Editing Warhammer Army Project/Vampire Counts (section)

===Core Units===
*'''[[Skeleton Warriors]]:''' More durable than Zombies, a pinch better at killing and less likely to crumble, they cost 5 points a model. Skellis should only be taken in large units to maximize the usefulness of the Invocation of Nehek. Skellies are good, but the Zombie tar pit works way better than any unit in the army for the role since the Invocation of Nehek only heals back D6 Wounds+caster level (compared to the 2D6+caster level that Zombies get). Unless it's a master necromancer or liche lord, zombies cannot push them past their starting size.
**That being said, Skeleton Warriors are by no means terrible. They have an option for a full command unit, a musician for swift reforms, and a standard bearer for a +1 combat res score for extra survivability, and they come with Shields and hand weapons giving them a neat 6+ parry save in close combat. You can exchange their hand weapons for spears, sacrificing the 6++ parry save, but it lets you attack in 3 ranks. Similarly, you can eschew their entire loadout and buy everyone bows so you can have an army of disposable BS2 arrows. Since skeletons still suck, they aren't hitting too often, not with WS 2. Generally, Skeletons are a better carrier unit for your footslogging killy Vampire Lord.

*'''[[Zombies]]:''' Zombies are pathetic. The lore goes to silly lengths to tell you how living opponents fear engaging zombies and being torn apart, and in the game, they are a bloody joke. In a fair fight, they couldn't kill a sickly, blind, crippled, mentally disabled, orphaned Skaven Slave. It has M4, WS2, S3, T3, 1I, and fucking 2LD. It is so bad that decreasing their offensive stats would only worsen in the abstract. So why ever take them? Because they are only three points. In addition, the Vampire Counts magic phase is full of buffs; get yourself some rerolls, and that Zombie unit can hold a bit longer. Thanks to the Newly Dead rule, they recover an extra D6 Wounds worth of models per casting of Invocation (meaning 2D6 Zombies) and can increase their unit size beyond what you started the game with; this means you can, with luck, turn a 20-strong horde into a 60-strong horde in just 2 turns of magic. 

*'''[[Crypt Ghouls]]:''' One of the rare living units and most expensive core Infantry option available at 6 points. They are a relatively speedy core option that has a Toughness of 4 and has fear, exceeding both zombies and skellies by one point, and don't suffer from undead's drawbacks. Highest (still terrible) Initiative of 3. Two Attacks per Ghoul, and the highest Leadership score of the core options at 6 (they will likely flee when beaten without leadership buffs compared to Zombies, which can all vanish off the board when they lose). Poisoned Attacks (let them trade excellent vs. low armor) are the default, but Ghouls cannot have a musician or Standard bearer. Less likely to die like the skeletons, but much harder to get more of, and still a good bunker for a footslogging Vampire Lord - especially when skirmishing.

*'''Sylvanian Peasant Levy:'''If you thought we were being too mean to the poor zombies (what is wrong with you?), you have this unit of pitiful farmers who are also expendable Ld 5 and only accessible to an army with a Von Carstein as a general. They are just as useless, and even more so since you can't use Invocation of Nehek to swell their ranks. Revivable Skeleton Warriors often are better holders of Ranged weapons than Peasants, and you'll inherently have a limit to how many you can take due to being Expendable.
**All said, the peasants still have value, especially with how swingy and unstable is on losing undead. They are faster-moving Troops being able to march at will, and won't fold from a disastrous round of combat. They can also use Von Carsteins' Leadership of 10/9 to stay in a fight.

*'''[[Dire Wolves]]:''' A very fast-moving alternative to the other core choices. The Dogs ring in at 6 points per model, with a cavalry-speed Movement of 9 (compared to the M4 of the rest of the core) and Swiftstride. They have similar Toughness, meaning they'll crumble as fast as Skeleton Warriors in unfavorable conflicts. They have one point higher WS and I, so combat will have more kills but otherwise share a stat line with Skeleton Warriors. They have the Slavering Charge (+1S on the charge) and Vanguard (after both armies deploy everything, but before the first turn, they may move 12").

*'''[[Fell Bats]]:''' Your go-to for Warmachine hunting. Cost 12 points each and must be fielded in Units of 2 or more. Count as War Beasts, meaning they have Fly and Swiftstride (roll 3d6 when charging, discard lowest, add 12" to the Move, and do the same when fleeing). Its stats are like two humans sharing a pair of wings (likely to crumble), which is pretty meh. Still, with multiple models and Fly, they'll probably reach what war machines they need to get to unless your opponent spends some time shooting them, which will buy you time to get into melee, so either way, it's a win/win.

*'''[[Bat swarms]]:''' 35 points each, but they have 6 Wounds and 6 Attacks. They are a Swarm: meaning they are Skirmishers, plus Unbreakable and Unstable (like the rest of your army). They have WS3, S2, T2, and I4, coupled with being Unstable, most likely will be the first thing to crumble after Zombies. Their Hover and Cloud of Horror disrupt all enemies they flank, which is awesome considering most of your army has terrible Initiative.