Age of Sigmar: The Ossiarch Tomb Kings
We’re not saying that the new Ossiarch Bonereapers are Tomb Kings Re-imagined for Age of Sigmar…But maybe take a look first.
Last month I posed the question: Was the Tithe going to be Tomb Kings or Vampire Counts 2.0. Well, after some closer analysis (and the fact that we have a boat load of models to compare them too) I think the answer is pretty obvious. That said, when you really think about it, the fact that the new Ossiarch Bonereapers take a lot of inspiration from the Tomb Kings makes a ton of sense. Nagash, after-all, had a lot of ties to the Tomb Kings in the lore as Khemri was his home. Perhaps Nagash still has some subsconscious attachment to the place of his birth and that influenced the look.
Perhaps that the lore reason behind the look – but I have another theory that’s more rooted in production restrictions and developmental timelines. Personally, I think these Ossiarch Bonereapers were supposed to come out sooner as the re-imagining of Tomb Kings. The End Times happened in 2015 and that’s when we got a “first look” at the Morghast models. I think GW saw something in those and then decided to start developing them out further. However, the rebranding and AoS launch wasn’t as…smooth as GW would have liked. Maybe that caused them to put some of these projects on the back burner.
We’ve heard it can take between 2-3 years to get a new army out the door and if the Bonereapers did get shelved for a bit, then that explain what took them so long. I also think the development shifted more towards Stormcasts to help anchor the AoS line (similar to how Space Marines anchor 40k) which basically got 3 armies worth of updates and is actually one of the larger lines of miniatures in total*.
But enough with the rampant speculation – let’s get to those models and see exactly what I’m talking about!
Skeleton Warriors/Tomb Guard -> Mortek Guard
We’ve seen Sword and Board as well as Spear and Shield versions of the Mortek Guard. These models certainly share some DNA with the Skeletal Warriors/Tomb Guard from the Tomb Kings. Although being bone constructs does afford them a bit more personality and girth. And yes, noses – but we’ve seen versions without the nose so everyone can chill out.
Skeleton Horsemen -> Kavalos Deathriders
The kavalos Deathriders are the mounted unit for this army and they ride bone construct mounts. The Tomb Kings were known not just for their cavalry but also their chariots – is there chance GW has something else planned for the Bonereapers cavalry options? I think a chariot would be the final nail in the sarcophagus, so to speak.
Ushabti -> Necropolis Stalkers
The Ushabti were the elite warriors of the Tomb Kings. They were heavy hitters and were pretty good sized models back in the day. Clearly they were the inspiration for the new Necropolis Stalkers. That and maybe a Tyranid Hive Tyrant. Regardless, it’s a pretty straightforward line to drawn between these two units.
Screaming Skull Catapult -> Mortek Crawler
Another pair of units that has pretty clear connection. The Screaming Skull Catapult was another iconic unit of the Tomb Kings and the Ossiarch Bonereapers are bringing back a new and improved version with the Mortek Crawler.
Tomb King -> Unnamed Character
We’re not sure what to call this character for the Ossiarch Bonereapers. He’s got a contract as well as his staff – maybe he’s the Tithe Collector? Tax man? Whatever the case, the pose is pretty similar. And the head dress is rounded like the casket the character is marching around in. These might not be a 1:1 comparison, but they do seem similar.
Liche Priest -> Mortisian Priest
The Mortisian Priest (which we think is the name of this unit) certainly seems more magically inclined which is why we are comparing it to the old Liche Priest. Plus they both have “Priest” in the name. Interestingly enough, neither is carrying a staff like a more traditional wizard – they both have blades with the Halberd and Scythe respectively. It’s an interesting nod to from the newer model to the older model.
Casket of Souls -> Orpheon Katakros
The Casket of Souls and Orpheon Katakros are two centerpiece models for their respective army and are both very cinematic. Both have Men-at-arms and even the “main” models have a similar pose. The Casket is obviously looks a bit more altar-esque, but Karakros has that same “Preaching From The Pulpit” look – he’s even got his scroll-holder below him. Both have an almost priestly scene and it’s hard to unsee the similarities once you pick-up on them.
So there you have it folks. We can’t 100% confirm that the Ossiarch Bonereapers are the Tomb Kings reborn…but c’mon, man – just look at the models and judge for yourself.
Bonecast Eternals? Ossiarch Tomb Khans Kings. Whatever you want to call them – I’m 100% in on this one!
*For the record, Stormcasts currently have 59 products available. Space Marines are 1st with 118, Chaos Space Marines are 2nd with 68. Astra Militarum is in 3rd with 65. Stormcasts are tied with Aledar at 59. And no, we are NOT counting all the non-codex Space Marine kits because those are overlapped with the Space Marines line anyways. And if you’re looking at just AoS, Legions of Nagash is the closest range to the Stormcast with 43 products in that line currently available.
