Warhammer Army Project/Lizardmen
Lizardmen: Warhammer Army Project, 9th Edition Tactica
Created by Mathias Eliasson, this brings Lizardmen up to date with the homebrew "9th edition" of Warhammer Fantasy that he has been creating
It should also be noted that Eliasson is constantly updating his work, so don't expect this page to stay current forever. As of now: I'll be using the most current Lizardmen book he has as of mid-2017. If anyone wishes to actually update this page and the items that need it later on, go ahead.
Why Play WAP Lizardmen
Pro
- Aztec Lizards riding Dinosors
- Have one of the strongest wizards in the game
- can pileup a lot of attacks
Con
- Sauras have the slowest reaction times, Even Nurgle can swing swards faster than you.
Notable Changes from 8e
Pros
- Predatory Fighter explicitly works on supporting attacks.
- Skink Cohorts are more customizable.
- Sacred Spawnings add some custom stat changes for most of your army.
- Changes to spell generation rules make High Magic's lore attribute turn any Slann into a ghetto loremaster of all 8 lores.
Cons
- Scar Vets took a 25% price hike, Old Bloods are slightly more expensive too.
- Saurus and Temple Guard took a hit to armour and price respectively.
- Stegadons are rare, whether they are ancient or not. Combined with force composition rule changes. Lizardmen went from being able to field three Stegadons and two ancient Stegadons in a 2000pt game, to a single of either.
Army Special Rules
- Cold-Blooded: Same as 8th, when you take a Ld test, you can roll it on 3d6 and discard the highest.
- Predatory Fighter: Models with this rule can make an extra attack when they roll a 6 to hit in melee. This explicitly applies to supporting attacks.
- Aquatic: Models with this rule basically ignore marshlands and rivers, as well as gaining soft cover when within them.
- Natural Armour: While now a USR, it should be known that across the book all Skinks lost their saves and all Saurus have dropped to a 6+ save.
The Lore of High Magic
- Lore Attribute: Contemplations: When you cast a spell from this lore, you can choose to forget it and replace it with a spell from any of the lores that wizard has access to.
- Signature Spell: Drain Magic: A 7+ 18" augment/hex which dispels all Remains in Play spells on a target. Overcast: 14+, becomes an 18" bubble
- Signature Spell: Soul Quench: 8+ 18" magic missile which causes 2d6 S4 hits. Overcast: 16+, 4d6 S4 hits.
- 1. Apotheosis: 5+ augment which allows a single model in 18" to regain a wound and gain Fear for the turn. Overcast: 10+, d3 wounds
- 2. Hand of Glory: 5+ 18" augment which increases a unit's WS, BS, I, or M by d3 for the turn. Overcast: 10+, all four stats increased (roll 1d3 for all)
- 3. Walk Between Worlds: 8+ 24" augment, allows an unengaged unit to gain Ethereal for the turn and immediately move 10". Overcast: 16+, 20"
- 4. Tempest: 12+ direct damage, place a large blast within 30" and scatter it d6". Models hit suffer a S3 hit (flying models S4), and if a unit suffers unsaved wounds, it gets a -1 modifier on all to hit rolls.
- 5. Arcane Unforging: 13+ 24" direct damage which targets a single model (can be in a unit!). They suffer a wound with no armour saves allowed on a roll equal to their unmodified armour save. Owned magic items must then be revealed - if there are any, randomly destroy one on a 2+.
- 6. Fiery Convocation: Basically death. 19+ 24" remains in play direct damage. Every model in the unit takes a S4 flaming hit. For every magic phase after this, that unit will suffer another S4 flaming hit per model.
Magic Items
- Blade of Realities: No armour or ward saves allowed against this weapon. Very strong, still very expensive at 85 pts (15 less than 8e). Taking this will mean you are sacrificing survivability for your Oldblood.
- The Piranha Blade: 10 points shaved off 8e, 40pts for Multiple Wounds(D3) and AP(1). Decent choice for a character/monster killer. Considering the bone blade cost 30 points and a biting blade is 5, ensure you need both of this items effects or just get the BIG RULEBOOK items.
- Sacred Stegadon Helm of Itza: +1 armour save, +1 T, and Impact Hits (d3). With Lizardmen no longer having access to items like the Armour of Destiny, this is a solid choice.
- Cube of Darkness: Essentially a modified dispel scroll. This is a one use only arcane item which lets you dispel a spell on a 2+, as well as ending any remains in play spells on a 2+. Be careful not to dispel your own spells with this!
- Plaque of Dominion: Bound spell (3+, 18"). Targets all enemy Wizards, giving them Stupidity.
- The Cloak of Feathers: Only for Skink characters on foot. Gives them Fly and Magic Resistance (1).
- The Horn of Kygor: An interesting one use item which can be used at the start of his movement phase. Gives all Lizardmen monsters & mounts Frenzy until the next movement phase.
- The Egg of Quango: One use only item which does a random amount of hits to an enemy unit in base contact. While interesting, you are probably better off just getting more bodies.
- Skavenpelt Banner: Same as before, this banner gives Frenzy and Hatred(Skaven), but Skaven also gain Hatred against the bearer.
- The Jaguar Standard: Also the same as before, this gives a unit Swiftstride. This is a nice way to make sure that you get your charges off.
Sacred Spawnings
This is a unique means to upgrade certain models (Saurus units, Skinks, Kroxigor) in a manner similar to magic items without using the budget.
- Blessed Mark of the Old Ones: 10 points allows one model to re-roll up to three hit, wound, or save rolls in the whole game. Make sure you throw it on your most reliable guy.
- Blessed Spawning of Sotek: Grants Devastating Charge.
- Blessed Spawning of Itzl: Lets mounted units re-roll stupidity and berserk charge tests, which is welcome.
- Blessed Spawning of Quetzl: Gives 6+ Natural Armour, allowing Skinks a modicum of protection.
- Blessed Spawning of Tlazcotl: Gives immunity to psychology, negating any vestiges of fear or terror.
- Blessed Spawning of Chotec: Re-rolls all charge and pursuit distances. YES.
- Blessed Spawning of Huanchi: Gives foot models Forest Strider and Ambushers.
- Blessed Spawning of Tepok: Grants Magic Resist 6++.
- Blessed Spawning of Tzunki: Gives foot models Aquatic (wasted on Skinks) and +2 Initiative.
Disciplines of the Old Ones
- Higher State of Consciousness: Become Etherial. Now 20 points cheaper.
- Focus of Mystery: 5 points cheaper. Still gives Lore Master of High Magic.
- Wandering Deliberations: Same as always, you now gain all the signature spells of all the CRB lores.
- Harmonic Convergence: Upped from two to three extra die for channeling or dispels. Combine with a channeling staff for 7 channels on 4+.
- Transcendent Healing: Same as before. Gain the ability to heal during the magic phase.
- The Focused Rumination: 5 points less than Harmonic Convergence to add +1 die to one casting attempt a magic phase.
- Soul of Stone: Same miscast mitigation as before.
- Becalming Cogitation: Same re-roll on a dispel.
- Reservoir of Eldritch Energy: Remains the way to turn a dispel die into a power die.
- The Harrowing Scrutiny: Terror for 10 points cheaper than before.
- Unfathomable Presence: Gives a d3 to give Magic Resist 4+-6+.
Army Units
Lords and Heroes
Named Characters
- Lord Kroak: Everyone's favorite mummy-frog manages to get a panoply of things to change how things work with a 50 point increase. His new magical weapon renders all magical weapons into mundane ones when targeting him, he forces a -1 penalty on all hit rolls against his unit despite lacking WS or BS, his amulet adds an extra dispel dice for his team on top of his magic resist 3+, and he carries a standard that inflicts d6 S3 hits (S5 against undead or daemons) against models in b2b each shooting phase.
- Kroq-Gar: This badass fared the transition quite well with his price slashed by 50 points. He's now your mandatory general if nobody beats his Ld of 8 and he can bring a pack of Cold One Riders as a Core unit to join. His Ward Save deals an instant S5 hit to anyone who punched past it in close combat to protect him and his spear doubles the wounds it inflicts for sake of combat resolution, letting him stomp over units faster.
- Lord Mazdamundi: Arrives with an 80 point discount, but still obscenely expensive. On top of his spell allotment, he also has a unique spell that deals 2d6 S5 (3d6 if garrisoned) hits on a unit and halves their movement if the get wounded. He also has a single-use item that lets him add +d3 die to the power pool for that turn.
- Chakax the Eternity Warden: While largely the same, he can no longer instantly break magic items and instead reveals all items a unit possesses with his Great Weapon that no longer has ASL - not like that matters to a model with such low initiative. Thankfully, his price drop to 210 makes him more palatable.
- Gor-Rok: This mega-badass now had his price hiked up to 230. A durable and Fearce foot lord, with many of his attack and defense can be rerolled, has a 2+ save, Predatory fighter trigger on 5&6, and charging him causing Dangerous terrain tests.
- Nakai the Wanderer: A unique Kroxigor Lord. While extremely pricy at 400 pts, this guy causes Fear, has a 4+ regeneration, and a 3+ natural armour, in addition to his stat boosts over a normal Kroxigor (+2 WS, +1 W, +1 Ld). He comes with three re-rolls, which he can use for any d6 roll he makes. If he is killed in the melee, or he flees, he may not be overrun or pursued. He may also Ambush, although he must appear from a wood, swamp, or water feature if able to. His sword gives him +2 S and a 5+ ward save, making this beast S7 with plenty of stacked saves.
- Tehenhauin: Only change here is that his Plaque no longer gives a Ward save, just a 6+ regen. On one hand, this regen allows his swarms to last longer, but now they're fucked if fire comes into play. Is this worth the massively jacked-up price he got? Hell no.
- Tetto-Eko: Has survived this edition with only a 5 point bump. Still the badass pseudo-Slann in the block. Level 2 Heavens Loremaster, that can help with Dice generation, hand out Vanguards, and Comet of Casandora becomes more consistent.
- Tiktak'To: Got his price dropped to 135. a boost to a Terradon Riders unit, lets them ambush, their -1 to hit with shooting, and they use his WS of 4 to fight better.
- Oxyotl: The legendary chameleon skink now hates Daemons of Chaos, but loses out on any saves. He is also flat-out your cheapest hero, having his price slashed in half to 90 points.
- Inxi-Huinzi: This is a Skink riding an upgraded Cold One. He is a special Hero for 120 pts and offers poison, Fear, heavier armour than a Skink normally would have, and an array of poison darts. If he charges or is charged, he may throw a poison dart per every 4" of charge distance. These darts are Quick to Fire and wound on a 4+. His Horned One is also not vulnerable to Stupidity, and any Cold One unit he joins also loses Stupidity.
Generic Characters
- Slann Mage-Priest: the big Super wizard toad on floating mobility Scutter. Pretty much unchanged from 8th edition, this guy remains the badass caster he always was. Can any core lores + High, and other special upgrades. In bigger games, they can trade spells with other Slann in case you don't have a nearby Skink priest.
- Saurus Oldblood: Your Big generic melee lord option. got a price hike, and is no longer able to take some of the magic items that made him great. He is the only one that can mount a Carnosaur.
- Saurus Scar-Veteran: Your melee BSB. Also received a price increase, and can no longer be mounted on a Carnosaur.
- Skink Chief: much cheaper than a saurus they-they have skink weapons and can be mounted of flyers, Troglodon, or Stegadon. Their role as goblines is cheap ways to do a particular job like BSB.
- Skink Priest: your Hero level Caster of Fire, Light, Heavens, Life or Beasts and can be used by your Slann lord to extend his casting range. can be a BSB
Mounts
- Cold One: The classic raptor mount for Saurus heroes. Bring only when you have someone to set them up with.
- Horned One: Requires the Blessed Spawning of Itzl. Essentially a faster Cold One without Stupidity that makes Cold Ones gain Hatred
- Terradon: The lightweight speedy mount for Skinks.
- Ripperdactyl: The speedy Skink mount with more bite in them.
- Carnosaur: The big T Rex mount for Oldbloods. While no longer as expensive as a Slann, they're still about as much as almost two Vets.
- Troglodon: The Skink version of the Carnosaur 50 points cheaper and now you can have your Skink HQs ride it. with Ambush, Poison and Poison Spit, and can roar once per game to give neary Predatory Fighter trigger on 5s. Question is, is this any more worth it than before?
Core Units
- Saurus Warriors: Remain the molasses-slow hard-hitting fuckers that your army needs to build around with S/T 4 with 2 attacks but with Initiative 1, they are the slowest in-game. What hurts is that their saves are now stuck at +5 due to the neigh-universal save drop. Although, with the new blessed spawning of Quetzl you can get it back to +4 for a point.
- Skink Cohort: Your cheap chaff, with Initiative 4 and above-average BS of 3 for what they are. Their prices are now cut in half, making Skink Spam into a very affordable matter though they lose the poisoned javelins as a default deal. They also have a choice in loadouts with either buying back the javelins, getting spears, or going full-archery with poison shortbows and trading off their shields.
- Skink Skirmishers: Keep their prices, keep their rules, but now they can net Sheild and Javalin or poisoned shortbows for some legit range. (until skirmish bug is resolved, they are inferior to Cohort unless you take them with Blowpipes)
- Jungle Swarms: Do not count towards minimum core cost. They remain as bizarrely as expensive as before.
Special Units
- Temple Guard: Saurus with +1 WS, I, and LD, a +3Sv and Halberds. They get better when Bunkering for a Slann, protecting him in the second rank and gain Immunity(Psychology) and stubborn. These big guys are now 17 points, and they now lose any option for magical weapons.
- Cold One Riders: less armour Temple Guard riding a Saurus Warrior with stupidity. 24 points and get spears as default. They Ocaaly loose control but they can really rip & tear.
- Kroxigors: Your Big Alligator with a Sledgehammer, a Min size unit will Dealing 3 S7-6 attacks plus more from Predatory Fighters. Knights will feel it when they get flanked by them. Got a 3 pt price reduction, but suffer the same save cut as all lizardmen.
- Chameleon Skinks: Extra stealthy and accurate Skink Blowpipe scouts, getting a -2 to be hit with Missles. Now with Skinks getting shortbows, these guys aren't as mandatory for shooting things, though their price drop makes them welcome support.
- Terradon Riders: Flying Skinks bombers. Slightly cheaper than before and now count as plain cavalry. They will do Flyby Missle harassing.
- Ripperdactyl Riders: a melee version of the Terradon. Same as above, 3 points cheaper and now count as cavalry. Ripperdactyl has +1 attack, Frenzy, AP(1), Killing Blow, And Toad Rage lets you pick an enemy for each Ripperdactyl unit you bring and they get more attacks and reroll hits against them. not only they can harass, but they can also rip apart archers.
- Salamander/Razordon Hunting Pack: Act as living Weapon batter, more mobile and Defend themselves better than most warmachines. Salamander is Flamethrowers and Razordons are Cannon Grabeshots. Effectively the same as before, though the Razors are 5 points cheaper than before.
Rare Units
- Bastiladon: the big war wagon. Very durable and a anti-monster attack with a magic relic mounted on it. This thing got reamed hard. 50+ points, loss of poison in the skink spears, and it can no longer replace the Ark with a Solar Engine for free, but at a costly 40. For a cheaper 10 points, you can add a Revivification Crystal, allowing Cold-Blooded units within range to get Regen 6+ saves to reinforce the heavy troops.
- Ark of Sotek: adds models to a Jungle swarm and deal damage to whatever enemy is near it.
- Revivification Crystal: lets your units gain Regeneration(6+) when near it.
- Solar Engine: gives friendly an Initiative bost and shoots a Magic laser.
- Stegadon: A offensive version of aBastiladon, including a d6+1 impact hits. is armed with a poisoned Boltthorwer, a blowpipe machinegun, or a Magic support Engine. The Ancient is now condensed into an upgrade that makes it 10 points cheaper than before. Everything else that made this a mainstay remains as it was. Additionally with the changes to Bolt Thrower Rules units may take armor saves as normal. Meaning a Demigryph will make the save 67% of the time (IMO this is an oversight and should have the AP1 as a normal bolt thrower does).
- Dread Saurian: The giant from Monstrous Arcana and biggest their is. Though it has a pitiful WS4, it's bite does d3 wounds at S7 and M7 makes it very mobile. It can be upgraded with either a 4++ ward against non-magical attacks, flaming attacks with 2d6 S3 flaming impact hits, the ability to force enemies to take -1 to hit when targeting the Saurian and making Undead and Daemons take ASF in close combat, mega-barding with Unbreakable and T7 but M5, or Ambusher and Swiftstride that forces enemies who stand and shoot to re-roll hits when it charges.
- Coatl: A giant flying snake. It only has 4+ armour, but it gets 3+ magic resist and forces enemies shooting missiles at it to take -1 to hit. It also has a bound PL3 spell that lets you reposition d3 pieces of forest terrain by d6" - something you'd only use if you actually have forests set up that you know won't hurt you.
Regiments of Renown
Tactica
Army Composition
Magic
- Life: Stick your Slann in a unit of Temple Guard, sit on your Throne of Vines, be within 12 inches of your Oldblood or Scar Vet and whore the hell out of Earth Blood, Flesh to Stone and Regrowth until the game ends.
- Metal: With a lore attribute that actually works on all it's spells it has gotten better for everyone, including Lizardmen. More importantly, Glittering Robe stacks with natural armor as normal so you can make that temple guard unit +1 Armor Save and it is a point easier to cast. Enchanted Blades are as strong as ever for the average weapon skill army.
- Light: Probably the best lore to make your units as killy as possible considering they already have high toughness and decent armor. Throwing Speed of Light and TimeWarp on your unit of Temple Guard is broken- ASF, 3 Attacks re-rolling misses. Take it against undead armies every time. Still viable against others.
- Fire: Tough lore to recommend when you can have your Slann know all signatures or Loremaster high magic and take what you need. There are not enough good spells here to take a Slann. Super viable on your Skink Scroll Cadey.
- Beast: If you need your characters to survive challenges this is the one. If you have a lot of Cold-Ones even better.
- Death: Purple Sun against Dwarfs or Ogres. With High Magic, you could potentially cast Soulblight and Wildform in one combat and created a 2 point difference in strength and toughness. Making your Longbeards vs Saurus combat more like a Dragon Ogre vs State Troop one. Doom and Darkness Combined with Harrowing Scrutiny is potentially -5 leadership to the unit you're fighting...
- Shadow: Any spell cast is now also an escape button for a slann. A lot of enemy debuffs. Should never miss out on Mindrazor and The Withering (Slanns are expensive so always take the best).
- Heavens: have a lot of good things, Signature lets saurus hit first. Harmonics helps Predatory Fighters trigger. Slann taking the Lighting Spells are especially effective when fighting heavy armour.
- High: Why have one when you can have them all. You need to cast a High Spell before you get another spell of that level or lower.
VS
External Links
| Warhammer Army Project Tactics Articles | |
|---|---|
| General Tactics | |
| Forces of Order | |
| Forces of Destruction | |
| Unaligned | |