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Thought I would start a new thread about them since they have been out a bit now, and their hype was.... Let's say drown out pretty quick by eldar revelations. How have you faired against them? Or with them? What have you seen to be their strengths and weaknesses. Personally I am loving that my army can be troops heavy and very effective from doctrinal and excellent shooting. This is what I had hoped for in the last tau dex that never manifested. I will say any dedicated anti troops has my number though. Two or three imperial guard tanks with the four blast templates is pretty close to auto scoop. The tanks are fantastic and my only regret is their cost. If that wasent an issue 3 of those with neutron and 3 with Icarus with tons of troops and dragoons would make up the core of every list I wrote.

I have yet to see them used in my area or used them myself.

I think its mostly due to the obvious. Model Prices. When I picked up the codex itself for like $33, I turned around to the shelf and saw a box for some infiltrators (or ruststalkers, both look gangly and thin) for over $50! Not to mention the store didn't have any Dunewalkers or other stuff for them except a single box for a Ironstrider Ballistari (also over $50 or something) and no Rangers or Vangaurd. I did order an alternate pair of walkers I hope to convert and ill try to figure out the infantry later.


Im hoping to run an Armored Battlegroup IG + Skittari troops and walkers for support/assassination of critical targets.

The Tanks will lob shells into the enemy while the Skittarii either hold back the enemy infantry or find things like characters to snipe. My Hydras are more or less replaced by the awesome power of the Icarus Array the Dunewalker can carry. The only advantage my hydra's have now is range, but the sheer volume and variety of shots the Icarus can put out would shred anything that flies near.

There's two very similar threads a little further down. Probably better to add to them.

Not impressed, I'm not even close to being a top tier kinda guy.

I've played two games against them, both using my SMs.

first game was a smal skirmish, 845 Points.

all Skitarri vs SMs.

second game was SM/Skitarri vs SM and I won again.

The firepower they have would be good against horde armies or Sv 4+ units.

I will say that one close combat unit that has an aura that passively drops the enemies WS/BS and Initiative by 1 is a good unit but both times I was able to defeat them because they failed to get enough hits and wounds but equiping them with power swords is an expensive but effective way to dwindle down a space marine squad.

the two walkers were straight up garbage. theyre fast but at AV11 and open top theyre still too slow to foot slog and I was able to crunch them easily.

overall, I wasnt impressed with the firepower, their gimmicky relics, combat ability.

they might be a better ally than army at the moment.

 Johnnytorrance wrote:

they might be a better ally than army at the moment.

I haven't actually played any (since none of us have modelled them yet), but I suspect this to be the case; they just don't have enough models to provide any sort of flexibility. However, as an allied force, those Onager Dunecrawlers with Icarus Array look damn attractive.

The walkers could be brutal if you get shrowding. 3+ cover in the open and quite fast. 4++ from divination could do either. Can be in range for a 2-d turn charge when needed.
But they need to get squadronned to get any good results. That's just like helbrutes. Single brutes aren't too good but when you run a murderpack they start to shine. 5 austridges are quite expensive $ wise, however.

They are absolutely BRUTAL in a Drop Pod list, saw someone combine them with the Flesh Terror's detachment from the BA Codex. 5 man squads with x2 Haywire Rifles and 10 man squads with x3 of the 3 shot Plasma Guns, basically obliterated the SM player he was playing by turn 3.

I have only seen them being painted. They have nice models, reminded me of Necrons and Defilers the first time I saw them.

Rust Stalkers are too squishy in close combat they move fast but that's it

I'm combining them with my Forgeworld mechanicum army, and so far having a blast.

Basically shooty Tyranids.

Well, I think Skitarii can shine as an ally army.
I'd like to add them to my GK force as a cheap detachment.
No experience in our gaming group so far.