http://www.ulthuan.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=69961
I think there are three issues here:Prince of Spires wrote:Eagles are still an ace unit. They didn't really change between 7th and 8th. They're still the cheapest redirector (or even unit in general) we have. So you can't go very wrong with bringing them. It's more that, in my experience, once you hit a certain points level, you pretty much have what you want in core. And then spending 80 core points on a reaver unit can be a better deal then 50 rare points. A bit to do with diminishing returns. At 1500 pts (or even 2000) getting that SH bus, big archer or spear unit is a tight fit. At 2400 or 2500 it's a lot easier and leaves you room for one or two reaver units.
1) Are Reavers a better pick than Eagles because there is slack in Core?
2) How equivalent are the two choices?
3) Do things differ between a 25% Lords and Heroes environment and a 50%?
I'll kick off with the first point. Rod is basically saying that at 2400/2500 a list usually has the leeway to fit in a unit or two of Reavers in preference to spending Rare points on Eagles. I've a quote that supports the opposed view:
http://www.ulthuan.net/forum/viewtopic. ... start=1260
In his early games with the 8th edition HE book, Seredain had fielded a lot of Silver Helms and a modest number of Core infantry, in the belief that the latter wouldn't hurt. But gameplay showed him it did hurt, his Combined Arms list needed more bodies in that infantry block. In short, there wasn't the slack (such as might have accomodated a unit or two of Reavers) available that he'd thought there was. His revised Core at 2500 (he had Eagles in Rare):Seredain wrote:”Doesn’t matter - It’s a core choice! but I’m starting to think it does matter."
24 Archers, Musician, Standard – 260
10 Silver Helms, Musician, Standard – 250
5 Silver Helms - Shields - 115
The point is that all of his Core points were spoken for. He needed a decent number of Archers, to give him a Core Infantry unit that could stand and fight. He needed the larger unit of Helms for his characters. He needed the smaller unit for chasing down missile troops and being an alternative character bunker. There was no slack. Of course, this is just one example but I think it applies to most honed HE lists.
Thoughts?