Zombie Dragon setup

[timk1111]

Gday guys,

I've just joined the ranks of the living dead (as well as the website...welcome me! ) and was wondering how people setup their Lords on top of Zombie Dragons? Or , even if you don't use them, what you consider a rock hard setup? I was thinking something like this:

L+H - Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon - 700
Level 3 wizard
Powers: Red fury, Walking Death, Infinite Hatred (to pass hated onto Dragon :devil
Items: Flayed Hauberk, Crown of the Danmed, Balefire Spike

Thoughts guys?!

Regards, Tim

 

[Max zero]

Replace the Crown of the Damned with Wristbands of Black Gold. Can't afford to your 700 point drooling in front of enemy cannons.

Walking Death is kinda pointless, you can either leave it off or get a utility power here. For example if you have lots of Ghouls then Ghoul Kin would be good so you don't leave the Lord so isolated.

Balefire Spike is fine, if there is a lot of missile attacks, Blood Drinker is nice to heal your Lord and mount. If you go for Blood Drinker then Beguile can be a good power to give you re rolls on wound rolls.

 

[timk1111]

hmm, ok, I've changed a couple of things:

L+H - Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon - 690
Level 3 wizard
Powers: Red fury, Infinite Hatred
Items: Walach's Bloody Hauberk, Wristbands of Black Gold, Balefire Spike

I went for Walach's only because I have another Vampire in the army I want to give the Flayed to.

Cheers for the help, Tim

 

[Lord Fear]

I don't like it, because you're paying for two expensive magic items that both give you ward saves. A better combo would be Avatar of Death bloodline for heavy armour and great weapon, and buy an enchanted shield for a total save of 3+. Then you can add the Wristbands for the ranged ward save, and add in the Spike or Sword of Might as you see fit. You could even add on the Book of Arkhan or some other nice trinket as well to aid your magic.

 

[Grish]

And even if the dragon gets shot down, he'll still have the option of a 2+ save in close combat or pulling out his Great Weapon, as he no longer an use the Lance (at least, I play it as though they can no longer use the lance, others play it differently).

 

[Lord Fear]

Heh, that's a good point. It'd be very interesting to put him in front of a chariot (or two!), let the chariot charge, if it kills the dragon, you now have S7 with re-rolls to destroy it in one blow. Only to be used when feeling silly (or with a badly wounded Dragon), however!

 

[N1AK]

Personally my second lord slot (mounted on Terror) would be as follows:

Lord
lvl 3
Red Fury
Dreadlance
Crown of the Damned

The crown is a big risk, but I'm not willing to rely on anything less than a 4+ ward when riding a monsterous creature. Although the Wristbands are great against cannons, it leaves the Lord vunerable in combat.

The Dreadlance is still usable after the charge (no +2 str) meaning he always automatically hits. (I know that some people don't like this, but as long as it follows the rules it's how I play it).

He's still got 50 points available for bloodline powers but tbh I don't want to drop more points on it.

 

[Chobber]

Give him:
Infinite Hatred, Beguile and Aura of Dark Majesty
Frostblade
Magic level 3
Now you just challenge enemy characters one by one and kill every last one of them ^^

 

[Grish]

I would not rely on frostblade as an enemy killer. You'll have S5, so with armour and ward saves, a lot of characters can get 1+ AS (sometimes with rerolls) and a 4 or 5+ WS. Definitely a Monster killer though, for Giants, Dragons, Treemen and the like. This character also has absolutely no armour, just relying on T5 to save him.

I think the odds are most combat lord choices would kill him.

 

[Tal Rasha]

Personally my second lord slot (mounted on Terror) would be as follows:

Lord
lvl 3
Red Fury
Dreadlance
Crown of the Damned

The crown is a big risk, but I'm not willing to rely on anything less than a 4+ ward when riding a monsterous creature. Although the Wristbands are great against cannons, it leaves the Lord vunerable in combat.

The Dreadlance is still usable after the charge (no +2 str) meaning he always automatically hits. (I know that some people don't like this, but as long as it follows the rules it's how I play it).

He's still got 50 points available for bloodline powers but tbh I don't want to drop more points on it.

So far, I have to agree this is the best setup. The lance is still good after you are dismounted. Silly, but them's the rules. I am not a fan of giving mounted guys great weapons, as they only provide +1 ST. I'd go lance every time.

 

[N1AK]

Tal Rasha: I meant that the Lance was still useable after the charge, my interpretation of the rules is that you can't use a Lance on foot, but could then use a different weapon.

The Frostblade option is very hit or miss on characters. Assuming they have equal WS T 2+ AS, 4+ WS and beguile works, you have a 36/64 chance of inflicting a wound (thus killing them). Although a 53% chance of killing a Char is tempting, in the other 47% you'd score no combat Res and assuming they inflict 2 wounds (likely as you have no armour) you'll lose combat by 7+CR crumbling your Dragon and Lord to death.

Consider that against that same character a Dreadlance/Fury/Beguile Lord would on average inflict 2.3 wounds (Dragon does ~1) which on average will kill them, and even if you don't at least you are likely to generate more CR. The Dreadlance is also better against Champions (generates loads of overkill) and RnF.
The Frostblade really shines as a monster killer, a Vamp with Frostblade/Beguile (or Hatred) will normally kill a Giant / Treeman or even Star Dragon (although again with no ward it's a risky tactic).

 

[Chobber]

Yeah I see your point, but I tried my tactic against an Ogra Kingdom army, and I killed his Hunter, Tyrant and Butcher. I still took two wounds from other kinds of shooting, but those can be healed ^^

 

[Grish]

I believe OK have little armour; Frostblade is amazing against OK on paper.

 

[Vic]

I recently made a zombie dragon build, trying to surprise everyone in a tourney (I usually play static CR casty vamps), so I could share some thoughts with u:

The Lord:
~Bloodline Powers
*Red Fury (allows your lord to charge infantry units and easily win)
*Infinite Hatered (Dreadlance is really cool, but getting hate on your 5 str 6 attacks is...)
*Walking Death (what did I say about static CR infantry units?)


~Magic Items
*Sword of Might (permanent STR 6 is fine, because most elite troops and heroes /or human lords/ are T4, and you'll be fighting with those most of the time)
*Crown of the Damned (Wristbands of Black Gold look cool, but you basically have a 3+ ward save just for being mounted of a monstrous creature. The problem is that if u fight against something like greater daemon of Khorne he can easily kill your lord, and that's somethign we don't want to happen)
*Hand of Dust (unusual choice that needs testing, but on paper it's a bound item that can easily draw 2 dispel dices, or be really devastating if you surprise your opponent and actually get it through)


I was thinking about Nightshroud &/or Cursed Book, but I realized that smart opponents will just attack the dragon - same toughness, less WS and no saves whatsoever.
I was also thinking about Flayed Hauberk, but the same reason made me change my mind. The only thing I couldn't drop is Crown of the Damned, because if you don't have stupidity, everyone that played a few games against VC will know that at the very best your lord has 5+ ward save, and won't hesitate to attack him, and even if I have nightshroud or cursed book, I can't be sure that I'll kill my opponent in just 1 close combat.

rest of the build includes 1+ AS BSB on barded nightmare with enchanted shield and Book of Arkhan and a Lycni vampire with flayed hauberk, periapt, infinite hatered & ghoulkin - he can easily get your opponent's war machines (some times even on 1st turn), especially against dwarves that have gunner's pride and can't flee.

Build also has 3 units of dire wolves, varghulf and a 5 strong unit of fell bats for artillery hunt.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

So how did it turn out then Vic?

 

[Vic]

Well I didn't try it out yet. As I mentioned I want to surprise everyone that's used to me playing static CR, but I forgot to say that the tourney is 2 weeks away.

If anyone is interested I can post my whole build in the build section (as no1 from my local store is following vampirecounts.net )

 

[Grish]

I think the Hand of Dust is a bad choice as Zombie Dragon lists by nature are light in magic; the lord is kitted for combat and a hero slot is used by the Dragon.

Here's a decent zombie dragon list Nermal used (although I do not understand the need for the banner of hellfire... anti-wraith protection perhaps?)
https://www.vampirecounts.net/showthread.php?tid=2181

 

[Tal Rasha]

Tal Rasha: I meant that the Lance was still useable after the charge, my interpretation of the rules is that you can't use a Lance on foot, but could then use a different weapon.

The Frostblade option is very hit or miss on characters. Assuming they have equal WS T 2+ AS, 4+ WS and beguile works, you have a 36/64 chance of inflicting a wound (thus killing them). Although a 53% chance of killing a Char is tempting, in the other 47% you'd score no combat Res and assuming they inflict 2 wounds (likely as you have no armour) you'll lose combat by 7+CR crumbling your Dragon and Lord to death.

Consider that against that same character a Dreadlance/Fury/Beguile Lord would on average inflict 2.3 wounds (Dragon does ~1) which on average will kill them, and even if you don't at least you are likely to generate more CR. The Dreadlance is also better against Champions (generates loads of overkill) and RnF.
The Frostblade really shines as a monster killer, a Vamp with Frostblade/Beguile (or Hatred) will normally kill a Giant / Treeman or even Star Dragon (although again with no ward it's a risky tactic).

N1AK, sorry, that's what I was trying to say. It's still used after the turn you charge.

 

[Dreadlegions]

I think the Hand of Dust is a bad choice as Zombie Dragon lists by nature are light in magic; the lord is kitted for combat and a hero slot is used by the Dragon.

I think that's precisely what makes it so handy. It's hard for any Vamp army to be light in magic, with a level 3 and usually at least two level 2's you've already got what most people would consider moderate magic power anyway, and that's without any items or powers.

Once the Lord's in combat, that's an automatic 2 dispel dice gone just to save the inevitable pain 2D6 Strength 5 hits causes; and if it does go through, it's pretty handy.