“We were kings before your gods were born. We do not die… we return.”
Far beyond the burning sands of Araby, deep within the desert wastes of Nehekhara, the land once known as the Land of the Dead, where ancient kings rise from gilded tombs to reclaim the world that was stolen from them. These are the Tomb Kings: regal, relentless, and immortal.
Unlike the decaying mindless hordes of other undead, the Tomb Kings are proud, aware, and obsessed with restoring their ancient empire to its former glory. Clad in gold, guided by loyalty, and accompanied by vast legions of skeletal warriors, they do not rot. They march. This is not undeath. This is eternal rule.
History: Glory, Betrayal, and Undying Will
Long before the rise of the Empire or the Elves’ golden age, Nehekhara stood as the greatest civilisation in the world. Its cities filled with marble temples, radiant palaces, and towering statues dedicated to gods older than memory. The Priest Kings of Nehekhara were mighty in power and ambition, their society guided by the Lore of Light and the pursuit of immortality. But the dream turned to dust.
Nagash, the Great Betrayer and the first necromancer, poisoned the land with dark sorcery, unleashing a magical cataclysm that turned Nehekhara into a land of death. The people perished, the sun dimmed, and the kings awoke centuries later, mummified, ancient, and furious.
Now, the Tomb Kings seek to reclaim their thrones, their cities, and their place as rulers of the world. Woe to those who trespass upon their sacred sands.
Play Style: Order in Death, Relentless Advance, and Regal Precision
The Tomb Kings offer a disciplined, unique take on undead warfare. They are not wild or feral. They are a well-oiled machine of death, backed by ancient magic and divine wrath.
• Unbreakable Troops: Every unit is Undead. They don’t flee. They crumble, slowly, steadily, but they hold their ground forever.
• Iconic Artillery: Bone-constructed war machines like the Screaming Skull Catapult rain fear and death upon your foes.
• Constructs: Massive animated statues like the Necrosphinx and Hierotitan dominate the battlefield with raw power.
• Command Synergy: Heroes and lords are essential, granting magical boosts, buffs, and reanimating abilities.
• Slow but Steady: You may not be fast—but your tide of bones is inevitable.
The Tomb Kings reward tactical planning, magical support, and careful coordination. Every move is deliberate. Every strike is part of an eternal strategy.
Key Units: Dust, Bone, and Divine Might
• Skeleton Warriors & Archers: Your bread and butter. Weak individually, terrifying in phalanxes with magical support.
• Tomb Guard: Elite warriors entombed with their kings. Wield ancient blades with precision and undying loyalty.
• Chariots: Fast, lethal, and incredibly thematic. Scything wheels and skeletal steeds lead devastating charges.
• Carrion: Undead vultures for flanking, harassment, and objective-grabbing.
• Necropolis Knights: Snake-bodied skeletons riding undead serpents—fast, tough, and cool beyond belief.
• Sepulchral Stalkers: Burrowing serpentine constructs that erupt from the sand and unleash magical gaze attacks.
• Necrosphinx: A winged behemoth with claws like guillotines and the ability to decapitate dragons.
• Hierotitan: Towering construct that channels magic and smashes anything foolish enough to stand before it.
The Tomb Kings are as much a monumental display of culture as they are a war machine. They bring the grandeur of ancient death to every table.
Legendary Characters: Rulers of the Eternal Sands
Settra the Imperishable – The King of Kings
He is the first and greatest of the Tomb Kings. Proud, terrifying, and utterly imperious, Settra does not kneel, especially not to gods, men, or death itself. He commands legions with divine authority. In his words: “Settra does not serve. Settra rules.”
Khalida Neferher – Queen of Lybaras
A beloved warrior-queen turned saint of vengeance. Cursed by Neferata but blessed by the asp goddess Asaph, Khalida leads with unmatched speed and precision. Her poison-laced arrows and divine presence make her the bane of the undead especially vampires.
High Queen Neferata
The original queen of Lahmia and the first vampire, Neferata began as a ruler of Nehekhara. Her betrayal and quest for immortality sparked the vampire curse and the fall of her kingdom. While she now stands apart as a vampire countess, her roots in the Tomb Kings’ history are deep and bloody.
Arkhan the Black – The Liche King
Nagash’s most loyal servant, Arkhan is a master of death magic and one of the most feared necromancers in existence. Though not a Tomb King per se, he has long been intertwined with their fate, especially as a rival to Settra. Where Arkhan walks, the air grows cold… and death rises.
Why Collect the Tomb Kings?
Because they are majestic, thematic, and unlike anything else in Warhammer. With a mix of ancient Egyptian aesthetics, precise phalanxes, and magical constructs, the Tomb Kings stand as a tribute to lost glory and unstoppable will.
For hobbyists, the army offers a stunning variety of visual elements: golden masks, sandstone textures, hieroglyphics, and awe-inspiring monsters. For players, it’s a force that punishes recklessness and rewards regal strategy. And for lore fans? You’re playing the echoes of an empire that once ruled the world and intends to do so again.
This isn’t just an army. It’s a civilisation rising from the sands to take back what was theirs.
“The desert does not forget. And neither do its kings.”
So gather your legions, awaken your monuments, and raise your banner under the black sun. The world has moved on. The Tomb Kings will remind it who truly ruled.
