AoS Thunder Lizard 3.0 2000pts

[cyberhawk94]

Had an idea for a list in 3.0, one of those "so crazy it just might work" ideas. Basically trying to guarantee the Beast Master grand strategy due to how tanky of monsters we can field, while still being able to put out enough damage to complete Battle Tactics.

This started with the realization that the Dread Saurian didnt go up in points, got access to rampages, and with less Inspiring Presence access his roar might actually do something now.


++ **Pitched Battle** 2,000 (Order - Seraphon) ++

. Allegiance: Seraphon
. . Coalesced: The Thunder Lizard

Core Battalion: Warlord
Engine of the Gods: Amulet of Destiny
Skink Starpriest: 2. Hand of Glory
Slann Starmaster: 5. Stellar Tempest
5 Saurus Guards

Core Battalion: Linebreaker
Saurus Scar-Veteran on Carnosaur: [The Thunder Lizard] Prime Warbeast, Celestite Warspear, Fusil of Conflagration, General
Bastiladon: Solar Engine
Dread Saurian:

Core Battalion: Hunters of the Heartlands
5 Saurus Knights
5 Saurus Knights

Endless Spell: Chronomantic Cogs


The Engine with 5+ Ward, Bastilodon, and 37 Wound Dread all are super hard to actually kill with Scaly Skin, especially with the engines healing.

The Slann, Guard, and Starpriest would stay in the Realmshaper, with the bastilidon nearby to take buffs.


The Engine would either stay near the Slann and Bastil to heal and summon Saurus screens, or move up with the Dread to keep it healed and be more of a threat itself

The other "flank" is the knights and carnosaur. Which also gives a free Ferocious Advance turn 1 unless one of the units is shot off the table.

Thinking about dropping the Carno for other units and maybe an Emerald Lifeswarm. Something really mobile like rippers might be a good idea. Also would let me either move Prime Warbeast to the Engine, or grab Arcane Might on the Slann.

Easy to complete Battle tactics: Ferocious Advance, Savage Spearhead, Monstrous Takeover, Broken Ranks. Two of these also give an easy bonus point for monsters. So without even trying very hard, you've almost capped out your secondary objectives. You are fairly vulnerable to low-drop shooting heavy lists though. A large shooting alpha strike could take out a unit or two really easily, and you only have 4 monsters and the 2 units of knights actually visible.

Thoughts and critiques would be appreciated

 

[Nart]

I, honestly, wouldn't bother with guard on slann and just bring more cavalry for additional screens/punch. Try to protect slann with LoS/RSE instead.

The other "flank" is the knights and carnosaur. Though Im not entirely sure the carno is worth it since so many of the new battle tactics reward opponents for killing monsters.

Many new battletactics also reward being fulfilled with monster. Monstrous rampages are very important too. I think, it is absolutely worth it to have multiple monsters.

The Engine would either stay near the Slann and Bastil to heal and summon Saurus screens, or move up with the Dread to keep it healed and be more of a threat itself

EotG should always go forward and fight, it is too good in melee to stay babysitted by slann. Also, I think that Cloak of Feathers is better than amulet, because of bonus move and fly.

Also, I would drop cogs - you don't have that much important casts to spend 45 points on them, IMO. Also try to fit in skink priest. I'd even drop starpriest in his favor. Priests give too much to your army to bypass them.

 

[cyberhawk94]

I, honestly, wouldn't bother with guard on slann and just bring more cavalry for additional screens/punch. Try to protect slann with LoS/RSE instead.

Actually an excellent point. I never would have thought to not bring Guard, but with the giant LoS blocker its probably worth it

Many new battletactics also reward being fulfilled with monster. Monstrous rampages are very important too. I think, it is absolutely worth it to have multiple monsters.

I agree, but I do already have 3. Its not like it would be my 2nd monster, it'd be my 4th. It might be worth it, or maybe more speed/bodies is better.

EotG should always go forward and fight, it is too good in melee to stay babysitted by slann. Also, I think that Cloak of Feathers is better than amulet, because of bonus move and fly.

My one big hang-up is that it can't summon if it isn't near the Slann. I would just double-fire the Engine turn one to try and get a summon and then move it up, but I think the alpha strike of the bastilidon will be more important that turn.

Also, I would drop cogs - you don't have that much important casts to spend 45 points on them, IMO. Also try to fit in skink priest. I'd even drop starpriest in his favor. Priests give too much to your army to bypass them.

I dont know what else the 45 points would be used on though. only 2 other endless spells are that cheap, and I can't afford any units without dropping something. Allied aetherwings i guess? plus, Cogs gives my starpriest 2 casts so he can do HoG and Blazing Starlight, and refunds its cast on the Slann if it goes off.

I did the math on the starpriest/priest since they mainly will be supporting the Bastilidon. The starpriest is much better at buffing it, and gives an extra deny/CP roll. The Priest is EXCELLENT on things like Stegadons that both shoot and fight, and even things that are trying to fight since its CA lasts so long, but nothing in this list really benefits from that. The only units it can even target are the Bastilidon and Engine.

 

[Nart]

I agree, but I do already have 3. Its not like it would be my 2nd monster, it'd be my 4th. It might be worth it, or maybe more speed/bodies is better.

Well, that's the very point of thunderlizard - bring lots of strudy monsters. And now that every monster counts as 5 models on objectve, their main weakness of 2.0 is eliminated. Carno is hero+monster, which is very strong.

My one big hang-up is that it can't summon if it isn't near the Slann. I would just double-fire the Engine turn one to try and get a summon and then move it up, but I think the alpha strike of the bastilidon will be more important that turn.

Engine is not there for summoning. It is a good tank with chance of MWs and summoning. But you never rely on it as a source of summoning - it is just good if he does summon something. I tend to use it with run+charge from priest and cloak of feathers - it is very fast and survivable.

I did the math on the starpriest/priest since they mainly will be supporting the Bastilidon. The starpriest is much better at buffing it, and gives an extra deny/CP roll. The Priest is EXCELLENT on things like Stegadons that both shoot and fight, and even things that are trying to fight since its CA lasts so long, but nothing in this list really benefits from that. The only units it can even target are the Bastilidon and Engine.

Yes, starpriest may buff damage better, but he costs 50 points more. Also, two very important points. First, his command ability lasts until the next hero phase. this means you can use other command abilities in combat/shooting phase. Without the priest you cannot command bastiladon+to-hit + double tap. Or Engine can have both +1 to-hit and +1 to saves in combat phase. Also don;t forget Ghur CA, which is very good on Engine. Second point is run+charge. And it is very strong, espeically in first two turns. You can torpedo the Engine for a first turn charge or move bastiladon up to 2d6 in the first turn, putting him in a very good position. Finally, he is 50 points cheaper. By dropping him you will get 50 free points. If you drop cogs too, you can get it another unit of skinks.

It is up to you to decide, of course, but I don't see much value in starvenom vs starstone staff, if you don't have a large block of skinks/warriors/knights.

 

[cyberhawk94]

Engine is not there for summoning. It is a good tank with chance of MWs and summoning. But you never rely on it as a source of summoning - it is just good if he does summon something. I tend to use it with run+charge from priest and cloak of feathers - it is very fast and survivable.

For that purpose Id rather drop it and the starpriest for the Skink Chief and the regular priest. Hes better for a turn 1 charge, and utilitizes the priests CA much better than either the Engine or the Basti do.

irst, his command ability lasts until the next hero phase. this means you can use other command abilities in combat/shooting phase. Without the priest you cannot command bastiladon+to-hit + double tap

No I know that, but the starpriest also brings HoG and it mathematically works out better than the priest on any turn I double tap the engine instead of the Basti, and only very slightly worse when I double the Basti. The run/shoot/charge is great, but as soon as the Engine is out of range the priest isnt doing much anymore since he can only target skinks. The starpriest can target anything and is always a caster if nothing else.

I will agree that If I drop him to a priest Id definitely want to drop Cogs, not worth at all with 1 caster. 95 points isn't a bad amount, a few interesting looking endless spells, or a unit of skinks/Rippers/something

 

[Kakalou1]

Thank you guys for the inspiration
For what it is worth I préfèr also the Steg chief and Priest

What if you had to run a 3000pts with this base list ? (Big battle next week aha)

I add some salamanders and cameleon for mw, few kroxigors mostly for the fun and 1 steg as battleline

(I avoid any bastilladon which are a little bit too good against démon)