skaven slaves

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**ghuhagen**

I know some decent tactics but what equipment, if any, should i be giving them? thanks in advance

**flame.demon**

Run them naked because spears or/and are definately not worth the extra atacks and/or defence just buy more slaves.

**Ralin Givens**

I used to do shields but then realised that for the price of four shields you can just get a slave and I just started using them bare and fat.

**Lotet**

agreed, in the old rules it may have been a fair choice to tip a combat by 1 caasualty or something but Steadfast and Strength in Numbers is all you really need... well, all I need anyway.

**Leigen_Zero**

Give them a musician (So you can reform quicker) and maybe a pawleader for the higher Ld but otherwise no upgrades...

**Ralin Givens**

Leigen_Zero wrote:maybe a pawleader for the higher Ld but otherwise no upgrades...

But slaves will always have LD 9-10 anyway....

**streamdragon**

Pawleaders are Ld2 just like the rest of the slaves anyway.

**Leigen_Zero**

streamdragon wrote:Pawleaders are Ld2 just like the rest of the slaves anyway.

I thought Pawleaders had a higher Ld (otherwise they literally serve no purpose...)

Haven't got my army book with me so never mind...

A musician is still a pretty sound choice though...

**streamdragon**

Leigen_Zero wrote:
streamdragon wrote:Pawleaders are Ld2 just like the rest of the slaves anyway.

I thought Pawleaders had a higher Ld (otherwise they literally serve no purpose...)

Haven't got my army book with me so never mind...

A musician is still a pretty sound choice though...

Nope, like most melee unit champs their only increased stat is an extra attack. They can still serve a purpose though, by challenging super killy combat lords. Sure, they'll get the overkill bonus, but by throwing the Pawleader under the bus you can keep a handful of slaves alive for another turn to hold steadfast and what not. It's rarely a real use, and I almost never take a Pawleader, but there you have it.

**Breotan**

The only thing I ever give my Slaves is a musician for quick reforms. Other than that, give them nothing. They are meant simply to tarpit for a few turns and then asplode in your enemy's face.

**Vulcan**

I did the mathhammer on it a while back. The long and short is, against any and all WS/S opponents, the points spent on gear cost you so many models it actually becomes easier and faster to break the unit equipped than naked. Shields come closest, but you still average breaking one turn earlier.

(I assumed a starting unit size of 100 points, or 50 naked vs. 40 with shields, and that they would break once they dropped under 20 and likely lost steadfast.)

**Breotan**

Well, to be honest, you actually want your slaves to break after two or three turns give that they explode and do some damage to the unit they're tarpitting. The point is that by then it's either too late in the game for your opponent to do anything useful with that unit or you've got your hard hitters ready to move in and mop up.

**Vulcan**

Skaven 'heavy hitters'...

Only one comes to mind, personally. Everything else we have dies in mountains in close combat.

Personally I find that the longer slaves tarpit a unit, the more effective my shooting phases are. Everything else is pretty much secondary.

**Ralin Givens**

Well WLC are kind of heavy hitters...

**streamdragon**

Rat Ogres hitting a unit in the side will do some serious damage, while avoiding most attacks back; which is good because they're a bit fragile themselves...

I tend not to worry about when my slaves blow up. The S3 hits aren't all that amazing so I'd rather they hold out as long as possible so I can keep shooting their enemy or blasting them with Warp Lightning (spell or cannon, either one.)

**Vulcan**

Ralin Givens wrote:Well WLC are kind of heavy hitters...

Have I been doing it wrong? I thought WLC fired in the shooting phase and would be covered by:

Vulcan wrote:Personally I find that the longer slaves tarpit a unit, the more effective my shooting phases are. Everything else is pretty much secondary.

**Ralin Givens**

They are heavy hitters in a different phase of the game, as I use my slaves as for runners then blow you away...

**Breotan**

By heavy hitters, I meant damage dealers no matter the phase. WLC, HPA, Bell with Seer are pretty serious damage dealers. Your clanrats with FC, Warlord/Chieftan, and Engineer can be pretty mean, too, if you want them to be.

**Kurce**

How are slaves ld9 or 10 all the time? Do you guys just have them hang out near the general?

**ghuhagen**

no extra ranks probably

**Kurce**

How the heck can you ever possibly have that high leadership? I thought Strength in Numbers only gives you Leadership equal to your Rank Bonus (which +3 is the most that you can have)? So, shouldn't they be leadership 5 tops?

**HawaiiMatt**

You box in the general with slave units, so that you get his leadership (7) and their ranks (3), for leadership 10.

I actually like the banner of discipline, just for the Ld8 general, keeps the stray weapon teams in line, and keeps rat ogres from charging out too early.

-Matt

**Ralin Givens**

Though do not make the mistake of putting your General WITH your slaves.... My buddy did that his first game running slaves and it made my day.

**Breotan**

Skaven have this rule called Strength in Numbers. Combine that with a bus formation five wide by eight or ten ranks deep means you'll likely always be Steadfast, too. Keep your BSB near and you get rerolls on top of that.

**Skaven ftw**

Not that you need rerolls

**Ralin Givens**

Skaven ftw wrote:Not that you need rerolls

You always need rerolls