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Hey guys I recently bought the Island of Blood Box with a friend, and I really like the skaven models and warp technology. I'm starting to build an army, but I was mostly wondering if a skaven army has to have skave slaves. Can it get by without (for lower point values) or are they a must have?
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

They are nice to have as they are dirt cheap. You can sacrifice a unit of 50 and not feel bad about it. Don't play skaven, sorry.

Plus you can shoot into units they are in combat with, even if they hit your own guys ohh well they are 2 points a pop. Also they are slaves don't limit them to rats, they can be goblins or whatever else skaven might capture and throw at their enemy as fodder at the end of a gun, just make sure they are on the 20mm base and you paint them as being very battered and beaten.

I've never used them and did OK without them. I suspect I may have done better with them, though. They're not absolutely vital, but are extremely useful.

Only slaves is not needed but a few units of 50 are amazing

Slaves work well in a couple of ways.

1) Tarpit. 50 slaves in a bus (5-wide) will hold up most anything for a turn or two, or three, so long as the general and BSB are nearby. Don't EVER put them in with the slaves, though, they will get killed there. In that few turns, you can either shoot the heck of of the tarpitted unit, maneuver a heavier force to hit them in the flank, or manneuver your stuff away from it.

2) Maneuver control. If said bus is on the table, and the other guy doesn't want to get tarpitted, he's going to have to stay more than 12" away from their front arc. You can make him go far out of his way doing this... and the odds are you'll wind up tarpitting him anyway, unless he gets some chaff unit in the way.

3) Bodyguard. 20 slaves add 20 wounds vs. shooting and an extra 2+ LOS save vs. templates to a Grey Seer for only 40 points. And if the Grey Seer miscasts, you don't loose too much in the blast. Just make sure the Seer bails out if it looks like the slaves are going to get engaged in close combat.

4) Meatshields. When up against a gunline, deploy the slaves wide to muck up their shooting and advance. With any luck, the slaves will be pretty much shot out to free your charge lanes once you come in range...


They are not, however, essential. They are a nice tool in the tool kit, true, but not the only one.

Don't forget that slaves asplode when they break in close combat. "Oh, look. You beat my slaves. Take some damage for your troubles."