So I just started listening to the Lore master of Sotek 's review on the lizardmen rooster and oh my.... he gets something very wrong, also something I've seen people in generally getting wrong. Horned ones, at least by the recent army books, are ot exclusive for skinks. There were in the 6th ed where one could only get them with the southland army, but in 7th these units were nowhere to be found and the horned one were an enchanted item which both saurus and skinks could ride.
I have seen this misconceptions quite a lot now on the internet after the release of the roster, and I just feel like it's pretty bad when a youtuber proclaiming to be quite knowledgeable in the lizardmen army, actually complaints about this, when he gets it wrong!
pre - 5th edition Lizardmen.
p.84-85
" Inxi-Huinzi does not carry carry magic items. Instead he has his own unique special abilities and rides a rare breed of Cold One with a huge crest and horns, known as a Horned One.
The Horned One is a rare, vistually extinct breed of Cold One which exists only in Lustria. It ventures out of the caverns into the jungle, which is probably why it is almost extinct. The Horned Ones are very aggressive and territorial, and will tackle virtually any other monster, regardless of its size. The Horned Ones are naturally adapted for fighting duels and have large horns and spiny crests growing out of their heads.
Inxi-Huinzi is one of the few Skinks ever to capture and succeed in riding a Horned One which he rode ar the head of the Cold One riders of Hexoatl agaisnt the Norse at the battle of the Piranha Swamps. Here, the only way foward was via a causeway and all Skinsk who attempted to cross the swamps on either side were eaten by millions of ravenous Piranha fish. Inxi-Huinzi's Horned One, named Xltzhpctli (which roughly translates as 'Bite-gore-lash-with-the-tail-beast') charged along the causeway and gored the huge Norse hero who was holding the causeway, allowing the Lizardman army to catch up with the raiders and recapture the precious idols of Zlaxhutec.
Unlike other Cold Ones, Horned Ones are not subject to stupidity because they are always enraged by the smell of other creatures invading their territory. A Horned One therefore behaves like a Cold One which has already tasted blood and is eager to fight. The bellowing of the Horned One infects other Cold Ones with the same aggression, so that any unit of Cold Ones accompanied by Inxi-Huinzi on his Horned One will be immune to stupidity while he is with them. "
Of mention about 5th edition:
p.76
" Cold Ones are ridden by Great Crested Skinks, who are bigger and stronger than normal Skinks. It is believed that they are marked out by the gods for this role on account of their huge crests. "
5th edition.
Horned Ones are a rare and stronger/more aggressive breed of Cold Ones riden by the same species (Skink) that rides normal Cold Ones.
No units seems to be entirely composed of Skinks riding Horned Ones. In fact, they seems to act more like a leader to an unit of normal Cold Ones, allowing them to not be stupid (aka not stand there and do nothing). By it's aggressive nature, an Horned One seems to be able to push normal Cold Ones to be aggressive too.
6th edition.
The Horned Ones are mentionned in the section concerning the Southlands (in contracdiction with their previous exclusivity to Lustria in 5th edition).
p. 75
" Some of the native creatures of the Southlands differ from those of Lustria. While the two continents used to be joined, and there is so much similarity between the two, some forms of life have evolved in quite different ways. The larger and stronger Cold Ones that can be found in Lustria seem to have all but died out in the Southlands, and another breed of creature taken its place, the Horned Ones. These creatures are similar in many ways, but are not so dull witted and are much quicker. In the wild, they hunt in coordinated packs to take down much larger prey. They Skinks ride these vicious beasts into battle, where the Horned Ones' natural aggression and hunting instincts are well served. "
EXTRA INFO:
Cold Ones are use by Saurus in this edition and not by Skinks like in 5th edition.
Horned Ones don't seems to be used by Saurus. In fact, it is said that there's very few Saurus in the Southlands, leaving the Skinks with a greater military duty compared to Lustria.
7th edition.
p.46
" There exists in the deepest jungles a rare breed of Cold One referred to as the Horned One. These beasts breed within dank caverns, emerging into the rainforests to hunt. They are startlingly aggressive and extremely territorial, so much so that they will take on any other beast they perceive as a threat, no matter its size. Very few Lizardmen are able to ride a Horned One, and only then a beast that has been reared with great care from hatching. It is said that to master such a beast, a warrior must be blessed in the sight of the Old One Itzl. Such warriors are extremely rare and are often spawned alone. Those especially favoured by Jtzl may sport assive crests upon their heads, marking them out from the moment they come forth from the pawning pools. Truly, these riders are great warriors, feted to perform mighty deeds in the holy
name of the god of beasts. "
p.101
" Horned One . . . ..................... .35 points
(Saurus or Skink only)
The Horned Ones are an extremely rare and preternaturally swift subspecies of Cold One, pawned in the same pool and at the same time as those who will ride them into battle.
The Horned One has a Movement of 8, an Initiative of 3, and is not subject to Stupidity. "
Cold One have a Movement of 8 and an Initiative of 2. (p. 46)
*THOUGHTS on 7th ed*
Horned Ones are presented as a more agile version of the Cold Ones (the stats differences are the same than 6th ed).
However, it is clearly mentioned that BOTH SAURUS AND SKINK can ride them.
Meaning that there's canon lore backing the utilisation of Horned Ones by Saurus.
Actually, the mention of the Horned Ones is made along side Cold One Cavalry (p. 46), which is exclusively Saurus in this edition.
8th edition.
Sadly, I couldn't find any mention of the Horned Ones in the 8th edition Lizardmen Codex. Therefore, it seems like the last canon lore we got (unless someone finds something more recent) concerning the Horned Ones is 7th edition.
I still wont disregard the 8th edition Codex and mostly use it to provide information regarding the Old One Itzl, since he's the one related to beast taming.
p.34
" THE GREAT GOD ITZL
The Lizardmen, particularly Skinks outside the temple-cities, worship the great god Itzl - the three-homed ruler of coldblooded beasts. The remaining temples o f Itzl are always distant structures deep in the jungles of Lustria. Many feature great gongs, instruments rung only when sacrifices have been tied to attract Itzl’s creatures out of the impenetrable forests to feed. "
To note is that p. 34 is the one elaboring on Cold One Riders.