Temple Guard
DonkeyHotep
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These units are often the point of heated debate, but they have a great number of possible unit sizes and shapes that can be made.
Let's look at some stats.
Mv 6: Amazing, the best you could ever expect to get from ranked infantry, only slaaneshi demons can hope to match this speed. This is an unbelievable advantage, as it makes you able to put yourself into bothersome places, wheel more, and win charge standoffs. Water immunity makes them far faster then even their sp 6 would suggest.
Str 3: Not bad for little hobits, it makes their offensive potential merely normal for basic infantry.
T 2: Atrocious, to my knowledge, the worst of any US 1 ranked unit. Only swarms are typically this frail, a common point of complaint among those trashing these units, but this becomes mostly an issue when fighting basic infantry, against str 5+ it doesn't make a difference. Most notable at getting them shot up by str 4 fireballs.
WS 2: Hit on 3's wound on 3's, I hear it all the time and it never gets any easier to hear.
Bs 3: Basic infantry, you'll be hitting on 4's most times, and you are still poisonous with ranged weapons, so if you can hit it, you can probably poison it.
I 4: This is a surprisingly helpful benefit, against empire your first attacks will be needed to avoid getting rolled by their basic attacks. Also helpful against enemies like skaven with higher I, letting you go first if you somehow won.
Ld 6: This is actually quite good, it is 9.8% more likely to pass then normal ld 7.
SV: Better then it looks, this is the same save night goblins get, and 5+ is what most fast cavalry get, and a heck of a lot better then what most skirmishers get, totally countered by str 4 Magic missiles.
But wait, there's more!
Kroxigor
Mv 6: Amazing, the best you could ever expect to get from ranked infantry, only slaaneshi demons can hope to match this speed. This is an unbelievable advantage, as it makes you able to put yourself into bothersome places, wheel more, and win charge standoffs. Still aquatic, but wait, no I can't turn? Has never come up in a game I've played, since skinks can wheel so far.
Str 4/6: Amazing, beats wizard face, beats knight face, most normal units will be gonked on a 2+ and will have a save of 4+ AT BEST.
T 4: The best you can usually find in a normal unit. It is, after all, just a rank and file guy. Helps to soak bullets, magic missiles, and especially arrows.
WS 3: Most things will be hit on a 4+, which is all this guy really needs to get a hit or two in.
Bs n/a: Kroxigor throws a javelin! wait....
I=
: Well, can't win em all. He'd be swingin last anyway so the great weapon ain't gonna make it any worse, if your super concerned about maybe that one dark elf talisman, you could choose to not use it.
Ld 7: This is actually amazingly good, it is only around 3% worse then ld 9.
SV: Quite good, many heavy infantry only ever get a 4+ save, counts for a lot against arrows and magic missiles.
Here are several common builds for the skinks and why you might want to take them.
10 Skinks 50 pts.
Why it's Good: Dirt cheap, fills core, can be widened up to 10 and used to throw sticks at enemies and screen against arrows. Can be a speed bump, deployment delayer, redirector, or march blocker. Conceivably capable of defeating swarms.
Why it's Bad: Makes you more likely to go last if you take many, can be used as a speed ramp if poorly managed, no easy way to avoid having it cause panic. Conceivably capable of being defeated by swarms.
Upgrades?: Musician might help if it's going to be baiting a lot, and might occasionally affect a tie combat. Banners are quite dangerous, but might be worth it if your fighting really, really weak skirmishers. Champion allows the unit to form itself with a frontage of 1 and challenge to deny ranks and avoid counterattacks from the rest of the unit.
13 skinks 65 pts
Why it's Good: same crap, but you need to kill 4 of them to cause them to panic, more sticks to throw, mostly helpful if you really want something to just soak bullets or throw sticks. Can be broadened up to 7 wide for +2 attacks.
Why it's Bad: Still conceivably defeated by swarms.
Upgrades?: As above.
15 skinks 75 pts.
Why it's Good: 3 ranks, more likely to outnumber, sitting on +3 CR can help a lot. Even if they lose, very likely to hold against harassment units if general is around. Large targets and hills allow for inexplicably effective ranged fire against monsters and war machine crews. Able to break ranks, break skirmishers, and do anything a detachment could do, except much faster, and much weaker.
Why it's Bad: Still causes panic, can't beat anything serious, and tends to stay 5 wide to minimize it's number of ranged attacks.
Upgrades?: Musician may be highly helpful, since the unit is likely to be fighting things at this point, and losing by one can be quite painful against fear causers (which are often quite weak). Banner helps supplement their now reasonable combat resolution. Champion torpedo less likely to be a problem, though he may protect the unit from lone heroes, this is often not needed or wanted.
21 skinks 105 pts.
Why it's Good: As above, but with added benefit of greater security at beating down flankers, needs to lose 6 guys to panic. Can stop tree men, and throw many poisoned shots at them. Surprisingly effective war machine hunters, no longer afraid of swarms. Further, none of these units give banners when they die, so even with 21 skinks, you needn't worry over that 100VP.
Why it's Bad: Costs much more, and serious combat units of any kind are still beyond it's power to beat.
Upgrades?: Musician and Banner bearer highly worth considering, as the unit then becomes capable of beating weaker infantry blocks on it's own when flanking. Champion still of dubious merit.
25-30 skinks with nothing. 125-150 pts.
Why it's Good: well... it's bigger, it can soak a lot of bullets and still do whatever it wanted to, on average will blow up a giant with one round of shooting, makes things on hills very, very sad.
Why it's Bad: Costs much, much more, and serious combat units of any kind are still beyond it's power to beat. Becomes unwieldy.
Upgrades?: Unless truly devoted to ranged attacks against large targets, had better include command of some kind.
11 skinks with kroxigor 110 pts.
Why it's Good: Kroxigor, but able to beat things occasionally, when supported by magic and flanking can beat serious units. (I have seen this unit defeat chaos warriors in said fashion, much to the chagrin of my opponent) Still scary, still better lead, still throws sticks.
Why it's Bad: Somewhat pricey, banner can yield many points, and unable to give appearance of worthlessness.
Upgrades?: Serious contemplation on command, I never take champions when I take a kroxigor, simply because it is an excuse for an enemy hero to hide, maybe, most of the time I want my kroxigor to punch the enemy character. Alternately however, the skink can prevent attacks on the kroxigor from a hero that has str 5+ or some other hideous killing power, where his awful stats won't matter.
16 skinks with kroxigor 130 pts.
Why it's Good: A bigger, better kroxigor unit, able to be almost a straight up block in it's own right.
Why it's Bad: Pricey, skinks make attempts to frontally assault units with ws higher then 2 a problem.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
16 skinks with 2 kroxigor 190 pts.
Why it's Good: A biggerer, betterer kroxigor unit, can dish crazy beats, and by being 6 wide and moving within the unit can even have 2 kroxigors direct attacks at a hero. For when that hierophant MUST DIE!
Why it's Bad: Pricey, skinks make attempts to frontally assault units with ws higher then 2 a problem.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point.
23 skinks with 2 kroxigor 190 pts.
Why it's Good: Truly large, can take a lot of punishment from shooting, beats face, still crumps heroes what good and can now seriously consider itself a frontal combat unit. (when it charges)
Why it's Bad: Pricey, skinks make attempts to frontally assault units with ws higher then 2 a problem.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
24 skinks with 3 kroxigor 285 pts.
Why it's Good: 3 kroxigors will kill most things, and are harder to eliminate with an opening assault.
Why it's Bad: Still skinks.... look somewhat still, needs 2 more guys to be 8 wide. costly
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
32 skinks with 4 kroxigor 380 pts.
Why it's Good: Big, scary, looks hilarious, can very easily beat a lot of things it runs into. Not likely to roll over to knights.
Why it's Bad: very costly. Likely to be beaten by anything flanking it and lose a ton of guys.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
Let's look at some stats.
Mv 6: Amazing, the best you could ever expect to get from ranked infantry, only slaaneshi demons can hope to match this speed. This is an unbelievable advantage, as it makes you able to put yourself into bothersome places, wheel more, and win charge standoffs. Water immunity makes them far faster then even their sp 6 would suggest.
Str 3: Not bad for little hobits, it makes their offensive potential merely normal for basic infantry.
T 2: Atrocious, to my knowledge, the worst of any US 1 ranked unit. Only swarms are typically this frail, a common point of complaint among those trashing these units, but this becomes mostly an issue when fighting basic infantry, against str 5+ it doesn't make a difference. Most notable at getting them shot up by str 4 fireballs.
WS 2: Hit on 3's wound on 3's, I hear it all the time and it never gets any easier to hear.
Bs 3: Basic infantry, you'll be hitting on 4's most times, and you are still poisonous with ranged weapons, so if you can hit it, you can probably poison it.
I 4: This is a surprisingly helpful benefit, against empire your first attacks will be needed to avoid getting rolled by their basic attacks. Also helpful against enemies like skaven with higher I, letting you go first if you somehow won.
Ld 6: This is actually quite good, it is 9.8% more likely to pass then normal ld 7.
SV: Better then it looks, this is the same save night goblins get, and 5+ is what most fast cavalry get, and a heck of a lot better then what most skirmishers get, totally countered by str 4 Magic missiles.
But wait, there's more!
Kroxigor
Mv 6: Amazing, the best you could ever expect to get from ranked infantry, only slaaneshi demons can hope to match this speed. This is an unbelievable advantage, as it makes you able to put yourself into bothersome places, wheel more, and win charge standoffs. Still aquatic, but wait, no I can't turn? Has never come up in a game I've played, since skinks can wheel so far.
Str 4/6: Amazing, beats wizard face, beats knight face, most normal units will be gonked on a 2+ and will have a save of 4+ AT BEST.
T 4: The best you can usually find in a normal unit. It is, after all, just a rank and file guy. Helps to soak bullets, magic missiles, and especially arrows.
WS 3: Most things will be hit on a 4+, which is all this guy really needs to get a hit or two in.
Bs n/a: Kroxigor throws a javelin! wait....
I=
: Well, can't win em all. He'd be swingin last anyway so the great weapon ain't gonna make it any worse, if your super concerned about maybe that one dark elf talisman, you could choose to not use it.Ld 7: This is actually amazingly good, it is only around 3% worse then ld 9.
SV: Quite good, many heavy infantry only ever get a 4+ save, counts for a lot against arrows and magic missiles.
Here are several common builds for the skinks and why you might want to take them.
10 Skinks 50 pts.
Why it's Good: Dirt cheap, fills core, can be widened up to 10 and used to throw sticks at enemies and screen against arrows. Can be a speed bump, deployment delayer, redirector, or march blocker. Conceivably capable of defeating swarms.
Why it's Bad: Makes you more likely to go last if you take many, can be used as a speed ramp if poorly managed, no easy way to avoid having it cause panic. Conceivably capable of being defeated by swarms.
Upgrades?: Musician might help if it's going to be baiting a lot, and might occasionally affect a tie combat. Banners are quite dangerous, but might be worth it if your fighting really, really weak skirmishers. Champion allows the unit to form itself with a frontage of 1 and challenge to deny ranks and avoid counterattacks from the rest of the unit.
13 skinks 65 pts
Why it's Good: same crap, but you need to kill 4 of them to cause them to panic, more sticks to throw, mostly helpful if you really want something to just soak bullets or throw sticks. Can be broadened up to 7 wide for +2 attacks.
Why it's Bad: Still conceivably defeated by swarms.
Upgrades?: As above.
15 skinks 75 pts.
Why it's Good: 3 ranks, more likely to outnumber, sitting on +3 CR can help a lot. Even if they lose, very likely to hold against harassment units if general is around. Large targets and hills allow for inexplicably effective ranged fire against monsters and war machine crews. Able to break ranks, break skirmishers, and do anything a detachment could do, except much faster, and much weaker.
Why it's Bad: Still causes panic, can't beat anything serious, and tends to stay 5 wide to minimize it's number of ranged attacks.
Upgrades?: Musician may be highly helpful, since the unit is likely to be fighting things at this point, and losing by one can be quite painful against fear causers (which are often quite weak). Banner helps supplement their now reasonable combat resolution. Champion torpedo less likely to be a problem, though he may protect the unit from lone heroes, this is often not needed or wanted.
21 skinks 105 pts.
Why it's Good: As above, but with added benefit of greater security at beating down flankers, needs to lose 6 guys to panic. Can stop tree men, and throw many poisoned shots at them. Surprisingly effective war machine hunters, no longer afraid of swarms. Further, none of these units give banners when they die, so even with 21 skinks, you needn't worry over that 100VP.
Why it's Bad: Costs much more, and serious combat units of any kind are still beyond it's power to beat.
Upgrades?: Musician and Banner bearer highly worth considering, as the unit then becomes capable of beating weaker infantry blocks on it's own when flanking. Champion still of dubious merit.
25-30 skinks with nothing. 125-150 pts.
Why it's Good: well... it's bigger, it can soak a lot of bullets and still do whatever it wanted to, on average will blow up a giant with one round of shooting, makes things on hills very, very sad.
Why it's Bad: Costs much, much more, and serious combat units of any kind are still beyond it's power to beat. Becomes unwieldy.
Upgrades?: Unless truly devoted to ranged attacks against large targets, had better include command of some kind.
11 skinks with kroxigor 110 pts.
Why it's Good: Kroxigor, but able to beat things occasionally, when supported by magic and flanking can beat serious units. (I have seen this unit defeat chaos warriors in said fashion, much to the chagrin of my opponent) Still scary, still better lead, still throws sticks.
Why it's Bad: Somewhat pricey, banner can yield many points, and unable to give appearance of worthlessness.
Upgrades?: Serious contemplation on command, I never take champions when I take a kroxigor, simply because it is an excuse for an enemy hero to hide, maybe, most of the time I want my kroxigor to punch the enemy character. Alternately however, the skink can prevent attacks on the kroxigor from a hero that has str 5+ or some other hideous killing power, where his awful stats won't matter.
16 skinks with kroxigor 130 pts.
Why it's Good: A bigger, better kroxigor unit, able to be almost a straight up block in it's own right.
Why it's Bad: Pricey, skinks make attempts to frontally assault units with ws higher then 2 a problem.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
16 skinks with 2 kroxigor 190 pts.
Why it's Good: A biggerer, betterer kroxigor unit, can dish crazy beats, and by being 6 wide and moving within the unit can even have 2 kroxigors direct attacks at a hero. For when that hierophant MUST DIE!
Why it's Bad: Pricey, skinks make attempts to frontally assault units with ws higher then 2 a problem.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point.
23 skinks with 2 kroxigor 190 pts.
Why it's Good: Truly large, can take a lot of punishment from shooting, beats face, still crumps heroes what good and can now seriously consider itself a frontal combat unit. (when it charges)
Why it's Bad: Pricey, skinks make attempts to frontally assault units with ws higher then 2 a problem.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
24 skinks with 3 kroxigor 285 pts.
Why it's Good: 3 kroxigors will kill most things, and are harder to eliminate with an opening assault.
Why it's Bad: Still skinks.... look somewhat still, needs 2 more guys to be 8 wide. costly
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
32 skinks with 4 kroxigor 380 pts.
Why it's Good: Big, scary, looks hilarious, can very easily beat a lot of things it runs into. Not likely to roll over to knights.
Why it's Bad: very costly. Likely to be beaten by anything flanking it and lose a ton of guys.
Upgrades?: Near mandatory at this point
Keep the discussions going.
