AoS Starborne 1500pts advice please

[Colossal Marlin]

Hi guys, long time since I posted, but now that life has settled down nicely for me I find myself returning to the battlefield with my Seraphon. I have no idea what battle tactics are so plan to study some of the other threads here to get an idea what I should look towards, but I chose my grand strategy based purely on the fact it is Seraphon specific and so may not be common knowledge to my opponent.

I am playing a small tournament this coming weekend (hopefully friendly) in my local community game store and rather than try force Thunder Lizard into 1500 I thought I'd give a Kroak/summoning hybrid list a try. I know for certain there is a gargant player as well as a lumineth and slaves to darkness player. Generally I'm not sure how this list will fare and would welcome any comments and criticism prior to my games, I also plan on updating this thread with the results of my games.

++ **Pitched Battle GHB 2022** 1,000 (Order - Seraphon) [1,500pts] ++

+ Leader +

Lord Kroak [450pts]

Saurus Astrolith Bearer [155pts]

Skink Oracle on Troglodon [250pts]: Celestial Destruction, Godbeast Pendant

Skink Starpriest [130pts]: 2. Hand of Glory

+ Battleline +

Skinks [225pts]: 30 Skinks, 2x Reinforced, Skink Alpha
. Boltspitter, Celestite Dagger and Star-buckler

Skinks [150pts]: 20 Skinks, Reinforced, Skink Alpha
. Boltspitter, Celestite Dagger and Star-buckler

+ Other +

Salamander Hunting Pack [140pts]
. Hunting Pack
. . 3x Skink Handler: 3x Celestite Goad

+ Scenery +

Scenery: Realmshaper Engine

+ Allegiance +

Allegiance
. Allegiance: Seraphon
. . Starborne: Dracothion's Tail, Show Celestial Conjuration Table

+ Game Options +

Game Type: 1500 Points

Grand Strategy: The Astromatrix

++ Total: [1,500pts] ++

 

[RelicGod]

I've actually no clue as I'm pretty new to the game, but i've read the Saurus Guards are pretty important (at least one unit) to help from having your lower health hero's sniped down turn 1. Plus they help protect that lovely Kroak you have!

Good luck in the tournament

 

[Colossal Marlin]

I've actually no clue as I'm pretty new to the game, but i've read the Saurus Guards are pretty important (at least one unit) to help from having your lower health hero's sniped down turn 1. Plus they help protect that lovely Kroak you have!

Good luck in the tournament

I did toy with the idea of a block of 5 for Kroak damage mitigation, but I'm hoping I can keep him well shielded either behind terrain or hope the dice roll in my favour for his Dead for Innumerable Ages. I do really like this idea, however I'm trying to balance that with the trade-off of 40 Skink shots buffed/unbuffed.

 

[RelicGod]

Most certainly a balancing question someone with far more experience than I can help with! It's unfortunate that you'd like have to do away with 20 skinks in order to add a unit of 5. Maybe the trade-off wouldn't be so great!

Although my concern would be Astromatrix. As you need a wizard to complete the objective, maybe extra protection for them would be mandatory almost... Just a thought.
Edit: Forgot about Oracle being a wizard too! So maybe not so important with 3.

 

[Colossal Marlin]

I really appreciate your input though, it gave me pause for thought to consider how I can better cover my general. I plan to stick with the skink and will try to summon an extra priest turn 1, maybe store them in the heavens until the 30 blob has been reduced to less than 20 and use celestial conjuration on turn 2 to bring in some guards for Kroak.

Yeah, I'm hoping the oracle can play a little bit of distraction Carnifex too with my opponents seeing it as the only monster I'm bringing to the field.

 

[RelicGod]

I really appreciate your input though, it gave me pause for thought to consider how I can better cover my general. I plan to stick with the skink and will try to summon an extra priest turn 1, maybe store them in the heavens until the 30 blob has been reduced to less than 20 and use celestial conjuration on turn 2 to bring in some guards for Kroak.

Yeah, I'm hoping the oracle can play a little bit of distraction Carnifex too with my opponents seeing it as the only monster I'm bringing to the field.

I appreciate you talking to me and sharing your list. I have yet to actually purchase and pieces as I'm wanting to have a good idea of a list I'd like to use so I can better plan out my purchases.

You inspired me for a different list! I've typically only been planning Thunder Lizard because, well, lizards on dinosaurs. But I do love the Oracle on Troglodon piece and Lord Kroak sounds like fun. Plus the idea of teleporting skinks and dinos sounds like fun! Pretty sure this list would not be the greatest, but could still be fun!

- Army Faction: Seraphon
- Army Type: Starborne
- Subfaction: Dracothion's Tail
- Grand Strategy: The Astromatrix
- Triumph: Inspired
LEADERS
Lord Kroak (450)
- Spells: Stellar Tempest
Saurus Astrolith Bearer (155)
Skink Oracle on Troglodon (250)
- Mount Traits: Celestial Destruction
- Spells: Hand of Glory
Skink Starpriest (130)
- General
- Command Traits: Master of Star Rituals
- Artefacts of Power: Godbeast Pendant
- Spells: Hand of Glory
BATTLELINE
Skinks (150)
- Skink Alpha
- Boltspitter, Celestite Dagger and Star-buckler
Skinks (150)
- Skink Alpha
- Boltspitter, Celestite Dagger and Star-buckler
Skinks (150)
- Skink Alpha
- Boltspitter, Celestite Dagger and Star-buckler
BEHEMOTH
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)
ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS
1 x Chronomantic Cogs (70)
1 x Purple Sun of Shyish (90)
TOTAL POINTS: 1925/2000
Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App

 

[Colossal Marlin]

Kroak and Oracle work really well together and a Astrolith beside Kroak meant I dominated both mine and my opponents hero phase.
So after three games against Sylvaneth, Sigmarines and Flesh Eater Courts, this list performed relatively nicely, I beat FEC, lost by one victory point to Sylvaneth and had to forfeit at the end of turn 3 against the Sigmarines as we were running out of time and I was left with only Kroak on the board.

Key things I would do differently;
- if playing against someone with some form of deepstrike or other teleport shenanigans like Sylvaneth, summon guard for Kroak turn one if able to. Watching Durthu step out of a wyldwood next to Kroak to wipe him off the board in one turn was a valuable lesson learned, although it didn't cripple the list.
- place the Starpriest and Realmshaper over a leyline, but not in a position where the caster is vulnerable to a mortal wound spam. Sigmar dragons, moved, ran and mortal wounded the priest off the board turn one effectively crippling the skink blob damage output.
- using Lord's of Space and Time and Appear on Command to put two units in your opponent's deployment is a really easy way to secure either the linebreaker or desecrate their lands tactics (not that it will matter when we move to season 3).
- Starpriests are the real MVPs, summoning a second to buff the other blob of Skink was just amazing.

Besides those points I had a really good games today, the Sigmar match was rediculous, the dragons my opponent have a 4+ ignore all magic, on top of a 4+/5+ ward (not sure which) if they are within 6" of an objective, gimping Kroak unbelievably and losing the Starpriest just sealed my fate quickly.

 

[RelicGod]

Kroak and Oracle work really well together and a Astrolith beside Kroak meant I dominated both mine and my opponents hero phase.
So after three games against Sylvaneth, Sigmarines and Flesh Eater Courts, this list performed relatively nicely, I beat FEC, lost by one victory point to Sylvaneth and had to forfeit at the end of turn 3 against the Sigmarines as we were running out of time and I was left with only Kroak on the board.

Key things I would do differently;
- if playing against someone with some form of deepstrike or other teleport shenanigans like Sylvaneth, summon guard for Kroak turn one if able to. Watching Durthu step out of a wyldwood next to Kroak to wipe him off the board in one turn was a valuable lesson learned, although it didn't cripple the list.
- place the Starpriest and Realmshaper over a leyline, but not in a position where the caster is vulnerable to a mortal wound spam. Sigmar dragons, moved, ran and mortal wounded the priest off the board turn one effectively crippling the skink blob damage output.
- using Lord's of Space and Time and Appear on Command to put two units in your opponent's deployment is a really easy way to secure either the linebreaker or desecrate their lands tactics (not that it will matter when we move to season 3).
- Starpriests are the real MVPs, summoning a second to buff the other blob of Skink was just amazing.

Besides those points I had a really good games today, the Sigmar match was rediculous, the dragons my opponent have a 4+ ignore all magic, on top of a 4+/5+ ward (not sure which) if they are within 6" of an objective, gimping Kroak unbelievably and losing the Starpriest just sealed my fate quickly.

Thanks for the update! Appreciated hearing how your list ended up working out.