Read our Empire army composition guide for Total War: Warhammer and learn how to build an effective army to help you win the Grand Campaign against all odds.

Platinum notes 2.0 available for mac. Total War: Warhammer II is almost here! This grand strategy game allows you to conquer the World That Was with an army of your choosing, exploring Lustria as four factions do desperate battle over control of the Great Vortex. One of these factions is the vicious Skaven, who are just as inventively cunning – and deadly – in the Old World as they are the Age of Sigmar! The Total War: Warhammer crew were kind enough to provide us with a guide on securing victory with your vicious vermin in the new game:

1. Picking the Right Legendary Lord for You

Warhammer has always been famous for its bombastic characters and the Skaven are a perfect example. The question is which of Total War: Warhammer II’s characters are right for you? Queek Headtaker of Clan Mors provides a lethal, armour piercing duellist with which to lead your armies. His ferocious combat skills make him an easy choice for anyone who wants to get stuck right into combat and his high armour means he’ll be able to stick around too.

Those looking for some awesome magical power should turn to Lord Skrolk of Clan Pestilens. Skrolk’s ability to flood the battlefield with poison and plague make him the perfect support character, diminishing the enemy’s ability in combat and imbuing your own warriors with powers of plague.

2. Feeding the Hordes

The Skaven are known for their horrifying metabolism and when prompted, will eat almost anything. If you provide the food, the rats will come, but be warned: low levels of food will provoke the starving masses into unruly behaviour. Force their hand and the less fortunate amongst your clan may be provoked into rebellion or even eating their own kin.

3. Strength in Numbers

The Skaven may not have the most powerful infantry in the Warhammer World but they are cheap and they are many! Surge your forces forward and make use of the rat-mens’ improved speed, flooding your enemies with your superior numbers. When their front lines are bogged down with your chaff units, you’ll be free to ravage their back and sides with your more powerful units like Rat Ogres, Doomwheels and fearsome Skaven weapon teams. You can check out the full Skaven roster here to see all the tools in your bag of tricks.

4. Explosive Machinery

The Skaven are not just known for their fervent growth and expansionism but for their ingenuity as well. The war machines of the Under Empire are the explosive core of any fully fledged Skaven battleline. From the blistering pace of the electrically charged Doomwheel to the long-range, hard-hitting Warp Lightning Cannon, the Skaven have a tool for any situation when it comes to blowing things up! Your weaker Clanrats and Skavenslaves make for perfect tar pits to keep the enemy’s high-value units in place. Perfect to unleash your explosive warpstone projectiles onto them.

5. Verminous Valour

No Skaven in his right mind would ever bother with pointless chivalric values or meeting combatants on an equal playing field. Why waste time and risk your life when a simple stab in the back will do? Making use of underhanded tactics is what the Skaven are all about and there are many at your disposal in Total War: Warhammer II. Skaven settlements appear as empty ruins to anyone not aware of your clan’s location, even other Skaven clans. Use this to spring ambushes on anyone foolish enough to search your territory for treasures.

Likewise, the armies of the Skaven are adept at staying hidden, able to spring mobile ambushes on the campaign map and use their stalking Gutter Runners and Clan Eshin Assassins in battles to surprise unsuspecting foes from behind.

Total War: Warhammer II will be available on the 28th of September and you can pre-order now to receive the Norsca Race Pack for Total War: Warhammer free of charge.