The last one is great, but the first one is my favorite: much more the soul effect to it. Grrr, Imrahil
The first one is far too Vampire Counts-y, virtually no Tomb Kings decoration at all. It looks to me as though that one was created for an End Times Nagashian Combined Undead force rather than Tomb Kings. The second one shows a bit more respect to Tomb Kings with the metal Tomb King skull on the front, but the Banshees don't fit well due to having more of the Vampire Counts aesthetic. The third one doesn't look either Tomb King or Vampire Counts-oriented, it must be for someone's army project where they've made an army using Tomb Kings rules but with a completely different aesthetic. I agree with @Lizards of Renown, the last one is the best. The most Tomb Kingy by far, and as he says there is a bit of a Necron feel to it as well.
Well, it has been an unexpected debate I don't mind too much the "VC flavor" of the first 2... after all in the original casket idea (looking at you, indiana jones) the killer souls were basically banshees, from a visual pov.
That is correct. They are conversions, I appreciate the skill and execution with which they were produced. The first two are much better looking than the last two; it isn't even close. If you want purely TK aesthetics, there already exists an official model!
Yes there is an official model, but it is no longer in production, and any sane person would avoid paying the ridiculous prices those pirates on EBay sell TK models for. Also it is rather old and outdated. The skill and execution of the conversions doesn’t matter when they are essentially supporting GW’s decision to eradicate Tomb Kings and keep Vampire Counts by replicating Tomb Kings units in a Vampire Counts army. Only the last conversion shows any real respect to the original intended army.
honestly at this point i respect any conversion, although I'm planning to use the 3D prints i am licensed and sell as the basis for any expansion of my royal legions
Or a person... clever/dedicated/lucky enough to find good deal who has enough money that those prices are worth it to them This again? They have a product that is rare and sought after. Simple supply and demand. Unless they actually stole the models in the first place, your usage of the term "pirates" is completely inaccurate and likely stemming from personal frustration. What we have here is the exact opposite of that, namely the free market at work. Nobody is being forced to make a purchase, and equally, no one has the right to dictate what they can list their property for. If they ask too much for it, nobody will buy it. If someone does buy it (which is often the case) then it was a perfectly fair, legal and mutually agreed upon exchange. I don't see what is wrong with selling something at market value. What is the alternative? Do they have to sell their legally owned property at values you personally deem to be fair? It is old, but it is still an epic model. Lots of great older models hold up perfectly well today, for example: Be'lakor, Slann, Hellcannon and the Juan Diaz Daemonettes (which are still better than any iteration produced since). Do you feel that either of those latter two conversions are better than the official Casket of Souls model? I don't, but you are free to feel differently. The skill and execution does indeed matter. This is once again a simple product of your personal bias. I get it, you don't like Vampire Counts, but others feel differently. Those hobbyists have every right to convert their model as they see fit. It has nothing to do with your personal vendetta against GW for their VC-TK decision. You have no idea what their intention was. Maybe they are doing a crossover army. Maybe they like the VC aesthetics. Maybe they have created their own personal story/lore. Does Lahmia ring a bell? The TK and the VC are intertwined in lore. You created your own personal WFB Tyranid army (and good on you, I see nothing wrong with you pursuing your own vision of the hobby). However, please acknowledge that WFB Tyranids are a far greater stretch than a Vampire Counts inspired Casket of Souls. That said, we're all free to like (or dislike) any conversions we want. I appreciate the skill and execution of the first two. Also I'd wager that if voted on in a conversion competition, either of my selections would defeat your chosen champion from among the four. That's just my guess though.
I like the Ushabti the most. Those hybrid mummies feel a bit over the top and I like the esthetics of the other two, but not the models as a whole. Grrr, Imrahil
What are your thoughts on the amount of stand in models for TK if GW decides to put them back in TOW. Will there be more or less alternative models available(seeing GW's policy of allowing only there models in store)? Grrr, Imrahil
What percentage of Warhammer players play in a GW store though? If GW wants to combat alternative models, they have to release some stunning models of their own. All things being equal, GW models are typically prized above all others.