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AoS Skink-heavy 2000k, Shadowstrike+Thunderquake

Discussion in 'Seraphon Army Lists' started by Aginor, Feb 17, 2017.

  1. Aginor
    Slann

    Aginor Fifth Spawning Staff Member

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    Hey y'all!

    So, I had this idea for a fluffy Seraphon Skink-heavy list.
    I'd like to know what you think about it, and I'd also like to know whether you think this is actually a good list to play competitively, even though that's not really my goal.

    So here it is:


    Allegiance: Seraphon or Order

    Battailons:
    Shadowstrike Starhost
    Thunderquake Starhost

    Leaders (3/6)
    Skink Chief - General, with blowpipe and golden sickle
    Skink Starpriest - in Shadowstrike Starhost
    Saurus Astrolith Bearer

    Units (3/3 required Battlelines)
    20x Skinks - Battleline, in Shadowstrike Starhost
    10x Skinks - Battleline, in Shadowstrike Starhost
    3x Terradon Riders - in Shadowstrike Starhost
    3x Kroxigor - in Thunderquake Starhost
    10x Saurus Warriors - Battleline, if allegiance is Seraphon those can be substituted with 5x Saurus Knights (or maybe 5x Guards)

    Behemoths (3/4)
    Bastiladon - in Thunderquake Starhost, with solar engine
    Stegadon - in Thunderquake Starhost, don't know which weapon yet
    Troglodon - in Thunderquake Starhost


    Required points:
    With 10x Saurus Warriors or 5x Guards: 1980 points
    With Saurus Knights: 2000 points


    Remarks:
    I kinda dislike the 10 Skinks and the 10 Saurus but I need to split them that way to have three battlelines. If it wasn't for that requirement I'd leave the Saurus out and have 2x 20 Skinks or 30+10 Skinks.

    Tactic would be:
    - Stay with all units close (10") to the Astrolith Bearer, play defensively. Except the Terradons who are supposed to harass the enemy in some way.
    - Everyone gets rerolls on hits, the Thunderquake units using "savage mode" get really scary with those re-rolled hit rolls from the Astrolith Bearer AND the re-rolled wound rolls AND save rolls from their battailon ability.
    - The Shadowstrike Units can choose between their own re-roll for ones or the one from the AB, so they are a bit more flexible.
    - The Thunderquake units act as blockers, leaving small spaces open for the others to see/shoot/cast through.
    - The Starpriest casts Mystic Shield to buff them.
    - I guess a Bastiladon with a rerollable 2+ save that regenerates wounds could cause some people to flip the table, dunno. I hope not. [​IMG]
    - The Krox stay near some Skinks to use their synergy ability.
    - The Warriors/Knights/Guards are mainly chaff. Knights can do some damage if they countercharge though.
    - Until the enemy is in range for the Skinks, use the Skink Chief's buff for the Stegadon, Troglodon, or Bastiladon (since those are Skink units), then for one of the Skink groups to have a decent hit.
    - I have no idea yet which artefact(s?) to choose. Is it correct that I can have three? Because as I read it I can always have one, plus one for each warscroll battailon used, and it doesn't matter if the heroes are in the battailon or not? Unfortunately the Order artefacts are kiiinda useless for this purpose. Why are there no artefacts for magic or ranged attacks?

    Strengths:
    - I think it will look awesome, like the armies on some artworks in the Battletome or so.
    - Tactically I don't know. Looks like it could be good against melee armies maybe?

    Weaknesses:
    - Not mobile because of the Astrolith Bearer. For a more mobile option swap him out... Maybe if you take him and the Troglodon out and add a Engine of the Gods into it that could work. The spare points left from that would suffice to add 10 more Skinks or Saurus and still stay below 2000 points.
    - Probably vulnerable against artillery or assassin units since they could strike the Skinks or snipe the Starpriest.
    - When the Troglodon is focused down by the enemy you lose the Thunderquake bonuses.


    *******************


    Another possibility could be to replace the Kroxigors from the Thunderquake Starhost with two Salamanders or Razordons, and their Skink handlers.

    The advantage of Salamanders would be more shooting, possible mortal wounds, and with the AB nearby and the bonus from the Starhost those attacks become really scary. 1x 3/3/-2/D6 in ranged and 3x 3/3/-1/1 in melee, all hits and wounds rerollable(!!) is a lot.

    Same could work with Razordons. 6d6 attacks is a lot of attacks. No rend and no mortal wounds though. But the enemy might be reluctant to charge near them, because of that 50/50 chance on a "attack of opportunity".

    Also if we choose Razordons: Since we have an AB near we don't need handlers so we can use them as chaff to disrupt enemy charging. By replacing the Kroxigors with two Razordons and one set of handlers we have now 20 points free. If we chose the Saurus Warriors battleline unit above we have now 40 points to reach our cap 0f 2000.
    ...and 40 points is... a unit of three Skink Handlers!
    So since we don't actually need those as long as our AB is alive (re-rolls don't stack) we can now place two units of 3 somewhere in the front as chaff. When I think of my friend's melee Orruk army I _think_ that may be annoying for them.


    Any thoughts on those variants?
     
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  2. Jason839
    Salamander

    Jason839 Well-Known Member

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    I'd recommend the flame throwers on your steg. It's always handy to have more anti horde
     
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  3. Bowser
    Slann

    Bowser Third Spawning

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    Great list with a lot of outs. That's what is great here, you can switch things out based on your needs. I would use the knights and razordons. Knights are fast and can keep up with the skinks. I would use razordons for defense, but Krox are great against hordes.
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2017
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  4. Aginor
    Slann

    Aginor Fifth Spawning Staff Member

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    I do like those flame throwers, and since I will probably mostly be playing against my friend's Ironjawz and Bonesplitterz it might really be the better idea.
    I will magnetize it anyway I guess, because I would also like to snipe his Maw-Krusha with the Skystreak Bow.
    It is the biggest single unit he has that I fear. If it reaches my Skinks they are toast I guess.
    The other was his Aleguzzler but then I realized I can just shoot him twice before he reaches me so I can sap a bit of his damage potential.
     
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  5. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    A guy after my own heart, Skinks for the win
     
  6. Joshua Horchler
    Troglodon

    Joshua Horchler Well-Known Member

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    I love Skinks as well!

    My two cents:
    You picked two of our most expensive battalions. 240 points is a pretty heavy tax. They are are both very powerful but when you add in the not so great Trog for 200, that's a lot of points. It could work for you, but I've been going away from two expensive battalions lately and I think the extra wounds and models have been better. Just something for you to consider.
     
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  7. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    Very good point about the expensive battalions.
     
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  8. ljwylde
    Saurus

    ljwylde Member

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    Just to consider, I think the list could benefit from the ranged power of another bastiladon. Maybe drop out the astrology bearer for a Skink priest/Starpriest and swap the stag for a bastiladon. Just my thoughts but looks like a solid list
     
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  9. Joshua Horchler
    Troglodon

    Joshua Horchler Well-Known Member

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    Just to throw it out there, one popular way to run a Shadowstike Battilation is:

    5x Chameleon Skinks
    5x Chameleon Skinks
    3x Rippers
    1x Starpriest


    This costs 600 points but it goes well with most Seraphon lists. Now, in your case you can supplement regular skinks for the Chameleons to fill out your battle-line, but the above gives you a fun and competitive Skinky option for any Seraphon list!
     
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  10. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    And a very aggressive 600 points at that!
     
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  11. Joshua Horchler
    Troglodon

    Joshua Horchler Well-Known Member

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    Super good at assassinating weak heroes and artillery! I have used 6x Rippers before to success as well. It averages 41 wounds the turn they ambush:) I haven't played a ton of games with 6, but they can be brutal.
     
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  12. Aginor
    Slann

    Aginor Fifth Spawning Staff Member

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    The thing about the Astrolith Bearer is:
    It has been my match winner for the last few games, basically since I have it, because rerolls for EVERY hit roll is huge. My friend (mixed Orruks) and I have been playing open field battles against each other, and I have been placing my units so all of them are in range. They hit phenomenally well now. Sometimes the Skinks fire and every roll is a hit. Or the Monsters. Huge damage output, wiping whole units in one turn.
    The only real downside is that the army can't really move. So I think I might really get rid of the Astrolith Bearer as soon as I must move. But not now.
    Yesterday I killed a Maw-krusha in one shooting phase. My friend called cheese on Astrolith Bearer + Shadowstrike and to be honest I almost agree...
     
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