Playtesting (normal VC army list)

[Marcus Von Drac]

You can play games online!?
Sorry, this has nothing to do with playtesting, I have just never heard of something like that. Wow, online games...

 

[Bishop]

I usually play WFO on Ogre Stronghold.

Asrai also runs some WFO.


There's a module for the Vassal engine for playing 40k games online... it's unfortunate that they got shutdown by GW before completing the Fantasy mods though.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

So apart from Bishop (who I hope gives me some results very soon), anyone else......come on, quite a few said they would do it.

 

[ironlord]

sorry guys im not going to be able to do an army test
im just too busy with work and all that

plus the one person i was thinking of playing a series of play tests is now grounded so i cant

 

[Bishop]

So apart from Bishop (who I hope gives me some results very soon)

You can follow my game here.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Just read through that Bishop. Very interesting, I have not seen the online games like that before.

However it seems that everyone else who was going to playtest has let us down.....

 

[Skaramak von Carstein]

I will be posting up my von Carstein list used today vs a Lizardman army. I managed a massacre out of it, although the Blood Knight unit did most of the damage.

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

I don't know how possible it would be but you could use something like bishops using for the play testing on CN (along with the normal games). Might get some more people playtesting, as i know my regular opponents don't really want to play the blood line armies.

Other people could see whats going on as well so could have thier own opinions on the powers being used, rather then just the 2 people playing the game

 

[Skaramak von Carstein]

OK - here is my list. There is a bit of a death star approach to it, with one very big hammer, but it worked here. I will try to put up a report in the next day or so, but would welcome comments in the meantime.

The result was a win to the von Carstein of 2492 to 622

2,700Pts - Von Carstein playtesting list

von Carstein (Lord) @ 480
True Blood, von Carstein Ring, Blood Drinker
Full Plate armour, Shield
Barded Nightmare

von Carstein, BSB @ 308
Walking Death; Abomination
Full Plate armour, Shield
Barded Nightmare
BSB – Drakenhof Banner

von Carstein @ 215
Sceptre of Noirot, Tomb Blade
Lord of the Dead, Summon Creatures of the Night, Quicksilver
Full Plate armour, Shield

von Carstein @ 200
Black Periapt, Helm of Commandment
Lord of the Dead, Abomination
Full Plate armour, Shield

16 Skeleton Warriors @ 173 Pts
Light Armour; Shield; Standard; Musician; Champion
Banner of the Undead Legion

15 Skeleton Warriors @ 140 Pts
Light Armour; Shield; Standard; Musician; Champion

20 Zombie Hoard @ 92 Pts
Standard; Musician

20 Zombie Hoard @ 92 Pts
Standard; Musician

3 Fell Bats @ 60 Pts

3 Fell Bats @ 60 Pts

5 Dire Wolves @ 40 Pts

5 Dire Wolves @ 40 Pts

4 Cairn Wraiths @ 225
Banshee

1 Varghulf @ 175

5 Blood Knights @ 400 Pts
Barding; Lance; Heavy Armour; Shield; Standard; Champion
Flag of Blood Keep

Casting Pool: 8
Dispel Pool: 7
Models in Army: 100

Total Army Cost: 2,700

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

The list looks interesting. I noticed that you only used a few of the Carstein only powers, any reason for this?

 

[Darkblossom]

Hello there, this is my first army using the Lahmia list. (2000 points)
My Lady tried to mimic the forces of old Kemri (including skeletons and archery) as a memory of her lost city.

To bad I'm rather busy comming weeks, but I hope I can test it soon.

Characters:
Selena, Duchesse des Courtisane (Vampire lady) : extra level,

Midnight Dancer,
Aura of Dark Majesty,
Blood Drinker,
Nightshroud,
Crown of the Damned,
Great Bow, Nightmare (488)​

Jully la Riche (Vampire): Overflowing Coffers,

Helm of Commandment,
dispel scroll,
Black Periapt,
extra dagger and Great Bow (217 Points)​

Baron Joseph la Flamme (Wight King): BSB,

steed,
balefire spike,
enchanted shield (140 points)​

Yfran the hunter (Swain): Altered Noble,

Hail of Doom Arrows,
Helm of the Hunt,
shield, light armor, great weapon (158 points)​

Core:
Swain Entourage: 10 glade guard + mus. (126 points)

20 skeletons with heavy armor, full command and warbanner (245 points)

19 skeletons with banner , champ and Banner of Hellfire (178 points)

5 wolves (40 points)

Special:
6 Black Knights, full plate, champ and banner, Royal banner of Strigos (235 points)

Rare:
3 wraiths, banshee (175 Points)


Casting pool : 6 (7 with black periapt)
Dispell pool: 5 (6 with black periapt)
Models in army: 67
Total points : 2002

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

It's an interesting list but I think it might be a tad small? You have very few models for 2000pts?

@Skaramak - do you have your report yet?

 

[Skaramak von Carstein]

@Skaramak - do you have your report yet?

Sorry - got bogged own at work

I went for this list as was as last time I plated against this opponent he played with a very large unit of temple guard with G2 Slaan an the TD hero in it, 2 stegadons, 1 with the EotG. Whilst I won that one too, it was a little hairy at times. I suspected that he would be fielding EotG and 2 stegadons, but was unsure which way he would go. I wanted a decent number of dice, but also to have a hammer unit that was very resilient and self sustaining.

I also wanted to have the option to refuse a flank, if needed, and also to be able to push something quickly that way if needed, hence the Varghulf. te bats gave me mobility and march blocking, the wolves the same with flanking, and the ethereals to deal with things like razordons and pesky poisoning shooty things (and possibly also a stegadon).

His army comprised the following:

Saurus Oldbloodwith Scimitar of the Sun Resplendant, Glyph Necklace and Carnosaur Pendant, which with LA & shield gave him a general with AS 2+, WardS 5+, T5 and a frightning 7 magical S5 attacks

Skink priest on Ancient Stegadon with EotG, a dispel scroll and Diadem of Power
Skink Priest on foot with Staff of SorcerySkink Chief on Ancient Stegadon with Sregadon War Spear for a total of 2d6+1 impact hits
15 Saurus warriors with fc
15 Saurus warriors with fc
15 Saurus warriors with fc & Spears
11 Skink Skirmishers
11 Skink Skirmishers
20 Temple Guars with fc, Huanchi's Blessed Totem and Sword of Battle
3 Terradon riders
3 Razordons

the general was in with the emple Guard.

We had a symetrical board with two hills in opposite corners and some thick undergrowth in the other 2 corners, a little nearer to the middle.

Deployment went to plan, with a couple of his units out of place for most of the game.

I won, and gave him first turn (I will often do this, as it gives me the final turn with an opportunity to capture table quarters by summioning zombies).

The army worked well overall, with the Blood knights being caught by 2 pulses of the EotG, saving some with the ward from the two standards in the unit, recovering more from much use of Blood Drinker.

Terror tests were not much use, with the cold Blooded rule assisting to bolster their resolve and shrug off the effects.

In this game, Abomination was not too helpful, although it might have served to further disrupt his lines with a bit of luck. I am not sure that others of the specifiv vC bloodline powers would have served much better under the circumstances, but might do against other opponents.

I suspect that combining Abomination with Rightful Ruler vs Skaven may well be a winning combination.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

So do you have any specific feedback regarding any of the powers. Were they characterful, under powered, overpowered, what did your opponent think etc?

 

[Trevy the Great]

Yfran the hunter (Swain): Altered Noble,
Hail of Doom Arrows,
Helm of the Hunt,
shield, light armor, great weapon (158 points)

I know this is pretty stupid and off-topic, but you can't use a Shield and a Great Weapon at the same time, so you'd be limited to a 5+ save with the armor and the Helm of the Hunt, unless you decided to forgo using your Great Weapon, which it pretty crazy for an Alter Noble.

 

[Bishop]

I'm going to try and get in a couple games using this list. I'll only be using the Bloodline powers, and the mundane equipment options (still in discussion, but without having Avatar of Death and Dread Knight... not much choice really). I won't be using the composition rules (also still in discussion), but it should still have an ample feel for a Carstein list. Any comments on the list?

2,250 Pts - Von Carstein playtesting list

Drakkon von Carstein (Lord) @ 459
Lord of the Dead, Crown of the Damned, Book of Arkhan, Dispel Scroll, Magic Level 3, Great Weapon (9)
Rightful Ruler (50) - Enemies within 12" gain no benefit from General/BSB
Aura of Command (25) - Vampire rule extended by 6" (so 18" in this case)
Silver Tongue (10) - Allows a vampire from a different bloodline (can't be General/BSB)

Karl von Carstein, BSB @ 226
Walking Death; Walach's Bloody Hauberk, Great Weapon (6)
Vampiric Aura (25) - undead within 6" suffer one less wound from crumbling (cumulitive with BSB).

Malice von Carstein @ 206
Talisman of Lycni, Flayed Hauberk, Black Periapt, Great Weapon (6)
Beast Affinity (50)
- Once per battle at the start of his turn, Vampire may summon D3+4 wounds of Dire Wolves (select point within 12", no closer then 8" to the enemy).
- Also, IoN heals d3 wounds worth of Dire Wolves (instead of the normal limit of 1 wound).

Vyngor (Strigoi) @ 145
Summon Creatures of the Night
Bat Form (30) - May join a unit of Fell Bats
Stirgoi Bloodline abilites: +1 Atk, Hatred, 5+ Ward (no equipment of any kind)

15 Skeleton Warriors @ 165 Pts
Light Armour; Shield; Standard; Musician; Champion
Banner of the Dead Legion

15 Skeleton Warriors @ 165 Pts
Light Armour; Shield; Standard; Musician; Champion
War Banner

10 Skeleton Warriors @ 88 Pts
Light Armour; Shield, Champion

17 Grave Guard @ 290 Pts
Great Weapon; Heavy Armour; Standard; Champion
Banner of the Barrows

6 Black Knights @ 235 Pts
Barding; Lance; Heavy Armour; Shield; Standard; Champion
Royal Standard of Strigos

1 Corpse Cart @ 100 Pts
Miasma of Deathly Vigor; Unholy Loadstone

4 Fell Bats @ 80 Pts

10 Dire Wolves @ 90 Pts
Doom Wolf

Casting Pool: 8
Dispel Pool: 7
Models in Army: 81

Total Army Cost: 2,249

I got some feedback regarding my game that I was playing (unfortunately, the game ended before being finished, other player side tracked by shiny new armybook syndrome).

Here are his comments:

Just from readiing them it would be "Rightful Ruler". The concept isn't overpowered but I think the range, 12", is a little over the top.

I have to say I really like the other things.

To which I responded with the logic that its an "opposite" effect of the BSB/General, and thus the range was decided at 12".

Yes I understand the logic in it to, and I think that 25 points is correct for the BSB but not for the general.
I personally think that the general is worth MUCH more than 25 points, closer to 50 or 75.

I didn't respond to this. Personally, I think that 50 pts is fine. The "General" ability is "FREE" afterall... and the BSB ability is 25 pts.

Other then the range on "Rightful Ruler", my opponent had no issues regarding any of the abilities that were taken/used.

I do have another game in progress vs new Skaven (yuck), and am trying to set up a third game as well.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Bishop]

Hmm.. had an interesting thing (almost) come up...

The Rightful Ruler - 50pts
"Such is the aura of command this vampire exudes, that others are eclipsed in his presence"
Any enemy units within 12" of this vampire may not use their generals Ld or benefit from their BSB

Would a unit that contains the General be able to use the Generals Ld?? (As a character joined to the unit, not using the "Generals ability" of "projecting" Ld??)

I believe that the intent is just to negate the 12" Ld projection... either way, if could use a wording clarification...

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Hmm, that does need clearing up. If I remember rightly when I thought that power up, my intention was for all units within 12 to loose the bonus, including units that the general or BSB might be in.

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

I think the general should just act like a normal character when affected by that rule (so can still give his Ld to his unit).

Also would they lose the +1Cr normally gained from the battle standard?

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Actually I was just thinking of the re-rolls from the BSB.

 

[Bishop]

I think it'd be too powerful (for 50 pts) if it removed the normal Ld lending ability of a character in a unit. If it just removes the 'projection' abilities, I think that'd be fine...

What about something like this?

Units within 12" of the Rightful Ruler are unable to benefit from the Generals Ld and/or the BSB reroll ability. Units that are joined by the General and/or BSB still gain the usual benefit(s) conferred by said character(s).

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

I think that sounds right. I will edit that into the rules Bishop.

 

[Skaramak von Carstein]

I had assumed that is was just the ranged aspect that was negated, and I thin that that makes the most sense. I would say that Bishop's wording clarifies it nicely

---

So do you have any specific feedback regarding any of the powers. Were they characterful, under powered, overpowered, what did your opponent think etc?

I think that the powers fit in nicely, and that cost-wise they feel about right. My opponent also felt the same. He initially thought that the enhanced ring abilty was a little excessive, until realising the effective cost is 150 points.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Great. I am pleased so far with the feedback we have received, it seems most are happy with the rules we have created.

 

[Skaramak von Carstein]

Either a good or a worrying sign ;-)