Bus with vamps

[gorgonites]

I am looking to grow my VC and include a bus for a vamp or two to ride around in causing havoc. Basically I am wondering whether people use Blood Knights or Black Knights considering the FAQ and reasons why. Also how many of each are people using in 2000-2400 point games?

 

[Gatti]

Black knights seem to be the consensus. I have used a blood knight bus with a lord and BSB (7 + banner of blood keep + MR(2) item on BSB to give a 2+ ward save against lore of metal or lore of light, since both lores are common in my meta), and it has done pretty well, but it is really difficult to use. The entire thing relies on that unit seeing combat, and its so easy to block that unit that it can be cumbersome at times. Plus only raising 1 per cast means it doesn't handle gunlines as well. That said, when it hits, it pretty much destroys anything. When backed with bat swarms (to remove their ASF), it decimated a white lion horde of 30.

Typically, black knight busses are much more common, since a LV 4 in the unit restores 5 models, and because they don't have frenzy, they are more more easy to manage in a game against a skilled opponent. Basically, it relies on the vampires to kill, and the black knights are there mainly to give ranks and provide lookout sir rolls against cannons and such (they will kill some things, but the amount they kill will pale in comparison to what the vampires drag down). Consequently, most run 3 or so combat vampires and/or wight kings in a unit of 12+ black knights with Full Command (deployed 5 wide so it has 3 ranks). The unit should be able to drop quite a few models, so the 3 ranks from the black knights should be breaking steadfast in 2 rounds against anything that isn't 10 ranks deep.

 

[midean]

I also prefer black knights cause of cost and raising back. This is usually what I run in my bus.
8 Knights with FC and banner of swiftness: This is my hammer....
Vamp Lord L2: HA, Shield, Red fury, Quick blood, Ogre blade, Dragon helm, Talisman of Preservation, barded nightmare, potion of foolhardiness Vamp lore
WightKing: HA, GW, barded nightmare, Nightshroud, ironcurse icon 155
Vamp hero L2: Barded Nightmare, shield, AoD, red fury, 240 Shadow lore
Necro L1: Nightmare, Book of arkhan, Terrifying mask 130 Vamp lore

Yeah it may seem a lot of points in one unit but is has staying power and great movement with the book in there. I run them in a lance formation and make way when I get into combat with the WK in the middle. Ran them into a unit of 50 dwarves in horde formation with GW. Took me about 2 1/2 turns to hack thru them all. All I lost was my hero. And that was pretty much cause I couldn't get a spell off to save his life....

 

[Seneschal]

2500 points,

10 Black Knights, cmd, barding, lances, Banner of Swiftness/Barrows.

VL, lvl 3, RF, QB, Sword of Might, Other trickster's shard, dragonhelm, 4+ ward, shield, heavy armor, barded nightmare

Vamp, lvl 1, shadow magic, scroll, sword of swift slaying, heavy armor, shield, barded nightmare, RF

WK, BSB, Nightshroud, ICI, steed, shield

 

[Nagashizzar]

2500 points,

10 Black Knights, cmd, barding, lances, Banner of Swiftness/Barrows.

VL, lvl 3, RF, QB, Sword of Might, Other trickster's shard, dragonhelm, 4+ ward, shield, heavy armor, barded nightmare

Vamp, lvl 1, shadow magic, scroll, sword of swift slaying, heavy armor, shield, barded nightmare, RF

WK, BSB, Nightshroud, ICI, steed, shield

What formation do you use with 13 models?

 

[Seneschal]

They function as extra wounds. 5 or 6 wide depending on what I'm facing, usually 5.

 

[Nagashizzar]

They function as extra wounds. 5 or 6 wide depending on what I'm facing, usually 5.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[gorgonites]

Thanks for the ideas. I definitely want to run cav since I love the models and I will be getting those painted soon to see how they work.

 

[Count Matthewzilla]

Blood Knights are fun even though the FAQ does dampen them a bit. However, they are as stated less character reliant as they can kill on their own. I like throwing them in a list with a black knight bus, because the dual threat really intimidates people.