# Tomb Kings Skeleton horsemen- any uses at all?



## Lanfear (Mar 23, 2011)

Right chaps. I have 24 Skeleton horsemen with spears and shields superbly painted as a lingering legacy of using Settra in the last edition of the army book.
I can find no viable use for them in this edition and was hoping someone could come up with a tactic that works for them otherwise they will be binned.

I've been playing TK for 6 years now and generally can come up with uses for most things (even Ushabti at a stretch).


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## aboytervigon (Jul 6, 2010)

Mobile unit for the Heirophant?


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

A fast cav unit that can't march has problems... still played against them and had them been somewhat effective, but not massively so.


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## ExtraCrew (Jan 22, 2012)

they still get to use the full 12in vanguard move, seems like a good unit to pull your enemy forward or to hit them in the side.


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## Deathypoo (Jun 27, 2011)

They are the most cost effective core choice for war machine hunting. They are arguably the most effective war machine hunters in the army, period. None of your EBtS units can charge on the second turn like horsemen can. If you move second, they could conceivably charge on turn one.

Also, while fast cavalry harassers and heavy shock cavalry are normally what you're looking for in the mounted troops for any army, these guys are pretty damn cheap as an in-between.

Crap... I better stop before I convince myself they're good. They're probably not worth taking, but I think I'd rate Ushabti as more useless in this edition...


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

EDIT- like an idiot was talking about horse archers... too similar for my tiny brain

If you can set up nicely and vanguard into a position you need to be in they'll work as warmachine hunters... if you are forced to start at long distance or off the board they'll just not get to the enemy quick enough and unless you time a move spell particularly well (not that many would have a wizard close enough) then you can't get past the main enemy units.

They have their uses, but its very situational if they manage them. Also, since they can't feigned flight and aren't able to march round and round enemy units they are hopeless at the annoyance role most fast cav can manage.


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## Deathypoo (Jun 27, 2011)

They aren't fast cavalry. I don't just mean I agree with you metaphorically, I mean they don't have the rule so I wouldn't keep comparing them to other fast cav 

They are really really cheap and weak "heavy" cavalry, that happen to have the vanguard rule. From that perspective, you can see advantages... Even with the light armor upgrade, they are probably(?) the cheapest "heavy" cavalry in the game. And heavy cavalry is all about positioning for the charge, which vanguard helps with.

Blood Knights can use that charge to shatter any unit at all. Knights of the realm can charge anything but death stars and tar pits. Skeleton Horsemen can only charge war machines, light harassers, and small ranged units. Heavy cav is still what I would measure them against, not the fast cav, and in this comparison they have a distinct advantage in point cost and vanguard.


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Damn, hadn't noticed that... makes them even worse.

Pretty much mean that you either take horsemen with light armour for the 4+ save or horse archers for the vanguard and early charges... taking cav which only has a 5+ save and can't vanguard is a middle ground which makes you pretty crap at anything (even with a 4+ you aren't going to be doing much of any use).


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## Lanfear (Mar 23, 2011)

As I thought lads, completely useless. Already consigned to the rubbish heap.


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## Deathypoo (Jun 27, 2011)

Tim/Steve said:


> ...taking cav which only has a 5+ save and can't vanguard ...


But... they *can* vanguard... They're just not fast cav.


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Ah, ignore me... I'm obviously just sleepwalking (typing) this week. Yeah, they don't get vanguard from the fast cav rules like almost every other cav unit in the game, but they do get it from the TK book which gives them the actual rule. Silly me for playing armies older then the new edition of the rules.


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