Tutorial Saurus Warriors: Profile Breakdown & Tactics

[Canas]

I have the exact numbers. Saurus Warriors, at full 40-model strength, deal 1.14 wounds with clubs and 0.92 wounds with spears, before saves, per model. When Lucky #30 dies, the per-model damage output drops to 0.69 wounds and 0.58 wounds, respectively. It's closer to a 40% loss, which is still pretty bad all things considered. Saurus Warriors definitely need the alpha strike to minimize the counterattack losses. At 360 points, they deal nearly the same number of wounds as Ripperdactyls with a Blot Toad and Swooping Dive. It's possible to get more from Saurus Warriors, but if you can only get one good combat from them, there isn't much point as the Rippers are easier to use. So, that "more coming soon" I'm working on is about making sure you are optimizing the number of striking models so that when you do run them in a Horde, you get everything you can out of them, and hopefully decimate your target to a degree that they can keep doing good things. There is a surprisingly large amount of geometry involved, and if Saurus Warriors were based any larger than 32mm, I'd call them unplayable.

Meh, the 40% loss is önly that "small" due to their attacks missing. Their optimum drops from a potential 120 wounds to a mere 58 (29 bites, 29 celestial weapon). Which is roughly a 50% loss. And frankly even a 40% loss is kind of unacceptable.

To be honest, a bigger issue than just getting them in range is to get them to survive for long enough to actually be worth it. Getting multiple rounds of combat with 30+ models, even if only 20 or so are in range will rapidly overtake the effect of 1 round with 40 only for them to be decimated afterwards.

 

[claymore36]

It’s too bad they can’t keep there bonuses after taking casualties. I just really wish Saurus were better competitively but it takes very careful planning and movement to get the same work from them as so many other units that are easier to use.

 

[Canas]

It’s too bad they can’t keep there bonuses after taking casualties. I just really wish Saurus were better competitively but it takes very careful planning and movement to get the same work from them as so many other units that are easier to use.

They should've given bonuses with less severe cutoff points like the tzaangor that apparently have 3 separate points (9, 18 and 27) instead of 2.
Or have the buff kick in significantly earlier/require the loss of far more wounds. Say have it kick in at 10/20 instead of 20/30.

Alternativly, just make it a hell of a lot more difficult to wipe out half the unit. Warriors only have 1 wound and a mediocre save. Again compare it with the tzaangor that have 2 wounds and a bonus save. Or the undead ones that replenish. It's far more difficult to push them below the required threshold.

Lastly, warriors just lack a use outside of a giant horde. They're not particularly sturdy, they're not particularly fast, they're not particularly cheap, they're not particularly strong, they only have one other ability of significance (their banner) but that one only requires 1 banner as it doesn't stack and knights also carry one around. In all honesty all our regular saurus troops seem to be a tad disappointing in many situations and being outshone by our behemoths and our skinks.

 

[claymore36]

Anyone remember in oldhammer where Saurus Warriors were one of the best heavy infantry units in the game? I remember in 7th they were an excellent anvil and I could always rely on them to anchor the line. Too bad most old armies have been relegated to horde status. I feel like buffs at 10/20 would be great but I want them to be acceptable to bring at just 10 models so an improved save would help a lot. Maybe let warriors have a 4+ save, Guard get a 3+ and the eternal star host doesn’t buff their save but instead gives them a 5+ save against mortal wounds. But I guess that would take away from the Stormcast being the best around.

 

[Canas]

Anyone remember in oldhammer where Saurus Warriors were one of the best heavy infantry units in the game? I remember in 7th they were an excellent anvil and I could always rely on them to anchor the line. Too bad most old armies have been relegated to horde status. I feel like buffs at 10/20 would be great but I want them to be acceptable to bring at just 10 models so an improved save would help a lot. Maybe let warriors have a 4+ save, Guard get a 3+ and the eternal star host doesn’t buff their save but instead gives them a 5+ save against mortal wounds. But I guess that would take away from the Stormcast being the best around.

I think that all our saurus rank and file needs an update.. they feel like they're made for a different game where mortal wounds are rare and where we could summon as much reinforcements as we'd want. Not to mention that our reliance on synergy and starhosts means we need to pay quite a lot before we get an effective army. Compare a block of 20 liberators + a lord castellant with an eternal starhost, the SCE are better in nearly every way, cheaper, more wounds, a heal. The only aspect in which the eternal starhost wins is potential damage output and even then they'd need to have to stand still to make it a particularly noticable difference...

And while they're at it, do something to make skinks feel less like cannonfodder filling. They're not bad units, we just have 0 command abilities or starhosts where the skinks,especially the normal ones at least the special ones have fancy special abilities, really do more than being bodies. Kroxigors are really the only ones that have any significant synergy with skinks. And even for that we don't need actuall skinks, a freaking stegadon also counts for that buff.

 

[Aginor]

Yeah I also think they should just get a bit of defensive stuff, or healing.

 

[claymore36]

Well maybe we could all ask for this stuff in the community survey. Buffs for Saurus to make them feel as durable and dangerous as they should and battalions or auras that specifically affect skinks. I understand with the current meta the melee oriented Saurus simply cannot perform without support but at the moment I feel like it’s almost always better to just take a wall of skinks over the Saurus.

 

[Canas]

Well maybe we could all ask for this stuff in the community survey. Buffs for Saurus to make them feel as durable and dangerous as they should and battalions or auras that specifically affect skinks. I understand with the current meta the melee oriented Saurus simply cannot perform without support but at the moment I feel like it’s almost always better to just take a wall of skinks over the Saurus.

community survey? Damn it I why did I not fill that in in the open fields.

 

[Xasto]

And where would one find this community Survey?

 

[Aginor]

It is linked to on
https://www.warhammer-community.com/
right on top of the page.

 

[Xasto]

It is linked to on
https://www.warhammer-community.com/
right on top of the page.

Thank you good sir!

 

[Seraphage]

I have the exact numbers. Saurus Warriors, at full 40-model strength, deal 1.14 wounds with clubs and 0.92 wounds with spears, before saves, per model. When Lucky #30 dies, the per-model damage output drops to 0.69 wounds and 0.58 wounds, respectively. It's closer to a 40% loss, which is still pretty bad all things considered. Saurus Warriors definitely need the alpha strike to minimize the counterattack losses. At 360 points, they deal nearly the same number of wounds as Ripperdactyls with a Blot Toad and Swooping Dive. It's possible to get more from Saurus Warriors, but if you can only get one good combat from them, there isn't much point as the Rippers are easier to use. So, that "more coming soon" I'm working on is about making sure you are optimizing the number of striking models so that when you do run them in a Horde, you get everything you can out of them, and hopefully decimate your target to a degree that they can keep doing good things. There is a surprisingly large amount of geometry involved, and if Saurus Warriors were based any larger than 32mm, I'd call them unplayable.

Yes, haven't really sit and done it yet but I had been using them for 6 months *wasn't that experienced back then* and they definitely need some math and geometry done before usage to take part in a tournament list.

 

[Canas]

Yes, haven't really sit and done it yet but I had been using them for 6 months *wasn't that experienced back then* and they definitely need some math and geometry done before usage to take part in a tournament list.

Meh, you need that just to play the game. Saurus warriors also need excessive luck, or a really stupid opponent. Anyone that willingly gives a 40 man blob like that the space & time to properly charge a target without killing half of em first via shooting or a countercharge is kind of an idiot... They're not even all that sturdy so it's not like its difficult to weaken them significantly first. I'm really curious if someone's managed to get them to fight at (near) full strength for more than 1 or 2 combat phases before they've been decimated (at a decent level obviously, playing against your grandpa who's wondering what the hell those shiny figurines are doesn't count ).