7th Ed. blowpipes vs Javelins

You should also remember, and this is very important, javelins have a greater effective range than blowpipes.

How can this be?

Skinks can move 6 inches, then fire. If it is a blowpipe, then to be an effective attack (meaning double shot) you NEED to be within 6 inches of your target after moving. The total here is 12 inches. For javelins, this is 14 inches of effective range (6 movement plus 8 range). Now blowpipes can single fire at slightly longer range, for a total of 18 inches (6 movement plus 12), but that will be only single shots which is only about half as effective (vs T3) as a standard javelin volley of 10.

- Go after T4 and above with the blowpipes, harass and destroy large targets (usually T5 at least)
- Use the greater effective range and accuracy of javelins to go after light threats and even skirmishers

I'd still never upgrade the skirmishers to have javelins, I just think you should take a bit of both skirmishers and cohorts. Diversified combined arms is what wins it. Always deploy the skirmishers before you drop your cohorts, as you may see the enemy setup and decide to deploy the cohorts initially as 10 across firing lines to scare or kill enemy fast movers.

Whatever escapes your skinks can be bombarded by 3d3 or 4d3 str 4 hits from the Terradons' rocks. If you don't have Terradons, well, you really should have some of them as well. The drop rocks combined with all the skink shooting is the main reason you do not need Razordons.

 

This is something I never thought of, but really is very important. Thanks Caneghem!

 

dude, you always give amazing advice and comentary!

thanks!
camo-skink

 

I also struggle with the concept of brining cohorts with javelins and using them as Caneg described. It makes sense, but does force you to do a lot of thinking in the movement phase about facing, expanding frontage and line of sight. I can definitely agree with not upgrading your skirmishers to carry javelins as I believe the rulebook tries to trick players into thinking they are taking an 'upgrade' by swapping BPs for javs. While the javelin does come out more effective against lower toughness targets, I wouldn't say its 1 point per model more effective for an already expensive T2 troop type. For now, I think I'll stick with my BPs.

Come to think of it though I do run a couple small units of ranked skinks. While I don't always think of utilizing their javelins in a serious way, it is definitely something to consider.

 

Remember for the 1 point you also get a shield, and there are very very few units in the game that can get a weapon AND a shield for just 1 point.

Despite that, I agree that I don't want the unit more expensive than it already is and as skirmishers, a 6+ save isn't really going to help them much at all. I guess that is why it is only a point.

 

I took my 12 javelin ranked unit and ran it right up into a warboss on wyverins face, they wounded the wyverin twice! (wouldve been 4 but he saved 2)

The average roll for blowpipes in this case would be-24 shots, hitting on 6's, 4 poisons

So an amazing roll on my javelin skinks, barely made up a normal roll for blowpipes

 

my question now is, since you have all hit almost every single pro and con for blowpipes and javelins, say you have three units of skink skirmishers, should it be 2 blowpipe and 1 javelin units, or 1 blowpipe and 2 javelin units, or all out one or the other?

camo-skink

 

That is 100% dependent on how you intend to use them, and what army that you face.

Also, it is fair to note that some of the discussion has been based around not upgrading skink skirmishers and using normal skink cohorts for their javelins. I'd be willing to wager that upgrading skirmishers to javelin skirmishers with shield is a bad investment of points (in all but the most extreme cases). True, they do get a shield, but I still don't think that will help (enough).