Faction Summary
Faction: Ratkin
Total Units: 28
Units with Crushing Strength ≥ 1: 12
Units with Piercing ≥ 1: 4
Avg Points: 152.1 (Global Avg 146.5)
Avg Defense: 4.0 (Global Avg 4.3)
Avg Melee: 3.9 (Global Avg 3.7)
Avg Speed: 6.6 (Global Avg 6.4)
Unique Keywords (count): 25
Top Keywords: Rallying (14), Crushing Strength (12), Vicious (12), Nimble (9), Steady Aim (5)
Contents
Note – individual Heroes and Monsters are excluded from these aggregates.
What the numbers say
- Board presence. An average of 15.5 units and 25 unit-strength per 2300-point list screams classic swarm control: Ratkin win scenarios by showing up everywhere at once.
- Durability through Nerve, not armour. Def 4.0 is under the global mean, but a 225 total-nerve pool (and a Rallying keyword on half the roster) means opponents must grind, not spike, you off the table.
- Above-average Speed 6.6 lets even the cheap infantry keep pace with support beasts and Tunnel Runners, enabling multi-charge plays that rats rely on for damage.
- Keyword density (Rallying, Nimble, Vicious) matches the narrative: Ratkin don’t win with raw profiles—they win by layering auras, re-rolls, and positioning tricks.
Most Cost-Effective Units
| Unit, Size | Sp | Shots to 6 Nv | Avg Hits | Pts | Elo | Cost Eff. | % Kills vs Def 4 | % Kills vs Def 5 | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon Team WE | 6 | 12 | 13.4 | 85 | 938 | 0.68 | 39.7 % | 1.4 % | Nimble, Piercing (1), Steady Aim |
| Shock Troops H | 6 | 32 | 16.8 | 220 | 2563 | 0.49 | 84.6 % | 23.5 % | Crushing Strength (1), Rallying (1) |
| Tunnel Runners R | 8 | 30 | 13.7 | 210 | 2123 | 0.30 | 84.8 % | 34.3 % | Crushing Strength (1), Thunderous Charge (1) |
| Shock Troops R | 6 | 18 | 9.2 | 130 | 1454 | 0.13 | 31.8 % | 1.9 % | Crushing Strength (1), Rallying (1) |
| Wretches H | 6 | 18 | 9.5 | 115 | 1532 | 0.11 | 18.0 % | 0.5 % | — |
Analysis & Context
- Weapon Teams are still the faction’s bargain sniper. At 85 points they punch above their weight, making them an auto-include in many combined-arms lists.
- Shock Troops top both Elo and kill-rate metrics—they remain the premier hammer when properly buffed (Elite aura + Bane Chant). But note the recent Heavy Halberd cost tweak in CoK 2024, nudging value back toward cheap Spear hordes. (companion.manticgames.com)
- Tunnel Runners deliver nearly the same expected kills as Shock Troops but with true threat projection (Sp 8). Their Elo surge coincides with lists that pair them with a Swarm-Crier’s new Elite (Melee) aura—a combo called out in the latest Dash28 review. Dash28 Ratkin Army Review(dash28.org)
- Wretches look poor in isolation, yet their Cost-Effectiveness score hides the intangible: they’re throw-away chaff that trades up when it soaks charges meant for pricier pieces.
Historical Tournament List Analysis (16 lists, scaled to 2300 pts)
| Metric | Average | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Units / Unit Str | 15.5 / 25.1 | Confirms high-model-count playstyle. |
| Scoring Units | 12.7 | Objective saturation remains Ratkin’s win condition. |
| Item Spend | 46.5 pts | Rats invest little in artefacts—points pay for more bodies. |
| Total Nerve | 225.2 | Among the game’s top three for staying power. |
| Ranged Attacks | 56.7 | Enough to chip, but not a true gunline. |
| Gini (Power / Def) | 36.7 / 29.4 | Damage is concentrated in a few hammers; defense is spread, matching hammer-and-anvil builds. |
| Expected Dmg vs Def 4+ | 68.6 | Respectable, but Ratkin still rely on multi-charges for reliable kills. |
Observations
- Balanced swarm – The average list runs two hammer units (usually Shock Troops + Tunnel Runners) backed by three-plus anvil hordes and 3–4 chaff drops.
- Support saturation – Nearly every list double-dips on Brood Mother + Warlock for Radiance of Life, Drain Life, and Bane Chant coverage.
- Low artefact spend reinforces the “layers over luxury” mentality: buffs come from auras and spells, not shiny trinkets.
- Elo gains correlate with armies that push Speed ≥ 6.5 and Nimble ≥ 6 units—in other words, rats that move win games.
Tactical Takeaways
| Strengths | Practical Impact |
|---|---|
| Unit-strength flood | Out-deploy and out-score. You can trade two regiments for one enemy hammer and still hold more objectives. |
| Layered buffs (Elite aura, Rallying, Radiance) | Converts “mediocre Me 4+” into grind machines. Protect your Swarm-Crier—lose him and Tunnel Runners drop 15-20 % damage. |
| Speed edge | Average Sp 6.6 plus Wild Charge & Nimble lets rats decide when multi-charges happen. |
| Toolbox roster | Weapon Teams for cheap pressure, Death Engines for footprint control, Brood Mothers for sustain. Flex to meta demands. |
| Weaknesses | How to Mitigate |
|---|---|
| Low armour (Def 4.0) | Leverage terrain, Plague Pots (Ensnare/Stealthy), and chaff screens to blunt shooting and cavalry. |
| Buff dependency | Keep Inspiring/Buff heroes central; build redundancy (two Warlocks, two Criers) so sniping one doesn’t collapse your offence. |
| High drop count complexity | Pre-plan movement lanes. Stagger deployment so horde footprints don’t block Tunnel Runner aggression. |
Further Reading & Viewing
- Podcast: Counter Charge #706 – Ratkin Army Review – three top Rat generals break down every unit. (countercharge.net)
- Article: Dash28 – Ratkin Army Review (updated for CoK ’24) – deep dive on tier rankings and new Elite aura tricks. (dash28.org)
- Battle Report: Lone Wolf GT Top Table – Ratkin vs Empire of Dust (YouTube) – watch spear-horde anvils and Tunnel Runner flanks in action. (youtube.com)
- Blog: “Another Year with Ratkin – Highs & Lows of CoK 2024” – a seasoned UK player’s reflections on recent changes. (thewizardsbookshelf.com)
- Blog: The Nerd’s Tale – a Wisconsin player’s journey through a rat-centric lens (The Nerd’s Tale)
- Rules Update: Mantic Companion CoK 2024 Change Log – Ratkin section for the full bullet list of buffs (Plague Pots, Vicious Nightmares, Impaler rampage, etc.). (companion.manticgames.com)
Closing Thoughts
Ratkin lists lean into high unit-strength, layered buffs, and selective hammer pieces—exactly what the latest meta rewards. They’re not point-and-click: success hinges on juggling support auras and timing combo-charges. But if you like swarming the board, dictating scenario play, and watching opponents drown in furry bodies, Ratkin are in a great competitive spot for 2025.
Ready to gnaw your way to victory? Grab a crate of spear-wielding rats, tape a Brood Mother to your dashboard, and embrace the swarm.
