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Vampire Lord: Master of the Dark Arts (50) Dark Acolyte (30) Summon Ghouls (15) Helm of Commandment (30) Crimson Gem of Lahmia (20) Flayed Hauberk (25) Sword of Battle (15) LVL 3 (50)
440

Vampire: Dread Knight (25) Infinite Hatred (25) Blood Drinker (40)
190

Vampire: Dark Acolyte(30) Summon Ghouls(15) The Book of Arkhan (35)
180

Isabella Von Carstein: Beguile, Blood Chalice of Bathori, Hand Weapon
90

10x Crypt Ghouls: Ghast
88

10x Crypt Ghouls: Ghast
88

10x Crypt Ghouls: Ghast
88

5x Dire Wolves
40

5x Dire Wolves
40

Corpse Cart: Unholy Lodestone
100

Corpse Cart: Unholy Lodestone
100

11x Grave Guard: Great Weapons (10) Full Command (30) Banner of the Barrows (45)
218

5x Blood Knights: Musician(10) Standard Bearer(20) Kastellan (25) Flag of Blood Keep(75)
405

Vhargulf: Massive Fangs and Talons
175

TOTAL POINTS: 2242
TOTAL MODELS: 63

This is pretty magic heavy. I like the neat tricks with Isabella/Blood Chalice and Lord/Crimson Gem (both go in the same unit together), she can ususally heal at least 2 wounds off of him each turn so he can generate up to 9 power dice each turn (7 + however many from the Gem). I'm very unsure about the powers and equipment on the Dread Knight vampire right now. He is going to be running around with the Blood Knights most of the time and at the moment Blood Drinker is on there to bring back some Knights if they fall over or something. I'm also interested in Hand of Dust and if it is good enough to warrant finding points for somewhere. It seems brutal to charge into something, cast hand to probably knock the front rank over, then go into combat and simply mop up whats left. I'm not sure if its worth 50 points though, especially since it can stop working on a roll of 1.

Advice? Comments and constructive criticism are welcome

Your Grave Guard are going to die very easily. You want to bulk them up to at least 20, and probably more.

Personally, I'm not really a fan of your character setup. Isabella just isn't worth it IMO, and I'd change around your setup for your lord at least. His equipment is confused.

Grave guard are usually missle magnets. I like the idea with the Ghouls. I have used Hand of Dust several times, I took down a Giant with it (lucky rolling!!) I see that there is heavy magic, I do the same. My Lord usually has 7 die for herself. (I put a black periapt on a necromancer and give her the die) I agree about the equipment on the lord, I would make her/him focused on either on magic or hand to hand. Granted you want to keep it alive. I like to try and get the Always Strikes First rule to eliminate any chance of the lord being taken down. I think I am the only person who doesn't use the Unholy lodestone, I like balefire (I also play a lot of magic heavy armies). Blood Knights are Nasty but like the Grave Guard they are magnets for magic and missles. I would throw in a Black Coach and some Black Knights. I have had a lot of luck with the Black Coach. I don't care to buy special characters, the only one I would try is Konrad. Either way I think your way and my way are pretty strong. I would like to see a battle report of yours sometime!

Thanks for the comments guys! I've made a ton of changes and I'm looking at a bit of a different tack right now. I agree the lord was unfocussed so I just went and turned him into one of the stupid dreadlance killing machines (I'm still trying to find a casting-oriented lord that I like the equipment for and I'll give it another try when I find something lol). I've also dropped the Grave Guard in favor of Black Knights and picked up some Fell Bats to help flank charge and assist my fast moving units in combat (Blood Knights, Black Knights, Varghulf). Here is the updated list:

Vampire Lord: Red Fury (50) Walking Death (25) Dread Knight (25) Dreadlance (60) Wristbands of Black Gold (30) LVL 3 Magic (50)
445

Vampire: Infinite Hatred (25) Dread Knight (25) Blood Drinker (40)
190

Vampire: Dark Acolyte (30) Summon Ghouls (15) Book of Arkhan (35)
180

Vampire: Dark Acolyte (30) Summon Ghouls (15) Helm of Commandment (30)
175

10 Crypt Ghouls: Ghast
88

10 Crypt Ghouls: Ghast
88

10 Crypt Ghouls: Ghast
88

Corpse Cart: Unholy Lodestone (25)
100

5 Dire Wolves
40

5 Dire Wolves
40

3x Fell Bats
60

5 Black Knights: Barding (20) Full Command (40) Banner of the Barrows (45)
225

4x Blood Knights: Full Command (50) Flag of Blood Keep (75)
350

Varghulf
175

TOTAL POINTS: 2244
TOTAL MODELS: 58


I wound up dropping a Corpse Cart but I am really not excited about that at all. They seem very good and I like having a second Maisma to help ensure at elast 1 gets through and if they both go, the effective range of it is much bigger (since there are 2 sources). I'm considering dropping the Fell Bats and a unit of Dire Wolves to get the second Cart back but that will be cutting a lot of mobility and I'm not sure its worth it.

I'm also very undecided on Varghulf vs Black Coach and can't really decide which one I like more. the Varghulf is much quicker so it can keep up with my knights and charge with them if need be, its much better at supporting the fast moving units in the army. Ifeel like the Coach is much more resilient and hard hitting though. Is the mobility of the Varghulf really that important, especially i na list with quite a few other fast moving units?

A note on the Blood Knights: I bought a box of them (and took it hard on the price but I LOVE the models) so I would really prefer to use them. 350pts on 5 models seems unexciting. Hopefully with their save and the 4+ ward save from shooting they can live to make combat. As long as 1 is still alive at the end of the phase though, I can heal the unit if need be.

Basic idea is that the Crypt Ghouls are a center/bunnker for my magic oriented vampires while my fast units are hard hitting. The Black Knights, Blood Knights, Vampire Lord and Varghulf can all take units down (usually in some combination of 2 of those charging 1 unit.. ie the Lord and a unit of Black Knights, or a unit of Knights and the Varghulf, etc). the mobility of these units should let me find flanks on things that try to go after the Ghouls/vampires in the center. the fell bats and wolves are really there to support my fast moving units and try to make combat with them to help even CR given my strong units are low model count.

Ideas/thoughts/constructive criticism anyone?

Here is a good Magic focused lord.
Vampire Lord: Master of the black arts, Forbidden Lore, Magic Level 3, Summon Ghouls(or skeles your choice), Skull Staff, Helm of Commandment
445 pts
Stick him in a beefed up grave guard unit (20+), that is equiped with great weapons, full command, and the Banner of the barrows. Then add a Wight King BSB with the Drakenhof Banner. Whenever the unit gets close to charging hop the Lord out, and Van Hels them into combat and have them use the Helm to strike at WS7 S6 have a plus one to hit, and regeneration.

I think you really need the Varghulf's extra speed here. Simply because there isn't much in the way of staying power in your list. It also give you an extra vamp so that your oponent can't simply snipe one of your mounted chars to cut down on your maneuverability.

blackgaurd wrote:Here is a good Magic focused lord.
Vampire Lord: Master of the black arts, Forbidden Lore, Magic Level 3, Summon Ghouls(or skeles your choice), Skull Staff, Helm of Commandment
445 pts
Stick him in a beefed up grave guard unit (20+), that is equiped with great weapons, full command, and the Banner of the barrows. Then add a Wight King BSB with the Drakenhof Banner. Whenever the unit gets close to charging hop the Lord out, and Van Hels them into combat and have them use the Helm to strike at WS7 S6 have a plus one to hit, and regeneration.

Very expensive unit, but I like it!

Drahzar wrote:Blood Knights are Nasty but like the Grave Guard they are magnets for magic and missles.

Yeah, so pick one and give that unit a BSB with the Drakenhof banner, and then you have 2 saves instead of 1, and you will take very few casualties from shooting/magic.