8th Ed. Planning a long-term campaign army

[Scalenex]

I'm playing a campaign where you are required to control certain features and buildings to build certain units.

The first 1500 points of my main army has no restrictions however. I'm wondering if I should build what i want for a regular 1500 point army or if I should front load my starting army with units that will be hard to recruit later. My favorite units tend to be on the easy to acquire side (Salamanders, Slann), but if I don't get a Stegadon or Carnosaur now, I might not get them for several campaign turns.

I have ranked the following in order from easiest to acquire to hardest

The following are guaranteed to be able to produce for pretty much the whole game
-Skink Cohorts (sans Kroxigor), Swarms, Skink Skirmishers, Skink Chiefs, Salamanders/Razordon Skink Priests

The following are things that I'm not guaranteed but would be pretty easy to acquire quickly and maintain against all but the most determined assault
Temple Guard, Slann with two disciplines or fewer, Chamo Skinks, Saurus Warriors, Scar Veterans

The following would take moderate effort to acquire and maintain
- Cold Ones (as mounts or units), Old Bloods, Kroxigors, Terradons (as mounts or units) Slann with 3-4 disciplines,

The following take a lot of building improvements to get and not likely be available for a good while
Stegadons (mounts or units), Ancient Stegadons (mounts or units), Ancient Stegadon (EOTG) Carnosaurs

A part of me wants to start out with a Carnosaur lord just because I can.

Seems my opponents on the hex map will be dwarves, chaos dwarves, WOC, Beastmen, VC, Ogres, DEs. With that many things with cannons perhaps large dinosaurs are not a good idea.

 

[Scalenex]

Okay it turns out our starting position is randomized which means my future access to new units is more of a crap shoot. If I don't start out in a "wet" tile I'll be limited to Saurus, Skink Cohorts, Slann and Temple Guard and little else until I can get a wet tile.

Also unit champions have a variety of events (rare as they are) that can get them promoted into heros, so I'm taking full command on everything.

I'm mulling three options
Classic Slann
This is a safe list, if I get screwed by a disadvantageous base with limited building options and am starting with just Temple Guard and Skinks, I can boost my small starting units to large size and have a reasonably balanced army that's easy to build off of.
Slann, Cupped Hands, Two Disciplines
2 x 20/2 Skroxigor FC
21 Temple Guard, FC Flaming Banner
3 Terradons + brave
8 Chamo Skinks + Stalker
Salamander + Snack

Solo Slann List
Plan is to take Shadow most of the time, and hop around the field as needed. If the Slann gets forced into CC he can use the Shadow lore attribute to throw the Skink Priest under the bus. If I decide solo Slann isn't for me, I'll buy Temple Guard later, they are one of the most easy to acquire things for me in the campaign.
Slann, Two Disciplines, Divine Plaque of Protection
Skink Priest, Cube of Darkness
25 Saurus Warriors FC
24 Skinks/3 Kroxigor FC
10 Skink Skirmishers + Brave
2 x 7 Chamo Skinks + Stalker
2 x 1 Salamander + Snack

No Slann List
The idea here is since the EOTG is the hardest thing to build in this campaign I should take the free one when I can get it.
Skink Priest, Ancient Steggy with EOTG, Opal Amulet
21 Saurus Warriors FC
20 Saurus Warriors FC
24 Skinks/3 Kroxigor FC
8 Chamo Skinks + Brave
3 Terradons + Brave
Salamander + Snack

 

[Arli]

I would go with the solo slann. I would also try to give the priest the cloak of feathers (but the Cube is probably a better choice starting out). That list seems to be the most versitile. I would make sure to make him etheral though. I would give the solo slann cupped hands and the crown of command..

 

[Scalenex]

I would go with the solo slann. I would also try to give the priest the cloak of feathers (but the Cube is probably a better choice starting out). That list seems to be the most versitile. I would make sure to make him etheral though. I would give the solo slann cupped hands and the crown of command..

The GM told me we can convert magic items to new magic items on a point for point basis, so I might try the cloak of feathers at some point because I lose nothing for switching. In addition each army has unique bonuses and one of the things I get for LM is faster magic production (LM are classified as a magic race), so I can upgrade my starting Slann a lot easier than I can upgrade the unit's he's with.

 

[Arli]

Sounds like a really fun campaign. Loooks like they put alot of thought into it too.

 

[Lord Cedric]

Agreed with Arli - this sounds like a pretty nice campaign! I've been looking into trying to find a way to do a campaign with my group who have random times available, and sometimes it's not weekly either. So different rules and such is what I have been looking into that can fit with my groups schedule. No luck so far. lol.

Good luck with your campaign!

- Lord Cedric