Wanted to try something a little different again... I couldn't do a Vampire Lord or Strigoi on a Dragon / terrorheist. Just too much of a point sink then once you include gear + powers its too much.

So had to fiddle around... think I have come up with something. Still debating on wether or not to have the lord on a hellsteed or a abyssal terror. If I swap it out it does free up some points for other things.

Lords:
Vampire Lord
Lvl 2 Wizard - Lore of Death
Heavy Armour
Shield
Lance

Mount:
Abyssal Terror
Poisonous Tail
Sword-Claws

Magic Items:
Trickster's Helm
Talisman of preservation

Vampiric Powers:
Beguile
Quick Blood
Red Fury

Total Lord: 599/600

Heroes:
Vampire
Lvl 1 Wizard - Lore of Vampires
Barded Nightmare
Heavy Armour
Shield
Lance

Magic Items:
Dragon Helm
Dawnstone
Ironcurse Icon

Vampiric Powers:
Dread Knight

Total: 185

Wight King
Barded Skeletal Steed
Heavy Armour
Shield
Lance
Battle Standard Bearer

Magic Items:
Nightshroud

Total: 179

Necromancer - General
Lvl 2 Wizard
Lore of Vampires

Total - 100

Necromancer
Lvl 2 Wizard
Lore of Vampires

Magic Items:
Dispell Scroll

Total - 125

Total Heroes: 589/600

Core:

30 x Crypt Ghouls
1 x Crypt Ghast
Total - 310

30 x Zombie Horde
Banner - 5
Total - 95

30 x Zombie Horde
Banner - 5
Total - 95

20 x Zombie Horde
Banner - 5
Total - 65

5 x Dire Wolves
Total - 40

Total Core: 605

Special:

Spirit Host
Total - 45

Spirit Host
Total - 45

Spirit Host
Total - 45

15 x Black Knights
Barding
Lances
Full Command
Banner of the Borrows
Total - 470

Total Special - 605

Grand Total: 2398 / 2400

Not sure about the big unit of Black Knights. I could split them up into two units... Something like a 5 man + a 10 man. But really I was going to run them probably 7 wide, in a big unit to take advantage of the magic banner. The vampire and the BSB wight king should be hard enough to kill with a 1+ save on each one and the vampire having a rerollable 1+. 6+ ward against war machines. Not sure if I want the lord on a abyssal terror, because he can be picked out if he is in this unit still? So if I put him on the hell steed (basically does the same thing) frees up another 100 or so points I could use to make this unit bigger or get a small unit of 5 or more useless units for deployments.

Suggestions?

I've seen a big unit of black knights used very well before, and since your lvl 2's can bring back 3 models at a time, it works very well.

I don't have the book in front of me, but I'm pretty sure the abyssal terror is a monster, not a monstrous warbeast, so not only can he be picked out, but he can't join units at all.

Also, you might want to check how the TO (or rules judges if he's using them) feel about vampire lords and generals. Its one of those murky issues that doesn't seem to have a consensus until they release an FAQ. Having a little level 2 ld 7 necromancer in charge of a leadership 10 vampire lord might not looked upon well by them.

The hellsteed is a lot better I think, from memory it is a warbeast in the new book and therefore can't be picked out?

Yes, hellsteed is a war beast. Abyssal is a monster. I should probably check as you said with the TO in regards to the lore.

Means I have 105 point to play with. Which is another few spirit hosts... or I could up the vamp to a lvl 3/4 and just go lore of vampire. Still would like lore of death.

The problem with my necromancers is they are not mounted, which means they are going to have a hard time keeping up I think to res. I could always drop one for another mounted vampire. But thats a lot of eggs in one basket.

Why not make the neco mounted? He would sit in the second rank of your black knights.

Not if it is 7 wide. Also I would need to free up the points in the hero slot? I suppose I could drop the vampires lance. He really doesn't need str 7 because he is already Str 5 base. This means that I can only run a unit 5 wide though, because the necro could get hit in combat which is bad.

Well I think it depends on a few issues, you have full command which is 3 wide, 2 characters of horses, and 1 on a hellsteed. That means either 6 wide with him in the back or 7 wide if your hellsteed is on a 50x50mm base. Not sure what base it's meant to be on though.

It doesn't say. There is no model for a hellsteed. But I forgot about the vampire lord. So I could run 6 wide possibly 7 if the mount is big enough.

cant see you getting a spell through tbh

VC need a level 4

Your zombies and ghouls will be next useless with your lord build as they will be moving at 4" per turn.

Lvl 2 necros are useless and easily killed by snipe or sacrificial charges.

You have no fast moving chaff.

Assuming that the lord has to be my general. If I drop the abyssal to a hell steed I can make my vamp a lvl 4. Bit risky but yeah...

not assuming, he has to be the general.

Yes Assuming. You can invalidate other army books choices for generals. Why is this one different? Whats the point in forbidden lore if you cannot use it?

Can we not start this again until its FAQed? I'm sure any TO will give a yes or no until then.

Yeah. I am asking. What would you suggest I use the spare 115 points on from dropping the abyssal down to a hellsteed?

Play with the points for lvl 4 and a unit of fell bats might be good? There are a lot of options to mess with here.

Points for a lvl 4 would be the lord. If I can I would like to keep him as death. However... if I have to make him my general it kinda changes the whole list.

Fellbats, I don't own. I own bat swarms (the smaller bat models?) I think felbats are the large bat models? which leaves 47 points sitting around. I could buff up the ghouls a bit more or the zombies. Unless you have some felbats you would be willing to lend me?

I am a bit confused. Your initial post said you didn't want a point sink and yet you have a 600 points lord, 2 more characters in a unit of 15 heavy cavalry.
Anything that ignores armour saves will have a field day.

What I meant was that to have a Vampire + Dragon or Strigoi + terrorheist was basically 500 points no matter which combination you had. Then when I added only 2-3 things I hit my limit. The lord I want to take fits into a 3,000 point army. That and a dragon / terrorheist is quite expensive off the bat, and something that dies to poison / cannons easy.