8th Ed. blowpipe vs. javelins

That's actually incorrect. P77 of the BRB - a character who joins a unit of Skirmishers gains the Skirmisher special rule for as long as he remains in the unit.

 

"These are the different shooting scenarios for Skinks and which equipment I think works best:

1. Move + Long Range: Javs (10 shots @ 5+)
2. Move + Short Range: Dealers choice (javs get more hits, blowpipes get more poison 6's)
3. No move, short range: Blowpipes (20 shots @ 5+)
4. No move, long range: Blowpipes (20 shots @ 6+)
5. Charged + Long Range: Javs (10 shots @ 6+)
6. Charged + Short Range: Blowpipes (20 shots @ 6+)
7. Charged + Really Short Range: Javs (10 quick to fire shots @ 5+)"

I think that the question one needs to ask is how one plans to use the unit and how often the situation will arise in actual game play settings. Also, when one is facing off against skirmishers or the opposing unit has a cover save, the issue favors javelins a lot more because they do not suffer the movement penalty. (In DCoC armies, plague flies, furies, screamers; this obviously comes into play in a mirror match up; dark elf shades and harpies, brett peg knights, skaven gutter runners and plague wind globabiers and censers are all seeing play.)

#1 is really common on turn 1 if you go second and when facing faster units.
#2 occurs more often later in the game and either if you want to stand and shoot if charged or can get out of the forward arc of threatening units.
#3 rarely occurs in practice even when dealing with war machines
#4 is surprisingly not that common because opponents will often react to and threaten skimishers with shooting
#5 is quite common especially early in the game and when one wants poison shooitng and redirection roles for the unit
#6 Short range is such that it is difficult in practice to get in short range and have a stand and shoot with blowpipes while javs are quick to fire. When the goal is to get poison shooting in and use the unit as a redirector/screening/blocking unit, then one really needs to get uip close to the opposing unit and stand and shoot and that makes javelins substantially superior #7


We are seeing a lot more S3 shooting (high elf archers) and S3 AP or S4 shooting and magic. In those instances, the difference between a 5+ AS and a 6+ AS or a 6+ AS or no armour save is worth something in terms of the unit surviving with more models remaining after suffering the opposing shooting and magic phases. From a combat perspective, there are those rare times when a skink skirmisher unit will face an opponent that whiffs or strikes first, such that a 5+ AS plus a parry save means more attacks back in combat or a better chance of surviving combat and either holding or breaking and fleeing (as opposing to being wiped out and giving the opponent the chance to either overrun or combat reform).

 

That's what I'm saying, when I take javelin skinks I don't expect much since they're chaff but they're hardy enough that they can sometimes surprise you and hold another turn to mess up their battle line. Also, I've found they can hold their own against other march blocking chaff much better than bp skinks. And again, always nice to be able to make them a skrox unit one game and skirmishers the next since they're same model.

 

wauw..good news for me..looks like your right.

 

Welcome to my bubble of -1 to hit, enjoy your stay ;D

 

Overall I go javelins

Blowpipes have:
Double tap - useful some of the time
6+ armour

Javelins have:
S as user (S4 javelins with a buff, huzzah!!)
5+ armour
6++ parry
Quick to fire - so no movement penalties & bonus stand and fire when you use them for redirecting

Seems a straightforward comparison to me

 

Yeah, cohorts in the building are pretty good. I've done it in a few games and actually had sisters of avalon shooting with the -2 to hit to clear the building.

-Matt