8th Ed. Razordon units and their handlers

[Ecksen]

This is in parts a question of how to interpret rules, and parts to discuss the viability of the tactic of large units of Razordons.

We've all played with the idea of, or actually played with, a large unit of Razordons - say 5. Never having run large groups of Sallies or Razordons before, the question has never occurred to me how one removes the handlers or how they function in melee.

I am assuming that the skinks, aka snacks, belong to the squad as a whole and not a single model, as they can eat their fill of skinks until the squad runs out of them - is this correct? If so, the rules for monsters and handlers would mean that each skink is counted as being in close combat as long as one razordon is. This leads me to the following:

Fielding 8 Razordons with additional handlers. While expensive, it's also difficult to kill. The usual "Move up into their face, shoot, stand and shoot" applies, but then 8 Razordons also means 32 handlers - of which we can assume 20 remain after some arrow attraction and hungry hungry razordon. We're already casting Hand of Glory on the troop - add in wyssans wildform and we've got some crazy skink action going on.

Or do the snack actually belong to each individual razordon? So in a large troop, if one of them eats all his handlers right off the bat the entire troop has to take a monster reaction test? (as per the wording in our rulebook on the hunting packs).

Is there a gaping hole of "this tactic is shit" in this, apart from not being able to field a single Ancient Stegadon?

 

[Arli]

You are correct, the skinks belong to the unit, not the razordon.

 

[Rango]

Taking 8 in a single unit is a lot of barbed eggs in one basket
4 may still be worth it and leave points for steg or sallies

Up to my knowledge handlers indeed belong to the unit.
Given new book and High Magic they can be a viable choice today
I hope this does not get FAQed
It is imo fair, as forcing the other beasties to take reaction because of one hungry lad would not be good either

 

[Qupakoco]

Well the book says that handlers may attack if THEIR monster is in combat. But yeah, there isn't really a distinction as to what Skink controls which Razordon once you put them on the field.

Rules-wise, I would agree with you. The way it is written now implies that all 32 handlers get to be in combat.

Spirit-of-the-Rules-wise, I would say that you should only allow up to 4 handlers to be in combat per Razordon. That's my opinion anyway. But if you are running these 8 guys 4x2, as long as the front row of Razordons is in combat then the back row would get supporting attacks. Therefore you're able to use their handlers for attacks also.

Is there a gaping hole of "this tactic is I swear too much" in this, apart from not being able to field a single Ancient Stegadon?

Umm, you'll have to buy 8 Razordons. If you get those from a GW dealer you're looking at $$$

 

[Ecksen]

In 2400p you can fit at most 5 Razordons with extra handlers if you also want an Ancient with horns. It is problematic playing without the Ancient it's true; it's just... too awesome. Fielding 8 Razordons is strictly theoretical on my part since I only play with ETC or Komp, neither would allow a large block of them. With ETC I can fit at most 6, which I'm going to give a go in a game later this week and come back with some feedback. It'll probably feature something like [Slann, Large Saurus block, some Skirmishers, Large TG block, 2 Ripper squads, chameleons, 6 Razordons, +some fillers].

Well the book says that handlers may attack if THEIR monster is in combat. But yeah, there isn't really a distinction as to what Skink controls which Razordon once you put them on the field.

Rules-wise, I would agree with you. The way it is written now implies that all 32 handlers get to be in combat.

Spirit-of-the-Rules-wise, I would say that you should only allow up to 4 handlers to be in combat per Razordon. That's my opinion anyway. But if you are running these 8 guys 4x2, as long as the front row of Razordons is in combat then the back row would get supporting attacks. Therefore you're able to use their handlers for attacks also.

Is there a gaping hole of "this tactic is I swear too much" in this, apart from not being able to field a single Ancient Stegadon?

Umm, you'll have to buy 8 Razordons. If you get those from a GW dealer you're looking at $$$

Well, yes, I guess I wasn't specific in that the gaping hole was supposed to be in the tactic and not my wallet . But yea that is a valid issue; 8 identical finecast models would make it static and ugly, as well as expensive. I'm sure there's some alternative model solution somewhere out there... Plastic hedgehogs from a toystore?


And I'm not sure handlers are allowed to make supporting attacks though. Are they? If so, I guess the whole thing with them being in base contact doesn't matter much. No matter how I wrack my brain about it, placing 8 razordons in a kongo line in order to be able to have the scenario where 32 little skinks crowds around the one Razordon in front to fight, while amusing to picture, probably isn't very useful in any given circumstance.