Let’s first preface with this:
For external balance, there is a very important point to keep in mind when reading the updated books. The target power level of all books was NOT the average of the previous v0.11 version. ALL armies (with very few exceptions) have seen the power level of their best units tuned down... Remember: while your army is less powerful overall (at least compared to the best build in v0.11), most other armies are also weaker.
Nerfs were coming to everyone, and SA were a notable overperformer, so let’s not be under any delusions here. As a recommendation for the future, the 9th RT really should have come out with this in an official capacity before the sneak peeks began, in order to set everyone's expectations
I’ve written elsewhere about my feelings on the Skink poison nerf, and that still stands – but let’s dig into some of the major changes in a little more detail.
Skink Braves – combat poison as standard is welcome, and from my reading of the unit you can get a relatively cheap Skirmishing scoring unit. Not terrible as a bunker. But consider the following:
· Who in their right mind is going to swap one point of armour save (and Parry!), for a BS3 S3 shot?
· What exactly am I paying 6 points per model for? S3 WS2 poison attack, on a T2 5+ AS Skink?
· For 75 points, you get 10 Skirmishing Skinks, losing Poison completely. What role is this unit supposed to have? Jungle Swarms are superior chaff (same number of wounds, same attacks but with Poison, Unbreakable – a whopping 20 points cheaper which is critical for chaff). For a wizard bunker, you’d just take the same number of ranked Skinks and save yourself the extra points (ultimately, both kinds of units are going to be hiding at the back of the board so want the minimum investment).
The mixed Caiman unit remains a decent configuration. It loses out on some utility now that Poison Javelins are gone, but the cheaper combat poison is some compensation that probably balances out at the lower targeted power-level. I would still prefer that the rules for allocating attacks are streamlined – the existing rules are vulnerable to a lot of justified criticism. Just give the Caimans Distracting and Hard Target when they are in a unit of Skinks, we don’t need half a page for this.
Conclusion: What is this unit supposed to do? Expect mixed-Caiman units in a supporting combat role, and minimum sized units as bunkers. Please simplify mixed unit rules.
Saurus – Increase in base cost, and for some reason they are still paying 2 points per model for Spears. That’s 14 points per model for what should be the line combat unit, which is still a meager WS3 I2 except you now pay more points for the pleasure. Compare this to the infamous Feral Orc Eadbasher who pays one point for Spears. One point! Over the Saurus they have: Weapon Skill 4 (hits more often), Strength 5 (!) in the first round of combat (wounds more easily), and a whopping -3AS. But it is the Saurus who pays more for less. Yes, the Saurus is more defensive - but this should be reflected in the points costings. If anything, these points values should be reversed with Saurus paying 1 for spears and FOE 2.
Crocodile Warrior got cheaper and might be better, but we need a clarification on whether the AP reduction counts towards Strength. If it doesn’t, I’m not sure that 15ppm is justified.
Conclusion: When your combat options are limited between WS2 S3 Skinks at 5 points, or WS3 I2 Saurus at three times the cost... most people are going to take Caimans. Overcosted & underpowered for what they do, compared to other armies' Core combat blocks.
Skink Hunters: 50 points for 2 BS3 Poison shots, or 65 points for 2 BS4 Poison shots with Scout and Hard Target? I assume that Camo Skinks went up by 5 to make it more of a contest... but it’s really not.
Conclusion: This unit is going to be impossible to balance in it's current form, you might as well get rid of the non-Camo variety.
Taurosaur: The big loser, suffering a triple-threat nerf. Base cost up to 200 across the board, loses MW and Engine nerf. Despite that, I think it’s now in a decent spot. 160 for a Skink mount was a huge oversight, and the price increases are justified to reduce monster spam. MW on impact hits was also borderline broken. But now that you’re looking at 240+ for the Ancient, I’m thinking that you’ll see just one of these in lists going forwards (either as an Engine, or a Skink Spear mount). The loss of 6++ in combat is just a further blow to Saurus, though.
Conclusion: The Taurosaur is now in a better state, forcing a difficult decision instead of just filling up on them. Engine may be slightly underpowered, but seems to be broadly in line with other books’ monster buff wagons.
Skink High Priest: Who the hell is going to pay 55 points (Palaquin + Plaque) to give a Skink unit Hatred? Nobody. You want your vulnerable level 3 either hiding in a bunker at the back, or hiding in the back of a big Saurus unit. You most definitely do
not want it in a T2 “combat” unit, giving re-rolls to hit to models with 1 S3 WS2 poison attack. Just... no.
Conclusion: The Tetto’ekko models can go back on the shelves.
Skink Captains: BS nerf is fine, although it does make me wonder how SA are expected to deal with multiple wound models at range now (and monsters in particular), outside of magic. The double-nerf to flying mounts (increased cost, reduced Toughness) is a blow to the cowboy role, though. Probably wholly justified May still have a role as Egg delivery systems, or chaff alternatives to Pterodactyls. .
Conclusion: RIP Skink Flying Cowboys, Dec 2015-Mar 2016.
Raptor Riders: The decreased starting cost does not go nearly far enough when you are paying a whopping 35 points per model afterwards. Bare in mind that these guys will lose models before attacking, and then will miss a lot. They are in an awkward spot where they have all the weaknesses that cavalry as a unit type have (can't charge big blocks due to Steadfast/Step up, dependent on charge bonuses),
and all the weaknesses of Saurus combat stats (low Initiative, meaning that they lose models before attacking, and low Weapon Skill, meaning they are easy to hit and don't hit often),
and on top of that they bring a bunch of their own, being some of the slowest Movement cavalry around (less chance of getting the charge or into position), suffer from Stupidity (can't operate independently as easy for flank charges), and are expensive (compounding the issue of being cavalry, and of Saurus combat stats). Consider that for the price of 10, you can get an Ancient Taurosaur with a Spear that will win out every time.
Conclusion: Either cut the cost further and leave as is, raise Initiative to 4 and/or Armour to 1+ and price accordingly, or redesign with a USR (initiative bonus on the charge?).
Temple Guard: I recognise that all special infantry have seen a price increase in order to discourage big units, but I still don’t agree with it for Temple Guard. The reason that you take big units of Temple Guard is the classic Saurus combat problem: everyone hits before them, so you take more models to soak up the casualties. This deficiency is bad enough for Saurus, but the justification there
should be that they are at least cheap enough to bring in bulk, and they are Core soldiers with non-elite stats. With Temple Guard, you now pay even more just to ensure they have the models left to deliver on those “elite” stats. Yes, the price increase is marginal - but consider that you can get Saurus in Core for slightly less points (meaning more bodies, or more goodies elsewhere), and it becomes a problem of internal balancing.
Conclusion: If you want 15ppm Saurus combat units, then at least take them in Core and use your special points to get Poison Skinks. But really, take Caimans instead.
Things that are less contentious:
- Born Predator: Well, I guess I’ll be taking mundane Halberds on all Saurus characters now. That’s cool, I’ll just spend 100 points on magical armour instead.
- Stygiosaur: The biggest winner imo. Good price point, and the Hatred buff is very welcome. Competition in Rare, with expensive Taurosaurs and Spinebacks moved there, will be fierce however.
- Spineback: Well deserved nerfs.
- Carnosaur: Losing MW wounds on the baby one is justified, but the Alpha has been hit hard with the nerf bat. I'm not sure what the point of a WS3 Lord level monster mount is, but I guess I'll spend these hero points on Taurosaur's instead.
I like the idea of having a Warlord on one, but I don't like the idea of being so meh in CC.
