Guys what do you think about Bastiladon? i am bit split upon it. I mean i LOVE the miniature and couldn't play it in 6 and 7ed that i play since last year however 175 points with Solar Engine are not few (and without it i don't see any point to play it) The good is: Armour save is still a solid 3+ The Beam of Chotec have a 24" range that means that you can easily play it as defensive artillery and you will be often out of range for caster level 2. This is however hard to play since you want to give the initiative bonus and protect the flanks since enemies get no bonus flanking you. +1 initiative can be good to just avoid to attack at the same time as stomp attacks or great weapon for both bastiladon but even kroxigor and saurus. The bad is: Beam of Chotec require a 7+ dice roll to be casted, that means 50% more or less. Movement 4 (was it before? I don't know) 4 wounds that means only strength unit 4 and NO disruption of units on the flank/rear (as stegadon can do) 4 strength...not so good compared to all other monsters. Even if AP-3 is as the others. Compared to a Troglodon (rare unit of course) that has strength 5 wound 5 and also a caster level 1 (that with easy can cast signature spell of battle magic and also dispel in case of emergency) for only 25 pints more i even more undecided. So what do you think?
I think it is just ok in a heavy Saurus build. Going to I2 is nice so you get to hit before Great Weapons in prolonged combats and stomps as well. If you are not buffing Sauri, he is probably not worth it, the S4 really doing him in. He is also sadly not a Behemoth, making it so his Stomps are at ap-0 as well, which is annoying for sure. I honestly think the Stegadon is what he should be compared against. He has less reliable shooting, S4 instead of S6, he is slower.. The only thing he has on them is the extra I, which is why you take him IMHO.
You also have an 58% chance to cast due to how 2d6 dice work out, which is pretty ok. The real problem is enemy dispels, which makes it quite unreliable.
I agree, the Stegadon is A tier (or S with a skink chief) and the Troglodon is B tier. I am not certain about the Bastiladon but I think it's straddling the A and B line. If I could fit in a stegadon I always would, but if I didn't have the points....
I made a 2000 list and could fit 1) Stegadon with skink chief and giant bow 2) an ancient Stegadon with engine of gods 3) eventually a Bastiladon but then I have only 16 saurus infantry (I am not a lover of infantry either). I play kroxigor too. The question is if after you have 1-2 Stegadon it’s useful or maybe just point on more saurus… I don’t know really. probably the best will be 2 Bastiladon on each flank. Casters will not be within 24 of both often and in this case if you are lucky to launch the bolt it will have a minimum launch value of 9, that’s quite hard to dispel with fated dispel since you need at least a 10
The thing I like about Bastiladons is they’re a pretty reliable anvil. Movement 4 means they’re too slow to run on the flanks but they move the same as your line troops, give them initiative 5 on the charge and won’t give up combat res for being flanked or reared so you can use ‘em to hold up an enemy unit for a turn or two and give your temple guard or Saurus a flank charge (plus T5, AS 3+, stubborn, immune to psychology @ ld 9 w/ a slann means he can stand up pretty well to most core infantry). Having terror causing unit can also be really useful in the center of your army. The Beam of Chotec is really just a bonus to everything else. It’s not something that you rely on but will be nice to to have early game when the bastiladon is out of dispel range of the enemy wizard.
I don’t think comparing the Bastiladon to the Stegadon is the best comparison since they fulfill different functions. Stegadons obviously belong on the flanks whereas Bastiadons are way too slow to that deployment. I think a better comparison would be Saurus or Temple Guard and the Bastiladon since, I see all three being mainline units.
I have been less than impressed with Bastiladon but yesterday he really shined vs woodelves. I faced a MSU list with many characters hiding between the different archer units. Skink scouts managed to panic or reduce their numbers so that bastiladon could suddenly target the lone characters. Sniped off 2xMages with just one Bastiladon. I'm definitely getting a second one for my army!