Tomb Kings vs Warriors of Chaos - 6000 points

Tomb Kings vs. Warriors of Chaos
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Overview
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Date played: Friday, 21 February 2014

Tomb Kings
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  (K1) Khatep
  (K2) Khalida
  (LHP) Liche High Priest
      - Lore of Light, Level 4, Earthing Rod, Obsidian Lodestone (Pha's Protection, Speed of Light, Birona's Timewarp, Banishment)
  (TK) Tomb King
      - Destroyer of Eternities, Dragonbane Gem, Other Trickster's Shard
  (R) Ramhotep
  (TH) Tomb Herald
      - BSB, Charmed Shield, Talisman of Preservation
  (TP) Tomb Prince
      - Dragonhelm, Great Weapon
  (SA) 61 Skeleton Archers
      - Full Command
  (SC1) 7 Skeleton Chariots
      - Standard, Musician, Banner of Eternal Flame
  (SC2) 7 Skeleton Chariots
      - Standard, Musician,
  (SHA1) 5 Skeleton Horse Archers
  (SHA2) 5 Skeleton Horse Archers
  (SHA3) 5 Skeleton Horse Archers
  (SW) 22 Skeleton Warriors
      - Shields, Musician   
  (C1) 3 Carrion
  (C2) 3 Carrion
  (NK1) 6 Necropolis Knights
      - Full Command
  (NK2) 6 Necropolis Knights
      - Full Command
  (SS1) 3 Sepulchral Stalkers      
  (SS2) 3 Sepulchral Stalkers             
  (TG) 39 Tomb Guard
      - Full Command, Halberds, Razor Standard
  (CoS1) Casket of Souls
  (CoS2) Casket of Souls
  (NC1) Necrolith Colossus
      - Extra Hand Weapon
  (NC2) Necrolith Colossus
      - Extra Hand Weapon
  (H) Hierotitan
  (SSC1) Screaming Skull Catapult
  (SSC2) Screaming Skull Catapult

Warriors of Chaos
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  (DPoK) Daemon Prince of Khorne
      - Daemonic Flight, Dawn Stone, Soul Feeder, Scaled Skin, Chaos Armour
  (EH1) Exalted Hero
      - Mark of Nurgle, BSB, Talisman of Preservation, Nurgles Rot, Ironcurse Icon, Poisonous Slime, Halberd, Shield,
  (CoN1) Chariot of Nurgle
  (CoN2) Chariot of Nurgle
  (CoN3) Chariot of Nurgle
  (WoN) 18 Warriors of Nurgle
      - Full Command, Banner of Discipline, Halberds, Shields   
  (WoK1) 18 Warriors of Khorne
      - Full Command, Extra Hand Weapons, Banner of Rage
  (WoK2) Warshrine of Khorne
  (C) Chimera
      - Regeneration, Flaming Breath, Poisonous Attacks
  (CL) Chaos Lord
      - Mark of Khorne, Juggernaut, Hellfire Sword, Talisman of Endurance, Flaming Breath, Burning Body
  (EH2) Exalted Hero
      - Mark of Khorne, Juggernaut, Obsidian Loadstone, Warrior Bane,
  (SoK) 6 Skullcrushers of Khorne
      - Full Command, Ensorcelled Weapons   
  (GC) Gorebeast Chariot
      - Mark of Nurgle      
  (CKoK) 10 Chaos Knights of Khorne
      - Full Command, Ensorcelled Weapons, Banner of Swiftness   
  (H) Hellcannon
  (CG) Chaos Giant
      - Mark of Nurgle
  (MH1) 5 Marauder Horsemen
      - Mark of Slaanesh, Flails, Throwing Axes
  (MH2) 5 Marauder Horsemen
      - Mark of Slaanesh, Flails, Throwing Axes
  (CH1) 5 Chaos Hounds
      - Vanguard, Poison attacks, Scaly hide
  (CH2) 5 Chaos Hounds
      - Vanguard, Poison attacks, Scaly hide
  (SL) Sorcerer Lord
      - Mark of Nurgle, Palaquin of Nurgle, Talisman of Protection, Fencer's Blades (Plague Wind, Fleshy Abundance, Curse of the Leper, Miasma)
  (CT) 6 Chaos Trolls
      - Extra Hand weapons   
  (M) 18 Marauders
      - Mark of Nurgle, Flail, Shield, Full Command
  (CS) Chaos Sorcerer
      - Mark of Nurgle, Dispel Scroll (Blades of Putrification, Rancid Visitations)
  (EH3) Exalted Hero
      - Mark of Nurgle, Enchanted Shield, Opal Amulet, Sword of Might

Deployment
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Turn 1 - Tomb Kings
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The Tomb Kings army advances cautiously.  Magic phase is 12 vs 5, I open up with a powered up Pha's Protection on 3D6 which is allowed through.  Light of Death on 2D6 is dispelled targetting the right flank whilst a second attempt with 2D6 takes out the Gorebeast chariot, a single warrior of nurgle and a pair of khornate warriors.  Smiting with 2D6 is dispelled which allows Desert Wind on 3D6 to go through moving the forces closer to the enemy lines.  Both catapults prove ineffective with the first misfiring whilst the second drifts off target (Hellcannon and Chimera targetted).  Shooting across the army drops a Marauder Horseman, the Chaos Hounds who subsequently flee, and puts two wounds onto the Chariot of Nurgle (only first rank of Archers were in range).

Turn 1 - Warriors of Chaos
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The Chaos Horde advances.  The Chaos hounds continue to run off the battlefield taking them out of the fight.  Magic phase is an 11 vs 6.  Rancid Visitations goes off onto the Necropolis Knights with 3D6 doing no damage.  Miasma of Pestilence with 2D6 goes through onto the Knights of Khorne whilst Curse of the Leper with 3D6 is dispelled on the Marauders.  Giver of Glory with 3D6 goes irresistable granting the BSB +1S.  The Hellcannon takes out a single chariot and wounds a few others.

Turn 2 - Tomb Kings
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The Necropolis Knights charge into the close by Marauders of Nurgle.  Both units of Stalkers arrive behind enemy lines.  Magic Phase brings up 9 vs 6.  3D6 Desiccation is attempted onto the Skullcrushers however this is dispelled.  Pha's Protection for 2D6 goes up onto the Knights in combat, Cursed Blades for 2D6 as well.  Finally 2D6 Smiting effects the Archers in the tower.  Shooting sees one of the catapults misfire and detonate whilst the Stalkers put a wound onto the Hellcannon and crew and take down a Skullcrusher.  Khalida's unit takes out 5 Warriors of Nurgle with their armour protecting them from the majority of the damage.  The Necropolis Knights smash into the Marauders however even their steadfast ways can't overcome their nerves and they turn tail and run and the Knights smash into a new target.

Turn 2 - Warriors of Chaos
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The Warriors of Khorne charge headlong into the Knights whilst the Warshrine of the same god can't resist its frenzy urges and run in as well.  The Knights of Khorne also fail to restrain and charge into the chariots however the distance is far too great.  Magic is a 9 vs 7 phase and sees a 2D6 Miasma of Pestilence attempted on the Trolls however this is dispelled.  Fleshy Abundance is attempted onto the Trolls and this goes off irresistable but the regenerative capabilities of the unit shrug off the damage.  A single Knight however crumbles.  A horse archer drops from the Marauders and another axe lodges into a Stalker whilst the Hellcannon unleashes another accurate payload into the Chariots taking another out of the equation.  The Knights are overcome in combat leaving only a single model remaining.

Turn 3 - Tomb Kings
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Better to charge than be charged.  The Chariots scream towards the Knights of Khorne intent on making a dent whilst the Tomb Guard dispose of the Chaos Hounds.  Magic Phase is a 12 vs 6 and a 3D6 Light of Death takes out a Skullcrusher, Spirit Leech on 2D6 onto the Chariot is dispelled however this opens the door for another Light of Death attempt targetting the Warriors of Nurgle taking out a single warrior, wounding the Warshrine, and wounding a Warrior of Khorne.  Desiccation on 3D6 targetting the Warriors of Nurgle is dispelled however this allows for Smiting to effect the Archers in the tower once again.  The Stalkers kill the Hellcannon whilst even through a misfire the second unit drops the Marauder Horsemen.  The Chariots only kill 2 Knights on impact hits and at the end of it all only 2 Chariots remain.  The Knight dies whilst the Tomb Guard reform after taking out the Hounds.

Turn 3 - Warriors of Chaos
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The Chimera charges into the Casket of Souls easily covering the distance.  The Skullcrushers charge into the Horse Archers to remove the chaff, the Chariot smashes into the Horse Archers whilst the Chaos Giant fails to make a charge against the chariots.  Magic Phase is a 7 vs 5.  Curse of the Leper goes up onto the Knights of Khorne and the Scroll of the Cursing Word shuts down any more Nurgle Spells and the Warshrine is dispelled.  A thrown axe takes out a Horse Archer.  In combat the Skullcrushers and chariots make predicatable work of their opponents as does the Chimera.  The casket explosion however is spectacular taking out a nearby chariot and leaving the Chimera on 2 wounds.

Turn 4 - Tomb Kings
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I had a master plan to turn the game around here, Chariots into the Marauder Horsemen to get them out of trouble and the Tomb Guard finally into combat against the Warriors of Khorne, didn't happen however and none of them made the distance with an insulting snake eyes from the Tomb Guard!  The 3 constructs however pounded into the nearby Chariot and the Hierotitan failed to over run to far unfortunately.  Magic phase was snake eyes but I turned it into a 5 vs 1, Light of Death did nothing however a powered up Pha's Protection helped out a few units.  Stalkers put two wounds onto the Skullcrushers however at the cost of a Stalker.  Trolls copped 4 wounds from the second unit whilst the Catapult scattered from the Chimera doing a single wound to the chariot.  Khalida's unit manage to wound the Chimera something like 11 times and save 10 times leaving it on a single wound.



Turn 4 - Warriors of Chaos
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The Marauder Horsemen charge into their undead counter parts whilst the combined efforts of the Knights and Giant see off the Chariots.  The Daemon Prince has a swing at the building the Trolls engage the Stalkers.  Magic phase is shut down with Miasma failing and Giver of Glory dispelled.  Chimera drops 16 warriors with fiery breath, the tower defenders lose a single wound (and due to a stomp at that) whilst every other engaged Undead unit is destroyed.



Turn 5 - Tomb Kings
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Ok another chance to get the Tomb Guard into combat surely?  Wrong.  Failed charge.  The Necrolith Colossus however shows up the Tomb Guard and makes it in easily enough against the Khorne Warriors.  Carrion flap into the Horsemen.  Magic Phase is a strong 12 vs 6 split allowing me to open up with Light of Death taking out the Chariot and a single Skullcrusher.  A powered up Smiting then showers most of the Undead force right before Pha's Protection and Speed of Light infuse the Necrolith Colossus' limbs into action.  Shooting slaps on 25 wounds onto the Nurgle Warriors leaving a startled BSB scratching his head.  Stalkers drop a Skullcrusher.  The Carrion take a casualty and answer back with damage of their own however the combat doesn't progress.  The Necrolith Colossus however goes into rampage and in between Bruce Lee like moves and Thunderstomp action 3 Khorne Warriors remain and head for the hills pronto (Killed 13 warriors, not a bad effort).



Turn 5 - Warriors of Chaos
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The Skullcrushers clean up the Stalkers whilst the Chaos Giant falters once again unable to make the distance to the remaining catapult.  The BSB rushes into combat against the Necrolith.  Magic is shut down.  The Horsemen continue to batter the black feathered creatures, the Stalkers predictably disappear and the BSB performs a massive air swing of Nurgle and gets thunderstomped into oblivion.

Turn 6 - Tomb Kings
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The Towering giant charges into the Warshrine.  Magic is a 10 vs 5 opening up with Light of Death onto the Daemon Prince which is dispelled.  Spirit Leech then does no damage and finally a powered up Desiccation reduces his S/T by 2.  Shooting results in a single wound onto the Prince whilst the combat is drawn.

Turn 6 - Warriors of Chaos
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Knights of Khorne take out the warmachine, Daemon Prince into the Hierotitan.  Magic is an 8 vs 5 allowing Miasma to go up onto the Warshrine however Curse of the Leper onto the Daemon Prince is dispelled.  Combats result in tied.  Game over.

Result - Draw

Conclusion - A somewhat very uninspiring game which is something both my brother and I agreed on shortly after the game.  Shocking dice rolls all around, I really felt turn 4 I had the chance to spin things around but fate just wasn't on my side unfortunately.

Few observations from myself in no particular order.  I pretty much knew my left flank was going to be compromised and forgotten about at deployment, I didn't have the capability to put a Priest there and as demonstrated in previous reports Chariots are great against the right opponent, shocking against the wrong opponent and can generally survive with augmentations.  A bad way to give up nearly 900 points without blinking.

Deathstars are pretty boring.  Admittedly I took 2 of them and crammed characters and magic in them and tooled them up, It didn't make the game any moe exciting and even my brother commented on the lack lustre feel of his Skullcrusher unit which didn't really do anything impressive.

For whatever reason I needed to have this game with the Tomb Kings in order to turn the page so to speak and get in depth into another army.  I'll always have a soft spot for the Tomb Kings but I really feel at the moment it's time to shelf them and move on.  For the time being I've lost my motivation to play with them which happened a few weeks ago however I'd always promised myself to do a big battle with them as a reward for finishing the army off.

On the plus side, Light magic was a lot of fun to use again and to see the Necrolith Colossus smash apart the Khorne warriors is stuff of legend.

another great report. thanks for sharing Jimmy. Great looking army you got there

Also. I wanna ask you Jimmy. How do you feel about the people saying Tomb kings is a poor low tier army? It seems to me like you make them work very well, even against mid-top tier armies such as WOC? Is it just luck or is there thought and "talent" behind

Cheers

I think Tomb Kings are a poorly designed army currently.  Lower Tier certainly but not to the degree of being unusable that's for sure.  Of course there is some thought and talent behind it, I'm hoping to translate that into some Ogre Kingdoms goodness eventually.

Nice bat rep.  You should have kept playing to annihilation.  That would probably have been more fun than saying, "The sands of time have run out, pack your bags and go home!"  But either way, it was fun to read.

Unfortunately mate boredom got to us.  It just wasn't a very motivating game which is a real shame, probably what I needed however as now I'm on a mission to get some games in with the Ogres of course.