AoS 500pt Slow Grow - Friendly Cmapaign

[RandomTsar]

Hey everyone, I was wondering what your thoughts on a 500 pt list for a slow grow campaign would be.
250 pts added every two weeks (two-four games per point value) up to 2000 to help encourage some friends and I to finally paint/assemble our armies.

I know Seraphon can go ham with summoning at these points values (Lord Kroak + Skinks/Slann+anything) but completely outpacing my friends in games is not an ideal situation, so summoning is out at least until we get to higher point value games.

Army List:

Spoiler

Allegiance: Seraphon
- Mortal Realm: None

LEADERS:
Saurus Eternity Warden (160)
- General
- Command Ability: Mighty War Leader
- Artifact: Prism of Amyntok

UNITS:
5 x Saurus Guards (80) (Battleline:1/1)
- Full command squad
5 x Saurus Guards (80) (Battleline:2/1)
- Full command squad
5 x Saurus Guards (80) (Battleline:3/1)
- Full command squad

3 x Salamander (120) (Artillery 1/x)

BATTALIONS:
- None

ENDLESS SPELLS / TERRAIN:
- None

TOTAL: 500/500
EXTRA COMMAND POINTS: 0
WOUNDS: 31

Reasoning/Thought Process

Spoiler

I am smitten with the Eternal Starhost for some reason, I just really enjoy the idea of elite Saurus warriors running rampant and being an impenetrable wall. I know the guards suffer from easily killed via Mortal wounds but I didn't think it would matter so much at the lower point games for awhile. I realized however that I was pretty immobile and had 0 range, so I decided to scrab the battalion in favor of using the artillery models I have completed (salamanders). I wanted to try out the salamanders anyways just so I can confirm for myself why everyone always picks razordons over them.

Potential Next 250 points:
(120) another artillery unit, maybe one of razordons instead?
(120) Terradons.
(240/250)


What do you think, and what next steps (for 500 to 750) would you suggest?

 

[Erta Wanderer]

I am smitten with the Eternal Starhost for some reason, I just really enjoy the idea of elite Saurus warriors running rampant and being an impenetrable wall. I know the guards suffer from easily killed via Mortal wounds but I didn't think it would matter so much at the lower point games for awhile. I realized however that I was pretty immobile and had 0 range, so I decided to scrab the battalion in favor of using the artillery models I have completed (salamanders). I wanted to try out the salamanders anyways just so I can confirm for myself why everyone always picks razordons over them.

yo also need to be carfull of high rend you only have 15 wounds so a lot of stuf can chew thrue you. we take razordons becouse without a astrolith salamanders have a 25% chance to do nothing

What do you think, and what next steps (for 500 to 750) would you suggest?

a slann your really shooting yourself in the foot by forgoing summoning

 

[Schwaaah]

So, the biggest issue with the Salamanders is that you cannot teleport them and have them ready to shoot. If they had 9in range, they would be so so so much better. Alas, they do not, so you end up losing a lot of flexibility shooting wise.

Also, since you are running a list that is very weak to mortal wounds, I would strongly consider running a skink starpriest. If you face any other wizards, you really want to have a chance to dispel their magic before it shreds your guard.

What I would look at running is

Skink Starpriest 80
Eternity Warden 140
5x Guard 80
5x Guard 80
10x Skinks 70
1 Salamander or Razordon 50

500 pts // 34 wounds

You still get to use an artillery lizard. You have a few more bodies on the board and are more mobile, which helps with the objective game. You still get to have the bulk of your force geared towards that eternal starhost feel but also protect yourself a bit from pesky mages who can/will ruin your day.

 

[RandomTsar]

yo also need to be carfull of high rend you only have 15 wounds so a lot of stuf can chew thrue you. we take razordons becouse without a astrolith salamanders have a 25% chance to do nothing

a slann your really shooting yourself in the foot by forgoing summoning

I had forgotten about high rend. Thanks for reminding me.

My plan was to put in a Slann for the 750-1000.

So, the biggest issue with the Salamanders is that you cannot teleport them and have them ready to shoot. If they had 9in range, they would be so so so much better. Alas, they do not, so you end up losing a lot of flexibility shooting wise.

Also, since you are running a list that is very weak to mortal wounds, I would strongly consider running a skink starpriest. If you face any other wizards, you really want to have a chance to dispel their magic before it shreds your guard.

What I would look at running is

Skink Starpriest 80
Eternity Warden 140
5x Guard 80
5x Guard 80
10x Skinks 70
1 Salamander or Razordon 50

500 pts // 34 wounds

You still get to use an artillery lizard. You have a few more bodies on the board and are more mobile, which helps with the objective game. You still get to have the bulk of your force geared towards that eternal starhost feel but also protect yourself a bit from pesky mages who can/will ruin your day.

Great advice! Thanks for quantifying one of the issues with Salamanders, I haven't seen it stated before (at least no way that caused this aha moment).

 

[RandomTsar]

Update on the list. So I went with @Schwaaah 's suggestion. I was up against my friend the took this SCE list.


Arcane Bolt was the only spell used (general buffs it to d3/d6)
Mount Trait Wind Runner.

I definitely felt the devastating effects of mortal wounds, the lord-arcanum's Spirit flask of once per battle doing 3 MW to all units within 3" wrecked my guard units the two games we played. They felt very lackluster with 1" range, however, I did forget to use their bite attacks several times. When they were regularly attacked though they had great survivability thanks to a hero nearby... Still, though I was thinking of making them one large unit of 10, I fear they're lake luster range will bite me in the rear.

The salamander didn't hit often, but boy, when it did it, took out the entire squad of Raptors between the damage and the secondary burn effect. I am interested in trying out the more consistent razordons.

I'm not sure I care for the skinks, I guess it was just because of the raptors had all their rapid shots but almost the entire squad died to one volley both games. The second game, one model was left and ended up teleporting around to capture now defenseless objectives though. Any advice on controlling the skinks?

Looking more into the Knights VS the guards it just makes me angry as they look pretty identical to me except the knights have better move and double the wounds for the same price... BUT I have guards and am determined to see them through, at least for a little.

 

[Erta Wanderer]

I definitely felt the devastating effects of mortal wounds, the lord-arcanum's Spirit flask of once per battle doing 3 MW to all units within 3" wrecked my guard units the two games we played. They felt very lackluster with 1" range, however, I did forget to use their bite attacks several times. When they were regularly attacked though they had great survivability thanks to a hero nearby... Still, though I was thinking of making them one large unit of 10, I fear they're lake luster range will bite me in the rear.

that seems about right. you can hunny comb them to get 2 ranks in to combat if you position well.

I'm not sure I care for the skinks, I guess it was just because of the raptors had all their rapid shots but almost the entire squad died to one volley both games. The second game, one model was left and ended up teleportation around to capture now defenseless objectives though. Any advice on controlling the skinks?

skinks do not do well without summoning their best attribute is that they are cheep and numerous and you can bring scads of them on to the field. they will not kill things and if they get shot or stuck in melee they will die

Looking more into the Knights VS the guards it just makes me angry as they look pretty identical to me except the knights have better move and double the wounds for the same price... BUT I have guards and am determined to see them through, at least for a little.

mm hmm thats what 2 years of never being played and points drops will do for you. i also like guard but they where made for a very different game and arnt the mighty wall they used to be.