This is my first post on this forum so I'm sorry if I do something wrong. The opponent I play against the most plays as empire and so usually fields a large army consisting entirely of knights, warrior priests, cannons and handgunners. Whenever we play his 1+ armor save knights usually mow through my skinks and saurus, while his cannons kill everything else. What is the best way to counter his knights? He also told me that I can only use one dispel dice for each of his warrior priests spells, which seems unfair considering their amazing affects.
how much points do you play? I would take a Slann and take some nice spells from the lore of metal, or go for a sacred host of Tlazcotl with some skink priests (also lore of metal)
Unless he can provide a statement in his empire army book confirming this, then he is incorrect. If this is the case, wether he was manipulating you or truly believed in what he said is up to you to decide .
We usually fight with 1000-1500 pts so I cannot take a slann. Where can I find the rules for sacred hosts? I was also wondering if I should buy some more salamanders. I keep reading about how salamanders are the best thing vs knights, but mine always seem to fail their attacks and just end up being some free victory points.
There's a thread under the "Rules Help" section. It was on a PDF that GW used to offer, but now it has been lost except to those who downloaded it beforehand. The rules are tournament legal (though some ban them because the rule set isn't so well known).
That rule isn't in my Empire book... My suggestion would be to take a JSoD (scar veteran with jaguar charm and great weapon), 2 terradon units and a unit of 4 kroxigor. The kroxigor and JSoD both melt through knights and the terradons eat artillery and other shooting units for breakfast. You could also try a stegadon as Empire generally have pretty ordinary leadership (28% chance that a knight unit charging a stegadon will flee by their own accord).
Due to your point crunch, a JSoD would definately be wise. Good saves don't matter much vs. him, as for Salamanders, be sure you're using them to shoot from far away, and not getting into combat. Personally I think they're better suited for those massive units of non-high-armor save units that you can Panic into the enemy. Chameleons can help also, I panic 1500 points of Empire units and artillery crews off the board one time in turn 1 with a round from my Chameleons into a smaller unit. That was a Massacre to say the least.
Ok, thanks for the help. I'll try a JSoD next battle. Is there any particular thing I should spend the other 30 magic item points on him? And are there any sacred spawning that would benefit him?
his warrior priest don't produce any power dice... his priest do produce a single dispel dice... the prayers are bound spells at power level 4... those prayers are treated like any other spell... thus you have no limit to dice when dispelling his bound spell
Use those 30 points to give him a Ward Save. I'd suggest the Aura of Queztl to help against a lucky cannon shot. As for Spawnings, I would take either Quetzl and Mark of the Old Ones or Quetzl and Sotek.
I must disagree. I would not spend the 30 points on anything. He should be hiding in skink units till he charges out and in the places he can die a ward save won't help him (in combat with a ranked unit after killing a character in it, overran into a place where he can be charged, fluff attacks against a fear causer etc.).
On the contrary, in my experiences over the many years I've played Lizardmen and used a JSoD against the Empire, amongst many armies, every save counts. With a JSoD I pulled a last minute victory out of my pocket against them. A JSoD, given the proper equipment for a high armor save and a WARD save, is not only a bitch to kill, but it provides a nasty distraction for one's enemies. And personally I've never used a JSoD for characters unless I'm fighting Undead, I target average units because he can usually butcher them quickly, and even if charge, using a JSoD carefully it doesn't matter what they throw at him, he can easily earn his points. As for Fear, if it's really an issue, give him Tlazcotl, but the Empire isn't too strong in Fear-Causers anyway. As for why I really recommend the Ward save, I fought Empire and many of his war machine can easily fire and manage to land on a Scar-veteran, no matter where he's hiding, and they usually don't allow armor saves, although almost all are at least Str 5, so your man gets a 50/50 chance of not dying pre-maturely.
Would saurus calvary with celestial shield on them be a good way to fight knights? I just got the battalion box for christmas and I want to make use of the calvary.
Celestial shield would be good, but you are unlikely to get the spell, cast it and then have it not be dispelled so don't rely on it.
Actually Celestial Shield is ward save against shooting. Trust me I know always that it was an instant wardsave until a friend told me to read closer.