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Hi guys. I'm new to fantasy, but I played 40k for quite a few years, stopping 3 or 4 years ago. I whacked this list together to start playing some friendly fantasy with some friends. Just wondering if it needs any tweaks or changes.
Thanks for your help!

Heroes

Chieftan - 45
Warpstone Armour, Sword of Might, shield - 52 Total: 97

Warlock Engineer - 15
Upgrade to level 2 wizard, warp energy condenser - 105 Total: 120

Chieftan - 45
Battle standard Bearer, Grand banner of clan superiority, shield - 57 Total: 102

Core

Skaven clanrats x 40 - 160
Shields and spears, Poison Wind Mortar, Full command - 125 Total: 285

Skaven clanrats x 40 - 160
Shields and spears, Poison Wind Mortar, Full command - 125 Total: 285

Skavenslaves x 40 - 80

Skavenslaves x 40 - 80

Special

Rat Ogres x 5 - 200
Packmaster x 2 - 16 Total: 216

Rare

Hell pit abomination - 235

Total: 1500

Just a heads up to just put the final cost for units or characters (not supposed to put upgrade costs etc)

Now for the list:
Its pretty good but I would make some changes. Now are these all the models you have? I don't like to make to many suggestions if you don't have the models to accomodate them so just tell me which models you have

I would probably drop the sword of might on your first chieftain.
Make you engineer a lvl 1 wizard with a dispell scroll
Second chieftain I would drop that banner (not a fan of magic banners on bsb) do this setup instead - BSB, halberd, talisman of preservation

Drop the spears on those clanrats it is considered better to just go with shields. Your choice on the weapon teams but I like the warp fire thrower so maybe 1 of each but thats up to you.

Add musicians to those slave units.

Rat ogres is the thing I am not to sure about...they are soft and low inititive and I feel those 216 points could be spend better (unit of stormvermin for example)


Thats all the advice I have for now let me know what you think and if you need any more help.

ALSO: welcome to dakka I noticed this is your first post!

Thanks! I used dakka years ago, but I couldn't remember my old username.
I haven't bought the models yet, we're starting to play in January, so I'm buying/painting between now and then.
I haven't played fantasy before, but I thought it was pretty essential to have something on both your flanks. I figured I'd use rat ogres on one side since they come in Island of Blood. What would you put there instead?

AHH so you havent bought any models that's good. starting with a clean slate.

I will give you some tactical advice which I am sure yu have read before starting skaven but I will say a few things to remember so you know how you want the army to play.

Generally 2 units of 40-50 slaves with musicians are great. The are your tarpit units (hold enemies in place)
You can flank charge the enemy unit that is being held by the slaves using your hammer units i.e stormvermin, plague monks etc

Giant rats (rat darts) are minimum sized units of giant rats so 5 with a pack master. for 23 points they are perfect for redirecting units or ensuring when you want to charge with your units (which is pretty key with skaven)

You will want a bunker unit, generally consists of 30-40 clanrats with sheilds, full command (weapon team if you want) this unit you do NOT want in combat. keep it behind everything and put you army general and battle standard in there. Keep it within range of most of your stuff so they get the inspiring presence and rerollable leadership.

Warplightning cannons are considered the go to rare item to start with for their low cost and great effectiveness so try to squeeze one in at least but the Hellpit is also great

Weapon teams are overcosted (since you can get a warplightning cannon for 90 points vs 70 for a warpfire thrower) but can be used with great effect if you get lucky and don't misfire (you will misfire haha)

Gutter runners in units or 5,7 or 9 with poisoned attacks and slings are great for holding in reserve and then placing on the board right behind enemy war machines to kill those pesky cannons.

I would prefer to see a unit of 30+ stormvermin with the razor standard as your main hammer unit. You could also use 30+ plague monks with the plague banner but the don't get a save of any kind (both those banners are optional but make the units much more effective)

So this is the new list. What do you think?

Heroes

Chieftan - 45
Warpstone Armour, foul talisman, shield - 62 Total: 107

Warlock Engineer - 15
Upgrade to level 1 wizard, warp energy condenser, dispell scroll - 95 Total: 110

Chieftan - 45
Battle standard Bearer, talisman of preservation, halberd - 72 Total: 117

Core

Skaven clanrats x 40 - 160
Shields, Poison Wind Mortar, Full command - 105 Total: 265

Skaven clanrats x 40 - 160
Shields, Poison Wind Mortar, Full command - 105 Total: 265

Stormvermin x 30 - 210
Full command, razor standard - 70 Total: 280

Skavenslaves x 40 - 80
Musician - 2 Total:82

Skavenslaves x 40 - 80
Musician - 2 Total: 82

Special

Gutter runners x 5 - 60
Slings, poisoned attacks, deathrunner - 42 Total: 102

Rare

Warp Lightning Cannon - 90

Total: 1500

Don't put the price of the upgrades on there; forum rules. The final cost is all we need.

Here are my two Warptokens:

- Warpstone Armour is okay. But a nice big Ward save is even better. Also, your general is 10pts over his magic limit anyway.
I'd take a Warlord, though. Armour of Destiny and a halberd means he still only costs 143pts. He's a fantastic general at low-point games.

- your Engineer can't take two Arcane Items (see Balance of Power rule).
I'd take a Doomrocket before I took anything, though. That thing is stupid-good.

- Max out your Rares before you invest in Weapon Teams. The Teams are expensive, fragile, and unreliable.

- I usually end up putting my general and my BSB into two different units, so one #6 spell doesn't shatter all of my hopes. But that's me. I don't mind my characters seeing a little combat.

- chaff units are a must. And for Skaven, that means 5 Giant Rats and 1 Packmaster. Best unit in the book.

- the Razor standard results in 16% more unsaved wounds against models with a 5+ or better armour save. It's certainly useful, but not in every match-up.
The Stormbanner is even more situational, but when it's good...it's amazing.

- Stormvermin are great. WS4 S4 I5 is a decent threat, when you've got enough bodies.
Plague Monks are more specialized, and tend to either falter or destroy. They might not have a save, but I'd take T4 and ItP over heavy armour any day (T4 is better at S2, same at S3, and better at S4+). But. Stormvermin are core.

- normally, in units like Gutter Runners, a champion is not worth it. The Deathrunner can be nice, though, since you can give him Smoke Bombs. Another tool in your bag of dirty tricks.

Something like this, maybe:

1 Warlord + halberd+ Armour of Destiny + Ironcurse Icon (148)
1 Chieftain + halberd + Charmed Shield + Talisman of Preservation + battle standard (112)
1 Warlock Engineer + lvl2 + Doomrocket (130)

40 Clanrats + shields + full command (200)
30 Stormvermin + full command + Stormbanner (285)
40 Slaves + musician (82)
40 Slaves + musician (82)
5 Giant Rats + 1 Packmaster (23)
5 Giant Rats + 1 Packmaster (23)

5 Gutter Runners + poisoned attacks + slings (90)

1 Warp Lightning Cannon (90)
1 Hell Pit Abomination (235)

Thanks for your help. I didn't realize I wasn't meant to post equipment separately, my posts will follow the rules from now on. I was looking at the heradry of the skaven, and I like the fluff and paint scheme of clan Ektrik (they're obsessed with lightning), so I tweaked the list a bit to suit them.


Warlord - Armour of Destiny, weeping blade - 170

Warlock Engineer - Upgrade to level 1 wizard, warp energy condenser - 85

Warlock Engineer - Upgrade to level 1 wizard, warp energy condenser - 85

Chieftan - Battle standard Bearer, talisman of preservation, halberd - 117

Skaven clanrats x 40 - Shields, Full command - 200

Stormvermin x 30 - Full command, razor standard - 280

Skavenslaves x 40 - Musician - 82

Skavenslaves x 40 - Musician - 82

Giant Rats x 5 - Packmaster - 23

Giant Rats x 5 - Packmaster - 23

Gutter runners x 5 - Slings, poisoned attacks, deathrunner, smoke bombs - 112

Warp Lightning Cannon - 90

Doomwheel - 150

1499

Solid. A few suggestions, though:

- first, the list is illegal. You can only have one of each magic item. So no dual Condensers. I'd take one Engineer, make him lvl2, and give the Doomrocket, too. Saves ya' 55pts.
Two Warp Lightning's are good. But Scorch is better. Crack's Call is terrifying, Skitterleap is fun, Death Frenzy can be awesome, and Howling Warpgale is occasionally great, as well as playing into your theme.

- the Weeping Blade is a decent weapon. But consider this: for 3pts, you get S5. S4 AP D3 Wounds might be better...but is it ten times better? Not a chance.
In a lot of situations, the halberd is actually better. And in the situations where the 'Blade is superior, it's not actually by all that much.

- Clan Ektrik without a Stormbanner? I suppose...

- I'd really try to fit in another Cannon, if at all possible. For theme, and because it's stupidly good.

If I take your advice with the warlock, switch out the weeping blade for a halberd and shield, and drop the deathrunner with smoke bombs I can add another cannon, and I have 5 points to spare to swap out the razor banner for a storm banner.

Armouredturtle wrote:
If I take your advice with the warlock, switch out the weeping blade for a halberd and shield, and drop the deathrunner with smoke bombs I can add another cannon, and I have 5 points to spare to swap out the razor banner for a storm banner.

No point in taking a shield + halberd. Halberd is 2 handed so just take the halberd.

Sure, then I have 5 points left over. Anything worth spending them on? Something on my fangleader?

Take the Ironcurse Icon or the Charmed Shield on your General or your BSB.
They can't use the shield with their halberd, but it's magical effect still works.