Kroxigor
Lawot
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Just played a buddy of mine in a 2k bout. Ever since T9A came out, I've pretty much forsworn Skink Clouds, as I want to do my part to generate data about the Saurus, who are pretty much my favorite unit. So this was my list, in short form (and with 8th Ed. names to make it easier to follow):
30 Saurus Warriors, joined by Veteran BSB, Warlord, and Skink High Priest of Light on palanquin.
4 Swarms
10 Chameleons
10 Skinks Hunters with Jav & Shield
4 Rhamphodon Sky Riders (Rippers)
Rhamphodon Sky Captain with Hero's Sword (my anti-magic) (Ripperchief)
2 Salamanders
Thyroscutus with Sun Engine (Basti)
He brought a big block of Common Orc 'Eadbashers (Big 'Uns) with a Goblin BSB and Warlord, a big block of Goblins as a bunker for two Level 2's, a Goblin King on a Cave Gnasha (Warboss on Cave Squig), two Gargantula Spiders (Arachnarok), a unit of Gnasha-Dashas (Squig Hoppers), two Git Launchers (what else could it be?) and two Scrap (Pump) Wagons.
So right off the bat, I didn't have an ideal army. Some poison shots, which are great, but not much in the way of high-Strength attacks to deal with those spiders. Lore of light meant some great buffs, and the Thyro was there for that as well, which means I needed to get to grips in CC. SO we did! I put down Saurian Warriors first thing, to draw out his army. He lined it up with Gobbos and Orcs in the center, and a Spider and Scrap Wagon on each flank. Sallies, Skinks, Swarms and Rhampho's all went on my left, from the center to the flank. The support troops on my left did an okay job of tying up or knocking out his support, but when the dust settled over there, his Spider was still standing, my Skinks and Swarms were all dead, and my Rhampho's were in position to take a charge from the Gnasha-Dashas. In the Center, his Orcs came for my Saurus, while his Goblin wizards threw hexes on stuff and zapped the Rhampho Sky Captain off the table. When the Orcs and one Spider finally got into it with the Saurus, our scaley heros held up surprisingly well - tying the first round and winning the second, when the Thyro joined the fray. But once the infantry had ground each other down to nothing, he still had two Spiders on the table - and I had nothing but my characters.
So I was more pleased with my Saurian Warriors than I've been in a long time - in a matchup with significant support from characters, monsters and magic, they ground it out with some tough Orcs. If the Rhamphodons had gotten into the fray, things would have gone my way much sooner. But here's what gets me: the Orcs and Saurus were pretty evenly matched. 30 Orc 'Eadbashers, with Paired Weapons and Full Command, cost 220 points. 30 Saurus, with Full Command and the Serpent Totem, cost 365. Wow. For two units that should excel at close combat, a Saurus unit that costs 65% more to field should dominate the Orcs.
Otherwise, I was pretty happy with how things went - my opponent played very well, my Rhampho's were kept out of combat by his good moves and my deployment, and the synergies between Saurus, Thyro and magic were really fun and effective. Saurian Warriors, though, either need to come down in price even further, or be more effective in CC.
30 Saurus Warriors, joined by Veteran BSB, Warlord, and Skink High Priest of Light on palanquin.
4 Swarms
10 Chameleons
10 Skinks Hunters with Jav & Shield
4 Rhamphodon Sky Riders (Rippers)
Rhamphodon Sky Captain with Hero's Sword (my anti-magic) (Ripperchief)
2 Salamanders
Thyroscutus with Sun Engine (Basti)
He brought a big block of Common Orc 'Eadbashers (Big 'Uns) with a Goblin BSB and Warlord, a big block of Goblins as a bunker for two Level 2's, a Goblin King on a Cave Gnasha (Warboss on Cave Squig), two Gargantula Spiders (Arachnarok), a unit of Gnasha-Dashas (Squig Hoppers), two Git Launchers (what else could it be?) and two Scrap (Pump) Wagons.
So right off the bat, I didn't have an ideal army. Some poison shots, which are great, but not much in the way of high-Strength attacks to deal with those spiders. Lore of light meant some great buffs, and the Thyro was there for that as well, which means I needed to get to grips in CC. SO we did! I put down Saurian Warriors first thing, to draw out his army. He lined it up with Gobbos and Orcs in the center, and a Spider and Scrap Wagon on each flank. Sallies, Skinks, Swarms and Rhampho's all went on my left, from the center to the flank. The support troops on my left did an okay job of tying up or knocking out his support, but when the dust settled over there, his Spider was still standing, my Skinks and Swarms were all dead, and my Rhampho's were in position to take a charge from the Gnasha-Dashas. In the Center, his Orcs came for my Saurus, while his Goblin wizards threw hexes on stuff and zapped the Rhampho Sky Captain off the table. When the Orcs and one Spider finally got into it with the Saurus, our scaley heros held up surprisingly well - tying the first round and winning the second, when the Thyro joined the fray. But once the infantry had ground each other down to nothing, he still had two Spiders on the table - and I had nothing but my characters.
So I was more pleased with my Saurian Warriors than I've been in a long time - in a matchup with significant support from characters, monsters and magic, they ground it out with some tough Orcs. If the Rhamphodons had gotten into the fray, things would have gone my way much sooner. But here's what gets me: the Orcs and Saurus were pretty evenly matched. 30 Orc 'Eadbashers, with Paired Weapons and Full Command, cost 220 points. 30 Saurus, with Full Command and the Serpent Totem, cost 365. Wow. For two units that should excel at close combat, a Saurus unit that costs 65% more to field should dominate the Orcs.
Otherwise, I was pretty happy with how things went - my opponent played very well, my Rhampho's were kept out of combat by his good moves and my deployment, and the synergies between Saurus, Thyro and magic were really fun and effective. Saurian Warriors, though, either need to come down in price even further, or be more effective in CC.
