Wee Warband: Skink Warband

[Again, a warband designed for the Halfling/Goblin campaign. Of course, Skinks are neither... but they seemed a fair addition to the fight! Completely untested, feedback please]

SKINK WARBAND
(version 0.2... added beastmaster)
Based on the Inner Circle Lizardmen warband
Beasthound from the Inner Circle Dark Elf Warband
Adapted by Dave “Styrofoam King” Joria

The Lizardmen and indeed their bloated toad-like masters, the Slann, were once the servants of the divine ‘Old Ones’. Ever since the great catastrophe and the departure of the Old Ones from the world, the Lizardmen have been closely observing the rituals and plans laid down by the Old Ones as closely as possible. But the tranquil peace of this once hidden race has been shattered forever since the coming of the dreaded ‘Dry Skins’!
Many of the Temple cities of the Lizardmen have been raided and plundered by the likes of Human explorers and other more sinister races. But the plunder is not over as more and more adventurers arrive at the shores of Lustria, drawn by the tall tales told in taverns—tales of cities filled with gold!
The ruined Temple cities of Huatl, Tlax, and Xahutec are the most frequently raided due to their location near the coast. In recent years, more and more Norse, Elven, and Tilean explorers have arrived seeking treasure and arcane knowledge. With the arrival of these intruders the indigenous Lizardmen have been hard pressed to keep what is rightfully theirs. It is by guerilla style hit and run attacks by war parties of Skink and Saurus warriors that somewhat stems the tide of the foreign plunderers. The beaches, the jungle and parts of the ruined cities themselves are home to numerous small bands of these lone defenders against the ravages of the ‘dry skinned ones’.
Not only do the Lizardmen keep watch over the ruins they are also protected by a fiendish variety of traps and mazes of tunnels that lead would be robbers around in circles. The plunderers are thus forced to camp outside the ruins while they explore the depths of the temples and try to overcome the traps.

Choice of Warriors:
A Lizardmen Warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns (or the Lizardmen equivalent) to recruit your initial Warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 20.
Skink Priest: Your Warband must have one Skink Priest to lead it–no more, no less.
Skink Chameleons: Your Warband may include up to one Skink Chameleon.
Skink Beastmaster: Your Warband may include up to one Skink Beastmaster
Skink Great Crests: Your warband may include up to two Skink Great Crests.
Skink Braves: Any number of models may be Skink Braves.
Cold One Beasthounds: Your warband may include up to three Cold One Beasthounds.
Kroxigor: Your warband may include a single Kroxigor.

Special Rules
Scaly Skin: All Lizardmen have a natural save thanks to their thick scales. All Kroxigors have a 4+ save, and Skinks have a 6+. This save cannot be modified beyond 6 due to Strength modifiers but any result of ‘no save’ on the injury chart will negate this 6+ save. Light armor adds +1 to the save, as does the addition of a shield.
Armor: Armor is rare amongst the Lizardmen and the cost of light armor is always 50 gc, even if you are buying it from Equipment chart.
Cold Blooded: All Lizardmen are slow to react to psychology, they may roll 3D6 and select the lowest two dice when taking a psychology test or Rout test. A Lizardmen Warband may never use the Leadership of the Saurus or Kroxigor when taking a Rout test.
Aquatic: Skinks may move through water terrain with no penalty, and count as being in cover whilst they are in the water.
Jungle Born: All Skinks can move through jungle terrain without penalty.
Too big: Skinks may never use Long bows, Elf Bows, Handguns, Long Rifles or Blunderbusses even if they gain an advance roll that would allow them to do so. Such big weapons are not built for such tiny hands!

Starting Experience:
A Skink Priest starts with 20 experience.
Saurus Chameleons start with 11 experience.
Skink Great Crests start with 8 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Maximum Characteristics:
Characteristics for Lizardmen may not be increased beyond the maximum limits shown on the following profile. If a characteristic is at its maximum, take the other option or roll again if you can only increase one characteristic. If both are already at their maximum, you may increase any other by +1 instead. Remember that Henchman can only add +1 to any characteristic.
Profile M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Skinks 6 5 6 4 3 3 7 4 8

Lizardmen's Skill Tables
Skink Priest may choose from the Academic, Speed or Special Skills.
Chameleons may choose from the Shooting, Speed or Special Skills Skills.
Beastmasterss may choose from the Shooting, Speed or Special Skills Skills.
Skink Great Crests may choose from the Combat, Speed or Special Skills.

Lizardmen's Equipment List
Skinks Equipment List
Hand to Hand Weapons
Dagger 1st free/ 2 gc
Stone Club 3 gc
Axe 5 gc
Sword * 10 gc
Spear 10 gc
Double Handed Weapon * 15 gc
Halberd * 10 gc
* Only Heroes may use item.

Missile Weapons
Short Bow 5 gc
Bolas 5 gc
Javelin 10 gc
Throwing Knives 15 gc
Blowpipe 25 gc

Armor
Bone Helmet * 10 gc
Shield 5 gc
Buckler 5 gc
* Only Leader may use item.
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Heroes
1 Skink Priest; 60 Gold Crowns to hire
The Warband leader will be one of the hand picked Skink Priests renowned for their reliability. The nature of his mission is to observe the dry skin plunderers and only react if they stray too close to a hidden chamber within the ruined city. The Skink Priest must be able to make the delicate decision of when to attack and when not to. Skink Priests are easily recognizable as they paint their skins colorful mystic symbols associated with their god. Priests of Chotec for instance have winged serpents drawn upon their bodies, whilst those of Sotek use snake tattoos.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 3 4 3 3 1 5 1 7
Weapons/Armor: The Skink Priest may be equipped from the Skinks Equipment list.
Special Rules:
Leader: The Skink Priest is the leader of the warband and any Lizardmen within 6" may use his Leadership characteristic for any Leadership test. If the Skink Priest is killed you may recruit a new Skink Priest, but you must play at least one game without the leader to give him time to join up.
Wizard: The Skink Priest is a Wizard and may use Lizardmen magic.

0-1 Skink Chameleons; 40 Gold Crowns to hire
The Chameleon Skinks are a more aggressive subspecies of Skink that can blend seamlessly into the jungles. Armed with deadly blowpipes and a telescopic sense of vision, the Chameleon Skinks are expert hunters, able to fire their poison tipped darts with unerring accuracy. Even a heavily armoured foe is not safe as darts are aimed at vision slits and between armour joints.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 2 4 3 2 1 4 1 6
Weapons/Armor: A Chameleon may be equipped with weapons and armor from the Saurus Equipment list.
Special Rules:
Great Hunter: Due to their special skin, Chameleons is adept at making the most of the cover available and imposes an additional -1 to hit the Skink if he is in cover (i.e. a -2 to hit penalty). (Obviously, this does not stack with the Skink skill “Great Hunter”… it’s the same skill!)
Blowpipe Expert: Once per turn, when shooting a Blowpipe, a Chameleon may roll two dice when rolling to hit, and chooses whichever result is higher.

0-1 Skink Beastmaster; 35 Gold Crowns to hire
Certain Skinks are in tune with the animals around them, and know the spawning cycles by heart. These beastmasters lead the cold one hounds into battle, driving them forward with cold blooded determination.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 2 4 3 2 1 4 1 6
Weapons/Armor: A Chameleon may be equipped with weapons and armor from the Saurus Equipment list.
Special Rules:
Beastmaster: Any Cold One Beasthounds within 6” of the Beastmaster are temporarily immune to Stupidity, and may use his Leadership on tests.

0-2 Skink Great Crests; 30 Gold Crowns to hire
Great Crests, as they are known, are the leaders of many raiding parties and have become skilled at scouting, tracking, ambushing and skirmishing. Their skin is more varied in color than normal Skinks so they blend in with the jungle more effectively. They also wear leaves or cover themselves in mud to further blend in. They function as leaders and patrol the jungles reporting of the arrival of a new ship laden with plunderers. They lay ambushes or provide a covering hail of arrows and javelins while a hit and run war party retreats back into the jungle.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 3 3 3 2 1 4 1 7
Weapons/Armor: Skink Great Crests are equipped from the Skinks Equipment list.
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Henchmen (In groups of 1-5)
0+ Skink Braves; 20 Gold Crowns to hire
Many Skinks dwell in the deepest jungles and trackless swamps of Lustria. These Skink braves are fast, agile and intelligent. Although they lack the brute force and sheer aggression of the Saurus, they are good at shooting volleys of arrows or javelins. They lack the staying power of the Saurus, because they switch between reckless audacity and sudden panic, this may be due to their very short memories. As soon as a group of Skinks flee out of immediate danger they are likely to forget the experience and regroup for another reckless attack.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 2 3 3 2 1 4 1 6
Weapons/Armor: Skink Braves are equipped from the Skinks Equipment list.

0-3 Cold One Beasthounds; 30 Gold Crowns to hire
A relative to the Cold One, Beasthounds are fierce creatures that the Skinks herd into battle.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 3 0 4 4 1 1 1 4
Weapons/Armor: Cold One Beasthounds are animals and do not need any weapons save their claws and massive jaws.
Special Rules:
Animals: Cold One Beasthounds are animals and all animal rules apply to them, they never gain experience.
Stupidity: Suffer from Stupidity. If within 6”, they may use the Leader’s leadership, or the leadership of a model with the Beastmaster skill.
Scaly Skin: Cold One Beasthounds have tough scaly skin, and are considered to have a 6+ armor save. This save cannot be modified beyond 6 due to strength modifiers but any result of ‘no save’ on the injury chart will negate the unmodified 6+ save.
Fear: Cold One Beasthounds cause Fear. .

0-1 Kroxigor; 200 Gold Crowns to hire
Kroxigor resemble Saurus but are much bigger and are far more powerful creatures. They are not very intelligent and their speech is limited to a blood-curling roar. They are strong and mainly used for construction, and they need to be goaded into working by the nimble Skinks.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
6 3 0 5 4 3 1 3 8
Weapons/Armor: The Kroxigor is equipped with a halberd.
Special Rules:
Scaly Skin: Kroxigor have a natural save of 4+.
Aquatic: Kroxigor may move through water with no penalty, and counts as being in cover while he is in the water.
Cause Fear: Kroxigor are large and frightening monster and causes Fear.
Large: Kroxigor stand out amongst the rest of the Warband and may be picked out by an archer even if he is not the closest model.
Animal: Kroxigor are slow-witted creatures that never learn from their mistakes. Kroxigor do not gain Experience.
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Special Equipment
Blowpipe; 25 gc; Availability: Rare 7 (Skaven, Lizardmen and Forest Goblins only)
The blowpipe is a short hollow tube which can be used to shoot poisoned darts. While the darts by themselves are too small to cause significant damage, the poison used by the Skaven can cause searing agony and eventual death. The other advantage of a blowpipe is that it is silent, and a well-hidden shooter can fire the darts undetected.
Range Strength Special Rules
8" 1 Save +1, Poison, Stealthy
Special Rules:
Save +1: Allows the victim +1 to their Save, or if they have no save roll, they may roll a 6+.
Poison: The needles fired by a blowpipe are coated in a venom very similar in its effects to the Black Lotus (if you roll a 6 on the To Hit roll, the victim is automatically wounded). A blowpipe cannot cause critical hits. This weapon has a positive armor save modifier, so a model that normally has a save of 5+ will get a save of 4+ against a blowpipe dart. Even models that normally do not have an armor save will get a 6+ save to take into account protection offered by clothes, fur or the like.
Stealthy: A Skaven armed with a blowpipe can fire while hidden without revealing his position to the enemy. The target model can take an Initiative test in order to try to spot the firing Skaven. If the test is successful, the Skaven no longer counts as hidden.

Bolas; 5 gc; Availability: Common (Lizardmen only)
Bolas are a set of three bronze balls on strings tied together. They are used in a manner similar to a sling, rotated around the head for speed. Bolas are a hunting weapon which are designed to not seriously harm the animal. They immobilize it and allow the hunter to subdue, or kill it, with his spear. The bolas have a range of 16" and can only be used once per battle. They are automatically recovered after each battle.
Range Strength Special Rules
16" NA Dangerous, Entangle
Special Rules:
Dangerous: If the to hit roll is a natural 1, the bolas brain the wielder with a Strength 3 hit.
Entangle: A model hit by bolas isn’t hurt, but his legs are entangled and he is unable to move. The model suffers a -2 Weapon Skill penalty in hand-to-hand combat, but may still shoot normally. The model may try to free himself in the Recovery phase. If the model rolls a 4+ on a D6 he is freed and may move and fight normally.

Javelins; 5 gc; Common
Javelins are short throwing spears specially weighted to travel quite a distance. Although they have a much reduced range when compared to an arrow they can cause quite considerable damage when thrown by a person of great strength.
Range Strength Special Rules
8" As User Thrown Weapon
Special Rules:
Thrown Weapon: Javelins are thrown weapons and the warrior suffers no penalties for moving and shooting.

Poisoned Weapons
Skinks are experts at extracting and refining poisons from poisonous frogs, spiders and snakes. Skink Heroes may buy Dark Venom at a cost of 20 gold crowns and Black Lotus at a cost of 10 gold crowns. Both of these items are treated as a common item however, Skinks may only use them on missile weapons. If they desire to have a Hand to Hand item to be coated with poison, the Skink has to purchase it as normal from the Trading Chart.
Skink henchmen may buy low-strength Reptile Venom for their missile weapons at a cost of 5 gold crowns per weapon. Reptile Venom is a common item and adds +1 to the Strength of the weapon but does not grant the -1 save modifier. Reptile Venom only lasts for one battle and remember that all the henchmen in a group must be armed in the same manner.
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Lizardmen Special Skills
Infiltration: The Skink is a great hunter and is an expert at sneaking up on his prey unnoticed. The Hero may set up anywhere on the table but no closer than 12" to an enemy and he must start the game in hiding.
Great Hunter: The Skink is adept at making the most of the cover available and imposes an additional -1 to hit the Skink if he is in cover (i.e. a -2 to hit penalty).
Strong Build: (Great Crests only) The Great Crest may immediately learn a single Strength skill. This may only be taken once per Great Crest.
Beast Heder: Beastmaster only. The number of Cold one hounds allowed in your warband increases from 0-3 to 0-5.
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Sacred Markings
Many Skink and Saurus warriors are born with distinct markings or mutations. They are regarded as being blessed by the gods and often rise to become leaders. A Hero may only have a single Sacred Marking and these may only be bought when you recruit the Hero, not in the middle of a campaign.

Poison Glands; Cost: 40 gc
The Skink has been gifted with glands that produce a deadly poison. The Skink may choose to attack with his teeth instead of his weapons. These attacks are treated just like a Saurus bite attack (no penalty for unarmed, strikes last, even after double handed weapons) but are resolved at a +1 save modifier regardless of the Skink’s Strength. In addition, when rolling on the injury table, add +1 to the results. (Skinks only)

Mark of the Old Ones; Cost: 50 gc
This is the greatest mark a Lizardman can be born with, for these Albinos are destined for greatness in the eyes of their gods and other Lizardmen. The Hero may change one of his failed dice rolls into a successful one; this mark may only be used once per battle and only on actions that the Hero is making himself. You may use this mark on a failed Rout test if you wish.
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Lizardmen Magic
Lizardmen Spells work like the Prayers of Sigmar and may be used even if the Skink Priest is wearing armor.
1. Chotec’s Wrath: A lightning bolt shoots from the sky above and strikes the closest enemy model within 10" of the Skink Priest, causing a single Strength 5 hit. However, add +1 to the Strength and +1 to the roll on the injury table if the model is wearing armor like light armor, heavy armor, Ithilmar armor or Gromril armor. Difficulty 8
2. Sotec’s Blessing: The spell may be cast on a single model within 6" of the Skink Priest or on himself. Roll a D6 to determine the blessing. The effects remain in play until the Priest or the model is Stunned or taken Out Of Action. Only a single model may be affected by the blessing at any given time. Difficulty 7

D6 Effect
1-2 +1 BS or +1 to hit in close combat.
3-4 Toughness +1.
5-6 Movement and Initiative +1.
3. Huanchi’s Stealth: The spell affects all Skinks within 6" of the Skink Priest, including himself, and allows any model that is in cover to immediately to go into hiding. A model may go into hiding even if they ran in the movement phase or have already shot with a missile weapon. Difficulty 7
4. The Old Ones’ Protection: The Skink Priest and any Lizardmen within 4" of him gain a save of 4+ against the effects of spells or prayers. This spell remains in play until the Skink Priest is taken Out Of Action. Difficulty 6
5. Tinci’s Rage: A single Lizardman within 6" of the Skink Priest or himself, is overtaken by rage and follow the rules for Frenzy, in addition he gains +1 Strength. This spell remains in play until the Skink Priest or the model is Stunned or is taken Out Of Action. At the beginning of the his next turn the Skink priest must pass a Leadership roll in order to keep the spell going. Only a single model may be affected by the blessing at any given time, but the Skink Priest can choose to release the spell at the beginning of his turn if he wishes to attempt to recast it on another model later in the shooting phase. Difficulty 8
6. Itzl’s Speed: A single Lizardman model within 6" of the Skink Priest or himself, may make an additional sprint of movement and move up to 4". This counts as running and a model may not move if he has already shot with a missile weapon. A model may not charge with this extra move. Difficulty 7
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I like the List.
I also like the Idea of Chameleon heroes.

I played the Lizardmen list from the Lustra setting. It was fun.

I would worry about is a list that has only 1 hero and up to 3 non-exp gaining henchmen with a 3 Toughness. The free armor does help-out a lot.

This is very valid point... I'm not sure how many "beasthounds" should be allowed, (if you were a fly on my wall, you would have seen me rewrite the number for 15 minutes straight.... 2, 5, 4, 3, 4, 2... etc.) Until I test them, I can't really be sure.

Also, this warband is mostly geared towards the Halfling/Goblin campaign I'm working on... so, compared to Halflings, they might be on STRONG side. You probably have a point, though. Maybe 0-4 would be better.

That's true if you put it against the goblins this would be a pretty good fight.

Quote :

Stupidity: Suffer from Stupidity. If within 6”, they may use the Leader’s leadership, or the leadership of a model with the Beastmaster skill.

"The Beastmaster skill"?
It would be nice to have a separate character as per the Hunters become the Hunted.

You're lost me with "hunters become hunted" line...

You're probably right. Another option is to make it a Sacred Marking... and, like the DE, have Cold One's within 6" IGNORE stupidity... would definitely grant a boost.

StyrofoamKing wrote:

You're lost me with "hunters become hunted" line...

You're probably right. Another option is to make it a Sacred Marking... and, like the DE, have Cold One's within 6" IGNORE stupidity... would definitely grant a boost.

The Hunters Become the Hunted is a Lustrian scenario featuring a Skink Beastmaster and his Cold Ones. Keep up!

"like the DE"? DE Cold One Hounds don't ignore stupidity do they? Not in my TC #12 they don't anyway.

Add the beastmaster... he replaced one of the Chameleons, which is fair.

*checks rules*

Aha! It looks like one of my opponents misread his DE rules... curse him, and curse me for believing him! Grr!

*Looks at hunter/hunted... * No, I never noticed this article before. 1 Beastmaster with only 2 hounds doesn't seem like many to me. I like the premise, though... I could see a Moot version for the Wee War, except with a Herder and a group of Sheep dogs (aka wardogs.) Could be fun.

Playtable would have been really upset if he was misreading the rules. His DE Hounds are always stupid.

The Beastmaster rarely lives long. Sometimes the Cold Ones hang around for the whole game. Lustrian (5th edition) Cold Ones can be mean.

Aw, yes. I was thinking 2 cold one HOUNDS. No, 2 cold ones PROPER... yeah, I can see how those would hurt. No "things from the woods", mind you, but ouch.