Hi, most of you won't know me yet.
I've been using vampires for the last 2 years, but never felt the need to seek advice on them from a forum, their being a strong enough force that in 2000pts or more they are quite forgiving. And so I developed my own style of play; WIN OR DIE!
I've used, as 2000 and at 2250, a lone scouting terror causing M9 lord with red fury, sword of striking and the wristbands. I've used a flying frostblade. I don't think I'll ever do either of these crazy things again, but I had to try each of them out.
Normally though, my trademark has been Black Knights. 2 units, one off on it's own, either with Hellish Vigour or with a War Banner if I have a Varghulf to babysit them. The other containing a Drakenhof or a lord with Blood Drinker, or both.
I can see for 8th edition there are going to be 2 extremes to my vampire armies; Low magic, and all magic.
Either magic is going to win me the game, or else I doubt I'll even cast a spell (which would be a shame considering the way our bound spells are now good, and as 1 cheap spell the Danse is so much better than what the opponent has.
I'm also working on Dwarfs for 8th edition, so for variety's sake I'm concentrating on the "Victory by Self Destructive Magic" Vampires for the moment.
Take the "Greater Purple Sun" for example. I'm going to be aiming for irresistable force, so 6 dice plus power stone for 8 dice, or else 5 or 6 dice with a power scroll. So, first resolve the spell. 1 in 6 chance, the spell kills the caster, every time. Then a 1 in 12 chance that the miscast kills the caster, ever time. Thats 1 in 6, plus 1 in 12, that's 3 in 12 = 1 in 4. Oh, and then there's also a 1 in 6 that rather than having a chance to kill him, rather than doing as commanded and flying off across the enemy battle line, it just meandres about on top of his unit killing them off.
That's awesome, I'll take 3.
Seriously, I will.
I like the big horrible spells with their decent chance at backfiring and killing my lord causing my army to vanish.
I'm being serious.
Stop laughing.