Battlefield role: Line infantry with sword and spear options.
Unit type: Melee infantry.
Content pack: Total War: WARHAMMER II — Skaven core roster. Immortal Empires ownership
Availability
- Core Skaven roster, introduced with Total War: Warhammer II. Available through a playable Skaven faction unlocked by Warhammer II or an associated Skaven lord pack, including Thanquol — Lords of the End Times.
- Total War: WARHAMMER II unlocks Queek Headtaker and Lord Skrolk’s Skaven campaigns in Immortal Empires, including the core Clanrat roster.
- The Prophet and the Warlock, The Shadow and the Blade, and The Twisted and the Twilight unlock their associated Skaven lords. Thanquol — Lords of the End Times is another entry point with a core Skaven roster.
Official references
Weapon variants
Clanrats
Sword-armed Clanrats occupy a section of the battle line. Shielded and unshielded recruitment entries are distinct.
Clanrats (Shields)
Shields add protection against incoming missiles. The family also includes spear-equipped entries; select the weapon and shield combination in the recruitment panel.
Buy space for the dangerous troops
Deploy Clanrats where they can meet an approach without blocking every shooting lane behind them. Hold a second regiment free to intercept troops that get around the first. Their useful contribution is often the time they give another unit to act.
Move an unengaged regiment to a flank instead of feeding it into the same patch of fighting. Keep friendly characters close enough to support an important engagement, and watch for gaps when a regiment begins to rout.
Place Clanrats between the enemy and the troops you most need to protect. Their job is often to occupy a hostile regiment while missiles, artillery, magic or a flanking force deals with it. Give those supporting units a usable shot rather than putting the entire army directly behind the same melee.
Watch for a gap before the screen collapses. A reserve can intercept an attacker that gets through, while a rallied regiment may return to hold another approach. Do not build the plan around a lone Clanrat regiment stopping several enemy units unaided.
Match the weapon to the job
Sword and spear equipment changes the intended engagement. Spears suit a defensive position facing mounted or large attackers; sword infantry can support a general melee. Shield equipment is a separate choice, so check the full recruitment name.
Stormvermin are a different infantry family. Compare the job you need done before replacing a holding regiment: an army can still need bodies protecting its weapons even after it gains more heavily equipped troops.
Recruitment in Immortal Empires
Clanrats belong to the core Skaven army rather than a later paid weapons-team expansion. Recruit the desired entry through the faction’s local recruitment options. Settlement development and the available recruitment pool determine which entry you can field.
Swords, spears and shields
Clanrats and Clanrats (Shields) are sword infantry. Clanrat Spears and Clanrat Spears (Shields) carry spears, giving the screen a role against mounted or other large attackers. Shields help against suitable missile fire from the direction the regiment faces.
Stormvermin and Skavenslaves are different infantry families. Clanrats summoned during a battle also have a different purpose from a regiment recruited into the campaign army. Keep permanent troops and temporary battlefield reinforcements distinct when planning a replacement force.
Keep a screen around specialist units
Clanrats are part of the ordinary Skaven recruitment roster. Use the settlement building browser to find the sword or spear entry you want, then recruit in a province with that access.
The specialist troops available behind the screen depend on the campaign and owned packs. Choose those troops first, then leave them firing lanes and enough Clanrats to cover the approaches. A screen that blocks every friendly shot can prevent the rest of the army from doing its job.
Race and roster
All profiled and notable units for this race · Compare all profiled units