Must have units.

[Sanai]

I find skeletons, ghouls or zombies to be an essential part of any army.

 

[Litvak]

Litvak, I'm going to say that TG's and vargheists can do pretty well without character support, as can wraith units, ghouls (against the right enemies), varghulfs and I will add crypt horrors to that list. Aim the horrors at the right target and you won't have to worry about fire or great weapons for that matter (just watch out for certain spells).

I wont comment on TG, because i cant make it work, roll always 3 on the screaming dices.
I love vargheists, but their LD 7 and frenzy, make them easy to redirect.
Varghulf, i actually have not tried yet, but i think it only works against WMs, skirmish and units with no ranks, but when i look closer at it, it is actually a nice monster i think i use more.
Agree the T5 and 5+ regen makes a horrores a solidt choice and i use them more and more, but they will die slowly in the end, in an unsupported fight, with no necro og vampire to heal them up or magic to reroll to hit.
Chainwraith needs to attack from the side or else there is a high chance they will lose in CR with their ws 3.

But agree a character with lore of vampire is a must

 

[Demian]

Varghulf wins against blocks of non-elite infantry soldiers with relative ease:

5 attacks with str 5 and Hatred, plus thunderstomp!

You can get the 4 static res points with all those (plus, the charge and flank/rear fighting).

If the unit has str 3, it's going to be very hard for them to wound him, even with flaming banner. He should not suffer many wounds, and combined with Doom & Darkness spell, he has a good chance to break the unit on the charge!

Varghulf is a mob killer!

 

[rothgar13]

It's also a superb complementary hitter for tougher mobs if you pair it up with something like Crypt Horrors. If your opponent didn't pack fire and great weapons, chances are he's screwed, and even if he did that unit's getting beat up pretty good.

 

[Litvak]

Holy shit i totally forgot the thunderstomp, that varghulf looks more and more juicy, i could see take one or two with me.

 

[Seneschal]

"Moonwalk" the vargheists. Fly them backwards so they aren't facing the enemy and then turn them before the turn they charge.
I honestly don't run them on the flank, they stay within the LD bubble most of the time.

Crypt Horrors do well unsupported against the right troops, you just have to know what you are up against. 8 is the minimum for them.

 

[Griswald]

"Moonwalk" the vargheists. Fly them backwards so they aren't facing the enemy and then turn them before the turn they charge.

Rofl! I just like that idea! Didn't think of that myself. Now i'll have to go buy some of this unit!

The unit i always use lately are my black knights. I need them dearly, but i think that's because i do not have lot's of specials :O. I have 2 corpse carts, some spirt hosts and batswarms... and black knights (soon also some hexwraiths) So my choice of special hitters is clear! ( i also like the black knights models)

But if i go for a raise list! I'm found of the ME! combined with corpse carts with lodestone! and NECROMANCERS only!

I think the units you really must have are situational and depending of youre play style!

 

[Elbisrever]

I too love the new Black Knight models. I already have a unit of 10 ( but the old ones). Got a box of five new ones waiting, but so long as the FAQ about multiple Blood Knight/Hexwraith raising is still not official, I'll wait with esembling them ( otherwise they will become hexwraiths). However, you can't really go wrong with Black Knights, I still think it is one of my Must Haves