The Vampire Counts

[Valmor von Carstein]

Thank you. I think a horde of Clanrat Slaves is just going to flee before a horde of skeletons (unless they can use character leadership).  

[Razorith Vulsroy]

They can still use the general's leadership, not to mention their rule that lets them add one to their leadership per point of rank bonus they have.  

[Valmor von Carstein]

Nonetheless, they still have pathetic leadership. However, the fact that they can use the General's leadership does complicate things a bit, but they are still not unbreakable. Even a character with a Ld 10 still has a chance of failing a fear test.  

[Razorith Vulsroy]

Oh yeah, there's always a chance. But the chance a unit with leadership ten has on failing a leadership test definately shouldn't be relied upon too heavily.  

[Valmor von Carstein]

Of course not. Anyone who does so is not a good General, leaving everything to chance, and a small chance at that. Then again, a good way to make sure that the Slaves do not have that kind of Leadership is to go straight for the General with some kind of Killing Blow item or unit. Once the General is gone, those Slaves are bound to break sooner or later.  

[Drachyench]

Valmor von Carstein

Of course not. Anyone who does so is not a good General, leaving everything to chance, and a small chance at that. Then again, a good way to make sure that the Slaves do not have that kind of Leadership is to go straight for the General with some kind of Killing Blow item or unit. Once the General is gone, those Slaves are bound to break sooner or later.

Problem with Skaven is, you almost always have to go through 30+ wounds before you can hit the general. The Skaven characters go in the units rear-most rank, yet still confer combat res if they have something like the Battle-Standard, and can also always leave their unit if engaged in a bad C.C.

Though what's undeads best bet against Skaven? Curse of Years. 5 kills on average the first turn, 8-9 the second, 8 the next (Down to 9 out of an original unit size of 30). That, or flank charges (Though again, hard due to the sheer number of Skaven on the table at any one time).

Of course, the age ol' undead philosophy of 'Make more then they can kill works' too.

Also, someone stated earlier new units create VP's for enemies: False. New units summonned on the battle, while capable of claiming objectives, cannot confer VP's to your enemies. Same as if you raise a unit back to starting size, no VP's for the enemy.  

[Valmor von Carstein]

In all these cases, Invocation of Nehek seems to be the center of just about any VC strategy. Which means, an opponent going up against a VC army would be wise to equip as many dispel scrolls and dispel-enhancing items as possible; letting a VC army pull off even the most minor spell can have devestating affects.
In favour of the VC army, I think they should take the Staff of Damnation wherever they go, since it affects many nearby models, it can be used when your opponent's dispel roll is extremely low or else spent, and is especially handy when it affects a unit of zombies, making them un-braindead (I know that's not a word, but I'll use it anyways).  

[Drachyench]

Valmor von Carstein

In all these cases, Invocation of Nehek seems to be the center of just about any VC strategy. Which means, an opponent going up against a VC army would be wise to equip as many dispel scrolls and dispel-enhancing items as possible; letting a VC army pull off even the most minor spell can have devestating affects.
In favour of the VC army, I think they should take the Staff of Damnation wherever they go, since it affects many nearby models, it can be used when your opponent's dispel roll is extremely low or else spent, and is especially handy when it affects a unit of zombies, making them un-braindead (I know that's not a word, but I'll use it anyways).

Yep, dispel aplenty is always good.

Like 11 dispel for an Orc and Goblin army (Sneaky Stealin', level 2 (x3), level 4, Spirit Totem). Though the odds of coming across an enemy with something like that is rare.

Most enemies have (rarely) more then 4 or 5 dispel dice a turn, along with somewhere between none and 3 dispel scrolls. Against VC, this usually means protecting your own troops, though letting invocations go through.

Best bet against undead is something that hits every model in the unit, or can inflict mass damage(lotsa 2d6 hits, template weapons, etc). Best bet for undead? Screw enemies battle plans by turn two.  

[Valmor von Carstein]

Personally, I'm rather fond of the notion of a Vampire with a Great Weapon (S7...OUCH!). It seems like an effective deterrent for chariots, most enemy characters and/or monsters, and the Dwarfs' Gyrocoptors. They may suffer the penalty of striking last with a Great Weapon, but a well-equipped Vampire will survive long enough to deal out some bone-shattering punishment.  

[Drachyench]

Valmor von Carstein

Personally, I'm rather fond of the notion of a Vampire with a Great Weapon (S7...OUCH!). It seems like an effective deterrent for chariots, most enemy characters and/or monsters, and the Dwarfs' Gyrocoptors. They may suffer the penalty of striking last with a Great Weapon, but a well-equipped Vampire will survive long enough to deal out some bone-shattering punishment.

S7 isn't all that uncommon now days, too bad VC don't have a straight-up +2 Magic Weapon (Hello I8 S7 Character), though I agree that 4 (Maybe 5 for Lords?) at S7 is quite nasty. Use that for all your anti-armor, and bye-bye Knights.  

[Kazuv]

This might be a bit off topic, but let's say I'm just too damn cheap to buy Games-Workshop's models and I don't really care about entering an official tournament or anything. Does anyone know of another company that makes cheaper skeleton models? Or are GW's prices really the best for hordes of skellies?

Also, one of my friends suggested that I run a necromancer-only army (no vampires). Does anyone know if there's any real benefits to doing this?

Thanks.

http://s2.bitefight.org/c.php?uid=103406  

[Reddemon]

Kazuv

This might be a bit off topic, but let's say I'm just too damn cheap to buy Games-Workshop's models and I don't really care about entering an official tournament or anything. Does anyone know of another company that makes cheaper skeleton models? Or are GW's prices really the best for hordes of skellies?

Also, one of my friends suggested that I run a necromancer-only army (no vampires). Does anyone know if there's any real benefits to doing this?

Thanks.

40-45]http://s2.bitefight.org/c.php?uid=103406

40-45 Cdn for Like what, 16/20 models isnt too bad. Gw is expensive, but thats because of how good the models are.  

[Valmor von Carstein]

Kazuv

This might be a bit off topic, but let's say I'm just too damn cheap to buy Games-Workshop's models and I don't really care about entering an official tournament or anything. Does anyone know of another company that makes cheaper skeleton models? Or are GW's prices really the best for hordes of skellies?

Also, one of my friends suggested that I run a necromancer-only army (no vampires). Does anyone know if there's any real benefits to doing this?

Thanks.

A]http://s2.bitefight.org/c.php?uid=103406

A necromancer-only army? That really takes away from your fighting-power. Against foes resistant to magic (Horde of Chaos dedicated to Khorne, for example), it would be a lost fight from the beginning. Sure, your magic will wipe out most of the lesser foes, but once it comes down to Close Combat (as all battles do sooner or later), it'll be like sitting a chariot right in front of a cannon and saying, "Blast it to smithereens!"  

[Reddemon]

Valmor von Carstein

Kazuv

This might be a bit off topic, but let's say I'm just too damn cheap to buy Games-Workshop's models and I don't really care about entering an official tournament or anything. Does anyone know of another company that makes cheaper skeleton models? Or are GW's prices really the best for hordes of skellies?

Also, one of my friends suggested that I run a necromancer-only army (no vampires). Does anyone know if there's any real benefits to doing this?

Thanks.

A]http://s2.bitefight.org/c.php?uid=103406

A necromancer-only army? That really takes away from your fighting-power. Against foes resistant to magic (Horde of Chaos dedicated to Khorne, for example), it would be a lost fight from the beginning. Sure, your magic will wipe out most of the lesser foes, but once it comes down to Close Combat (as all battles do sooner or later), it'll be like sitting a chariot right in front of a cannon and saying, "Blast it to smithereens!"But think of the power dice he would have. Khrone only gets so many dispell dice, and once those run out...  

[Centigrade]

Reddemon

Valmor von Carstein

Kazuv

This might be a bit off topic, but let's say I'm just too damn cheap to buy Games-Workshop's models and I don't really care about entering an official tournament or anything. Does anyone know of another company that makes cheaper skeleton models? Or are GW's prices really the best for hordes of skellies?

Also, one of my friends suggested that I run a necromancer-only army (no vampires). Does anyone know if there's any real benefits to doing this?

Thanks.

A]http://s2.bitefight.org/c.php?uid=103406

A necromancer-only army? That really takes away from your fighting-power. Against foes resistant to magic (Horde of Chaos dedicated to Khorne, for example), it would be a lost fight from the beginning. Sure, your magic will wipe out most of the lesser foes, but once it comes down to Close Combat (as all battles do sooner or later), it'll be like sitting a chariot right in front of a cannon and saying, "Blast it to smithereens!"

But think of the power dice he would have. Khrone only gets so many dispell dice, and once those run out...
But I think allmost every Khorne unit has a magic resistance roll of some sorts. So it would be extremely though for a Necromancer heavy army to beat a Chaos Khornite army.