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Best way to start Skaven w/ Rat Ogre?
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 5:19 am
by MechD
Hey guys,
Buddy of mine is starting a Skaven team, and REALLY likes the idea of having a Rat Ogre in his line up to add a little extra beef..Now obviously a bit of reading on this site seems to say that the best time to get a Rat Ogre is when a team starts up...so besides the obvious "don't get a Rat Ogre" answer..what is the best way to start a Skaven team that includes a Rat Ogre? My buddy is thinking something like...
1x Rat Ogre
2x Gutter Runners
2x Storm Vermin
1x Thrower
5x Line Rats (likes to call them Clan Rats)
FF 9
2x RR..
Any ideas?
Thanks guys

Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 9:09 am
by duff
Actually a lot of people say get a RO later on.
I found that as a defensive saftey they make a dandy killer.
Park him deep and within blitzing distance of a potental scorer, then watch as your opponent feeds him a player a turn to keep him busy and watch the SPP roll in.
On offence he might soften a flank nicely.
Remeber, "Move the turn marker, move the RO, start your turn"
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 10:10 am
by Asmodan
I started with a similar roster recently, except i had 1 more rr insteda of the two stormvermins.
Not sure if its easier to get a rat ogre later or not but i know that you must be prepared for it to screw you a lot in the beginning.
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 11:34 am
by david13
hi.
I don“t like RO in a start because She lost a lot of turn I would like this start.
1 vermin, 4 runners, 7 linerats, apo, 7ff, 2rerolls.
12 player,apo,and only 1 vermin.
this is a machine of do TD.
thx.
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 1:38 pm
by sean newboy
I would drop a gr for a clan rat and use that extra money and some ff for an apoth, if that ro gets double skulls and kills himself your buddy is gonna be annoyed.
Re: Best way to start Skaven w/ Rat Ogre?
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2003 9:10 am
by DoubleSkulls
MechD wrote:1x Rat Ogre
2x Gutter Runners
2x Storm Vermin
1x Thrower
5x Line Rats (likes to call them Clan Rats)
FF 9
2x RR..
IMO thats probably the best lineup if you must have a RO. Alternatively
7 Line
2 GR
1 SV
1 RO
9 FF
3 TRR
No thrower, but then you can use a GR to get the ball and run with it.
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 4:13 am
by MechD
Thanks for your help guys, I will be sure to pass your wisdom along to my buddy.

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:51 am
by Robotorz
Rat Ogres often hurt the Skaven Team more than it helps them, especialy on rookie teams, but when ever your opponent gambles on you failing his initial block/s you have a decent chance of winning. He sourounds your rat ogre with 4 players to get a 2 dice and if that rat ogre somehow manages to survive he is doomed!
Tell him to get pilling on as first skill!
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:59 am
by narkotic
You should try persuading your friend of taking the RO later. It's like a friend of me who wanted a Kroxigor in his rookie Lizardmen-team from the very beginning. After 4 matches he stopped playing that team

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 11:04 am
by Robotorz
But a Kroxigor is a Bonehead big guy and a Rat Oge is a Wild Animal. The problem i think he had it that he started with only 4 or 5 skinks but 6 Sauri and the Kroxigor wich means that you only had to remove 5 players to make him totaly imobile.
So if you find a balanced Cockerel with a Rat Ogre then you are fine. I helped a 14 year old friend of mine that is and was a bb newbee to start his skaven team with a rat ogre and now he is fairing verry well (RO has +2 Ag and Block!!!!)
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 11:07 am
by narkotic
No he started with only 2 Sauri, the rest Skinks, Apo, FF, RR etc. And always Blitzed with his Kroxigor. That could have been the real problem, though.
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 12:42 pm
by Mestari
Just keep the RO where he won't be surrounded and you should do fine. "Everyone, surround the Rat Ogre" (as one of the NAF site toolbar texts so elegantly say) is an extremely worthwhile tactic against the rats if they expose their rat ogre.
Position as a back-field safety should be the ideal place for him at the beginning.
Alternatively, you can try to use him as a bait to lure a collection of enemies to surround it (far away from your main formation) and face the rather high chance (5/9 on the first block) of turnovering your next turn. But as a probability-oriented coach I'd consider that a very unwise move.
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 12:28 am
by Matsu
I don't think you need the thrower out the gate and you also could drop a gutter runner. Largely your roster looks pretty good, though. I think I would turn the thrower and a couple point of FF into a linerat and a Reroll.
The reason that I like having the RatOgre at the beginning is that he is less likely to get abused at the beginning because your opponent's team is also a rookie team. By the time your opponents can REALLY start abusing the RO, you'll have leader somewhere and Block/Pro/Breaktackle/Standfirm type stuff on the RO. If you're not going to start with the RO, you shouldn't pick him up until you've got a leader.
Re: Best way to start Skaven w/ Rat Ogre?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2003 11:50 am
by Geggster
ianwilliams wrote:
7 Line
2 GR
1 SV
1 RO
9 FF
3 TRR
No thrower, but then you can use a GR to get the ball and run with it.
Here, here. This is the only way to go IMO if you want the RO. Leave him deep as a safety for the first couple of games and make the priority block first skill (or a ST increase

), leader and kick elsewhere with first buying priority an apo, then a third GR.
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2003 3:58 am
by slackman
best way to start a skaven team w/ a rat ogre? dont...
blah blah blah, words words words...
this is what i use:
1 rat ogre
1 thrower
1 gutter runner
2 storm vermin
6 linerats
3 rrs
6 ff
note that this only gives you 6 ff. so dont go around challenging dwarves and orcs for a while. get your apoth first, then add the rest of your grs. hopefully youll win some matches and your ff will go up. mine are at ff 12 after 9 games. i won my first 3, then tied. then won another and tied again. then i won 2 more before being handed my only loss. i've played chaos and 3 undead teams, and fortunately have only had 2 deaths.
ians idea is a good one, but i have found that you need both of your svs from the start to keep your rat ogre company. maybe ditching the thrower for another linerat and 2 ff would be a better idea than starting w/ just 6.
slackman42