Skeleton archers

[Cargo Cult]

I still use my Tomb King skeleton archers all the time to add some shooting power (it can be okay if buffed and the range is good).

Anyone else using them and do we see them making a comeback in the game with new or reissued models?

[Sception]

I highly doubt we'll see Tomb King anything return to the game.  That said, skeleton archers are a pretty common fantasy archetype, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a unit of deathrattle skeletons with bows or crossbows at some point in the future.  Probably not any time soon, maybe not ever, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility.

As for TK archers, I'm kind of iffy on them.  They're rather pricey for what they actually do.  That said, even a little bit of shooting can go a long way.  And you can certainly buff them up into something at least moderately threatening if you take bunches & add khalida & a tomb priest.  Like most skeleton stuff, their offensive output is severly dampened by decent armor saves, so the average armor value among your usual opponents is certainly something to consider when deciding whether and how many of them to field.

I used to like summoning them, particularly with Nagash, but since TK lost their summon spells... eh.

[The Gunslinger]

I used them a lot in my early games, liking some ranged support, but I agree with the above, they are too expensive for what they actually do. 

For fewer points, I can bring in another 3 spirit hosts and a wraith, which are much more effective and more deserving of any buffs. 

Which is a shame because I love them, hopefully, we will get a better version in the future. 
 

[CoffeeGrunt]

I'd love an elite unit with Crossbows. Low range, but hit hard.

[themortalgod]

I've dabbled with them but their output really isn't very good. For 200pts you get ~6.66 wounds per turn with no rend, that loses half of its firepower if a single model is dead. At 300pts you get ~10 wounds per turn from 30 models. Compared to say a 40man unit of skeletons warriors that only costs 280pts the overall impact on the game is much lower. 

There is some potential if you go "all-in" on shooting and run several large units, all buffed by Tomb Queen command ability and one buffed with Liche Priest. I don't think it is competitive but it does provide a significant force multiplier but if you are looking to splash some ranged into your list I'm unconvinced that a couple hundred pts in archers is ever going to be worth the investment. 

If you really want to splash some ranged threat I prefer horse archers or chariots. They have less lower shooting output but their mobility allows them to fill other battlefield roles than "stand, shoot, and hope they don't get charged". 

Overall my experience with TKs post GH2017 has continued to be that they are severely outclassed by nearly any modern force. The compendium nerfs just hit them too hard to really remain competitive and archers are one of the hallmarks of that struggle. 

[Twitch of Izalith]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a new skeleton kit with an archer option come out in the future. I still like the really old models they had in the first plastic kit back in the 90's. I like those models in general actually. Units looked better when they were not all armed with identical weapons.

I mean, how likely is it, that if you raise a bunch of skeleton warriors from an ancient battlefield, they are all going to have died holding exactly the same sword...

[Jgregs]

Did you read the latest malign portents story? it specifically mentions some kind of undead archers. 2 in fact, one shooting flaming arrows and another with crossbows. can't tell if they are skeleton archers or some kind of still living free people.

[CoffeeGrunt]

46 minutes ago, Twitch of Izalith said:

I mean, how likely is it, that if you raise a bunch of skeleton warriors from an ancient battlefield, they are all going to have died holding exactly the same sword...

A lot of armies operated with homogenised weapons. Medieval Japan, Rome, Greece, etc, etc. In fact the Greeks and Romans relied heavily on uniformity and strict phalanx tactics.

In the medieval era homogeneity was rarer in Europe, but most of the powerful states typically at least had standardised weapons, aside from knights who would battle with whatever they liked. Pikemen are all going to have pikes, longbowmen with longbows, etc, etc.

[Twitch of Izalith]

@CoffeeGrunt ok, fair point. I was just being a grumpy old man but that still assumes your dead guys are from the same unit - or even the same army - where as in a fantasy universe they may not even be the same species!

[CoffeeGrunt]

You're free to customise them to suit that view. There's a few sweet Skeleton Orc models and the like that people have done using the new Skulls kit. 

Personally the old sculpts seriously lack in character and the proportions are awful. 

[albin100]

you could buy a bunch of different unit boxes, add some greenstuff, readjust some poses and paint it in a zombie theme. The important part would be to chose units of similar sizes. (no gargant models in a tabletop standard zombie unit!)

Ah, you where talking about skellies... I stil think my advise is possible to make, you just need a bit more converting.

[Kyriakin]

Keeping a Khalida general hidden in the backfield and running three units of 30.

+1 to hit for Khalida and an extra attack for 20+ should mean rolling 180 dice, which should force around 45 saves, right?

OK, its 1020 points (or 1120 with the Liche Priest to generate extra attacks on a 6+), but that sounds like a lot would get through.

TK often seem like an "all in" army. Approaching their very high points values if you further invest in additional buffing, but falling way, way short if you don't.

Anyway, just thoughthammering it, i would probably go Royal Warsphinx general and instead rely on Ushabti for firepower (with a Liche Priest and Necrotect). I think buffed Necropolis Knights look viable, but wouldnt touch the Tomb King on Exhalted Chariot or Necrosphinx.

[Sception]

To be fair to necroknights, they're pretty amazing out of the gate.  They're tough as nails (by undead standards), they hit nearly as hard as (non-charging) blood knights, and they have the best recursion mechanic in the game.

Doesn't take much buffing at all to make them worth 80 points a piece.