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Ok so this is my first fantasy list so I need help with what needs changing.

But before we start I tried to get a theme around my army mainly because I love the idea of living statues and the ark, I have tried to make a list which go's in both directions and, also being effective.

I will also be fighting (possibly) OK,VC,WD,DE,HE and other TK. as far as I know, so are there any good tactics against them?

Ok so here is the list:

Lords:

High priest (hirophant and lore of nehekara) with Armour of destiny and channelling staff: 275pts

Khalida

Core:

(30) skeleton archers, with champ, musician and bearer and light armour: 240pts (x2)

Special:

(6) Ushabti with great bows: 300pts (X2)

Rare:

2 casket's: 270


I realise that I don't have a good amount of priests but that has been made up for with the lack of movement (or in which case will always stand by the hirophant), anything comes close will be cut to ribbons (in my head anyway)...

So what do you think? what do I need changing? what tactics can I do against the listed army's?, need help.

Cheers to all comments.

You could add in Chariots in all Batreps I have seen Chariots own with a tomb prince, king or priest on chariot.

redkeyboard wrote:You could add in Chariots in all Batreps I have seen Chariots own with a tomb prince, king or priest on chariot.

So which army would you start?

And secondly I find chariots too expensive to actually do anything.

Do I need more priests?

Ok lol, I like the look of this list, but its really not going to work.

First of all this list is illegal. You can only the combined cost of your lords be 500 points in a 2000 point game (aka: 25%). High Queen and High Priest equal out to be 540 points, and with the stuff you gave um it turns out to be much more.
You need at least 500 points of core, which you only have 480.

2 Casket of Souls are just pointless. The main point of the casket is to get the D3 power dice and as it says in the army book "If you have one or more Caskets of Souls on the table at the start of your magic phase, you add D3 dice to the power pool." Meaning that one Casket will do the same as twenty (if you could actually get that many).

I really wish this wasn't true due to there model being so awesome, but Ushabti are pretty much garbage in the common consensus. 50 points a model is too hefty price to pay for a model such as they.

My advice to any Tomb King player is that your going to find as you go out there, that all of your core ain't gonna amount to JACK SQUAT! Skeleton Archers can't hit anything, and when they do they are weak as hell. You gotta being a tricksy hobbit, or fielding a pretty cheesy list to get anything out of them (which isn't a bad thing, I just can't help you there). The horsemen are not very good, sure they are faster, and can flank easier, but its not worth the extra points. The skeleton warriors just arn't good enough at fighting. And after you get your impact hits all your chariots are going to die from combat resolution. Trust me though, Chariots and Skeleton Warriors are actually your best shot at a solid core. Field the chariots in either many groups of three's to "suicide bomb", or one large group of 3 wide and however many deep. Field the Skeleton Warriors in large tar pits, like 5 wide and 8 deep, they might not be that powerful but it will help them to survive combat resolution. I say fill you minimum core, and don't get no more.

In regard to Special Units Tomb Gaurd arn't so bad, especially if your fighting an army with a lot of wounds like Ogres. Necropolis Knights arn't so bad, they are actually a pretty solid unit, (mainly due to there awesome snake) but the rider with killing blow is also pretty handy in a tight spot. But in the end Tomb Kings don't have any GOOD special units... but at least they are better point for point then your core.

Ok, now where Tomb Kings are pretty good is Rare Units/Lords and Heros. All Tomb King rare units are pretty solid units, so just test out which one suits your style and try to find one you like.

Just a quick note on Lords/Heros... In my opinion don't get Settra, High Queen, Arkan the Black, or anyone with a name save maybe Grand Heirophant Khatep... Don't get Tomb Kings (Tomb Princes will suffice), Its a safe option to get what ever Hierophant you want... Tomb Heralds can be cool. Anyway... ya know. Just giving advice.

Alrighty, a few legal things:

1) Most wizards can't take magical armor, so the high priest's armor of destiny will need to become a talisman of preservation. If you even keep him ...
2) Khalida is 365 points, which leaves just 135 points left out of your 25% (500 points) lords cap, so you can't take both her and the high priest. I think you can get by with dropping the LHP and picking up 2x level 2 priests.
3) You need a minimum of 25% core (500 points). Currently you've got just 480 points worth. I like the idea of getting a unit of chariots for counter-charging into enemy weekend by bow fire. You should also drop the light armor on all of the archers, a 6+ armor save isn't really worth it, not when you could use those points to add more archers to each unit. I'd imagine that Khalida would enjoy an even bigger horde of bowmen to rock out with.

In other thoughts, I don't think you need a second casket, from what I've seen the gain is pretty small with the second, as you don't get more dice and you'll have your hands full with magic possibilities, so the second light of death is only so useful. Instead I'd recommend putting the points into the chariots, and maybe grabbing a catapult or giant with bow depending on points and your inclination. Both are thematic, and one adds more shooting oomph while the other provides some combat punch that the list somewhat lacks.

EDIT Sorta ninja'd by Hamshire

- Salvage

Lol, yeah sorry. But you mentioned some things I didn't so still a valid post. I totally agree that it is an awful idea to give archers light armor... Most CORE units have 4 str and will just negate it.

I'm actually going for a similar list myself, with Khalida in a block of archers. I'm using a block of Ushabti as well, but I'm supporting with a 'bow giant' as they said (Necrolith Colossus with Bow of the Desert).

I think (and this is only with others' advice that I've seen) for a full shooty list you need to pretty much go all-out on bowmen with Khalida, and add the rest of the stuff after the fact.

Also, TK don't really do themed armys well at low points values, due to the necessary inclusion of the Heirophant.

If I were to start Fantasy then I would be picking up Daemons in a heart beat. If not them it would be Ogres, Tomb Kings or WoC. But my favourite is Daemons by far.

Cheers to all your advice, but I thought it was 25% minimum for lords & co. am I missing something here?

Looking art the new vamps and comparing WD to book and I feel sort of left out, vamps get all these new shiny things and I get a sphinx (and thats all).

So was wondering (I love the fluff of TK but since Themed army's are not good for low points levels) should I bother with them OR get vampires instead? (Zombie dragons AND hexwaiths are looking good for me as well as Krell)

And for those who know me in person, This will be for after the new CSM release (and if and when fantasy gets some love at the LGS).

So whats better on the table TK or VC?

I believe it's 25% Maximum for Lords and Heroes, not minimum.


Vampires? Boo!!! Tomb Kings kill Vampire Counts, not play with them!

25% maximum for Lords, and another separate 25% maximum for heroes (So you could have 25% Lords AND 25% Heroes...).
As for VC vs TK, it's all up to your taste... They are actually rather different armies, all in all.

Well I do lke the goothic horror vibe and I like the idea of me being the avater (general) on the battlefield, and me on a zombie dragon dose appeal to me...

Well ima going to start VC Iove their models, fluff and rules (reading from WD) so yeah iI will.

As for Ihatenids soon to be DE, bring them on...

Okay.... so I am not going to go into the whole bla bla bla about how awesome DoE on a TK is.. You do need to play to your local meta but there are a few additional points (Some solid points were made about the caskets, about your lords/heroes ect...) but I need to make which were not made above:

1. Ushtabi suck! They used to be good - but now they suck. Ahh, sorry, I said I wouldn't rehash what was previously said.. But ya, Ushtabi suck. Your paying more than an ogre for considerably less.

2. I have seen support for the queen and what she can do - and in most cases people will run massive hordes of archers (3 x 30 at minimum). However that's not going to do much for you vs. T 4 multi-wound ogres or heavily armored elves... or anything else for that matter...

3. Where is hte rest of your list? I did some very rough math and theres only some 1300 poiints there. If you are looking for more points there are 2 things to consider: Warsphynx and big blocks of skeletons. Any mildly fast army (like ogres) will be on top of you by turn 2... so ya it's improtant to put up some defenses.

4. Tomb Guard wont help you against ogre kingdoms. Ogres are monstrous and killing blow doesnt work on them. What does work is Heroic killing Blow (conferred by Destroyer of Eternities )