8th Ed. Taking on the beastmen?!

[Lizard-man87]

First match against the beastmen coming up, wanted to know what others have found work well against them.

As a base I usually run something like this:

Slann - Lore of light/heavens
Skink Priests x 2 (level 1)
Oldblood on carnasoour (blade of realities)

Temple guard small unit
CoC unit of (cannot decide to have a larger unit or two smaller)
Saurus horde
Skink skirmishers units (3-4)
Salamanders - 2-3
Stegadon (warspear, have not used engine of the gods - worth trying?)


I am realitively new and a few games under my belts, as far as I know against beastmen I believe he will set up to have a horde and pretty much charge across the board.

Any tips would be most welcome!

 

[david l]

How many points are you playing? To have both a Slann and Carnosaur, are you doing 4000?

Their units can get hatred every round if they pass a leadership test. So if you take out the general and/or BSB, they tend to lose those re-rolls. Their BSB may also be providing +1 strength to his unit, so you always want to kill him if possible (if he has the banner for extra strength, he will have a 2+ armour save as his only defense).

Generally Beastmen are one of the weaker army books. A Bestigor horde with characters is dangerous, and Minotaurs are dangerous, and a Doombull can kill entire units by himself. Otherwise ... not so much. If your opponent is foolish enough to field any beastmen monsters, skinks should destroy them.

Generally a Saurus horde is not very efficient and Cold One Cavalry are very inefficient. I'd see a small TG unit, especially without Lore of Life, as closer to a deathtrap than a bodyguard. I don't see much value to level 1 skink priests, unless maybe you want for a scroll caddy. I'd love to see some mounted scar-vets, especially against an army with no artillery.

 

[Lizard-man87]

We play 3000pts and I mainly use the oldblood on carnasour to hunt high priority targets.


I use the skink priests to mainly channel for magic missles as I keep the slann at the rear of the battlefield. Surely a small TG unit is better than a lone Slann?

Any way of which you would change the army? Wouls the CoC not be effective against Beastmen?

 

[clockwork lizard]

You can't take both a carnosaur and a slann in 3000 pts, that takes you beyond the 25% cap (750).

 

[newscales]

load up on magic and shooting. he won't have anything that can stand up to the poisoned attacks. Beastman have terrible armor saves

 

[skillfull_dan]

Beastmen are pincushions, control his movement with skinks / terradons to give you enough time to breath fire and poison him down. Poison will wreck him.

I think that the carnosaur is fun to play, and that you should play it. However if after a few games you are having trouble winning you may want to drop it since it tends to die every game.

 

[Lizard-man87]

awesome cheers lads for the feedback!

going skink heavy tonight, worth using engine of the gods?

lore of light good lore against them?

 

[Scalenex]

I'd consider Lore of Death, since Beastmen fall apart when they lose their characters.

The downside of Death is that you don't have much in the way of protection spell so you'll want more Temple Guard then you would use with Light or Life.

 

[Rettile]

the engine of the gods is good, but against beastmen an ancient stegadon with giant blowpipes will do better, i think

 

[Myster2]

You can't take both a carnosaur and a slann in 3000 pts, that takes you beyond the 25% cap (750).

You are assuming you have to fully kit out the slann for them to be useful it seems. I run a carnosaur and slann list as well and find it very fun to play. I'm at 2800 pts.

Slann - Rumation, life, plaque of tepoq.
Old One on Carnosaur - Great Weapon, Armor of Fortune (the 5+ ward save one).

Both of these together is 692 pts.

If i'm against a really shooty army i'll run either the charmed shield or the amulet of itzel as well. However with this list i have two scar vets that usually have those items instead as they are usually a little more daring and stay in the front. The carnosaur usually either flanks and kills everything starting at one flank and moving in or sticks back and kills whatever seeks to hurt the slann and then joins combat and mops up.

I've had the carnosour/old one win against 5 chariots charging it all on the same turn. It is incredibly strong especially since it and the old one are Str 7 and the life slann can heal them easily.

I find that people are severely underestimating just how strong this can be. Yes I understand it is one cannonball shot from -400 pts. So far it has not happened.

 

[Rettile]

Old One on Carnosaur

the Old Ones are back! We'll destroy the chaos, now!