Saurus

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A Saurus Warrior
File:Saurus Regiment.jpg
A regiment of Saurus Warrior models.[2]

The Saurus are the warrior-caste of the Lizardmen. They were spawned by the Old Ones to act as the soldiers and guardians of their race.

Overview

Saurus are large, blue, reptilian warriors. They are over eight feet in length from head to the tips of their tails, and are covered in thick scales which act as armour. They have large jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth and have large talons that allow them to maul an opponent. When the Old Ones first created the Saurus they were tasked with eradicating the races that did not form a part of the Great Plan and have wiped out entire species in this quest. However, despite many campaigns, the Saurus were never able to completely eradicate the Greenskins. Saurus can live for thousands of years, and may well be immortal: it has never been known for a Saurus to die of old age, they always die in battle. Like all Lizardmen, the Saurus possess a cold, alien intelligence and are essentially without mercy. Their single-minded focus on warfare and training should not be mistaken for stupidity.

The Saurus have an instinctive grasp of warfare, and their bestial appearance belies their ability to enact perfectly timed manoeuvres - however, they can be quite savage in combat, raining multiple attacks on their unfortunate opponents in quick succession.[3] It sometimes requires a nearby Skink leader to restrain Saurus from pursuing targets to the detriment of their army's goals.

Like all Lizardmen, Saurus are spawned fully formed from the Spawning Pools under a Temple-City. They emerge wet and dripping from the pools but within hours they will dry and their scales begin to harden, forming protective armour. A group of Saurus who spawned together will often fight together as one unit.

Units

Most Saurus fight in large infantry blocks of Saurus Warriors. Those spawned with especially tough hides serve as Temple Guard, given sacred armour and designated to protect the Slann. Some Saurus are spawned with the instinctual ability to tame and ride Cold Ones into battle. These are referred to as Cold One Riders. Lastly, those grizzled old Saurus who have survived many campaigns are known as Scar-Veterans and Oldbloods. They serve as war-leaders and command the armies of the Lizardmen, often riding Carnosaurs.

Notable Saurus

  • Kroq-Gar: Ancient Scar leader, Last defender of Xhol. Kroq-Gar is an ancient Saurus, possibly among the first spawned, as he was alive and active in the first major conflict between the Lizardmen and the forces of Chaos. Kroq-Gar is known and feared for his tactical prowess, having led vast armies of veteran Cold One Riders against the forces invading Albion, the site of an immensely powerful Lizardmen lode-stone. With the new city of Konquata under construction, and jungle spreading through the interior of Albion, Kroq-Gar has secured a strong holding point for the Lizardmen, and a place from where they can begin their own offensive. His duty done, he has since led his army back to Lustria.

Notes

In older editions of the tabletop game, Saurus could take special bonuses called "Sacred Spawnings" or Blessed Spawnings[1], representing a spawning of Saurus who had been blessed by a particular Old One, and typically had a particular colouration on their scales.

Sources