Disclosure: This post is reader-powered and contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Tomb Kings of Khemri · 147 points · Monstrous infantry

Are Ushabti good in combat?

Ushabti with ritual blades are good armour breakers and only average at everything else. Three of them won 69% of their charges into Ironbreakers, the best charging result of any Tomb Kings unit against that target.

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

Quick answer: it depends what you point Ushabti at

Best job: Breaking armour: 69% charging and 74% receiving against Ironbreakers
Overall: 52% charging, 48% receiving
Best matchups: Knights of the Realm (83% charging) and Ironbreakers
Struggles against: Swordmasters when charging (28%) and Gors when charged (25%)

Ushabti with ritual blades have one standout job, cracking armour, and only three models to do it with.

How many simulations I ran

I ran 32,000 complete combats with 3 Ushabti with ritual blades: 2,000 against each of eight opponents while the Ushabti charged, and 2,000 more against each while the opponent charged. These were the results.

Three models make every Ushabti fight swingy: one early casualty removes a third of the unit, and my 2,000-fight averages smooth that out more than a single game will. My model also simplifies how wounds spread across multi-wound models, which matters more for Ushabti than for most units.

How Ushabti did against each opponent

Every matchup for 3 Ushabti, ritual blades (147 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	Ushabti	38%	23%	3.82	1.28	2.9
8 Ironbreakers	Ushabti	69%	60%	2.51	1.38	3.5
20 Clanrats	Ushabti	50%	27%	4.75	1.49	2.4
3 Rat Ogres + Master Moulder	Ushabti	68%	45%	3.73	2.67	2.2
5 Knights of the Realm	Ushabti	83%	63%	1.66	0.66	3.0
17 Gors	Ushabti	39%	20%	3.76	0.85	2.8
20 Empire halberdiers	Ushabti	43%	24%	5.02	1.02	2.6
9 Swordmasters of Hoeth	Ushabti	28%	19%	2.68	3.62	2.0
15 Jade Warriors	Opponent	36%	22%	3.60	1.29	2.8
8 Ironbreakers	Opponent	74%	63%	2.49	1.10	3.5
20 Clanrats	Opponent	57%	31%	4.86	1.04	2.5
3 Rat Ogres + Master Moulder	Opponent	38%	25%	2.72	3.42	2.1
5 Knights of the Realm	Opponent	62%	55%	1.53	2.10	3.0
17 Gors	Opponent	25%	14%	3.46	1.67	2.7
20 Empire halberdiers	Opponent	34%	18%	4.81	1.24	2.7
9 Swordmasters of Hoeth	Opponent	56%	37%	3.29	2.21	2.2

Why they crack armour

Ritual blades hit at S6 with AP −3, which strips most of an Ironbreaker’s save. When they won, Ushabti usually finished the job: they destroyed the Ironbreakers outright in 60% of their charges.

The catch is Strike Last and a three-model unit. Swordmasters strike first and cut armour, so Ushabti won only 28% of their charges into them, and wide infantry fronts such as Gors and Empire halberdiers outnumbered them on Combat Result.

How I would use them

I would point Ushabti at the enemy’s hardest, most armoured unit and give them a screen or a supporting unit on the way in. For shooting, Ushabti with greatbows are a different story, and I cover them on my Ushabti with greatbows page.

More Tomb Kings results

My conclusion

Based on these results, I would use Ushabti with ritual blades to threaten armour such as Ironbreakers and Knights, screened or supported on the way in. I would not use them alone against wide infantry fronts or Swordmasters.

FAQs

Are Ushabti good against Ironbreakers?

Yes. Three Ushabti with ritual blades won 69% of their charges into 8 Ironbreakers and 74% when the Ironbreakers charged them.

Are Ushabti with greatbows good?

Not as a shooting unit: they finished last of 29 shooting units at short range in my tests. The ritual blades build is the one I would take for combat.