Dear Johnny

[bigbadbat]

Mostly shadow for the bs. Probably death for the gbs.

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Good choices. Jagged dagger 4+ ward and fencers on a death mage is the way too go.

 

[bigbadbat]

What frontage would you use for the bff's?

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Either horde or 7 wide

 

[Toastface]

I'm currently building my 1k army and have the list already set up; this is my first fantasy army (i played 40k for 9+ years on and off so i'm still learning the fantasy rules). Im using a unit of 20 (19 ghouls and my vampire) and a unit of 27 zombies....I bought some movement trays on ebay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/261067344074?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648#ht_500wt_1413) and also plan on buying some, but i'm not sure overall what size blocks of the units I should use... I'm thinking 5x5 for the ghouls, but I don't know if thats good or bad (main enemy at first is going to be ogres), and then I'm not sure at all what to do with the zombies...I'm thinking 10 in the first and second row and then the last 7 in the third so that by the 2nd turn it'll generally be big enough...

 

[Johnny-Crass]

I like smaller ghouls 7x3/4 and zombies in 5x whatever you want.

 

[Noobafrass]

DearJohnny,

I'm seeing a lot of people putting fencers blades on their casters. Can you please explain this?

 

[bigbadbat]

Pretty sure this is a beastman specific tactic, maybe ogres. Their casters are ws 4, and are much more resilient in combat, brayshamans have access to wargear that for every model they kill, they can use them as PD.

 

[Chaos_Born]

It's also not a bad idea on a plague priest. Leaves you with a WS10, 5 Attack, T5 beast

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Fencers blades is for Slaughter Masters, Great Brays and Great Savage Orc Mages. Since most mages can not take armor it gives good protection to frontline mages. Add that to the fact that all of those listed mages can outfight some lords and most heros and you get a beastly item

 

[Demian]

Dear Johnny:

I'll be playing my first 2500pts game, and I'm unsure if I should:

- Take 6 Core Units (1 Skelies, 2 Zombie Tar pits, 1 Zombie Bunker, 2 Wolves) to make my army a total of 13 Units

OR

- Take only 4 Core Units (1 Ghoul Horde, 1 Zombie Tar pit, 1 Zombie Bunker, 1 Wolves) and make my army a total of 11 Units, but with a little bit more threat due to the Ghoul Horde

It'll be a Master Necrodeath / SGK combo, with a Black Knight Cav support bus, Terrorgheist /Varghulf combo and Fell Bats/Spirit Host support.

Thanks!

 

[Johnny-Crass]

The second one is what I run to great use

 

[sackree]

Dear Johnny,

Is it possible to make a high mobile and competitive VC army?

I'm looking at around 2400pts and plan on having double varghulf, multiple units of varghesits, a terrogheist and a large black knight bus with a lord in it. This means my main hammer can march from my lord and the rest of my flanking troops are vampiric so do not need to be in his bubble.
If core is filled in with tarpitters and I add few spirit hosts as well, would this make an effective list?

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Besides the double varghulf I would say yes. I used to be a huge fan of this guy but the more I play with both flavours of ghiests the more I realize that he is just too lack-luster.

 

[Vengeance Crusader]

Dear Johnny,

I have two questions:

Firstly, what do you feel is the best formation for large (35-40) units of skeletons? A hoard to maximise hits? Or a deep block to deny steadfast?

And Second, what is your opinion on Hexwraiths?

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Questions 1: Deep as I have found Skelies have a very lackluster fighting style
Question 2: I like them. Fast moving and most people are terrified of them. They are painfully fragile though.

 

[Yorga]

Dear Johnny:

1) Is "lackluster" the word for the day?

2) How much damage have you actually inflicted with Hexwraiths?

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Word of the week. I use them for things like monsterous cav hunting. They never kill much but they draw tons of fire which I enjoy

 

[bigbadbat]

I like to deploy them last lined up an encampment of warmachines and watch opponent shuffle all his magic users that direction panicking to get rid of them. They are a cancer to the back line. Also not too bad of a bullet to throw into a mage bunkered up reforming into Johnny Wolf mode!

 

[Vengeance Crusader]

Thanks for the swift response, I have another one for you though:

I have 20 Dire Wolves that have not seen action since before our last book, how would you say is the best way to field and use them in battle?

 

[Chaos_Born]

In units of 5. Probably two or three packs, for use as chaff

 

[Strig]

In units of 5. Probably two or three packs, for use as chaff

Yep very good use of them. They can help kill some of weak flankers (preferably no AS or a 6+).

Also very good as redirectors in 3x2 form. Last game against empire I had them redirect a unit of Flaggelents straight across no man's land, landing directly in front my Black Knight bus with Vamp Lord. They certainly were given the chance to die for the cause on my turn, hah!

- Strig

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Yupp 3 units of 5, deployed 3 wide.

 

[Yorga]

Thanks for the swift response, I have another one for you though:

I have 20 Dire Wolves that have not seen action since before our last book, how would you say is the best way to field and use them in battle?

Redirect...block....redirect....block and redirect. 'Nuff said.

 

[TK6445]

Sorry why 3 wide? What 3 in the front rank and two in the rear?