How do you play rats?

[[Redacted]]

I don't know know at this point. I've been trying to make rats work for me for the past two days, only to end up in failure every time.

Been doing co-op with rats on hard, maybe that's the problem? Seem like everyone go to war with me, to the point of having seven factions at war with me on one game. Tried both the rats, but I seem to just get stumped on by everyone but other rats.

I even had my friend bring Skrolk (probably butchered the name) with the units he started with, four or five stormvermin halberds, six catapults, and some clanrats come help me take on Kroq Gor with my army of 10 or so stormvermin with halberds, two lightning cannons, one catapult, clanrats spears with shields, and the good units you start with him.

Kroq Gor had basic units along with his stegasor, groxigor, and a basic garrison. We lost hard. It was a one-sided battle. I admit he was caught out while trying to scramble to get to my army, but still.

How the hell do you play these guys?

[Wh♂♂par]

You don't attack Kroq first. Go for the mountain area, after that try to go for some TK territory. When you got artillery, claim Kroq's lands. Skrolk is the same, you should focus defeating your starter enemy factions, then head south, build up a force of Plague Monks and artillery, with Clanrats/Stormvermins frontline support and take a dump on the lizards.

I can't say it enough. Get artillery. Get artillery. Get artillery. And seerlords of plague.

[[Redacted]]

Originally posted by Wh♂♂par:

You don't attack Kroq first. Go for the mountain area, after that try to go for some TK territory. When you got artillery, claim Kroq's lands. Skrolk is the same, you should focus defeating your starter enemy factions, then head south, build up a force of Plague Monks and artillery, with Clanrats/Stormvermins frontline support and take a dump on the lizards.

I can't say it enough. Get artillery. Get artillery. Get artillery. And seerlords of plague.

Ok, I'll try to do that. My only problem is that Kroq tend to declare war on me very quickly.

[Wh♂♂par]

If you got plagueclaw catapults and a seer agent with plague magic in your army, you only need to focus all that ♥♥♥♥ on their frontline and monsters should be bogged down by masses of spears.

I could start a new campaign with Skaven tomorrow. I'm using a heavily modded build, but the general tactics could be written down better, than talking from memory of my first three full campaigns with them being months ago.

[Wyvern]

As Queek, Stormvermin halberds+plagueclaw catapults are your friend. If you can get plague magic to apply poison debuffs, even better.

As skrolk, mass plague monks and plagueclaw catapults, use the wither ability to nuke lizardmen infantry to 0 armor and watch your monks tear them to shreds in seconds.

[Darkaiser]

As others have already pointed out, the Skaven are a variety force. You can't just throw clanrats and stormvermin at the enemy, you need to bolster your forces (or debuff the enemy) with magic, artillery and always bring 1-2 units of Slaves with spears to throw away at the enemy.

[RED /(Weber)\]

Stormvermin because clanrats are ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ useless.

[Blackfyre]

Try and save food so you can take Tor Supindor (spelling?) and turn it into a lvl 4 straight away.
Sometimes I take on Clan Mordrin first for the extra food boost and go back for the Tor and go straight for LVL 4.
That way you can build stormvermin and Ratogres. Mix those with Plagueclaws, and some nasty Skaven magic and you should be sweet.
Keep um coming from below....and take out the range units. Debuffs on the frontline.
Ratogres are great for flanking and shredding saurus warriors. Also fast enough to catch any skinks or lizards.
And remember to think like a skaven..Ambushes with a second army of slaves reinforcing...Let the slaves get wiped while you pepper them with Artillery..who cares about slaves?
Then go finish the tired already beaten up lizards with your main stack.
Good luck.

[The Hat]

Either a huge amount of summoners with summoning buffs. Which is very easy mode. Just summon hordes and get about two or three times your army size of fodder. Makes all battles easy.

or

Stack two armies in the traditional setup like this on the battlefied

Summons Out Front to Slow Enemy.
Skaven Slaves Army 2
Skaven Slaves Army 1
Clan Rats Army 2
Small Storm Vermin Line Army 1 (Box)
3/3 Artillery Both Types for Anti Large and Anti Infantry
StormVermin Back and Sides Army 1 (Box)
Maybe a Doomwheel or 2 if you are feeling flush.

This deep formation uses 4 moral bars, so it negates skaven moral penalities. Slaves have their own. Army 2 has its own. And by the time the enemy reaches your useful units, stormvermin, they have been shelled by your artillery to nothing. Fire into the slaves and clan rats, they cost virtually nothing and are just there to give your artillery time to fire.

Stormvermin with halberds are useful to defend against flyers or fast cav trying to get through to the artillery.

[Betty]

Queek is halberds and artillery, globe throwers and flamethrowers also help.

For skrolk using a few heroes, 4-6 catapults and the rest plaguemonks will work. They'll tear apart anything that you debuff, even monsters or cavalry. For this army with loads of debuffs and summons you can trap your enemy into being forced to face your monks.

[RCMidas]

Another question is Vortex or Mortal Empires?

Queek has it slightly easier in the latter because of the number of pitiful undead, Vampiric and Nehekharan alike, to smack about; whereas in Vortex the few nearby Skaven will be quickly overrun by Lizardmen and High Elves - and Kroq-gar is loath to cross the wastes too early.

Skrolk has it slightly easier in Vortex because the Lizardmen in Lustria are too busy fighting each other, the Vampire Coast and loads of other Skaven to bother with him early on - by which time he'll have most of the southern tip of the continent and tons of food.

[Ravensong]

It was Vortex each time.

[VoiD]

make half your army artillery, 0 deaths every 1v1 battle.

Cannons are better but you need something to shoot from behind the cannons as well.