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First off, I've just started wood elves with the new release, however I have army ADD, and am already looking at future projects. I was looking at VC and TK, and I really like the lore, themes and most of the models for each. I really hate the TK core models though, and the zombies, but bar that they're pretty consistently cool. I was wondering how easy it would be to make 2 armies that use a lot of the same models? (As TK and Egypt/Khemri themed VC) for example using converted Crypt Horrors as Crypt Horrors in VC and as Ushabti in TK?

thanks

Lahamiran Vampires (those of the Sisterhood of Silver Pinnacle) may well use the ancient styles of warfare of their Queens ancient home.

interchangeable armies would be fine I should think

Awesome! I'll have to look into the Lahamiran vampires. My idea is to come up with an interchangeable core of like skeletons that can be used in both, grave/tomb guard made from a mix of the two that can be used in both, etc, then by swapping out the more specific models I can use both armies. (Almost) 2 for 1!

They're two of the more interchangeable armies, but it depends what models you like, and which ones you don't, really. For example, using TK skeletons as VC skeletons (I know a guy who does this) would be fine, but trying to proxy a Necrosphinx as something from the VC codex wouldn't be, at least not without a hefty conversion job.

I've seen necrosphnix counts as zombie dragon / terrorgheist. While it does seem cheap bastardy it can work if your opponent allows it.

And of course, if you were able to convert a Necrosphinx up to look like it was half-dragon-zombe...

You could probably make it work as long as you put some effort in. Showing up to a game, Plonking a TK army down and calling them VC would be a bit naff. If its well thought out though, with cool conversions etc. it would be fine I think.

Thanks guys, but I decided to just do Tomb Kings in the end

ImAGeek wrote:
Thanks guys, but I decided to just do Tomb Kings in the end

I'm a Tomb Kings player who recently switched over to Vampire Counts out of frustration with the army. TK are good fun against casual opponents in a very friendly environment, but the more competitive your gaming group gets (which I've found seems to be a natural evolution for most groups the more they play) the more boring and frustrating the TK become. They just don't have the tools to deal with all comers effectively.

That said, if you're looking to overlap then my suggest would be to play both armies skeleton-heavy. Wargames Factory has some pretty gorgeous GW-alternative skeletons that are extremely cheap compared to the VC variety ($20 for 30, rather than $30 for 10, and you get a discount if you buy lots). I'm currently running two units of 40 skeletons in my TK-themed VC list, with another unit of 14 as a bunker for my mages.

From there the overlap is actually more minimal than you'd think. I've toyed around with adding a "pillar of swirling sand" to my two caskets to function as mortis engines, which I think could be cool. However, for the rest of the models you're effectively just proxying. Halberdguard as GW Grave Guard is an almost-acceptable stand-in, but most everything else your friends might get a little annoyed at you "never playing with 'real' models."

That said, overlapping 50-100 core skeletons between two armies isn't too bad. And if you paint them all up with a consistent them you'll have a pretty sweet looking force for your display tray. You can also recycle old models that have fallen out of favour for you into bits to convert options for your other army. For instance, my carrion and ushabti have long since been cut from my competitive TK army. But hacking off the carrion wings to add to Ushabti and now I've got some pretty sweet TK-themed vargheists. That's the real benefit to running the two armies in tandem, in my mind.

If you can find another TK/VC player to swap out bits with then you're really in the clear. I've got a few friends with "traditional" VC armies, and I've gotten lots of bits throwing them the gothicy bits I don't want in return. I'm scratch-building "crypt horrors" out of the extra CH arms and heads from my buddy's vargheist boxes, which I'm turning into "mummies." Should look awesome...when I get it all finished.