Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi Dakkadakka!

Normally I play 40k with my Necrons but this Thursday night I'm playing my first ever fantasy game against ogres with my skaven. I'm still reading the rule book and the army book. I just finished assembling everything and did a little painting. It's an escalation league and 1k is the starting point. I've been collecting skaven for about 7 months now on and off and sort of ended up with the following list - for better or worse.

Grey Seer

Stormvermin
19 ~[(^One or more selected options present a potential usage conflict]×~[(#]Stormvermin, Shield, Musician Mus, Standard Bearer Std
1 Fangleader. Shield
1 Poisoned Wind Mortar Weapon Team

Clanrats
39 Clanrats, Musician Mus, Standard Bearer Std
1 Clawleader
1 Warpfire Thrower Weapon Team

Warp Lightning Cannon

Doomwheel

So based on this hodge podge of models what should I look to be doing tactically? I haven't seen the other guys army to say exactly what he has - I know that's not a lot to go on but any suggestions would be very helpful.

A few things:

- a Grey Seer at 1,000pts is a dangerous game. Some people like running it. I am...not a fan. Too many points in one model with no protection.

- a Battle Standard Bearer is immeasurably helpful. I'd get one, if you can.

- Clanrats are a nice character-bunker. Skavenslaves are the best tar-pit in the game, though.

- 19 Stormvermin aren't going to do much. And I'd rather see more bodies than shields. Also, don't forget they can take a magic banner. Eternal Flame, Discipline, Razor, or Storm are all excellent choices.

- weapon teams are nice. But I'd rather see a second Cannon before either of them, except maybe the 'Thrower.


Tactically, there's not a lot you can do. Shoot/magic them as they approach, then engage them with your block? Let the Doomwheel's Zzzap! bolts do their work for as long as you can.

I bought the island of blood starter set and a box of clanrats for a total of 60 clanrats/slaverats. It also came with a warlord. Would I be better served by a beefed up warlord and 2x30 slaverats?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
How about this then? I still have around 250 points to play with and only the models not listed here from the island of blood set. Not sure how best to kit out the warlord or warlock. I guess I need to move this to the list building forum huh?

Total Roster Cost: 760

Warlord, shield

Warlock Engineer, Level 2 Wizard

29x Skavenslaves, Shields, Musician, Pawleader
29x Skavenslaves, Shields, Musician, Pawleader

19x Stormvermin , Musician, Standard Bearer, Fangleader

Warp Lightning Cannon
Doomwheel

In a 1,000 points game a Warlord is actually a very viable choice. He's a decent little blender, and cheap enough that he can get a bit of gear for protection. You need your general sticking around to boost Ld.

A BSB is almost essential for Skaven. The reroll is one of the biggest assets you can have. If you have to make a choice between throwing the General or your BSB under the bus? Throw the General.

Stormvermin are decent troops, but in a 1,000 point list you're sometimes better with Clan Rats as a bunker, slaves as a tarpit, and relying on magic or other toys to wreck face.

I've run the following list a few times at 1,000 points with decent success.



Clan Rats get 5+/6++ making them reasonably tough.
Slaves get thrown at the biggest threat your enemy brought, and then said threat gets shot to pieces by Warp Lightning, Warp Lightning Cannons, Warpfire Throwers and a Doom Rocket if necessary.

Poisoned Wind Globadiers aren't great for larger games, but in small games their ability to throw into ANY combat (including a combat your Clan Rats are in) can make short work of enemy units with high toughness and/or good armor saves (see: Warriors of Chaos).

Warp Lightning Cannons are just awesome all around. You could drop the PWM and a WLC if you really wanted a Doomwheel though.

I would keep the Grey Seer, a lvl 4 spellcaster is tough to deal with at 1k. Also the fact that you are playing Ogres means you should be rolling for "Cracks Call" spell. That will decimate Ogres due to their low initiative.

I think the stormvermin should be dropped and you should get some slaves in there to tarpit. Maybe run a smaller bunker unit of clanrats with the Grey Seer and keep them protected. Warp lightning cannons can be really good at this level, or even one hpa.

Either way run whatever is fun for you, and just see what works.

A few more thoughts:

- Skaven characters are usually better off with halberds. S5 and a high I means they stand a decent chance of killing their way out of a lot of situations.

- the Charmed Shield and the Ironcurse Icon are pretty awesome buys for 5pts.

- the Engineer's #1 job is to carry a Doomrocket. In my current 1k list, I don't even have a wizard. It's a considerable drawback just as many times as as magic isn't useful.

- the BSB's Hold Your Ground and the General's Inspiring Presence are both vital, but more so for different units. For most of your army, the BSB is a better choice (better to have two chances at an 8 than one at a 10). With Slaves, though, going from 5's with re-rolls to a 10 is a much bigger difference.

- Slaves with shields is almost always mathematically inferior: 1 out of every 6 Parry saves actually make it. 6 shields costs 3pts. One slave costs 2pts.
I'd buy a box of Clanrats and mix them with the Island of Blood guys. As long as 51% of the unit, and/or the front rank looks like how they're equipped, no one will complain.

- a note on the Grey Seer at 1,000pts:

I played against another Skaven army with a Grey Seer and a BSB in a small block of Clanrats. I just happened to get the first turn. I rolled one or two outside the average for my Doomrocket, and took out 16+ of those Clanrats. Then my Warp Lightning Cannon managed to land on target (about a 50/50 chance), and killed the rest of them, including the Seer.

So, in that first turn, I netted me 442 points.

Not saying the Grey Seer isn't good. He's devastating. But with essentially zero protection, he's pretty easy to loose. And since he's also your General and the source of your magical defense, loosing him goes well beyond losing 240pts.