So I was about to start building a box of skinks, and I'm finding myself torn about how to equip them. So, how do you all equip them? Do you like to mix it up, with some specialized to melee, and some to ranged, or do you like to run them all the same way, or do you like to run certain ratios of them in every unit?
Boltspitter and shield is probably the most popular and they can do good damage in large numbers, they are not for melee they are a cheap chaff. Probably one of the best battle line units in AOS, cheap and fast.
Boltspitters and shields for me, ignoring -1 rend is too good to pass up, and they really aren't great at combat. They're better at running and shooting.
As above in regards to weapons. I'm not their biggest fans, but they are fun to troll people with by constantly running away from stuff that can't move as well. They'll get whittled down but last longer than a lot of cheap units like that just in pure troll factor. I've started to drop them in instead of warriors in a lot of places.
I gave my Skinks boltspitters and clubs for versatility and because I didn't think a 6+ save was worth much to begin with, but that was before I actually started using my Skinks. I now realize it's usually more advantageous to withdraw from combat, so if I had to buy more Skinks, perhaps I'd go with shields this time. As for shooting, I'll still always choose range over rolls, so boltspitters it is. I don't have a huge amount of experience yet, so take my advice with a grain of salt. As an aside, it occurs to me that the Wary Fighters rule could be used to cover a lot of ground, especially if you need to capture or contest objectives in the late game: that's an 8-inch move, plus a 2d6-inch charge, plus an 8-inch withdraw move.
Currently my 20 skinks are equipped with meteoric javelins and shields as it fits well for my current play style. I get very aggressive with my skinks having them cover the flanks of my army and using them as area denial troops (since no model cannot move closer than 3 inches unless they have flying, I can slow down a flank nicely.) The +4 to wound is also nice to have. I will be planning on getting another unit of skinks with boltspitters just as something to harass more with.
I'm for skinks with shields and spitters. Only way I will ever use them. As mentioned they rely on their speed and "troll factor" . Javelins puts them I'm harm's way far to often for me. Shooting and then basically guaranteed being charged the next round doesn't work for me. With boltspitter, you can max out range and be virtually untouchable during the opponent's turn. Only way to catch boltspitter is to basically get a double turn.
Hopefully they will expand the bonus for horde o' skinks in ghb2 to make skink hordes not entirely useless in hand to hand either. Right now the bonus only applies in the shooting phase
Shields and spitters are just too good not to take on chaff like skinks. Shields mean you get a 6+ save against nearly everything thats going to be shooting or stabbing them, and your screen unit has an opportunity to use its 8" back off move and continue harrassing.
Not nearly enough! (I only have a bit more than two boxes, but I will need more in teh future just for the fun of playing 120 Skinks one time. )
Just don't move them one by one. I use movement trays until they go into melee (and even then sometimes. I never pile in but always retreat), which saves a LOT of work.
If I set them with boltspitters and clubs, does they get two attacks (one with the darts and one with the clubs)?
In melee, yes they would get two attacks. I have never used them as melee fighters since their bonus only applies in the shooting phase. I've wary fightered out of 90%of the combats I've ever been in.
I equip my Skinks with bows. Or with bow-shaped javelin throwers. Or with bow-shaped, recurved dart slingers. Or with twin-armed, curved-limb star bolt hurlers...