AoS New Seraphon Player

Hey guys! I just started playing Seraphon this weekend but I am not new to the game. I've been playing Stormcast Eternals since AOS started. I had pre-ordered the 2-player AOS starter box & kept the Stormcast models. Currently, the only thing I own so far is the Seraphon starter bundle (the $85 one), a Slann Starmaster, & the Battletome book. This weekend I played alongside an Ogres army & against 2 Skaven & Chaos Demon army. Obviously, we got out behinds kicked. What do you guys suggest for a list with my current models, & what should be my immediate"next purchases"?

Thanks,
Barby

 

Stormcast to Seraphon is quite a switch. One big difference is that bravery is so much more of an after thought as Seraphon; I've lost a couple troops to bravery, sure, but it's never been anything game changing for me. This frees you up to use some of the amazing command abilities at our disposal. Another difference between Stormcast and Seraphon is that we rely more on synergies, which is where those command abilities come in. With all that in mind, you have to choose which direction you want to take those synergies. This box set is already geared more towards offense, and you already made a great first purchase with the Slann. Starpriest and Priest are both safe decisions to make also, but then again, you really can't make a bad decision either (but those two manage to work their way onto every table).

Which way DO you want to take them? Balancing it out for an all comers type thing (which is what I have more fun doing) would be easy for this starter box, and specializing/synergizing is also easy. If it really comes down to it, "I liked this model a lot, so I bought it" is always justifiable haha.

 

There are a ton of ways to play the lizards. I love painting big models so the first thing I went for was a Thunderquake Starhost, but all their formations are strong so there's something to look at there for a starting point. I'd probably get another box of warriors to beef up your unit as they get really good with 30+. After that, it's really up to you. I think the knights are underwhelming compared to most other races' cavalry, so I would focus elsewhere. Engine of the Gods is an excellent addition since you already have the Slann to control it, and I think a Bastiladon (solar engine obviously) is a MUST.

 

I have yet to play a game wit the language barrier....but Buy them all do they are AWSOME!!

 

The biggest difference between Stormcast and... well, every other army in the game is the concept of Synergy. The Stormcast are the biggest, strongest units in the entire game with the best stats and abilities out of everyone, I've seen four Paladins take out twice as many Ogres and it wasn't even a close fight. And the Ogres attacked first. However this is balanced by the fact that Stormcast have no real synergy beyond a couple of basic heroes troops. You just fight your opponent straight up and basically as a Stormcast player because of your badass stats, which is what makes them such a good beginner army.

Seraphon, and everyone else really, are much different. Proper use of Seraphon involves pulling off combos with several different units in order to get some extremely heavy buffs, making them as strong as Stormcast. For example, a basic unit may be running a Mystic Shield buff from a mage, a Starlight buff from a Starpriest, a venomous bites buff from the Starpriest again, rerolls to hit from an Astiloth Bearer, the buff granted by a Command Ability, bonuses to charging from a Constellation, rerolls of 1 to wound from an Oldblood, bonus Save and Bravery from a hero, and bonus attacks from an Eternity Warden, with general rerolls from a Starseer, all stacked up into one big combo.

Does that make sense?

 

Sounds like anything almost goes but there has to be synergy so thinking is involved too. LOL

I've been told by several people that I NEED a Bastiladon. I've also been suggested an Engine of the Gods. I think my next purchase will be a Bastiladon.

Makes sense so I really need to sit down & figure out what I want to invest in & make sure it synergizes well with the rest of he army. I really like the Astiloth Bearer & Warden though.


Thanks everyone!! Keep the advice coming!
Barby

 

I dunno, I think the Carnosaur can give the Basi a run for its money. Defensively the Basi is unmatched, but on the offense it's soooooooo slow! Those attacks won't do much if you can't reach your target.

 

Well to be fair, the Basi can be an offensive beast if your opponent's offensive too because you can meet in the middle. But if you're up against a defensive player, its slowness will handicap it dramatically.

 

Hi one and all, I too have just joined the Seraphon masses with a few purchases from eBay and could do with similar advice on what to go for next...

Currently I have:

Lord Kroak
30 Skinks
Skink Priest
Skink Chief (made myself from bits in the Stegadon box)
Carnosaur with Oldblood
Engine of the Gods
10 Saurus Warriors
3 Ripperdactyls/Terradons (not made yet)
3 Skink Handlers

Cheers!

 

Honestly... I think that you should drop the Saurus Warriors and Kroak. You seem to be mostly set up as a skink army, which means a lot of running and gunning, so to speak. Or running and blowpiping, but that doesn't rhyme as well. Because of that Kroak and the Warriors would be very out of place and would just drag you down, so you'll want to sub Kroak out for a regular Slann to get those good Constellation supports, largely with the Great Drake constellation. I don't know what the Skinks have as weapons, but going for Boltspitters is likely the safest option. Though if you have javelins then they can work too, they're just harder (though with a bigger reward if you can pull it off, just requires more risk.)
You'll want some meat to your army to keep your skinks from getting overrun, so going for the tougher Ripperdactyls over the more agile Terradons is probably your best bet. A Bastiladon for some serious staying power plus a regular Stegadon for some solid monster hitting-power would also be valuable, though honestly your Oldblood could probably substitute for the Stegadon in that role. You'll want something to match your Handlers with, seeing as how a Skink army will be firing off a tonne of light shots with the sheer infantry numbers already, I'd advise for some Salamanders instead of Razordons because the Sallies have some very valuable armour-piercing abilities. Also make use of the Skinks horde bonus to get those tasty bonuses To Hit, they'll turn your Skinks into some real beasts and if you can get it high enough then you'll be hitting on 2+ with rerolls thanks to the Slann Starmaster's Great Drake constellation giving rerolls of 1's To Hit.
Lastly, make sure you field the Shadowstrike Starhost battalion. It's a must-have for Skink armies and can really make an impact. Particularly if you decide to pull up some Ripperdactyls behind enemy lines using this, especially if they get some support from Chameleons during this sudden diving assault from nowhere.

 

Cheers, I'd read up a bit on the run & gun approach to the Skinks so was certainly looking to go with that approach with the Spitters.
Realize already though through reading the posts on here that my force is pulling in several directions and that I need a more focused approach.
Chameleons and either the Razordon/Salamanders were on my hit list, the Bastildon especially though to act as the tank magnet.

 

Remember to do what you can to dominate the movement phase. Your skinks are fast but they'll die quick if they get caught out.

 

What's a good Temple Guard synergy list? I really like them as a unit (so I've been reading). I also like the Warden & Astrolith Bearer.

Thanks,
Barby

 

Well, I use a list of 40 TG, Kroak, an Astriloth Bearer, an Eternity Warden, a Starseer, a Starpriest, an Oldbloon on a Carnosaur, a Bastiladon, an Engine of the Gods, a Stegadon with Sunfire Throwers, three Salamanders with handlers, and nine chameleon skinks. They seem to have especially good synergy.

 

Are these guys suppose to be more offensive, defensive, or both? What is normally the synergy like with them? I see most of these right away but some I don't. ie slamanders, sunfire throwers, carnosaur, & stegadon.

Thanks,
Barby

 

Oh they're absolutely defensive. I set my TG in three equally sized units in an n shape, surrounding Kroak and the Eternity Warden while all remaining within 5" of the Warden to get all of the bonuses he gives. As this makes up an Eternal Starhost, they TG will be on a 2+ Save, with Kroak and the Starseer providing rerolls for the few that fail their saves. The shields block normal Rend too, helping this defense. Depending on how the enemy sets up, I'll put my monsters on my flanks to both cover those flanks before an enemy can exploit them and to serve to use them to counterattack should I be hit head on. For example, I'll put my Stegadon on the flank where my opponent put their biggest light-armour horde, or I'll put my Carnosaur on the side mirroring the enemy's biggest monster. The Bastiladon steps ahead of my line to open fire with that Searing Beam, doing a tonne of damage at a range and surviving basically anything that gets thrown at it while kiting enemy units due to the fact that it's ahead of my front line, making it a tempting target. My Engine, pulling off a combo with Kroak and my Starseer for rerolls, an extra dice, and a +1 or -1 to any one dice roll to get much greater control over the result of the Engine's RNG power to try to get those D6 Mortal Wounds to smash enemy heroes, monsters, heavy infantry, and other high value targets. This also dramatically increases the odds of me rolling that brilliant Time Stop, which can be a game-breaker when pulled off at the right time. The Starpriest can use its Venom Bites ability on the Carnosaur to allow a potential 6 Damage with a bite, and can make use of either Starlight or Mystic Shield to help bolster defenses based on what Kroak's using his spells on. The Salamanders are used pretty much exactly like the Engine's Mortal Wounds, heavy infantry and monsters. But this time it has the added utility of a high movement, allowing for them to be used as scouts or ambushers to harry enemies while they make their way over to me, or even to summon them with handlers out of nowhere to jump the enemy at a crucial time for some very heavy hits. All the while, the Astriloth Bearer will have his banner planted to give everyone rerolls To Hit. And as this build also gives me the Thunderquake Starhost, keeping Savage up will net me both rerolls to Save, for my Basi of course, and rerolls To Wound, which when chained with the Astriloth gives general rerolls, making that Searing Beam just intense. Finally the Chameleons go off on their own, assassinating tricky heroes or war machines, or harrying and distracting enemy units to buy myself some time, break up their formations, or hold them still while I hit them with a Searing Beam and Comet's Call.

The TG, Kroak, Astriloth, and Eternity Warden do not move in this formation unless there's an objective, that way I can keep the formation really tight and protective while keeping that Damage bonus up for the TG from the Eternal Starhost. The build prioritises adaptability over everything, and remembers that the ability to counterattack is vital for a Defensive army.

 

That sounds AMAZING!!! Thank you Bainbow!! As much as I would love to buy EVERYTHING, I can't so what do you suggest I invest about $100 in, in order to start learning this style of formation? I really love all TG, Kroak, Astriloith, & Warden models & what they do based on what I've read in the battletome & from you but that all puts me way over the $100 mark.

Thanks,
Barby