Greetings!

[Damo1701]

Greetings Brothers.

 

I had an idea to get a couple of units of Skitarii as points fillers where I couldn't afford a unit or two of my main force.

 

This has led to, through many random means, around 35 individual models arriving, or en route to me.  I've been looking through the codex, as I wanted to keep it basic.  However, I was wondering the best way to build them, as they are all just legs on bases currently, apart from 2 of teh squad leader models, which are robes/torsos.

 

I'm wondering the best way to build.  By best, I mean - versatile, firepower, staying power, and options.

 

I can make 3 units of 10, and a unit of 5.  Rangers or Vanguard?

 

I mainly play Grey Knights, or Imperial Fists, as my guard are in the process of being built and painted.  (I refuse to field unpainted models)

[mmimzie]

All vanguard. That's the easy part. Plasma is pretty good all around but I'd probably only make 2 or 3; plasma can strip hull point or melt units. Arc rifles do well for taking out armor of all sizes.

 

That said, I personally like vanilla vanguard for super cheap kill power, and i leave specialization to other units.

[Damo1701]

All vanguard. That's the easy part. Plasma is pretty good all around but I'd probably only make 2 or 3; plasma can strip hull point or melt units. Arc rifles do well for taking out armor of all sizes.

 

That said, I personally like vanilla vanguard for super cheap kill power, and i leave specialization to other units.

 

Sounds Interesting.

 

I was planning on using them as a distraction piece.  Allowing other units to approach either behind them, or be ignored in favour of them, or, have them underestimated.

[Chronozoah]

I was planning on using them as a distraction piece.  Allowing other units to approach either behind them, or be ignored in favour of them, or, have them underestimated.

In that case, I'd take them as standard. They're cheap, efficient and their Rad-guns can inflict an incredible number of wounds so your opponent can't entirely discount their threat value. Keep them cheap and let them drown the enemy in wounds if left unchecked, or die in droves when focused, in which case you haven't actually lost many points and your more important units can move into position relatively unharmed.

[Damo1701]

Sounds like a good idea.  The +3 ballistic skill doctrine seems to be rather fun.  Doesn't really matter if they get charged that turn either, cos they'll die, or they won't, but they'll hold up whatever assaulted them long enough for a counter-charge :)

[Chronozoah]

Indeed. With their toughness reducing USR and the number of bodies you can get for the point cost, they can actually hold up in combat better than you might expect.

[MoGuy]

Well that depends. If a dedicated CC unit charges them they will be obliterated (except for if you have used the +3 WS Doctrina). If they get charged by Troops or shooty units they can hold their own and survive or even win the combat. 

[Damo1701]

Which doctrine will very much depend on the situation.  

 

I currently have 25 pairs of legs glued to bases, and am waiting delivery of the last 10.

 

Unfortunately, my attention span for a single project ha splintered between my guard, fire raptor, and Skitarii.  Good news however, I can spend some time with tools and glue tomorrow.  Being kicked out while furniture is delivered and rearranged.  Health issues prevent me from helping, so I'm relegated to my brother's hobby shop ;)  Games aplenty, and much building time.

[Tyriks]

Well that depends. If a dedicated CC unit charges them they will be obliterated (except for if you have used the +3 WS Doctrina). If they get charged by Troops or shooty units they can hold their own and survive or even win the combat.

 

Mine held up against Harlequin CC units through unlucky rolling, and managed to kill a handful by getting them to T2. They died eventually but Killed enough that first turn to make it really slow.

[Master Avoghai]

Talking about the legs.

 

Don't glue the torsoes on the legs unless you plan to do the inside cloak in black (or white if you prime your minis in white).

 

The inside cloak is a pain to paint if it's glued on the legs.

 

Also please note that one pair of leg => one specific torso. The difference between the minis will come from the arm position and the head position.

[Magos Takatus]

Talking about the legs.

 

Don't glue the torsoes on the legs unless you plan to do the inside cloak in black (or white if you prime your minis in white).

 

The inside cloak is a pain to paint if it's glued on the legs.

 

Also please note that one pair of leg => one specific torso. The difference between the minis will come from the arm position and the head position.

 

 Skitarii really do benefit from the technique of painting the inside details and then working outwards. I paint the inner cloak and legs then glue the torso and legs together, paint the metallic parts and cables, basecoat and shade the robes. After that I paint the guns, glue the arms and then I highlight the robes. It probably sounds fussy, but I dislike leaving too many pieces loose and find reaching obscured parts difficult, so painting anything under any parts that need to be glued are a priority.

 

As Master Avoghai pointed out, the legs and torso are not intended to be mixed and matched, and I found it safer to keep the backpacks matched up too. For painting Skitarii I found using the box to keep separate Skitarii parts together.

 

 

With my Orks I wouldn't bother doing this, but since the arms form pairs as well as leg/torso/backpack groups it was just less of a headache. There's probably a better way to do it but that's the method I used.

 

[MoGuy]

My data on the topic:

 

Build the Rangers/Vanguards but don't glue them to the base. That way you can still paint the inside of the cloak quite easily (just tilt them on their heads) and don't run the risk of mixing them up. 

 

I actually have build most of my Vanguard that way and even based them. One can still paint the inside of the cloak, but not all the way to their butt. However, this is not necessary as you would't see those places anyway.

 

TL;DR: Basing them and painting the inside is possible and surprisingly pretty easy because you only have to paint the parts you can see anyway, thus not basing them and painting all the way to the butt may be a bit more accessible but ultimately it makes no difference as you won't see the painted parts higher up.