8th Ed. Slann joining Skrox unit

[aclaflin]

I have one doosy of a question for all the lizardheads out there. Keep in mind this is theory hammer at its best.

Points of reference:
1. Per the most recent Lizardmen FAQ, a skrox unit is troop type Unique.
2. Deaded 13th spell only targets infantry, not Unique.
3. Page 97 in the BRB says what types of units a character is normally allowed to join.
a. Unique is not one of these units.

My initial plan was to attach a normally lone slann to a unit of skrox to keep him from being targeted by the 13th spell. Of course he would be placed to the side of the unit as their footprints are incompatible, and would not receive a Look out sir because of different troop types. However, it seems that characters (skink, saurus or slann) cannot join a skrox unit.

Thoughts?

 

[n810]

well since the base sized don't mesh well he woild have to go on the side of the unit....
Not a place where I would want my Slann.

I seem to recall that he can't join that unit for some reason as well.

 

[aclaflin]

You may be thinking of tetto'eko whose rules explicitly state he cannot join a skrox unit. Being on the side of a unit is not the problem. The problem is being classified as a unique unit. Anyone else have this come up?

 

[The Omen]

point 3a pretty much answers your question.

If you're playing 100% to the rules then a character can only join certain units and unique isn't one of those - therefore characters cannot join a Skrox unit.

 

[aclaflin]

That's what I thought, I just needed some confirmation. Bummer. Now we all need to figure out where to put our skink heroes. Am I the only one who has been doing this wrong? If anyone else has had this come up, how did you deal with it?

 

[Lord Tsunami]

Now we all need to figure out where to put our skink heroes.

in the display case. they look awesome. no reason to take them out of there though
seriously though, if you want to hide skink priests, skirmishers sounds like the perfect place. if you wanna hide skink chiefs... well you are on your own then. they are terrible atm, so it isnt a big issue.

 

[strewart]

Hmm wow yes I have certainly been putting my priest in my skrox unit. I guess if we are going to claim immunity from 13th spell and stomp attacks, we have to accept that characters cannot join the units either. I'm surprised this hasn't come up before.

 

[Arbite]

I think a fuller reading might answer the question.



In the first paragraph, it says:

"a character is normally permitted to join units of infantry, beasts, calvary, monstrous infantry, monstrous beasts, or monstrous cavalary. "

the second paragraph, states clearly, that you cannot join units of monsters, flyers, chariots, swarms, or war machines.

Unique is not mentioned on either side.


we are a unit made up of Infantry and Monstrous Infantry, therefore a character can join.

The 13th spell and stomp immunity comes from not being a unit totally comprised of infantry.

With the word normally in the first paragraph, makes it a non exclusive list, the second paragraph clearly prohibits. So what do you guys think??

 

[strewart]

The paragraph on Unique Units in the BRB says everything that is relevant to them will be explained in their army books. Maybe it is allowed then, the LM rulebook doesn't mention anything. Krox are an upgrade to a skink unit and characters can join skink units fine.

It looks like a stalemate to me now. From a fluff perspective, I'd say skink characters would be fine joining the unit but not others.

So to look at the original question again, I think yes you could put a Slann there to protect him from the 13th spell. I don't think it would be a particularly good idea though because as well as no LoS, it also makes him vulnerable to being attacked in combat. A skrox unit, you want to get into combat, a Slann not so much. It would also force you to either put the Slann on the flank (less magic support for your line, less general/bsb bubble) or put the skrox in the centre of your army which makes a weak point.

 

[Ronisman]

Krox are an upgrade to a skink unit and characters can join skink units fine.

I think this is the key here. I would feel totally confident putting any lizardman character with a skrox unit.

 

[Stonecutter]

As Arbite has outlined, there is no prohibition against putting any character in a unique unit when that unit is Skrox (other unique units might have special rules or an oldblood on a carnie since he is riding a monster) and it also makes sense from the perspective of a core unit with an upgrade added to it. The same lizardman FAQ that defines the skrox as unique is also supported by the skaven FAQ regarding the dreaded 13th where it covers how non-infantry models make infantry units "unique".
I have often added characters to my own skrox and here are a few lessons I have learned:

a. Slaan with flaming banner (I don't have TG so he generally goes into saurus) works wonders when the skrox unit is nearby. Excellent for taking out hellpits and hydras as placement on the side means no shooters are displaced. In combat, S6 flaming tends to finish off the opponent rather quickly.
b. Danger Pay - as noted earlier, the slaan is exposed to attack but with 4+ ward, flank position and lore of life, he is in minimum contact, fairly resilient and able to heal his own wounds.
c. Slower & no-aquatic - Charge and base move of skrox is cut down to 4" and they lose aquatic. The latter is just about irrelevant since I haven't seen too many rivers or lakes but cutting back to 4" from 6" can really slow the unit down and they work best as flankers.
d. scar vet on cold one - very difficult to get him into combat against a narrow frontage opponent as he cannot "make way" and the rules for maximizing total number of models in combat can leave him out of the battle. Still useful for giving the unit magical attacks in some select cases.
e. skink priest - good location to protect from killer spells and the frontage often allows a charge to be made that keeps the priest out of combat. Haven't tried a skink chief since they are pretty lame on foot.