Tomb king tactics

[billybaker101]

Hi all

Just starting up an escalation league here at 500 points and got a match against Tomb kings.Even though they are undead i know nothing about them. i was planning on taking

Necromancer lv 2
Seed of Rebirth

23x Zombies
Standard Bearer

20x Zombies
Standard

5x Hexwraiths
Champion Hexwraith

Spirit Host

There are about 45 pts left over, im not sure weather to go for some fell bats or another host or maybe some more zombies. This list was originally for facing lizardmen but im playing them a couple days later. DO tomb kings have much in the way of magic weapons? I have just bought my hex wraiths which is why im eager to field them but i have horrors or gheists if they would serve a better purpose. Can someone link me to that army tactics thread i can never seem to find it

cheers

 

[Count Vashra]

Sorry, can't find the thread either, but I'll give you the gist on the dusty ones.

Basics

Magic: Other than characters and one or two spells the Tomb Kings have little Magic

Chaff: If facing sphinxes, get the extra Host. If not, get bats and wolves

Marching: For some reason, Games Workshop left a March-enabler out of the Tomb Kings army, so use this to try to outmanoeuvre them

Hexwraiths: They could work, but drop the Champion, because Hexwraiths close combat against Tomb Kings means they'll crumble. Also, watch that the Tomb Kings Lore Attribute (The Restless Dead) grants D3+1 WOunds to an augmented unit This means a) they will not need to cast an additional spell, and can regenerate a unit and buff (or move, Signature spell gives 8 inch movement) and heal in same casting and b) 5 Hexwraiths will likely casue only 4 or five Wounds on a unit, which would be easily healed (though the cavalry units are smaller, and can be engaged by Hexwraiths).

Sphinxes: While high Toughness and 5+ Armour, with -1 to crumbling, Sphinxes can only heal 1 wound per phase (or casting? Forgot) and have no Magic, meaning they can either be tied up by Hexwraiths, meaning they'll need to divert another unit/spell to deal with it, which will take a while with no Marching, or attack it and be confident that you'll hurt it faster than they can heal

Now, the Tomb Kings

Characters

Because of how Tomb Kings characters operate, it is even more important to target them than other characters.

Tomb Kings: These are the generic Lord characters, with and almost identical Hero version called Tomb Princes, different only because of -1 Weapon Skill and -1 Strength on The Curse (causes damage to the model/unit that killed it).
They have a rule called My Will be Done, which grants their Weapon Skill to a unit they are in (not mounts). This means that one or two Tomb King units will have WS 6/7, without magic. However, apart from 1 more Wound, they have identical Weapon Skill, an dan otherwise worse profle (including unusually low Leadership for a combat character).

Liche Priests: Lord High Liche Priests, Hero Liche Priest. Generic casters. Light, Death, or Nehekhara. One must be Hierophant. Grants Regeneration (6+) to unit. However, must take Lore of Nehekhara (weakest of the Lore choices they have) and if dies army crumbles. Like us, but no back up caster ability. Home in on, and win.

Necrotects: Architects locked up and sacrificed after building pyramids. Now back with a fury at their constructs being destroyed. Give Hatred to unit and Regeneration(6+) to Animated Constructs (Sphinxes and statues) within 12 inches. Kill to weaken animated construct units, and removed combat ability from units.

Core

Skeleton Warriors: Exactly the same as ours, but will be taken more often as no Zombies. Zombies chaff these well, as same role but cheaper.

Skeleton Archers: Arhcers that use arrows blessed by the asp goddess to never miss (in theory...). Bows. Arrows of Asaph means they never modify their BS due to cover, etc, to balance BS 2 to some extent. All bow units have this. Because no modifiers affect their shooting, cover and distance are useless against them (except 48 inch Gaze). Close as quickly as possible.

Chariots: Chariots, riders are hit on one die score lower than normal. Can be joined by chariot-riding Tomb Kings and Tomb Princes for My Will be Done. Have bows and spears, with two riders (character replaces one). Can be fielded in units. Destroy with Hexwraiths.

Special
Tomb Guard: Partially mummified Royal Guard. Like Grave Guard, but magic hand weapons, or flails. Chaff up.

Ushabti: Statues that replace the chosen of the gods.
Animated Constructs. Expensive. Great Weapons or S6 bows. Chaff up.

Tomb Swarms: The husks and shells of vicious creatures of the desert infesting the Necropolis. Poisoned Swarms. Never considered them, so can't really comment.

Necrosphinx: I think it's a giant statue of a cat. Can have breath weapon or poison. Spirit Host will do the job nicely.

Rare

Probably won't be used due to points restrictions, but stronger sphinx and monster that grants extra power/dispel dice.

Your army

Necromancer: Disepl Scroll. I would advise against paying for a 6+ save. Get an extra Zombie or two.

Core

Zombies: Good against Tomb Kings, as they chaff their units for cheaper than their chaff. You'll need to really take advantage of The Newly Dead here.

Special
Hexwraiths: Use then to run through units with characters, especially the Hierophant.

Hopefully that helps.

By the way, there used to be an Army Specific Tactics forum here. Where did it go?

 

[Seneschal]

https://www.vampirecounts.net/Thread-Army-Specific-Tactics-Tomb-Kings

There you go although Count Vashra provided excellent advice already.

You can find the army specific tactics section under the TO WAR! section. Go there and then under the Teachings of Abhorash you'll see it above the other threads on top of the blocked numbers that serve as page counters.

 

[Count Vashra]

Ah. I must have forgotten! Yes there is some good advice there, including on Casket of Souls, Screaming Skull Catapult and other things I forgot to mention. I was going to transfer this to the army specific-Tomb Kings section then I realised it was would be threadomancy, which I have already accidentally committed:slapface: So I won't do it. Better safe than sorry.

 

[billybaker101]

Hey thanks man this is really useful. Do you play tk yourself? For this point allowance what would you bring for 500 points? Im going to watch some bat reps to see what the army is like.
Cheers for tge link seneschal

 

[Count Vashra]

Oh, I don't do Tomb Kings (though Seneschal does, so you can ask him). I just read a copy of the book once, and depending on what I'm reading I have a very good memory.

 

[billybaker101]

You recited that from memory ? Thats some mad memory skills you've got

 

[Seneschal]

Here to help

TK is my main army (dodges rotten fruits and vegetables thrown by vampires).
How about another spirit host to make a sphinx cry?
You have to watch out for the Casket as its ability wrecks anything with low LD but you do get the benefit of general's presence against it.
Sepulchral Stalkers have magical shots as do the catapults but aside from that, there's really only the Heirotitan's two bound spells to worry about and I don't think I've seen one in a small game.
Send those hexwraiths at the warmachines quickly.

At 500 points, expect archers, lots of them. They cost .6 ghouls each and always hit on 5's like Count Vashra said unless their BS is modified (with say, Miasma).
If you face chariots, send a host or two at them and laugh like a lunatic. The TK might have a banner and get +1 CR for charging but they won't hurt you otherwise. They are T4 with a 5+ save so you should score a wound or two...or just send the hexies in to shatter them.

 

[Count Vashra]

Keep in mind that Arrows of Asaph (no modifiers when shooting, unless BS is directly lowered or increased) applies to every model when firing a weapon using BS.

Edit: I can also give a run down on the special characters if you need it at any point. And yes, that was all from memory. When I read a rule book I just memorise the rules as fast as possible, meaning I don't need to refer to it (once I'm used to it, of course).
Don't worry, Seneschal! When I first considered Fantasy I was looking at Tomb Kings first, but then I realised that they would be very tricky to use (no Marching, only characters who can fight well are expensive special characters, etc). Still, each to their own. Also, too much bone!

 

[billybaker101]

Hey vashra thanks for all the info its gonna come in real handy. Quick question for you. If the casket is tied up in combat can it still cast its bound spell. Im trying to think of a way to neautralise the thing no doubt he will have one. I cant believe how good it is for the points. At these low point between that and a catapult im worried my hexwraiths will never make it into combat and then i have nothing else that can cause damage. Im wondering if i should swap the list around.

Cheers for the info seneschal if you had to make a 500 point list for tk to mess up vamps what would you bring to the party?

 

[Count Vashra]

If you've tied up a Casket with anything other than Spirit Hosts or Skirmishers you'll crumble it because it It's a Bound Spell, so can target units outside of its combat, but because there are only two Tomb Guard and one Keeper of the Casket it has no ranks, so you'll auto win in combat as long as you have a ranked up unit with at least two ranks (so one is left after the Tomb Guard and Keeper attacks) because you'll just combat resolution it to death. However, don't put valuable units in combat with it, as it explodes when it dies (or the Keeper dies, or it miscasts).