Game 5 - Tomb Kings vs Warriors of Chaos

Welcome back folks to another battle report against Warriors of Chaos.

I'd been a bit tired of seeing so many Tomb King battle reports auto-include a Bone Dragon so decided to go down a different path and try a list that was themed around when the Tomb Kings were first released. It wouldn't have any of the new units that made their first appearance in the 8th edition army book.

Tomb Kings of Khemri - Dual Giants 

# ++ Main Force ++ 

## Characters 

High Priest : Hand Weapon, Elementalism, Wizard Level 4, Hieratic Jar, Lore Familiar

Mortuary Priest: Hand Weapon, Elementalism, Wizard Level 2, Amulet of the Serpent

Tomb King: Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Skeleton Chariot (2x Skeletal Steed), Hand Weapon, General, Warding Splint, The Conqueror’s Blade

## Core 

Skeleton Archers :

• 30x Skeleton Archer: Hand Weapon, Warbow

• 1x Master of Arrows

• 1x Standard Bearer 

2x Skeleton Horse Archers :

• 5x Skeleton Horse Archer: Skeletal Steed (Hand Weapon), Hand Weapon, Warbow

Tomb Guard : Drilled

• 22x Tomb Guard : Hand Weapon, Light Armour, Shield, Halberd

• 1x Tomb Captain 

• 1x Standard Bearer : Banner Of The Desert Winds

## Special 

2x Tomb Scorpion : Heavy Armour, Decapitating Claws, Envenomed Sting

Ushabti :

• 4x Ushabti : Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Ritual Blade

## Rare 

Casket of Souls: Casket Guardians

2x Necrolith Colossus: Heavy Armour, Paired Great Khopeshes

A very balanced approach to a Tomb Kings army missing the one signature component which is a unit of chariots. The thoughts behind this list were as follows. Firstly, I love Tomb Guard so wanted a big block of them and naturally you can't have Tomb Guard without a Tomb King close by so that was an auto include. I'd seen a few people online put their Kings in chariots and then into infantry blocks for the boost in wounds so I wanted to give that a try. The banner would allow extra movement for the block to ensure they could at least get into combat before the game ended. A solid fire base in the archers allows me to deal with enemy chaff and/or put some wounds onto larger units so they don't hit my lines at 100%.

The constructs of the list were a pair of Tomb Scorpions. I don't have a great track record with this unit so am looking to get better with them. Ushabti have been an iconic unit for the Tomb Guard and the -3 AP is just awesome. A casket for light of protection and help spells go through, a pair of Bone Giants for old times sake. Rounding out the list a pair of Horse Archers because they never let me down.

Todd's list was as follows:

+ Characters ++ Daemon Prince (Hand weapon, Heavy armour, Wings (Fly 9), Mark of Chaos Undivided, Level 4 Wizard, General, Chaos Runesword, Favour of the Gods, Daemon-Flesh, Daemonology) ++ Core Units ++ 5 Marauder Horsemen (Cavalry spears, Javelins, Light armour, Mark of Chaos Undivided) 5 Marauder Horsemen (Cavalry spears, Javelins, Light armour, Mark of Chaos Undivided) 5 Chaos Warhounds (Claws and Fangs (Hand weapons), Poisoned Attacks) 5 Chaos Knights (Lances, Shields, Heavy armour, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Champion, Standard bearer, Musician) 20 Chaos Warriors (Halberds, Heavy armour, Shields, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Champion, Standard bearer [Banner of Rage], Musician) ++ Special Units ++ Chaos Chariot (Hand weapons, Halberds, Mark of Chaos Undivided) Chaos Chariot (Hand weapons, Halberds, Mark of Chaos Undivided) 5 Chosen Chaos Knights (Lances, Shields, Full plate armour, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Drilled, Champion, Standard bearer [Rampaging Banner], Musician) 4 Chaos Ogres (Great weapons, Heavy armour, Mark of Chaos Undivided) Chimera (Claws and Fangs (Hand weapon), Scaly Skin (Heavy armour), Flaming Breath, Fiend Tail, Regeneration (5+), Poisoned Attacks)

A tough line up of armoured bodies, two flying units to deal with, plenty of chaff and lots of support units in chariots and ogres.

Spells:

Daemon Prince - Winds of Chaos, Gathering Darkness, Daemonic Vessel and Daemonic Vigour

High Priest - Storm Call, Earthen Ramparts, Wind Blast, Travel Mystical Pathway

Mortuary Priest - Incantation of Cursed Blades, Plague of Rust

Deployment:

Tomb Kings Turn 1

My will be done gives the Tomb Guard +3 to movement. 

My army advances. The pair of Scorpions move up into the cover of the nearby terrain. The Tomb Guard push up flanked by a giant whilst the second giant wanders up the flank of the Skeleton Archers.

The skeleton horse archers put 2 wounds onto the Marauder Horsemen. Cursed Blades goes off onto the archers for no damage onto the Chariot. Whilst Light of Death kills a single dog on a passed leadership test from the nearby Daemon Prince. For reserve moves the Skeleton Horse Archers all move back out of range of the Marauder Horsemen whilst the Tomb Guard push up a little.

Not the damaging opening turn I was hoping for!

Warriors of Chaos Turn 1

Gaze of the Gods grants the Daemon Prince +1 Weapon Skill.

Daemonic Vigour goes off onto the Warriors of Chaos.

The army advances with the Chaos Hounds blocking the Tomb Guard forcing a reaction. The Ogres and Chaos Chariot wait in counter positions.

Tomb Kings Turn 2

+3 movement on the Tomb Guard again.

Tomb Guard charge into the Hounds who hold. Tomb Scorpion charges into Knights who counter charge bringing them forward into greater charge range of Bone Giant who also declares a charge on the left flank. Mystical Pathway sends the Bone Giant up the flank. The Skeleton archers put 5 wounds into the Ogres losing a single model.

The Horse Archers drop another pair of Marauder Horsemen who fail a panic check and run away.

In combat the Tomb Guard dispatch the Chaos Hounds and roll high enough to overrun into the nearby Chaos Warriors. The Tomb Scorpion fluffs and dies swiftly and the Bone Giant takes a single wound before going full ham and leaving a single Chaos Knight standing. The combat is a draw.

Warriors of Chaos Turn 2

Winds of Chaos is cast onto the Ushabti and Gathering Darkness is cast onto the Tomb Guard. The Mortuary Priest dispels Daemonic Vigour with a miscast which blows up 6 Skeleton Archers. Lastly, Daemon Vessel is dispelled targeting the Daemon Prince. A roll on the Gaze of the Gods table brings a '6' up. The panicking Marauder Horsemen leaves the table.

Daemon Prince and Chariot charge into the Bone Giant. On the right flank the Ogres and Chariot charge into the Skeleton Archers who stand and shoot, plinking off 2 wounds to the Ogres killing another model.

After doing very little damage, the Skeleton Archers crumble down to 12 remaining. The Tomb Guard lose 2 models and fall back 2" taking out the champion and one model in return.

The Bone Giant manages to kill the final knight and do a single wound onto the chariot before crumbling to nothing. The Daemon Prince overruns into the Ushabti.

Tomb Kings Turn 3

Light of Protection fails to cast. Earthen Ramparts fails to cast. Plague of Rust hits the chariot. Arise brings back 10 Skeleton Archers to the block. Cursed Blades goes off.

The remaining Bone Giant charges into the rear of the Chaos Chariot engaged with the Skeleton Archer block. The Tomb Scorpion charges into the Chaos Knights. Light of Death fails to cast. Horse Archers kill another 4 Marauder Horsemen.

In combat the Ushabti take 2 wounds from the Daemon Prince, and in return completely destroy the enemy general. They overrun into the nearby chariot.

The Tomb Scorpion whiffs its attacks leaving the combat in a draw and me giving ground.

With the charge from the Bone Giant, the chariot is destroyed whilst the Archers kill the remaining Ogres.

5 Tomb Guard are cut down taking out 4 Chaos Warriors in return.

Warriors of Chaos Turn 3

The Chimera declares a charge into the flank of the Tomb Guard and the Marauder Horsemen engage the flank of the Tomb Scorpion.

In combat the Tomb Guard kill 8 warriors, losing 6 models themselves. The Warriors fall back in good order, however the Chimera flees through several units putting him way on the other side of the table.

Ushabti cut down the enemy chariot and overrun 2".

The Tomb Scorpion takes 2 wounds, then kills the Marauder Horsemen drawing the combat. It gives ground.

Tomb Kings Turn 4

The Bone Giant and Ushabti join the Tomb Guard in charging the Chaos Warriors. Arise heals 5 Tomb Guard. Cursed Blades is cast and Light of Protection goes off.

The Tomb Scorpion kills 2 knights who give ground. The warriors are all destroyed.

Warriors of Chaos Turn 4

The Chimera continues to flee for the table edge. The Tomb Scorpion is destroyed.

We call it here.

Result - Tomb Kings Victory

Conclusion:

The purpose of this build was to try and old style list with none of the newer units there were released with the 8th edition book. Dual Giants I think is a bit of a gimmick. Yes, there is every opportunity that awesome combat may materialise where his unstoppable assault rule kicks in and he smashes everything, but at WS3 he's only every hitting enemy units on 4's, so it isn't something that often triggers. I've been thinking about ensuring Cursed Blades goes off nearby so it is at least re-rolling 1's, but I think that means putting a Priest on a Dragon to increase the command range to 18" so the bubble will effect the Bone Giant once in combat. Then I stop myself, and think I've nearly invested in over 25% of my army just to make this particular unit re-roll 1's. Probably not wise.

It was a fun although one sided game for Todd unfortunately. We both had a jaw dropping moment when his Daemon Prince charged in who arguably should have done more than enough to the Ushabti, but as well all know too well with dice games, they do abandon us as the most inopportune times.

The Tomb King was on a chariot purely to give him more wounds and negate any Killing Blows against him.

Thanks for reading!

- James