8th Ed. Skink priests

[Bendermanuk]

I was playing tonight and it struck me that I'm really not sure where to put skink priests? I generally run skirmishers and have put them there or on the side of a Saurus block owing to base size. Would I be better off running a block of skinks or having them on foot? I'm really not sure of the best option. Any advice is greatly received.

Cheers

Ben

 

[The Hunted]

There are a couple of options,

1. Solo. Just put them within "Look out sir!" range of a big block and also keep them in check with predatory fighter. This does has the risk of him being magic missiled/shot of the table, but the enemy has to focus it's attention towards him.

2. In a unit of skirmishers. This had several advantages, first off he is protected from (magic missiles and ranged attacks. Skirmishers tend to move forward, so the priest can act as a vassal for your slann. Greatly improving the range of the big frogs' spells. Predatory fighter is still an issue. Not a big one, but still.

3. In a unit of skink cohorts. 10 skinks can house 2 priests (1 on each corner). If you deploy them 10 wide, the area that will keep the PF-Saurus in check is also pretty large. Put a musician on these guys for rallying purposes..
This is basically a bunker for your priest(s). Say you buy 2 units of skirmishers and 1 unit of skink cohorts, you have great flexibility to where you want to put your priest. Against enemy ranged attacks: hide him in either the cohort or the skirmishers, depending on your Slann/tactics. If the enemy doesn't have many ranged attacks, go solo!

Those are the places I would put my skink priest in. They are all viable, it just depends on the situation and what you want to do with them.
You could place them in a unit of saurus warriors...but that wouldn't be effective on any level

Hope this helps,

The Hunted

 

[Scalenex]

I like to get a Skink priest in a building with a Cohort. As long as they are in range of the BSB the unit will be very hard to dislodge and the building provides a 360 degree firing arc for aiming a Slann's spells.

 

[Rhodium]

There are a couple of options,


3. In a unit of skink cohorts. 10 skinks can house 2 priests (1 on each corner). If you deploy them 10 wide, the area that will keep the PF-Saurus in check is also pretty large. Put a musician on these guys for rallying purposes..
This is basically a bunker for your priest(s). Say you buy 2 units of skirmishers and 1 unit of skink cohorts, you have great flexibility to where you want to put your priest. Against enemy ranged attacks: hide him in either the cohort or the skirmishers, depending on your Slann/tactics. If the enemy doesn't have many ranged attacks, go solo!

The Hunted

I'm a bit confused by your wording here, is two just an arbitrary example

because a unit of 10 skinks can accommodate as many skink priest as you want, and they don't have to go on the corner, are you just suggesting that to avoid miscast damage and have a wide range for PF?

 

[Moniker]

I usually just tack 'em onto a block of Saurus and try to ditch before combat. I've usually used my scroll by the time they get stuck in anyway.

 

[Bendermanuk]

Thanks for the help guys, I think I'll try the cohort option for my next game and see how that goes.

 

[The Hunted]

There are a couple of options,


3. In a unit of skink cohorts. 10 skinks can house 2 priests (1 on each corner). If you deploy them 10 wide, the area that will keep the PF-Saurus in check is also pretty large. Put a musician on these guys for rallying purposes..
This is basically a bunker for your priest(s). Say you buy 2 units of skirmishers and 1 unit of skink cohorts, you have great flexibility to where you want to put your priest. Against enemy ranged attacks: hide him in either the cohort or the skirmishers, depending on your Slann/tactics. If the enemy doesn't have many ranged attacks, go solo!

The Hunted

I'm a bit confused by your wording here, is two just an arbitrary example

because a unit of 10 skinks can accommodate as many skink priest as you want, and they don't have to go on the corner, are you just suggesting that to avoid miscast damage and have a wide range for PF?

That is exactly what I was suggesting. You don't need to put them wide, you can just put them 5x2. Sometimes you want to put them wide, and putting them on the corners is the most advantageous as you said: miscast protection and PF-taming.

The Hunted