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So im just starting Skaven and i cant decided how many clanrats i should run in a unit for it to be a effective. I was thinking either 25, 30, or a horde of 40?

So can any Skaven players help me out?

Skaven have strength in their ranks so 50 5 wide is nice. But you are better off with slaves

I usually run my clan rats in units of 30 through 2,500 points or so. 30 rats run 5 wide generally gives you a good few turns of steadfast to work with. I've considered upping it to 35 though, as against particularly CC oriented armies you can burn through 30 pretty fast. 50 is sort of overkill for clan rats, although the perfect number for slaves.

The exception would be if they're pushing a Screaming Bell, in which case 50 is more appropriate, if not a few more.

Generally for Skaven, bigger is better. Slaves are more common because they can do it cheaper, and will achieve more kills per point invested (granted, not terribly much) AND you can continue to shoot into the melee. Remember, if your WLC shot kills 10 slaves and 2 chaos warriors, you still win!

Really the only purpose for Clanrats is as a bunker for a Screaming Bell. You don't want the Bell getting into combat, while you actually DO want Storm Vermin (the other Bell bunker option) to get into combat. Other than as a Bell Bunker, you will be better off with Slaves (cheaper) or Storm Vermin (will actually kill stuff).

Clan Rats do have a few benefits over slaves though:

1. Banners. Slave units add nothing to the Fortitude scenario.

2. In lists with no Bell, they're a better bunker for your casters than Stormvermin for the aforementioned reasons.

3. Weapon Teams. Slaves don't get weapon teams, Clan Rats do. A few WFTs and especially PWMs are pretty handy in most lists.

Weapon teams are only useful once you've maxed out your Rare allowance. If you have rare points left, fill them before even looking at weapon teams.

Two warpfire throwers are equal in cost to a Doomwheel. Two Warp-Lightning Cannon are equal to three Ratling Guns in points - and will actually get to shoot multiple times.

And generally, once I've filled my Characters and Rares, I need as many bodies as possible to make up the meatshields... that means slaves, with some Monk/Vermin backup.

Definitely agree on filling rares, and WLCs are the first thing I add to any list. I also agree weapon teams are rather hit or miss, but a well placed WFT template is a thing of beautiful warpflamey carnage, especially to multiwound blocks like ogres, krox or (especially) trolls.


I tend to play a somewhat mixed, shooting heavy list though so I suppose it's a simple difference in play style. I do include a 50-slave block, although I've found it can get frustrating trying to move more than two giant blocks of slaves around the table; they simply run into things too often.

Clan Rats are reasonably tough, especially given shields for Parry.