Ravinsild

I have a gimmicky Neferata list that’s pretty bare bones, but I just badly wanted an excuse to use her. It’s just a fluffy all vampire list. I doubt it’s particularly good or strong though. Allegiance: Legion of BloodMortal Realm: ShyishLeadersNeferata Mortarch Of Blood (400)- General- Lore of the Dead: Soul Harvest (Deathmages)Vampire Lord On Zombie Dragon (440)- Deathlance & Shield & Chalice- Artefact: Ethereal Amulet - Lore of the Vampires: Vile TransferenceVampire Lord (140)- Mount: Flying Horror- Lore of the Vampires: Amaranthine OrbNecromancer (110)- Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming DreadBattleline5 x Dire Wolves (60)5 x Dire Wolves (60)5 x Dire Wolves (60)Units15 x Blood Knights (720)Total: 1990 / 2000Extra Command Points: 0Allies: 0 / 400Wounds: 110

You have a point. Literally no one uses zombies because Skeletons are better in every way for killing and grimghast reapers are better in every way for tarpitting and living on objectives. And there’s various little things like that. Not sure why nobody uses Fel Bats or Bar Swarms except their models are ugly. Literally Blood knights are superior in almost every single way to Black Knights, the only issue not being able to receive healing or new models from Graveyards and Deathly Invocations and they’re literally double the price. (120 vs 240 points). But then if Blood Knights were, say, 140 to 160 points would anyone ever run Black Knights? When you lump everything together it automatically causes there to be winner units and loser units, whereas in Ironjawz, for instance, everyone is a winner unit. It’s debatable whether the Megaboss on foot has a place, but I use him and he’s always done fine for me. So 1 potential loser (up for debate) in a more focused army whereas in the soup half the units come out in the wash and never see daylight.

Probably a hobbit.

That’s what I’m super hoping for.

Any new Khorne Berzerkers for 40k?

Gives me hope that Ironjawz and Beastclaw Raiders could also get more units/models/Warscrolls. Exciting Times!!

Can you mix and match marks in Slaves to Darkness like that? Like have Nurgle marked Marauders and Slaneesh Chaos Knights and a Tzeentch Sorcerer Lord and a Khornate Chaos Lord?

I don’t like Slaneesh and don’t play it myself, but it’s still pretty exciting over all. New content is always healthier for the game I think, especially a big 4 Chaos god. Not sure how popular Slaneesh is, but I know at least 2 people in my local GW store who play that faction. I’m more into Khorne and Slaves to Darkness but both of them have pretty good models so idk if anything new will come any time soon for those. Even so, it gives me hope for new other cool things in the future like vampires, and maybe Dark Elves and Dwarves being unified into a good army with some swag new models and stuff. Exciting times these days with so much cool new content. Even Blood Bowl is coming out with cool stuff regularly and maybe soon Khorne and Chaos Space Marines will get some love. Berzerkers are 20 year old kits and half the Chaos line is resin. Praying for new sweet models like this!

Allegiance: Legion of NightMortal Realm: ShyishLeadersMannfred Mortarch Of Night (420)- General- Lore of the Dead: Soul Harvest (Deathmages)Vampire Lord (140)- Lore of the Vampires: Vile TransferenceNecromancer (110)- Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming DreadBattleline40 x Skeleton Warriors (280)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient BladesUnits6 x Vargheists (320)10 x Grave Guard (160)- Wight Blades & Crypt ShieldsBehemothsMortis Engine (180)BattalionsNightfall Pack (170)Endless SpellsChronomantic Cogs (60)Total: 2000 / 2000Extra Command Points: 1Allies: 0 / 400Wounds: 127 i think there’s potential in this list to be absolutely filthy. I’m fairly certain I either don’t want anything in ambush, or if I do probably the block of 40 skeletons. The nova potential to absolutely smash someone is pretty solid here: give turn 1 to the enemy and let them move up onto objectives. You then go to turn 1. Command Point for Vampire Lord onto Vargheists, Command Point on Mannfred to re-roll, cast Chronomatic Cogs. All of your units can fly in the Deathball. Chronomatic Cogs gives Mannfred 18” move, Vampire Lord can go 12”, I would probably run him to keep up, he sucks in melee so why charge. Vargheists go 14”. Everyone gets plus 2 to their charge. Throw the Mortis Engine up field too, 16” and throw it into combat near Mannfred. With the Battalion and VL Command Ability Vargheists are throwing out 30 3/3/-1/2 attacks rr1’s. Mannfred is a beast in combat. Next turn you’ll probably get hurt and that’s ok. Vargheists will take some wounds, maybe Mannfred too. So then you open with Soul Harvest, then do Wind of Death, then pop the reliquary and that’s 3D3 total damage to one unit, 2D3 +1 to several other units and 1D3 damage or so healing to your wounded Vargheists and Mannfred himself, then you attack with them again after all of your spells and abilities. The enemy should be crippled at this point and you still have 40 skeletons and a Necromancer in the back supporting. Vargheists could even still have 24 attacks, even if they didn’t charge they’re still deadly. I think the alpha strike hammer potential is insane especially if you get a double turn. Thoughts on such a list?

Is.... there any chance these made to order guys will come back in plastic? The troll dude, one-eye, the dragon, all of these are so epic. why were they discontinued? What are the odds these guys ever return in new glorious forms? Why did they retire them in the first place? Are they just abandoning these and streamlining everything? Any rumours about any of this stuff?

That’s exactly what happened. I charged, wiped 2 units, they got wiped, next turn I summoned and charged again. If they had not died instead of 3/3/-/2 and 4/4/-/1 they would have been at 3/4/-/1 and 4/5/-/1.... lol.

I got cold and forgot the plan. Honestly he kept focusing on my Black Knights and wight King but between Gryph Feather Charm, heals, his innate good save, the -1 aura from the vampire lord thanks to the balefire lantern and everything.... 10 Grave Guard pulled their own weight with 100 attacks two combats in a row and another 80 the next combat. The first turn I used VHD on the BK which hit like a sledge hammer then died , I resummoned them with endless legion and they continued to be a focus. 10 Grave Guard and 10 Black Knights actually just hurt. More would hurt more, but I wouldn’t discount low model count either. Between my Graveyard placement for Invogorating Aura, multiple Deadly Invocations and Legions Innumerable... it’s pretty easy to keep my GG at max. I also rolled super well when regenerating dead knights every time. In total he probably killed 15 but 3 out of 4 times my rolls were 2+

Well here’s an update. I brought this list: Allegiance: DeathMortal Realm: GhurLeadersWight King with Baleful Tomb Blade(120)- General- Mount: Steed- Trait: Lord of Nagashizzar - Artefact: Gryph-feather Charm Vampire Lord (140)- Mount: Flying Horror- Artefact: Balefire Lantern - Lore of the Vampires: Vile TransferenceNecromancer (110)- Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming DreadBattleline30 x Skeleton Warriors (240)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient BladesUnits10 x Grave Guard (160)- Great Wight Blades5 x Black Knights (120)2 x Morghast Harbingers (220)- Spirit HalberdsBattalionsDeathmarch (160)Endless SpellsChronomantic Cogs (60)Total: 1490 / 2000Extra Command Points: 11Allies: 0 / 400Wounds: 97 Skipping to the death at the 5th turn I tabled him and had every single unit at full strength. I failed to get Cogs off turn 1, my vampire lord couldn’t get it off Lord of Nagashizzar was really good. My skeletons actually never took damage and never saw combat, the Wight King and Black Knights took off without them first turn. Turn 1 I premeasured and decided to use VHDM, Lord of Bones and Blood Feast on my Black Knights who moved 16” anyway and were easily in range to charge turn 1. They pumped out 100 attacks wiping 2 units of Dwarves. My Morghasts charged turn 1 and wiped another leaving only Organ Guns on one flank. That entire side was destroyed by turn 3. At that point I had 11 victory points to his 5. The second highlight of the game is 10 Grave Guard with VHDM, Lord of Bones and Blood Feast layed waste to 20 crossbowmen. The Knights also did damage even unbuffed on the charge. Essentially I smashed turn 1 into his heavy fire power side as fast and hard as I couldn’t and ruined it quickly. I turn gathered up mid turn and moved to the other side of the board in a Deathball and ruined his other flank with BK and GG. Vile Transference is MVP taking my WK from 2 wounds back up to 4, and the -1 to hit artifact plus look out sir and good saves helped him out thereafter. I ended with double his victory points and tabled him for a total victory losing no units, with full models. I kept my 2 10 man skeleton squads home all game camping each objective on my side. I kept the Necromancer in the middle near the Cogs swapping between extra movement and extra spells. The VL followed the Deathball and provided support and heals, the Morghasts went on their own and just murdered stuff. Next time I’ll need to figure out what to do with my 30 block. The map prevented me from putting them in the grave, otherwise they probably would have seen combat. Next time I think I’ll use Legion of Sacrament. -1 attack overall but plus 3” movement and +1 spell cast.

Well I suppose it’s more accurate to say I love the idea of the Deathmarch and I love theory crafting around it. Today I just got the Black Knights so I actually haven’t been able to play it at all yet. Mostly I just wanted to see how it would fair, but you bring up a lot of good points too. I’ll probably go with your suggestion.

Here I was thinking a totally different approach. Allegiance: Grand Host of NagashMortal Realm: ShyishLeadersWight King with Baleful Tomb Blade(120)- General- Mount: Steed- Trait: Lord of Nagashizzar - Artefact: Ethereal Amulet Vampire Lord (140)- Mount: Flying Horror- Artefact: Balefire Lantern - Lore of the Vampires: Vile TransferenceNecromancer (110)- Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming DreadBattleline30 x Skeleton Warriors (240)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient Blades10 x Grave Guard (160)- Great Wight BladesUnits5 x Black Knights (120)2 x Morghast Harbingers (220)- Spirit HalberdsBattalionsDeathmarch (160)Endless SpellsChronomantic Cogs (60)Total: 1490 / 2000Extra Command Points: 11Allies: 0 / 400Wounds: 97 Run up the board (literally) turn 1 ASAP, with my WK, VL, Morghasts, BK, GG and put my 30 skeletons in the grave to summon in their territory. Throw my 10 man skeletons squads and Necromancer on objective duty, wipe him and camp objectives.

Well so far what I have in my collection is: 60 Skeletons (20 are unbuilt) 10 Grave Guard with sword and shield 10 Grave Guard with 2-handed weapons 15 Black Knights (5 are built rest are on sprues) 1 Mortis Engine/Coven Throne/Bloodseeker Palanquin Kit (not sure which to build but I guess I’ll build the one I like and counts as in the future) 3 Spirit Hosts 2 Neferata 1 Mannfred (unbuilt) 1 Arkhan (unbuilt) 4 Morghasts 2 Wight King 1 Vampire Lord 1 Necromancer my endless spells are on the way in the mail, as is my GHB and rulebook physical copies. Ive got a corpse cart on the way in the mail, a Necromancer again and a vampire lord again. I also have an unbuilt Wight King and unbuilt 2 Dreadblade Harrows so I can try to kit bash or convert a Wight King on Skeletal Steed somehow. I’ll have to build fast for tomorrow but it’s only 1.5k points. I don’t have any Terrorgheists, ghosts at all except the Dreadblade Harrows and they’re for converting into Wight Kings and I only have 60 skeletons and only 40 are built. So that’s what I’m working with. I’m new to death ? I just picked up half of that stuff today.

I suppose my original question was which Legion do you think is the best for that type of strategy? GHoN, LoS or LoN?

I don’t have double Mortis engines or two Terrorgheists.... Also Dwarves have a chance to auto-pass battleshock without spending a Command point so bravery debuffs are less effective against them.

I’m fighting a Dispossessed player this coming Saturday at 1500 points and I know his playstyle. I’ve beaten him with Khorne and Ironjawz. He generally likes to turtle up in his territory and protect his shooters, and pick me off from a distance. He forms a defensive wall around his shooters with basic Warriors then brings artillery in the very center and typically a Gyrocopter then has long beards support the shooting guys with -1 rend and like re-roll 1’s or maybe all missed hits. Every time he’s played he always just hunkers down and never moves, except when I go to sit on objectives then he moves just enough to be at max shooting distance and shoots me off the points so I have to go to him or he will kill everything and take the objectives. I’m wondering which legion to bring. Legion of Night I can ambush right into his territory, Grand Host with Cogs + Deathmarch I can run across and charge by turn 2 probably, and Sacrament same scenario. With Night I’ll never benefit from the bait save, he never moves his army unless it’s just enough to be at max shooting range to kill me off objectives, so I have to go to him to kill his shooters and keep some other guys on objectives. With GHoN I could bring Morghasts for the +1 attack and chance of free regeneration on top of Graveyards, Deathly Invocations and so forth. Plus my GG, BK and Skeletons would get +1 attack due to Lord of Nagashizzar, plus Wight King CA and Vampire Lord, so one of my units will be pooping attacks. With Sacrament I could just have slightly better spell casting, probably wouldn’t bring Morghasts and just more GG and BK and a super slim chance of regenerating a unit if they are dead... and I wipe one of his... and it’s near my own Graveyard like 6” near which seems unlikely... but I can go faster? So 2 out of 3 options give pretty good benefits (ambush or extra casting) and 2 that will probably not at all be useful, but GHoN gives 2 always on benefits as long as I roll well (5+) and bring Morghasts. I was thinking probably put my 40 man block in the grave of skeletons then summon them from the Graveyard and put the Graveyards near his typical turtle formation about 9” out. This gives the regeneration aura as well as good range to summon guys to crash into his little shell. I would just footslog my GG and BK with WK and VL ASAP across the board to engage him and spread out my 10 man Skellies to hit objectives and camp. Any recommendations?

The main problem is that I built 10 with 1h sword and shield and 10 with 2-handed weapons haha.

My fastest Death list yet.... With Mastery of Death and the Deathmarch my Grave Guard with great blades, 40 skeletons and Black Knights will be automatically moving 7” in the hero phase if positioned properly. Turn 1 drop Cogs with a +3 to cast (+1 Black Disciples Legion trait, +1 corpse cart, +1 Mortis Engine.) This gives even more movement during the movement phase. Drop the Balewind and prepare to support from within my territory with two MSU skeleton squads and a grave guard with shields as body guards and home base campers. The main offensive force will move forward to claim objectives and slay the living. The Vampire and Mortis Engine are the Wight Kings bodyguard and escort there to keep him alive with heals and support. From the back enhanced Necromancer spells should cripple the enemy and buff my own troops with increased range and better casting (thx corpse cart). Focusing on speed and magic with this list. Plus constantly regenerating lost models as almost every single unit is SUMMONABLE and they’re part of the Battalion which means automatically 1 free model returned. That’s a free 2 wounds straight up for Black Knights. Allegiance: Legion of SacramentMortal Realm: GhurLeadersWight King with Baleful Tomb Blade(120)- General- Mount: Steed- Trait: Mastery of Death - Artefact: Gryph-feather Charm Vampire Lord (140)- Mount: Flying Horror- Artefact: Azyrbane Standard - Lore of the Vampires: Vile TransferenceNecromancer (110)Necromancer (110)Battleline40 x Skeleton Warriors (280)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient Blades10 x Skeleton Warriors (80)- Ancient BladesUnits10 x Grave Guard (160)- Wight Blades & Crypt Shields10 x Grave Guard (160)- Great Wight Blades10 x Black Knights (240)1 x Corpse Cart (80)BehemothsMortis Engine (180)BattalionsDeathmarch (160)Endless SpellsChronomantic Cogs (60)Balewind Vortex (40)Total: 2000 / 2000Extra Command Points: 1Allies: 0 / 400Wounds: 138

I think only Tomb Kings and Bretonnians have been canned. Everything else, in my opinion, will be redone and brought into the modern times. It’s only a matter of time. After all AoS is far from their only game, and other things need to be updated too. Like 90% of Chaos space marine stuff.... the khorne bezerker kit is literally like 20 years old. They finally updated Dark Eldar and stuff. I just think it’s a waiting game. I doubt Blood Knights or vampires in general are going anywhere.

What leads you to believe they are moving away from supporting Blood Knights in the rules?

Yes, there’s 2 ways I could play it. Way #1 is to have the Mortis Engine and Vampire Lord escort and follow my Wight King general everywhere he goes to heal him when needed to keep my ability to use Endless Legions intact as well as keeping my Battalion bonus going. The second is to have them escort the Morghast Harbingers and heal them instead whilst buffing their attacks even further. The main issue is how to keep my 5 wound Wight King alive. He has a 3+ save with a 6+ FNP, but it’s just a matter of the right artifact to give him that much longer life span. Deathforged Chain is an automatic healing of 1 wound every hero phase should he ever be injured. Balefire Lanturn causes all enemies attacking him within 6” to be at -1 wound rolls. Ossific Diadem gives him a 6+++ Gryph-Feather Charm is a -1 to be hit and a +1 movement speed. Ethereal Amulet makes it so his 3+ save cannot be modified by rend, or at the very least ignores rend of -1. With only 5 wounds protecting him and keeping him alive is quite important, so what’s the most beneficial choice? Constant healing, less likely to be hit, wounded or an unmodifiable save roll, or three chances to nullify wounds altogether? The Morghasts are an elite hammer unit meant to take out the strongest enemy units (like Skullreapers, Brutes or a Megaboss on Maw-Krusha or something) so sending my Wight King in with them is dangerous and puts him at risk but lowers their support, should I keep the escort with the WK. I’m not sure what the best way to do it is. Maybe just keep the WK out of combat and supporting from behind with Deathly Invocations and Deathless Minions.

Yeah, I have heard Death is the ultimate attrition army, but one of the main weaknesses is being so slow. Being able to quickly engage in combat means the attrition can start sooner. Between my many heroes, all of whom have Deathly Invocations, Graveyards, Legions Innumerable and even the command trait Endless Legions, getting stuck in ASAP shouldn’t be a problem to start grinding them down whilst constantly replenishing models. I mostly included Morghasts because I didn’t want to waste one of the battletraits, and I do think they’re alright. They have the speed to keep up despite not being Deathrattle but they don’t benefit much from the command trait or VHD. Overall I am not really sure what it means to be an attrition army, but a much faster than expected hard hitting force should take many people by surprise.