8th Ed. New Lizardmen player - army draft

[Snotface]

I am currently building a Lizardmen army and would like a couple of pointers regarding army composition. I am not going for a power-list, just something solid.

My draft of the army I'm painting is as follows:

2500 points
Slann
Saurus BSB on foot
Skink Priest

40 Saurus w. spears
14 skink skirmishers
12 skink skirmishers
12 skink skirmishers

30 Temple Guard
3 Terradons
3 Terradons/Ripperdactyls
Ancient Stegadon with Engine of the Gods
Bastiladon with Solar Engine

A couple of things I'm worried about:

1. I only have two rather slow combat units and a supporting Ancient Stegadon (which I assume will usually be dead by turn 2. I face a lot of cannons). I do have a lot of fast skirmishers to slow the enemy, but two combat units just seems like too little.

2. Is the Engine of the Gods worth it? 280 points is a lot.

3. Terradons or Ripperdactyls?

Note that I will not use models that I don't like, so no Salamanders or Sauruses on Cold Ones for me

 

[airjamy]

Slann, Naked Slanns are generally not worth it, and then still you should add a bit more information before i can say much about it. Lore? Harmonic Convergence, Channeling Staff lore of Light BSB is a good cheap starting point for beginners
Saurus BSB on foot, See no reason to take, unlike other armies we can have a general that is a BSB, so do that instead. You take no hits in the item department at the Slann, so either make this guy killy in CC, a Cowboy or drop him
Skink Priest Lvl? Lore? Scroll caddy? A scroll caddy and a telepathic friend seems reasonable at lvl 1 or 2 with beasts.

40 Saurus w. spears Split them up in 2 units of 20 with HWS. Spears are bad on Saurus as they only get to make a single supporting attack. Any sane enemy will just laugh at your slow, massive close to 500 point core block, and they will never see combat in such a massive unit.
14 skink skirmishersMake it 3 units of 13 for better panic chances
12 skink skirmishers
12 skink skirmishers

30 Temple GuardSolid, good anvil to hide your Slann in. Command groups?
3 TerradonsWarmachine hunters are always good. Take Terradons or Rippers to taste, they can both be quite good, really.
3 Terradons/Ripperdactyls
Ancient Stegadon with Engine of the GodsThe old engine has taken quite a hit from the last book, it's now considered ok but a normal Ancient Steg is a bit better poins wise. Not bad, just not optimal IMHO
Bastiladon with Solar Engine Good. Always take Solar Engine, the snake thing is bad. I am not even used to see people list the upgrade, i just go from the fact that there will be a solar engine on the thing. Keep it next to your saurus to give them a bit more I when relevant, this is not relevant against say Elves

You are right in saying that 2 combat units are to little, cut one of them in half for better combat effectiveness and more map presence. You should be more then fine if you follow some of my suggestions in any semi-competetive enviroment.