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Tomb Kings of Khemri · 144 points · Elite infantry

Are Tomb Guard good?

Tomb Guard are good at receiving a charge and poor at making one. Twelve halberd Tomb Guard won 54% of their fights when charged but only 37% when they charged, in my simulations.

By DaveUpdated 2026-09-242026 Rules & ErrataHow I test

Quick answer: it depends whether Tomb Guard get charged

If they receive: 54% across eight opponents
If they charge: 37% across eight opponents
Best matchups: Ironbreakers charging them (75%) and Knights of the Realm (88% charging, 74% receiving)
Struggles against: Swordmasters (17%), Jade Warriors (19%) and Gors (19%) when the Tomb Guard charge

Tomb Guard are a counterpunch: they hit hardest when the enemy comes to them, and twelve models are too few to push into a big regiment.

How many simulations I ran

I ran 32,000 complete combats with 12 halberd Tomb Guard: 2,000 against each of eight opponents while the Tomb Guard charged, and 2,000 more against each while the opponent charged. These were the results.

Twelve models is a small unit, and my Tomb Guard numbers depend heavily on how many of them survive to keep fighting. My duel model also approximates base contact and casualty removal, which matter more for a narrow elite block than for a big one, so the Ironbreaker result in particular deserves a tabletop check.

How Tomb Guard did against each opponent

Every matchup for 12 Tomb Guard, halberds, captain, standard (144 pts). n = 2,000 combats per row ±2 points

Opponent	Who charged	Won	Destroyed	Wounds dealt, round 1	Wounds taken, round 1	Avg rounds
15 Jade Warriors	Tomb Guard	19%	10%	2.42	2.38	2.8
8 Ironbreakers	Tomb Guard	53%	38%	1.08	2.10	4.0
20 Clanrats	Tomb Guard	32%	17%	2.54	1.84	3.0
3 Rat Ogres + Master Moulder	Tomb Guard	41%	22%	1.95	3.23	2.2
5 Knights of the Realm	Tomb Guard	88%	41%	1.13	1.14	2.6
17 Gors	Tomb Guard	19%	10%	2.35	1.99	2.8
20 Empire halberdiers	Tomb Guard	29%	17%	2.92	1.65	3.1
9 Swordmasters of Hoeth	Tomb Guard	17%	10%	0.79	3.63	2.4
15 Jade Warriors	Opponent	49%	26%	4.09	1.66	2.9
8 Ironbreakers	Opponent	75%	54%	1.82	1.35	3.9
20 Clanrats	Opponent	62%	33%	4.22	1.31	2.5
3 Rat Ogres + Master Moulder	Opponent	33%	18%	2.28	4.48	2.1
5 Knights of the Realm	Opponent	74%	49%	1.70	2.71	2.9
17 Gors	Opponent	21%	11%	3.38	2.75	2.6
20 Empire halberdiers	Opponent	54%	28%	4.85	1.22	2.9
9 Swordmasters of Hoeth	Opponent	60%	34%	2.60	2.17	2.5

Why they do better when charged

Tomb Guard dealt about 3.1 wounds in the first round when receiving, against 1.9 when charging. Under the 2026 Press of Battle rule, infantry that did not charge fight two ranks deep, and twelve models need every extra attack they can get.

S5 halberds and Cleaving Blow made them a real problem for armour: when Ironbreakers charged them, Tomb Guard won 75%, the best Tomb Kings result I recorded against that target.

How I would use them

I would keep Tomb Guard beside a bigger unit and let the enemy commit first. A small elite block that charges into a wide regiment loses on ranks and Combat Result, which is exactly what happened against Jade Warriors, Gors and Empire halberdiers.

More Tomb Kings results

My conclusion

Based on these results, I would use Tomb Guard as a guarded counterpunch that takes charges from armoured infantry and cavalry. I would not send them charging into a large regiment such as Jade Warriors or Gors.

FAQs

Are Tomb Guard good against Ironbreakers?

Yes, when the Ironbreakers charge: 75% in my simulations. Charging the Ironbreakers themselves, the Tomb Guard won 53%.

Should Tomb Guard charge?

Usually not. They averaged 37% when charging and 54% when receiving, and did worst charging Swordmasters (17%).