http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/93.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net
Just shelled out for a pile of new Skaven models including 2 boxes of Clanrates (I just love these models for some reason, very characterful). Question: I'm a serious noob at WFB, so I'm wondering if there's any reason why a person would take Skavenslaves instead of Clanrats? Is it to simply flesh out a list if you have extra points, or are they a strong tactical choice?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1098616.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1098616.page GMT Slaves are very cheap, and large units can be used to hold up large threats.
simply throw the slaves at them and either beat them in combat over a few turns, or hold them up long enough to kill off the threat.

Not only that, but the extra numbers in the army is usually a good thing.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1098692.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1098692.page GMT
1) You use your unit's rank bonus in addition to the general's leadership, not the general's ranks. As such, super-cheap Slaves = very easy to provide ranks for.
2) With the general and BSB in range, you can easily have a (before modifiers) Ld. 10 re-roll break tests unit. Your static combat-res will always be a 4 (hopefully), so unless you make the mistake of throwing them into a full-res combat unit (in which case their raw kills translate into your penalty), you should have at least a 3-res advantage (Cavalry only having a Standard) to start.
3) They are dirt-cheap flankers. You don't use them to kill someone in a flank, you use them to negate 3 points of their combat res and add one to your own.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1100733.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1100733.page GMT
For less than 50 points we get a ranked unit that doesn't make us take panic tests and will, every once in a blue moon, show un-Skaven-y heroism and do something more than die horribly. Always worth as many as you can fit.

Edit: Oh yeah, flanks. Skaven that get charged in flanks run away like the cowards they truly are. However, as a horde army, you shouldn't have flanks to worry about. Slaves out on the flanks is one solution if you're having problems filling up the entire tabletop.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1101599.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1101599.page GMT they cannot be ignored because even slaves will kill knights when they flank them. However, diverting points to killing them is generally a waste so it is a win win for you.

Send them out in front to disrupt your enemies battle lines.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1102066.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/264441/1102066.page GMT