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Hey there Dakkaites. Just wondering if anyone has done comparison between the killing power of Dark Reapers vs HYMP/SMS. Seven basically equipped Dark Reapers (reaper launcher, no exarch) costs the same points as three Missilesides with EWO on all of them. I reckon that unit (especially in an Imperial Bunker... And especially with a Tau Buffmander attached) could destroy all infantry in the mid field, but was curious if anyone a bit more clinical with their maths than me would like to try the comparison...

Thanks be to dakka.

Seven naked Dark Reapers versus three missile pod/SMS Missilesides? Missilesides put a dozen S7/AP4 shots and a dozen S5/AP5 shots downrange 30" at BS3 with rerolls to hit, Dark Reapers put fourteen S5/AP3 shots downrange 48" at BS4. BS3 with reroll comes out to slightly better than BS4, the Missilesides have better Strength and more shots, the Dark Reapers have better AP and range; Dark Reapers outperform Missilesides against MEQ but not against anything without a 3+ armour save.

Dark Reapers are best deployed surgically in small units; the Exarch is a shockingly potent anti-aircraft weapon and with Starshot the unit can engage most targets with at least moderate effectiveness at extreme range. With just the Reaper Launchers and no other upgrades the Missilesides are more effective, but since seven naked Dark Reapers isn't a unit you're likely to ever see in the field it's not a useful comparison; dropping the numbers to purchase starshot and a ML/Fast Shot Exarch the Dark Reapers become a more effective unit against most vehicles and some aircraft while retaining competitive anti-infantry performance at the expense of being five T3/3+ armour bodies instead of three T4/W2/2+ armour bodies.

Well I've never been one to refuse a math-hammer challenge.

Let's look at our contestants:

Dark Reapers
2 S5 AP3 Shots that ignore jinks (but not cover)

Missile Sides
4 S7 AP4 and 4 S5 AP5 shots - the latter ignoring cover but with bad AP is best against Tanks anyway.

All numbers as requested 7 DR vs 3 MS

So vs T4 Marines with 3+ Save
DR: 14 Shots - 9.24 hits - 6.09 wounds with NO saves

MS: 12 HYMP Shots - 9 hits 7.5 wounds - 2.4 after saves. 12 SMS shots - 9 hits - 5.94 wounds - 1.96 after saves. Total is 4.36 kills

Now, if I were charging down 7 dark reapers I would be hugging cover for at least 5+ and hopefully find some nice 4+. In these situations the DR would drop to 4 kills if you were in 5+ cover and 3 kills if you were in 4+ cover. The MS will not be affected by this.

Vs Guardsmen T3 5+
DR: 14 shots - 9.24 hits - 7.50 wounds NO saves

MS: 12 HYMP Shots - 9 hits - 7.50 wounds NO Saves. SMS: 12 shots - 9 hits - 7.50 wounds NO saves. Total 15 kills.

Factor in an aegis and the DRs drop to 3.75 and the MS's drop to 11.25 (due to SMS ignoring cover). Nice to see MS's can still clear an aegis'd guard squad a turn.

This'll be an interesting one - Space Marine Bikes T5 3+ and 5++ Jink (which will not be needed for any of these maths!)

DR: 14 shots - 9.24 hits - 4.6 wounds with NO saves
MS: 12 HYMP Shots - 9 hits 7.5 wounds - 2.4 after saves. 12 SMS shots - 9 hits - 4.5 wounds - 1.4 after saves. Total is 3.8 kills.

So there is less in it than what I thought, we know that MS's strongpoint isn't really anti - marine, but it's nice to know that a decent volly can give bikes a bit of a headache!

VS AV 11 Flyer (because I feel sorry for the MS's at this point and want to try and even it out!)

DR's 14 shots 2.3 hits 0.38 glances
MS's HYMP 12 shots 3.6 hits 0.6 Glances and 1.2 Penetrating. Try and keep buffmander in this if you're expecting to use up a turn on AA duties as Tank Hunters and ignoreing the jink would take these numbers up to the point AV11 would not survive and AV12 should lose 2 hull points (unless they have a damned 5++ a-la hellturkey)

Much better - as we expected.

The HYMP also add VERY effective anti AV11 on the ground (more so if a buffmander can bring his PEN chip to the party) as well as semi capable anti AV12 (which, obviously the reapers can't) and in a pinch should be able to strip that last hull point off a predator or vindicator.

One last comparison, again I can tell you the MS's will do better on. Terminators T4 2+ save and a 5++ (again not needed for these maths)

DR: 14 Shots - 9.24 hits - 6.09 wounds - 1.04 kills

MS: 12 HYMP Shots - 9 hits 7.5 wounds - 1.2 after saves. 12 SMS shots - 9 hits - 5.94 wounds - 0.98 after saves. Total is 2.19 kills.

So the MS's end up twice as good versus the imperium's finest armour. I think I expected slightly higher numbers here, but it is what it is (and what it is is 80 dead points - which for a totally inappropriate target isn't too bad at all!)

Hope that helps

That's very helpful. Feeling better about my broadsides. I'd been wondering if putting 7/8 Dark Reapers into a bunker with a buffmander would be a useful addition to my list, but I think in better without.

Not enough versatility. Also EWO.