2400 Character Bus

[Rosebud]

Since I don't have black knights yet or enough mounted characters for the BK bus, I figured an infantry bus might work. The lord is pretty standard. I figured dread knight is good for the baby vamps because they'll always be in a unit with a higher leadership vampire (unless lord is dead but the game is over anyways), so the requirement to challenge is not a drawback. The baby vamp with OTS will have to be placed away from the lord of course. Thoughts?

Vampire lord - Lvl 4 vampires, QB, RF, OB, TOP, Enchanted shield, heavy armor

Vampire - lvl 1 shadow, dreadknight, QB, sword of might, arkhan, heavy armor, shield

Vampire - lvl 1 vampires, dreadknight, QB, dragonhelm, OTS, GW, heavy armor

Vampire - lvl 1 death, dreadknight, QB, luckstone, Silvered Steel, GW

5 wolves
5 wolves
5 wolves
40 skeletons, FC, swiftness
24 Zombies, musc, std
24 Zombies, musc, std
21 Zombies, musc, std

8 CHorrors
1 Spirit Host
3 Varghiests

1 Terrorgheist

 

[Larro]

If you don't want to use the usual Banshee wall setup, there are a few minor changes with characters I'd suggest.

If you aren't giving your Lord the Charmed Shield, I'd suggest giving him the OTS instead. This way you don't have to worry about positioning, and it frees up item slots.

I'd then dump 1 of the Vampires, preferably the Shadow caster, and turn him into a Wight King with the Nightshroud and a GW. Nightshroud is amazing, especially in tandem with the other items you have here, and it protects your squishy, expensive characters from high Strength weapons.

So your Blender is the usual S7, 4+ Ward, OTS, with 4+/4++, Nightshroud Wight King, and 2 Vampires kitted out for fighting. I'd give 1 of them a Dispel Scroll, Potion of Strength and Enchanted Shield, and the other guy I'd give the MR3 item + Dragonbane or Luckstone, though you seem partial to the Book.

The rest of the list looks solid.

- Larry

 

[Rosebud]

I felt the book was originally needed to increase chance of re-rolls on the GW-carrying vamps. Taking your advice, I think both GWs get dropped in favor of plain hand weapons to accommodate the shields, since I lose the silvered steel. Maybe I misread but only get to pick one of MR3, luckstone, and DBG as they are all talismans. I'll definitely choose MR3. Here's the new loadout. Looks pretty good. I gained more general survivability and re-rolls, which should make up for lost damage output of 3rd vamp hero. Thanks for the feedback.

lord- lvl4 lov, QB, RF, OB, TOP, OTS, heavy armor, shield
vamp - lvl1 lov, QB, DK, DScroll, Eshield, PoS, heavy armor, enchanted shield
vamp - lvl 1 death, QB , DK, OLoadstone, heavy armor, shield
WK - GW, nightshroud, heavy armor

these updates free up 47 points for a 2nd host or 4th vghiest

 

[The Sun King]

My main concern with this list is that you effective have only one unit that can deal damage: the bus.

 

[Larro]

8 Crypt Horrors can do plenty vs. the right targets, and there's still a TG and a support unit of Vargs to go wizard hunting. I think there are sufficient threats.

Besides, how many threats do we usually get to bring? Vamps and multiple threats don't really exist; the very fact that we crumble and operate in a small bubble of Healing and Marching almost requires we use mutually supportive units. You engage the meat of the opponent and break it, and win that way. 8 CHs + a Bus can handle 2 threats, while the rest ties it down, TG screams, and Vargs do their thing. I don't use my TG anymore, but this list still works.

- Larry

 

[The Sun King]

Larry, I respect you immensely but for once I disagree with you - I think VC has many units that have a good damage output. Hexwraiths, Ghoul hordes, Vargs, Blenders, Blood Knights (if you can keep them alive), TG's, Banshees, Wraiths (in a skellie bus), Lore of Death, GG, Spearletons (with Mindrazor).

 

[Larro]

I agree with some of those selections, but my point was more about how many do you ever actually get to fit into a VC army?

By the time you take your 800-1000 points of characters + 600 point Core tax, you're fitting in 1-2 other *real* threats. It isn't like we play WOC, where almost every unit down to our Core Chariots are potentially dangerous threats.

- Larry

 

[Rosebud]

Sun King,

In this list I feel the durability of the 8 crypt horrors would be sorely missed if I swapped them out for GG/hex/VGs. Also I've found my ghoul horde tends to wilt without characters in the unit and get in the way of charge lanes for stronger combat blocks. As for rares, bloodknights need at least 325 pts and I worry about them overrunning in the way of the bus. I've never used a black coach but maybe it makes sense in this list as I understand it's also good at holding up units and has a better save against cannons. Will have to get a few games in.

 

[Larro]

Considering you fit in a TG + the 8 Crypts, and still have a dive-bomb Varg unit, I think you've got threats covered. I wouldn't change it, outside of maybe some tinkering with the Items and character setup. The rest of it looks good enough.

- Larry