Dead and loving it.

Or maybe not.

Many years ago, I had a tomb kings army. Many years before that, I did a module on Ancient Egypt as part of my undergraduate degree (so useful, I know). Here, not quite filling that niche in AoS, is a new faction: Ossiarch Bonereapers. I can never decide if their aesthetic actually appeals to me or is just annoying. Weird eh?

I started researching this army without a specific goal in mind as I did not know how they worked. Now that I’ve read up and watch some videos, there’s actually two very different builds that appeal to me, so I’m going to make both lists because I’m a big boy and I said I wanted to. Okay? Good!

By the way, the lists are SkeleBangs and On A Pale Horse They Ride. Heh. I amused myself.

Goal:

First up, SkeleBangs. This list is using the Crematorian legion, which allows a model to explode when they die in melee and deal a mortal wound on a 5+ (4+ for monsters/characters, general rolls 3 dice and does d3 wounds).

This list wants things to die with a bang, then come back to die again. It’s a Death army, I’m figuring that there must be some form of reanimation mechanic.

 

Research:

Just how cool are the Mortek Guard? Rend, a good save and their own mini HQ, this does not feel like a battleline unit but there they are. This will form the core of the army, the bit to die. As the basic option, I assume that they will be the most easy to bring back too.

Gothizzar Harvesters are perfect for my goal. They bring back dead models that die close to them and are big, stompy monsters. Personally, I also find them the coolest model of the range too. Add in some magic and I think the base army is set. This research has already turned into army building, so let’s move on.

Battalions?

Nope, not this time.

Building the list:

Okay, we’re going to need three battleline units and Morteks can be up to 40 models strong… ugh, this will be a high model count army then. Fine, it’s all an experiment. I’ll start with two blocks of 40, and one of 10 to hold one of my objectives. Add in a Gothizzar Harvester for each of the big blocks too, their ability range is only 3” and one simply won’t do.

Now for some characters. I want to be able to resurrect guys and with two big blocks I would not mind the odd buff or debuff either.

The Army:

40 Morteks, 40 Morteks, 10 Morteks and two Gothizzar Harvesters gets us a big, solid core to build around. Next, we need to add a general and some form of magic to the list. Nagash is possible, but at 880 points I feel the list should be built around him, rather than fitting him into another list.

That leaves us with Arkhan and the three Mortisans: Soulreaper (damage based, I’ll pass), Boneshaper (resurrects, yes please) and Soulmason (two casts, can buff). Arkhan can heal four units every turn and rides a big stompy monster. There’s no contest, is there? I’ll add in a Boneshaper too. That leaves 100 points to spend on… nothing, endless spells it is for those then!

This, surprisingly to me, works out to be one of the cheaper armies at £300.50. 94 models, and 90 of them are the same core unit choice, that could be a chore to paint. 

Pros:

Skeleton go boom boom! Honestly, I like the imagery of this army: a legion of troops marching forwards, being loomed over by the Gothizzars as Arkhan swoops about the place.

Cons:

That’s 90 of the same model (well, same unit). That’s not fun to paint and precisely what I wanted to avoid. If I ever did do this list, I know I would use contrast on it and that’s not the project I want at this time.

Sorry Skelebros, it’s a no from me.