# Building on the IoB Skaven force. What to get?



## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

The missus has decided to buy IoB as the High Elves in it are a good cheap addition to the stuff she has already.

I have promised to at least prep, assemble and underecoat the Skaven so we can learn to play WHFB together. 

I know nothing of playing the game but was wondering what would be the first unit or mini to buy to bulk out or improve the rats to face HE?

In addition to the Elves she is going to have from IoB she has 40 or so Spearmen, 20 archers, 1 Boltthrower, 1 Chariot(lions), 10 Silverhelms, 1 Mounted Mage and 1 Mage on foot.


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## neilbatte (Jan 2, 2008)

Well to start with theres quite a large difference in points between the skaven and high elves in the box to start with so even without her extra units your at a dissadvantage.
A battalion box set should even it out a little but in all fairness your first buys should be the army books as you'll get a decent idea of both points and how you want to expand the Skaven.


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## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

I should of stated that the Skaven Book will of course be the first purchase.  But even with that book in hand I still wouldn't know what to get.

All I know currently are rats are cheap points wise and I'm guessing they should be run in pretty large units.

Thinking of the Army Books when was the HE one last released She has one but I no idea if its the current one (Bought in March 2008). 

Lets face it I have no idea in general lol.


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## squeek (Jun 8, 2008)

Skaven do quite well out of getting more than 1 IoB box (unlike HE) though you could always fish about on fleabay for some spares. You will definitely want more clan rats, jezzails are good for the points and most of the big stuff like doomwheels are pretty groovy. Grey seers and hellpit abominations seem very effective and often find their way on to the table in the hands of rat players I know.


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

Just follow the Skaven golden rule of not fielding any units of less than 30 men and you can't go far wrong. I know it's not really helpful, but my suggestion would be "Whatever you like the look/feel of".

If pushed for a specific unit though, I'd say a big-ish block of Plague monks. Weapon teams for every unit that can have them too, they're very good.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

The thing about Skaven is that they need the tricksy big stuff to really beat certain armies. While another Island of Blood box won't hurt you (you'll use everything in there, certainly), you also want to be sure you've got things like either a warp lightning cannon, doomwheel, abomination, etc; and you'll want to bring one of their siege tower-like things-- either the screaming bell or the plague furnace.


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## Blue Liger (Apr 25, 2008)

3 Words - Warp Lightning Cannon being able to run 4 of these in 3000pts is more than nasty especially when you are then backed by over 200 rats and 2 plague claw catapults a furnance and some bells


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## Bubblematrix (Jun 4, 2009)

A good place to start is more clanrats, I bought myself another IoB worth of rats, and a couple more of the clanrats squads - I am only just up to 1500pts worth.

Other units I have found useful (out of some models I bough waaay back and luckily kept) are the doomwheel and warplightning cannon.

A bell is useful in higher points games, but not necessary in starting.

I would wait and see what the January releases are also, if they are jezzails and HPA then buy both.

But for starters and considering you will be painting rats until your eyes bleed already, just stick with 1-3 IoB sets worth of rats and add in 1-2 war machines.

Hope this helps, and welcome to the horde!


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