AoS 2k Battleline heavy Koatl's Claw list

[Vosrik]

With my return to the hobby, I've played several games on Tabletop Simulator to figure out what army and what list I wanted, especially before purchasing all those minis. I know that Starborne is really shining in the competitive field, but I want my stompy dinos dangit! Therefore not only was Koatl's Claw for me, but I wanted to have some good units to lay down the hurt while being able to hold my own. So here's the list I have compiled that's served me quite well in recent (virtual) games:

Army Faction: Seraphon
- Army Type: Coalesced
- Subfaction: Koatl's Claw
- Triumph: Bloodthirsty
LEADERS
Saurus Astrolith Bearer (140)*
- General
- Command Traits: Vengeful Defender
- Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
Skink Oracle on Troglodon (270)*
- Spells: Heavenly Frenzy
Skink Starseer (150)*
- Spells: Tide of Serpents
BATTLELINE
Saurus Warriors (360)*
- Saurus Warrior Alpha
- Celestite Spear
- 2 x Icon Bearer
- 2 x War-drummer
Saurus Warriors (180)*
- Icon Bearer
- War-drummer
- Saurus Warrior Alpha
- Celestite Spear
Saurus Guard (140)*
- Saurus Guard Alpha
- Icon Bearer
- War-drummer
Aggradon Lancers (380)*
- Aggradon Lancer Alpha
- Celestite Club
- 2 x Icon Bearer
- 2 x War-drummer
Aggradon Lancers (380)*
- Aggradon Lancer Alpha
- Celestite Club
- 2 x Icon Bearer
- 2 x War-drummer
TERRAIN
1 x Coalesced Realmshaper Engine (0)
CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000

So the gist of the list is that we can use the punching force of the Aggradons to quickly hit and take down key enemy units. With Vengeful Defender on our astrolith, we're able to move these bad boys in the Hero Phase, increasing their potential threat range to a maximum of 31", 38" on one of them with a successful casting of Heavenly Frenzy. Tacking on All Out Attack and the +1 to wound on a charge means they're all hitting and wounding on 2s (excluding any potential negative modifiers of course). Very powerful hammer units that I've had loads of success with, far more than just having the minimum strength of 3. 6 seems like the happy medium, especially with the recent cohesion changes that allow all 6 to line up side by side.

Warriors are also a powerful anvil unit in our army, they're surprisingly resilient, especially with the 6+ ward save. It's unfortunate we have so few methods of getting a ward save in Coalesced, but the -1 damage really softens the blow from certain armies. I try to keep the warriors within range of the astrolith.

As for the HQs, I use the troglodon primarily as a tanky support piece for my aggradons. Dishing out that -1 to hit aura is very handy with keeping our key units alive, plus it makes the troglodon annoying enough for enemies to want to kill it — but it's rather tanky with that regeneration. The Primordial Mire spell also works wonders in slowing down enemy charging units.

Let me know your guys' thoughts, I really tried leaning into the most optimal and synergistic units for Coalesced and came up with this list.

 

[Travis Camp]

With my return to the hobby, I've played several games on Tabletop Simulator to figure out what army and what list I wanted, especially before purchasing all those minis. I know that Starborne is really shining in the competitive field, but I want my stompy dinos dangit! Therefore not only was Koatl's Claw for me, but I wanted to have some good units to lay down the hurt while being able to hold my own. So here's the list I have compiled that's served me quite well in recent (virtual) games:

Army Faction: Seraphon
- Army Type: Coalesced
- Subfaction: Koatl's Claw
- Triumph: Bloodthirsty
LEADERS
Saurus Astrolith Bearer (140)*
- General
- Command Traits: Vengeful Defender
- Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
Skink Oracle on Troglodon (270)*
- Spells: Heavenly Frenzy
Skink Starseer (150)*
- Spells: Tide of Serpents
BATTLELINE
Saurus Warriors (360)*
- Saurus Warrior Alpha
- Celestite Spear
- 2 x Icon Bearer
- 2 x War-drummer
Saurus Warriors (180)*
- Icon Bearer
- War-drummer
- Saurus Warrior Alpha
- Celestite Spear
Saurus Guard (140)*
- Saurus Guard Alpha
- Icon Bearer
- War-drummer
Aggradon Lancers (380)*
- Aggradon Lancer Alpha
- Celestite Club
- 2 x Icon Bearer
- 2 x War-drummer
Aggradon Lancers (380)*
- Aggradon Lancer Alpha
- Celestite Club
- 2 x Icon Bearer
- 2 x War-drummer
TERRAIN
1 x Coalesced Realmshaper Engine (0)
CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000

So the gist of the list is that we can use the punching force of the Aggradons to quickly hit and take down key enemy units. With Vengeful Defender on our astrolith, we're able to move these bad boys in the Hero Phase, increasing their potential threat range to a maximum of 31", 38" on one of them with a successful casting of Heavenly Frenzy. Tacking on All Out Attack and the +1 to wound on a charge means they're all hitting and wounding on 2s (excluding any potential negative modifiers of course). Very powerful hammer units that I've had loads of success with, far more than just having the minimum strength of 3. 6 seems like the happy medium, especially with the recent cohesion changes that allow all 6 to line up side by side.

Warriors are also a powerful anvil unit in our army, they're surprisingly resilient, especially with the 6+ ward save. It's unfortunate we have so few methods of getting a ward save in Coalesced, but the -1 damage really softens the blow from certain armies. I try to keep the warriors within range of the astrolith.

As for the HQs, I use the troglodon primarily as a tanky support piece for my aggradons. Dishing out that -1 to hit aura is very handy with keeping our key units alive, plus it makes the troglodon annoying enough for enemies to want to kill it — but it's rather tanky with that regeneration. The Primordial Mire spell also works wonders in slowing down enemy charging units.

Let me know your guys' thoughts, I really tried leaning into the most optimal and synergistic units for Coalesced and came up with this list.

I love the list, it's close to what I want to run, not a fan of how the skink models look. So lists around that idea kinda get me more and this list hits that for me. Also love the new Aggys!!!

 

[Vosrik]

I love the list, it's close to what I want to run, not a fan of how the skink models look. So lists around that idea kinda get me more and this list hits that for me. Also love the new Aggys!!!

Oh I agree, the old skink models are not my favourite, save for the Oracle on the Troglodon. I really wish that the Kroxigors were just a little bit more effective, but I feel the Aggradons and the Warriors just outclass them in their respective fields. Fun models though.

 

[Doons]

Its versatile, its fast, it has redundancies. i could totally play this list as a defensive counter punch or offensive blitz. Love it. Personally on the fence with the guard and trog but if it aint broke dont fix it

 

[Vosrik]

Its versatile, its fast, it has redundancies. i could totally play this list as a defensive counter punch or offensive blitz. Love it. Personally on the fence with the guard and trog but if it aint broke dont fix it

I will admit that the Saurus Guard and the Troglodon are the two units I'm a little iffy on, but without the Guard then my astrolith and my starseer feel a bit unprotected, and then there isn't enough points for like a slann.

 

[Just A Skink]

This list looks really tough and it sounds like you've seen some success with it.

For the cost of the Trog plus the Guard, you could bring Kroak for some potentially strong magic/command points? That's just a point-swap suggestion, because it would shift the playstyle.

What about a unit of 10 Guard (for your Astro/Seer) and two units of 10 Warriors (for Objectives)? You could add an Endless Spell with the extra points (Pendulum/Maelstrom/Gravetide).

Or what about Chameleons, or 2 x Terrawings in place of the Guard?

I assume the Arcane Tome is there for Mystic Shield on the unit with the Astro? Instead of the Tome, have you thought about Incandescent Rectrices on the Trog? That might be redundant, but it pushes healing to make him even tankier.

 

[Vosrik]

This list looks really tough and it sounds like you've seen some success with it.

For the cost of the Trog plus the Guard, you could bring Kroak for some potentially strong magic/command points? That's just a point-swap suggestion, because it would shift the playstyle.

What about a unit of 10 Guard (for your Astro/Seer) and two units of 10 Warriors (for Objectives)? You could add an Endless Spell with the extra points (Pendulum/Maelstrom/Gravetide).

Or what about Chameleons, or 2 x Terrawings in place of the Guard?

I assume the Arcane Tome is there for Mystic Shield on the unit with the Astro? Instead of the Tome, have you thought about Incandescent Rectrices on the Trog? That might be redundant, but it pushes healing to make him even tankier.

True I could make that swap, though I'm very partial to having a large unit of 20 warriors defending objectives, as I feel like I'd need to field some more Guard to help protect the big toad. I know Kroak is a powerhouse for sure, but I suppose I'm trying to lean less into the mortal wound bombing that Starborne is more known for and more effective with.

I've weighed whether I want to use the Hunters of Huanchi and the terrawings, for this particular list I wanted to really hone in on using what synergizes the most with Coalesced and Koatl's Claw. Only saurus units get the +1 to wound sadly, and both chameleons and terrawings are very squishy with little use imo (compared to the warriors and aggradons which have very clear and direct purpose)

Unfortunately I can't take the Incandescent Reatrices on the trog due to that being a Starborne perk. Hence the tome for mystic shield, because I want to keep my astrolith behind my other warriors, making Sotek's Gaze a poor artifact choice imo.

 

[Just A Skink]

True I could make that swap, though I'm very partial to having a large unit of 20 warriors defending objectives, as I feel like I'd need to field some more Guard to help protect the big toad. I know Kroak is a powerhouse for sure, but I suppose I'm trying to lean less into the mortal wound bombing that Starborne is more known for and more effective with.

I've weighed whether I want to use the Hunters of Huanchi and the terrawings, for this particular list I wanted to really hone in on using what synergizes the most with Coalesced and Koatl's Claw. Only saurus units get the +1 to wound sadly, and both chameleons and terrawings are very squishy with little use imo (compared to the warriors and aggradons which have very clear and direct purpose)

Unfortunately I can't take the Incandescent Reatrices on the trog due to that being a Starborne perk. Hence the tome for mystic shield, because I want to keep my astrolith behind my other warriors, making Sotek's Gaze a poor artifact choice imo.

All of that makes sense.

I'm sorry about the Rectrices suggestion. I'm an idiot and TOTALLY forgot that it was a Starborne artifact.

Sotek's Gaze is a potential option in case someone gets on your Astro & unit to sneak an objective.