8th Ed. Khemri and sphinxes in ETC

[Korhedron]

So my gaming group has an ETC-league now. I'm familiar with most of the opponents. But Khemri? Not so much. At 2800 to my 2400 points, and with 3 warsphinxes, 1 KB-sphinx, casket, 2 catapults and Khathep, morghast archai, light scouting cav to keep scouts and vanguards in place. I'm wondering how I'll deal with his archer-infested castle. My list: fom channeling slann BSB with ICI, scroll caddie with heavens, ripper eggchief, AOD-scarvet, 2x10 skirmishers, 10+1skrox, 30 saurus, 20 TG, 2 ancient steg, salamander, 6 chamo skinks.

I observed him nuking a chaos list based on chariots, dp and Knights/sorcerer. I just don't know how to handle all those toughness 8 monsters, right in the middle of an anti-skink archer-wall, while his 2 lvl 4's and war machines wreck havoc. I won't have assured comet, metal matters little against sphinxes, and I won't have good access to vortexes or pit of shades.
So any advice? What loves serve best to swap for? Light? Life? Combat res will be hard against them, and I'm a fairly new general, so basic tips are very welcome.

 

[Mr Phat]

have never played against Tomb Kings, but I can tell you this:

he is not allowed to take Morghasts.

those are Undead legion and Vampire Counts only. (read: not for Tomb kings alone)

 

[Korhedron]

Yeah, I asked as well. But there was something about ETC ruling that made it possible.

 

[Man0waR]

It will be hard.

Your best bet will be magic

You should march forward with all.

In magic boosted Walk Between Worlds your big saurus infantry to face the archers at 1" so you cant be redirected choose the one with the hierophant.

This will change your opponents battle plan since he will react to deal the inmediate and unexpected threat but you know , they are the decoy.

Most common case is getting charge by one or two sphynx. Youll face about 6 to 14 wounds. And you could deal 2 or 3.
More if he charge with the archers, so you can even win or tie the combat just allocating all the attacks to squishy skeletons. So in the average you will remain steadfast.

The best case is: he could not charge with his Sphynxes for not being prepared for a 28" (8" movement +20" WBW ) movement of 30# saurus warriors in front of his line. So he will prepare a countercharge for the next turn.

As the player surely reacts to the saurus, you now have the advantage to pick up all your combats.

In dispelling the strategy is the following:

If he has lots of PD so he can cast 6 dice casket of souls, just dispell his normal spells if they are harmful. Let it go the ones you just don't care. Burn your DD with spells in order for him to throw with less PD the casket of souls
and hopefully he will not roll IF. Use the scroll.


If you are equal in PD vs DD. Just let go any spell he cast in order to have advantage against the casket.

Spells you may want to acquire due to High Magic atribute:
Metal: Searing Doom / Gehenna's Hounds: The second is better to kill a Sphynx, 2d6 wounding on 3+ (Only if the sphynx will be unengaged in your next turn)
Light: Speed of light / Bironnas Timewrap/Shem's burning gaze, will do 1d6(+1d6 per lore) S4 hits. Its cheap and will help you to raze light infantry/supports. Also you can cast it against warmachines along soul quench and it surely kill the crew. (ok you wound on sixes but may be you roll 12 or more dies with both spells)
(I would roll 1 or 2 spells here, cuz your skink priest can pew pew due vassal and the augments are great)
Death: Spirit leech / Laniph's Caress / Fate of Bjiuna. Again your skink priest could act as vassal to take out warmachines or characters.
Life: Earthblood / Flesh of Stone / Throne of Vines / Dwellers bellow


I would dispose an early tempest (on the unit with the Hyerophant), early Walk Between Worlds (once used), and Fiery Convocation (if able).
If you have let it go an enemy augment, you can just keep one PD to try at the last spell to use the Dispel Magic #0 spell.
In order to get a new one.

I should keep Hand of Glory, Aphoteosis & Soul Quench.

Tell us how the battle ends

 

[Skinquisitor]

Hey!

Last year I played several ETC matches against khemri. Most of my opponents used 2 lvl4, caskets, catapults, hierotitan, special infantry with killing blow was the bunker for the characters.

The casket is a huge threat, you have to have your skinks remove it fast, id suggest using chamos. For the bunker, high 6 always did the trick (slann with high lore master) I had an oldblood deal wich the titans, or let the skins poison them. As for core, i used one saurus block and 4 skirmisher pack. Had a bastiladon, ancient steg, and a pack of 3 salamanders, and some flyers.

My strategy was always to deal with caskets first, removing the chaffs and softening the blocks via magic and shooting, then the sauruses finished the job.

Specially about the monsters: solar engine is deadly for them, and poison always works. You can also try charging them with ancient stegs upgraded with sharpened horns. Id suggest shooting the one with killing blow, the other one can be torn apart easily in cc.

 

[Korhedron]

Thanks a lot, guys. I especially enjoyed the rundown on strategy for the casket. With 5 dice max for spells, and 4 for selected spells, I think there will be plenty of smaller spells.
I also think I'm too scared of those sphinxes. Spam MM-spells, and conflagration on the bunker too distract from the overall Buff to win-strategy. Swap one metal, rest light seems to be the way, as all spells from light will be effective in this match up, and hounds/SD seems better than I thought.
I know for a fact I won't be able to assault his bunker in one go with WBW. He deploys them consistently behind his monsters, he told me, since there's nothing to gain from not doing so, or advancing with them. Though, I was thinking of sneaking an egg-chief in after the war machines on one side, and chamo's wherever they can find a nook on the other. Or should I be targeting something else, like the bunker with that rascal? Deploys several 10-archer units and multiple horse archers across the board "win deployment". Tips on how to deploy my forces accordingly?