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I was just wondering what people thought would be a better choose. Like just reading The Plague Furnace doesn't seem worth it. Like the Screaming bell seems to effect the whole tide of battle while the Furnace is more like a big mount that doesn't really do much. Any thoughts ????

Frogboy14 wrote:I was just wondering what people thought would be a better choose. Like just reading The Plague Furnace doesn't seem worth it. Like the Screaming bell seems to effect the whole tide of battle while the Furnace is more like a big mount that doesn't really do much. Any thoughts ????

Yeah, the furnace doesn't do much.
Except for that D6 impact hits, D6 toughness tests, 7 S3 attacks and artillery die of S5 hits. Outside of that...
Oh yeah, you also get MR2, unbreakable and a breathe type weapon when not in combat.

The furnace usually wracks up far more kills.
The bell has a pretty random chart, that outside of hosing T7/8 enemies due to lore of life, is underwhelming.

-Matt

A Furnace with something modest like 25 Plague Monks will have 8 ranks. On the charge, with all the attacks HawaiiMatt laid out, it can easily bust through most steadfast units. It also has no save, so is vulnerable to shooting/magic. Then again, the Storm Banner is pretty much compulsory in all Skaven armies so that should buy you a turn or two of movement. Look out for small re-directors that will make you overrun in the wrong direction.

I love the Bell. 18" Inspiring Presence, 4+ ward and MR 2 (pretty much immune to most magical damage,) get to use the Str of 5 for Dwellers tests makes the Grey Seer pretty survivable. 360 arc for magic is nice too. Aside from the T7+ roll, the free scorch is nice as well to snuff out some dispel dice. A lot of the results can also destroy buildings for anyone who turtles up in them.

I like both but if I had to choose I'd go with the Bell.

Zoned wrote:Then again, the Storm Banner is pretty much compulsory in all Skaven armies so that should buy you a turn or two of movement.

I have never once run the storm banner. I don't find it worth the risk that my WLCs might not be able to fire, and they're pretty much one of the killiest things we have.

The Furnace is good if you combine it with the Storm Banner, other than that it's just a bit too easy to single out and kill.

The Bell is ok, I personally don't like it but it suits points denial pretty well. A more common set-up in the UK is to run double Grey Seer which makes for a much more offensive list.

Well, if you have WLC and a Storm Banner, you simply have to decide if it's worth activating the banner or not. There are lots of games where I don't activate the banner at all. But against certain match ups (Dwarves, Empire pre-April) it can really save your army.

For the price of the bell, you can pretty much cram in a second grey seer if you really try, which is much more powerful. Furnace all the way, or at most, take both of them... bell on its own is awful.

How is it awful? I've espoused why I think it's good. Maybe you can explain why it's awful.

Another way of looking at it is like this:

You get a 4+ ward and MR2. On their own, that 75pts of magic items. So the Bell ends up being 125pts for what it does.

Again, in a large army like Skaven, 18" inspiring presence is awesome. Lowering the odds on dying to Dwellers is amazing. The Bell effects are pure gravy and even then they can do amazing things.

The furnace is brilliant in a horde of monks with plague banner. Not much holds up to it.

I find thw bell to be far too expensive.