Admiral:
Niche abandoned, vacuum opens up, ready for competitors to pop into according to their ability. I have just realized that there might be quite a demand among collectors for a new mummy pharaoh, or a paladin on foot with morning star, if they’re decent enough sculpts, seeing how AoW have not yet catered to that crowd… :yar
Thommy H:
IIRC, it was rumoured right from the start that no existing factions would get updated models, which is borne out by what’s happened so far. The only new armies have been the Stormcast, Bloodbound, Everchosen and Fyreslayers. Obviously Bloodbound are a bit different because they dovetail with Chaos Warriors and used some of the existing range to beef up their ranks (though some of those were arguably designed with AoS in mind anyway), but in principle any straight conversions of old models to new fluff has come without new releases. I’d expect the same with Steamhead Duardin when they show up, and Greenskinz. Aelves are a bit up in the air, since we don’t know exactly what form their armies will take: the warscroll compendiums certainly show the traditional three-faction split, but that could go out of the window: not everything in those compendiums has survived the transition to hardback, with some factions renamed or reorganised here and there.
So, while this has no bearing on Tomb Kings per se, I don’t think anyone should be too surprised that, as the range moves forward, the last vestiges of the original Warhammer setting are being discarded. That was always the plan, and the compendiums are the equivalent of Ravening Hordes at the start of 6th Edition: just something to let you get your models on the table with the new game.
Admiral:
I’ve sent out a few choice advice mails to competitors. When you think about it, it’s certainly possible to do ancient Egyptian Undead infantry better than Tomb Kings were, especially if you include the odd ragged kilt, the stray wig, and actual bronze age egyptian weaponry (not only kopesh):
Given the demand for better core units among Tomb Kings players, a plastic infantry kit of decent quality would be a safe investment.
Abandoning generic archetypes in a quest for tailored IP may not prove that lucrative… We’ll see how GW fare with the new approach (best wishes to them, even though those prices mean they don’t want my money), but this certainly leaves the field wide open for competitors. I know what I’d invest in right away if I was in, say, Mantic’s boots.
Vex:
Lets hope Wayland has some in stock by the end of the week.
Admiral:
Come to think about it, GW might not abandon the ancient Egyptian Undead niche completely. The Nagash releases featured a style that was a good-looking mix of Vampire Counts and Tomb Kings. If Death units follow the same aesthetic, they’ll basically be killing two birds with one stone. Let’s see.
Pyro Stick:
AOW say they have no plans for a skeleton unit in the near future which is a shame.
Admiral:
North Star figures does neither, at least not an Egyptian one.
JMR:
AoW’s “near future” is never near future anyways :hat off
I have to admit I’ve always had a soft spot for Tomb Kings. It’s a shame to see those miniatures disappear forever. Hope I won’t end up wishing I had bought some, 5 years from now. Just like how I’m wishing I had bought Diaz Deamonettes when they were still available. Or Big Hats for that matter…
As for the skeleton kits. There are other skeleton kits available. Not sure adding an Egyptian-themed one to the market would be the best idea. Honestly, all you need is some shields and/or weapons to add to Wargames Factory skeletons.