Not sure if this has been mentioned before. Skinks with Moonstone Clubs and Shields, are they worth it? I have been thinking this question over and over. When looking at their rules it's not worth taking them, they don't gain the buff from numbers. The Seraphon way of gaining buffs is by: Skink Chief (command ability) Skink Priest (can help with save rerolls, depending on the unit they are against) Slann (of course) Shadowstrike and Heavenswatch helps with re-rolls. I feel like melee based Skinks could be a distraction unit. I haven't tried running melee Skinks in my army yet, could have a try.
I keep thinking the same cheap unit to tie up the enemy but pipes give you range and you can still send them on a suicide mission if needed.
Haha well the truth is, they aren't very good in cc. You can take both the boltspitter and clubs if you would like. The loss from not taking a shield isn't a big deal considering your armor save is already a 6. It really is pretty free. So if you want to use clubs, that's how I would do it. I wouldn't take skinks without the boltspitters. The little bit of shooting is way better than going clubs and shields.
True, Skinks are better at their range combat. Still throw the buffs at them and re-rolls at the right time. I think it's mostly depends what will come up on the table, then again just sit back with the boltspitters. I haven't played much of AoS, planning to play more of it.
To be honest, I don't use Skinks to kill a lot or to get into combats. I use Skinks for objective holding and board control. I don't think you want to spend a lot of resources in buffing them up. They are good in the Shadowstrike Starhost, but more other than that I would look to buff other units, like Warriors, Guard and Knights. Those are my opinions after playing Seraphon for a little! Hope it helps.
Welp, I'm more of a Skink player, but if it does get to the point I may have to start introducing the Saurus
They are still super useful. I would just plan to bring some other firepower to do the majority of your combat and killing. Trust me, Skinks can win you games, especially when playing the objectives.
I run all my skinks with boltspitters and clubs, I've had a few games where the clubs have won me objectives either holding on to them or mopping up a unit after shooting it.
I also use Skinks with Clubs and Blowpipes, mostly due to the shield not really mitigating much damage in most games. I prefer to run a mob of 30 and keep them on a flank with a Stegadon mostly for hit-and run tactics. They don't always do damage in games, but the amount of annoyance it gives opponents trying to reach an objective (like Take & Hold mission) or trying to get the charge on my units is more than worth the points.
I think skinks with clubs and shields are aesthetically pleasing, but as far as close combat goes, well, they're awful, haha!
I use only boltspitters and shields. Skinks are bad in melee, and the clubs don't make them much better anyway. The immunity against -1 rend at least prevents enemies with rend from auto-hitting them.
Well plus it seems like more and more are becoming higher than -1 rend. I think it's just mostly what you're up against in the end. Still the save is not that reliable.
-2 rend is actually fairly rare, it's just the prevalence of certain units that are a MUST take that are well beyond worth their points. Kurnoth Hunters for example. Morghast Archai being another. People often say our shields are very situational, but without them, we are highly susceptible to just about every dedicated unit killer and large monster. And the odd deadly hero here and there.
I run mine as pure skirmishers just like the old days. Boltspitters and shields so they can annoy from range and have a chance to survive to be annoying another turn. Spread them 10 wide with max inch unit coherency between them to fence off parts of the board. Move them up and shoot. Keep them at long Charge range. If they fail great. If they get in wait for them to fight a better combat and wary fighter them away. Rinse and repeat and you can stall a unit for a long time. Mine held up a unit of plague kings 3 rounds this past weekend.
Just curious, with the wary fighter ability, can skinks run? It's worded as they can "withdraw" in the rules, which is different to retreating. I'm guessing no, they can't run, but I just wanted to clarify.
It says "move each model in the unit up to 8" so that each ne ends up at least 3" from the enemy" It's not a normal movement, so no running.
I am actually interpreting it as " They can move / run normally next round" ? Why wouldn't they ? Please help
Their following movement phase they do as normally, but for the purposes of movement during Wary Fighter, they only move up to 8".