So I'm a fairly new WHFB player who hasn't played in a few years. got the new lizardman book, and 7th, reading through it. Have planned a series of units through the year to get me started primarily collecting. But I want to game with them too, so trying to make a variety of units. Mostly I've been stuck on Saurus. I'll be getting 72 saurus models over the next six months or so, and seem to waffle between a few setups... setup 1: blocks. two 20 saurus w/ spears and full command provide the main blocks for most armies two 15 saurus w/ hand weapons and full command provide cheaper alternative for smaller games or when a 'light' unit will cut it. take the two remaining models to make a BSB and a hero on foot to amuse myself with. setup 2: hammer and anvil same big ol' 20 man spear blocks, but break up the two 15 blocks into three 10 blocks w/ just a champion, or no upgrade. 122 or 110 point flankers and light unit hitters. also pondered that setup but make it two 12 man flanker units and two 24(?!) man spear blocks. but y'know. 24 saurus w/ full command might be a tad excessive... so are the flanker lines of saurus worth it. or should I just make the more conservative first idea and just rely soly the plethora of Cold One Riders the battalion boxes give me as hammers. (ok, and stegas when I get to collecting them. mmmm, stegadons =9)
... heh, suppose at this point, I'll probably make two blocks of twenty spear saurus and three blocks of 10 'hammer' units. can always make some blocks of 15 and 24 later to expand my collection. or carefully remodel four of the 'hammer' models into banner and musician and get them into blocks of 15 if the hammers prove useless.
IMHO saurus best with 5x3 rank with full command and a saurus hero within it.... always give them spears...
only time I could see not giving spears is a small block like 10-12, and even then it could help. suppose I could always make the two blocks of 15 w/ spears and then later if I want make a block of 24 and two blocks of 12 for more variety. I think I'll set up two blocks of 15, full command and spears. block of 20 with full command and spears. and two blocks of 10 with spears and champ (I just like champions, even if a waste of 12 points) should give me a mix to pick and choose from. thanks for the response.
do you use Slann ?... If you use it, 16 templeguard makes wonders with Slann... I generally depoloy slann+16 TG and 2 unit of 15 saurus spear with FC and Saurus Heroes in each unit... They are very powerfull in close combats...
I'll be getting 20 from the two battallion boxes I'm getting. will probably use it as a block of twenty with slann. mostly trying to 'collect' units, but I like them to be kinda useful. unless it's 'fluffy' like the skink/kroxi combo. but can always break them up when I need to actually be useful ^.~
Spears are definitely the most effective option for saurus, heaps of attacks and still decent armour. However, if you want 10-12 as flankers to support your big blocks I don't really see the need for spears. On the turn you charge you can't use them anyway, a flank like that should make the opponent flee straight away and they are crazy tough if it doesn't, and the point of the flanker is to provide combat res so having the better armour from hand weapon and shield means less die. Try to throw up a 2k list or two though, you will probably find (depending on how much of the cool stuff you want in there) that there isn't really the points for a lot of saurus, 2 maybe 3 units if you skimp on a few things.
Especially when it comes to Heroes, I often find myself with 1100 in characters trying to figure out how I did that..
Huh, I find myself with maybe 500 points of heroes in most of my 2k lists. But I have a suspicion I may need more actually. Thankfully I'll slowly be collecting an absurd number of hero models, ranging from Skink Chiefs with hardly any upgrades to oldblood on carnosaur with the works (and the slann and the practically requisite temple guard)
Yeah my armies either start with Slann and Temple Guard, or Old blood on carnosaur, add an engine to both lists and the character price is rising very very quickly with only 2 slots. Definitely a tough army to make lists for and fit everything you want in.