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LORD: 509 points
Vampire Lord: Level 4 Wizard, Shield, Heavy Armour, Talisman of Preservation, Ogre Blade, Red Fury, Quickblood, Summon Creatures of the Night

HEROES: 310 points
Necromancer: Level 2 Wizard, Master of the Dead, Talisman of Endurance
Tomb Banshees x2

CORE: 680 points
Skeleton Warriors x55: Spears, Full Command, War Banner
Zombies x50: Musician, Standard Bearer
Dire Wolves x10: Doom Wolf
Dire Wolves x10: Doom Wolf

SPECIAL: 454 points
Fell Bats x9
Bat Swarms x5
Spirit Host x3

RARE: 545 points
Varghulf x2
Black Coach

We're limited to 3 ethereal choices, so the Ethereal Host is a unit. And we're limited to max 50 zombies.

I'll place the two hordes in the middle, with the vampire lord + banshee in one, and the necromancer + banshee in the other. The wolves, bats, swarms, and spirit host are on one side (mostly). The three rares go on the other side. Being vampiric and independent, they can rush forward to smash a side of the enemy's army. This seems like a normal tournament army. Thoughts? Criticisms? Advice?

Warbanner is 35 points, can't take it on skeletons.
Too many points in rares.
Bat swarms are too big, take 2 smaller units instead, or swap some out for fellbats.
You really need 1 more unit that can dish out damage. Normally I'd say swap 2 banshees for 3 wraiths (heroes for combat) but you're limited on ethereals.

You're sorely lacking hitting power in melee. Especially at a 2500 point level.

-Matt

Thanks! I switched to the Screaming Banner.

Rares are 25%. 2500/4=625. Is there something I'm not seeing?

I may split up the fell bats and bat swarms into smaller units.

Where is the army lacking melee power specifically? What about the two varghulfs and black coach? I can't boost the Core much.

I think the Black Coach has been nerfed into uselessness, and I'm not super sold on felbats either. I'd suggest what you need is a large unit of crypt horrors. Varghulfs on the corners and crypt horrors in the middle makes nearly everyone nervous, particularly when you have one spell for re-rolls to hit and another one for re-rolls to wound.

Okay, thank you. Here's a new army list. I broke up the units to make it clearer.

LORD: 509 points
Vampire Lord: Level 4 Wizard, Shield, Heavy Armour, Talisman of Preservation, Ogre Blade, Red Fury, Quickblood, Summon Creatures of the Night

HEROES: 310 points
Necromancer: Level 2 Wizard, Master of the Dead, Talisman of Endurance
Tomb Banshee
Tomb Banshee

CORE: 645 points
Skeleton Warriors x50: Spears, Full Command, Screaming Banner
Zombies x50: Musician, Standard Bearer
Dire Wolves x10: Doom Wolf
Dire Wolves x10: Doom Wolf

SPECIAL: 458 points
Crypt Horrors x6
Bat Swarms x2
Bat Swarms x2
Spirit Host x2

RARE: 575 points
Varghulf
Varghulf
Terrorgheist

Break the spirit hosts into two single bases

"We're limited to 3 ethereal choices, so the Spirit Host is a unit."

Ah I did not see the two tomb banshees

Thanks. That being resolved, what do you think about the list?

Well for one SKellies can not take warbanner

Two I really dislike Lvl 4 Vampires as it is SOOO many points

Terrainosaur wrote:Thanks! I switched to the Screaming Banner.

Fixed

At this point I know you want lots of magic but I'm a fan of the Ghoul King on a Terrorgeist. When you charge him into a unit, you should be able to wreck it with decent rolls. With Red Fury, you can get some 14 attacks that re-roll to hit (hatred) at S5. On top of that you have a beast that will assist in chewing the enemy and causing terror as well. I've used it that way and its something someone just doesn't expect. Its pricey but IMO, its worth it

If you still want a Lvl 4 Necro and just take the Terrorgheist off the Ghoul King off him and give him scabscrath. That one model hits like a load of bricks. Give him flying if you're afraid he will not make it in HtH combat.

I find flying VC generals to be a terrible idea

Yeah flying would be a bad move, my biggest advice when playing this list would beto keep the big monsters supported and within range of the lore attribute to keep them topped off on wounds. Make sure the big monsters dont go off half cocked either, one bad round will make them crumble.

I never understood why people think that the coach is nerfed now, sure it no longer drains your opponents dice but it also doesnt drain your own power and its essentially the same beyond that. I mean many armies dont have the tools to deal with an ethereal, flying chariot.

The reason the coach is nerfed is we have no way to get reliable strong magic phases in order for it to level up. And if you say MOTBA I will reach through this screen and kill you!

Number one MotBA is useful for a vamp casting lord, sorry to mention it but threats from a kid from cali I think are just hilarious. Take a combat VC lord if you want, but I wouldn't level him up, but instead fit in a master necro for the points. Sure the black coach requires a powerful magic phase but so does raising the dead, getting off those necessary buffs, etc so a strong magic phase is kinda vital for a lot of tactics necessary for the army (coincidentally helped a lot by having MotBA). I would split up the big units of bats and wolves just so you have additional redirectors. Your army cant really handle a big deathstar so slowing it down for a couple of turns could mean the difference between a victory and a crushing defeat.

Threats? Nah twas more of a joke. Just like MotBA It is a over costed and unreliable power. Our magic phase is important but no longer as vital as it once was. We can now make do with multiple small small casters or just one big one.