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Counter Tomb Kings by identifying the army’s main threat, protecting your valuable units, and making each part of your force answer a specific job. Use braced spears to deter chariots, keep anti-large tools ready for monsters and cavalry, and direct armour-piercing damage at constructs rather than letting infantry screens absorb it. Also watch the Realm of Souls: after Tomb Kings take losses, it can provide map-wide healing and eventually unlock an Ushabti summon that may threaten an exposed flank or backline.
Read the army before choosing your targets
There is no single army composition that counters every Tomb Kings force. The right response depends on what is actually in the opposing roster, which faction you command, the campaign stage, and the battle conditions. A force built to deal with chariots may not be the best answer to a construct-heavy army, while an infantry line that can hold skeletons may still need help against artillery, ranged troops, or a large-unit threat.
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Before committing your damage dealers, sort the visible threats into practical categories: chariots, an infantry line, monsters or cavalry, constructs, and artillery or missile units. Then decide which units in your own army can hold, which can deal with large targets, and which can move quickly enough to exploit an opening. This is a target-prioritization framework, not a guarantee that a particular roster will win every matchup.
- Chariots: prepare a braced spear response and avoid letting vulnerable infantry be repeatedly traversed.
- Infantry: use a suitable line to hold them, but do not mistake a screen for the army’s most valuable threat.
- Monsters or cavalry: keep anti-large units and focused damage available; do not assume cavalry can charge every large-unit defender safely.
- Constructs: use armour-piercing pressure where available and avoid spending it inefficiently on disposable screening infantry.
- Artillery or missiles: look for an opening for fast pressure while protecting your own vulnerable ranged units.
The official Total War Academy battle guide describes Tomb Kings as having infantry, ranged troops, artillery, monsters, constructs, chariots, and the Realm of Souls ability. That combination is why target selection matters more than a universal recipe.
Use a quick threat-and-role check rather than deciding that one enemy unit must always be killed first. Ask what is currently disrupting your formation, what is protecting a more dangerous unit, and whether a mobile threat can reach your backline. A chariot closing on vulnerable troops may demand an immediate response; an infantry line that is merely holding ground may be less urgent if a construct is advancing elsewhere. Likewise, a fast flanking move is only useful if it does not leave your own ranged units or line without support.
Match the answer to the threat you can actually reach. Anti-large units are relevant against large targets, while armour-piercing attacks matter against armoured constructs; neither role means every unit of that type should be sent blindly at the first target it sees. If the target is screened, consider whether you can change the approach or whether holding the screen in place gives another part of your army a better opportunity.
Use your line to hold space, not to waste your best damage
Tomb Kings infantry can be comparatively weak in a straight fight, but that does not make it irrelevant. Skeleton Warriors and Spearmen can soak missile fire, and infantry can screen armoured constructs from armour-piercing attacks. If your strongest damage is spent into the screen while the construct remains protected, the enemy’s formation is doing its job.
Give your line a clear purpose: hold the opposing infantry where it is useful to hold them, protect vulnerable units, and create room for your damage dealers to engage higher-value threats. Where your faction has an appropriate anti-infantry option, it can help against the line; still, check whether infantry is simply the immediate enemy or is screening a construct you need to reach.
Target selection should change with the formation. If infantry is screening a construct, avoid sending all available armour-piercing attacks into the screen. If the line is the main immediate threat and no higher-value unit is being protected by it, deal with it while maintaining awareness of the rest of the army. Do not let a prolonged fight against the front line occupy your best units while constructs attack elsewhere.
This is also a reason to divide jobs before the armies meet. A durable or expendable unit can keep the infantry occupied while a damage dealer remains available for a construct or large threat. The goal is not to ignore the infantry: it is to avoid treating every unit in the enemy front as equally valuable. Check whether your line is still holding and whether a support unit is needed before sending more of your army into the same engagement.
The Total War Academy notes that Tomb King infantry often is outclassed in a straight fight, but can fight harder near its Tomb King because of the passive “My Will be Done” ability. When the enemy line is close to its lord, account for that support rather than assuming the infantry will perform as it might away from the lord. This is a situational modifier to your assessment, not a reason to abandon the plan of holding the line and attacking the actual priority threats.
Deny chariots the charges they want
Tomb Kings chariots can punch through infantry through their weight and numbers, so an unsupported or poorly positioned infantry unit can give them repeated opportunities to pass through. The Total War Academy’s specific warning is that chariots should avoid braced spear infantry. Use that advice to make braced spears a deterrent, rather than leaving the chariots an easy route through more vulnerable troops.
- Identify the chariot threat early. Do not wait until it has crossed your line to decide how to respond.
- Position braced spears where they deny useful approaches. Keep them in a position to cover the units or routes the chariots would otherwise exploit.
- Do not isolate vulnerable infantry. Avoid leaving it in a formation where chariots can repeatedly traverse it without encountering a reliable deterrent.
- Use other units to deal with the rest of the battle. A spear response to chariots should not leave your ranged units or other threats without protection.
The Academy’s warning is specific to braced spear infantry; it does not establish that every spear unit or formation will automatically stop every chariot in every situation. Treat it as a tactical cue to deny charges, not as a substitute for watching the engagement.
Bracing is most useful as part of a formation plan: protect the routes toward vulnerable troops, but keep enough attention on the rest of the fight to notice when the chariots change direction. If you move the spears away to chase another target, the deterrent may no longer cover the unit it was meant to protect. Conversely, do not commit every unit to the chariot if another enemy threat is becoming more dangerous. Continue to reassess the approach and which part of your formation is exposed.
Match your response to the construct or large-unit role
“Construct” is not a single battlefield role. The Academy recommends a Warsphinx when facing infantry and a Necrosphinx when facing monsters or cavalry. It also notes that Sepulchral Stalkers have charge defence versus large and can disrupt cavalry with short-range missiles. These distinctions matter when deciding which enemy unit needs attention and whether a direct charge is sensible.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Enemy threat | Priority response | Reason to adjust |
|---|---|---|
| Chariots | Braced spears or another reliable way to deny repeated charges | The Academy warns that Tomb Kings chariots should avoid braced spear infantry. |
| Infantry line | Hold it while directing damage toward higher-value threats; use suitable anti-infantry options when appropriate | Tomb Kings infantry is described as comparatively less armoured and often outclassed in a straight fight, but it can screen constructs. |
| Monsters or cavalry | Use anti-large units and focused damage; avoid unsupported cavalry charges into Sepulchral Stalkers | The Academy identifies the Necrosphinx against monsters or cavalry and says Stalkers have charge defence versus large. |
| Armoured constructs | Apply available armour-piercing pressure while seeking to avoid wasting it on a disposable screen | The Academy says Tomb Kings infantry can shield armoured constructs from armour-piercing attacks. |
| Artillery or missile backline | Use fast pressure when the formation leaves an opening, and protect your own exposed ranged units | Tomb Kings have ranged and artillery capability, and the Realm of Souls can unlock a summon that may threaten an exposed unit. |
When a construct is involved, ask what it is positioned to threaten and what is protecting it. The Academy’s examples are useful role cues, not evidence that every opponent will field those units or that a particular counter will work regardless of the opposing roster. Keep anti-large tools available for large targets, and look for the opportunity to bring armour-piercing damage to the construct rather than its screen.
Do not treat large units as interchangeable simply because they occupy similar space on the battlefield. The Academy’s examples distinguish a Warsphinx’s usefulness against infantry from a Necrosphinx’s matchup against monsters or cavalry. That is a reminder to consider the job the unit is suited to perform; it does not mean that those specific Tomb Kings units will appear in every battle, or that you should build your entire response around one expected opponent choice.
Sepulchral Stalkers deserve particular care if you rely on cavalry to make a decisive charge. The official guidance identifies their charge defence versus large and short-range missiles as tools for disrupting cavalry. Before committing, consider whether the charge is unsupported or whether another part of your force can first pressure the Stalkers. If the intended target is protected, a direct charge may deliver less than the opportunity to redirect your cavalry toward an exposed backline or another opening.
Plan for the Realm of Souls before the summon appears
The Realm of Souls can alter the battle after Tomb Kings take losses. The official Academy says its stages provide map-wide healing effects and that its third stage unlocks a powerful Ushabti summon. It advises considering whether to save that summon for a weak flank or an exposed backline unit. The tactical implication is that visible units are not the whole threat: a battle that seems settled on the front line can change when a summon becomes available.
- Watch its progression. Keep the Realm of Souls in mind as losses accumulate instead of treating the summon as an unrelated surprise.
- Protect exposed ranged units. Avoid leaving fragile or valuable backline units without a response to a summon appearing nearby.
- Check the weak flank. A thin or unsupported side may be more vulnerable than the center of your line.
- Respond promptly to the summon. If Ushabti appear near vulnerable units, redirect an appropriate response before they can exploit the opening.
The Academy notes healing effects across the stages and a powerful summon at the third stage; it does not provide a universal timetable for when those stages will occur in every battle. Watch the battle’s progression rather than planning around an assumed fixed timing.
Include the summon in your positioning decisions before it appears. A backline unit that has no nearby protection may be a tempting target, as may a weak flank where a response has been committed elsewhere. Keep your most vulnerable ranged troops from becoming isolated, and be ready to redirect a unit if the summon appears where it can reach them. This does not require abandoning the front line in anticipation of a summon; it means avoiding a formation that has no way to respond if one arrives.
Healing also matters to target priorities. Since the Academy describes map-wide healing effects as part of the Realm of Souls, assess whether damage dealt so far has meaningfully changed the battle or whether a critical threat remains active. Do not assume a particular amount of healing or a fixed trigger time: the practical cue is to keep track of the ability’s stages while deciding whether to finish a dangerous unit, hold a flank, or protect your own vulnerable troops.
Keep fast units available for backline openings
Fast units can pressure exposed missile troops or artillery when the enemy formation leaves an opening. That pressure is an opportunity, not a requirement to send mobile units forward regardless of the situation. If chariots or large units are still threatening your line, committing all fast units away from it may create another problem.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchBefore moving a fast unit toward the backline, check what protects the route and what your own formation would lose by sending it. Preserve enough support to respond to immediate threats, then use mobility where it can reach a vulnerable target without leaving a more important unit exposed. The same attention to protection applies to your ranged troops: the Realm of Souls summon makes an unattended backline a risk worth planning for.
There is a balance between opportunity and overextension. A fast unit may be able to make an artillery or missile unit respond to pressure, but an attack on the backline is not automatically more valuable than preventing a construct from reaching your line or keeping a weak flank intact. Recheck the battlefield after the move: if the enemy turns to answer the pressure, you may have created space elsewhere; if your own line is now unsupported, you may have traded one exposed unit for another.
Account for lord support without overcommitting
The Total War Academy says Tomb King infantry often performs less well in a straight fight, but fights harder near its Tomb King because of the passive “My Will be Done” ability. If the enemy infantry is close to its lord, do not assume that its general performance away from that support describes the engagement in front of you.
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The Academy also advises keeping a Necrotect hero near construct units: the hero increases their combat stats and can heal them. When choosing targets, note whether a construct is receiving that support. If it is, you may need to focus damage and avoid letting it remain protected while your units are occupied elsewhere. The Academy does not establish exact stat increases or healing amounts, so those figures should not be assumed from this guidance.
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Support is a reason to reassess the target, not a reason to send every available unit after the lord or hero. Consider whether the supported unit is the immediate danger and whether you have a safe way to apply pressure. If the construct is receiving Necrotect support, keep its healing and combat boost in mind as you decide whether your damage is having an effect. The Academy’s tactical advice is to keep the hero near constructs; it does not give a numerical bonus or specify how quickly a particular unit will be healed.
Change your expectations between campaign and other battles
Campaign AI composition can vary, and campaign rules have changed across patches. Creative Assembly’s Patch 5.2 notes describe Tomb Kings as having no unit upkeep and discuss AI building priorities intended to increase late-game recruitment of tier 4+ units, including constructs. This is campaign context, not a promise that every AI army will contain a fixed number or type of constructs.
Creative Assembly’s Patch 6.3 developer blog documents changes involving confederation, canopic jar uses, technology, unit capacities, and Books of Nagash. It also says each book improves Dune Restoration, which can restore fallen construct units after battle. Those details are relevant to campaign planning and are patch-sensitive; they do not replace checking the army you face in an individual battle.
An early campaign force and a later force built around higher-tier units may call for different priorities. Difficulty and faction AI can also affect the encounter. In multiplayer or against a player-built army, do not apply AI recruitment expectations as if they described the opponent’s roster: inspect the force actually presented and adapt your response accordingly.
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The campaign distinction matters because the broad tactical principles remain useful while the likely composition may change. Patch 5.2 describes AI priorities intended to increase recruitment of tier 4+ units late in the campaign, including constructs, but it does not guarantee a particular army. Do not prepare as if a late-game construct-heavy force is inevitable in every battle; use the observed roster as your guide. Likewise, Patch 6.3 describes faction-system changes, not a fixed battlefield tactic that overrides the units currently deployed.
Patch-sensitive mechanics also matter to strategic expectations beyond one engagement. Patch 6.3 includes changes to canopic jar uses, technologies, unit capacities, confederation, and Books of Nagash; each book improves Dune Restoration, which can restore fallen construct units after battle. These are campaign-level details that can affect the context in which an opponent’s army is assembled or preserved. They are not a reason to assume exact battle strength, and they should be checked against the current game version if you are planning around them.
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- Identify the most immediate threat. Decide whether chariots, artillery or ranged troops, cavalry, or large constructs are most likely to disrupt your plan.
- Assign roles to your own units. Keep a line to hold space, appropriate anti-large answers for large targets, available armour-piercing pressure for constructs, and fast units for openings.
- Check what is screening what. Do not treat the infantry line as the only important target if it is protecting an armoured construct.
- Set up against chariots. Use braced spears to deny charges, and avoid leaving vulnerable infantry easy to traverse.
- Track the Realm of Souls. As losses accumulate, protect the flank and backline units that could be vulnerable to the Ushabti summon.
- Reassess when the formation changes. Redirect units if a construct reaches the line, a backline opening appears, or a summon threatens a weak point.
- Separate campaign assumptions from battle facts. Use patch notes to understand possible campaign trends, but base immediate targeting on the actual enemy army.
These principles come from official Total War Academy tactical guidance and Creative Assembly campaign patch notes. They explain what to watch and how to prioritize; they are not personal playtest results or a guaranteed winning army build.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best counter to Tomb Kings chariots?
The Total War Academy specifically cautions that Tomb Kings chariots should avoid braced spear infantry. Use braced spears to deny useful approaches and protect vulnerable troops, but watch the engagement rather than assuming every spear formation will stop every chariot automatically.
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Keep track of the Realm of Souls as Tomb Kings take losses. Its stages provide map-wide healing effects, and the third stage unlocks a powerful Ushabti summon. Protect exposed ranged units and weak flanks, then respond quickly if the summon appears near a vulnerable unit. The Academy does not give a universal timetable for when the stages occur.
Should I focus Tomb Kings infantry or constructs?
It depends on what the infantry is doing. It can be comparatively weak in a straight fight, but skeleton infantry can soak missile fire and screen armoured constructs from armour-piercing attacks. If it is protecting a construct, avoid wasting your best armour-piercing damage on the screen; if the line is the immediate threat, hold or answer it while monitoring the rest of the army.
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What should I use against Tomb Kings monsters or cavalry?
Keep anti-large units and focused damage available. The Academy recommends a Necrosphinx against monsters or cavalry and notes that Sepulchral Stalkers have charge defence versus large and short-range missiles that can disrupt cavalry. Avoid assuming an unsupported cavalry charge is safe.
Do Tomb Kings always field construct-heavy armies in the late campaign?
No fixed composition is guaranteed. Creative Assembly’s Patch 5.2 notes describe AI building priorities intended to increase late-game recruitment of tier 4+ units, including constructs, but campaign armies can vary. Use the roster in front of you rather than relying on an assumed template.
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No. The best response depends on your faction, campaign stage, battle conditions, and the opposing roster. Assign roles based on whether the immediate threat is chariots, infantry, large units, constructs, or the ranged and artillery backline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best counter to Tomb Kings chariots?
The Total War Academy specifically cautions that Tomb Kings chariots should avoid braced spear infantry. Use braced spears to deny useful approaches and protect vulnerable troops, but watch the engagement rather than assuming every spear formation will stop every chariot automatically.
How should I deal with the Realm of Souls summon?
Keep track of the Realm of Souls as Tomb Kings take losses. Its stages provide map-wide healing effects, and the third stage unlocks a powerful Ushabti summon. Protect exposed ranged units and weak flanks, then respond quickly if the summon appears near a vulnerable unit. The Academy does not give a universal timetable for when the stages occur.
Should I focus Tomb Kings infantry or constructs?
It depends on what the infantry is doing. It can be comparatively weak in a straight fight, but skeleton infantry can soak missile fire and screen armoured constructs from armour-piercing attacks. If it is protecting a construct, avoid wasting your best armour-piercing damage on the screen; if the line is the immediate threat, hold or answer it while monitoring the rest of the army.
What should I use against Tomb Kings monsters or cavalry?
Keep anti-large units and focused damage available. The Academy recommends a Necrosphinx against monsters or cavalry and notes that Sepulchral Stalkers have charge defence versus large and short-range missiles that can disrupt cavalry. Avoid assuming an unsupported cavalry charge is safe.
Do Tomb Kings always field construct-heavy armies in the late campaign?
No fixed composition is guaranteed. Creative Assembly’s Patch 5.2 notes describe AI building priorities intended to increase late-game recruitment of tier 4+ units, including constructs, but campaign armies can vary. Use the roster in front of you rather than relying on an assumed template.
Does one army composition counter every Tomb Kings force?
No. The best response depends on your faction, campaign stage, battle conditions, and the opposing roster. Assign roles based on whether the immediate threat is chariots, infantry, large units, constructs, or the ranged and artillery backline.
The Bottom Line
There is no universal Tomb Kings counter army. Read the opposing roster, use braced spears to discourage chariots, preserve anti-large and armour-piercing pressure for the threats they are meant to answer, and do not let infantry screens hide constructs from your attention. Track the Realm of Souls, protect weak flanks and exposed ranged units, and adjust when the formation or campaign context changes.
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