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So at first glance, it would be a huge mistake to give a Plague Priest a plague censer, since you're looking at 10-15 toughness tests on your plague monks. But the plague censer also hits every enemy in base contact with the plague furnace. So 4-5 + D6 toughness tests on the enemy unit, at the start of every turn. If it's a unit of knights or heavy infantry, then I'll take 3-5 dead plague monks for a dead knight or two. (and a lot more than that if they're T3 knights)

The main problems with this are:

1. Your plague priest has to test every combat turn. Losing a wound like that one a two wound model sucks.

2. You need to steer this unit towards heavily armored units like knights, if you want to make up for the losses that occur during combat. Although a unit of T3 RnF is going to take some major losses between the toughness tests, furnace, priest, and monks. Maybe those units would be a good idea?

I'm still not sure whether this is a good idea or not. Thoughts?

True, but remember that our guys only fail on a 6, where as our opponents will be dropping like flies.

We only have to test for the guys is B2B, so that going to be (estimating here) 2 tests for the Plague Priests and with only 5 Skaven on each side (Left and Right) of the furnace in B2B another 20 tests that we fail on a 6. Get this unit into combat and watch it merc stuff.

Problem is getting it there.

I think you're better off with a regular flail. I've seen the censer in play a few times and it really doesn't do all that much damage to the enemy as it's hard to get it where you want it. I also didn't read anything in it's description that says it hurts the rat holding it and the same goes for the rat riding on the furnace.

Radio, that's where I was getting 3-5 dead plague monks a turn from. 10-15 (if you have a whole other row behind the furnace) + D6 tests from Enshrouded by Fog. Bat's right on the bearer taking wounds. A censer bearer by himself don't test for his own censer. And it specifically mentions that the priest isn't affected by the furnace, either. So no tests for the priest. That actually makes this a lot better.

Bat, are you talking about the censer or the furnace? I don't see how it's hard to get the priest with the censer where you want it. Any model touching the plague furnace's base has to test because of it. So if the unit is in combat, that's 4 or 5 toughness tests from the censer, plus the d6 from the furnace. And all of that is at the start of combat, so any dead enemies from that aren't making attacks that round.

The more I look at this, the more it seems like an auto-include if you're going to run a furnace. Give the priest the Pipes of Piebald for a better chance at getting the charge.

I was talking about getting the unit with the furnace where you want it. It's usually pretty wide and has frenzy which means it's easy to redirect and hard to get back on course. Against certain armies the censer is great, but against most it's not so good and will end up hurting the rats more.

The base is a 60x100 base, so depending on how many monks you run to the sides, getting an enemy into BTB isn't going to be that hard with it. The Priest would have to take a test from the PC, even though he's carrying it (rules state "all models (friend or foe) in base contact with one or more models bearing a plague censer must take toughness test"). So minimum number of friendly models (assuming there are all ranked up around the Furnace with no rank behind it would be 10 and the priest. Still need 6's though to kill. Then you add in the D6 toughness tests from the furnace - depending on what your going against, could be pretty nasty. Getting the enemy in BSB with the furnace shouldn't be too bad as the enemy unit has to align to bring it into contact with the most enemy models as possible.

I've tried the combo myself and the main problem I found was that with the unit being frenzied, it can get led around alot. It's a BIG unit, especially considering that failed charges and wheeling it can really slow it down. Noone is going to charge the thing, so it could be great for points denial. Either way - I'm not running it anymore and just went with a unit of 30 plague monks (which may be dropped for a unit of 25 Stormvermin).

Considering the priest doesnt test for either unless you have another rank behind the censur your taking 10+D6 tests for an average of 2 dead guys. If your fighting T4 guys on a 25 mm base that is 4+D6 tests with is around 2 dead.

Anything tougher and you will lose out, anything weaker and you will win out. It helps against hard to break units like stubborn guys who will die faster this way. It hurts against single monsters who will laugh at you and take less tests. Its spectacular against other T3 units and will let you roll through them with ease.

Mattbranb wrote: The Priest would have to take a test from the PC, even though he's carrying it (rules state "all models (friend or foe) in base contact with one or more models bearing a plague censer must take toughness test")

Unless the priest is somehow in base contact with himself, he doesn't have to take a test. It's a big improvement over the previous edition

Vengis wrote:

Mattbranb wrote: The Priest would have to take a test from the PC, even though he's carrying it (rules state "all models (friend or foe) in base contact with one or more models bearing a plague censer must take toughness test")

Unless the priest is somehow in base contact with himself, he doesn't have to take a test. It's a big improvement over the previous edition

....but the model is totally in contact with its base