8th Ed. Saurus Weapons?

[Orok]

What weapons are Saurus warriors best equipped with? I got a box of them today and I'm planning what to do with them.

 

[Arli]

I always take HW and shield. I like having the additional save (for parry). If I were taking a large horde unit, I could lean toward taking the spear, but usually, it is not worth it to me.

 

[Eladimir]

Almost always HW + Shields

 

[Scalenex]

HW and shield Saurus give you 17% fewer casualties suffered relative to spear Saurus in all rounds. They also cost about 9% less to field on the table.

Spear Saurus give you 25% more casualties inflicted in rounds where you aren't charging and can maintain three ranks. That's a 1% advantage in favor of handweapons even if they got to use their extra rank of attacks every round.

Overall this tilts things in favor of hand weapons, but not by much, if you chooe to field spear Saurus, it shouldn't cost you any games unless:
-you are fielding very small blocks of Saurus
-the scenario you are playing involves mostly assaulting or defending buildings
-You are playing a static army that is almost guaranteed to force you to charge them rather than attempting to charge you.

The following make spears more viable (though they don't make spearmen the OBVIOUS choice)
-Your general plan involves very deep ranks of Saurus
-You are taking Lore of Shadow, either Mindrazor or the Withering will make your every attack count (Lore of Metal has similar buffs and hexes but that help the same general way but are generally weaker)
-You are taking Lore of Light, Speed of Light means your attacks are worth more and the defensive buffs make up for your lack fo a parry save.
-You are playing a very fast army that is highly likely to get the charge on you
-You want to field the bare minimum Core and the extra points for spears will push you to 25%

 

[Orok]

I'm not entirely sure what my army will end up like, I'm going to get another box of Saurus so I'll have 32 of them.

 

[n810]

Well said Scalenex.

 

[Orok]

Yeah it was very helpful, I'm thinking of going with HW and S, it seems more forgiving. Do you get +2 to your armour save for having a hand weapon and shield, or has that removed/altered?

 

[sorrowquin]

That's been long gone =)

You get a 6+ Ward save in meele for Hw+S now. Which is actually pretty nice

 

[Orok]

So Saurus have a 4+ save in general then? 5+ for the scaly skin, 4+ for the shield? I'm going to have to have a long sit down and study the rulebook.

 

[Scalenex]

So Saurus have a 4+ save in general then? 5+ for the scaly skin, 4+ for the shield? I'm going to have to have a long sit down and study the rulebook.

Saurus of either kind get a 4+ armor save. Handweapon Saurus also get a Parry Save which counts as a 6+ Ward save against close combat attacks to their front.

I guess that slightly reduces the 17% less casaulties thing because you don't get the parry save versus impact hits or flanking attacks, but spearmen don't get the extra attacks against flankers either. That's the problem with Mathhammer, there are too many confounding variables.

 

[Lord Tsunami]

HW+shield ftw here. I wanna be aggressive, and i do not play huge units. The spears offer me very little.

 

[Raithial]

My usual role for Saurus is a massive wall of angry flesh to stand between my Slann and the enemy. So I usually have Sword and Shield. The main damage comes usually from Magic and Skink&co. Lore of Life or Lore of Heavens are a great addition to a Saurus Wall. Lore of Heavens is a great Damage Dealer and can safely be cast from behind the lines and really do some nasty damage with the Comet.