Since there’s been some discussion about it here and other places, I thought I’d share what we came up with re: the Bonebreaker Rat Ogre and Look Out Sir!

I guess the notion that the BRO removed LOS! stems from absence of a note about it in the unit description, while the War Litter has such a note.  This, coupled with its 4 wounds implying that it gets up to Unit Strength 5 (+1 from the rider), would lead one to think LOS! doesn’t apply.

The trick is, however: the BRO isn’t US 5.  Here are the relevant bits from the Unit Strength chart on pg 71 of the BRB:

Now, there’s some debate over the correct base size for the BRO; whether or not it should be 40x40mm or 50x50mm.  I’ve based mine 40×40, since it’ll rank up (and that’s why I think they put the Pox Rat on a 40×40), but I don’t think it’s crazy talk to think it goes on a 50×50.

But I hope we can all agree that, although the BRO is “a prodigiously proportioned Rat Ogre,” it’s not going to be larger than a Dragon Ogre and it’s not going to live in the same size category as a Stegadon or a Giant.  That, by definition, an Ogre is going to be “Ogre-sized.”  (Because if it were larger than Ogre-sized, it’d probably be called a “Bonebreaker Rat Giant,” right?)

That means it belongs in the first quoted category rather than the second quoted category.  This means the BRO is US 3, +1 for the rider, giving us US 4.  (As opposed to the second category, which would make the BRO US 4, +1 for the rider for US 5.)

As the model is merely US 4, it still gets to benefit from Look Out Sir!

3/8 UPDATE – From the new Skaven FAQ (dated 3/8/10):

Q. What are the Unit Strengths and base size of a War-litter? And what about a Bonebreaker?

A. For both models, we suggest using a Unit Strength of 3 (plus 1 for the Warlord), and a base size of 40mm square. However, do keep in mind that, as for all conversions, there are no strict rules about base size (other than: ‘Be reasonable!’), and that any forthcoming Citadel miniature might be different from this suggested size.

So, that settles it! (Until they change it.)  I’m glad; it was an unworkably terrible choice at US 5.

Had an awesome game against Sean on Saturday.  He’d just recently lost one of his final challenges on the Challenge Pyramid, so he was happy to take a list that was full of stuff he’d never take in a Pyramid game.

I used the list I mentioned here (the sane list, not the Pestilens or Moulder one).

He took something like:

Highborn – Dragon, Stone of Crystal Mere
Branchwraith – Lvl 1
Spellsinger – Lvl 1, Unicorn

Glade Guard ~x12
Glade Guard ~x12
Dryads ~x12

Tree Kin x3
Wardancers ~x12
Wild Riders ~x12

Treeman

I did very well.  In fact, I think I had an extremely solid chance of winning the game.  One roll decided it, though: his dragon-borne Highborn smacked into my block of Clanrats including the Warlord on Rat Ogre.  The Warlord was able to pop the elf-thing, but nothing in the unit was able to injure the Dragon; the Dragon rolled on Monstrous Reaction: Unbreakable!  It had to fail a Ld test and then pull off the 1/3 chance of rolling Unbreakable.  So, despite having a full block of clanrats with a Warlord on Rat Ogre with Weeping Blade and three Rat Ogres in the flank… that dragon went nowhere for five rounds of combat.  Easily long enough for him to get the remnants of his Wild Riders and his block of Dryads all up in the backside of my ‘rats.

It was a great, close game.

Some observations:

– The Hellpit Abomination was nasty.  I don’t think taking two of them would have done much more for me, but one was definitely something he had to deal with.  He munched his way through the Tree Kin and, in pursuing, flew across the table.  I wish I’d bought Warpstone Spikes, however; he’d have been 3-4 times deadlier.

– Rat Ogres didn’t have the chance to do much except catch the Dragon in the flank, throw a lot of high-strength attacks at it, and fail to wound it.  I need to give them some more table time.  Sean suggested going for the Master Moulder, especially with the Rat Ogres. 2 is too small, 4 is too large, and 3 just doesn’t have enough Packmasters; Buying the Master Moulder and his extra wound will offset that a bit.

– Bonebreaker Rat Ogre: I’m officially terrified of being picked out of the unit.  It wasn’t quite as bad against Sean as it could be against other, Bolt Thrower-including armies.  So, I’m going to try the War Litter; need to wait on the bits, but I’m definitely stealing the crap out of Rhellion’s War-Litter (though I’ll likely not use Queek).

– Re-jiggering equipment.  Replacing the Warpforged Blade on the Assassin with the Weeping Blade, giving him an Enchanted Shield (because, why not?).  That means the Warlord needs to change weapons: probably to the Blade of Corruption.  I’m going to try giving the Engineer just one scroll, which will free up points for Warp Energy Condenser.  On the advice of others, I’m giving everyone who has points left for it (the BSB and the Engineer, because he doesn’t have to pay for it from his Magic Items points) Pistols.

– That the Plague Mortar is move and fire is ridiculous.  That the Plague Mortar is move and fire while other Weapons Teams are not is even more ridiculous.  Three is far too many; I’m dropping two of them back down to Ratling Guns.  Curious to see how they perform: they got 3″ of range, but 50% of their shots will miss.  More significantly, the Misfire table’s changed: now any double causes the same roll on the misfire.  Rolling a 6 is no more dangerous than rolling 1.  I expect that will mean I’ll probably always roll 3 dice.

– Jezzails losing Skirmish huuuuurts.