Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Skaven

Why play Skaven

• Because you are a backstabbing bastard that cares little about the lives of your very numerous subjects
• You like bringing down classic high fantasy tropes with the power of raw industrial might, like Saruman
• DOOMWHEELS
• Even your most basic Skaven is by all standards batshit insane and CAs Voice Acting is spot on
• You are an opportunist that takes advantage of other factions being distracted and like making plots
• Skaven are entirely unique to Warhammer, in no other setting there is something quite like them
• IKIT CLAW HAS FUCKING NUKES

Pros

• Numbers: Even at the highest tiers, you will outnumber your enemy easily. Even higher tier infantry units outnumber every enemy unit and you have the units with the highest base model count in the game.
• Firepower: Your ranged units are easily unsurpassed by any other faction, this goes for your missle infantry as well as your artillery. Skaven have the strongest ranged roster in the entire game, and don't necessarily need a lot of micro to make the most out of them.
• Ambushes: Your normal movement stance on the campaign map lets you ambush enemy armies on the attack.
• Cost: Everything you have is extremely cost-efficient and your melee infantry in particular is dirt cheap.
• Under-Empire: You can establish hidden bases all over the world, siphoning other factions income into your pockets as well do some really crazy shit with this mechanic.

Cons

• DLC is mandatory: The big issue. The "The Prophet and the Warlock" DLC is absolutely mandatory to make your faction work on the battlefield; your roster will lack essential units like Ratling Guns and Warplock Jezzails without it.
• Mediocre Economy: Your economy is not the best. While many of your baseline troops are dirt cheap, your crazy weapons are not and your economy needs some time to get going, but even then, you will be overshadowed in terms of money by most other factions in your general vicinity. Special attention needs to go to your food economy, which is easily one of the biggest pitfalls an unexperienced Skaven player can fall into.
• Hard to play: You need at least a basic grip at how the game works to play Skaven, they punish mistakes heavily. Your troops may be numerous and dirt cheap, but have little staying power and will rout at the first glance of danger.
• Very hard start: Your starting positions (aside from Ikit Claw) put you in opposition of factions that have a lot of tools to counter your strengths. Start to fear Lizardmen, as both Queek and Skrolk have to deal with them very early on.

Universal traits

• Verminous Valor: The Leadership of Skaven Units depends on many Skaven are left, and will regenerate faster if the unit has more models left.
• Skitterleap: Skaven units get a speed bonus when they rout. Interesting ability, because it stops enemies from chasing your fodder.

Units

Infantry

• Skavenslaves: Cowardly, flimsy, expendable, cheap. Skavensklaves form the healthy base of any early game Skaven army. You send those guys in to die, not to do damage and to keep the enemy away from your weapons teams. Skavenslaves are by far the most efficient option to do just that. Can come with Spears if you want to give them more staying power against cavalry, but they are Skaven, do you really care if they die?
• Clanrats: Just a tier above Slaves, with the same attributes, albeit a bit more costly. Basic Clanrats without shields are not worth your time, you're better off just using Skavenslaves.
• Stormvermin: As "elite" as melee Skaven can be. In contrary to Clanrats and Slaves, they actually have staying power (due to being armoured) and good leadership for a rat. Take them with Halberds but as with the other frontline options, don't expect them to move mountains. Your strenghts are elsewhere.
• Eshin Triads (DLC): A very odd unit that comes with some downsides but all the same weaknesses Stormvermin has. If you don't play as Snikitch, forget about them. Not worth your time.
• Death Runners: Whoo boy, those guys are really interesting. Probably the highest damage output a Skaven melee unit has, at the cost of a relatively low unit count and being overall very flimsy. That said, they can easily outclass even some elite units and are outright devastating against chaff. Their quick movement speed tends to push them towards a cavalry role, where they are best used.
• Plague Monks: They trade armour for raw damage, but unlike Death Runners, can actually take a beating due to a high model count. A good, albeit costly, alternative to Stormvermin in the mid- to late game for the more offensively minded player.
• Plague Monk Censer Bearers: Same weaknesses as Plague Monks, but come with Great Weapons. Great for stalling enemy elite units, but need to be kept save from enemy missles.

Missle Troops

• Skavenslave Slingers: Utterly useless. No, really. Not even their low costs can offset the glaring weakness that almost every unit can easily shrug off their missles.
• Night Runners: Your fast and manuverable skirmisher unit that also comes with Vanguard Deployment. Good at harassing the enemy backline and best used in that way. Come in Hybrid and Missle varieties.
• Warpfire Throwers: Where the fun begins. Ridiculously high damage output, solidly armoured. Need positioning to work right, but will absolutely demolish anything that you point them at, including your own units.