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Tomb Kings of Khemri · 147 points
Are Ushabti with greatbows good?
Ushabti with greatbows are not good as a shooting unit: they finished last of 29 at short range in my tests. Three shots a turn is just too few, although they did hurt Rat Ogres.
Quick answer: it depends what you point Ushabti with greatbows at
- Role
- Monster hunters, with a bow
- Good against
- Ironbreakers (0.5, 18th): best ranking
- Struggles against
- Knights of the Realm (0.5, 26th), Ironbreakers (0.5, 18th), Empire State Troops (1.2, 28th), Skaven Dregs (1.3, 29th), Rat Ogres (1.9, 19th), Skirmishing Empire Archers (1.2, 29th)
- Range
- Holds up at long range (92% kept)
Monster hunters, with a bow is the job Ushabti with greatbows did best in my testing, and it is the yardstick I would judge them by, rather than their 29th-of-29 overall average.
How many simulations I ran
I ran 120 volleys with Ushabti with greatbows: ten fresh volleys at each of six targets, at both long and short range. Those main volleys were part of the 4,080 I ran across 29 shooting units, and these were the Ushabti with greatbows results.
Simulations have limits, and a real game with Ushabti with greatbows adds terrain, magic, characters and an opponent who reacts, none of which is in these rolls. With ten volleys per result, Ushabti with greatbows (1.1) and Tomb King Skeleton Horse Archers (1.3) finished level at short range, so I would not read anything into their order. They tell you what to point Ushabti with greatbows at, not what will happen every time.
My verdict
In my opinion the greatbows are a sideline on a unit you want for other reasons. Against Rat Ogres they did 1.9 wounds at short range and 2.1 at long range, their best results, thanks to Multiple Wounds (2).
Best and worst targets for Ushabti with greatbows
Ushabti with greatbows by target. Ranks out of 29. n = 10 volleys per cell
| Target | Long | Rank | Short | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knights of the Realm | 0.4 | 26th | 0.5 | 26th |
| Ironbreakers | 0.3 | 23rd | 0.5 | 18th |
| Empire State Troops | 0.7 | 29th | 1.2 | 28th |
| Skaven Dregs | 1.0 | 29th | 1.3 | 29th |
| Rat Ogres | 2.1 | 9th | 1.9 | 19th |
| Skirmishing Empire Archers | 1.6 | 16th | 1.2 | 29th |
Range and armour
At long range Ushabti with greatbows kept 92% of their short-range damage, one of the flattest range profiles I tested. Their best long-range target was Rat Ogres (2.1).
Against my two heavily armoured targets, Knights of the Realm and Ironbreakers, Ushabti with greatbows averaged 0.5 wounds at short range. That puts them 25th of 29 for cracking armour.
Rules that shaped these numbers
- Greatbows have Armour Bane (2) and Multiple Wounds (2), capped at each target model’s remaining wounds.
- With only three shots per volley, these numbers swing a lot from roll to roll.
How I set up the test
I fielded three Ushabti with free greatbows (147 points), so each volley was only three shots. My method page has the full setup.
How do they compare?
Other Tomb Kings of Khemri shooters
- Tomb King Skeleton Horse Archers143 pts · 1.3 avg short, 1.0 avg long
- Tomb King Skeleton Archers140 pts · 2.0 avg short, 2.1 avg long
Similar overall damage
- Bretonnian Mounted YeomenKingdom of Bretonnia · 1.5 avg short
- Goblin Wolf RidersOrc & Goblin Tribes · 1.7 avg short
- Chaos throwing axesWarriors of Chaos · 1.7 avg short
My conclusion
Based on these results, I would use Ushabti with greatbows for Rat Ogres and other multi-wound targets, and not for massed infantry, skirmishers or any general shooting job, to get the most out of them on the battlefield.
FAQs
What are Ushabti with greatbows best at shooting?
Rat Ogres: Ushabti with greatbows did 1.9 wounds per short-range volley against them in my tests. Their lowest number was against Knights of the Realm, at 0.5.
Are Ushabti with greatbows better at long or short range?
Short range. Ushabti with greatbows kept 92% of their short-range damage at long range, 3rd of 29 for holding up at range. Ushabti with greatbows averaged 1.0 wounds at long range against 1.1 at short range.
Are Ushabti with greatbows good against armour?
Against Knights of the Realm and Ironbreakers, Ushabti with greatbows averaged 0.5 wounds per short-range volley, 25th of the 29 units I tested.