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What do you think is a better unit to run as a core choice (I know that numbers and formation have a lot to do with it - but lets talk point for point value)

Clanrats / Stormvermin / Skavenslaves

I have been looking at their stats and point cost and have to say that with all the big killy war machines out there now I would think running more is better than fewer ... but wanted some thoughts on the matter.

and on the side are warlords with a bonebreaker as a mount (mixed in a unit) a good use of points for heroes?

Point for point?
Slaves.

You can shoot into close combat with them!
That is completely worth every warptoken spent on their wretched little lives.




(Don't you all find it odd that one of the best units in the Skaven army is the one that allows you to potentially kill them with friendly fire?)

Yes, Slaves are now pretty solid for an absolute negligle cost, although Clanrats are slightly more durable.

If you just want to flood the field, slaves work well they just tend to not do too well in combat.

Clanrats can both flood the field and last longer + hit harder than slaves tend to. You just won't have as many as if they were all slaves.

Stormvermin are best used in support of your rat blocks, focusing on just them tends to make your army weak. I have 2 units of 20 that I used to flank whatever my two hordes of 40 clanrats tarpit, works really well.

Slightly more durability does not equate to doubling the cost...
There is only so much that the enemy can kill in one phase-- Can't negate steadfast unless you can somehow beat out 10 ranks.

Clanrats are better used for countercharge when the slaves get flanked. But the slaves remain too good for the cost because you can shoot into their combat with no real drawbacks.


StormVermin aren't terrible, but as far as elite troops go, they're not elite enough. I prefer clanrat blocks if I need something more than a slave.


I'm a bit jaded perhaps- my common opponents are elite armies like elves and lizardmen, so big blocks of slaves allow my shooting to do the work instead of hoping S3 clanrats will knock down enough T4 saurus to win a combat.

Is it better to run the Slaves naked or add a shield for the save?

servantes wrote:Is it better to run the Slaves naked or add a shield for the save?

naked

Slaves to form the bulk of the core with clan rats and maybe stormvermin forming the core of your infantry if you like them. No other army can do hordes like skaven.

I think it kind of depends what you plan to use as your army focus (A decision possibly highly dependent on who you're fighting.)

If you're going to focus on melee then units of clanrats maybe backed by some stormvermin and definately a few ogres and the like could work. (probably better against low toughness opponents.)

however if you're going to focus on siege engines and other ranged attacks then it's almost undoubtably better just to fill the fieldd with cheap distracting and useless slaves while blowing the enemy to pieces. (just plain awesome~ )

stormvermin are good in melee?? Mine would disagree! Im preferring the "throw slaves at it until it dies.. from something else" strategy right now

When anything can be wounded on a '6' regardless of strength, slaves just keep getting better.
Stormvermin are a tad overpriced, as are clanrats. For twice (or 4 times) the cost of a slave, we get bonus weapon skill and the ability to not dissipate when fleeing...
I admit, not going away when fleeing is nice, but if they're running away, they're mostly a lost cause anyway. I'd rather shoot into the combat.


If you're going combat oriented, clanrats blocks backed up by death flayers with plague monk horde pushing a furnace.

Clanrats with shields are much more durable than slaves. They also have better ld, so you can actually field them outside the general's leadership. Also, they are the cheapest way to take weapon teams other than poisoned wind morters.

Bring plenty of clan rats and slaves and you are good to go. One isn't neccessarily better, they work together quite well

Lexx wrote:Slaves to form the bulk of the core with clan rats and maybe stormvermin forming the core of your infantry if you like them. No other army can do hordes like skaven.

Except for Night Goblins...who do it better

Warboss Grimfang wrote:

Lexx wrote:Slaves to form the bulk of the core with clan rats and maybe stormvermin forming the core of your infantry if you like them. No other army can do hordes like skaven.

Except for Night Goblins...who do it better

they really dont.

blocks of 50 slaves for 100 points can hold up a units most of the game... Nothing like haveing 300 points held up for 40 turns as it hacks through that cheap as hell tarpit.

ShivanAngel wrote:

Warboss Grimfang wrote:

Lexx wrote:Slaves to form the bulk of the core with clan rats and maybe stormvermin forming the core of your infantry if you like them. No other army can do hordes like skaven.

Except for Night Goblins...who do it better

they really dont.

blocks of 50 slaves for 100 points can hold up a units most of the game... Nothing like haveing 300 points held up for 40 turns as it hacks through that cheap as hell tarpit.

And then you get your doom wheels to fire at it!

ShivanAngel wrote:

Warboss Grimfang wrote:

Lexx wrote:Slaves to form the bulk of the core with clan rats and maybe stormvermin forming the core of your infantry if you like them. No other army can do hordes like skaven.

Except for Night Goblins...who do it better

they really dont.

blocks of 50 slaves for 100 points can hold up a units most of the game... Nothing like haveing 300 points held up for 40 turns as it hacks through that cheap as hell tarpit.

Just curious.. have you found this to be true from personal experience? In my games I find it's not an absolute. I run a unit of 45 slaves and I can only guarantee that they'll lock down their target unit for one full round. After a couple of rounds of combat, my slaves are brought down to the point where they can lose their steadfast and run. Depends upon the army and the unit they're being used against of course. Usually one turn is all I need, but, it's not the same as say, luring a frenzied unit into a forest in 7th edition.