2250 point Infantry List - what do you think?

[TheNosferatu]

OK so this is my first attempt at an 8th Ed list in preparation for my first game with the system (against Orcs and Goblins) on Tuesday. I think it's legal (most important thing) and fairly well balanced but I'd love some feedback - particulalry from those of you who've got 8th Ed experience.

Characters

Vampire Lord - Earthing Rod (ignore first miscast), Helm of Commandment and Armour of Fortune. Dark Acolyte, Master of the Black Arts and Lord of the Dead. Also has additional fourth Magic Level.

Vampire Hero - Flayed Hauberk (2+ save) and Dawnstone (re-roll failed armour saves). Avatar of Death (Great Weapon) and Infinite Hatred.

Wight King - BSB, Sword of Kings and Nightshroud.

Necromancer - Dispel Scroll and Black Periapt. One extra spell (has Vanhels and IoN).

Core

40 Ghouls - Ghast
18 Skeleton Warriors - Musician and Standard.
20 Skeleton Warriors - Full Command.
14 Skeleton Bunkers - Full Command.

Special

22 Grave Guard - Musician and Standard with Banner of the Barrows.

Rare

Vargulf

Comes to 2240 points.


I want to have a strong magic phase so I've gone for a caster Lord supported by a Necromancer. Elsewhere I've got a hero Vampire tooled for combat and a Wight King BSB who can defend himself and hopefully add a few kills to CR. The plan is to use the big unit of Ghouls and the units of Skeletons (supplemented by IoN) as anvils and the GG and Vargulf as hammers.

The Lord will be bunkered, I want the Wight King to lead the GG but I'm not sure if I want the Vamp leading the Skeletons or the Ghouls and I don't know where to put the Necro to keep him out of harms way but still with a decent view of the battlefield. As such I've left 10 points spare and two spaces in one of the Skeleton units so I can move the Vamp and Necro around my Core units as advised. Any help or feedback would be gratefully received!

 

[Larro]

Your army doesn't have any chaff, and from what I can tell, far too many of you are all jumping on this Vhargulf bandwagon. o_o

Character setup is good, but I'd consider cutting the Vharg to up the GG to 24 and adding a Champion, and then throwing in 3x 5 Wolves. Wolves not being fast cav hurts, but they're still our only real redirectors these days.

- Larry

 

[Fujin]

I've been wondering about Wolves and redirection too and just how much of them/it will be needed. Wolves not being Fast Cav (huge hit) combined with TLoS means those once gold 5-Wolf units are extremely vulnerable to shooting - a primo target for infantry-served ranged weapons who will glance at the big blocks and quickly cast their eyes elsewhere for a target that will ensure their shooting has a higher impact.

Killing 5 Skeletons/Ghouls = nothing much achieved. Killing 5 Wolves = loss of the redirection option, loss of a complete unit, and 40pts gone that cannot be retrieved.

With attacks in combat determined by initiative, the Stepping Up rule allowing models from either side to throw some weight into combat, and charge distances involving a random element (albeit one you can average out to a result that can at least be hoped for), why bother redirecting at all?

Could you not just take the charge with a leading unit (Ghouls), force engagement in combat, trap the enemy in a tarpit, and dish out the counter-charges breaking ranks, gaining flank bonuses, and make sure your characters are in the most advantageous positions?


I was very much in the 3 x 5 Wolves camp in 7th edition (and they were always a fantastic buy and the first thing into my lists). Now I'm really reconsidering their worth.


Re: the list. No Level 4 upgrade on the Lord? Keen to hear your experiences with going casting heavy - looks exceedingly unreliable (MoDA aside).

 

[TheNosferatu]

Re: the list. No Level 4 upgrade on the Lord? Keen to hear your experiences with going casting heavy - looks exceedingly unreliable (MoDA aside).

My bad. The caster Lord does indeed have the additional level to make him level 4. I'm curious as to why you think magic heavy will be unreliable. I know magic is slightly less prescriptive and a little more erratic now but I still think it's a lot safer than having a combat Lord.

Larro I take your points about not having any redirecting units but since reforming is so easy now and charging carries far less value than in the 7th ed (not to mention the fact that the Wolves themselves having been nerfed) I just don't see them as being anything more than free points for my opponent.

However in an attempt to mix things up a little (and also because I'm facing Orcs & Goblins) I've decided to reduce the number of Grave Guard to 20 (which, with the BSB in the unit, will make 21: three ranks of 7) and remove one unit of Skeletons to include 4 Wraiths. I know Wraiths are potentially more vulnerable in the new edition however with my magic I'm confident in my ability to protect them and given the lack of magical attacks in an Orc & Goblin army, I think they'll provide my opponent with a problem or two.

The Vargulf is valuable against Orcs & Goblins for its Terror causing and also for the fact that as a Vampire it allows non-Vampires to march. I don't feel Dire Wolves would bring as much to the table.

 

[Bishop]

List overall looks pretty decent.

However, the Necromancer is illegal. You can only take ONE arcane item now, including Power Stone/Dispel Scroll.

 

[Larro]

Points taken re: Wolves.

As for the Magic, I like it. Why is everyone so down the VC Magic phase? Without Magic, I don't see how you expect our overpriced troops to last a whole game and not end up costing us when they finally dissolve and give up their 200+ VPs per unit. A fighty Lord is interesting, sure, but he's also opening himself up to potential risk in HTH, and you're giving up the best Caster you can get in the list. Lore of Vamp spells are so easy to cast with the +3/+4, and between Invoke and SUH, you should be able to keep your units and expand them with ease with the addition of just 1 MotDA and a Periapt to supplement the magic phase.

- Larry