AoS Koatls Claw list in new GHB

[cyberhawk94]

With the new GHB I think Saurus Warriors finally have a place in our army! (Albeit a single, specific place)

A unit of 30 in Coalesced does actually hit hard and withstands bounty hunters well, and can count as 90 models on an objective.

With that said, I have 120 points left in the below list, and 3 distinct ideas on how to fill it. I could use some help.

Allegiance: Seraphon
- Constellation: Koatl's Claw
- Grand Strategy: Continuous Expansion?
- Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Engine of the Gods (265)**
- General
- Command Trait: Nimble
- Artefact: Incandescent Rectrices
- Mount Trait: Beastmaster
- Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse
Slann Starmaster (265)
- Spell: Stellar Tempest
Skink Starpriest (130)**
- Spell: Hand of Glory
Skink Starseer (145)**
- Spell: Hand of Glory
Saurus Scar-Veteran on Carnosaur (215)
- War Spear
- Artefact: Eviscerating Blade

Battleline
5 x Saurus Knights (110)*
- Lances
5 x Saurus Knights (110)*
- Lances
5 x Saurus Knights (110)*
- Lances
30 x Saurus Warriors (315)***
- Clubs
- Reinforced x 2
5 x Saurus Guard (115)***

Endless Spells & Invocations
Chronomantic Cogs (40)
Emerald Lifeswarm (60)

Core Battalions
*Bounty Hunters
**Command Entourage - Magnificent
***Expert Conquerors


So the three things I think fit really well:

- Upgrade one of the Knight units to 10 models, allowing it to hit harder, and actually hit back after taking damage (the 5 mans lose a lot of effectiveness after losing 2-3 models)
- 5 Chameleon skinks and +1 Command Point. Having a unit deep strike can really hold back some of your opponents army to keep objectives safe, and I have really missed them in games I did not have them. I also can upgrade the Command Entourage to a Warlord battalion.
- Doralia van Denst and +1 Artefact. I have no shooting, and she can sit in the temple and take pot shots at wizards pretty well. I already shut down magic but more damage is more damage. I also can then take a 2nd command entourage for a 3rd artefact, maybe an Arcane Tome on the starseer.

Im also not entirely sure on the Emerald Lifeswarm, it might be worth trading out for a Purple Sun or freeing up the points to fit something else in the 180

 

[Foodstamp]

I like it and I run something similar, but let me ask - what do you plan to do with the starseer and lifeswarm? Can those points be spent better elsewhere like more knights. And you have two artifacts but no warlord regiment. Can only have one. I would make the carnasaur your leader with the eviscerating blade. I also don't think chromatic cogs will help the army very well, only the slann is casting spells. You could drop all that and reinforce 2 of your knight units to get 25 total knights and more easily capture objectives/control the board. Even throw in a random Sunblood with your unit of warriors instead of the starseer and get some good value out of its command ability.

 

[cyberhawk94]

The starseer and lifeswarm follows the 30 block around. 3d6 charge and save stacking/reduction is very useful, though I am considering dropping him to another star priest, and maybe switching the lifeswarm for a different spell like purple sun

Neither of those changes make enough points difference to change the 3 options I have above though, so I want to figure that out first

The command entourage allows a 2nd artefact.

The engine is a much better general than the carnosaur since he doesn't have to use the dominant predator command trait which isn't very good in this list.

Cogs is amazing even with just the slann and more than worth it, but there are also 2 other wizards in this list, so not sure why you think only the slann is casting?

Also, the sunblood is strictly worse that the starseer to buff saurus, since it can't stack with all out attack or defense but the starseer can

 

[PabloTho]

Good bones in this list. Here's what I would change:

- Think about replacing the Nimble trait with the generic High Priest trait. In my experience, getting Curse to go off on a key target that would otherwise not die easily is a game-deciding move. Re-rolling that ugly 4+ is very handy. You throw around +1 to save pretty easily as Seraphon so I don't think Nimble is super valuable.

- Remove Lifeswarm and add Purple Sun. Yes, with this build's reliance on doing damage in combat rather than shooting you are likely to find yourself debuffed by your own Skull at times, but ideally you're able to use it to let your Knights punch well above their weight on the charge, even if that means trading them due to their weakened save.

- Use surplus points to reinforce a unit of Knights.

- I'd possibly even consider switching the Saurus Guard for 5 more Knights. In three consecutive tournaments, I have never run Guard and my Slann has only died in a single game (and even then, it was during the last battle round). Granted, he may be a slightly more appealing target without Scaly Skin.

 

[cyberhawk94]

Good bones in this list. Here's what I would change:

- Think about replacing the Nimble trait with the generic High Priest trait. In my experience, getting Curse to go off on a key target that would otherwise not die easily is a game-deciding move. Re-rolling that ugly 4+ is very handy. You throw around +1 to save pretty easily as Seraphon so I don't think Nimble is super valuable.

That is a good Idea, Though it is usually a 3+ from Primeval Domain, and I often dont have much in range of it for a lot of the game, but I can definitely see the appeal.

- Remove Lifeswarm and add Purple Sun. Yes, with this build's reliance on doing damage in combat rather than shooting you are likely to find yourself debuffed by your own Skull at times, but ideally you're able to use it to let your Knights punch well above their weight on the charge, even if that means trading them due to their weakened save.

Yea That is definitely in my list of considerations, I want to test Lifeswarm a few more games first though so I can get a sense of how many Saurus it is worth.

- Use surplus points to reinforce a unit of Knights.

Definitely my top choice right now, I really miss the Chameleons when I dont have them though. Even if they dont do much, the threat keeping a unit on a back objective can be huge. My last game 10 Pink horrors had to just sit in the back so they couldnt pop on an objective, thats more than their points before they fire a shot.

- I'd possibly even consider switching the Saurus Guard for 5 more Knights. In three consecutive tournaments, I have never run Guard and my Slann has only died in a single game (and even then, it was during the last battle round). Granted, he may be a slightly more appealing target without Scaly Skin.

100% my first thought too, but then the Warriors cant be Expert Conquerors since I dont have two GallyVet units to form the battalion.