Before the coming of mankind the Lizardmen ruled the World. Now they rise again to reclaim their ancient birthright. Where once Lizardmen walked the entire World, now they are confined to the steaming jungles of Lustria - but they have plans. Under the guidance of their Slann masters, the Lizardmen seek to unleash their cold-blooded savagery on the rest of the world. The time has come...
BEST SORCERERS OF THE KNOWN WORLD
By far the most intelligent of all the Lizardmen are the Slann Mage Priests. The Slann are considered the ruling caste of the race, and all Slann possess ancient magical powers.
While a Slann's body is far too bloated and swollen to move about much, forcing them to be carried by thickly muscled Saurus Warriors on a palanquin, the Slann are amongst the most accomplished sorcerers of any race in the Warhammer World - able to cast Battle and High Magic, as well as share spells with other Mage Priests during a battle.
Even after death (and Slann live for thousands of years) a Slann is so infused with magical energies that the mummified corpse is still held in reverence as much as when it lived.
TOUGH, BRUTAL, AND DIM
The Saurus were clearly bred to be warriors. With a thick scaly hide to act as armor, and fierce talons and teeth, the Saurus mean business. Armed with crude bronze hand weapons or hefty spears, the Saurus form the core of a Lizardmen army.
With a high strength and two attacks, the Saurus are tough on the offensive, but in defensive terms the cold-blooded nature of these Lizardmen makes them far less likely to rout or run away than "softer, more compassionate" humans. While Saurus may not be bright, the Slann don't ask them to be!
The oldest and most skilled Saurus are hand-picked to form the Temple Guard - an elite unit that is given ceremonial bronze armor and helmets making them even more intimidating.
KROXIGORS
The giant cousins of the Saurus, the Kroxigors were originally bred as towering construction slaves - able to carry the huge stones that made up the ancient pyramid temples of the Lizardmen. In times of battle the Kroxigors are armed with huge axes of bronze that enable them to reach out and pulverize the foe at a distance. With natural armor and massive strength, it is no wonder that these creatures are widely feared. Lizardmen players can choose to field either whole units of Kroxigors, or instead mix the mighty creatures into units of Skinks.
SKINKS
The Saurus were bred as warriors, and are capable of little else. Skinks, while smaller and not as ferocious as the Saurus, are fast, agile, and intelligent. Used for a variety of tasks, the Skinks are also a valuable addition to a Lizardmen army.
With a movement of six and the ability to skirmish, Skinks are adept at moving in front of the army and disrupting enemy formations. The Skinks are always armed with missile weapons (the bow or javelins) and the cunning creatures often poison the tips making them even deadlier. On the battlefield the Skinks harass, soften up, and set up the foe for the "harder" units like Saurus or Kroxigors to charge. It is possible for a Kroxigor to join the ranks of a Skink unit, which benefits the Skinks as they will test off its higher leadership. Making the union even more potent is the fact that the Kroxigor can still reach over a rank of Skinks and deal out terrific blows!
COLD-BLOODED CAVALRY
The creators of the Lizardmen also bred creatures to serve as riding beasts. The Cold Ones are giant reptiles, covered with tough scales. Cold Ones are ridden to battle by Skinks, making an effective shock unit. Although subject to stupidity, Cold Ones are fine once they have tasted blood - their sluggish and cold-blooded brains are aroused and they will eagerly search for more.
As the dense jungles of Lustria are tough to travel, even by the mobile and aquatic Skinks, special flying reptiles were trained for delivering messages and fast travel. These creatures, known as Terradons, carry two Skinks into battle where they are used for devastating hit-and-run attacks deep behind enemy lines.
LIVING WAR MACHINES
The Lizardmen do not build and construct engines of war as do other races like the Dwarfs and Empire. The jungles of Lustria, however, are home to a varity of primeval reptiles that can serve in the mighty host of a Lizardmen army.
The gigantic Stegadon is a massive creature the size of a Bretonnian house! These thundering big beasts are harnessed in times of war and woe to any unit that gets in front of one of these nearly unstoppable monsters.
Salamanders are giant amphibians that spit a corrosive venom that can eat away any armor. Driven to battle by Skinks and goaded (with the aid of a giant spear) to spit at the foe, Salamanders are an extremely valuable addition to a Lizardmen army. The long-ranged support is very comparable to a war machine, only this one is more mobile and can eat any who dare attack it in hand-to-hand combat!
RISING FROM ANCIENT RUINS TO CONQUER THE WORLD!
If you are interested in building and collecting your own army of Lizardmen, then the place to start is the Warhammer Armies Lizardmen book. This invaluable guide has everything you'll need, including: background and history of the creation of the Lizardmen race, a complete bestiary with all the cold-blooded critters - from Skinks to Snake Swarms, a full army list so you can construct your own unstoppable horde, and more.
As with all Warhammer Armies books, you'll find full-color artwork and miniature shots to use for your own painting reference. There are also rules for special magic items, and specific Lizardmen Heroes, such as the highly feared venerable Lord Kroak (who is a long-dead mummy, but terrifying nonetheless), Itzi-Bitzi, and more!