Warriors of Chaos Review

Picked up the new army book this morning.  The title is a bit of a misnomer, I'm not really writing a detailed review.  I'm revved up though to play Fantasy: I suppose my limited review is that the army must be good as it has been generating a lot of excitement at my FLGS.  That in turn has turned up the heat on myself to get the Lizards up to speed   I was starting to fall into the old trap of building an army and putting off the hobby/painting aspects till later.  I want instead to focus on getting a painted army down on the table.

I've decided to scale down my goal from building a 2400pt army to a 1500pt army.  Part of the pleasure of this game (for me at any rate) is playing with painted models.  So tonight I finished packing up all my non-lizard models and tucked them away.  My sole hobby focus is now drawn onto my lizardmen.  As well, I figure it will be easier to learn the rules at the smaller point level.

Also of note: I've found a great deal on some chameleon skinks and terridons.  Going to pick up 10 skinks and 3 terridons on Monday.  With my hands now on these new models I've decided to change up the focus of my list without loosing site of what hobby work has already been accomplished.  The new 1500 point list is as follows:

Lord:
Slann - Diadem of Power, Higher State of Conciseness.

Heroes:
Scar-Vet - Warrior Bane

Core:

27 Saurus - Full Command, Spears
10 Skink Skirmishers
10 Skink Skirmishers

Special:
8 Chameleon Skinks
3 Terridons
1 Stegadon

Rare:
2 Salamanders

Total Points: 1500

Going to focus on getting these models painted up ASAP.  I want to finish my saurus unit first before I move on.  So, decided to figure out how I'm going to base the unit.  Just waiting on the wash to dry then will give a light highlight and some flock/tufts.

Once my 1500 points is done then I can move on to finishing up these next few models:

Going to call it a night.

Army nearly built

Army nearly built and ready for prime.  I have all my painting steps laid out but for the Engine of the Gods. 

2400 points Lizardmen army

No photo, at work and no access to camera, but I've come to a final decision on how my first 2400 point army will look like.  In large part my decisions have been influenced by the near 33% increase in model costs that have come down the pipe these last few years.  I simply cannot afford to spend money on a whim with the increased costs.  Also, I have every model in the following list.  Here it goes:

Lord:
Slann - cupped hands, banner of discipline, focus of mystery (lore of life), becalming, rumination

Heroes:
Skink Priest on Engine of the Gods - luckstone, dispel scroll
Skink Priest - cube of darkness
Scar-Vet - light armour, shield, venom of firefly frog

Core:
27 Saurus Warriors (Scar-Vet goes here) - full command, spears
24 Saurus Warriors - banner, musician
10 Skink Skirmishers
10 Skink Skirmishers
10 Skink Skirmishers

Special:
20 Temple Guard - musician, banner of eternal flame

Rare:
Salamander
Salamander

Total Points: 2400

So I think an all round solid list.  Certainly not utilizing all the best parts of the lizarman book, ie) chameleon skinks.  Overall though I think a decent list that I can use to enjoy learning to play Fantasy with.  In my local group I will be facing skaven, ogres, dark elves.  All good armies in their own right.

From what I've gathered the engine is a liability.  It is also a kick ass looking model that helped me decide on lizardmen when first picking an army to build for Fantasy.  So it stays.  No Chameloen skinks will likely hurt my ability to deal with cannons and the like.  Thing is I do not want to convert my regular skinks and I do not want to pay nearly 100 dollars Canadian for 10 chameleon fine cast skinks.  I'm always looking for used models though so if I can find the right deal I will include the chameleon's down the road.  As for not wanting to convert my regular skinks, I really dig the plastic models as they are and feel like the more the merrier.  Also I want more yellow in the army to offset all the saurus warriors primed with necrotic flesh.

One thing I may do at a latter date is try replacing the engine and skink priests with scar vets on cold one cavalry   I've read some interesting lists on Lustria Online that utilize 4 or 5 of these models as a unit.  I also have 8 cold one cavalry and a single mounted scar vet model that could be used to try these units out.

So what can I say but that I'm firmly entrenched in Fantasy.  The latest 40k FAQ has shelved my Eldar until a new codex comes out and I do not wish to build a blob to go along with my Flesh Tearers.  I will return to 40k and perhaps have the occasional friendly game, but I have securely switched tracks and will ride the Fantasy train for the next while.

Eldar FAQ /Nerf

Q: The Farseer Psychic Powers rules state that they do not require the
Eldar Psyker to have line of sight to the target. Does this mean that they
can be used by an Eldar psyker embarked on a Transport? (p28)
A: No.

Looks like another nail in my mechdar 5th edition list.  I believe I will be focusing on Fantasy until I get my hands on a new codex that sparks my imagination.

Must resist the temptation

Nearly left work early today to place an order for Azrael and a few other goodies at my FLGS.  Must resist the urge to start a new army.  Eldar will be here before I know it.  Meanwhile I'll weather the mega blob squad storm that is sure to hit as best I can.

2k Blood Angels: Hammer and Anvil

Taking a break from work and came up with the following list:

HQ:
2 x Librarians - Epistolary, Divination, Force Axes

Troops:

30 Death Company - 3 Power Axes, 27 Bolters

5 x 10 Assault Squads - 2 melta guns

Total Points: 1995

Hardy and mobile.  The 2 librarians saddle up with the Death Company casting 4 powers a turn to make the unit beastly.  5 assault squads then to provide mobility and scoring.  While the death company does not score (which normally is a liability) it certainly can contest.  Plan of action is to drive this unit forward to absorb enemy focus fire and evaporate enemy units.  I figure the presence of the 30 man mob would really screw around with an opponents target priority.  Normally one would want to take out the scoring units but if you let the death company get to your lines your toast.  Big glaring weakness is no answer to flyers, however, there should be enough power armoured bodies on the table to weather the storm.

An alternative to the above list would be to replace a librarian with an elite chaplain and drop the epistolary upgrade on the remaining librarian.  I lose 3 powers a turn but I guarantee re-rolls to hit and wound on a turn I charge.  I could then give every sergeant in the assault squads a melta bomb.  The Death Company would then get 2 extra power axes and 5 hand flamers.  I figure this would make the unit even more undesirable to assault.

1k Lizardmen to cut my teeth on

I'm firmly back on the fantasy train and have come up with a 1k list to cut my teeth on:

Hero (General):

Skink Priest: Plaque of Tepok, Ruby Ring

Core:

24 Saurus Warriors - Spears, Standard
2 x 10 Skink Skirmishers

Special:

5 Chameleon Skinks
1 Stegadon

Rare:

2 Salamanders (separate units) extra handlers

A bit of everything to try and maximize the different rules for the Lizardmen at such a small point level.  I like the priest: though he is level 1 he will have 3 spells to choose from any given game.  In addition to drawing on three spells, fireball is guaranteed which is nice if I run across ethereal models.  The stegadon is likely a liability as I'm sure to come across cheap cannons but I love the model.  I figure having 2 salamanders will make up for any short comings of the stegadon.  Also, the 5 chameleon skinks should help alleviate any pressure the stegadon might face.

As far as modeling goes, I need to convert 5 skinks into chameleons.  There are quite a few good tutorials on Lustria Online that I will take advantage of.  Then its back to the tried and true army painter spray cans to finish up this list.

A second list I might try out would see me including a scar vet mounted on a cold one.  I would equip him with light armour, great weapon, venom of firefly frog, amulet of itzl, dragon helm.  I would have to scale down the priest and drop the chameleons along with one salamander to include him.  He would be a tough bugger though.  +1 plus armour save with a +2 ward save on the first wound taken along with 4 strength 7 poisoned/magical attacks.

If I went this rout it would mean less painting and modeling before I had a completed 1k army.  I figure the first list is better as the salamanders at this point level are gold however, I would like to have a beefy combat character to kick but with.