Different Styles of Army

[Psiosis]

Hello everyone.

I'm a new VC player and have been doing lots of research regarding what type of army I want to create. I currently have no models and wanted to come up with a 2000 point list. I have been building several different lists, however I find I keep bouncing between styles of play.

BK bus
2x Engine + Infantry
2x Tbats Scream Lists
1 Tbat, 1 Engine hybrid lists

I was hoping that I could get a little insight on how each of the numerous styles of play hold up. Their strengths and weaknesses.

I have the army book, and a fairly strong understanding of the core rules, but without any play testing or games under my belt I am worried by inexperience will result in an uneducated decision.

 

[Oppenheimer]

I admit I haven't been doing it very long but I like TG and ME combo. But that's partially because I like some variety in my army and don't think that using up all my rare on TG, or having only a couple giant blocks of infantry is as interesting to me as having a variety of options.

Also take in mind that you'll be assembling and painting these things. Having the same unit over and over makes that part of it more of a chore than having some variety.

 

[Aedin]

You can play some games using substitute models from another army if you have those and see if you like it before you buy it. No matter what you choose something in the game will be its undoing. So choose models and pick a style of play that fits your interests.

I like the old school summoning style of play. So here lately I have been playing with 2 mortise engine and only 1 character a casty VL, in a 2400pt list, using the +2 from the mortise engine to boost my spells. Its true that TG list has won me more games but my summon list has won a few now that I have gotten used to its play style. Which i think is allot funner. Theres just something that makes me grin when i do cast a big summon and watch my opponent sigh from all the wounds i recover.

Of course when someone builds to fight this army with lots of fire and dispel capability it will be a bad day for you. However this will be the case if your opponent is tailoring his list anyways. Tailored lists are only fun IMO if both opponents agree before hand to tailor.

 

[Tomfoolery]

I started playing Warhammer at the tail end of 4th edition and haved owned jsut about every army out there at one time or another (cept Empire cause they blow). Here's my 2 cents. If you haven't got the feel for the game yet don't try to build an army around what you "want" to happen. It won't. Warhammer never works that way. At it's core this is a dice game and therefore a game of chance and despite putting together bullet proof builds you'll have to fall back on Murphys Law. If something can go wrong it will. I take this a step further and go with O'Gradys Law which says "Murphy was an optimist". You're going to need to get over 6 on a spell roll using 3 dice and you'll fail. You're going to charge with 20+ attacks @Str 7 hitting on 3s and you'll hit with 8, wound with 4 and your opponent will make every one of his parry saves ><.

That's how this works. On the other hand your Skeletons or Zombies will throw fear on a unit of Knights, wound 4 of them, they'll fail 3 saves and suddenly you're winning with shitty core troops by a few and those Knights are taking a deep dip into their LD test to break... it happens.

I like to have an idea that I can adapt. Making a very rigid list is like carving in stone, once it's there it can't be changed. Half of Warhammer is being able to adapt. Having a tough, well rounded list is hands down better then that one build that tables 80% of other players but gets handed it's ass by people prepared for it. Khorne armies are terrible for this. Ever watched a 5 man Goblin Wolf Rider unit intentionally flee off a table taking the 800 pt Chaos Knights with them? It's beautiful.

Bruce Lee described this idea of being mutable beautifully.
[video=youtube]http://youtu.be/MT_nuwm252I[/video]

 

[The Sun King]

If you can wait for it Psiosis I have written an article about how to use the different archetypes of VC in the upcoming number of The Invocation(the E-zine for this forum).

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Yeah people read Invocation for the 'articles'

 

[Fluffytemplar]

If you're just starting out I would suggest starting with smaller games to get the hang of not only the rules but the army as well.

Find someone who will play 500pt games with you and move up from there as you build a play style unique to you.
You'll learn which units you like to use and which ones aren't really enjoyable for you and can develop the army into what you will have the most fun with as you progress.

And along the lines of what some other people have been saying, the paper, rock, scissors of 7th edition is behind us. Right after 8th edition came out I think it was Wayne Kemp from Heelanhammer (I could be wrong) who said "in 8th edition, balance is the new cheese"

 

[najo]

First, warhammer is a game of deploying and moving armies while controlling odds by understanding dice pools and bell curves. Contrary to popular belief, its not that random of a game and dice are easier to plan around than some think

second, I agree about starting out with 500 points, get comfortable and then add on and try stuff. All the units in vampire counts have reasons to use them.

third, the other top army builds are:

* knight bus with vampire blender
* infantry with shadow magic for mindrazor and hexes
* crypt horror blocks with dual mortis engine
* dual terrorgiest with screamer support in AoDM and banshees or ghoul king on third TG
* fear bomb
* vampire denied flank
* flying circus
* zombie horde with blenders
* necromancer hordes
* classic GG deathstar
* beast ghoul army

did I miss anything?

 

[The Sun King]

@ Johnny: I don't get the joke?

 

[Johnny-Crass]

@ Johnny: I don't get the joke?

Penthouse forum joke

 

[najo]

Its like when people say they read playboy or penthouse for the articles.

 

[eggsPR]

First, warhammer is a game of deploying and moving armies while controlling odds by understanding dice pools and bell curves. Contrary to popular belief, its not that random of a game and dice are easier to plan around than some think

second, I agree about starting out with 500 points, get comfortable and then add on and try stuff. All the units in vampire counts have reasons to use them.

third, the other top army builds are:

* knight bus with vampire blender
* infantry with shadow magic for mindrazor and hexes
* crypt horror blocks with dual mortis engine
* dual terrorgiest with screamer support in AoDM and banshees or ghoul king on third TG
* fear bomb
* vampire denied flank
* flying circus
* zombie horde with blenders
* necromancer hordes
* classic GG deathstar
* beast ghoul army

did I miss anything?

Yes you missed something but I cannot say anything until after ETC list submissions

 

[landisx]

And that will be when? I'm just curious.

 

[eggsPR]

2nd week of July, I believe.

 

[Vipoid]

Yes you missed something but I cannot say anything until after ETC list submissions

Is this the list that involves your very secretive vampire lord build, Eggie?

 

[eggsPR]

Perhaps Perhaps not

 

[najo]

Lol, now that's a challenge. Lets try to figure out egg's build!

 

[Nightreaver]

First, warhammer is a game of deploying and moving armies while controlling odds by understanding dice pools and bell curves. Contrary to popular belief, its not that random of a game and dice are easier to plan around than some think

second, I agree about starting out with 500 points, get comfortable and then add on and try stuff. All the units in vampire counts have reasons to use them.

third, the other top army builds are:

* knight bus with vampire blender
* infantry with shadow magic for mindrazor and hexes
* crypt horror blocks with dual mortis engine
* dual terrorgiest with screamer support in AoDM and banshees or ghoul king on third TG
* fear bomb
* vampire denied flank
* flying circus
* zombie horde with blenders
* necromancer hordes
* classic GG deathstar
* beast ghoul army

did I miss anything?

Yes you missed something but I cannot say anything until after ETC list submissions

Why ETC? Isn't it more concerned about team performance with abundance of lists that will be tailored to play for a draw?