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Skaven (Renegades fan list) · 30-point magic standard
Is the Plague Banner worth it?
The Plague Banner is worth it if you want one huge combat phase. It lifted 10 Plague Monks with additional hand weapons to 28 charging wins from 60, against 10 for a larger 13-Monk unit without it.
Quick answer: it depends which fight you spend the Plague Banner on
- What it does
- Once per game, every Plague Monk rerolls failed To Hit and To Wound rolls for one Combat phase
- Good against
- Rat Ogres (8/10), Clanrats (6/10) and Knights of the Realm (6/10), on the charge
- Struggles against
- Jade Warriors (2/10) and Ironbreakers (1/10)
- Record
- 28/60 charging · 16/60 receiving
The Plague Banner is a spike, not a permanent upgrade, so its value depends on landing it in the phase that decides the fight.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 360 complete combats with three Plague Monk builds, 120 each: 10 with additional hand weapons and the Plague Banner (138 points), 17 with hand weapons (137 points) and 13 with additional hand weapons (135 points). These were the results.
The Plague Banner works once, so my results reward it for landing in the phase that decides the fight; in a real game you have to choose that phase yourself. The Monk profiles come from the fan-made Skaven Renegades draft.
Plague Monks with and without the Plague Banner
Plague Monk builds, wins from 60 combats each way. n = 60 combats per direction ±13 points
| Build | Pts | Charging | Receiving | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 with additional hand weapons + Plague Banner | 138 | 28/60 | 16/60 | 44/120 |
| 17 with hand weapons | 137 | 17/60 | 15/60 | 32/120 |
| 13 with additional hand weapons | 135 | 10/60 | 8/60 | 18/120 |
Plague Banner results by opponent
10 Plague Monks with the Plague Banner, charging. n = 10 combats per opponent ±31 points
| Opponent | Won |
|---|---|
| Jade Warriors | 2/10 |
| Ironbreakers | 1/10 |
| Clanrats | 6/10 |
| Rat Ogres | 8/10 |
| Knights of the Realm | 6/10 |
| Gors | 5/10 |
The Banner unit averaged roughly 4.63 wounds or casualties in the opening round.
Can you take the Plague Banner in Battle March?
Yes. In the Renegades draft, Plague Monks are Special by default, or one unit can become Core if the army includes a Clan Pestilens Plague Priest. The unit can buy a magic standard worth up to 50 points, and the Plague Banner costs 30.
At 500 points, the Battle March single-unit cap is 175 points for Core and 150 for Special, so a 138-point Plague Banner unit fits either. You still need the Plague Priest if you want it in Core.
Compare the Monks with every other build on my Skaven melee units page.
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use the Plague Banner on a smaller Monk unit aimed at Rat Ogres, cavalry or Clanrats, and not on a unit that expects to grind for several turns.
FAQs
What does the Plague Banner do?
Once per game, for one Combat phase, every Plague Monk in the unit rerolls failed To Hit and To Wound rolls. It costs 30 points in the Skaven Renegades draft.
Is the Plague Banner legal in Battle March?
Yes. A 138-point Plague Banner Monk unit fits both the 175-point Core cap and the 150-point Special cap at 500 points; it needs a Plague Priest to count as Core.