Horus Heresy 2e Review: Reaver Attack Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. This is a very strong choice for the Sons of Horus. 

Background.

An evolution of the despoiler squad, with Horus' name and the Cthonian ganger background writ large across it. The Reavers are the other half of the Sons of Horus elites and an opposite/complement to the Jastaerin. 

Strengths.

This is a very flexible squad, but one tuned up for close combat. Relentless, counter attack, combined with precision shots and strikes make the new iteration of Reavers a force to be reckoned with. Take with a Rhino or Dread claw drop pod for transport and they're good to go hunting most things in the game depending on the play style that the gamer is wanting to enact.

Weaknesses. 

Few. This is, in fact, a very strong unit. Combined with the lack of vulnerability to power fists in close combat thanks to the legion rules, this squad is realistically just fearing long range powerful weapons and characters with the potential to wipe them.

Difference to First Edition:

Improved. And when I say "Improved", I mean massively improved. In First Edition, I hardly sighted this unit at all outside of fluffy builds. This unit now has the potential to radically alter the approach to army building for Sons of Horus it has improved that much. Play them as an improved despoiler squad and go hunting. They've lost jump packs and banestrike, but so what. 

Builds.

I am deliberately only considering 10 strong squads here. Take them up to 20 if you are playing higher points cost games, or to taste. 

10 Reavers, 1 Nuncio Vox, 1 Vexilla, 2 Plasma Guns, 4 Power Fists (345 points).

Take a rhino and go forth. 

10 Reavers, 1 Nuncio Vox, 1 Vexilla, 2 Melta Guns (295 points).

Blow up some light tanks and assault the contents if it is a transport. Take power weapons to taste.

10 Reavers, 2 Flamers, 3 Hand Flamers, 4 Power Axes (320 points).

Best for deep striking armies. Take the nuncio vox and vexilla to taste.