Reaver squad composition

I tend to just use them in groups of 6 with either 2cluster caltrops or two heat lances. The Heat lance unit won't bring caltrops cause they will eventually slow down enough to lose their invul save to blow up a tank (again, there are better ways to blow up tanks in our list, but I'll stay on the Reaver topic) and they are just too pricey at that point to be a unit that more often then not will come under return fire the minute something big gets blown up by them. I also bring (more often then not) a unit of 6, or 9 if you're feeling randy, with JUST cluster caltrops. Again, points are at a premium in most games so I try to specialize. This unit goes a turbo boosting around the board the entire game bladevaning stuff and getting 3+ invul.

Granted there is way to much flamer nonsense in 5th to give them much hope of surviving long. I've noticed they take an odd amount of fire from my opponents most games so that's one of the reasons I bring them, but again, there is no reason to dump too many points in them. They WILL come under fire, and they WILL die. Or they will get assaulted and well its pretty much a wrap. But, if they can draw even ONE turn of enemy fire from the REAL threats in my army then I think they've done their job at 172pts.

I think of them as a harass unit. Nothing more. If you get lucky, you can wipe out a Tau scout squad or blow up that Land Raider hanging out trying to flank your Wracks holding that objective. I give these guys a 84% cool factor for models alone, and you will see, because of that cool opponents tend to pay them a bit more attention then their worth most games. Jus' sayin'.

Widowlander wrote:

I give these guys a 84% cool factor for models alone

That made me laugh! Such objective evaluation...

Quote :

, and you will see, because of that cool opponents tend to pay them a bit more attention then their worth most games. Jus' sayin'.

Totally agree: the meaner it looks, the more attention they get.

I use 3 x 6 jetbikes with double lance... and for 450ish points what I get is:

1.- Units that can basically reach the whole board from the WWPs. This conditions the opponents deployment AND his first 2 turns. Every body is "scared" they won't be able to react in time, so more and more players are starting to reserve... which serves me great, since its 1 more turn (at least) they can't move around...2/3 games that means he can't stop around and mess with my units, he HAS to get to the objectives/bases.

2.- Superb tank hunting. Yes, its a secondary role, but man do they do it nicely.

3.- Bladevane...its really really nice when you see that lone 5 marine unit camping...6d3 means 12 hits, 6 wounds, 2 casualties (roughly). Oh... and here comes ANOTHER jetbike unit... wooooops, only down to a man now

You're welcome to focus all of your shooting in a corner now, opening space for my assault units to come out

Good Hunting!

3 of them is actually quite good..
They can be an annoyance and be last minute contests. I vote 3 as opposed to 9 because there's less of an imprint on the battlefield and are still a value strategically.

As I'll buy a battle force shortly I'll get to test a unit of 3. I proxied them in one of my recent games and I was quite happy with a unit of just 3 with cluster caltrops. It was a very small scale game and it was against Daemons so I didn't miss the AT. However I feel to have much of an impact on larger games I'd need a bigger unit and then they become to much of a points sink for just the fly-over attacks. I'd then go for 6 with two blasters or two heat lances.

My favourite FA slot remains the beast pack though.

I swear by 6 w/ 2 heat lances. I run two squads of them in my 2k list, and anything smaller though I normally run 2 squads of 3 w/ 1 heat lance, as they are just so cheap. The point being is that in most list I play against *cough* GKs *cough* their AP 1 is so important at making sure their tanks stay down. They arent that expensive points wise, and are fairly durable with T4 and a 3++ for turbo-boosting and a 4++ for sitting in cover (remember they have skilled riders right???) They are my first choice for a FA slot, with beasts a close second (I wish GKs didnt have their stupid psyichic test on their tanks, then scourges would be way better right now)