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Screaming Bell Unit size
Topic Started: 26th December 2009 - 06:07 AM (463 Views)
Kindaul


Was just wondering what people think the optimal unit size/configuration would be for a screaming bell. something like 30 man strong with a frontage of 5, or maybe frontage of 7? Seems to me if you have 30 clannies on a fronatge of 5 you have quite a few rats sittin in the back doing nothing, especially if you give your seer a shadow magnet to protect the unit from shooting. But an extra 2 ws3 s3 attacks is pretty meh as well. Maybe this would be better with SV? Thoughts/opinions would be appreciated, thx.
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reddogfish77
Grey Seer
have tried it with SV and with clanrats... the clannies are just pin cushions... i recommend SV... an option is to not even take shields so you know that you just wanna do damage with them. if someone flanks them they are in for a world of hurt in the 2rd round of combat and the bell effects can make things really nasty.

also 30 was a good number for me... more than 20 and less than 35.....
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SiliconSicilian
Grey Seer
I do 20 or 27. 27 is optimal, I think but 20 comes out of the box and fits flush at 5 rows as follows

SSBBBSS
SSBBBSS
SSBBBSS
SSBBBSS
SSBBBSS
SSSSSSS

Most units will rank 5 wide. You are 7 so everyone attacks. With the bell, this is more important than with the furnace because plague monks and the furnace generate way more attacks. However, storm vermin are harder hitting and actually have armour so things are balanced. I always use shields, though. I really don't think that skimping on the 27 points is worth it.

As was already said, even if you get flanked, you still have a lot of fighting storm vermin. And, initiative 5 will go a long way in round two.
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Kindaul


You say clannies are pin cushions, byt his do you mean they are easily killed by missile fire? If so, don't they have the same save as SV when given shields in this situation? Also the SV are almost twice the points with shields, is it really worth it? Just seems like a lot of points for 1WS 1I and the option to use halberds or HW/S.I suppose the ability to take a magic banner is nice, but still. . .
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reddogfish77
Grey Seer
i know you you should really always take shields on stormermin but i find myself always using shields and H/W in combat... i need to stop using them defensivly... the new bell is specifically designed so that you get the maximum value from its unit... my bell unit was chewing through temple guard after it was hit in the flank cause i was using halberds instead of shields... also you will find that everything aims for the bell with ranged weapons anyway... though you should take 25 or more stormvermin. otherwise you run the risk of the unit becoming combat ineffective.
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I_ated_Warpstone
Grey Seer
I've been running 27 Storm Vermin with Shields. Its been a doll so far. I agree with Reddog on this one that the unit can be extremely potent as a combat breaker, don't be afraid to go to town with those Halberds. You'll mow down units with a good bell ring.
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reddogfish77
Grey Seer
sniff sniff... whats this... recognition... i have this strange warm feeling inside me... is it pride... no wait just indigestion... lol
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aldebaran


Ill say 27+ . The bell tend to be a shot magnet and dont forget you ll get doubles some times and that means d6 S4 on the unit.
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Kindaul


So then a frontage of 7 is ideal then as well? Noone seems to have disputed Silicons suggested unit configuration.
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I_ated_Warpstone
Grey Seer
I run a 6 wide unit myself. I run a formation as such:

xxbbbx
xxbbbx
xxbbbx
xxbbbx
xxbbbx
xxxxxx
xxxxxx
Skaven Tournament Performances
Battle for the Block - Best General
4th Quarter RT - Best Overall
Rumble in Jackson - Best Overall
Toys for Tots Charity Tourney - Best General
1st Quarter RT - Best Overall
Gamerz Depot Tourney - 1st Place

"Hassle, annoy, aggravate, whatever it takes to not engage in a fair fight"
Tournament players are people too
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reddogfish77
Grey Seer
if i take a character in it... i would take it 6 wide... i dont take musicians in it and if not 5 wide... your ranks will last longer and if they charge a flank then you will be attacking with more models...
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Mahtobedis
Member Avatar
Warlord
I have not had too much trouble with getting shot off the board but I do have a shadow magnet trinket and regularly get our third spell from the lore of ruin.

I take my SV in a block of 20. I with I could get the points for 27 but I love to many things in my army.

I believe that the effects of the bells double roll and triple roll can be saved against. This makes the higher armor save of the SV also worth while since the unit is less likely to hurt itself.
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Vesh
Member Avatar


Personally, I've been using Clanrats to pull the bell (as I have no Stormvermin yet), and I've found that my unit of 47 with spears/shields generally do alright. I also put a BSB with the War Banner in there as well, making the unit 9 wide, 7 deep. Can afford to lose a couple of ranks with no penalties to Leadership, and with large numbers, even losing 7 or 8 in one phase is no real problem.

Mind you, the list I've been playing lately is trying to get ready for a 2,500 point tournament - the list is a small one, with only 250 models...
Gaming In Perth, Western Australia... gotta love it...

... well, almost as much as the new Skaven book...
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Clanseer Skabrius
Lord of the Undermountain
I like to use a big unit of 40 clanrats with shields and full command. For an unbreakable unit, they are very cheap, but they die a lot so there have to be a lot of them. I'm still not sure ghow I should deploy them, 20 on either side like in the white dwarf battle report or just 5 or 6 guys in the front rank and a very deep formation. Could someone tell me which is best and why?
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