What is the total points cost of this? With the new rules, seems impossible to include Lord Kroak, let along Lord Kroak and one of these. Such a pity.
Bare minimum you're looking at just over 450 points. Add on upgrading the priest to lvl 2, and any items, and you won't likely be running an Engine in anything smaller than 3000 points. You'd need a 2400 point game minimum to take Kroak at all. As far as Lord Kroak, I don't think he'll be as effective in 8th edition since you'll have a random number of power dice. His big advantage was getting to throw six dice at his highest level spell every turn and blast every unit on the board two or three times a game. Now, it'll be rare that you can roll up enough dice to do that on a regular basis. Of course, things could go the other way and you could have 10+ dice, possibly getting the spell off twice in one turn; also, he won't automatically fail his spell rolling double ones. I'll have to try a game or two with him, but it seems like too much of a gamble for that many points.
you could get close to some one and roll alot of one dice. but than again on 1,2 you fail, so you always have a 33% chance of fail... thats a pity...
You don't need to run the priest as a level two, especially if you're packing a Slann in the list. I'm debating taking an EotG for my army as I plan to get involved in the tournament circuit and with the changes to army composition (percentage not slot based) there is going to be a rise in nasty guns, in this situation, the 5+ Ward will become invaluable. If I do run an Engine the priest will be bare bones caddy for all intents and purposes.
Great points there; I'm sure you're correct in anticipating an alarming number of war machines in gun line armies, and in a Slann list it'll be using up enough of the power dice to make a lvl 2 priest uncalled for. Do you think the ward bubble will be enough to keep the stegadon alive long enough to justify it's points cost? I'd imagine them just concentrating fire on it for a turn, and then getting back to blowing away the rest of our army.
I'm honestly in two minds about it, and this is where I'm going to playtest it before completely committing to building an Engine. I feel what you say is true about gun lines just lighting up the Engine from the get go, especially with True Line of Sight, he's going to be sticking out like a sore thumb. I do have hope that it will still continue to be as valuable as it was in 7th, but we shall see.
I hate to say it, but if I'm being honest I think the effectiveness is going way down. With a move toward bigger units of troops, who cost less per model, the burning alignment isn't quite as good. To really get your points worth you have to be killing high value targets, and I think that you won't see quite so many small and elite armies this new edition.
Hello all, I have two things to say about this topic. First: I checked the army book because I thought that 450 pts looked steep for the EotG, and it turns out that a bare-minimum EotG is only 355 pts. The engine is only 290 pts in a 65 pts caster. If you add ALL the points you can onto the EotG, you get 440 pts. This means you can field one at 1500 no problem. Just to clarify Second: I love my EotG. I'll be the first to admit it almost never makes its points back in stuff killed, but that's not why I take it. It is a support model for me. The 5+ ward save has kept alive enough guys to be a winning point in my army. The other thing, and probably the least used thing the EotG can do, is dropping one lore's casting amount by one. In a magic phase that is random I can see that -1 to be useful when you roll like crap in magic. it'll give a small boost for the Slann to make the spell you really need to go off. I can still see the EotG being useful. it just requires some change to strategy, but this is all just my humble opinion if not some what bias.
I actually seeing the -1 to casting values being much less useful in 8th. In 7th, when casting values were 10-12 max, -1 could make a lot of difference. But in 8th (with casting values in the 20's for some spells), -1 is a much smaller bonus as a percent of your roll. Either way, the -1 is little used not because its bad, but because you're almost always better off using the Ward bubble or the Burning Alignment. I'll probably still use my EotG just because I love the model, but its hard to justify the points if I have a Slann for magic. The only way it seems to make sense is with an Old-Blood General where you don't need extra Scar Vets for combat, and do need Priests / EotG for magic.
Or if you need a backup mage for when your sexy toad's head explodes from an energy backlash of cataclysmic proportions. Granted, this is less likely with our Slann that with other mages, but an Engine could still be helpful just in case. I'm working really hard to come up with a way to keep the Engine. It's tough, but I'm gonna keep trying.
Ah, you're right on the points cost there Curly One; I was looking at one of my lists and didn't realize I had items added on too. Still though, I'm glad I magnetized my stegadons. As neat of a unit as it is, I don't think it'll be on my mandatory roster for nearly every game like it was in 7th- unless play testing proves otherwise.
Here's a thought. Engine gives Slann and Temple Guard a 5+ Ward. Slann has Unfathomable Presence, giving him and his unit MR(3). If hit by a spell, Slann and Temple Guard have a 2+ Ward Save. Correct? Not too shabby.
Hmm. The rule says 'any ranged attack', so spells would be included. I think you're on to something here; I know the Daemon players are all giddy about magic resistance stacking with the 5+ ward all their units get naturally. Why should we be any different?