadnaught

My drug roll was "+1 Str", warlord trait was nightfight, and I got invisibility.

GAME PLAN:
Use invisibility to make the bike star unbeatable, and run all over the field causing havoc.

REALITY:
I forgot my psychic phase both turn 1 and 2.

My mission: relic.
His mission: Capture and control

I jumped my windriders up to secure relic, jumped reavers up to protect windriders and shot a lot. All 4 haywire blasters missed. He retaliated by killing 4 of the 5 scourges and with a dual charge on reavers with assault marines and bikes.
End of combat, 1 reaver (with caltrops) and farseer left. Seer had 1 wound left. I hit and run.
I then jumped behind his contemptor with reavers, move up last scourge (who missed again) used venoms and newly arrived razorwing to thin his bikes and assault squad, then declare a charge on the contemptor with the scourge, who got wiped in overwatch, and follow up with reavers charging contemptor as well. Bladevanes took him out.
He unloaded some troops, shot reaver squad and farseer to death, but that was it.
I then pretty much tabled him next turn.

Win to the NEW DE

Thoughts:
Reavers: I played them wrong, and forgot invisibility. Holding off judgement.
Scourges: Crappy rolls. holding off judgement
Razorwing: Meh
Venoms with warriors: Gold as always.


Game 2: Vs Eldar Serpent spam (well, spam for a 1000 point game)
3 waveserpents
3 units of wraithguard
1 spiritseer

Hammer and anvil.
Drug: +1 attack
Warlord trait: Reroll nightfight, reserves, etc. the good one.
I got invisibility again.
Razorwing, scourges and windriders in reserve.
My mission: killpoints
His: Objectives

I went first, and hammer and anvil turboed across the board. I remembered to cast invis this time, then turboed again and surrounded one of his serpents.
He went, moved the surrounded serpent as far as he could, and dropped both venoms.

Scourges dropped in, scattered, mishapped and went back into reserves. Razorwing came on.
Reavers went 12, and got ready to assault. Shooting saw no damage to him anywhere.
An 11" charge later saw a serpent surrounded, and one caltrop on rear armor. I was planning on rolling that one last, but never needed to. 2 str 4 rending got through with glances, and a str 6 (on 12 armor) rended, resulting in an auto-pen. All the guard inside died as he was unable to place a model touching his hull more than 1" away from the bikes.
Special note: He denied my invis this turn.

he went, and unloaded the transports, and dumped everything on the bikes. Killed 6 of the 13, including 2 caltrops.
My turn, all came in.
Scourges shot a serpent- 2 hits, both jinked away.
windriders shot at some wraithguard, and did no damage. Remaining kabalite warriors did as well dropping 2. Biked had moved to another serpent.
Bikes charged.
Serpent down.

We continued to play, but the bikes were unstopable. They killed:
2 waveserpents
5 wraithguard
1 spiritseer
without EVER making a swing in close combat. Bladevaning is very deadly!
The last serpent was brought down by a blaster shot before the scourges could shoot again.

Victory new DE:

THOUGHTS on units and viability.
All my thoughts will be based on tournament viability, not friendly games. My question is can the DE win at top tables in major tournaments?

Scourges:
Lets see... 6 armored targets in 2 games, 0 hull points claimed. Very underwhelming, but I cannot hold bad dice rolling against this unit.
Pros: Very mobile anti tank. Much better than our ravager now.
Con: Pretty much a 1 shot weapon. A canny opponent will make you move them to where the retaliatory fire will be devastating. At this point, i am not sure if they are worth the cost. I dont think I would use them in tournaments. Too easily countered, ignored (jink) and taken out.

Venoms / Warriors/ Blaster
We lost nothing. Nothing at all with this unit, and it is now 5 points cheaper.
Yes please!

Razorwing:
Another unit I had high hopes for but in reality, pretty much sucks!
Pros: Fast, Flyer, 4 missles.
Cons: Too fast (sometimes cant get angles you need), only 2 anti tank weapons, and just not worth the points for tournament play. a 10/10/10 vehicle that can be brought down by pistols, cant start the game on the board, and whose missles are shrugged off by most opponents... not too impressive.

Reavers:
This unit I had the highest of hopes for. Game 1 it took out a contemptor and hurt both bikes and assault marines. I played them 100% wrong and forgot invisibility. Game 2 it was unstoppable and ran rampant through the enemy lines. But...... When invis was denied, or forgotten, or you dont roll it, this unit just dies. In hand to hand, a 5+ 5+ (at BEST) is a horrible save. Power weapons/fists/lances just laugh at us, as we just reach over and start picking up models.

Pros: Unstoppable when played right, the hardest hitting unit we have if played right, and speed that makes opponents cry.

Cons:
Sadly, this unit is too dependent on luck. If I wanted random, I would play skaven or Orks. If you do not get invis- it cannot be a relied upon uber unit. If, if, if.

Reavers are a great unit to be sure, but not a lynchpin unit to center your whole army design around. The center of your army has to be solid, dependable and trustworthy. Reavers are not this unit.


So next week, trying webway tricks and maybe some coven. If there is a build, i will find it!

Wow congrats to these victories!

Good to hear that reavers did such a decent job. Really looking forward to trying out my unit as well.

That combo with invisibility is really nasty, and pointswise this deathstar is quite a cheap one!

Also looking forward to read more of your battle reports, thanks for sharing your experiences.

Cant see the Eldar or the Space Marine List as competitive. Wraithguard + Serpents is pretty weak at 1k points (when you could take 5 Serpents + minimum DA) and the SM List contained Assault Marines and was obviously no White Scar Bikestar.

Glad to see the single Lhamaean Hq used, been pondering that for a few days, how did it go - any difficulty keeping her alive, where did you put her etc?

I stuffed her in a corner of a building out of sight of everything. I did put my "capture and control" objective within 3" of her.

Both opponents forgot about her quickly when they had 12 reavers in their faces turn 1.

And I think that is the Reavers greater strength, the ability to be a serious threat and distraction from turn one.

Jink is one of the reasons why I am not a fan of the Haywire blaster.

With a Heat Lance, since it's AP 1, you actually have a chance at taking out a vehicle with a single pen.