Reavers! What do you guys think?

I'm unsure what the rest of the dark city has to say about reavers, so I'm asking. I usually run some that are fully loaded out to bladevane exposed infantry and heat lance open tanks.
They proved useful against a battlesuit spam list last night, and they've done other similar wonders in the distant past. What do you guys think of them? I sometimes worry that I'm paying too much for them...

I cant get enough of them now. I run them with cluster caltrops and they work wonders against infantry, plus they survive very well in the battlefield. Unless you get caught by flamers very bad situation. And i dont like using heat lances or blasters with them since I keep them running over everything in the battlefield.
Also great units to keep in reserve for that silly line-breaker VP, or if your playing the scourging mission, to get to far off objectives with ease.

I always run a squad or two, 6 revers with two heatlances. And they always preform admirable.
One how has truly master these unit is Mushkill, se his battle reports in Realspace raid section of the forum.

Reavers are amazing, 6 seems to be a good number with either 2 Caltrops or 2 Heatlances and only both if need that versatility.

The Caltrops are a great defense against flying MC.
Talos is right on Mushkill's battle reports, a must read for anyone interested in Reavers and a good case for running 9 with the use of a champ

Six Reavers with Caltrops and Arena Champ together with a Fortune/Doom Farseer on a jetbike is a traveling migraine for any opponent. Might not be points effective per se, but very fun to use.

What good does a Farseer do with the reaver squad? You won't be able to use fortune or guide on them because they are not an eldar squad.

Aww thanks guys!

Reavers are great this edition. The smaller squads of the previous edition are still effective. However the changes to jink and skilled rider have really opened up the possibilities for larger squads. Heatlances are also a lot safer to use thanks to the 4+ jink save. Caltrops are very effective, but also very expensive so using them depends on how you plan to use your reavers.

I have been running between 18-27 reavers, and so far they have been fantastic (my battle reports are in my signature for anyone who is interested).

I am a fan of caltrops. Seems like they would be awesome. However, having fast tank hunters is also great. I seriously consider the possibility of 6 reavers with 2 HL and 2 caltrops.

Agreed on Mushkilla's bat reps. He can really show you how to use your Reavers.

As for myself. I'm starting to get th gripes with Reavers since 6th edition and thus used some yesterday against Tau for the 1st time.

I had 6 Reavers w/ 2 Heatlances and 2 Cluster Caltrops (I ussually deck out áll my units to play dual rules so that they can be usefull every turn).

Turn 1 I bladevaned 2 lonely suites in the far left corner for that pain token. I knew they had a flamer, but bladevaning anything else was even more riskier, so I planned on killing both. Unfortunatly I killed 1 suit and left the other with 1 wound left. I got flamed in his shooting phase and lost the unit.

I think when you take Reavers you must make your list more about those jetbikes and make sure you have 9 in a squad to maximize bladevane attacks. This is my believe now. You could even drop heatlances and make them dedicated bladevaners if you really can't spare the points.

Plague wrote:

What good does a Farseer do with the reaver squad? You won't be able to use fortune or guide on them because they are not an eldar squad.

Well, in my local store we have agreed that, yes, you can cast Fortune, Guide etc on Dark Eldar. If objected by someone, I simply would use Fortune on the Farseer, thus giving the buff to the entire squad. Though really, I believe I should be able to cast all Farseer's powers on Dark Eldar just as well as Eldar, because damn it, they are all Eldar.

Just a question, do reavers gain a 3+ cover when turbo boosting in conjunction with skilled rider? And if you turbo boost, does that mean you cannot move the additional 6" during assault?

Vah' Ruith wrote:

Just a question, do reavers gain a 3+ cover when turbo boosting in conjunction with skilled rider? And if you turbo boost, does that mean you cannot move the additional 6" during assault?

Yes you do get a 3+. No you can't move 2d6 during assault after turbo boosting (as it says you may not perform any voluntary actions).

Siticus the Ancient wrote:

Plague wrote:

What good does a Farseer do with the reaver squad? You won't be able to use fortune or guide on them because they are not an eldar squad.

Well, in my local store we have agreed that, yes, you can cast Fortune, Guide etc on Dark Eldar. If objected by someone, I simply use would Fortune on the Farseer, thus giving the buff to the entire squad. Though really, I believe I should be able to cast all Farseer's powers on Dark Eldar just as well as Eldar, because damn it, they are all Eldar.

And Chaos space marins are all Space Marines, yea right

Farseer joining Dark Eldar unit is still a Dark Eldar unit, so he cannot cast it on that unit.

If Farseer cast something on himself and then joins the unit, the effect does _NOT_ transfer. Please refer to the rulebook 39 - Independent Characters and ongoing effects

Goran wrote:

And Chaos space marins are all Space Marines, yea right

I would appreciate if you don't derail this thread into another eldar/dark eldar debate. There have been more then enough of them recently and there is no need to argue about it, we won't know until its FAQed, until then people can just agree to disagree. Thanks

Back to reavers,

You do need to build your army around them in some ways. If you have anti tank covered, and are using a mainly shooty army then caltrops are great as you won't be tying things up and will be very effective at killing infantry of all sorts.

If like me you are experimenting with wyches and your reavers are your main anti-tank caltrops become less important, as they are to expensive for something that will only be used now and then. Also the reavers will be supporting the wyches in assault so they need more bodies.

One thing to remember is that three caltrops is costs 6 points less then 3 reavers.

However, note in the FAQs that it often says how powers from one Space Marine Codex such as a Sanguinary Priest's Feel No Pain in the Blood Angels Codex doesn't confer across to other Space Marine Codices such as the vanilla Marines Codex. This is repeatedly said throughout the FAQs, spelling it out very clearly with a lot of emphasis. Note though, that this is not mentioned in the Eldar or Dark Eldar FAQs. Now, RAW, Dark Eldar are Dark Eldar while Eldar powers only effect Eldar but due to it not being mentioned in any FAQs, unlike the Space Marine ones, perhaps GW did intend for the powers to confer across.

Either way, I see no issue with having the Farseer join a Dark Eldar unit and cast Fortune on himself, having that power confer to the entire unit.

Goran, your point about Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines being compared to Eldar and Dark Eldar doesn't really hold up when you consider the vast differences in their relationships with each other in the Allies Matrix. You might want to re-read that section in the rulebook as that only explains how a character leaving a unit effected by an ongoing effect such as Blind or Soul Blaze will continue to be effected by it or a character joining a unit with such an effect will not receive it. Basically, this describes how an effect a unit has received is shared (or not) with any Independent Characters. Also, I would draw your attention to how certain special rules such as Tank Hunters and Stubborn are shared to the whole unit if an Independent Character with that rule joins them. I know Fortune doesn't sepcifically say it is shared but bare in mind that the Eldar Codex is one of the older ones. The age of it, combined with the inadequacy of the FAQs means a strong case can be made for Eldar powers being able to be cast on Dark Eldar units, or not, and powers cast on the Farseer conferring to the unit they have joined, or not.

I think, for now, the jury is out and this is something you will have to discuss with your opponent before a battle but both myself, and most of the people at my local store are happy with being able to have the powers effect the Dark Eldar unit in some way or another. Hopefully the upcoming FAQs will sort this out.

Edit: apologies, Mushkilla I didn't notice your new post. Yes, let's leave this matter for now and, as you well put, back to Reavers!

Enociac wrote:

I'm unsure what the rest of the dark city has to say about reavers, so I'm asking. I usually run some that are fully loaded out to bladevane exposed infantry and heat lance open tanks.
They proved useful against a battlesuit spam list last night, and they've done other similar wonders in the distant past. What do you guys think of them? I sometimes worry that I'm paying too much for them...

Reavers are always one of our better Fast Attack slots, and thanks to 6th even more so than before (Actually every Fast Attack Slot that we have are all very good now). That and the way AP1 works only served to make the Reavers stand out even more than before.

The only problem that I have with Reavers is this; WHAT THE HECK DO I TAKE OUT TO PUT THEM IN AND DAMN IT WHEN WILL I EVER FINISH PAINTING THEM??!?!?!?!

What do you mean with the AP1 remark?

I would hazard a guess at Crisis_Vyper's comment referring to AP 1 now giving a +2 modifier on the vehicle damage table, making heat lances rather potent.

I've been thinking about taking a unit of 9 Reavers for a while now and although I was initially undecided on whether to take caltrops or heat lances (I didn't want to take both as it felt a bit of a point sink) but after reading Mushkilla's battle reports, I'm thinking on going with heat lances.

However, I too am struggling on the decision of what to drop to fit them in.

Question from a new guy, since the general consensus is Reaver = Win.

If you were limited to a stupidly low point value (say 750pts) and only had 6 reaver models, how would you kit that out? Caltrops and HLs on a squad of 6? or one option on a squad of 6 or MSU... etc..?

Starstrider wrote:

I would hazard a guess at Crisis_Vyper's comment referring to AP 1 now giving a +2 modifier on the vehicle damage table, making heat lances rather potent.

I've been thinking about taking a unit of 9 Reavers for a while now and although I was initially undecided on whether to take caltrops or heat lances (I didn't want to take both as it felt a bit of a point sink) but after reading Mushkilla's battle reports, I'm thinking on going with heat lances.

However, I too am struggling on the decision of what to drop to fit them in.

Ah right thnx. Got it.

Blind_Baku wrote:

Question from a new guy, since the general consensus is Reaver = Win.

If you were limited to a stupidly low point value (say 750pts) and only had 6 reaver models, how would you kit that out? Caltrops and HLs on a squad of 6? or one option on a squad of 6 or MSU... etc..?

For such a small points value, I would either go with Caltrops or Lances, instead of both. You'll just eat up too much points in an already limited force. Personally, I'd go with Lances, as at such low points values you'll need that extra anti tank.

Reavers are a "must have" in virtually all points levels. 1 in 6 missions they score, 5 out of 6 missions they contest. 6 w/ Caltrops and 2 HL's is a nice idea, Turbo over a squad T1 (or from reserves), then next turn snip a tank.

One queston re: Caltrops; If you're flying over a T3 unit that is not in cover, does the opponent get their armour sv?

1++ wrote:

One queston re: Caltrops; If you're flying over a T3 unit that is not in cover, does the opponent get their armour sv?

Why not? Page 16, Instant Death: "If a model suffers an unsaved wound..."

Unsaved wound, hence he had the oppurtiny to save it. Can't find in the 6th edition rulebook when armour saves are ignored other than AP value.

Couple of items of note.

1. Our latest FAQ has a round about way of pointing out that the Reavers can move 12 and then turbo 24, not turbo 36.
2. using normal wound allocation and the and the general consensus that wounds are allocated base on the final position of the reavers make sure that your reavers end in a position that they can see as much of the target unit as possible. Page 16 of rule book "...If there are no visible models in the target unit, all remaining Wounds in the pool are lost..." so if you end in a position were you can't see a few models, they are saved.

I think using the final position makes the most since both RAW and RAI, since the Clustor Caltrops are attach to the butt end of the bike and look like they are shot out, and since you are going so fast you can only really focus on your destination more than your optimal attack vector.

Just food for thought.

Seshiru wrote:

Couple of items of note.

1. Our latest FAQ has a round about way of pointing out that the Reavers can move 12 and then turbo 24, not turbo 36.

Thats a bit weird as both the codex AND the BRB make it crystal clear that moving with dark eldar jetbikes moving with turbo booster can move up to 36", but cannot perform any voluntary action (ie: no shooting, no charging in, no assault jumps"


As for my question above, I too cannot see where armour saves are not allowed to be taken to weapons that strength is double toughness. The BRB states that weapons that are AP- will always allow an armour save, so a T3 model can take his armour save to Str 6 Caltrops?