Morghast efficiency

[Undead4Life]

Hey, all!

I'm a prospective GA:Death player and I have some questions regarding Morghasts, specifically their effectiveness against different targets.

 

I really like the concept of a Deathlords list with the spooky giant skeletons as Battleline, but I have concerns with their capacity to deal with things like horde units, especially when they will be the bulk of my list.

 

My planned list is as follows:

Nagash

Morghast Archai

Morghast Archai

Morghast Harbingers

380 summon pool

2000 total

 

I figure with the summoning I could bring on stuff that would be situationally useful, but I'm not sure if that will be enough?

Also, with Nagash's double-summon-trouble, would it still count as, say, 60 points for the ten zombies that become 20, or would I have to pay for the extra summon Nagash gets?

TL;DR

Are Morghast sufficient as generalist Battleline, or will they struggle against particular types of lists? Should I invest in zombies/skellies/ghouls?

[Nico]

You would have to pay for the doubled summons.

Morghasts are pretty solid. They will be rocking a 4+ save, rerolling ones and a 6+ ward (assuming near Nagash). Harbingers can shred regular troops and make long charges. Archai can deal with Saurus Guard and other tough units. That said, blocks of say 20 Stormvermin will grind them down them as a unit has only 12 wounds.

The killer for this will be model count, for example in scenario 1, you need 10 models to win the scenario. 

Furthermore any Nagash list runs into the problem of wasting his spellcasting potential.

[mmimzie]

I wouldn't run nagas you won't cast enough spells to get his points in this list.

 

Manfred of Nef would probably make this list stronger, while opening more resources for either more summoning or more Morghast.

[DamonRafael]

Have you considered the Neferat's Blood-court?

[Nico]

Not pointed !

[Darth Alec]

If you're trying to be competative, it's much better to run two Mortarchs than Nagash. The summoning just isn't there to make the big man worth it. He can't cast a lot of spells either, due to the rule of 1. I'd probably go with Neferata and Mannfred instead.

 

Or play a much larger Open or Narrative game. That would be much cooler.

[WoollyMammoth]

the cool thing about Nagash is that he can summon a unit of 40 skeletons. He needs a 10+ but that is easy for him. Other death wizards can only summon a unit of 10 skeletons, which is going to be nothing but a weak road block kind of unit, where 40 skeletons is a heavy hammer unit. You cant really rely on a death wizard getting 20 skeletons, but you can rely on Nagash summoning 40 skeletons or zombies, or a 2 dragons/Tgheists as a legitimate tactic. 

[Darth Alec]

Only really works in narrative/open play though. In matched you won't have the points for that.
 Nagash is really amazing in narrative/open play though. Absolutely horrendous.

[Nico]

Quote

the cool thing about Nagash is that he can summon a unit of 40 skeletons. He needs a 10+ but that is easy for him. Other death wizards can only summon a unit of 10 skeletons, which is going to be nothing but a weak road block kind of unit, where 40 skeletons is a heavy hammer unit. You cant really rely on a death wizard getting 20 skeletons, but you can rely on Nagash summoning 40 skeletons or zombies, or a 2 dragons/Tgheists as a legitimate tactic. 

However, when you fail your 9 inch charge with this block of 40 Skeletons (who will not even count towards Battleline requirements as they are in the reinforcements); and your opponent runs around them or retreats backwards and outpaces them....

Apart from the odd chaff unit here or there, GH summoning of non-ranged units (Bastiladon, Flamers) is pretty mediocre when you take into account the downsides of it (risk wizard dies, using up valuable spell casts when Wizards are overcosted versus SCGT etc.). Sure throwing 2 Harbingers into a unit of archers from 24 inches away is fun, but I just wouldn't rely on it heavily. Nagash will need the "Death Lore" or "Deathlords Lore" to be spectacular to be viable in 2000 point games. 

[mmimzie]

I'd agree with nico. Other exceptions i'd make would be for zombies joining units of other zombies. Or Dire Wolves/Hexwraiths/black nights making big meaty walls to let your slow stuff take the board. 

Though i must add summoning is also great for taking objectives. The range of the summoner technically doesn't mattter too much as long as a chain of that unit will get to where you want. you can amke a skel/zombie chain toward and objective  Forcing your opponent to have multiple objective protecting units otherwise one of your charging units can take an objective from a unit guarding the center of the objective. 

 

As nico mentioned summoning shooters like banshess to break artillery crew or finish off monster can be great. 

 

Other than this summoning will be strongest on turn 1 and get weaker  in turn 2, and be subtanatialy weaker turn 3. Turn 1 you get a massive movement bonus to your army allowing you to summon units well across the battle field.  Turn 2 odds are you can get closer to a none moving gun line than you could still get from moving. However, turn 3 you've lost 2 turn of potential combat with melee "chaff" units. 

 

As such you only want to:

1. summon units turn 1 or 2 to get them up the field quicketr than they would otherwise.
2. summon units who you hope will get a luck charge, or who can definitly make a long range charge
3. summon a strong shooter
4. summon a hero or unit to take a long range objective with a suprize unit. (particularly strong in escalation and pieaces of power, but again this one goes back to number 1)