Tomb Kings Rumour Roundup

[Darnok]

This is the TK rumour roundup thread.

Last edited: 14/04 2011

We had an Incoming! article here.

An ancient race that has lain dormant for thousands of years, the Tomb Kings now awaken from within their ancient burial pyramids. Cheated from the eternal life that they were promised, the Tomb Kings are instead doomed to an eternal undeath - awakened they thirst for vengeance against those who would disturb their slumber.

At the command of these undying lords march legions of implacable Skeleton Warriors, hosts of chariots crewed by long-dead crewmen and towering statues carved from unyielding stone.

The armies of the Tomb Kings are vast, unstoppable hordes that know neither fear nor remorse - and they shall not rest until all who stand against them are laid low.

This May Warhammer: Tomb Kings is released, containing everything you need to use the legions of Nehekhara in your games of Warhammer.

Alongside the new book we'll also be releases a slew of amazing new miniatures for Tomb Kings players to collect and add to their armies. Details are being kept firmly under wraps for now, but more details will be available over the coming months. To make sure you're the first to see the new models and read the latest news keep your eyes fixed to the pages of White Dwarf, the Games Workshop newsletter and the What's New Today blog.

In the meantime, if you're a Tomb Kings player (or thinking about becoming one) it's time to start building up your Undead hordes in preparation for the new arrivals. So, out with the large drybrush (and the pot of Bleached Bone) and onwards to glory!

Presented below are two exclusive sneak peeks at the upcoming releases. Please keep checking back on the website, and in White Dwarf for more information in the near future.

The release of the army book and the first wave of new models can be expected for the 7th of May.

The author is supposedly Robin Cruddace.

We have a few bits more, for example:

I was going to remain anonymous, but what the heck, take with salt, I don't often get fantasy rumors from these guys.

• First Wave no new core skellies, second or third wave you will get them.
• The Screaming Skull is (as I suspected) going to be turned into a huge plastic kit much the same size as the Skaven Catapult.
• Expect a new core (Mummies)
• Chariots remain core. (Obvious but I put it out there anyway.) This puts two good looking core.
• New Tomb Guard (Obvious) Whats not obvious are the large array of options in this kit - There are bare skeleton heads in here which you can use to put on the Tomb Guard to use as core skellies or you can put some of the heads on the current skellies to spiff them up, or mix and match the two kits. Bows, Halbreds, Great weapons are options in this kit as well as HW/S
• New plastic Scorpion, various builds
• New plastic Bone Giant, various builds
• New Metal Blister Characters/Heroes (LOTS of these)
• New Plastic HQ Chariot (On of the pics on GW article shows a portion of this apparently)
• Apparently there is more of a chariot theme going throughout the book, more versions of chariots in rare, special, HQ.
• Some of these may be Wave 2 or 2.5
• I blew off everything that I heard in this post, so questions are pointless if directed at me, sorry.
• (EDIT) Forgot new cavalry models, apparently a way to make them core as well as special.

I got to recheck the models set for release in May -

There are Knights and Stalkers (each with some tombkingesq name) coming out in the one box set, which i presume are Light and Heavy cav.

There are two types of sphynx as well - I'm guessing, but I think one is magic orientated and one combat orientated. One is a warsphinx or something like that, the other a necro-something (something like necromancer) sphinx.

I don't think these are all of the models to be released either, as there were no characters/blisters listed, so probably some extra stuff as well. No skeles are (so far) in the initial release.

You've got more? Get in contact with me!

[Darnok]

The full first post of the Mk.III thread here:

Last updated: 14/04/11


Now some enormous "Thank you!" to Hitsugaya Toushiro, giving us pictures of the new units. The models are up for pre-order on the GW page, see there for multiple pictures in high quality. For leaked pictures, follow the respective links:

Army book cover.

Army shot.

Warsphinx...

... and its other incarnation...

... plus a Tomb King added...

... and another head option.

Tomb Guard.

Necropolis Knights.

Sepulchral Stalkers.

All of these - except for the book - come in plastic. The book is 96 pages, full-color, hardcover.

From a Tomb Kings board (found by Ronin[XiC]):

From my reading of the TK army book this afternoon.We still cause fear, can't march, Arrows of the asp, and hold for charge reaction. Unbreakable/unstable special rules etc.

Magic: Must take our Nehekharan lore on heirophant and addition casters can choose lores of light or death.
We only use power dice from Winds of Magic now.

Nehekharan lore:
The restless dead is the lore attribute. D3 + 1 wounds if augment spell is successfully caste on friendly Nehekharan undead target unit.
Khsar's incantation of the desert wind (signature spell). Caste on 8+. all unengaged friendly nehekharan undead units within 12" may make a single move as if in the remaining moves sub-phase (cannot charge). all friendlies can be targeted within 24" for a casting value of 16+. Any unit can only be effected by the desert wind once per turn.(undead construct units can only recover 1 wound per turn)

1. DJaf's Incantation of Cursed Blades. 7+. Augment, range 12". Until the start of your next magic phase close combat attacks gain killing blow or heroic killing blow special rule. If the unit already has killing blow or herioc killing blow special abilty, it will work on a 'To wound' roll of 5 or 6+ while this spell is in play. can increase range to 24" instead on a casting value of 10+
2. Neru's Incantation of Protection 9+. Augment range 12", until start of caster's next magic phase.
5+ ward save on a single friendly target unit. all friendly units within 12" can be targeted instead for 18+
3. Ptra's Incantation of righteous smiting 9+. Augment range 12" until start of caster's next magic phase. Target unit gains 1 attack (mounts, riders, models crewing chariots, monsters and war machines). If armed with a bow or great bow then get multiple shot (2) special rule. All friendly Nehekharan undead units can be targeted instead within 24" for 18+.
4. Usirian's Incantation of Vengeance, hex range 18" 10+. Until start of caster's next magic phase target unit has its movement reduced by D3 to min of 1 & all terrain is treated as dangerous terrain if unit moves. range can be extended to 36" for a casting value of 13+. Until start of next magic phase.
5. Usekhp's Incantation of Desiccation, 11+ hex range 24". target unit suffers -1 strength, -1 toughness (to min of 1) Until start of caster's next magic phase. Can instead choose to reduce by D3 (min of 1) for a casting value of 22+
6. Sakmet's Incantaion of the Skullstorm, Remains in play. magical vortex 15+. small template is placed on the board and a direction is nominated. artillery dice is rolled and the number is multiplied by wizard level = amount template is moved in stated direction. Every model passed over or under the template suffers a single strength 4 hit. misfire = place template over caster and scatter by wizards level in random direction. use large round template for a casting value 25+. on subsequent turns, vortex moves randomly equal to role of artillery dice. if misfire, vortex dissipates instantly.

Units:
There is an impressive mix of special characters.
eg: There is a lvl 5 wizard, Arkhan the Black.

From memory skeletons are as expensive as ...
hand weapon and shield is free
spear is 1+ point per model, light armour is 1 pt per model.

Bowmen are 2 more expensive pts, - pts for full command, 1pt per model for light armour.

heavy horsemen with vanguard

skeleton horsemen (light cav) scout special rule.

Ushabti can add command units and giant bows str 6 30"

chariots are 5 points more expensive forming ranks 3 models wide.

a new model that gives undead constructs regeneration with 12"

a new model that acts as body guard to Tomb King except in a challenge

Casket has 3 wounds and doesn't have a priest as crew
Light of death works differently

It came from below:
Place the marker in remaining moves phase, Buried units are raised using scatter dice but cannot charge. miscast is the same.

Magic items: (from memory)
Destroyer of Eternities
Blade of Ankhara? every unsaved wound gains 1 wound.
Enkhils Kanopy?
Cloak of Dunes? character has fly and any enemy unit flown over takes D? damage.


BotuL power level 5.
Banner of the hidden sands is X points and any reserve troops (not yet deployed) up to XX points can be deployed within 12" of bearer in remaining moves sub phase.

Also:

Skeletons have hand weapon and shield, can get spears and light armour at the usual cost

skeleton bowmen can get light armour

Chariots are more points

light and heavy cav are both less points

chariots are core without needing a tomb king

all have the same cost for their command groups

Umm Magic Items....lol it's pretty sad...it's like the Orcs and Gobo book so theres only like 8 pieces of wargear all up if fink

2 Weapons - Destroyer is in...and the other one is like for each wound cause you get a wound back? I fink it's like blooddrinker from Vamps.

1 Armour - ??
umm one enchanted item - is one use only gives d6 extra to incantations for the wizard for one turn.

Oh magic banners....

The reform banner is in.....clueless why
but the other on is like banner of hidden legion....150pts and the unit gets to like act like a tomb scorpion so it comes from below special rule but different wording...if you choose it to come up from within 12 of the banner you get to re-roll the scatter dice.


Ummm ushabati can get addition hand weapon or great weapon or great bow - sorry but the bow is like wtf so yea...

Umm skeles? The basic skele i believe has shield and hand weapon mentioned above. Oh and bow armed skeles are 2 extra points.

Chariots are....if the old ones were 50pts their now 5 points more.....

Umm here are some special rules for the new tomb kings:

Special Characters:
Arkhan the black - Lv5 wizard...i kid you not
Special Necrotect - gives boast to constructs on the board
Settra's Herald - a more buffed up version of the Tomb King herald
A Tomb prince/king that is actually made up of scrabs
Khalida is still in an she gives the unit she joins poison shooting, and also they can use her ballistic skill of 3 instead of the usual 2.

Tomb King - my will be done, gives the unit joined his ws of 6
Tomb Prince
Tomb Herald - Mix between an icon bearer and a champion
Necrotect - gives all constructs within 12 inches of them regeneration


Core Units:
Nothing different here.....skeles are 4pts each, and bows ones are 1 or 2 points more than them.
Chariots - d6 impact hits at str4 +1 str for each rank behind the first but they are no longer fast cav but still on 5+ armour
Light Cavalry get the fast cav special rule
Heavy/Regular Cav get the vanguard rule

Special:
Ushabti - new plastic ushabti with bows, 30inch str6 volley fire.
Tomb scorpion - same
Carrions - same
Necroknights - the tomb guard ridding giant serpents
Stalkers - have a special attack, for each one it's an 8inch shooting attack x artillery dice and at str 1 against enemy initiative, no armour saves. If you roll misfire you take d3 wounds back....because....it describes shiny bits of armour and swords reflecting their gaze and hence they turn themselves to stone...
Tomb Guard - can have halberds and bows i fink....bows do not have killing blow


Rare: - the good stuff

Casket of Souls - 3d6 leadership against a unit and then on a 4+ it can bounce to a unit beside it...
The sphinex with tomb guards on it's back, thunderstomp on 2d6.
The sphinex with blades, special str 10 heroic killing blow attack
Tomb Giant - the one we know of, can also take a bow, and it's a bolt thrower basically.
Special Tomb Giant - this on is a giant liche priest. It gives d3 extra casting to spells within 12 and has 3 spells of it's own, bound items.


Enjoy.

More info for you all:

Settra is a fair bit more expensive than I originally posted. He only just fits into a 2k game.
Sphynxs are a bit cheaper than people probably expect. They are both I 1, as are both the colossus and the heirotitan.
Tomb princes DO have mwbd (whoops )
Stalkers have halberds.
The movement spell only affects unengaged units. If a unit is in the radius and is in combat they don't get any benefit, including the healing from the lore attribute.
Necrotects are very well priced for what they do.
Ushabti can replace GW for additional hand weapons or great bows.
One of the heirotitans bounds spells is shas burning gaze.

Summary time, thanks to Dr. Who:

To make sense of it all I wrote up a compilation of the rumours posted by Frgt/10, GodlessM, Mannfred, Darnok’s Birdies et. al. I will correct mistakes as needed.

Tomb Kings Rumours compilation.

Special Rules:
Nehekharan Undead: Cause fear, Unbreakable, Unstable, Cannot March, ever! Hold is the only charge reaction allowed.

Battle Standard (Icon) option: Unchanged, carried by the Tomb Herald (formerly Icon Bearer).

Animated Construct (the old Undead Construct): Unchanged (5+ AS and -1 to wounds caused by lost combats).

Arrows of Asaph (the old Arrows of the Asp): Unchanged.

Entombed beneath the Sands (It came from Below): Place a marker in the Remaining Moves sub phase. Units are raised and scattered from the marker. Still a mishap chance.

Hierophant: Must be in the army and must take Lore of Nehekhara. The army still crumbles when he dies. He and his unit has 6+ Regeneration.

The Curse: Still there. Causes a number of S5 hits on the killing unit/model.

My Will be Done: (Tomb King/Prince): On foot only(!?!) It confers the character’s unmodified WS to his unit, apparently automatically. It has no effect on mounts.

Command options are apparently uniform ‘10’ across the board.


Characters:
Lords:
Tomb King: Same cost, options and statline. Can be mounted on a Warsphinx (displacing the crew).

Liche High Priest: 3rd level spellcaster. 4th level option. Can take Lore of Nehekhara, Light or Death (unless he is the Hierophant). Points cost ?

Heroes:
Tomb Prince: Same cost, options and statline. Can be mounted on a Warsphinx (displacing the crew).

Liche Priest:1st level spellcaster. 2nd level option. Can take Lore of Nehekhara, Light or Death (unless he is the Hierophant). Points cost ?

Tomb Herald: The old Icon Bearer option. Statline and points cost unknown. Has a “bodyguard” option which is in essence a Look Out, Sir in close combat.

Necrotect: Statline and points cost unknown. Confers hatred to the unit he joins and 6+ Regeneration to any Animated Construct within 12”.


Core:

Skeleton Warriors: Half the cost of the previous version with hand weapon and shield. Light armour and spear options. Ld5 instead of Ld3. No magic banner option.

Skeleton Archers: -2 points of the previous version with hand weapon and bow. Light armour. Ld5 instead of Ld3. No magic banner option.

Skeleton (Heavy) Horsemen: -4 points of the previous version with hand weapon, spear and shield. Light armour is now an option. Gained the Vanguard special rule. No magic banner option.

Skeleton Horse Archers: Same cost and still fast cavalry. The champion now has +1 BS. Gained the Scout special rule. No magic banner option.

Chariots: 15 points more expensive and lost the fast cavalry rule but has 2 new special rules called “And the Tomb Kings rode to War” and “Chariot Legions” which means they gain rank bonus when 3 models wide and now form normal units. They cause D6 impact hits at S4 plus 1 S per full rank after the first. A Tomb King/Prince on a chariot may join chariot units. Charioteers gained +1A. 25 point magic banner option.


Special Units:

Tomb Guard: Slightly cheaper base cost. Same statline as before. Halberd option. Still has Killing Blow but no magical attacks.

Tomb Swarms: Slightly cheaper, otherwise unchanged.

Tomb Scorpions: Apparently unchanged.

Carrion: +1 attack, otherwise unchanged.

Ushabti: Cheaper by 15 points. Now S4 with great weapons. Options for additional hand weapon or Great Bows (S6, 30” range). Now BS 2. Have command options now.

Sepulchral Stalkers: M7 Monstrous Beasts (W3) mounted on chariot bases. Armed with halberds and have WS4 S4 I3 A2 in close combat. Has a rule called Transmogryfying Gaze which causes an artillery die worth of S1 hits with no armour save. Roll to wound vs. opponents initiative. On a misfire the unit takes D3 wounds, no armour save instead. Has the Entombed Beneath the Sands special rule. Priced similarly to Ogre Iron Guts.

Necropolis Knights: Tomb Guard with A2, (halberd?) and killing blow mounted on snakes! M7 Monstrous Cavalry (W3) mounted on chariot bases. Necroserpents have WS3 S5 I3 A3 and poison in close combat. Option for Entombed beneath the Sands and a command group. Have a total 3+ armour save. Priced similarly to the old Ushabti.

Warsphinx: Monster on a chariot base. Think Stegadon-ish Animated Construct with better WS and Ld. It has a howdah crewed by 4 Tomb Guard (with spears?). It is T8 and I1 and has a special Thundercrush attack (substitute for normal attacks) which hits like a stone thrower. Only works against infantry and you roll against the highest WS. S4 Breath weapon and poison (does not work with special attacks) options. It has the same crew/character targeting rules as the Arachnarok Spider. Priced similarly to the Abomination, but a little cheaper.

Rare:

Necrosphinx: Twin of the Warsphinx, but without the Howdah and Thundercrush attack. It has Killing Blow and one of its attacks is at S10 with Heroic Killing Blow. It also has a ‘Fly’ and a poison (does not work with special attacks) option. Priced similarly to the Abomination, but a little cheaper.

Casket of Souls: No longer needs a Liche Priest character, and it has its own attendants. It has a move or fire Light of Death shooting attack similar to old effect/Banshee Wail. Roll 3D6 and compare it to the enemy Ld. On a roll of 4+ it jumps to the closets enemy unit and continues until you roll 3 or less, or run out of targets. If destroyed units with 12” take damage (D6 S6 hits). It can confer other bonuses as well apparently (possible D3 power dice, not cumulative).

Scream Skull Catapult: Skulls of the Foe is more expensive by 10 points. No word yet on whether it causes magical, flaming hits.

Necrolith Colossus: The artist formerly known as the Bone Giant! It is bit cheaper and now has options for a great weapon, additional hand weapon and a bolt thrower bow (which is move and fire, S6). It still has the Animated Construct and Unstoppable Assault rules. BS 2? Armour?

Heiro Titan: A cross between a Bone Giant and a Liche Priest. Confers a casting bonus to friendly spellcasters within 12” apparently (+D3 to casting rolls). It has 2 bound spells, one of which is Sha’s Burning Gaze. It is an Animated Construct. Unstoppable assault?? No word on options.


Magic:

Spells:

Lore Attribute: Unit(s) targeted by a successful augment spell from Lore of Nehekhara immediately recover D3+1 wounds worth of models (think Regrowth from Lore of Life). Animated Construct only gain 1 wound per magic phase.

Signature Spell: Incantation of the Desert Wind (8+/16+): Augment spell. Unengaged friendly units within 12”/24” may make a normal move. Units can only move once per magic phase but still benefit from the lore attribute if targeted multiple times.

Spell 1: Incantation of Cursed Blades (7+/10+): Augment spell. Target unit within 12”/24” gains Killing Blow. If the unit already has (Heroic) Killing Blow, then it gains 5+ (Heroic) Killing Blow.

Spell 2: Incantation of Protection (9+/18+): Augment spell. Target unit within 12” gains a 5+ ward save until the start of the caster’s next magic phase. On 18+ all friendly units within 12” are affected.

Spell 3: Incantation of Righteous Smiting (9+/18+): Augment spell. Target unit within 12” gains a +1 attack, and multiple shot (2) if armed with bows or great bows, on all models (including mounts etc.) until the start of the caster’s next magic phase. On 18+ all friendly units within 24” are affected!!!

Spell 4: Incantation of Vengeance (10+/13+): Hex spell. Target unit within 18”/36” suffers -D3 to its movement and treats all terrain (including open) as dangerous terrain and must test every time it moves until the start of the casters next magic phase.

Spell 5: Incantation of Desiccation (11+/22+): Hex spell. Target unit within 24” suffers -1 (or-D3) to S and T (to a minimum of 1) until the start of the casters next magic phase.

Spell 6: Incantation of the Skullstorm (15+/25+): Vortex spell. Small round template/large round template is used. Models touch suffers a S4 hit.


Magic Items:

About 8 items in all.

Magic Weapons:
Destroyer of Eternities: +2S and Heroic Killing Blow. Still has the autohit option and ‘on foot only’ rule. Rumoured to be cheaper.
Blade of Antarhak (sp?): Bearer gains wounds for wounds caused.

Magic Armour: ?

Talisman: Enkhil’s Kanopy?

Arcane: Plaque of Mighty Incantations: Some sort of casting bonus a la the Slann PD bonus one.

Enchanted Items: Cloak of Dunes: Fly, Fly over attack a la Terradons.

Magic Standards:
Icon of Rakaph: Apparently still there and unchanged.
Banner of the Hidden Sands: One unit worth 150 points gains the Entombed beneath the Sands special rule, re-roll scatter if within 12” .
Banner of the Undying Legion: Bound spell, power level 5, heals D6+2 wounds and -1 casualty in lost combats.


Sorry, no SCs

- Dr.

And last, but not least, an added screenshot of the TK video from GWs blog. You can see the new Ushabti with bows (back left), the Necrotect (back right) and the new Tomb Prince (front middle) model pretty well.