8th Ed. Temple Guard, other Guard Units and Stubborn

[ASSASSIN_NR_1]

So I've been wondering about the Temple Guard: Why is it that they don't have Stubborn naturally? Why do the Slann need to be in the unit? Would it make them too good if they had it without the Slann?
What I really don't understand (and it is partly in terms of lore, but also that Tempe Guard, being Guards would make you think they should be out best anvil, regardless of who is joining them), is why creatures made for nothing else than being the perfect guards, while other factions have guards that are "just" well trained, like White Lions, Black Guard or Hammerers all have Stubborn innately. What is going on?
Really the only thing we get over having stubborn naturally, is ITP when the Slann is there, but that really isn't that big of a deal, it's a nice little bonus I'll give it that, and very fitting, but not much.
Furthermore, Hammeres are are better at protecting their Lord against challenges, why don't Temple Guard have that rule?

I guess what I'm saying is: Why don't Temple Guard have Stubborn without the Slann and get ITP and the Hammerer challenge rule with the Slann? That would actually make them better guardians and make them a nice anvil, just like the ones other armies have, and you'd think out Temple Guard would be.

Now I'm not ranting I do like Temple Guard and I do think they are quite good (though I tend to get a bit fixated on lore, can't help it ), more just thinking out loud, and throwing it up here to get some input and possibly explanation as to why it is.

 

[Walters]

Like you I am also very found of the temple guard, and one of the main reasons for me building a Lizardmen army was to field this cool unit with their Slann. I need to look at the 7th edition armybook again, but in the 6th one they are core you can only field them if you have a Slann, and if you have the Slann and temple guard they must be together. So the bonus for Stubborn more or less becomes the standard for them - until, Sotek forbids, the Slann falls in battle. I do not know how the rules are in the 8th armybook. It is more their stats, rather than rules, that make them stand out from the ordinary saurus warriors, and I like that. Although I agree with you that is is fun when the lore plays into the game mechanics. This is not really an answer to your question, but just some thoughts regarding temple guard.

 

[Lizards of Renown]

So I've been wondering about the Temple Guard: Why is it that they don't have Stubborn naturally? Why do the Slann need to be in the unit? Would it make them too good if they had it without the Slann?
What I really don't understand (and it is partly in terms of lore, but also that Tempe Guard, being Guards would make you think they should be out best anvil, regardless of who is joining them), is why creatures made for nothing else than being the perfect guards, while other factions have guards that are "just" well trained, like White Lions, Black Guard or Hammerers all have Stubborn innately. What is going on?
Really the only thing we get over having stubborn naturally, is ITP when the Slann is there, but that really isn't that big of a deal, it's a nice little bonus I'll give it that, and very fitting, but not much.
Furthermore, Hammeres are are better at protecting their Lord against challenges, why don't Temple Guard have that rule?

I guess what I'm saying is: Why don't Temple Guard have Stubborn without the Slann and get ITP and the Hammerer challenge rule with the Slann? That would actually make them better guardians and make them a nice anvil, just like the ones other armies have, and you'd think out Temple Guard would be.

Now I'm not ranting I do like Temple Guard and I do think they are quite good (though I tend to get a bit fixated on lore, can't help it ), more just thinking out loud, and throwing it up here to get some input and possibly explanation as to why it is.

For me, they have a high natural leadership and the cold-blooded point so they are already dedicated to the Great Plan. But they train their entire lives to guard the Slann and thus when they are with them carrying out their sacred duty they are almost unbreakable.

 

[Karnus]

I think the fact that the slann can be put in the second row to avoid challenges is our counter to say the hammerers rule?

 

[ASSASSIN_NR_1]

For me, they have a high natural leadership and the cold-blooded point so they are already dedicated to the Great Plan. But they train their entire lives to guard the Slann and thus when they are with them carrying out their sacred duty they are almost unbreakable.

Yeah, but they have the same LD as regular saurus, so they don't seem like they are more dedicated to protect anything more so than the regular ones.
To be fair I think saurus lore-wise are basically unbreakable, but that would not be fun for the any opponents so there has to be a middle ground and I do think cold-blooded is a fine one, it's just that ALL saurus have LD 8, so it's not that impressive, and even with that, they are less likely to stay their ground than any other elite 'guard' unit if the odds are against them, cold-blooded or not.

I think the fact that the slann can be put in the second row to avoid challenges is our counter to say the hammerers rule?

True, that protects him from damage from regular troops, it just seems a bit silly to me, that if a character makes a challenge, then the Temple Guard just let the enemy character fight it out? That does not seem lore-friendly at all, as they sole job is to protect the Slann even if some tough guy are calling him names and twirling his sword around.
The alternative is for the Slann to refuse the challenge (which is probably the most likely), and then he is 'booed' back - I just don't think Lizardmen care about challenges at all, and would not care in the slightest about the enemy booing at them, and I can hardly imagine that they would boo their own, especially a Slann.

So maybe the better option would not be to have Temple Guard be able to take challenges for the Slann, just that the Slann (or possibly all Lizardmen) ignore the penalty from refusing a challenge.