New to Lizardmen

[Dominic]

Hiya,

I'm thinking of starting the Lizardmen army; I have the book, and at the moment have no idea what to choose, tactics etc.

So far, all I know is that I want a Slann Mage, but I'm unsure on how to play him, strategies etc. This will be my first warhammer army, although I have learnt the rules well (played with a friends army for a bit).

I plan to build a 2000 points army.

I appreciate any and all advice you can give to me regarding the army

[Atrocity]

Warning: HUGE wall o' text incoming:

Models wise, since you know you want go run a slann, go ahead and pick one up (you can use either the regular slann or the lord kroak model as a relic priest if you'd like to be fluffy/different). Some good models to start with are Salamanders and probably 2 battalion boxes. Maybe use the skinks in the boxes to convert to Chameleons. I personally don't like the Cold One Calvary so you could sell those.

I like a Saurus heavy army. They're tough, not terribly expensive, and rock in CC. Their movespeed is decent enough so if you play against a gunline army, you deploy as close as you can and just keep on marching 8" til you get to them.

I have never really had good luck with Skinks (that weren't of the Chameleon variety), they die to a stiff breeze and are too easy to just ignore or don't inflict enough damage. Probably user error, but I do well enough.Also on the subject of Skinks, if you take Chameleons (at 2,000 points) grab 1 to 2 units of the minimum unit size (5). Don't bother with Stalkers, not worth the points IMO. They get scout,so you can hopefully sneak up beind a warmachine, lone character/wizard, and pop it. The reason I go with minimum sized unit is because 5 is generally enough to do the job, and it's kind of a suicide unit anyways. You can also march and shoot since they're skirmishers.

Since you know you want a Slann, there's really only 2 ways to run them, either in a block of Temple Guard (called a TG bunker) or alone with the Higher State of Consciousness Discipline (makes him Ethereal, be sure to read up on the FAQ). Most people believe that The Focused Rumination is mandatory at the very least in either way you run a Slann. I personally put my Slann in a TG block and beef him up. My 2k point list has him with Focus of Mystery (gives Loremaster) I usually go Life or Light depending on how I'm feeling. The reason is that both of these either enhance your TG/Saurus' strengths (resiliency and close combat prowess) or minimize their weaknesses (initiative, movespeed, losing models from always going last). Focused Rumination for the extra free casting dice every time you cast a spell, and last Becalming Cognition. BC is great for one, because it's going to force opponents to throw more casting dice, two they may not get the spell off anyway, and three they won't get Irrestistable Force. Unless it's Teclis, but that's a story for another day. I also make my Slann the army general and give him Battle Standard Bearer for a few extra points and toss The Standard of Discipline on him (the FAQ really helped this), so now you roll 3D6 on Leadership 10 for the unit, and all units within 12" can use it for their reroll. I'm too lazy to do the math on it but it gives you over 99% chance of passing that leadership test.

Why TG? Because they wipe out most anything they get into combat. Give them a Razor Standard and its -3 to their armor save. Or a Banner of Eternal Flame (probably better at 2k) to deal with things that have regenerate or flammable. Flaming also messes with calv, warbeasts, etc. Not to mention all the buffs they get with the Slann, can't direct attacks at the slann (from being in the second rank), and the Slann's ability to cast some things if the unit is in CC.

Salamanders are amazing. The Flamer template advances the number of inches on the artillery dice forward, autohits everything under it, -3 to the unit's save, and if they take a wound they take a panic check. This can cause a ton of linked panic checks and get multiple units off the board.

[ChrisA7X]

I've not play Lizards in a long time but they were my first army so maybe these tips could help ?

I agree that Chameleon skinks are useful for war machines and charachers.Terradon's can help remove war machines or even a rank of archers/handgunners too
I think cold ones are awesome to be honest :P I march a stegadon next to them so when they both charge a unit , it will cause some great damage , only disadvantage is a cannon hitting it or something
I can't give advice about the Slann or that but i think Atrocity covered that really and most other things so i think am pretty much done here haha

[Atrocity]

There's still a fair amount I didn't cover. And without typing up another treatise, Stegadons are also fantastic. I prefer the Egine of the Gods with a Skink Priest and Dispel Scroll or Cube of Darkness variety. Stegs are also a lot more effective when you field at least 2 (so your opponents can't just saturate it with fire from warmachines til it's dead). But the problem is fitting them at 2k points.

[Goldenwolf]

Gents, I'll agree and disagree with you for the moment.

I agree a Slann with the right boost can be great. He needs to be in a group of Temple Guard.

Saurus are GREAT standard troopers, and having 2-3 good sized blocks will cure many ills. As you are tough, armored, and have a decent amount of attacks, going 10 wide is good.

Salamanders can be great, but group them together, and make a flame wave at enemy blocks. Hitting a unit of Orc Boyz with 2-3 templates a turn, will quickly hurt them, and T3 opponents will quiver in fear.