Kyriakin

As long as these two eventualities are kept separate. The BoC book makes me nervous though.

I'm Skal all the way. I might lose, have terrible models and be financially ruined, but at least Yhetees and cats are quick and easy to paint.

Considering that I have a degenerative eye disease that massively compromises my vision, this will have to do.

Or 2x3 Mournfang, which would literally be the same list.

The fact that GW decided to keep, say, Firebellies or Thunderscorn as a faction, but couldn't keep a small faction of sphinxes, Tomb Guard, Ushabti and snake surfers in production.

This thread makes me depressed...

Were Fell Bats ever not awful? lol I can't imagine miniatures ever being so primitive that they were acceptable.

I wish they would have a six-month period of no new armies, but simply replacing the absolutely worst sculpts from the various factions. I can't help but think this would be a deal-breaker with regards to people buying into certain factions.

My list has 15 Yhettes and 14 Sabres, so making them minimim-sized units should give me more than enough BCR units to hit the allowed ratio. Actually on that subject, is there any reason not to MSU Yhetees and Sabres (or Mournfang, if you use them)? I can't see any horde savings, and your specific unit buffing (i.e. Thundertusk healing, etc.) is likely to target the mammoths. All the other buffs I can think of are either army-wide or include everything within a bubble. Furthermore, you also get the advantage of increase flexibility and are obviously less effected by per-unit debuffs.

Has anyone tried using two or three Firebellies as allies? I was going to go for a Troggoth Hag, but she is a 380-point, 14-wound (albeit with a great healing mechanic), single-caster, while three Firebellies would essentially be a 360-point, 21-wound, triple-caster. Furthermore, having three models obviously gives you more flexibility and board coverage. While he couldn't be further from the BCR theme if he tried, I guess you could paint his "fire" to be ice-like.

Thanks. I edited the original list posting to swap out one of the Thundertusks for a Troggoth Hag, and made your suggested weapon swaps. With the Gryphfeather Charm and the 7+ Troggoth Hag spell, I believe the Thundertusk (50% heal D3W) could end up debuffing the enemy something like -3 to Hit in Melee and -1 to Hit against shooting. Obviously, the Troggoth Hag provides some much-needed Magic protection too. In addition, Hag/Yhetees are -1 to hit in melee, while the Icebrow Hunter (50% heal D3W or heal 1W) is -1 against shooting due to Look Out Sir! (I like the idea of him being warned of impending danger by some cats) Plus, of course, you have the Everwinter re-roll, which makes it (I think) a slightly above 50-50 chance of getting the re-roll 1's to save ability. That's as tough as I can make them, given that I want a Thundertusk (i.e. not Stonehorn) general for Yhetee battleline. As I said, I think Mournfang are hot garbage, but would like to take a pair of them for their cool aesthetic.

I just like ice/snow-themed armies. I played Kislev as a kid, and tend to lean towards Russians in the various historical eras. Anyway, by the time I actually paint this army, it will probably have gone through a series of additional peaks and troughs, and could end up almost anywhere on the competitive spectrum. In fact, if they did become the new hotness, I would be bringing a "yawn... not another BCR army!", which would suck even more TBH.

.. and new Yhetees

I hope there would be options for keeping them separate within the book, though. I'd feel sorry for those who specifically like the Beastmen theme/aesthetic being railroaded towards having to add human Barbarians into their army and diluting its flavour.

It's better than nothing at all. Here's my hierarchy in order of preference (using Skaven as an example): Best option: Keep current separate Skaven factions, with new model releases for each (e.g. Eshin, Skryre, etc.). So-so option: Uniting the Skaven via LoN-style Skaven book (perhaps without Pestilens), but with no new model releases. Worst option: Keep current separate Skaven factions, but no new model releases (i.e. the current situation). So, whether a new LoN-style book is better for Beastmen, Skaven, Ogres, (etc.) depends 100% on whether anything is planned for the micro-factions, and how far in the future that would be (i.e. a LoN-style book could serve as a place-holder for a year, before the factions are split up again with new release(s)). I liked the concept of Death much better when it was armies of just ghosts, just skeletons, just zombies, just ghouls, (etc.) more than the current Vampire Counts-style mish-mash, but, FEC aside, the ranges were just too small to make them viable. Therefore, I hope Soulblight, Deathwalkers and Deathrattle are eventually split off from each other again if/when their big release(s) arrive.

I thought about it, but you would lose the second healing. In addition to the points-saving and the fact that you can still use a generic Command Ability, it tipped the balance in favour of the double-Tuskard. Obviously, you'd still get the 4+ to 3+ bonus on the first healing though, as that bonus doesn't specify which load-out the Thundertusk has.

After a false-start with likely never-to-be-Battletomed Dark Elves (i.e. Scourge Privateers/Darkling Covens) - all while hoping-against-hope that my one true love, the Tomb Kings, would return - I have decided to liquidise everything I own, and go all-in with Beastclaw Raiders. Before my 17-year hiatus, my teenage army was Kislevites as I always liked the snow/ice theme. However, I don't like "scrappy" looking armies like Ogres, O&G, FEC, (etc.), nor low model-count "elite" armies. However, as a non-competition player, there are higher model-count possibilities for this army and potential future opportunities for ice-themed ally conversions (seriously, GW, make a "Monsters of Destruction" faction and get Forgeworld to dump their stuff in it) is tempting. The two mechanics I was leaning into were "Skal" for hardcore ambushing and "Thundertusks/Yhetees" for wound regeneration shenanigans, but decided to try and compromise by forcing elements of both into a list. Also, I feel the Mournfang are too visually appealing and iconic to leave out entirely, but it kinda sucks to end up on 1970 with a Skal-based army, lol: Allegiance: Beastclaw RaidersMortal Realm: GhurHuskard on Thundertusk (360)- General- Blood Vulture- Trait: Everwinter's Master - Artefact: Gryph-feather Charm Icebrow Hunter (140)- Artefact: The Pelt of Charngar Troggoth Hag (380)6 x Icefall Yhetees (240)6 x Icefall Yhetees (240)2 x Mournfang Pack (160)- Gargant Hackers6 x Frost Sabres (120)6 x Frost Sabres (120)4 x Frost Sabres (80)Skal (150)Total: 1990 / 2000Extra Command Points: 1Allies: 0 / 400Wounds: 127 PS: Am I correct in thinking that Skal means that the Frost Sabres can ambush the usual 9 inches away, and then get +3" to charge (i.e. making it effectively a 6" charge anywhere on the board)? I don't have the book yet, so I am basing my information on 4dChan at the moment.

"Yay, a centerpiece that's not just an infantry dude! ... Wait, hang on. Why's it gone from the app?"

Wow, then it's not going to be good data. I have pretty much had my hobby in limbo since TK went (I do mess around with Darkling Covens a bit, as a place-holder), and, in terms of GW, my biggest hope is a TK return (not new models, but just the plastics and Ushabti back). Yet, I didn't buy Khalida or Settra. If they want good data - and cannot produce plastic Made to Orders - Ushabti would be a much better barometer than two characters than most people have already (especially as one of the Tomb King on Exhalted Chariot's main abilities is basically obsolete now).

To be honest, the speculation over the TK removal (i.e. oversights, etc,) and the carnage that was the AoS initial release are pretty much the definition of "rumours". Not as sexy as upcoming models, but certainly rumours.

On the caveat that there is no piece of vital information that we are not aware of (e.g. an upcoming new range, a broken sphinx mould, etc.) the decision was, and remains, utterly bizarre. Tomb Guard, Royal Warsphinx, Warsphinx, Necrosphinx, Sepulchral Stalkers, Necropolis Knights, Ushabti Bows, Ushabti Melee and a few characters (e.g. Herald, Tomb Queen). That's a faction right there. It would have been no smaller than several of the current Battletome armies (e.g. Ironjawz, Beastclaw Raiders, Clan Pestilens, etc.), and mostly plastic. An additional future DoK-style splash release of plastic Ushabti and some kind of demigod centrepiece (e.g. Khalida riding some massive scorpion-thing), and you're all set.

Only if you are thinking competitively. Some people just want an army of vampires and bats, without skellies, zombies (etc.) diluting the army's theme.