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Hello, I am new to Warhammer Fantasy and I want to start a Skaven army. Since christmas is coming up I will have some disposable income. Which I have decided to allocate to buy a Skaven army. But since, like I said , I am new to Warhammer, I have no idea wether to buy the Island of Blood and one Battalion or to just buy two Battalions. Any help would be appreciated so I thank you in advance to any replies.

Well most skaven player start with a few sets of island of blood halves. Its cheaper than the battalion box and nets you a lot.of rats and a few heroes.
The rat ogres and weapon teams are meh. I dont use them anymore I used to use weapon teams when I first started tho.

Battalion box is good because you get some plague monks, giant rats and more clanrats but again the rat ogres you probably won't use and your essentially just getting those for free with the discount price.

If you can get two halves of island of blood then you can probably get that for the price of 1 battalion box (if you shop on eBay or find a friend who want the elves).
Then use that extra money to buy a warp lightning cannon, maybe a doomwheel and then you can go stormvermin or plague monks or both but you will need 30 of each minimum for them to be effective (this depends on the points game tho)

Hope that helps ask me anything you want to know....I have my fair share of rats (450+ haha)

Personally I'd say two Island of blood sets.

The battalion can come later

I have enough to buy both of the boxes plus a couple of untis, I didn't mean this as a "what would make a better army" question because I'd still have money left over to buy other stuff. Just wondering what I'd be better off starting with. Thank you for replying so far.

Personally would get one of each, then later perhaps do the same again..

The characters are not amazing but are good enough to start with, you can convert a rat to a BSB from the battalion set and replace with a couple of giant rats on a base.

Rat Ogres are meah, but four is better than two if you fancy them.

Plague monks are good, and you get more giant rats in that kit than you expect, so will have a lot of giant rat units as well - plus the handlers from the kits and rat ogres.

The actual rats give you two units of 30, plus a unit of 20 slaves, not huge but useful, or can muck about with the battalion build weapons and have 2x40 rats, with enough hand weapon ones to run as spears or hand weapons by shuffling who stands at the front.

If you intend to built the rat ogres from the battalion set pick up a pack of green stuff while you are there, you're going to need it.

Oh yes.. and pick a paint scheme thats not too time consuming to do

Well remember you always want the best bang for your buck! I understood the question but was just making some general comments :p

Island of blood is the bang for your buck. Pick up some rare choices with the extra money you have left tho!

What rares would you suggest? Are Stormvermin good/effective?

 Povilov wrote:
What rares would you suggest? Are Stormvermin good/effective?

Most people start off with the warp lightning cannon. All the skaven rare choice are pretty much amazing (the catapult is the only one that isn't)
So start off with a doomwheel and a cannon then buy the hellpit abomination. The hellpit abomination is amaaaaazing unless he is getting attacked by flaming attacks.

Stormvermin are okay. They are an "elite" type unit but compared to other armies elite units they aren't that great.
The are still cheap tho at 7 points a model you can bring 40 of them and use them effectively. I usually bring a unit of 35-40/with a warlord on a warlitter. Pretty good unit and the models are fantastic and are fun to paint (my favourite skaven models that and the hellpit)

@chiefbigredman, Thanks for all the help! Means alot to have some help when starting out. And nice Skaven project btw!

 Povilov wrote:
I have enough to buy both of the boxes plus a couple of untis, I didn't mean this as a "what would make a better army" question because I'd still have money left over to buy other stuff. Just wondering what I'd be better off starting with. Thank you for replying so far.

2 set of island of blood is my opinion.