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Tactica: Tomb Kings - Bored1 | |
So now that we’ve talked about the overall feel of the list, let’s take a look at how to build an army with the list. First, as much as I typically hate to do this, we should look at exactly what is available to us.CharactersTK armies must have at least 2 characters. One of which will be the hierophant, who is mentioned in #3 above. The other is the general, who will be your fighting character. At a minimum, this means you’re spending at least 215 points on characters. Consider that in a 500 point game, this is almost half your points in characters (naked), and these aren’t uber-characters like chaos or even lizardmen. At 1k points, it’s still at least 1/5, and not too far from 1/4 of your total points (given some equipment, it will be 1/4). What does this mean? It means that at lower point levels, the TK character restrictions make it hard to field a feasible army. Given that, I feel that TK should really only be fielded at 1500+ points. This is where TK can take more characters, and still take a good mix of units.Now, a quick evaluation of each character: LordsTomb KingThe tomb king is the ultimate fighting character available to the Tomb King army list. He’s the equivalent in many ways of a vampire, being slower in movement and initiative, and with one less WS traded for a wound when compared to a vampire count. In addition, he’s able to cast 2 incantations a turn with a 6” range, has Ld 10 which can be invaluable if the Hierophant dies, and has the relatively minor drawback of being flammable. Another point of possible import is that he converts chariots from being special to core. Personally, I find this most useful in improving a composition score, more than really needing that one extra slot. The key to the Tomb King is equipment/options. A few points: 1, A tomb king in a chariot is a liability, not an advantage. Why? The Tomb King by himself is a tough opponent for most enemies. The chariot becomes similar to a monstrous mount on other characters; in essence, the weak spot on most tough characters. Kill the mount, and you can seriously hamper the opponent’s plans. Similarly, by destroying the chariot, your opponent can screw with your plans. Kitting out the king’s chariot can protect it, but then it becomes a point sink, and the ROI is decreased. That said, there is a particular style of army that a chariot-based King can work (although I’m still not a big fan), one that is based heavily on a counter-charge. The king can add quite a bit of hitting power to your counter-charge unit(s), which is absolutely essential when playing this style of list. This type of King should be kitted out to be high S, and possibly as a character killer. 2, With T5 and 4 wounds, defense is not as much of a problem, depending on his exact role. Don’t be afraid to drop armor options on the King to free up points. 3, Weapon choice is unbelievably important. What is it that you want your King to do? Fight rank and file? Take out armored troops? Useful against any and all opponents? Each of these can be accomplished, at varying degrees of cost. Exactly which items do what is discussed further in the tactica. If nothing else, the humble great weapon is an excellent choice considering the base strength of 5. Liche High Priest The other lord choice for the Tomb King list is the typical magically inclined counterpart of the Tomb King. Most TK players I’ve seen don’t bother with this option, feeling that the actual tomb king presents too many advantages to not take. I disagree. The LHP is incredibly powerful, properly kitted out. In addition, the loss of power can be made up using other character choices and by building your list to support the use of the LHP. The ability to cast 2 incantations at 3d6 is invaluable in adding some more power to the TK magic phase. Depending on your list, he can make your magic phase nearly unstoppable when necessary. A few points: 1, TK magic is a very support-oriented magic. As such, it needs to be played in a certain way to maximize its effectiveness. I’ll go into more detail further in the tactica. However, at this point I’d just like to point out that having 2 incantations at 3d6 should mean that you will get the incantation you want to get off on the turn you want it. Keep this in mind with how you kit out your LHP. 2, The LHP is a hefty point investment. He will not be making his points back through combat or even magical damage. Remember that. Refer to my first LHP point. 3, The LHP, unlike the Tomb King, pretty much requires protection. Give it to him. Whether you go with a ward save of some sort, or give him extra mobility, protect him. Since he will probably be your Hierophant, he becomes so important for 2 reasons. One relates to #3 above, and the other is that he is carrying a hefty amount of the power of your magic phase. Without him, things will get quite a bit tougher. HeroesTomb PrinceThe Tomb Prince is possibly one of the best heroes in the game. Essentially, he is a level one caster, and a melee-character for 100 points. While not quite as strong as an aspiring champion of Tzeentch in sheer power and versatility, the TP is also 50 points cheaper as a base cost. He is also just about equal to a Necrarch Vamp Thrall w/ Noble Blood. As such, Princes have become my fighting character of choice. Armed w/ Great Weapons, they compare well to most characters on an effectiveness/price scale, and by taking a couple, one can add hitting power to key units (chariots, tomb guard, etc). Things to remember about Tomb Princes: 1, They can cast an incantation early, and are still good in a fight. What does this mean? First, if you’re playing a semi-magic heavy list, a tomb prince becomes ideal for those units that you will want moving a bit faster, as your opponent may let their incantation through with a decent roll. Essentially, this means a chariot mounted prince can be great, as he adds great hitting power, increases maneuverability, is not a huge loss should worst come to worst, and is reasonably priced to begin with. 2, Tomb Princes are not good character killers. I realize they can take on many heroes, such as empire or elves, and do well. However, my measure of a character killer is against stuff like vamps, chaos lords, and saurus. Any of these I think could handle a TP. Remember that. If you have to go against one of these hard characters, be prepared for it. Use combined charges (for outnumbering in order to get the auto-break), magical support, or tool your prince for the job. 3, Tomb Princes are expendable. They may even kill a few models with their curse. They are cheap (relatively), and really just provide a bit of extra hitting power. If they die, so be it. You’re not going to miss out too much in the magic phase unless it is very early in the game, and while the hitting power is nice, it should not be pivotal as you should have alternative hitters (other princes, Ushabti, etc). Don’t be foolish with them, but don’t be afraid to be aggressive either. Liche Priests These guys are the basic wizards of the TK army. I’ve yet to see a TK army without at least one of these, regardless of the lord, for relatively obvious reasons. With a King, you need one to meet the army requirements. With a High Priest, you need another magical threat to help get incantations through. As such, there really isn’t so much to say about them in this section, as they are nigh obligatory, and for obvious reasons. Just a couple of points: 1, I’m relatively unafraid to detach my Liche Priest and let him wander alone with the TK list (unless facing sniping war machines). Typically this requires the use of the cloak of dunes. It can also be done with a steed, but that is a bit more risky unless you’re using cavalry (and even then). 2, Liche Priests are support magic users. They need to be kept moving in order to do this. However, don’t forget they have a damage spell. Given the LP’s incantations, he really should be casting something every turn. Icon Bearers What can be said about these guys? They’re terrible. No redeeming qualities whatsoever. They are too weak/unskilled to add any hitting power to a unit, and the -1 wound isn’t really all that helpful in general. That said, they do allow access to the more expensive icons/standards. However, as will be illustrated later, these aren’t necessarily worth the expense either. Part 3 - Army Selection - Core Units | |
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