tl;dr Can you take an Engine of the Gods in the Skink Patrol? Now first instict is automatically 'no', but some things were pointed out to me. In many other army lists, they will specifically list several different heroes that can be taken in a formation. Those heroes always have distinct keywords showing they are different. For example, our Oldblood on a Cold One does NOT have the "Saurus Oldblood" keyword. The Engine of the Gods has the "Skink Priest" keyword. Does this mean it can be taken as a Skink Priest? Basically, do the listings in the formations designate specific warscrolls, or simply keywords?
It does not really say in the initial rules how or if at all the keywords are to be used. They are really sort of a taxonomic classification. There is no official composition guideline of any sort: field a vanilla Skink Patrol plus a Steg and the Engyne and the priest that operates it.
I know I could do that, but 1) id rather have the tougher & taller Engine be used for the Patrols 'target' ability and 2) whether Im playing with some comp/structure in place, or simply the "two armies that look fair" system, Engine + Priest is worth more to my army, and it either takes up room in my structure, or allows my opponent more models to compensate.
Eh, seems like the Skink Priest has to be fielded as a Skink Priest, not a Skink Priest atop an EotG.
I agree. However, it still won't stop me from placing a Skink Priest on a EotG cause I like how it looks in games and on my display shelf
Oh, there's no question that a Skink Priest can ride atop an EotG (and possibly function as they would have in 8th). If you check under 'substitute warscrolls,' there's an entry in there. Since the EotG has the Skink Priest keyword, the priest may even be able to cast... but I'm not 100% certain. However, I don't think that it can be fielded (a Skink Priest on an EotG) as part of a Skink Patrol. It's hard to say.
Good point. I didn't think it would count. I just like the look of a Skink Priest riding an EotG much like in 8th edition.
I don't have the full text from the AoS book (because I don't own it) but I think the implication is that battalions refer to Warscrolls not keywords. So when it says Skink Priest it means the Skink Priest warscroll not the EotG warscroll where it can be equipped with a Skink Priest. But as mentioned that is largely my opinion -- nothing to back it up really.