1000 pt. First Attempt (help needed)

[Vallek]

Hey all,

Long time lurker, very few posts.

I started putting together a list for VC a long while ago. I hit a financial speed bump and had to put the hobby on the back burner. However, now that I have the funds I want to start this army. This is a hypothetical 1000 point list featuring models not only reasonable for this points bracket but also models that will hopefully be useful in future larger army totals.

The basic idea is the Master Necro is General and he sits in the 24 count Zombie bunker. The 25 count Zombie tarpit is positioned ahead of this unit so that both of them can benefit from even low casting value IoN's. The baby Vamp will guard one of the flanks with the Crypt Ghoul unit and he brings some serious killing potential as he is built. Couple that with the killiness of Crypt Ghouls and if he lands a flank charge it will be devastating. The Crypt Horrors go on the other flank and function much the same way as the Vamp unit except it is a little less threatening and thus hopefully might not be prioritized as a target to be concerned about.

The Dire Wolves and the Spirit Host are meant to function as warmachine hunters/Interference. If the enemy brings a small unit without magic attacks the Spirit host can also rush and ruin whatever plans were in place for them.

Thoughts on my list? On my magic item selection? On my tactical approach? Please feel free to be as critical as possible.

 

[Zully]

Hey all,

Long time lurker, very few posts.

I started putting together a list for VC a long while ago. I hit a financial speed bump and had to put the hobby on the back burner. However, now that I have the funds I want to start this army. This is a hypothetical 1000 point list featuring models not only reasonable for this points bracket but also models that will hopefully be useful in future larger army totals.

The basic idea is the Master Necro is General and he sits in the 24 count Zombie bunker. The 25 count Zombie tarpit is positioned ahead of this unit so that both of them can benefit from even low casting value IoN's. The baby Vamp will guard one of the flanks with the Crypt Ghoul unit and he brings some serious killing potential as he is built. Couple that with the killiness of Crypt Ghouls and if he lands a flank charge it will be devastating. The Crypt Horrors go on the other flank and function much the same way as the Vamp unit except it is a little less threatening and thus hopefully might not be prioritized as a target to be concerned about.

The Dire Wolves and the Spirit Host are meant to function as warmachine hunters/Interference. If the enemy brings a small unit without magic attacks the Spirit host can also rush and ruin whatever plans were in place for them.

Thoughts on my list? On my magic item selection? On my tactical approach? Please feel free to be as critical as possible.

my only critism is your use of ghouls, firstly you have too many points in core, secondly, ghouls die, they take things down as they die, but they still die in droves, your points are better spent elsewhere imo (I actually use the ghouls that come in the mantic army set to bolster my zombie ranks)

if you want a lot of fun and as this points list is theoretical, get a terrorgiest, not only is it an amazing model, they are awesome, get two... you wont regret it

I like what you have done with your baby vamp and the rest of your choices are solid, I think you would benefit from having more horrors, but that's only a minor suggestion at this points level

 

[Vallek]

Thanks for the response and helpful criticism.

I was actually waffling back and forth between 25 Crypt Ghouls and 20 Great Weapon GG. I would need to reinvest more points back into my core and shift some things around so lets see what I can come up with.

I'll post later with an updated list.

 

[Zully]

I strongly suggest hexwraiths over GG, all the feedback ive received is they are VERY strong at 1000 points, them or black knights, im trying out a black knight force this weekend so I will have a bit more to say about them soon

 

[Vallek]

I strongly suggest hexwraiths over GG, all the feedback ive received is they are VERY strong at 1000 points, them or black knights, im trying out a black knight force this weekend so I will have a bit more to say about them soon

The only problem I have with going Hexwraiths are that I'm not trying to build a specific 1k force but rather collecting models with a 2k+ army in mind so that I don't eventually have "only good at lower brackets" models collecting dust on my shelf. Everything I've heard is Ethereal has become less of the ungodly beast that it used to be due to proliferation of magical attacks (All daemons, tons of skaven stuff, cheap magic weapons, ect.)

The suggestion for Black Knights is an interesting one though. I'll have to do some reading on them as it had been my understanding that cavalry units had taken a serious hit in 8th edition... but maybe having them led by a vamp with IoN might mitigate some of those weaknesses.

 

[Vallek]

Taking the suggestions given into consideration, here is my revised list.

~~ Lords ~~ 195 pts.

Master Necromancer - Level 3, Talisman of Endurance, Lore of Vampires

~~ Heroes ~~ 185 pts.

Vampire - Level 1, Heavy Armor, Shield, Lance, Barded Nightmare, Red Fury, Lore of Vampires

~~ Core ~~ 254 pts.

34 Zombies (Tarpit)
24 Zombies (Necro Bunker)
10 Dire Wolves (Might split these into 2 units of 5)

~~ Special ~~ 140 pts.

5 Black Knights - Standard Bearer, Barding, Lances

~~ Rare ~~ 225 pts.

Terrorgheist

Total: 999


I wish that unit of Black Knights was larger, but at this point total there isn't much fat to trim off and beef up units. As you can see by the Vampire now being mounted, he goes in with the Black Knights to be a much faster flanker. Terrorgheist is now a flexible battlefield roamer.. he can pick off warmachines as easily as offer flank support.

 

[Vallek]

Any further advice on this revised army build? Any weaknesses I should shore up?

 

[Corien Sumatris]

It's not a bad looking list, I would just make sure that you don't throw those knights into something they can't handle. 5 can drop reaaaalll quick!

 

[Vallek]

It's not a bad looking list, I would just make sure that you don't throw those knights into something they can't handle. 5 can drop reaaaalll quick!

Do you think I should go with something a little safer? Like Grave Guard? Keep in mind I have yet to actually purchase most of these models so any suggestions for change now would be good as it could guide my buying. I really want to limit my spending to things I will still be using in a few months once I have more money to invest into the army.

 

[Corien Sumatris]

Well BK's are great with a character in them, and this will be a solid list at 1,200pts, when you can run like 9 of them. They will probably be a staple in every list you write from here on out, they're just harder to use in low point games. I mean, 13 BK's with a Lvl 4 Blender Lord, and a Wight King with the Night Shroud is almost unstoppable, but that's a unit that'll go in a 2,400 point list.

Also, I know you want to raise your points down the road. TG's are great in low points, but once you get to 2000+ lists, you're going to want to run 2 Mortis Engines. I know, it's a lot of money but it's just something to think about as you raise your points.

 

[Vallek]

Well BK's are great with a character in them, and this will be a solid list at 1,200pts, when you can run like 9 of them. They will probably be a staple in every list you write from here on out, they're just harder to use in low point games. I mean, 13 BK's with a Lvl 4 Blender Lord, and a Wight King with the Night Shroud is almost unstoppable, but that's a unit that'll go in a 2,400 point list.

Also, I know you want to raise your points down the road. TG's are great in low points, but once you get to 2000+ lists, you're going to want to run 2 Mortis Engines. I know, it's a lot of money but it's just something to think about as you raise your points.

Great, thanks for that input. Now, are you saying the TG is worthless at high point value games? Or that the Mortis Engine is just so awesome that 2 eventually become staples of any army list? Everything I've read on the Mortis Engine makes it seem like a rotten tomato.. roll doubles and it wounds itself for a limited range regen buff that also does very limited damage to enemies until late game. Ontop of that if you take a few cannon shots the thing explodes and damages all the units close to it. It kind of sounds like one hell of a risky investment or is that it's purpose? To intentionally draw fire as you advance?

I'm honestly not criticizing the choice.. I'm just very new to VC so need to garner as much wisdom as possible so I can make educated decisions.

 

[Corien Sumatris]

I was very much in the same idea as you. An ME just doesn't look all that hot on paper. But stick 2 of them behind 2 units of 8 Crypt horrors and watch them go to town. The crypt horrors will be getting a 4+ regen and will not die, then look at a unit of 55-75 zombies with a 5+ regen or a unit of ghouls with a 5+ regen. You're playing the attrition game now. You should have no problem killing what ever it is that you want to. Then you kamakazi them smack dab into the enemy's lines on turn 5 or 6 and watch them devistate everything!

TG's are always usable, I mean I use to run 2 in a 3,000pt list. They're just too easy to kill and the ME's have a smaller base so cannon fire isn't as scary, expecially since a Crypt horror can catch a cannon ball.

 

[Zully]

i ran a baby vamp tooled up similar to yours in a 9 strong BK bus.... oh boy, oh boy, it owned face

Vamp
+1 mastery
heavy armour
nightmare
red fury
sword of swift slaying
Dragonhelm
Talisman of protection
shield
262

on the charge i ran into a 20 strong lizardman unit with BSB and Old Blood, i issued a challenge (stupidly now i know what an oldblood can do) and he foolishly accepted with his BSB, i then caused 4 wounds on the poor BSB while my knights mowed down 4 lizardmen, the old blood killed two knights (having T4 and a 2+ armour save rocks as the poor rank and file couldn't scratch them) i won the combat by 6, unsurprisingly, he failed his panic check and i rode them into the ground

now, i know what old bloods can do, i will not issue a challenge and if he issues one to me, my poor unit champ will answer it knowing that he will just get right back up on the next nehek, i am rather squeeeeeee! about black knights now, banner of movement is an auto include now

as a result, i have already bought a second unit of 10 black knights