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I'm starting out in wargaming right now, and am getting the Island of Blood set and the Skaven Battalion. Any ideas on what I should add from there? I know I'll get some Stormvermin, and a war machine of some kind...

Hey! Bit of an open question really because the amount of choices for skaven is HUGE.

Off the bat i love the following things in my skaven army:
Rat ogres
Hell pit abomination
Grey Seer (especially plague magic!)
War machines are so fun! (personally dnt like weapon teams but love Warp cannons, but thats just me, everyone is different)
Plague Furnace (Again this is my personal love and i dnt like screaming bell but many people would argue that both rock)
Deathmaster Skitch (or w.e hes called!)

I started my army by buying the skaven bit of island of blood online 3 times.
I always start my list with 3 units of 40+ and then make the most characterful, fun and competitive army i can!

Bit of a info vomit there but you were very open with question so i hope that kinda helps!
Good luck with building your own version of the most mental army in the game!

I'd hold off on Stormvermin. While I absolutely love the models, the reality is that they aren't that amazing on the field. You're off to a good start with IoB + Battalion.

As for where to go from there:

Warp Lightning Cannon (or two!) - Probably the best War Machine, and best Rare available to skaven. No armor saves, multiple wound, sniping is easy with a line. It's amazing.

Hell Pit Abomination - I've only run mine once, and to mediocre effect at best, but the psychological effect on your opponent is pretty much second to no model.

Bell/Furnace - Making a unit Unbreakable is pretty huge, in addition to their other effects.


Overall I'd think your best purchase is either more IoB models (for bonus clan rats + Rat Ogres), or another Battalion (for bonus clan rats + Rat Ogres + Monks).

Honestly, I've purchased IoB + 3 Battalions for my skaven.

Before I say anything, I'd like to request that your question be narrowed down a bit. Try putting up an actual list of stuff you like/think would work, and we'll be able to help a little more efficiently. Right now, a complete answer to your question would be too big. But I'll try to answer some of it.

As said, the Island of Blood set is pretty amazing.

Stormvermin are a little weird. They are the Skaven "elite" infantry, but the only way to get a good use out of them is to ensure their own demise. S4 is actually pretty significant for Skaven, but only when you can throw out a lot of it. Death Frenzy turns Stormvermin into a death-dealing time bomb, but the key thing is: Stormvermin are almost double the points of Clanrats, and they die just as fast, if not a little faster.

I'm going to have to disagree with Steamdragon on the Abomination. Mine has never performed in a fashion that has not been amazing. Well, he's blown up before he got into combat a few times, but...y'know. Other than Flaming cannons or arrows, though, this guy rocks the house. He can bring down other large monster with easy. He chews his way through infantry with ease; fast enough to throw him against a horde, but hard enough to tackle even elite infantry. Finally: he can eat ghosts. I just can't get enough of that image.
The A-bomb is random, but not that random. He only has three attacks to choose from, and while it does suck to roll "feed" against a dragon or against a single unit, it certainly isn't terrible. That's really the only downside to this guy, except, of course, rolling two 2's and a 1 on his movement when you need him to charge or whatever. But if you roll average, he decimates the field.