I was wondering what people's opinion of Chameleons in the Shadowstrike formation. I just don't see the worth of having the Chamos in there over regular skinks because you would lose the bonus you could give them if they aren't on the board yet. I run the Shadowstrike all the time and I include Chamo's with the army but I leave the batallion spots for reg skinks. Thoughts?
Well to be honest, unless you are not investing to the normal skinks at all = simply using them for battle line spots and for screening in units of 10, you are totally right. If you have 30 and 20man units it totally worths using the extra movement on them.
Upon re-reading the warscroll I just realized the disappear from sight is in your hero phase, I thought it was at the beginning of your hero phase so I guess you could give them the re-rolls and then take them off the board, and place them wherever and get the re-roll bonus. Which makes them better than i had originally thought.
now I feel bad, I've been playing it way wrong haha But then yea, I don't see the point at all to include the chameleons in the shadow strike, unless you are running the formation and not having any other skinks at all. I just don't like leaving them sit around, but then again I was playing the rule wrong and I wouldn't move them around as much with the proper rules
I can't remember the exact rules right at this moment. But technically aren't they always on the board? It's just that your opponent can't see them
I don't think they count as on the board. The warscroll uses the words "remove [the unit] from the battlefield" and "instead of setting it up". However IMO the "The Trap is Sprung" ability still applies. The text says that in the hero phase the enemy unit you are picking has to be visible to the priest, and every unit that is part of the Shadowstrike Starhost (which includes ones not on the board at this moment) may re-roll hits and wounds of one against that enemy unit, until your next hero phase. That's pretty useful IMO, I see how a chameleon unit would benefit from that. So I would probably put them into the Shadowstrike.
Yes, "the trap is sprung" works. THe priest sees a target unit; from that point, all the units of the host gain the bonus. It's not like the command ability of a skink chief, that targets a skink unit that must be on the battlefield.
People usually take the chameleons with the intention of using them in concert with the ripperdactyls early on to snipe an important, but realtively low wound, model, and then either have them draw an important cavalry unit out of position to MAYBE catch them, or just let them get away to snipe more things or take more objectives. Skinks are probably better in a straight fire fight, but chameleons are much more mobile and flexible, and taking them can effectively force the enemy to babysit any important, but weak itself, artillery, buffing, and spellcaster units that they'd normally just leave in the backline, and it literally only takes chameleons two turns to get anywhere on the board, so they're excellent for objective taking.
Once I get a unit of Terradons/Ripperdactyls (haven't decided which to use them as yet but am leaning towards Terradons) I'll have enough stuff for a Shadowstrike battalion. I'm planning on doing 20x skinks and 5x chameleon skinks, plus a Starpriest. Any idea if this is a good configuration?
Shadowstrike in any combination is useful. I also use Terradons even though most people consider Rippers to be better. But Skinks in groups of 20 aren't that good. IMO another group of chameleons would be better for that point cost. Groups of 30+ Skinks can be pretty great though.
Definitely! I play it that way actually. One or more groups of 40 Skinks in a Shadowstrike and a Skink Chief to buff them can be pretty strong. But less than that and they become... less stellar.