TOW Are Chameleon Skinks more useful than we think?

[Gothmog Lord of Balrogs]

Looking at how to shake things up more and I have eyed Chameleon Skinks as something with potential and want to hear some other thoughts

The thing that really draws me to them is Evasive + Scout

Idea is to use scout to get them in good LOS blocking positions on the edge of important enemy shooting, like hellblaster volley guns, poison archers, and various magic missiles etc. etc. Then use Evasive to FBIGO out of range and "waste" enemy shooting.

It could be a way to make Saurus Cav buses and Kroxigor more reliable/protected, as they don't have Large Target like our Dinos, so screening them well with the Chameleon Skinks could be a useful trick. Its unfortunate that Kroxigor can't charge through them, because what Im not sure about is being able to get out of the way enough with FBIGO to allow the charge with units like that. And example of us being an underbaked Legends army, because this sort of synergy would be great.

But in this way could they also work to help Ripperdactyls maybe. While closed up, block LOS for a charge. Then FBIGO, open up so the Rippers can see in your turn and declare a charge?

Really I think a limiting factor is points cost. 11 ppm is expensive, and to make a decent LOS blocking screen with 25mm skirmisher bases would require larger units.

Just thinking out loud, looking to spark conversation on it and hear if anyone is having success with these guys (particularly since the new chameleon models for Warcry are really nice)

 

[Lagast]

I've played chameleons twice. Reason I put them on the battlefiels is because I have these great Lost Kingdom printed models
I'm not a master tacticus, I haven't found a way to make them work. I played them in a small 5 model unit.

They cost too much compared to the regular skinks who do the same job + they have no quick shot, no move & shoot. Ok they have multiple shots, so the damage output could be the same.
But skinks are way more maneuverable + they have a shield, better armour save...

I'm not conviced the idea of "wasting" enemy shooting will work, If I'm playing against a list with chameleons, I might pick other targets, denying the evasive.


So IMO the +6 point cost is only because we have awesome models

 

[Gothmog Lord of Balrogs]

The thing is to try and keep them from being able to pick other targets by blocking LOS.

Problem there is half our army is large target, the other half doesn't get used, and the chameleons are just really expensive to take in bulk to use as LOS blockers

 

[discomute]

Blowpipes are the real issue, they have been designed horribly

 

[Gothmog Lord of Balrogs]

Blowpipes are the real issue, they have been designed horribly

While they are an issue, they are tangential. The point here is taking chameleons not for the damage they do or don't do, but to mitigate your opponent ability to cause damage to other units.

The unfortunate thing is they'd only block LoS in our army to the stuff we aren't really taking/relying on

 

[Kalisto]

The mainly problem in this edition are neither cost by itself or blowpipes. The mainly problem is that evasive doesn't really help AND they die fastly from the first magic missile against them. They will be out of your dispel range and with T2 they cannot withstand anything.

 

[Lagast]

CONCLUSION:

Are Chameleon Skinks more useful than we think?

No.

 

[Heeseung Lee]

Well most of the tournaments have rule of three, so I am practicing three skink skirmishers and three chameleon skinks army list.

Going second is not that bad if you can hide your monsters behind hills and forests. I think 5 man squad is sometimes easier to manage when you have to control 6 units. I put them at the edge of the forest so when they are shot they can FBiGO.

But I am not an experienced competitive player so who knows.