AoS My Thunder Lizard Lists

[Nart]

I've got several games with this lists against newer AoS (not 40k, however) players. Results, however, were way better than I expected. I've already shared them in several threads, just wanted them to be in one place.
Absolutely not 5-0 type lists, but I know that in my meta I can easily go 3-2 or 4-1 with them, if I play things right. If you are into seraphon for big monsters and want them to be at least half competitive, you may find these ones interesting.

First one is "my perfect thunderquake". Mind you, the keyword is "my".

Allegiance: Seraphon
- Constellation: Thunder Lizard
Mortal Realm: Hysh

Leaders
Lord Kroak (320)
- Spell: Stellar Tempest
Engine of the Gods (260)
- Artefact: Fusil of Conflaguration
Skink Starpriest (120)
- Artefact: Aetherquartz Brooch
- Spell: Celestial Harmony
Skink Priest (70)
- General: Master of Star Rituals

Battleline
40 x Skinks (240)
- Meteoric Javelins Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
10 x Skinks (60)
- Meteoric Javelins Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
10 x Skinks (60)
- Meteoric Javelins Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers

Units
12 x Salamander Hunting Pack (240)

Behemoths
Bastiladon (220)
- Weapon: Solar Engine
Bastiladon (220)
- Weapon: Solar Engine

Battalions
Thunderquake Temple-host (150)

Endless Spells / Terrain / CPs
Bound The Burning Head (40)

Total: 2000 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 1
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 125

Burning head may be ditched for triumph, balewind or whatever you want. I try to stick it to salamanders to concerve CP. I like the list, because it have several threats that only top-tier army can deal quickly with. Salamanders and skinks are both very good at dealing damage, including mortal wounds. They provide mose bodies and moderately survivable. Don't underestimate bastiladons either - 18 shots 4+(3+, rerollong 1's), 3+ -1 2 is nothing to sniff at. They are exceptionally survivable against any army, that produce MW at high rate. Run+charge ability from the thunderquake make them pretty fast too. 8-9" movement on average +24" allows them to shoot from turn 1. EotG is both a strudy behemoth and the only way to summon stuff. Trust me, saurus is not the boys for beating they used to be. Don't expect from them too much, but they are very capable at holding objectives now and fight with other cheap infantry. Starpriest is for Skinks babysitting, which need both Celestial Harmony and starvenom to funtion properly. Priest's roll is obvious, but skinks benifit from him the most. MoSR is for CP conservation - every single CP will count. Kroak, is, well, Kroak. Nothing to add.

Obvious strengths - both survivability and damage, okayish body count which you can increase with EotG. Multiple damage-dealing units can apply a lot of pressure. Kroak provides magical domination and CP battery - actual magical damage is secondary in this case. Also, all your damage is ranged, so you don't need to worry about activation wars, getting too close, etc.

Obvious weaknesses - too relient on CP and heroes. Priest - the key hero of the list - only has 4 wounds and 5+ save. Kroak can hold a bith thanks to Dead for Innumerable Ages ability, 7 wounds and 4+ save. But both the priest and starpriest are very vulnerable. CP generation is also random - you only get 1 with the battalion, one in your hero phase, and one free Priest's CA. All the other sources of generation and regeneration are random. Celestial Harmony, at least, allows you not to worry about battleshock, but still can fail/be unbind. Very possbile that you generate 0 CP with Kroak or return any - unlikely, but possbile. So you may never spend CP on uneeded stuff. My CA value is the following:

1. Insane Bravery. You will lose a lot of damage AND bodies if you fail battleshock with either large skink units or Salamanders. I wouldn't bother with saving handlers, however, if you don't have a chance to lose samanaders. Skinks should be save thanks to celestial harmony most of the time. However, try to save a CP for unexpected battleshock if possible.

2. Trove of the Old One Technology. Doubling damage from the bastiladon is the best investment, espcially if you already have Herald of the Old Ones ones. EotG is very important too, because of chance of summoning 20 saurus.

3. Herald of the Old Ones. +1 to-hit is always good and bastiladons really need it. But your free one should go for skinks.

4. All-Out Attack/Defence/Volley Fire. Good in addition to +1 to-hit, if you returned enough CP. Vital for bastiladons, if your opponent plans to swarm them with attacks.

5. Gift from Heavens. Sometimes it is essential, but I wouldn't use it, unless I am 100% sure that I need it.

The second list was inspired by multi-battalion discussion. I didn't think of it seriously until LizardWizard posted similar list with dual battalions and even considered it semi-competitive.

Allegiance: Seraphon
- Constellation: Thunder Lizard
Mortal Realm: Hysh

Leaders
Saurus Oldblood on Carnosaur (250)
- General
- Command Trait: Prime Warbeast
- Artefact: Fusil of Conflaguration
Lord Kroak (320)
- Spell: Stellar Tempest
Engine of the Gods (260)
- Artefact: Cloak of Feathers
Skink Priest (70)
- Artefact: Aetherquartz Brooch

Battleline
10 x Saurus Warriors (90)
- Clubs
10 x Saurus Warriors (90)
- Clubs
10 x Saurus Warriors (90)
- Clubs

Units
4 x Salamander Hunting Pack (80)

Behemoths
Bastiladon (220)
- Weapon: Solar Engine
Bastiladon (220)
- Weapon: Solar Engine

Battalions
Sunclaw Temple-host (140)
Thunderquake Temple-host (150)

Total: 1980 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 2
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 91

The list even less competitive, but even more fun, IMO, because, well, 4 behemoths. Starpriest, skinks and salamanders are exchanged for oldblood and sunclaw battalion.

Strengths - only 4 drops, which will allow you to outdrop a lot of armies and Carnosaur is devastating. It dealt 20 damage to Sorceress on dragon in my last game. You apply a lot of pressure on your, since they have to deal with carno, 2 basties and engine. Even single salamander, however, can deal quite a bit of damage.
Weaknesses - even less bodies and wounds - you really need to rely on EotG for summoning. Without MoSR you also won't have free CA. And Carnosaur really need both his CA and all-out attack - every jaw attacks, that miss, is 5 DMG lost.

In general, I content with the lists, but still would like to have some feedback, if there any way to improve the concept.

 

[Shadowkaos]

I ran something similar to this and I found the engine underwhelming. 3-8 is pretty much a fail roll, 9-12 has limited range and you tend to average 2 units of Saurus a game if you fire every single turn for 5 rounds. If you roll hot it's great but you can't bank on rolling hot. Both of my games ended in turn 3, and seems like a win big item, either you are already winning and it didnt make a difference or doesn't help you win at all.

 

[Nart]

The value of the EotG is not only in cosmic engine. It is a 14-wound behemoth with decent melee profile and 3+ save against small units and heroes/monsters. And it is also a hero, which means, that it can use basic command abilities. It is very helpful, considering its lagre base.

Yes, it is random, but neither effects are trash, they just may come in an appropriate time, but the mere chance of them being used when you are really need them is worth it. In the end, they are free, unless you want to spend another CP. Range on 9-12 is rarely a problem, since it is a rare situation, when enemy units out of 24" range from it after turn 2. Summoning is always helpful and healing is wasted most of the time (mostly because my games are often ends by turn 3-4 with behemoths untouched).

Don't think, that Stega Chief (which I don't own anyway) can contribute more to the lists. It is good for 40 skink blot because of his CA, melee profile is more or less the same as for EotG and 0 chances to summon. I also won't be able to fully buff it, because Carno needs trait in list 2 and list 1 is very CP-hungry, so I need MoSR. Also, Chief is 10 points more expensive.

 

[forlustria]

The second list is not legal. Sunclaw temple host can't have saurus old blood on carnosaur. The old blood part is not bolded so it means the warscroll old blood not key word

 

[Grotpunter]

The second list is not legal. Sunclaw temple host can't have saurus old blood on carnosaur. The old blood part is not bolded so it means the warscroll old blood not key word

There is a FAQ that states otherwise. If you look at the actual warscroll his name is “Saurus Oldblood” and then lowercase “on Carnosaur”

 

[Nart]

There is a FAQ that states otherwise.

It is not even a FAQ. It is a straight core rule.

 

[forlustria]

I stand corrected just went o er the battalion rules and it says ignore sub headings. I still don't get why the firelance one puts scar vet in bold as surely the same rules would work with that

 

[Nart]

Because there is not such a unit as Scar-Veteran. And the rule states, that sub-headers cannot be ignored, if a unit in the battalion's list already has a subheader.

 

[forlustria]

But the scar vets are layed out the same as old blood. Well it says saurus scar-veteran but there's still sub heading on coldone/Carno.
Why not just put saurus scar-veteran as choice for firelance.
Technically firelance is unusable according to you because there's no key word that says scar-veteran, it says saurus scar vet.

Explain why they are different please. I'm probably missing something


Edit. The Carno scar vet does just have scar vet key word but the coldone has saurus scar vet

 

[forlustria]

What I'm trying to say is why make the distinction?
Why is firelance not set out like this
1 saurus scar-veteran
3 saurus knights units

There's no reason for it not to be this way if they intended us to take an old blood on Carno in sunclaw.

 

[Nart]

Why is firelance not set out like this

Once again, there is no such unit as Saurus Scar-Veteran in our battletome. It is either Saurus Scar-Veteran on Cold one or Saurus Scar-Veteran on Carnosaur.

 

[forlustria]

Whats this then why is it different to old blood on carnosaur?

 

[forlustria]

Unless you mean it's different because there is no on foot one? But then they could still use saurus scar-veteran for both cold one and Carno like they do for old blood and old blood on Carno. I don't understand why you ignore one sub heading and not the other

 

[Nart]

There is no Scar-Veteran unit without subheader. It makes no sence to add a name of unit, that doesn't exist, in a battalion's composition. Saurus Oldblood without a subheader exists, so it was ok to write it that way.

 

[forlustria]

Right got it now lol.