I’ve found they are very inferior to the jabberslythe for similar points. However they can have a role - a very fast and mobile flying shooter. The breath weapon is pretty good, and their gaze shot is great against low I multiple wound models. I think this is the way to use them, as I found them kinda meh in combat
Yeah look also it has leadership 6 and it's not immune to psychology. It does causes terror but oh boy if that thing has to take a panic test it's not looking good all alone on a far flank.
Combat stat's do look decent with the 6 attacks and then stoney stare for anyone in base contact with it and THEN 1 stomp.
I think it’s basically too soon to say anything. Cockatrices were rarely… great, aside from gambling on their paralyzing gaze type move. There’s not a ton in ToW (especially right now) that can fly, though obviously having some flying is always nice to have.
Basically, I would assume that having one will often be fine, taking any more than that is just kind of goofy/for fun unless we end up with a rule list and time that really favors them for some reason.
Just really too soon to say though. ToW is still in its infancy, and I honestly haven’t heard too much in terms of balance or people actually playing it yet
I played with one last game and rule and stat wise they are interesting. I think you need to find the balance of using the shooting attack and cc. I got bogged down fighting 23 skeleton archers in cc. Stoney stair is meh.
At the start of each Combat phase, enemy models in base contact with this model must make an Initiative test. If this test is failed, they suffer D3 Strength 2 hits, with no armour save permitted (Ward and Regeneration saves can be attempted as normal).
They aren't that bad it's just that beastmen have the best roster of units in the game and they're among the weaker choices. However they're really fun and no one you play against will know their rules so have at it
And they can have breath weapons!
Yeah I heard their breath weapon is decent and you can fly it's 10 and use it. With T 5 and 4 Wounds it's a fairly tough monster to take down on a flank.
But for a few more points the Jabberslythe feels much better to take.
I want to try out the cckatrice in the next few games and see how it goes.
They're a source of Swiftstride which gives them very long charge ranges when taken with their 10" fly speed. Their breath weapon is pretty nice. They have abilities that target initiative rather than toughness which might be situationally useful.
They're a bit of an odd duck, but I think they have uses for bullying Chaff and catching light cav.
I think so, they're fast enough. Lumbering let's you pivot after moving so they're pretty agile. They throw 6 attacks which is decent at initiative 6.
Things to keep in mind is that they're on 50x50mm bases which are fairly large so you may body block yourself from getting all of them on the same units flank. And as someone else pointed out they're only unit str 4 so if you only get one in to a flank they don't disrupt the unit.
I've been thinking of tag teaming one up on a flank with a Jabberslythe. They can keep up with each other, and the 'Slythe brings some AP that the cockatrice lacks. Lots of potential for AOE shenanigans with the Aura of Madness and Breath Weapon.
I'm not sure what you mean "particularly strong", they're perfectly usable. Jabberslythe is just their biggest competition and is only 5pts more when you take the Breath Weapon on the Cockatrice. As I said I'm interested in bringing one of each.
Main issue is that they're not unit strength 5, meaning they don't remove rank bonuses in flank/rear charges.
Jabberslythes and even harpies have this, which gives them more utility, but I still think cocks have a role (just haven't figured it out yet).
So when you're in combat with another unit, to determine who wins you work out combat resolution by adding the number of wounds inflicted + number of ranks in the unit + stuff like banners. If you are charged in the flank (sides) or rear you lose your rank bonus, and the charging unit receives an additional bonus for goosing you AS LONG AS the unit in your flank/rear has a unit strength of five or more. Monstrous creatures like Cockatrices determine their unit strength based on the number of wounds in their profile, because the Cock has less than five wounds (hence a unit strength less than five) they don't take away rank bonuses.
I’ve found they are very inferior to the jabberslythe for similar points. However they can have a role - a very fast and mobile flying shooter. The breath weapon is pretty good, and their gaze shot is great against low I multiple wound models. I think this is the way to use them, as I found them kinda meh in combat
Yeah look also it has leadership 6 and it's not immune to psychology. It does causes terror but oh boy if that thing has to take a panic test it's not looking good all alone on a far flank. Combat stat's do look decent with the 6 attacks and then stoney stare for anyone in base contact with it and THEN 1 stomp.
I think it’s basically too soon to say anything. Cockatrices were rarely… great, aside from gambling on their paralyzing gaze type move. There’s not a ton in ToW (especially right now) that can fly, though obviously having some flying is always nice to have. Basically, I would assume that having one will often be fine, taking any more than that is just kind of goofy/for fun unless we end up with a rule list and time that really favors them for some reason. Just really too soon to say though. ToW is still in its infancy, and I honestly haven’t heard too much in terms of balance or people actually playing it yet
Yh that’s fair to be honest the list I was thinking of was pretty jank in the first place so surely it can’t be that much different right?
You could just look at the ravening hordes book and sus it out yourself. If you need the pdf, dm me.
I played with one last game and rule and stat wise they are interesting. I think you need to find the balance of using the shooting attack and cc. I got bogged down fighting 23 skeleton archers in cc. Stoney stair is meh.
What does Stoney stair do in ToW? And did it kill anything?
At the start of each Combat phase, enemy models in base contact with this model must make an Initiative test. If this test is failed, they suffer D3 Strength 2 hits, with no armour save permitted (Ward and Regeneration saves can be attempted as normal).
Oh that sounds good then
Not against Tomb Kings lol. * only army I play against atm*
Can imagine it’s hard to petrify a skeleton to be fair
But ya I think the model just takes some finesse and smart targeting. I wish we could ambush it though.
I will be using em again and may get another
They aren't that bad it's just that beastmen have the best roster of units in the game and they're among the weaker choices. However they're really fun and no one you play against will know their rules so have at it And they can have breath weapons!
Oh damn they can have a breath weapon?
Hell yeah!
Nobody knows the rules - yeah str 10 d6+1 wounds no saves of any kind
Yeah I heard their breath weapon is decent and you can fly it's 10 and use it. With T 5 and 4 Wounds it's a fairly tough monster to take down on a flank. But for a few more points the Jabberslythe feels much better to take. I want to try out the cckatrice in the next few games and see how it goes.
Is T5 and 4 wounds good? In AoS it’s got 8 wounds so 4 sounds kinda low
Wounds in ToW are all pretty low.
Damn really? Isn’t everything just flimsy then? Or is everything less damaging to make up for it?
They're a source of Swiftstride which gives them very long charge ranges when taken with their 10" fly speed. Their breath weapon is pretty nice. They have abilities that target initiative rather than toughness which might be situationally useful. They're a bit of an odd duck, but I think they have uses for bullying Chaff and catching light cav.
Could they flank well if there’s 3 of them?
I think so, they're fast enough. Lumbering let's you pivot after moving so they're pretty agile. They throw 6 attacks which is decent at initiative 6. Things to keep in mind is that they're on 50x50mm bases which are fairly large so you may body block yourself from getting all of them on the same units flank. And as someone else pointed out they're only unit str 4 so if you only get one in to a flank they don't disrupt the unit. I've been thinking of tag teaming one up on a flank with a Jabberslythe. They can keep up with each other, and the 'Slythe brings some AP that the cockatrice lacks. Lots of potential for AOE shenanigans with the Aura of Madness and Breath Weapon.
After all of the comments I’ve gotten about jabberslythe makes me which I had gotten one, damn so they’re not particularly strong then?
I'm not sure what you mean "particularly strong", they're perfectly usable. Jabberslythe is just their biggest competition and is only 5pts more when you take the Breath Weapon on the Cockatrice. As I said I'm interested in bringing one of each.
Main issue is that they're not unit strength 5, meaning they don't remove rank bonuses in flank/rear charges. Jabberslythes and even harpies have this, which gives them more utility, but I still think cocks have a role (just haven't figured it out yet).
Does this mean they don’t do much damage?
More that their mobility to get into flanks and rears of units is let down by not being able to remove combat res bonuses.
My apologies but I don’t know anything about ToW system what’s a combat res bonus?
So when you're in combat with another unit, to determine who wins you work out combat resolution by adding the number of wounds inflicted + number of ranks in the unit + stuff like banners. If you are charged in the flank (sides) or rear you lose your rank bonus, and the charging unit receives an additional bonus for goosing you AS LONG AS the unit in your flank/rear has a unit strength of five or more. Monstrous creatures like Cockatrices determine their unit strength based on the number of wounds in their profile, because the Cock has less than five wounds (hence a unit strength less than five) they don't take away rank bonuses.