New LoN player needs a little help

[leebat]

Hello all, 

 

I’ve played a single game of AoS just as the legion of Nagash book was released and I’ve been painting my army slowly over time. I’ve decided to through in and go to a tournament to finally get some games in with a couple of friends that don’t really know how to play as well. I’m finding it a little difficult to know which spell to pick or the artefact or the command traits. The models I’ve been chosen are what’s painted and hopefully won’t suck to much but any extra advice on things like keep the wolves in a unit of 10 or split the wolves in 2 units of 5 or what spells/ traits you might take would be really helpful. 

My list is 

Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash
LEADERS
Vampire Lord (140) - General
Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon (440) - Deathlance & Shield & Chalice
Wight King with Baleful Tomb Blade (120) 
Necromancer (110)
UNITS
10 x Dire Wolves (120)
20 x Grave Guard (320) - Great Wight Blades
40 x Skeleton Warriors (280) - Ancient Spears
3 x Vargheists (160)
2 x Morghast Archai (220) - Spirit Swords
ENDLESS SPELLS / TERRAIN
The Burning Head (40)
TOTAL: 1950/2000
EXTRA COMMAND POINTS: 1
WOUNDS: 133

 

[Sartxac]

18 minutes ago, leebat said:

Hello all, 

 

I’ve played a single game of AoS just as the legion of Nagash book was released and I’ve been painting my army slowly over time. I’ve decided to through in and go to a tournament to finally get some games in with a couple of friends that don’t really know how to play as well. I’m finding it a little difficult to know which spell to pick or the artefact or the command traits. The models I’ve been chosen are what’s painted and hopefully won’t suck to much but any extra advice on things like keep the wolves in a unit of 10 or split the wolves in 2 units of 5 or what spells/ traits you might take would be really helpful. 

My list is 

Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash
LEADERS
Vampire Lord (140) - General
Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon (440) - Deathlance & Shield & Chalice
Wight King with Baleful Tomb Blade (120) 
Necromancer (110)
UNITS
10 x Dire Wolves (120)
20 x Grave Guard (320) - Great Wight Blades
40 x Skeleton Warriors (280) - Ancient Spears
3 x Vargheists (160)
2 x Morghast Archai (220) - Spirit Swords
ENDLESS SPELLS / TERRAIN
The Burning Head (40)
TOTAL: 1950/2000
EXTRA COMMAND POINTS: 1
WOUNDS: 133

 

Vampire lord with command trait lord of Nagashizzar. This is fundamental in a list with 40 skeletons and 20 grave guard. _With this trait all deathrale units do 1 attack more if they are 6" near the general. Your necromancer is necessary for do attack two times your skeletons or grave guard in every combat phase.

In grand host of nagash the spirit halberds are better weapons than spirit swords.

In my opinion, the dire wolves work better as a two units of 5. Her work is be a screen to the enemy charges. I would use one for protect the grave guard.

Artefact? Ethereal amulet for the VLoZD (reign of shyish artefact) or balefire lantern to this dragon or your general.

The extra CP is very good for your wight king or vampire lord. 1-3 extra attack  (with cp of VL and king more lord of naghasizzar) extra to grave guard or skeletons more the spell of the necromancer can make a excellent combo. Grave guard that do 5 attacks two times in a combat phase (2x5) is frenzy (or skeletons that do 6 attacks).

The VLoZD more vargheist more morghast archai can work as a hammer flank and the cp abbility of your dragon works very well in any of this units.

Spells? Vile transference to your dragon for cure live points of morghast, he same or vargheists.  Soulpike for your general. And for the necromancer? I don't know, which is the opinion of others lectors? 

Edited May 29, 2019 by Sartxac

[El Syf]

10 hours ago, Sartxac said:

Vampire lord with command trait lord of Nagashizzar. This is fundamental in a list with 40 skeletons and 20 grave guard. _With this trait all deathrale units do 1 attack more if they are 6" near the general. Your necromancer is necessary for do attack two times your skeletons or grave guard in every combat phase.

In grand host of nagash the spirit halberds are better weapons than spirit swords.

In my opinion, the dire wolves work better as a two units of 5. Her work is be a screen to the enemy charges. I would use one for protect the grave guard.

Artefact? Ethereal amulet for the VLoZD (reign of shyish artefact) or balefire lantern to this dragon or your general.

The extra CP is very good for your wight king or vampire lord. 1-3 extra attack  (with cp of VL and king more lord of naghasizzar) extra to grave guard or skeletons more the spell of the necromancer can make a excellent combo. Grave guard that do 5 attacks two times in a combat phase (2x5) is frenzy (or skeletons that do 6 attacks).

The VLoZD more vargheist more morghast archai can work as a hammer flank and the cp abbility of your dragon works very well in any of this units.

Spells? Vile transference to your dragon for cure live points of morghast, he same or vargheists.  Soulpike for your general. And for the necromancer? I don't know, which is the opinion of others lectors? 

I second everything Sartxac said. Ethereal amulet on the dragon is a must imo. Me and my regular opponent have a gentleman's agreement not to use it but in a tournament situation where everyone else can choose it you might as well take advantage.

[lare2]

13 hours ago, Sartxac said:

I don't know, which is the opinion of others lectors? 

Always find the choice on the necro to be pretty irrelevant really as he's probably always casting DM. If Naggy's there though, generally something like Fading Vigour. 

[AverageBoss]

Overwhelming Dread and Fading Vigor would be my top choices of Necromancer spells. Also ya, ethereal amulet on the dragon, or it will go down within 1-2 turns from rending shooting.

Edited May 30, 2019 by AverageBoss

[Honk]

On 5/30/2019 at 12:35 AM, leebat said:

any extra advice on things like keep the wolves in a unit of 10 or split the wolves in 2 units of 5 or what spells

The wolf thing is pretty swingy. Sometimes you want two fast units for objective grabbing or unit screening. But sometimes 10hp are gone too fast. Or you’ll want to screen big chunks or send them off alone into trouble... there is no define answer, imo both options have uses.

spells to throw around... also depends, mostly on your opponent. My necromancer always brings „Overwhelming Dread“ since blightkings with the old on 6+ rule can oneshot skellis,

but fading vigor is also a good choice, not only reducing attacks by one, but also reducing charge range down to one dice. That even makes a 3“ charge interesting. 

But as @lare2 said, most of the time you are aiming for the dance of death.

for the vamps... vile T is useful to snipe and heal, as stated above morghast like some healing too. Pinions give the dragon extra range, which is often used for alpha strikes. The orb has a special place in my heart, after Nagash railgunned through half an ironjawz army with it, dealing 17MWs. It is a nice spell, if you can get 3+ units under the line(Arkham’s range extender),  otherwise vT is better.

Imo the rest is not that useful...

[leebat]

thank you all.

My list in and I've gone with your advice lets see how i get on tomorrow at the event. but for now im re reading the rules so i hopefully wont make silly basic rules mistakes 

[leebat]

lol i forgot the list 

 Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash

Mortal Realm: Shyish

LEADERS Vampire Lord (140) - General - Command Trait : Lord of Nagashizzar - Flying Horror - Lore of the Vampires : Amaranthine Orb

Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon (440) - Deathlance & Shield & Chalice - Artefact : Ethereal Amulet - Lore of the Vampires : Amethystine Pinions

Necromancer (110) - Lore of the Deathmages : Fading Vigour

Wight King with Baleful Tomb Blade (120)

UNITS

5 x Dire Wolves (60)

5 x Dire Wolves (60)

20 x Grave Guard (320) - Great Wight Blades

40 x Skeleton Warriors (280) - Ancient Spears

2 x Morghast Archai (220) - Spirit Swords

3 x Vargheists (160)

ENDLESS SPELLS / TERRAIN The Burning Head (40)

TOTAL: 1950/2000

EXTRA COMMAND POINTS: 1

 

[Honk]

33 minutes ago, leebat said:

My list in and I've gone with your advice lets see how i get on tomorrow at the event

Last question... and I hate myself for saying this:

think about replacing your wight king (😢sry😢) with a Second necromancer... yes, his ca is nice, but casting vanhels AND a lore spell dread or fading is just pretty good.

be careful with that endless spell, it might just fly back and kill you small heroes... pendulum only goes in one direction, or the shackles for area denial...

or king->necro, no ES but +1CP for the vamp lord or resurrection or bravery

on that note, do not put your heroes into melee (except the distraction carnifex: lord on dragon) all the others will die in an instant. This is not fantasy anymore, where their high initiative and weapon skill will protect them.

Wightking with axe has 5hp

 deathless- 6 damage

4+save 12 wounds

4+ to wound - 24 hits

4+ to hit - 48 attacks 

Think about your 20 skellis attacking in two ranks... and those are the weakest units (4+\4+ no rend 1 dmg). Same goes for the vampirelord, they both will not survive two rounds of combat against anything noteworthy and your whole army will suffer from the loss deathless, spells, regeneration, command abilities...

Edited May 31, 2019 by Honk

[leebat]

@Honk cheers bud all stuff i can look at and I've have a second necro in my paint cue and i only have the one endless spell painted so im a little restricted this time to what painted but i will factor your advice for my next lists 

[leebat]

Well it was a long day yesterday with a 5 hour drive home, but I had an awesome time with some really nice people. 

It was a small 10 man event with 2 death  2 chaos 1 destruction and 5 order players,

We played 3 games with my general being dead by turn 2 every game ( I really needed him not to be a 5 wound vampire ) I never got to used the endless spell. 

Now ive played I can see we’re I was going wrong and how easily things die (I really wasn’t  prepared for how quickly units can get removed in  game )  

i managed t win 2 of the 3 games and ended up coming 3rd with best sports and best death player after a death off in round 3 we’re I came up against Nagash who I had down to 2 wounds remaining but I just couldn’t finish him off. 

Thanks for all the advice it really helped 

[Honk]

1 hour ago, leebat said:

Now ive played I can see we’re I was going wrong and how easily things die (I really wasn’t  prepared for how quickly units can get removed in  game

 

On 5/31/2019 at 10:51 AM, Honk said:

Same goes for the vampirelord, they both will not survive two rounds of combat against anything noteworthy

 

I‘m trying not to scream : TOLD YA!!!

but....

Congrats for your placing, when I started, I often felt like a little rabbit, trying to stare down a truck driver...

fast solution is making your necro the general and stick him into the skellis.

but nevertheless impressive performance and most importantly you had fun!

[lare2]

3 hours ago, leebat said:

how easily things die (I really wasn’t  prepared for how quickly units can get removed in  game )

That's the beautiful thing about being Death. I throw units into combat knowing full well they'll die. As long as my heroes are alright I know that dead unit will be back. It's amazing how many people still generally ignore my heroes and get excited when they finally manage to kill 40 skellies. 

Awesome work. Glad you had a good day. Onwards and upwards now!