8th Ed. Dual Slann

[SilverFaith]

I have a large, friendly game of 3k points coming up. The intention is to try something different, and I have a few ideas I want to try, which obviously means I have to choose.

One of my ideas is going skink priest+tetto heroes, and going full Old Blood Lords. I've gone with that before, when I didn't feel like using the premium frog at lower points before.

But this... this is the first chance I have for trying this, and I'm wondering if it is worth it. Going plain fully-kitted slann seems boring and par-for-the-course, so I was thinking of bringing 2 to the table.

Now, my "problem" is that 3000 points leave 750 for lords, which means 600 for the slanns, and 150 for upgrades - all of them, including a potential BSB - for both slanns. That is very much stretched thin, and I'm not sure I'd even benefit much from having 2 slanns, as I would still be sorely limited by my magic phase - few dice would mean I wouldn't be able to benefit from both anyway. On the flip side, I would get far more flexibility from having, for example, a Light and Death Slann.

What's your thoughts on this? Have anyone actually tried this, or given it some deeper thoughts than this?

EDIT: Don't know if it matters, but my opponent will be VC. He loves his blender lords, and usually fills up lords with killers, and his heroes with necromancers. My SV and OB are too often killed off before getting any attacks off at all, which is another reason for wanting to try dual slann + a ton of SV that can buffed to hell and back with ASF and the like.

 

[Pinktaco]

hmm.. Well here's the thing:

You can only take each discipline once in the army.

But I suppose that is alright since we can only equip one of each magic items anyway so no ultra channel monster combo.

I've never considered getting 2 slann and I probably still wouldn't at 3000pts. You could, however, utilize the spell swapping special rule between slanns, but it's a high price for that tbh.

One interesting combo, I suppose, could be:

1 slann w/ wandering deliberation and book of ashur.

1 slann w/ channel staff and discipline. Takes whatever BRB lore that suits you.

It's super expensive and tbh if I were to use the book of ashur slann in a more extreme way I'd take tetto'eko along. That'll make you 2-dice every spell with no risk of broken concentration-

 

[Morewar]

How about one to light and one to death? The cheapest BRB lore+the dice generating one, might keep you from being starved for dice. Plus it offers a nice balance between damage, buffs and debuffs.

Edit : give one of the channeling+harmonic and the other one the forbidden rod, and you should not be afraid of ever having an uneventful magic phase

 

[Eladimir]

I'd have to vote you try 1 Slann and 1 Tetteko far more reasonably costed.

 

[SilverFaith]

I'd have to vote you try 1 Slann and 1 Tetteko far more reasonably costed.

But that is my basic load out.

Death does sound like a good idea. HC + channeling staff would probably be dumb to exclude from such a magic heavy list, and I do seem to be able to afford it.

Still not sure how to deploy them though.

 

[VampTeddy]

I'd have to vote you try 1 Slann and 1 Tetteko far more reasonably costed.

But that is my basic load out.

Death does sound like a good idea. HC + channeling staff would probably be dumb to exclude from such a magic heavy list, and I do seem to be able to afford it.

Still not sure how to deploy them though.

I suggest, and it is limited somewhat in supporting choices by my wish to have 2 combat blocks, and my regret that Saurus just doesn't cut it, the following:

+++ New Roster (2999pts) +++
+++ 3000pt Lizardmen 8th Ed Roster (Standard)) +++

Selections:

Lizardmen 8th Ed (Standard) Selections:

+ Lords +

* Slann Mage-Priest
AB Cube of Darkness, BRB Obsidian Amulet, Lore of Life, The Becalming Cogitation


* Slann Mage-Priest
BRB Channelling Staff, BRB Obsidian Trinket, Harmonic Convergence, Lore of Light


+ Heroes +

* Saurus Scar Veteran
Battle Standard Bearer, BRB - Enchanted Shield, BRB Biting Blade, BRB Talisman of Endurance, Hand Weapon, Light Armour


* Saurus Scar Veteran
BRB - Armour of Destiny, Cold One, Great Weapon


* Saurus Scar Veteran
BRB - Dragonhelm, BRB Dawnstone, Cold One, Great Weapon, Light Armour


* Skink Priest
(Aquatic, Arcane Vessel, Cold-Blooded, Scaly Skin (6+))
BRB Dispel Scroll, Hand Weapon, Lore of Beasts


+ Core +

* Skink Cohorts
Musician, 20x Skink, Skink Brave, Standard Bearer


* Skink Cohorts
Musician, 20x Skink, Skink Brave, Standard Bearer


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


* Skink Skirmishers
10x Skink Skirmisher


+ Special +

* Temple Guard
Musician, Revered Guardian, 25x Temple Guard
* Standard Bearer
BRB Banner of Eternal Flame


* Temple Guard
Musician, Revered Guardian, 26x Temple Guard
* Standard Bearer
BRB Banner of Swiftness


+ Rare +

* Salamander Hunting Pack
Salamander


* Salamander Hunting Pack
Salamander

A scar vet BSB to save those 25 pts from my lords, he is jammed into a unit of TG, a massive amount of skirmishers to control movement, and 2 20 man cohorts to bring banners, and hold the priest.

Cube on one slann because i couldn't afford another priest, dispel scroll on priest to save pts for slann.

One slann has a 2+ vs magic, the other a 3+ - you could save pts there by giving the unit and mr banner though, i didn't choose to, i wanted swiftness, and flaming, ideally Razor and flaming, but i didn't see where to cut out something.

Ideally the Salamanders would be 2 units of 2, but again, i wanted 2 slann and 2 units of TG.

There are 2 scar vets to do the heavy lifting, i set this as my minimum demand, and they might / will probably struggle.

Life and Light because i deem those superb buff lores, and they still retain me some magic missiles. Death has no interest to me but it's a meta-wise thing (well more specifically it's me saying no-no to great doom spells and i don't think death have enough else on offer besides spirit leech and doom and darkness). Shadow i feel is a viable alternative, swapping the slanns could be fun as well! or even swapping them with the priest. Remember they can swap spells, making shadow even more intruiging (Just convinced myself i'd go Light / Shadow or Life / Shadow, likely the first).

I'd deploy very boringly, i have tons of core, this allows me to see my opponents "bets" and call" them.


In general what i feel i'm missing :

Salamanders.

Terradons.

A scar vet or 2.

What i feel is good:

2 "large" units of TG, stubborn beasts to hold my line.

2 slanns means much diversity in spells.

Many skirmishers, much movement control.

Good magic defense.

 

[Pinktaco]

I'd try and get the razor standard on the swift guards if possible. S5 AP is good at chopping up cavalry

 

[SilverFaith]

Nice list, but I have a quick question:

If you throw in a SV in a Temple Guard block with a Slann, isn't the Slann forced into the first row?

I don't have my book at the moment, and I won't until sunday night, but I'm fairly certain the Slann is only allowed to stay in the second row if there are 5 models with the Guardian rule in the first rank. So unless you plan on making them 6 wide, the Slann has to be placed in the first rank.

I don't, unfortunately, have that amount of skinks. I know Skinks are superior to Saurus, but I just can't help but field large blocks of them anyway, so I only have about 30 skinks at the moment. Should probably look into buying a few more.

 

[n810]

* that 5 total models.

 

[VampTeddy]

Nice list, but I have a quick question:

If you throw in a SV in a Temple Guard block with a Slann, isn't the Slann forced into the first row?

I don't have my book at the moment, and I won't until sunday night, but I'm fairly certain the Slann is only allowed to stay in the second row if there are 5 models with the Guardian rule in the first rank. So unless you plan on making them 6 wide, the Slann has to be placed in the first rank.

I don't, unfortunately, have that amount of skinks. I know Skinks are superior to Saurus, but I just can't help but field large blocks of them anyway, so I only have about 30 skinks at the moment. Should probably look into buying a few more.

I don't field either TG or Saurus in anything other than 6 wide tbh.

And then i don't field Saurus at all so...

You're very much correct though, but then again, you're looking at 3 command models, and a hero, effectively still limiting your slann to second rank (or your scar vet if you want to) since the command models are forced into the front rank, so another rule is part of the question as well and allows you to field them 5 wide (tho' i've seen it argued that by forcing yourself to not accommodate fielding rules you're breaking the rules).

When it comes to TG however, i'd always go 6 wide to create a balance wbetween damage, and durability, i'm stubborn anyways, so i don't really get a lot from limiting my front rank, besides limiting strikes back if my opponent has a horde. It also limit my attacks back though, and hey! i'm stubborn.