AoS New to AoS - Trying to build a 1k list

[Zormo]

So I was drawn to Seraphon because of the awesome dinosaurs, but I soon realised that it is difficult to field a lot of the big models in an army that synergies well, especially with only 1000 points.

I like the idea of Slanns and Kroak is awesome but I have come to accept that these are just not practical in a 1000 point army. The Bastiladon is a must for me and I have been looking at the Shadowstrike Starhost with rippers as this seems very strong. However I can't help but worry that this will only be a 1st turn gimmick that works well on turn 1 but then leaves me a bit powerless once the rippers get killed and I am stuck with some measly skinks.

I love the carnosaur but I have heard that knights are quite underwhelming so I would feel as if I'm wasting money on the SC box. Apart from that I've been struggling to fit the models I want into only 1000 points. I could expand into a bigger army but me and my friends usually only have time to play 1k battles and funds are a little short atm :/

I guess what I am asking for is a 1k list (that could be expanded into 2k in the future) that is fun to play and capable of holding it's own in all kinds of situations. This list should include a Bastiladon and as many cool looking dinosaurs as possible.

PLEASE HELP ME CRUSH MY FOES WITH THE POWER OF AZTEC DINOSAURS AND LASERS!!!

 

[Killer Angel]

I guess what I am asking for is a 1k list (that could be expanded into 2k in the future) that is fun to play and capable of holding it's own in all kinds of situations. This list should include a Bastiladon and as many cool looking dinosaurs as possible.

Slann (great rememberer)
Bastiladon (solar beam)
Stegadon
2 x 10 skinks
2 x Salamander.


Use the Slann to buff with 3 spells the Steggy, teleport, shoot and charge with the ability of the Alpha skink.
Shoots with Basti, then buff it with spells if something bad happens to Steggy
move the skinks on objectives and use the sallies for additional shooting.


You will have strong magic, HIGH mobility, solid shooting with 4 dinos (if we count the sallies), solid combat phase.


but really, once you've the Slann+Basti+Steggy, you can do whatever you want with the remaining 220 pts. For example:
10 x Skinks, 5 x Knights, 1 salamander
2 x 10 skinks, 3 x Prosecutors (SCE allies)

 

[Stormscales]

However I can't help but worry that this will only be a 1st turn gimmick that works well on turn 1 but then leaves me a bit powerless once the rippers get killed and I am stuck with some measly skinks.

Yeah, honestly, I don't think the Shadowstrike Starhost is meant to be used on its own, especially in a small game. I wouldn't recommend it. It's mostly a tool of assassination and disruption that serves as support to other, more brutal stuff. Ripperdactyls are very good, but you can't rely on them to win protracted fights.

Regarding Skinks, it's generally agreed there are two ways to field them: either you go with the bare minimum to meet battleline requirements (here that would be 2 units of 10, for 120 points), allowing you to spend the rest on monsters, or you go with the maximum to benefit from number bonuses.

I have heard that knights are quite underwhelming

This was one of the hardest lessons for me to learn. They look badass, but they're just not fast enough to be effective light cavalry and not resilient enough to be effective heavy cavalry. Took me a while to admit that they had never performed all that well for me.


If you're going to use monsters, especially a Bastiladon, I suggest having a Skink Priest with priestly trappings hiding behind them and casting his priestly rites. A 3+ re-rollable, Rend-immune save is hard to get through.

 

[Zormo]

Slann (great rememberer)
Bastiladon (solar beam)
Stegadon
2 x 10 skinks
2 x Salamander.

This sounds pretty fun tbh. Is there any reason why you say to take the Stegadon rather than EotG? Is the skink alpha and flamethrowers/crossbow more valuable?

I think I would also take a Razordon rather than a Sally. Would it be better to take 2 Razordons or 1 Razordon + Skink Handlers?

Also what about this:
x1 Saurus Sunblood
x1 Skink Starpriest
x40 Saurus Warriors
x20 Skinks
x1 Bastiladon
(Would love to add a Scar-Vet on Carnosaur but this would be 1200 points) - Although I could add x10 Skinks and a Stegadon for a flat 1500 points?

It would be terrifying for 40 saurus warriors to suddenly teleport 9" from the enemy backline...

 

[Killer Angel]

This sounds pretty fun tbh. Is there any reason why you say to take the Stegadon rather than EotG? Is the skink alpha and flamethrowers/crossbow more valuable?

I think I would also take a Razordon rather than a Sally. Would it be better to take 2 Razordons or 1 Razordon + Skink Handlers?

EotG is more a support unit that can say its own in combat. But you take it for the engine, not for the combat prowess.
The Stegadon got a great distance shooting (giant xbow), and in charge is very effective. Plus, it's almost guaranteed to reach the target with the ability of the Skink Alpha.
(teleport, use the ability and move d6+1 for curse of fate, then charge with +1 for curse of fate).
EotG is strong, but I wouldn't take it at 1000 pts, when one of your problem is t have enough hitting power.

A single razordon is almost useless. For single models salamander are better, while razordons work on numbers.
2 razordons is the absolute minimum, and I tend to avoid the use of points for haldlers, 'cause the re-roll of 1s can be easily be gained with the Great Drake constellation of the Slann.

Also what about this:
x1 Saurus Sunblood
x1 Skink Starpriest
x40 Saurus Warriors
x20 Skinks
x1 Bastiladon
(Would love to add a Scar-Vet on Carnosaur but this would be 1200 points) - Although I could add x10 Skinks and a Stegadon for a flat 1500 points?
It would be terrifying for 40 saurus warriors to suddenly teleport 9" from the enemy backline...

Well, that's kinda different from the initial target...

Anyway, 40 sauri may be difficult to place with a teleport. And don't use 20 skink: use 10 or 40, the numbers in between are not worth the price.

 

[Zormo]

Okay, so I've done some thinking and have created a 1500 points list that I think would work:

Scar-Vet on Carnosaur (240)
Saurus Sunblood (120)
Skink Starpriest (80)

x30 Saurus Warriors (300)
x10 Skinks (60)
x10 Skinks (60)

x3 Razordons (120)

Bastiladon (280)
Stegadon (240)

1500/1500

What do you think of this list?
Would it also be possible to buy the SC box for the Carnosaur and do this:

• Convert the Skink oracle from the Trogolodon into a Starpriest
• Convert 1 of the 12 Saurus warriors into a Sunblood
• Then buy a box of 20 warriors to bring the unit up to 30 models
• Buy a box of Skinks to split into 2 x10s
• Buy the Razordons, Stegadon and Bastiladon

I'm thinking this would be the best way to build and save money, I could also potentially sell the knights that I don't want.

 

[Stormscales]

2 razordons is the absolute minimum, and I tend to avoid the use of points for haldlers, 'cause the re-roll of 1s can be easily be gained with the Great Drake constellation of the Slann.

Indeed, and you can take an additional Razordon for the price of handlers, so...

If I wrote the rules, I'd have the handlers deployed along with the Salamanders and Razordons, like a battalion with no extra cost. Or perhaps they should be removed altogether and replaced with a synergy with normal Skinks. Right now all they do is give you more units to deploy. They're one of those "vestigial" units from old Warhammer Fantasy that GW feels obligated to keep around.

Scar-Vet on Carnosaur (240)
Saurus Sunblood (120)
Skink Starpriest (80)

x30 Saurus Warriors (300)
x10 Skinks (60)
x10 Skinks (60)

x3 Razordons (120)

Bastiladon (280)
Stegadon (240)

Seems solid, though I'd personally field Sauruses in units of 40 to make sure they don't lose their +1 attack at the first casualty. Sacrifice a couple of Razordons if needed.

Does a 1,500-pt game run with the requirements and limitations of a 2,000-pt game regarding Battleline units and Behemoths? It's a good size for a game, so I don't know why it's not considered one of the "official" game sizes.

 

[Zormo]

Seems solid, though I'd personally field Sauruses in units of 40 to make sure they don't lose their +1 attack at the first casualty. Sacrifice a couple of Razordons if needed.

I was originally going to field 40 Saurus but it's kinda awkward to have 12 from the SC box, buy another 20 and then only need 8 more (9 more if I convert 1 to a sunblood)... I don't want to buy another 20 warriors just for another 8/9.

1500 does have the same requirements as a 2k list yes.

 

[Killer Angel]

Does a 1,500-pt game run with the requirements and limitations of a 2,000-pt game regarding Battleline units and Behemoths?.

It's up to you and your group.
Officially, 1500 it's a size that doesn't exist. You pass from 1250 to 1750 with nothing in between

 

[Killer Angel]

Okay, so I've done some thinking and have created a 1500 points list that I think would work:

Scar-Vet on Carnosaur (240)
Saurus Sunblood (120)
Skink Starpriest (80)

x30 Saurus Warriors (300)
x10 Skinks (60)
x10 Skinks (60)

x3 Razordons (120)

Bastiladon (280)
Stegadon (240)

1500/1500

What do you think of this list?

You can only use the command ability of the ScarVet or the Sunblood, so you are going to lose something.
If you discard the Sunblood, you can pick 10 warriors. Or a Second Starpriest (to have both Starlight and Mystic shield) and the handlers for those 3 razors (remember: without a Slann, you cannot have a constellation to re-roll 1s, so you need the handlers for the 6 dices of shooting)

 

[Zormo]

You can only use the command ability of the ScarVet or the Sunblood, so you are going to lose something.
If you discard the Sunblood, you can pick 10 warriors. Or a Second Starpriest (to have both Starlight and Mystic shield) and the handlers for those 3 razors (remember: without a Slann, you cannot have a constellation to re-roll 1s, so you need the handlers for the 6 dices of shooting)

Oh man this is so confusing, so the sunblood is kinda worthless with the Scar-Vet right? I'm assuming it would be the same if it was an Oldblood too? Not sure what to do with this list anymore then :/

 

[Killer Angel]

Oh man this is so confusing, so the sunblood is kinda worthless with the Scar-Vet right? I'm assuming it would be the same if it was an Oldblood too? Not sure what to do with this list anymore then :/

I will try to wipe away some of the confusion.
All saurus heroes have command abilities that buff combat.
Only one can be the general, so with two of them you will lose the ability of the other one.
You can afford to use a hero without its command ability in higher points games, but at 1000 you need all the help you can.
So, my suggestion is to use only one of them and employ the saved points for something else... especially given that you need to cover some weak point (the razordons that need to reroll 1s)

Your list works and needs only that small adjustment.

 

[Zormo]

I will try to wipe away some of the confusion.
All saurus heroes have command abilities that buff combat.
Only one can be the general, so with two of them you will lose the ability of the other one.
You can afford to use a hero without its command ability in higher points games, but at 1000 you need all the help you can.
So, my suggestion is to use only one of them and employ the saved points for something else... especially given that you need to cover some weak point (the razordons that need to reroll 1s)

Your list works and needs only that small adjustment.

Okay that makes sense, I wish I could have a Sunblood on a Carnosaur! That would be sweet I prefer the Sunblood command ability, but I would rather have a Carnosaur on the field so I'm just left wondering what to fill that spot with?

 

[Killer Angel]

I prefer the Sunblood command ability, but I would rather have a Carnosaur on the field so I'm just left wondering what to fill that spot with?

You're right the command ability of the Sunblood is powerful.
If you skip the Sunblood, go for a second skink starpriest and pick handlers for the 3 razordons.

BTW, I forgot to tell you about Oldblood on Carno and Sunblood.
THeir command ab. fill different roles: the sunblood buffs sauri, the Oldblood buffs heroes. This means that with an oldblood as general, your block of saurus warriors won't be buffed, but the Sunblood (and the oldblood, of course), will hit very hard.