Hello, I have a local 2k tournament coming up and am wanting to try a Dracothion's Tail list. Slann Starmaster (Great Rememberer/Incandesent Rectrices): 260pts Skink Starpriest: 80pts Astrolith (Prism of Amyntok): 160pts Scar-Vet on Carno (Blade of Realities): 240pts Knights x10: 200pts Knights x5: 100pts Knights x5: 100pts Skinks x20: 120pts Bastiladon: 280pts Bastiladon: 280pts Firelance: 110pts Dracothion's Tail: 60pts Strategy would be to teleport the Slann, call in Carno, 10 knights, Astro, Skink Starpriest and one of the Bastiladons and then teleport the other Bastiladon over if necessary/possible or maybe put it on the far side to make my opponent have to split things up. Has anyone run anything similar? Any advice? Anything you would change about the list? I have two more practice games to try and figure stuff out. My main concern is the hitting ability of the knights. Are they enough of a hammer or will they break against anything ish elite?
I haven't tried a Draco list myself yet, but I played the Firelance a few times and I have to admit the Knights are a bit hit and miss. I have seen them tear through units with decent saves like Liberators or Ardboyz, but I have also seen them get wiped without doing anything. The most important thing to keep in mind about them is that they are glass cannons. Make sure you let them attack at a point where the enemy cannot just surround them with a lot of models. Mystic Shield and/or Starlight is also a good idea. Serpent Staff gives their damage a bit of a boost, since three of their four attacks are bite attacks. Another possible tactic is teleporting them out at the start of the second round (if they are still alive) and let them charge in again. That way you might get one or two extra mortal wounds.
Yea, cycle charging the knights would be important for sure. I am also struggling with whether to take the first battle round or not. Draco's tail allows you to be a 1 drop, which most of the time will mean you get to choose. The list lends itself to the alpha strike but I am not sure it could survive getting double turned if the alpha strike falls on its face (ie fail the charge with the knights, bastiladon whiffs, etc.) . I know it is very situational. I guess either way would be ok. Just in general do you guys following any sort of principles when trying to decide going first vs going second?
The only good thing about Firelance is getting +3 to charge after teleporting. If you stack it with a balewind vortex pushing you 3" you only have to roll a 3 to charge.