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Army List Tips Needed; First-timer looking for help.
Topic Started: 28th February 2010 - 06:03 PM (278 Views)
Malkin
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Poetic Lunatic
Hi! I'm new to Warhammer, and looking for help in creating an army list. There are so many options and choices, it is really hard to decide what I should take in my first army list of 2000pts. Basically, I just need any and all tips that you veterans can give me on the subject that will hopefully make it easier for me.

Here are the models that I currently have:
1 box of 20 clanrats assembled with spears and shields.
1 Warlock Engineer
1 Second Edition Screaming Bell - I just picked this up yesterday at my local hobby store because I know I want to incorporate one in my army. The Seer will be my general.

All unpainted. The Bell and Wengineer are unassembled and unpainted.


P.S. This is my first post outside of the mandatory introduction one, so hi everybody!


~ Warlord Malkin the Black
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Lord Pox
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Plague Priest
Hi, welcome :)

20 clanrats and a warlock engineer will fit in most lists, so you have a lot of scope (and will need a lot more models ;p)

I assume you have the book (if not, that's the place to start), so my first piece of advice is to pick a theme, so that when you build your army you can keep that in mind, and develop support and a playstyle for that theme. Would you like a horde-style army, which tries to overwhelm the opponent with sheer numbers, relying on static combat resolution to see off your opponents; or a magic heavy list focusing on getting off the dreaded 13th or Plague as much as possible? How about a list full of wierd and wonderful (and sometimes unpredictable) skaven machinery? Or would you like a list full of monsters, aimed at competing directly with elite combat forces? There are a lot of choices, and of course you don't need to stick firmly to your theme (though many do, theming lists around the main clans, for example) but having an idea of what you want to be good at will help you choose between option A and option B at any point.

If you have a screaming bell, (and want to include it), then you are committed to a seer general at 2000pts, and an expensive one too - so you will need magic to be at least a joint focus if not the primary one. When you say 2nd edition, I assume you mean the second version of the bell, not from the 2nd edition of the game (when we used to dream in vain of skaven war machines ;p). If so, it should be fine, mounted on the right base - 60x100mm.
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Malkin
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Poetic Lunatic
I don't really have a particular theme in mind. I have a bit of a backstory though. I get into that more later. What I basically am going for is a fairly balanced list with a magic-heavy slant, and very little pestilens.

And yes, I mean the second version of the screaming bell. I just love it.

http://store.miniwargaming.com/images/P/newimage-183.gif

I currently lack direction in my vision unfortunately. Bascially, I know I want a few certain things in my army because I like them/know they are kickass. For one, an abomination! Also, of course, the screaming bell. I'll try to squeeze in a WLC as well, but we'll see how much I can fit. Basically what I'm saying is that I know what I like - but I'm not really sure how to incorporate it all.
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Lord Pox
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Plague Priest
Ok, well there's a few key decisions right there :)
You want an A-bomb and a WLC; and a screaming bell - given that this is already pushing half your points with the seer, I'd take a largish (25+) clanrat unit over stormvermin to push the bell - spears can be useful here.
Without pestilens, I'd say support your seer with 1-2 warlock engineers, and take a second unit of clanrats, and minimum two units of slaves. After that, most special choices will add some hammer to your army - I'd think probably rat ogres, or jezzails, or both; PCBs are less good without monks, and you want to avoid pestilens. Gutter runners are situational, but can be great - if you face war machines they're excellent - even just a small unit of 5. Round out with a couple of magic items (power stone for your seer, condenser for 1 WE are both fairly standard choices), and one or two rat darts (packmaster and 5 rats), and you have a workable list.
Stormbanner is great against shooty opponents, but without monks or SV, you'll need a BSB to carry it - a BSB can be a help anyway, but watch the amount you are spending on characters. Alternatively you could take SV to push the bell, but they're costly too.
Weapon teams are fun optional extras that can turn a clanrat unit into a medium threat, so if you have the points, are not a bad addition.
Basically, fielding a bell at 2000 points will cut down your options a bit, especially if you add an a-bomb on top, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. Just be sure to take some cheap units to fill out your force, and give you tactical options/sacrificial units/etc (read Slaves, rat darts)
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Malkin
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Poetic Lunatic
Lord Pox
Feb 28 2010, 02:56 PM
Ok, well there's a few key decisions right there :)
You want an A-bomb and a WLC; and a screaming bell - given that this is already pushing half your points with the seer, I'd take a largish (25+) clanrat unit over stormvermin to push the bell - spears can be useful here.
Without pestilens, I'd say support your seer with 1-2 warlock engineers, and take a second unit of clanrats, and minimum two units of slaves. After that, most special choices will add some hammer to your army - I'd think probably rat ogres, or jezzails, or both; PCBs are less good without monks, and you want to avoid pestilens. Gutter runners are situational, but can be great - if you face war machines they're excellent - even just a small unit of 5. Round out with a couple of magic items (power stone for your seer, condenser for 1 WE are both fairly standard choices), and one or two rat darts (packmaster and 5 rats), and you have a workable list.
Stormbanner is great against shooty opponents, but without monks or SV, you'll need a BSB to carry it - a BSB can be a help anyway, but watch the amount you are spending on characters. Alternatively you could take SV to push the bell, but they're costly too.
Weapon teams are fun optional extras that can turn a clanrat unit into a medium threat, so if you have the points, are not a bad addition.
Basically, fielding a bell at 2000 points will cut down your options a bit, especially if you add an a-bomb on top, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. Just be sure to take some cheap units to fill out your force, and give you tactical options/sacrificial units/etc (read Slaves, rat darts)

Thanks. This was really helpful. In fact, most of what you recommended here is bascially what appeals to me.

One question though. For characters, I'm already planning on taking at least three: 1 Chieftain, 1 Warlock Engineer, and 1 Grey Seer. Will I need a fourth, and if so, what do you suggest?
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Lord Pox
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Plague Priest
Personally, I wouldn't take 4 characters at 2000 if one of them was a seer on a bell (since ~500 pts right there), and I'm not sure what a chieftain can add to this list (unless he's a BSB). If you're asking what I would take, I think I'd go with the seer on the bell and 2 lvl 2 warlock engineers, one with a condenser. This should give you some fun in the magic phase at least (and 10-11 power dice).
But the choice has to reflect what you'll have fun with, too :)

*mutate* also, avoid the temptation to spend lots of points on magic items, too - your seer simply doesn't need 100pts worth of stuff - he's on a bell. Imagine he had to flog all he had for enough warpstone to buy the bell ^_^
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Malkin
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Poetic Lunatic
Lord Pox
Feb 28 2010, 03:33 PM
Personally, I wouldn't take 4 characters at 2000 if one of them was a seer on a bell (since ~500 pts right there), and I'm not sure what a chieftain can add to this list (unless he's a BSB). If you're asking what I would take, I think I'd go with the seer on the bell and 2 lvl 2 warlock engineers, one with a condenser. This should give you some fun in the magic phase at least (and 10-11 power dice).
But the choice has to reflect what you'll have fun with, too :)

*mutate* also, avoid the temptation to spend lots of points on magic items, too - your seer simply doesn't need 100pts worth of stuff - he's on a bell. Imagine he had to flog all he had for enough warpstone to buy the bell ^_^

Unfortunately, my backstory absolutely requires a chieftain. So it looks like I'll have at least one useless character running around. Allthough I'm sure I can find some way to make him work.

Thanks for all your help. I'll try to make a army list and post it here when I can. I'm not sure when that will be though - I'm currently trying to write an essay for school.

If anybody else has tips, I'd love to hear them still.

Thanks.
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Pestilent Lord
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Doomwheel Driver
If the Chieftain has a Battle Standard he will most definitely not be useless. For around 100-120 points you can get a Chieftain with the Battle Standard, an Enchanted Shield for protection and a reasonable combat load-out. Can't go wrong with a battle standard bearer, +1 to combat, re-roll break test. All good stuff.
“A player is never late, Dave. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when the plot dictates he should.”
Skaven 7th:
W/L/D
6/5/2
High Elves:
2/3/1
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deathmaster riddick
I Am The Monster
agreed BSB is necessary, and if you have an engineer and a seer, i'd go a magic heavy. have one engy carry the condenser and rocket, give the other dispel scrolls. most lists have 4 characters, but if you're fielding lots of expensive units you may not want to.

the only other character people usually take is a plague priest, but you said no pestlines.

you may want to consider some smaller more mobile units like giant rats, and maybe a weapon team or two. i personally recommend the warpfire thrower, but doom-flayer, and the mortar are nice as well

i'd suggest upping the bell to 30 rats, it will attract a lot of fire, and you want plenty of bodies to absorb those arrows/spells.

welcome to the UE by the way! best forum around! you're in good hands, stick around.
The best way to configure an army is to go play demons.-Nevamore Posted on Nov 6 2009, 04:02 PM

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Malkin
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Poetic Lunatic
I think I'll be taking one warlock engineer, one chieftain BSB, and a grey seer. With a core of clanrats and slaves, and a few rat darts if they are recommended. For special, I'll be taking some mix of gutter runners, rat ogres, and jezzails (any advice on the distribution of these guys?). Then for rare, I'll try to squeeze in both an abomination and a WLC. We'll see how everything works out. Any advice? Can you see any obvious flaws in this oh-so-basic plan?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. There will be a weapon team or two in there depending on how the points play out.


MUTATE: By the way, thanks for the help and warm welcomes everybody.
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