Editing Warhammer/Tactics/6th Edition/Tomb Kings (section)

=== Rare Units ===

'''Screaming Skull Catapult''': At 110 points this thing is dramatically underpriced. And yes, it's 110. Skulls of the Foe should be considered a mandatory upgrade which you can cut if you absolutely need to shave points off the list somehow. The highest S attack in the army, and a direct hit will almost certainly induce a panic test on whatever you targeted. Two of these will tie your Liche Priests down and make your army predictable (and don't kid yourself, you will want to fire them twice every turn), but one of these at the heart of a defensive build can win games all by itself.

'''Bone Giant''': These are in the same slot as the Casket of Souls and the Screaming Skull Catapult, which to this anon's mind means they belong in smaller games, as the solo Rare choice. Locking your army down to the position of an artillery piece? Bad. Keeping your army aggressive, flexible and mobile? Good.

In the book as originally released, Bone Giants are decent. One more point of S wouldn't go amiss, nor would a little WS, but with a little luck and the charge they can do a lot of damage, and they also have the only native 3+ save in the army. 

In the 2004 Warhammer Chronicles, they pick up weapon options: a chariot-smashing knight-bruising great weapon; a shield for - whisper it - a 1+ save in melee, in THIS army; and a move-and-fire bolt thrower that comes with the same "always hits on 5s" rule as the rest of the army's archers. Don't take this the wrong way, but once the bolt thrower option became apparent, anon stopped listening to the rest. Either of the other options is technically better and gives the Giant a specific job to do, but the one-size-fits-all Rare selection that shoots, stomps and spreads terror before it has a certain appeal in a single-slot-type situation.

'''Casket of Souls''': this thing takes up a Rare slot and occupies the same sort of expensive opportunity cost niche that a Dragon might do in another army. The difference is that a Dragon can't potentially hurt an entire enemy army on the same turn.

Seasoned Vampire Counts players know that the Banshee's scream is overrated, and unless you've been able to drop the target's Ld through spells or abilities you're often not looking at more than a wound or two. The Casket has exactly the same rule, with exactly the same odds of not doing anything significant. Its chief value is as a deterrent. Its mere presence, and the potential that one of those inverse Ld tests will come up boxcars, will ensure that most opponents save their Dispel Scrolls or a couple of dice for the end of the magic phase, and they will need to save scrolls or multiple dice because this thing will come up sevens or better a little over half the time. Its disruptive effect on enemy magic (a global -1 malus to casting) is not to be forgotten. Neither is the effective 3+ Ward save it gives to the attached Priest (in that two thirds of incoming fire will hit the Casket, and the Casket is indestructible).

The Casket costs an awful lot for something that may have a purely psychological impact on a game, but if you're going for a defensive approach anyway and forcing the enemy to come towards you, this thing plus the ''Banner of the Shifting Sands'' will make them suffer for it every step of the way.

'''Dogs of War'''

As with magic items, life is much too short to review all the possibilities, so this anon will be sticking to the cheesemonger-in-chief's options.

First up: Dark Emissaries and Truthsayers. One Hero, one Rare, and about 250 points down the crapper, but what you get for your trouble is a whole additional magic phase. The Truthsayer synergises well with the Casket of Souls to control enemy casting, while the Dark Emissary offers you raw aggressive output in an army not famed for its magic missiles and hexes. Bring a Fenbeast or two in your other Rare slot and suddenly you've got aggressive options you didn't have before. Pair with a Liche High Priest for absolute nonsense. If anyone gives you grief, whip out your map of Nehekhera and point to the marshes. Totally 100% justified. Honest.