8th Ed. Lizardmen Battle Lessons

[raptor8610]

Hello everyone. I have been looking through all of the posts and I think it would be great if there was a thread where Lizardmen players could go to share their experiences from a battle. I am not talking about full battle reports, just important notes about what you and your opponents used and what worked and failed.

This way we lizardmen players can learn about our enemies in 8th edition and how we can effectively use our armies.

In my own experience against a high elf army the other day I found that Flesh to Stone from Lore of Life was invaluable. I ran my Salamanders up the flank to fire on some spearmen and cast Flesh to Stone to make them toughness six. With that they survived a full on charge from 9 dragon princes with a hero. I suffered one wound and stood my ground to charge them with an EOTG the next turn. The Dragon Princes and Hero died painfully.

 

[Hk-47]

I think this is a great idea!

Ps. The end of your tip made me lol =)

 

[lazylizard]

sounds great!! here's my battle lesson.

DON'T EVER PLAY AGAINST ANOTHER LIZARDMEN PLAYER. 2 models with cupped hands on the table does not turn out too well.

 

[Vilicate]

One thing that I've been trying is positioning my units so that if they get charged the enemy has to charge through the woods. Not only might it force some dangerous terrain tests, but it also means that they can't be stubborn when my saurus finally beat them in CC.

 

[Gor-rok]

Wow, there's a lot of great advice coming in. I never paid close enough attention to terrain rules to capitalize on that last one; thanks! Here's a few rather obvious things I picked up over the weekend's tournament.

1) Skrox units do best against high strength, low # of attacks type enemies, such as Bloodletters. Most everything is going to wound the skinks on a 2 anyway, and they get a parry save regardless. Let the heavy hits be wasted on them and flank with something for the win.

Enemies to avoid are the high # of attacks, lower strength units like dual weapon Savage Orcs. You're still usually getting wounded on 2s & 3s, but you're up against at least twice as many hits, and too many skinks are likely to fall for the unit to stay effective for long.

2) Everyone hates the salamanders. While this is to be expected, I've seen players do some really bizarre things while trying to kill them at all costs, to the detriment of their entire battle plan. Capitalize on this all you can.

3) If the enemy has two different spell casters, you can have a big influence on what spells you have to contend with on a give turn by using Becalming Cogitation. Power dice are usually in short supply, and most folks are willing to eat a miscast if it means getting something like Purple Sun off irresistible. Use Becalming on the caster with the spell you don't want to deal with, and oftentimes you won't have to.

4) Everyone I've played assumes the Slann's unit has Magic Resistance. If you're playing closed lists, you can probably save yourself some points and not take it at all.

Every time someone got ready to cast a damage spell at my Temple Guard, they'd stop and say "Wait, that probably has MR3, doesn't it?", and cast at something else when I replied "Maybe..." I actually did have the MR, but the points could have gone somewhere else if I was any good at bluffing.

5) Chameleon skinks are spectacular war machine hunters now, but there's usually very limited room to place them. I think multiple smaller units might be the way to go. Get them behind the lines, and under the range of a bunch of stone throwers, and watch the mayhem ensue.

That's all I can think of for the moment. Keep those ideas coming, folks.

 

[Arli]

With Terradons, now it is KEY to make sure that after you pass over a unit to drop rocks that you face the direction you wish them to charge to next turn. If you do not do this, you will not be able to charge the next turn.

 

[raptor8610]

Well I am glad people like sharing battle lessons. I never thought about forests breaking up steadfast or terradons needing to face the correct way because they have to wheel now. Great ideas so far everyone.

 

[AunKnorrie]

Interesting post Gor-rok,

For me this means there is a clear role for a Suarus block, as well as a different role for a Skrox block. The Skrox should aim at smoller, high strengt units. The Saurii should target larger blocks of lower value troops.

Leaves me with the question of redundancy, bot for the moment, thank you.

 

[hellbreaker]

My lessons:

- Don't ever hesitate to charge the block of models with a BSB bearer in it in fear of getting a failed charge.

- Avoid chariots if possible, otherwise charge them before they charge you.

- So long as it's simple fast cavarly, don't be afraid of getting flanked, press on!

- Lone skink priests survive more easily when not in a unit for some reason.

- Miscasting with a lone skink priest doesn't hurt you, only whatever it was you threw chain lightning at.

- Giants are still nasty.

- Use chain lightning on Giants.

Cheers!

 

[crouchingotter]

Game #1

Lesson Learned: Slaan in a block of 20 Temple Guard that knows the whole lore, gets a free power dice per spell, and has cupped hands is awesome and isn't going anywhere. Mutiple comets at the same time = fun

Game #2

Lesson Learned: Slaan in a block of 20 Temple Guard that knows the whole lore, gets a free power dice per spell, and has cupped hands is awesome and isn't going anywhere as long as you can draw line of sight to an enemy wizard. I took the Lore of Heavens, first casting of Coment on 6 dice, enemy shaman behind a tree. Rolled IF. Rolled 4 on the miscast table. Goodbye 16 Temple Guard.

Game #3

Lesson Learned: Slaan in a block of 20 Temple Guard that knows the whole lore, gets a free power dice per spell, and has cupped hands is awesome and isn't going anywhere as long as you can draw line of sight to an enemy wizard. It's even better with the Lore of Life cos Throne of Vines is great. And in the unlikely event of killing a mass of Temple Guard... you can bring them back

 

[vapor]

Game #2

Lesson Learned: Slaan in a block of 20 Temple Guard that knows the whole lore, gets a free power dice per spell, and has cupped hands is awesome and isn't going anywhere as long as you can draw line of sight to an enemy wizard. I took the Lore of Heavens, first casting of Coment on 6 dice, enemy shaman behind a tree. Rolled IF. Rolled 4 on the miscast table. Goodbye 16 Temple Guard.

My very first test game of 8th I took lore of light on my slann in 16 temple guard. My very first spell I cast in the first turn I IF, roll a 3, fail my cupped hands roll, sucked my 600 vp slann into the warp and killed off his 300 vp bodyguard.

I haven't taken anything but life since.

 

[Gor-rok]

Remember, Cupped Hands still negates your miscast even if there's no enemy wizard in sight; you just won't be able to bounce the effect. The rule is spelled out very well in the army book if your opponent tries to make an issue of it.

Sometimes it's worth saving your Temple Guard from destruction, even if it means not frying an enemy wizard.

 

[ninjakeso]

Remember, Cupped Hands still negates your miscast even if there's no enemy wizard in sight; you just won't be able to bounce the effect. The rule is spelled out very well in the army book if your opponent tries to make an issue of it.

Sometimes it's worth saving your Temple Guard from destruction, even if it means not frying an enemy wizard.

One of the lesser known effects of the cupped hands, but it just increases it's usefulness.

 

[venom_x51]

My to lesson is to always remember the Fear test.

We have a good number of fear causing units available; Kroxigors (and SKrox units), Cold Ones (cavalry and character mounts), Salamanders, Razordons and Stegadons (and I always give my TG champion the fear causing sword)

However, I'm seem to have a big hole in my head when it comes to remembering that the opponent needs to test for fear in each round of combat. I always seem to remember just as I'm taking models out of my movement tray and it's all too late to benefit from enemies at WS1.

 

[Arli]

Do not forget you're chameleons. I have played a few games where I forgot to move them or shoot them because they kind of blend into the board (especially in a forest or a building with a roof).

 

[ShivanAngel]

Ok got a few games of 8th under my belt, heres a few things ive learned. (these are my opinions)

Lore of life is overrated. I have really not been impressed with this lore yet. Maybe it will wow me at some point, but we will have to see. My biggest issue with it is its a mediocre lore normally, but it gets great with throne of vines on. You dont get throne of vines off very often, and if you throw a brick at it to get IF off, more then likely you wont have many dice to cast the other spells.

Skink Skirmishers and Chameleons... Wow just wow, these guys are completely nuts. Being able to march and shoot, i just danced around my oponents big blocks the entire time plinking away at them... It doesnt matter if there are 40 models in the unit if your getting 50+ poisoned shots a turn. In one game 7 chameleon skinks were able to take down 10 DE RxB... 7's to hit at close range when they double tap was hillarious.

Big saurus blocks. Really not sure how much i like them. They are decent, but against other core troops, especially fighty armies they really dont stand up. I havent really tested them in depth against "normal" infantry like clanrats, or empire infantry. However the warriors of chaos, high elves, and dwarves just laugh at them.

Magic. WOW. When the winds of magic are in your favor ( like rolling a 5-5 or a 4-6) things just get stupid with that slann. I have only played one army that can compete in the magic (dispell side) phase with the slann, and that was with a dwarf army tailored to dealing with magic.

Stegs. Im at a loss with them i really am. Against most armies they are fairly strong with the addition of the Tstomp. However against any army with a cannon it more then likely wont last past turn 2. In one game I had the cannon destroy all the crew, the skink character on top, and put 5 wounds on the steg. (this was on turn one) then finish it off with normal RNF shooting. Course in my last game the skink priest on top got his and the stegs points back with a very nasty chain lightning. (this has nothing to do with the stegadon tho).

 

[wolfmage]

Flying skink priest is invaluble. Skink priest lobs chain lightning while staying 1 inch behind your enemies combat unit annoys the hell out of them and then when you miscast you kill more of your enemies models than skink priest wounds

 

[Caneghem]

In one game I had the cannon destroy all the crew, the skink character on top, and put 5 wounds on the steg. (this was on turn one) then finish it off with normal RNF shooting.

I know the rulebook says that cannons hit the beast and the crew, but I believe you still randomize the ONE hit against the crew. Would be pretty ridiculous if cannons hit every crew model.

 

[Caneghem]

Remember, Cupped Hands still negates your miscast even if there's no enemy wizard in sight; you just won't be able to bounce the effect. The rule is spelled out very well in the army book if your opponent tries to make an issue of it.

Sometimes it's worth saving your Temple Guard from destruction, even if it means not frying an enemy wizard.

I believe he was referring to failing the 2+ roll you always have to make in order to use Cupped Hands. I think the 3 he rolled was on the miscast chart.

 

[Yanko]

Being new to WHFB last night I learned to ALWAYS bring a dispel scroll.