I have an Oldblood on Carnasuar, 20 knights, 30 Saurus Warriors, and 10 Temple Guard. What else should I buy? I don't really anticipate ever playing more than 2500 pts, maximum, but am OK with buying extra for flexibility. The problem is, every time I start building a list it easily gets 3k+ plus. A dream Seraphon list is 6100 points! Help me choose the best value for points & money?
Honestly here is how I would go. Get another starting kit. Make the scarvet on carno and convert a knight to a scar vet on cold one. And a box of guard and a Bastiladon. Convert the skink riders from the carno kits to priest/starpriest And here is a list I like: List Summary Leaders Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur (320) - General Saurus Scar-Veteran on Carnosaur (260) Saurus Scar-Veteran on Cold One (100) Saurus Oldblood (100) - Suntooth Maul Saurus Eternity Warden (140) Skink Starpriest (100) Skink Starseer (160) Skink Priest (100) - Priestly Trappings Units Saurus Guard x 5 (100) Saurus Guard x 5 (100) Saurus Guard x 5 (100) Saurus Knights x 5 (120) - Lance Saurus Knights x 5 (120) - Lance Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) - Club Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) - Club Behemoths Bastiladon (300) War Machines Batallions Bloodclaw Starhost (100) Eternal Starhost (80) Total: 2500/2500 The only problem with this list is a lack of shooting but you couls easily take out the eternal host and add in some shooters.
So, how about this list for 2k points: I figure the Slann is a must, since he can summon units. The entire idea seems to be to buff up the Guards, and the Vet on Cold One buffs up the Knights well, too. I threw the skinks in there for enemy hero killing, and the razordon because for 60 points, why the hell not: Leaders Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur (320) Saurus Sunblood (120) Saurus Scar-Veteran on Cold One (100) Saurus Eternity Warden (140) Engine of the Gods (240) Slann Starmaster (260) Units Saurus Guard x 5 (100) Saurus Guard x 5 (100) Saurus Knights x 5 (120) - Lance Saurus Knights x 5 (120) - Lance Chameleon Skinks x 5 (120) Razordons x 1 (60) Saurus Guard x 5 (100) Batallions Bloodclaw Starhost (100) Total: 2000/2000
I fail to see the utility of that single razordon... I know you put it for the 60 points, but i think you can sacrifice a "lesser" unit and squeeze something good. For example: sacrifice the EotG and pick a Bastiladon (almost a mandatory unit, that will give you also some solid shooting) If you have to buy EotG and Basti, give the precedence to the latter!
I like this list, but I would probably pull the Warden for an Oldblood on foot and drop the razordon for the extra 100 points put in a skink starpriest.
OK, so why is a Bastildon better? I get that the EotG is unpredictable, however the way I read the description, it's being ridden by a Skink Priest, which means moar buffs and casting! The Oldblood on foot, on paper, doesn't knock my socks off. With the Starhost, they all get their command abilities, and his 'form up, men!' thing seems way too situational to be worth it? I get that razordon's aren't great, but.. ranged is always good, especially if it's following close on the heels of all those hero buffs, and being guarded by buffed up Temple Guards... and for 60 points it's a bargain!
The skink priest on the engine is not a separate model, so can't cast the buffs. His magic goes to powering the engine if you want to think of it that way. The bastiladon is tougher, will potentially live longer but not better.
The EotG is, indeed, unpredictable, but you can soften it with the Slann. But as said, the Skink priest will just run the Engine, so no additional casting. The EotG is far less resilient than the Bastiladon (I assure that you will love the Basti save at 3+ unmodified by any rend, and ward save 4+ Vs mortal wounds). The ranged attacks of the Bastiladon hurt. the oldblood is 100 pts, so don't expect him to be overpowered. However, you can do some really nasty trick with that reform of 3". Consider a Slann that must summon a unit at 9" from the enemy. They will hardly charge successfully... but with the oldblood you can place said unit at 6" from the unit you want to charge. Razordons are far from bad. But we're not talking aboud razordonS, we're talking about ONE razordon. 2d6 shots at 3+/4+, will mean on average 2-3 successful to wound, with no rend.
Well personally I love the idea of this army: Leaders Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur (320) Saurus Scar veteran on Carnosaur (260) Saurus Sunblood (120) Saurus Oldblood (100) Slann Starmaster (260) (General) Celestial Hurricanum (for area buff and ranged damage) (320) Units Saurus Warriors x 30 (With spears so that you can pile in more, but keep them behind your 2 other stacks of 10 warriors, so they can attack with their reach but not get attacked, because 1 loss and they lose the extra attacks bonus) (300) Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) Batallions Bloodclaw Starhost (100) Total: 1980/2000 However, if you want to make a 2500 army it can get even better: Leaders Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur (320) Saurus Scar veteran on Carnosaur (260) Saurus Sunblood (120) Saurus Oldblood (100) Slann Starmaster (260) Celestial Hurricanum (for area buff and ranged damage) (320) Luminark of Hysh (for the area buff and ranged damage) (220) Skink Priest (Priestly trappings) (for the area buff to give your units more survivablity in melee. They can already reroll saves against ranged attacks thanks to your Slann) (100) Units Saurus Warriors x 40 (Either put them behind your warriors, or let them all pile in when they can charge) (400) Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) Saurus Warriors x 10 (100) Batallions Bloodclaw Starhost (100) Total: 2000/2000