Gutter Runners (Poison)

Gutter Runners (Poison) is a Skaven missile infantry unit in Total War: Warhammer II. Armed with poison, so even a glancing blow may mean agonising death to the target.

Description
Most suspicious deaths and acts of espionage in Skaven society are blamed on the nefarious Clan Eshin. Such accusations are probably true, but, of course, there is no evidence. Much of this devastation is wrought by the Gutter Runners, Clan Eshin's black-clad death squads. Gutter Runners have undergone training in the mysterious fighting style developed in the Far East. Because of their ability to bend and contort their pliable bodies with a speed and dexterity unachievable by man, Gutter Runners have no need for encumbering armour - they simply dodge the blows and missile of their foes. A unit is often led by a Death Runner - the term used for the most promising assassin-adept.

Strategy
One thing to keep in mind is that, as missile units, Gutter Runners benefit from the Warlock Engineer's "Sapper" skill. Which (at rank three) will add +15% to the Gutter Runner's already formidable speed. Given the slowing effect of their poison missiles, if recruited into an army with multiple Warlock engineers, they are capable of outrunning even the fastest cavalry. This maximizes their effectiveness as a harassment unit, and allows them the flexibility to pick and choose their fights.