# Tips for a new Vampire Counts player.



## Cpt. Loken

hey guys I've been thinking about starting a VC army, I was just wondering if anyone's got any advise for me. 

Any help that you guys can give me will be appreciated.


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## Ratvan

With your units (core) you will be relying on Combat Resolution to win fights so make sure that your units are big enough to survive several rounds of combat and use your magic to keep them topped up.

Protect your flanks as if one of your units gets flank charged you lose the rank bonus for your combat res (which leads to crumbling) Ghouls and Varghulfs are great for this role plus you have a chance of flank charging your opponant (usually meaning you win on combat res)


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## experiment 626

- Always, always, always ensure your general is protected. Fighty generals are still viable, but you should always look to invest in things like ward saves & anti-killing blow stuff before things like killy magic weapons or such!
Most VC generals tend to use a supportive build by sticking to magic and using the WS Hat to buff a unit. This actually lets them stay behind the main fighting line so it's very difficult to get at them!

- Never pay pts for zombies - they're the single worst unit in the entire game... Skaven Slaves and Gnoblars will kick the shit of out 'em!
They can be raised in the magic phase to act as re-directors, but overall, they're a useless unit.

- Magic is a must, we actually can't function without it! Luckily we have some pretty awsome vamp powers like Forbidden Lore which gives us access to almost all the new BRB spell lores, and/or Master of the Black Arts which help generate more power dice!
We also items like the Black Periapt which can let us transfer power/dispel dice between turns.

- Necros are ace! They were utterly pointless last edition, but in 8th they're a godsend! They purchase their spells, so they're a cheap source of critical spells like Invocation & Vanhel's Danse, also allowing us multiple copies of 'Danse' in our lists.
Best of all, they're real value is being able to 1D6 spam invocation for healing up wounded units! Because of their cost, you can get 2 necros for the cost of 1 Thrall and thus, the risk of breaking concentration isn't nearly as crippling...

- All our really killy stuff is relegated to a large Grave Guard unit and/or the Rare section of the list. Our core is crap... Only ghouls are priced about right, so that's why pretty much everyone says take hordes of 'em. Skeletons can work, but you need to build your list around making them work. (ie: you need to invest in forbidden lore and pick lores like light/beasts/metal to get them upto par with other core units)

- Almost all of our choices are hienously over-costed in 8th. For what's suppossed to be a 'horde army', we're fucking short of it! Most armies will outnumber YOU!
VC armies nowadays tend to be very compact with 3-4 large infantry units supported by a black coach/vargulfs/cairn wraiths. The new Terrorghiest is still trying to find it's mark, but our Rare section is seriously over-crowded in all honesty...



Hope this helps,
Cheers!


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## Cpt. Loken

Thanks experiment 626 for the advise.
here's a test list for 1000pts tell me what you think? 

LORDS

Vampire Lord - 
- Forbidden Lore - 
- Enchanted shield - 
Total 245

HEROES

Wight King - 
- BSB - 
- Royal Standard of Strigos - 
Total 135

Necromancer - 
- +1 Necromancy spell - 
Total 70

CORE

Skeletons (20) - 
- Command - 
- Spears - 
Total 200

Crypt Ghouls (10) - 

Corpse Cart - 

SPECIAL

Grave Guard (14) - 
- Command - 
Total 198


TOTAL = 1003 pts

(I used what I could from the Battalion)

EDIT- please don't add individual points costs: GW protect their copyright and are quite willing to smack a forum for letting members post itemised points costs. Totals for units/armies are fine...
Thanks

T/S


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## Ratvan

At this level I wouldn't worry too much about the BSB and Wight King unless you really want it for the standards effect. I would be looking for some magical armour from the Warhammer Battle Rule Book that gives an armour and ward save in one magic item and something that gives you magical resistance (to stop lore of death sniping your general)


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## experiment 626

I'd honestly avoid a vamp lord untill you hit about the 2k mark... They're terribly costly and they really need a proper mix of powers/magic items to really shine. 250pts just isn't enough wiggle room to make them viable.
A basic Thrall w/Forbidden Lore (VC lore), Summon Ghouls/Skeletons, Armour of Destiny is pretty solid at 1000pts! Our own lore is easy to cast, evne for a Lv1 wizard, and you can quickly build up the numbers on your core units by casting a Summon Undead Horde on them to add +3D6 models!

A wight king at this pts level makes for a much stronger character hunter - being able to get away with just the Other Trickster's Shard to still leave a cheap, reliable killer.
As mentioned, we don't need a BSB at this pts level... Actually, the only real reason for us to take a BSB is to double up on magic banners in a unit! (yes, a BSB on it's own is pretty damn useless to us...)

Definately keep the necro! If you can manage it, you might also want to try and squeeze the Black Periapt onto him too...

Drop the Corpse Cart for now - it doesn't count towards your core mins, and those pts are better spent adding onto your ghouls to bring them up in numbers.

Grave Guard, see if it's at all possible to squeeze the Banner of the Barrows onto the unit! It makes all the difference with these guys.


As far tactics;
- If you raise zombies to redirect enemy units, keep a close track of how many times you pull this trick. It costs you 50VP's every time you need to do this, and especially in smaller pts battle, it can easily cost you.

- Use necros for 1D6 Invocation attempts when you really need to heal your units. It protects you main caster/s from breaking concentration and it's annoying for the enemy who will we be torn between wanting to use their dispel dice to stop you healing your army, all the while knowing your more powerful spells are still to come!
Only time it's advisable to not do this is if you really, really, really *need* Vanhel's to get through! (at which point, you can 2D6 spam that!)

- Learn what spells you absolutely *need* to cast each turn. For example, if you need to cast Vanhels to get the ASF + re-rolls in the combat phase, cast your magic missiles/curse of years first! Force your opponent to spend their dispel dice on the spells that won't affect the main combat/area of concern.
Then have fun casting your required spells such as augments onto a unit in combat!

- Never charge with your infantry, unless there's a damn good reason to. Charging is overall bad for us. +1CR is meaningless overall now that all combats go at initiative. The only thing charging really does for you is give the enemy an extra round to pound on your unit/s before you can heal them!
Only things in our army that should ever charge are knights, coach, flyers and supporting/flank charges.
Only units you should actively try to charge are missile units, war machines and enemy cavalry/units that get bonuses on the charge.
Otherwise, only charge if the alternative is to take another round of shooting/magical barrage to the face!

Cheers!


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## Cpt. Loken

Thanks for the help guys.
here's the list that I did up with all the advise you guys gave me.

HEROS

Vampire - 
- Forbidden Lore - 
- Lord of the Dead - 
- Talisman of Endurance - 
Total 180

Necromancer - 
- +1 Necromancy spell - 
Total 70

CORE

Skeletons (30) - 
- Command - 
- Lichebone Pennant - 
Total 275

Crypt Ghouls (20) - 160


SPECIAL

Grave Guard (20) - 
- Command - 
- Banner of Borrows - 
Total 315


TOTAL = 1000 pts

EDIT- as above
T/S


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## Akatsuki13

Not bad for 1k battles. If you ever get into 2,000+ pt range I'd actually consider taking Mannfred von Carstein either as the Count leading your army or in his younger former. When it comes to magic Mannfred is the _best_ of the Vampire Counts. Both versions of him are expensive but definitely worth when it comes to magic. However he has one flaw in the 8th, a lack of Ward Save.


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## Zakath

Looks really good, that should do well  And I think it is an easy list to play with. If I were you, I'd propably sacrifice the Banner of Burrows or some skeletons in order to get a unit of Wolves in there. I guess that's more because of my playstyle than anything else but I can't imagine playing a list without harrasment units! Maybe some you'll consider some when you move up to 1250 or 1500? 

Best of luck with your games


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