8th Ed. Starting a Liz Army

[fatCobra]

I have played Warhammer Fantasy during 6th and early 7th edition and stopped, and am recently coming back now that it is 8th edition. I like Lizzies because Saurus are rock hard have 2 attacks each , Skinks are cheap range harassers and flankers with poison attack and a movement speed of 6 which is like cavalry, and lastly who doesn't want to have a army made up of dinosaurs riding bigger dinosaurs .

Now my major problem i am facing now is that, the new 8th ed rules about who gets to strike 1st in combat changed from what i remember back in the days. Now everything is done with Initiative, and my main combat units (sauruses) have an 1(I), I am asking for tactics to keep them alive longer in combat from more experienced players.

I am not a big fan of creating a Horde army for the following reasons:

1. Saurus are kind of expensive to "horde" and since 1 saurus has a base 2(A) a unit of them has enough attacks for me.

2. Horde requires 10x wide units, this becomes a pain maneuvering and terrain becomes a pain.

3. A 10x wide unit is a VERY BIG target which can be charged at multiple units at multiple sides.

So to put an end to this post, I am basically asking for ways too on how to keep my units from dying due to the fact that lizzies (I) is almost non existent and most of the time will always strike last. Horde is not an option

 

[The Omen]

Strikeing first isn't that big a deal anymore. you remove casualties from the back rank so you always get your full amount of attacks back anyway.

Take them in 3/4 ranks and you'll still have 2/3 turns of full attacks, obviously once your down to removing casualties from the second rank then you start to lose attacks back but by that point you should have the other unit on the run anyway.

 

[Viarca]

Like the Omen said, with casualties taken from the back, initiative isn't as big a deal in combat as long as it's not getting down to the wire. Where it really hurts is against magic, because a lot of spells can force initiative tests or models die with no saves of any kind. One thing that tends to work well, is to use a Slann with the Lore of Light, which has a spell that can make units I10 (and WS10).

 

[Hasnat]

Saurus are tough enough to weather a frontal charge from almost anything (with the exception of maybe Blood Knights), and put out enough attacks to force Break tests. As mentioned, Initiative 1 no longer matters and casualities are removed from the back rank, and with spears, and a 5 x 4 unit, you can put 25 attacks, or even just 20 if your enemy manages to kill FIVE Saurus.
Things like Purple Sun of Xereus hurt a lot cos' they force In. tests, and that means if you don't roll a 1, that model dies. Bad for Saurus. But your Slann will be able to take care of that anyway usually (unless your faced with a Level 4 Dark Elf sorceress wih a Power Scroll).
My advice is to take them on blocks of 20 or 24 (depending on what point syou're playing), and use them in either 5-wide or 6-wide formation, maybe with spears. Scrren them against shooting using Skinks, and take out wrmachines using chameleons or terradons.
And BE AWARE OF ENEMY CAVALRY AS A FLANK CHARGE WILL DESTROY YOUR SAURUS UNIT.