Pure Reiver Squads

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Has anyone tried using pure Reiver squads with carbines yet ? Seems like they have some real potential with SIA and their ability to ~outflank.

[TheBigAristotle]

I've fielded them with carbines and with knives/pistols and I think I prefer the latter.

 

The carbines are fine, and if you want them to just run around harassing, that might be your thing.  I used them to harass back-line heavy support squads, bringing them in via board-edge with grapple guns and ferreting out barricaded devastator squads and the like.

 

However I will say that most of the games I've used Reivers I felt that I could have used their points to just have more veterans.  Depends on the amount of terrain and line-of-sight blocking you have in your local meta.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

There’s always a good amount of terrain here.

[TheBigAristotle]

It's fun to just ignore terrain, and their models are unquestionably awesome.  Give em a few games

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I think I will.

[shandwen]

I really think their weapons need point adjustments, as being forced to take the pistol with the slightly overdosed carbine is painful. That said, in a semi competitive environment or a casual one, they have a purpose and the ability to fulfil that purpose. Also, they look awesome.

[Rasp]

I’ve used a squad of 10 twice. Had them drop in the back and attempt to light things up. 20 shots at 24 inches with SIA sounds really good.

 

So far mine haven’t done much. Killed a 35 point weird boy once. Meh. They look cool, but anecdotally, for me, they haven’t lived up to my hopes.

 

But then... I’m not the greatest 40k player either. So... grain of salt with my experiences

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I really think their weapons need point adjustments, as being forced to take the pistol with the slightly overdosed carbine is painful. That said, in a semi competitive environment or a casual one, they have a purpose and the ability to fulfil that purpose. Also, they look awesome.

Have you used them in a Deathwatch list ?

[Lemondish]

Not quite relevant, but since we're talking about how awesome they look I wanted to bring up that I'll be using them as a base for Veteran conversions to go alongside my Intercessors.

[Inquisitor Red]

I run mine with pistols and knifes deep striking down and harassing/grabbing objectives. A nifty combo I use is the Forge World Chaplain Ven Dread (use the plastic Blood Angel Furioso Dread Kit its cheaper and comes with a skull mask) deep striking with them. He is a character so cant be targeted and reivers are pretty tough body guards and good at clearing screens for the big guy. Plus when in combat with the Chaplain Ven dread he increases all of their Strength +1 so he buffs em in melee. All of a sudden x3 S5 attacks per reiver along with everything else they get make for a decent CC combo.

[BrotherAetherick]

Not quite relevant, but since we're talking about how awesome they look I wanted to bring up that I'll be using them as a base for Veteran conversions to go alongside my Intercessors.

 

I'm doing the same. I can't stand the height difference between primaris and marines 1.0, although DW veterans are a little better in terms of scale.

[TheBigAristotle]

I run mine with pistols and knifes deep striking down and harassing/grabbing objectives. A nifty combo I use is the Forge World Chaplain Ven Dread (use the plastic Blood Angel Furioso Dread Kit its cheaper and comes with a skull mask) deep striking with them. He is a character so cant be targeted and reivers are pretty tough body guards and good at clearing screens for the big guy. Plus when in combat with the Chaplain Ven dread he increases all of their Strength +1 so he buffs em in melee. All of a sudden x3 S5 attacks per reiver along with everything else they get make for a decent CC combo.

 

That's funny, I just got my Chappy Dread in the mail the other day.  Having it commissioned, and was planning on the exact same move.

[Prot]

I painted up 10 carbine Reivers with Grav chutes for my Ultramarines. After about 7 or so games I just gave up. Then I tried then in my Deathwatch and I had high hopes.

 

What I found is I think just deep striking Vets with Stormbolter is a more economic choice that really has about the same amount of impact.

 

I definitely wanted more impact out of them with their cool appearance, but the overlap is substantial. If I could mix them up,with a better squad to deep strike with them then yea maybe. They remind me of a Redemptor. I like the Redemptor but a Ven Dread is just miles better.

 

This is just my experience and if I’m honest I should have tried Reivers a little more, but I admit I just found so much more of a comfort level with ObSec Fortis squads with -1 ap, even at the cost of 1 CP.

 

So I took the easy way out. I would love to try the experiment again.

[TheBigAristotle]

I'm really hoping there's wholesale changes to Space Marine points values in the Chapter Approved... only 5 months to go :\

[Vel'Cona]

I'm really hoping there's wholesale changes to Space Marine points values in the Chapter Approved... only 5 months to go :\

 

Don't think it'll be that far out . . . maybe September or October since so much has been released since the last one.

[Lemondish]

 

 

I'm really hoping there's wholesale changes to Space Marine points values in the Chapter Approved... only 5 months to go :\

Don't think it'll be that far out . . . maybe September or October since so much has been released since the last one.

I honestly just want to see some targeted rules changes more than points changes, if I'm to be honest.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I am definitely going to give the Reivers a try.

[Vel'Cona]

 

I honestly just want to see some targeted rules changes more than points changes, if I'm to be honest.

 

That's more likely to follow in the FAQ, which is unlikely to change until a few major events pass.  GW has shown a shift toward kneejerk rules changes based on the tourney meta, which means unless DW has a presence at the major events they're unlikely to get direct attention.  At least, not until the FAQs are updated next spring/summer (guessing, grain of salt, all that).

[Lemondish]

 

 

I honestly just want to see some targeted rules changes more than points changes, if I'm to be honest.

That's more likely to follow in the FAQ, which is unlikely to change until a few major events pass. GW has shown a shift toward kneejerk rules changes based on the tourney meta, which means unless DW has a presence at the major events they're unlikely to get direct attention. At least, not until the FAQs are updated next spring/summer (guessing, grain of salt, all that).

I feel like their FAQs have been focusing primarily on major game rule changes rather than tweaking data sheets. I feel like they're really close to hitting a gold mine in balancing options if AoS is any indication. They could, and should, bet providing data sheets for all units in a digital format that they can, if they want to, update with each major balance patch. I'm thinking things as simple as adding an extra wound or point of toughness for a unit that isn't as durable as it should be, or even rarely adding entirely new rules to a unit (like how we all hoped the Blackstar would get PotMS). These are the types of targeted rule changes that I'd prefer to see that impact the efficiency of a unit without the answer always simply being to add more bodies following a points decrease. Imagine if they adjusted the rules for the HTH to not be any cheaper (the normal GW balancing method) but instead bring more reliable damage by being available to more units and models that can actually make better use of it. Essentially, there are two make things worth their points costs and changing that cost is only half of the options available.

 

But back to Reivers. Because Bolt Carbine Reivers are inexplicably more expensive than the equally equipped Intercessor, they become an extremely situational choice.

 

Here's a boatload of ifs...

 

- If you feel your list could benefit from the minor tools they bring, and...

- If you value the deep strike option at a premium points cost instead of CP and...

- If you don't care about obsec...

 

Then Bolt Carbine Reivers can be of use to you. The knife opens up a unique role for them, even if they aren't good at it.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Like I said I’ll definitely give them a try. Every CP saved is another CP you can burn. The points cost is minimal.

[Mobius0288]

I like them but I've committed to more intercessor bodies as of late. I feel like I would have to commit to a different tactic if I do include them because they are excellent late game harassers, objective holders and screens for for deep striking characters. Pairs well with the Angelis Beacon on a character, and pulling an additional squad across the board.

 

Huge fan of the combat knives simply because I use them as screens and charge units that would rather shoot my other guys.

 

But also like others have said, I would rather spend that CP to deep strike a 10 man kill team with storm bolters and storm shields. It doesn't just harass, it deletes whole units off the board.

 

I can see uses mixed into vanilla intercessor units (shock grenades, failing morale, etc.)

[Drizzt79]

Pure Reiver squads? No!

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Have you used them yet ?

[Drizzt79]

Have you used them yet ?

Nope, I could never find a use for them....I feel reivers are just not good enough

Ok they can deepstrike, bring some SIA dakka, charge and in melee bring some 4 0 1 attacks....nothing really special IMO

 

Don’t you think it would be better taking a veteran squad with stormbolters and chainswords, deepstriking by spending 1cp or by the beacon for harassing? Maybe adding a stormshield or two perhaps to keep them alive a bit more

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

tbh I have not played DW yet so I have an open mind and am willing to try different things. Doesn't mean it will always be good but that is okay too .