8th Ed. Lizardmen warmachine, what would it be like?

I was reading the topic about weaknesses of lizardmen army, and a comment hit my eyes. Our weakness is the lack of warmachines. Myself I like lizardmen how they are without warmachines, but it's always nice to think about things

I read a while ago the lustria book, which had a unit called arcanadon, who carried the engine of the gods, that worked like a stone thrower. Something similar would fit lizardmen in my opinon, better than a regular stone thrower or a cannon. But interesting question in my mind is different.

The empire got a new "warmachine" like contraptions: luminark of hysh and celestial hurricanun. The first has a bound spell that works like a bolt thrower, and the second has bound spell that works like a stone thrower, with extra things on it.

So, the question I'd like to ask is this: Would you prefer have a "normal" warmachine, that has to hit or a magical warmachine, that has a bound spell that needs to be cast, but hits the spot where aimed?

Myself I'd like to have something in shooting and save the power dice on the slann. But on the second thought, not taking a slann and making a monster list, a skink priest or two won't necessarily use all the power dice, so the magic dice could be used to on the magical warmachine. And the magical warmachine would fit better for lizardmen. What's your thoughts?

 

Perhaps another devise with mechanics similar to the curent Engine of the gods mounted to a smaller dino.

Without ending up looking like some dinoriders reject.

 

I think it would be cool to have like a Carnosaur with a bolt thrower on its back similar to that on the back of a Stegadon, with a Skink as pilot.

 

A normal stone thrower would definitely be feasible with a combination of Skinks and Kroxigor or Saurus to crew it. I think it would be more interesting than another big dino or magical machine.

Skinks are smart and nimble and a big guy or two could do the heavy lifting. Kind of like the WF Chaos Dwarf Dreadquake Mortar with an Ogre loader.

Big dinos are probably more likely to get added to the army list though.

 

Mobile Skink+ krox crew with stone thrower or bolt thrower. They aim, his muscles do the work. Like our other "artillery" the Sally and razordon. I hardly ever shoot the steg one and the ancient usually is an EotG. Occasionally I use a regular and the poison works great on vanguard light units or light cav

 

Idea is a great one! It's very akin to Skaven bell, Rats pilot it, rat-ogre rings it. Would be feasible to see Krox's throwing stones or the like.

 

I really do think that some old one weapons would be awesome. Maybe a laser beam type thing, or an energy bomb. They could be mounted or just pushed around by kroxigor and operated by skinks.

 

I'm pretty happy with the salamander and razordon, tbh. I like the flavour it gives our army.

 

If skinks get their bows back, I think it would be better if it would be an option to skinks and not skink skirmishers. Skink skirmishers works well with either javelin or blowpipes. Skinks would get more different uses as an lower range archer block.. With poisoned shots of course The additional 6" to range makes some difference, but not so much that lizards could make a full artillery army

What about a waraltar? Something that boosts something, like a DE caludron. Could be something like sacrifice altar of sotek Or would it be too similar with many other armies that has a waraltar?

 

No love for Sotek's sacrifice altar? How about something similar to salamanders and razordons? Would it shoot/throw some kind of small template attack?Similar like Ogre's thundertusk? Any other effects? Is there any older lizardmen book which could have something that could be "made" monster and handler type artillery?

 

Hmmm how about some sort of device that throws/summons Jungle swarms?
(Altar of Sotec?)

 

That would be something, I immediately started to think something similar to the one spell from nurgle lore, for every 3 wounds made a nurgle base may be placed, but instead of a nurgle we get a swarm base. Makes it kinda likely to be a spell for the lore of old ones?

But anyway, it would rather fun to just catapult lots and lots of snakes and reptile creatures on the enemy!

 

In my revised Lizardmen document, I had this as a new 'warmachine' style unit.

Bastion: 100-150 points (still not sure)

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Bastion - - - - 8 3 - - -

Magic: A Bastion is a Level 2 Wizard. It may select any one of the Lores from the main Warhammer rulebook for its spells

Equipment:
Arcane Oraculus: This model may re-roll failed casting attempts. In addition, the model may use spells even if engaged in close-combat (including magic missiles).
Shield of the Sun: Flaming attacks cannot damage this model. In addition, it has a 4+ ward save

Special rules:
Immobile: Bastions are summoned by Slann to defend key positions on the battlfield, freeing up resources such as Saurus for attacking the enemy. Once a Bastion is deployed, it cannot be moved by either player for any reason (spell effects, special rules, abilities etc). A Bastion passes all characteristic tests, and never tests for Leadership.
Warded: Enemy Wizards attempting to cast a spell at a Bastion must pass a Leadership test. If they fail, they suffer a miscast result regardless of the casting roll.
Elemental Icon: A Bastion is treated as knowing all magic missile spells and direct damage spells in the Lore chosen for it. A Bastion may only cast magic missiles or direct damage spells. A Bastion may not cast a spell that creates a magical vortex. All spells a Bastion has are treated as bound spells, and are cast on a 5+ or higher casting roll. Friendly Wizards and other Bastions may have the same spells as a Bastion.
Arcane Channeling: A friendly Slann within 24” of a Bastion may channel any spell through it, provided the Slann and the Bastion are using the same Lore. Simply treat the Bastion as the point of origin for the spell channeled. Any miscast results still affect the Slann, not the Bastion, and the Bastion can attempt to cast its own spells in addition to any spells channeled through it.

You are getting a magic laser turret. It's tougher than a warmachine, but if you don't have power dice, they're essentially useless (like the Luminark or Celestial).

 

yea that sounds more like a 150-250 point unit.

you might want to cut back on a lot of the special rules and
just keep the esensial ones.

or add some more drawbacks to offset some of the upgrades.

 

Yeah, I agree. Tone it down, and break the rule system less, because I think it could be good. It seems very lizardmen themed.

 

...Yeah, it's got good potential, but way too broken. Miscasts for enemy wizards, no flaming attacks dealing damage, alot of wounds, etc.

Great concept, tone it down, it's gotta be made viable enough to replace something else I normally take in my lists.

I'd love to see Big sallies or Razors, like as if the ones we already have are adolescents.

 

Hmmm perhaps something like...

Bastion: 200 points

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Bastion - - - - 8 3 - - -

3+ ward

2+ magic resistance

immobile

counts as a level 2 mage

channeling

Knows all the direct damage and magic missiles from one of the 8 lores