AoS Skink core viable option?

I have no core troops atm they have all been multibased for KOW so I would like to have Skinks as the core troops, the main reason is the way they look.

Given that Skinks are used for quite a few of our monsters are they a viable choice as core, the wary fighter rule looks good on paper but is it good in play?

What can I buff them with to improve the hit/wound roll and their save?

Cheers guys

 

So can you run a steggy with chief and a Shadowstrike for both rerolls?

 

Depends on game size I suppose 4*4 table will limit the use of a 40 strong unit, small games 1000 points I would say units of 20 are ok but you will lose the bonus after the first attack on them, but 30 strong units is what I would like to field a good 10 man buffer might get you 2/3 rounds of shooting before you lose the bonus, but are we playing skinks for the bonus or as a chaff screen?

 

I also think 30 is a good size. Buffed by a Skink Chief that's a 3+ to hit so you can do some damage with them, and a 4+ after a few have died, which means if you shoot at some enemy unit it still has to save 5-6 wounds on average.
Because of the small models even big units of Skinks are surprisingly mobile, compared to Ironjawz for example.

Smaller units are almost as fast as most cavalry, so they are food for claiming objectives, especially because of their 'wary fighters' ability. But don't expect any damage from them.

EDIT: In my 1500-2000pt games I usually play one unit of 40 and one unit of 10.

 

Exactly my thoughts, cheap and good at filling battleline requirements, fast so you can block off hard hitting enemy troops for a turn or two and if they take out one or two along the way happy days.

 

I think of them as expendable and just use them to tie up a unit that I want to try and control, I'm running 3*10 tonight just to see if I can hold up 3 units and for how many turns.

 

So if we are just using them to occupy units would we better going at unit size of 20, 160 points for that size is pretty cheap?

 

I'd say yes.... probably. Really depends on the enemy unit they have to face. I did prevent a unit of 15 or so Ardboyz from doing much by chaffing them with 10 Skinks, losing 5 of them in each of the two rounds. But a Maw-Krusha will outright kill 10 Skinks with ease. 20 could maybe keep him busy for two rounds.

 

Maybe but if we are deploying skinks to occupy units and be used as chaff would we be wasting points having more than 20 man units?

 

Yeah, the concept of chaffing is weird. You basically try to keep a unit busy by sacrificing points.

A unit of 20 Skinks is 160 points, a Maw-Krusha 520. You have to decide whether keeping one of the most expensive/powerful single units in the game for one or - if you are lucky - two rounds away from your valuable assets (while allowing your archers to shoot it without getting smashed) is worth it.

For me it was in one battle. I had a Bastiladon, an Astrolith Bearer, a Razordon and a unit of 40 Skinks near him, and by sacrificing 10 Skinks and three Skink Handlers I managed to deny that fat model the area to land in front of my troops and kept him busy for that round. He had to spend two full rounds wasting his powerful attacks on worthless units, while a 600 points gun line moved into range and shot him. He eventually killed those few, and moved to attack my line, but by then I had already taken 3/4 of his hit points, and thus lowered his attack power immensely. He died the next round and I won.

Does it always have to be that way? No. Certainly not. But keeping such a powerful model away for just one round can make a difference.

EDIT: And the other thing is: You force him to make a decision:
If he doesn't activate the Maw-Krusha first the Skinks will maybe use their ability to move away going _somewhere_. But if he does, then on the other side of the board there may be a Troglodon or Carnosaur getting activated first and slaughtering his boyz. (that was the case in my battle).