New Tomb Kings out in May 2010

[Hennesy]

Hi lads… and ladys of course ;-)

I am not entirely new to this forum as I’f been a silent reader for month but now I got some interesting info from a guy working at GW headquarters so I created an account to tell you.

New Tomb Kings will be out in May 2010. So they will be the last armybook before 8th edition.

I will list up the information he gave me in the following, text in italic are my personal comments on it. Where I write nothing about a unit, it means that either the unit stays as it is or my source had no information about any changes. “Will stay the same” means that the rule or unit would stay unchanged.
Edit: My source didn't know anything about any new units but as he isn't a game designer himself that doesn't mean that there will be none. Personally I am quite shure that there will be at least new miniatures for the skeletons but that is just gessing, I have not heard anything about it.


Undead rule:
- Will stay the same in principle but you may take a stand&shoot reaction now.
That one was expected since the banshee may stand&shoot as well.

Magic:
- Will also stay the same with some minor changes:
-- Incantation of summoning reanimates D6 / 2D6 wounds
-- Tomb princes have 6” range like tomb kings
-- Tomb kings and princes have the option to generate dispel dice and energy dice (dispel spells in play only)
Pft... the adjustment in effectiveness of the incantations is ok, it should be level with the vampire one this way. Princes range is good. Dispell dice for Kings and Princes? Great, I only hope it won't be overpriced.

Undead construct rule:
- Will stay the same

“It came from below…” rule:
- Will stay the same

The curse:
- Will stay the same

Casket of souls
- Will have three different incantations to choose:
-- One incantation healing D3 wounds of all friendly units and characters on the field
-- One incantation similar to the current one
-- One incantation moving D3 units
- Will grant a ward save to it’s crew and attached priests
That sounds great!

Tomb prince:
- Magic changes, see above
- Strength 5
- If a tomb prince is the general you may take one unit of chariots as a core unit
- May be given the battle standard
Looking at the Scar Veteran S and T5 for heros was to be expected. Battle standard for the prince is great.

Battle standard bearer:
- New name (unknown to me)
- May be given the battle standard but may be used without as well
- May ride on a skeleton horse or in a chariot
- No magic
- Killing blow
- WS5, S4, T4, A3
A simple fighting hero without magic and an avarage profile. Ok, especially for friendly games with limited magic but I think the Prince will stay the better choice.

Skeleton warriors:
- Wear light armour without further costs
Decrease of one point would have been better but better than nothing.

Skeleton light horsemen:
- May be given light armour
- May be given Spears and Shields
That shoud give us some interesting taktical options.

Skeleton heavy horsemen:
- Are out!
I won't bemoan the loss of them.

Tomb Guard:
- 9(!) points/model
All right, Grave Guard cost 10 (?) points/model. And they have heavy armour and can make march movements... 9 points is ok I think.

Ushabti:
- 4+ armour save (including undead construct)
- 5+ ward save
- M6
- 55 points/model
That should make Ushabti usable. Not more but usable.

Carrions:
- S4
- Cheaper
Stronger and cheaper? Great!

Tomb scorpion:
- more expensive (about 100 points)
- 5 wounds (!)
Wow, the most extrem change I think. Scorpions with unit size 5 will be nasty!

Bone Giant:
- equipment options (similar to Warhammer chronicles)
The options have been a baublery in the past, they will stay a baublery in the future.

Screaming Skull Catapult:
- Every model touched is hit, not only on 4+.
The way it is in the Skaven book. Maybe a hint of what to come in the 8th edition rule book?

Greetings
Hennesy

[Ultimate Life Form]

In May? Boy, they really pick up the pace after being dormant for so long...

Grave Guard by the way costs 12 pts (before upgrades)

[Vermin-thing]

Nothing new? Thats surprising.

[Karham]

Well, interesting new if it's true.

But since i am a TK player i HOPE it's true

[Hennesy]

>Grave Guard by the way costs 12 pts (before upgrades)
12? Ok, -1 for light armour, -1 for not marching... 9 is cheap!

[Karham]

Maybe they will have Heay Armour option?

[Avian]

Originally Posted by Vermin-thing

Nothing new? Thats surprising.

FWIW, extensive rumour posts a long time before the book is out and no mention of the new units (there are always new units) are two of the clearest signs of someone wishlisting.

[Vermin-thing]

I'll take this with a Skaven mine full of salt.

A lot of those things need changing, the construct rules, to name one.

[static grass]

Originally Posted by Avian

FWIW, extensive rumour posts a long time before the book is out and no mention of the new units (there are always new units) are two of the clearest signs of someone wishlisting.

Well dwarfs never got any new units with the last book, but yes I take your point. Any list that is basically "increase stat here, reduce cost there" is probably just wishlisting.

[Durloth]

Bah! Don`t listen to those Norwegian naysayers!

While any rumour these days have to be taken with a grain of salt, I think this sounds rather credible and in accordance with what I`ve heard most TK-players want for their army.

[Ultimate Life Form]

Originally Posted by Durloth

this sounds [...] in accordance with what I`ve heard most TK-players want for their army.

Notice the problem?

[Durloth]

@ULF: You`re right, but while it may be a bit naive, I actually believe that GW from time to time listens to their customers and maybe, just maybe that may be the case re: Tomb Kings. Why make loads of new units, if players don`t want them? Especially if they don`t plan to make new models for all of them, as in the Skaven book...

[mrtn]

Originally Posted by Avian

FWIW, extensive rumour posts a long time before the book is out and no mention of the new units (there are always new units) are two of the clearest signs of someone wishlisting.

FWIW, Hennesy never claimed that these would be the only changes, just that this is what he's heard. But then I prefer to thank people for what they give me, not moan about what they didn't.

@Hennesy: Thanks for the rumours.

[Imbuto]

Well but I guess that when someone heards about a rumour, the first and most interesting rumoured stuff is about a new unit. Why there's not any rumour about a new unit? Not to give a new flashy unit is a horrible idea, cause the attention for TK (already at ground level) will not raise, and they will not make new TK players.

Instead, if u create some new rare choices, and new skeletons, there u are: a new army with new models and new rules, a modern army, competitive and strong.

[Gazak Blacktoof]

As a tomb king player I think some of it sounds fine, other things seem a bit off- but then I feel that way when army books are released too, so I wouldn't be suprprised if these are close to the truth.

Terrible rumours-

Skull catapult auto-hits- it's good for its points now, this will make it seriously overpowered

Cheap tomb guard- there's a mismatch between the tomb guard points and the points paid for skeletons in these rumours. I wouldn't expect to see many skeleton infantry.

5 wound scorpions- that wouldn't be too bad so long as they get a specific listed unit strength. Rank breaking tunnelers are bad news for the game and we've already got one army with them.

If princes can be the BSB, you have to ask what the point would be in retaining the icon bearer.


Personally, I was hoping the casket would go in a unit instead of being exposed and vulnerable.

[Scelerat]

You know, at this point in the year I don't care about particular rumours. I care about how close to the truth is "May 2010". We have plenty of time to find out rumours. I just hope they are only 6 months away!

[druchii7]

remember you can "heal" double the warriors with the incantations...

[Desert Rain]

Thanks for sharing Hennesy!
GW is really speeding up the release schedule, Skaven is barely out when Beasts are announced and then shortly after there seems to be a new Tomb Kings book and then 8th edition in the summer. 2010 is going to be a great year for fantasy I'm sure of it.
Now I'm just crossing fingers for some new High Elf models!

[Hennesy]

Originally Posted by Avian

FWIW, extensive rumour posts a long time before the book is out and no mention of the new units (there are always new units) are two of the clearest signs of someone wishlisting.

I told you that if I didn't wirte anything about a task, I have no information on it. My source didn't know anything about new units but that doesn't mean that there are none. He isn't a game designer himself.
He also didn't have any information on magic items, still I' sure they will be in

[StefDa]

I think it is better to put new things in books without releasing the models, than cutting back on the number of choices but releasing all of them. Maybe that's just me.