Catapults

Are Catapults any use any more, other than in a khalida, archer & casket list?

yes

I always take a couple in 2000+, always without skulls of the foe. The upgrade is too expensive. But they are great for ridden monsters, enemies in buildings, and anything with regen. Too useful not to take for only 90pts each.

I couldn't agree more with the previous two posts.

There are a few things that will give your real problems if you don't have SSCs to deal with them. There are also quite a few nice 'tricks' you can pull off with them as the opportunity presents itself as well.

Well worth 90 points in just about anybodies list IMHO.

I haven't found a use for them yet .

I am usually springing for two in my current 2500 pt lists.

I run 2 always, and always opt for skulls of the foe if, and only if, I am running arkhan. D&D+skulls of the foe = 1 kill from the catapult sends even ld 10 units running more than 58% (34% if BSB in range) of the time, LD 8 units go 83% (60% BSB). Comparw without SotF gives you 41%/27% and 72%/53% respectivly.

In those cases it's clear to me that SotF is worth the 30 points. Without being guarenteed D&D however, I would never take SotF

EDIT*

not 1 wound, 1 kill, but still...

I always take at least one, but usually two. They are a cheap multipurpose: they can get rid of regen as well as reduce big blocks of T3 infantry, and for buildings and ridden monsters(although the lack of presice aiming makes the last one difficult)

I always take 2. Mainly because i play against WE and WOC so its always nice to have a 'sniper' model to target the Hellcannons and Treeman.

They're amazing. I use them to pop off dwarf warmachines, the hellpit, nurgeles from daemons, or anything else with regen. It also makes a wonderful combo with a death priest that has doom and darkness along with skulls of the foe. I've won plenty of matches that way (mainly against warriors). Though, sometime I find myself wanting to throw it across the room when it misfires all game, or worse, destroys itself on a misfire roll. But, that doesn't happen often, and when it does, i'm willing to accept it because when it works, its amazing. I've never gone a game without at least one.

Never leave home without 2 with SOTF

I've never cared for the upgrade. I can see it being somewhat useful in an Arkhan/death list but even then doom and darkness should be enough.

I love my screaming skull catapults. They have been great vs. single model units and T3 rank and file. Their still good vs. T4, but obviously not as much. I haven’t taken the upgrade ever, even though I like the idea of it, it just seems like to many points.

I've gone without for a few games now after constant misfires got me down. Can't say I've missed it.

With so much competition for the rares points I can't see myself going back, unless it's a list specifically tailored to using two.

Sometimes I use them, sometimes I don't. When I use them, they can be quite good, and if they don't do much, they are at least a psychological threat for the opponent. They are cheap enough to take 2. But if you don't take them, a unit of 3 stalkers is about the same point cost and can do a similar job (taking out monsters or warmachines...).

Love the SSC, never leave home without 2 of them. Flaming and magical attacks are always handy and the panic test can just wreck havoc. Made a horde of 60 besitgors with beastlord flee on the first turn with Skulls... and 1 unit of empire spearman with 2 handgunner detachments panic with one shot. That'll teach em to keep his guys so close together.

Only down side? Building the bloody model.

This is very true. Everyone I've played is always after either my casket or my catapult. A few bad things about the stalkers though is the wait till at least the second turn for them to come up, and the close range they have to be for their shots. They each have just as big of a chance for a misfire as the catapults too. They are still a really good unit though.

Despite rolling a misfire every single time I've had all three stalkers gaze at a target they still do enough damage to make up for killing one of their own. I feel that catapults are far more random in terms of garunteed pay off. One can spend the entire game either misfiring or hitting but rolling poor scatter dice, or one can land a direct hit on multiple high value targets and make up over half the victory points with one war machine. Taking two is definately something I'd recomend, but if you're trying to squeeze something in one is also fine.

Just got back from a 5-game tournament.

My catapult killed exactly 2 basic infantry over the course of the entire event.

Sleb I just consider you and outlier for any tomb king unit evaluation. You have like bizzaro luck.... With that said was Midwest Rampage an enjoyable event?

So strange, in a game just last week vs Empire I took off a unit of Chicken Knights a unit of 40 Halberds with BSB in with 2 catapults.

Forced panic checks on other units too, beautiful.

2 naked or none.

Too useful not to have, sure they're random but that alone will keep your enemy on their toes. The ability to have a S9 flaming hit onto something as well is great.

Hydras, Treemen, A-boms, Terrorgheists, Mortis Engines...my catapults have taken out ALL of these in various games. S9 flaming, magical attacks that do d6 wounds?! Catapults are IDEAL for taking out monsters these days. The 6th-7th ed uses for making infantry units take panic tests is less of a viable option these days because of the BSB re-rolls, which only worked on break tests in the past.

I never leave home without 2 of them. Remember also when you are targeting regenerating monsters that once they are hit by a flaming attack, they lose regen for the rest of the phase. If you don't cause enough wounds with the catapult shot, use the archers to finish him off! Thus, always shoot the catapults first when targeting regenerating creatures/units!

And of course, the re-rolls to wound when attacking a building with flammable attacks can't hurt either can it? Doesn't apply very often, but it can be useful.

This question almost cycles monthly

2 or none at all

Typically I never leave home without them, but I play a more defensive list based around archers, catapults, and magic

Indeed - it's like the new moon in Khemri.