8th Ed. Skrox Horde?

[Shogun]

Hello to all the members of L-O!

After an extended break from Warhammer, and Lizardmen especially, I'm gearing up for a tournament at the end of the month. List building and finally painting again has started the creative juices flowing and I have run into a small wrinkle in the rules.

What is the horde formation like for a Skrox? Specifically I was wondering the following:

1) Does the horde rule even apply for a Unique unit like the skrox as the base size difference makes it difficult to figure what a rank is?

2) Is a rank 10 wide, based on skinks, or 12 wide, based on kroxigors?

3) How would Horde formation even work for the Skrox?

My thoughts as to question 2 is 10 wide. It was pointed out to me that krow are a unit upgrade to a skink cohort unit and therefore the width of the horde would be determined by the skinks. This does make sense to me but being Warhammer good sense is smoetimes sacrificed for convience.

For question 1 two possible outcomes emerge. 1) it doesn't matter if there is a horde formation or not due to either the units Unique status or interpretations of the "mixed base sizes/Spawn Kin" rules in the Lizardmen rule book. That means the Kroxigor occupy the 2nd and 3rd rank so the model behind them can't reach combat. 2) Skrox can horde-up and the kroxigor count as a single model. Once again depending on how you interpret the "spawn kin" rule the Krox are placed in the second rank. Therefore the Krox are a single model in a specifically numered rank and any skink or krox behind them will get thier supprot attack.

Imagine if you will. Horde formation is legal and you take a unit of 80 skinks and 10 kroxigores. That would be 10 S3 attacks and 30 S6. At 950 pts with out command (only another 20 for FC) that's a heafty chunk of a unit but I think more viable than a horde of vanilla krox.

What do you folks think? Is the horde viable or just the fevered dreams of a madman?

Thanks in advance for anyone taking time to reply to this post.

 

[Scalenex]

Kroxigor within Skink cohorts must be in the second rank as per the rules. Therefore it's illegal to put them in the third rank so it's moot for figuring out if they can horde. If you take 4 Kroxigor, you have to be at last 8 skinks wide, if you take 5 Kroxigor you have to be at least 10 skinks wide (horde formation).

I am unaware of anything in the rules that says unique units can't benefit from horde rules. So a Skroxigor block that's ten skinks or more wide could let skinks in the third rank attack. The killing power of the third row skinks is probably pretty neglible compared to what the Kroxigor can dish out.

Kroxigor can be horded six wide without Skinks. I believe that's our only option to have Kroxigor in the third rank attacking anyone. I don't know if it's practical. I hope it is, I just increased my Kroxigor collection to nineteen recently.

 

[Arli]

I hope it is, I just increased my Kroxigor collection to nineteen recently.

Lol, I have 16.

 

[Shogun]

Thanks Scalenex!

Thats a good point and does put the nail in the coffin of a multi krox-row horde. I suppose that having the 3rd rank of skinks isn't the best use, unless you Mind razored the unit, but that would mean 3k+ list or no Lore of Life Slann.

As far as a Horde of Krox go, too vulnerable, too slow (initiative wise), and too expensive. It might be fun in a friendly cgame to build a list around 18 krox, Lore of Light and a crap-load of skink speed-bumps....

For the tournament I'm going to I'm taking 4 krox/35 skinks with standard and musician ranked 8 wide. Usually its 3/28 ratio at 6 wide. I like the steadfast rule with these units as i will often loose combats, stick around for 3 or 4 rounds, and eventually win with either Life buffs or flank charges. Most opponents underestimate these guys and afterwards usually say How tough they were and wonder why more LM don't use them.

 

[Qupakoco]

I'm taking 4 krox/35 skinks with standard and musician ranked 8 wide. Usually its 3/28 ratio at 6 wide.

Personally, I always take enough Skinks to cover the Krox's flanks. So 4 Krox means 10 wide and 3 Krox means 8 wide. That way you are protecting your Krox from flank charges as well as a lot of confusion that may result from said flank charge. Removing models, allocating attacks, keeping a higher leadership, etc... The best solution is to not get flanked at all, of course.

 

[Shogun]

I like the slightly thinner frontage on my Skrox. To date I have never been flanked on this unit. I guess my opponents underestimate them and instead angle combo/flank charges for the Saurus and Temple Guard. Besides the Krox are much tougher customers (WS3 T4 AS4+) so most opponents prefer to target squishy-skinks.

Actually, that's a fun way to draw out charges. Run your Temple Guard unit a little further out than the rest of your line, wheel a bit, with the Skrox unit angled juuuust sooo.... Wait for your opponent to take the bait, hold a round and then counter charge with you skrox. Good times!