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Skaven (Renegades fan list) · 144 points · Charging hammer
Are Plague Censer Bearers good?
Plague Censer Bearers are the best Skaven hammer I have tested, as long as they charge. Nine of them won 41 of 60 charges, but only 11 of 60 fights when the enemy charged first.
Quick answer: it depends what you point Censer Bearers at
- Role
- All-out charging hammer
- Good against
- Rat Ogres (9/10), Knights of the Realm (8/10) and Gors (8/10), all on the charge
- Struggles against
- Ironbreakers (2/10 on the charge), and any enemy that charges them first (11/60)
- Record
- 41/60 charging · 11/60 receiving
Censer Bearers have one job, charging, and the gap between 41 and 11 wins shows how completely they depend on it.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 120 complete combats with 9 Plague Censer Bearers (144 points): 10 against each of six benchmark opponents while charging, and 10 more against each while receiving. These were the results.
My Censer Bearer charging record assumes every charge landed; in a real game a failed charge leaves them exposed to exactly the counter-charge they handle worst. The results also rest on the fan-made Skaven Renegades draft, so check its latest version before an event.
How Censer Bearers did against each opponent
9 Plague Censer Bearers charging. n = 10 combats per opponent ±31 points
| Opponent | Won |
|---|---|
| Jade Warriors | 7/10 |
| Ironbreakers | 2/10 |
| Clanrats | 7/10 |
| Rat Ogres | 9/10 |
| Knights of the Realm | 8/10 |
| Gors | 8/10 |
Nine Censer Bearers averaged about 6.75 casualties or wounds in the opening round across my charging tests.
Why they hit so hard, and why they fold when charged
- Two base Attacks, Frenzy on the charge, Hatred against all enemies, Poisoned Attacks and rerolls of natural 1s To Wound create a very strong first round.
- The censer only gives S+2 against models they charged, so receiving a charge strips a major part of their profile.
- Stubborn keeps them useful after the first hit, but they remain far more hammer than anvil.
See how they compare with every other Skaven build on my Skaven melee units page.
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use Plague Censer Bearers to charge valuable targets such as Rat Ogres, cavalry and Gors, and not to receive a charge or to attack Ironbreakers.
FAQs
Why are Censer Bearers bad when charged?
Their censer only gets S+2 against models they charged, and Frenzy only adds its Attack on the charge. When the enemy charges first, nine Censer Bearers won just 11 of 60 fights in my tests.
Do Censer Bearers beat Ironbreakers?
Rarely. They won 2 of 10 charges into Ironbreakers, their worst charging matchup by a distance.