In this thread , a standars fast-hitter army with some shooting (Saurus knights, carnosaurs, Basti, chama skinks) ended wiped out by magic/ mass shooting armies with mass mortal wound and multiple wound spam The fact is: we are a melee army. We can melee in various ways, but we are structured for CC and our shooting is merely made for support, so it's impossible for us to overshoot specialized armies. Plus, we have a poor choice in shooting units, so our "shooting" lists will be similar to each other. Let's see what do we have: Stegadon: our longest range shooting beast, but one that's made to crushstomp enemies, the shooting is a nice bonus, usually you don't pay 260 pts for 4+/3+, -1 rend, d3 dam Bastiladon: 20" is a good range, and on average it's 7 attacks. Basti is a solid monster and it's shooting is really helpful: you'll never be wrong fielding a basti (the downside is: "yeah, Seraphon. 1 or 2 bastiladons?") Chameleon skinks: dedicated shooting unit, they can pop everywhere. Must have. Basic skinks: Our cheapest battleline, light shooting, move fast, sufficient range. Not impressive but hey. Salamanders / Razordons: pityful range, compensated by the good move. Always a solid support. If you fear you are going to face many armies with lots of shooting, then you need to kill asap as many of their shooter as you can, before spreading havoc with your meleers, and this can be done in two ways: - shoot yourself (it will help but won't be enough) - melee immediately their shooters So, here's an idea for a seraphon-only all-comers list, that could deal with shooting armies: 2000 pts: Shadowstrike starhost (120) 3 x rippers (140) 5 x chama skinks (120) 5 x chama skinks (120) starpriest (100) general, +1 wound or save 6+, Phoenix stone Battlelines: 3 x 10 skinks (240) Behemoths: 2 x Bastiladon (600) 1 x Stegadon (260) other: 4 x razordons (or salamanders) w handlers (280) Rippers will kamikaze in the first turn against the scariest target, chama will deal with sensible targets (crews, low wounds heroes and similar), the skinks can run for objectives; basties, steggy and razors should be all able to shoot since turn 2, with the skink Alpha of the steggy that will buff a basti. Your main brute force in CC will be the dinos (but don't underestimate 4 razordons). at 2500 pts, you could simply add a melee force, as a block of warriors and a sunblood as general. So, your turn. What kind of "shooting" army would you field with Seraphon? what would be your tactic? I'd like to keep it seraphon-only. Order Allegiance with mixed armies is a totally different animal.
I like this, but would drop a sally for a chief as general, just to up the shooting as nearly everything here has a skink keyword.
Shadowstrike is a good option, I've used it in the past but I've found it's not enough for an army like chaos dwarves/legion of Azgorth. So I present the thunderquake and firelance option. Leaders Engine of the Gods (240) Artefact : Quicksilver Potion Saurus Scar-Veteran on Cold One (100) General: Tenacious Artefact : Hoarfrost Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur (320) Artefact : Quicksilver Potion Skink Starpriest (100) or Saurus Oldblood (100) depending on what you fancy Units 1 x Salamander (60) 3 x Skink Handlers (40) 5 x Saurus Knights (120) 5 x Saurus Knights (120) 5 x Saurus Knights (120) Monsters Bastiladon (300) Bastiladon (300) Battalions Thunderquake Starhost (120) Firelance Starhost (60) Saurus knights move 14" which puts you in range for a charge the next turn, especially with those extra 3" and rerolling charge rolls of 1. The bastiladons will make their way towards objectives and be good defenders of those and everything else will just do it's own thing. Alternatively, you could replace the oldblood on carnosaur for a scar vet on carnosaur, get rid of your scar vet on cold one and stick in a skink starseer for some fun or get yourself 3 more salamanders for some rendy attacks.
My immediate reaction was to try to fit in an Astrolith Bearer for more or less the same reason - to improve the accuracy of shooting.
My idea for a shooting army. Mostly we have a static defence, but with a option of a counter charge (stegs, krox) Allegiance: Order Leaders Slann Starmaster (260) - General, Phoenix stone Saurus Astrolith Bearer (160) Engine of the Gods (240) - Artefact: Phoenix Stone Battleline 10 x Skinks (80) - Boltspitters & Star Bucklers 10 x Skinks (80) - Boltspitters & Star Bucklers 10 x Skinks (80) - Boltspitters & Star Bucklers Units 6 x Kroxigor (360) 1 x Salamanders (60) Behemoths Bastiladon (300) Stegadon (260) Battalions Thunderquake Starhost (120) Total: 2000/2000