Sure it was brought up a while back but can't see it anywhere, what was the conclusion on using an engine of the gods in a Shadowstrike starhost? Want to pick one up anyway, but it'd complete my battalion warscroll if it counts as a skink priest.
I'd say no. By RAW, you may have a point: you must include in the formation a Skink Priest, and one of the keywords of the EotG is "skink priest". However, the formations include a given list of specific units. Skink prist is listed as named unit... and in the warscroll key, it is said that a rule should specify when it applies to models with a specific keyword. Formations include "units", not "units with the keywords". By written fluff, it makes absolutely no sense. One of the shadostrike abilities, is Stealthy Advance. And frankly, I find hard to apply the concept to a massive Stegadon...
Personally I think it is allowed. To me, the keywords are there to let you know what exactly a unit or model is. Kroak has the Slann keyword because, even though there's no mention of "Slann" in his name, he's still a Slann. Likewise, the Engine has the keyword because it does have a Skink Priest on its back, therefore allowing that rider to fulfill the role of a Skink Priest within the Formation. I think a good place to look for this would be the Clan Eshin formation. In it, it requires the formation to be led by a Skaven Assassin, makes sense, they're the leaders of the Clan. But why would a formation led by, say, Dave the regular assassin be more effective and more well-trained than one led by Deathmaster Snikch himself when he's both a better assassin and the actual leader of Clan Eshin, making him a better leader for a formation? Well if you act under the assumption that keywords don't count, then Snikch officially becomes a worse leader and assassin than his subordinates as he cannot act as leader to his formation. But if you allow Snikch to lead the formation because he has the Skaven Assassin keyword, then it makes perfect logical sense, he can indeed be this leader. Comparison aside, think about it this way. The Skink Priest title has literally no use what so ever beyond making the bearer of it eligible towards leading the Shadowstrike Starhost. If the Engine can't lead this formation, what is the point of including that keyword? The only logical reason is that it allows the Engine to lead this formation. And on the subject of stealth that Angel understandably brought up, I don't know about you but I'd imagine that a reality-warping device capable of stopping time and shattering physics could be used rather easily to conceal your formation until it reaches the battlefield. Hell, I'd imagine that the engine could make the formation even more stealthy than if they didn't have it because it can just fracture reality itself enough to hide the formation.
On this, I could object that you need keywords when you have abilities that work together with other units. For example, the warden's Selfless Protector, works between 2'' of a Slann (thus is valid also for Kroak) Actually, this is a very good counterargument. I cannot disagree, so I should review my previous position. Nice pov. It justifies the fluff required for the ability to be credible. IN the end, yeah, probably you can field the EotG as Skink Priest for the Shadowstrike... but I'd suggest to be sure to have a gentlemens' Agreement with your opponent.
Very interesting stuff thankyou guys, I agree that it's something that should be just agreed on the day. After all, this is AoS were communication is key anyway. Thanks again folks for your enlightenment!