Last Defenders

Last Defenders is a playable Lizardmen faction introduced in Total War: Warhammer II, led by Kroq-Gar.

How they play
A summary of Lizardmen gameplay:
 * Units: In battle, Lizardmen have strong melee units, powerful magic users, and many monsters. However, their ranged units are just average.
 * Blessed Spawnings: These are elite Lizardmen units in limited supply, similar to Regiments of Renown.
 * Rampage: Overall, Lizardmen have good leadership. However, many of their units can potentially rampage and go out of control in battle.
 * Rites: Lizardmen can perform several rites in campaign to bolster themselves or recruit Slann Mage-Priests.
 * Astromancy Stance: A unique army stance which increases map vision and ambush chance.
 * Geomantic Web: Lizardmen settlements are linked by the magical Geomantic Web which makes their commandments more powerful.
 * Lord Kroak: Lizardmen factions can embark on a quest to recruit the unique hero Lord Kroak.

In battle
Generally the same as the other Lizardmen factions but with more focus on the low tier Saurus and big beasts!

Starting territory

 * Kingdom of Beasts

Legendary Lord choices

 * Kroq-Gar - a powerful melee fighter who can ride a unique carnosaur mount called Grymloq.

Faction effects

 * Upkeep -10% (all units)

Kroq-Gar's lord effects

 * Leadership +10 (lord's army)
 * Upkeep -50% for Saurus and Cold One units (lord's army)
 * Leadership +10 for Stegadon, Terradon, Bastiladon and Carnosaur units (lord's army)
 * Armour +10 for Stegadon, Terradon, Bastiladon and Carnosaur units (lord's army)
 * Ambush success chance +25% (lord's army)

Vortex Victory

 * Complete all rituals.
 * Win The Final Battle.

Domination Victory

 * Destroy Cult of Pleasure, Naggarond, Order of Loremasters, Eataine, Clan Pestilens, and Clan Mors.
 * Maintain control of 50 provinces.

The Skaven Direction! (Eye of the Vortex)

 * The Starting situation: Kroq-Gar starts the game with one city - Temple of Skulls. Your enemy, at the beginning are Skaven - Clan Mordkin. Their territory are to the South of you - because of the race mechanics of the Skaven, all you will be able to see are ruins in place of their settlements. Also, you will be fighting against Manblight Tribe - which belong to the race of Beastmen and therefore are a horde. Up in the mountains to the North-West, there are Dwarfen territories - Karak Zorn faction and Greenskins - Arachnos. They will be occupied with fighting among each other, so you do not really have to be bothered by them. Over the mountains past the Golden Tower settlement, there is a Lizardmen faction - Tlaqua (Realm of Tiktaq'to) and a small forest full of Wood Elves - Bowmen of Oreon. With them, and with factions of High Elves farther to the South, you are on friendly terms. What is unique for this faction is owning one Hero since the beginning of the game - Skink Priest with magic of the Celestial domain.


 * Initial turns :Start the game with building Pastures and by developing the military building in your settlement. Then, gather your army and go North - this is where you find a settlement not occupied by the skaven, "The Cursed Jungle", which you should settle, and build the medical herb camp for trade resources. Use the Skink Priest to block the army of Mordkin Clan by your border - this is optional, but will allow your hero to gain experience you can use to spend on his useful celestial spells, or levelling his "Reduce Corruption" skill (To reduce Skaven corruption penalties). You can also gain experience by discovering new Skaven settlements - you only have to command him to examine the ruins. Also, it is a good idea to enter a non-aggression pact with Bowmen of Oreon and Tor Elasor (As the Wood Elves will help you against Orcs, it's not recommended to ally yourself with the High Elves as they will hold mainland territories you might need) After you have colonized the Cursed Jungle settlement, spend several turns on replenishing your losses and development while harassing the Skaven with your Skink Priest.


 * In the new settlement, you should start Glowberry rows - this will come in handy for trade that you will soon start with the other factions. With your units replenished, enlist several units of Saurus warriors with shields and head out for the settlement of Skavens - Coast of Snakes. Once your armies start heading towards the settlement, Skavens will have probably already started sending their armies against you. You have to keep in mind that the default mode of the Skaven army is setting ambushes. So, when they attack you, you will be unable to deploy your units before the battle (also, you will not be able to retreat from such a battle). Additionally, Skavens will have a considerable advantage in numbers over you. However, due to the overall weakness of the Skaven units, you should be able to crush their armies, even with auto-resolve for some of the minor settlement battles.


 * After you have colonized the Cursed Jungle settlement, spend several turns on replenishing your losses and development. Note, the Manblight Tribe faction will most probably, in the meantime, offer truce and you will not have to bother about them any longer, as they will spend their time raiding and harassing the Skaven who are closer. However, if this does not happen, remember to crush them quickly or they will pose a threat to you later on. After you have seized the settlement, refrain from expanding up to the moment, when social order stabilizes. Issue the commandment "Alignment of Order" as it will increase public order and offer you the useful spell "Holy Stela". Also, take advantage of the port in this settlement and enter a trade agreement with High Elves and remaining factions that you can obtain one with using the medical plants/glowberries.


 * Spend the following turns on development of your province. First, upgrade the Temple of Skulls to level 3 and erect there Shrine of the Ancients. In the remaining two settlements, erect buildings that promote development and income. In Coast of Snakes, try to build level 3 walls - this settlement often falls victim to both Skavens and hordes. In the meantime, Mordkin Clan will try to launch a counterattack on you, so you will have to deal with their armies on a regular basis. Once the situation in the province has stabilized, enlist more units (so that the army consists of 16-18 units) and attack Mordkin Clan. The best moment to do that is right after one of their attacks on you -this will give you some edge, even though Skavens quickly replenish their armies.


 * Seize two more settlements - Teotiqua and Temple-Boulevard of Gold. Build there a building that increases social order and issue the order to stabilize it. Wait for several turns, for social order to stabilize and attack Sotek Caverns settlement - it is a ritual resource site. After you have seized it, build Repository of the Ancients there - this will increase the number of points that you require for the Ritual. You may have already noticed that next to the Coast of Snakes settlement there is the Golden Tower which is also a ritual resource site. However, it is occupied by the friendly Lizardmen, so there is little point in declaring a war - especially that your army would most probably fall, while fighting on two fronts. If that settlement is, on the other hand, occupied by Skavens, you can try and seize it. However, it will be difficult to hold it, because you will be unable to conquer the rest of the settlements in this province for a long time.


 * Next turns :Later during the game, continue your expansion to the South - your goal will be to defeat the Mors Clan - another Skaven faction (which is one of the two playable factions of this race, lead by the fearsome Queek Headtaker). You will have to perform a raid after raid on your way to the capital city of this faction- Yuatek. If the Mors Clan has spread to the North in the meantime, you will also have to seize the territories there, but if you were lucky with diplomacy you can ask the Wood Elves and other Lizardmen to assist you. If you're looking for more trade and didn't seek diplomacy with the High Elves around you, their ports offer a bonus called "Elven Port" which give you a hefty boost to trade; the islands themselves are rarely visited by pirates or other races, and can be built without military buildings to maximize gold per turn. The High Elf majority are stationed at Ulthuan, and should be pre-occupied with Dark Elves.

Further conquest will be blocked by Lizardmen factions - since you have good relations, confederation would be the safest route to getting new provinces (NOTE: As you can only confederate with people of the same race, financial gifts should be used only on races you plan to confederate with or under dire circumstances)