Heavy Rifle Teams

HRTs tend to do better than SFA at picking out light-to-medium targets with higher DEF. Since they get boosted attack rolls they have an easier time hitting anything DEF12+ and their armor pierce tends to work best on targets below ARM18 or with few boxes. Sure they can be dice-1 or 2 against a heavy but without boosted damage it doesn't do a ton with a single shot, whereas you only need to do 5 or 8 damage to a solo or CA. The boosted attack rolls are really where it's at IMO.

HRTs are better than SFA in some specific circumstances. As mentioned they are all accuracy related, especially when moving or shooting a kador heavy engaged in combat.

Numbers wise HRT do more damage than a SFA against any target on average but less than two SFAs against def 12 and less (looking at armor 18-20 here).

Personally the addition of reform in theme is the real kicker. Reform allows the SFA to use its high damage shot and then get out of the way of other models/slightly farther away from enemy shooters. The HRT lacks this and as such falls flat.

Stealth'd high impact solos, general trouble shooting, high DEF, easier scoring opportunity... it's a case of swings and roundabouts and what you want to be shot up. Of course, SFA will be your go to against low ARM units or low DEF/mid to high ARM, because Brutal Shots and the ability to carpet bomb an area is a thing. They are fundamentally different tools for different tasks.

Why I take them (HRT, that is) is that they're more self-reliant than the SFA, who often need a RAT fixer (either that, or I just plain play them wrong... mostly that, in fairness, my old gaming group never gave aimed Brutal shot opportunities), using Brutal against anything more than DEF 11 irks me. In terms of damage against hard targets goes, double HRT's do more damage reliably (you're odds on up to DEF 14-15 at a little longer range, threatening 18" vs only odds on up to DEF 12 or so, 17" threat, with both averaging 10 damage against ARM 20, providing everything hits, which is more of an issue with SFA) which is why I personally prefer them. And while SFA's can AOE an area, it's too dependent on how lucky you are on scatters and since this will likely be combined with Snipe, the chance that an AOE drifts over nothing is too high for my liking. I'd rather the HGT point out the UA and scalpel it out (if able to), or use something else to deal with it. MkIII SFA have been rather underwhelming for me, with only Rahn looking like wanting them. I just wished Rahn could control where ALL AOE's scattered!