Editing Warhammer/Tactics/6th Edition/Vampire Counts (section)

=== Core Units ===
* '''Skeletons:''' Since before recorded history began, Vampire Counts players have debated the relative merits of Skeletons vs. Zombies and the answer in this author's opinion is simple (SKELETONS!)- do you want to build a tarpit or a medium combat threat? Skeletons have similar stats to Goblins, except for the incredibly impactful 'Fear' special rule. If you want to build a pure tarpit, zombies are for you, but skeletons with light armour and shields come in at 10 points a model and can soak up a reasonable amount of punishment while also being able to be raised from the dead. Led by a Vampire Count/Lord a good sized unit of these have been known to win combats against ironbreakers led by dwarf lords in this author's experience. You only ever need to win a combat by one as long as you run enough of these guys. 25 strong with light armour/shields/full command will cost you 275 points, but is well worth it. Also of note that the Lore of Necromancy allows skeletons to be raised beyond their initial starting value. Which does make their use even great, even if starting with a smaller unit.

* '''Zombies:''' Coming in at 6 points a model and always striking last with no save- these are your tarpit. While they may never win combats (without supporting cavalry/monstrous intervention) these guys will always fight to the last due to being undead. Many players operate blocks of 10-15 in their starting list to fill core slots with a view to raising more models into the unit to use as a spell caster bunker or a tarpit. When casting invocation of nehek they are THE CORRECT choice of new unit to raise: you're more likely to get a new unit as you get +1 model per die, and they give away fewer Victory Points when they're inevitably flattened one round later. Using Vanhels to get these newly raised guys into position in an opponent's rear or flank is a very valid and game winning tactic.

* '''Ghouls:''' 8 points a model for a fear causing skirmisher with 2 poisoned attacks at T4 who is also alive and thus can flee from charges? With a min unit size of 5?? These are just amazing, don't leave home without 10 or 20. Great for wizard hunting, dealing with archers or war machines who will struggle to deal with them and for supporting large combats- point for point one of the best units in the game. A valid build is that of the ghouls rush - as many 10 model units as you can cram in, usually led by a Strigoi Lord. It is a fast and flexible way to get around most opponent's preconceived notions of Vampire Counts.

* '''Dire Wolves:''' 10 points a model and with M9 and S4 on the charge these are a good unit for attacking archers and war machines, with the fast cavalry rule helping their mobility and can intervene in combats at a pinch to deny rank bonuses. However with T3 and no save they cannot stand up to punishment and cannot (usually) be raised with Invocation of Nehek. If you wanted to ensure that you have no friends, you can run a bus of 20 of these led by a vampire lord and 3 thralls with wolf form (giving them M9) and just hurtle around the table at light speed killing everything. 

* '''Bat Swarm 0-1:''' A fast (10" move), flexible (move as skirmishers, because they fly) Swarm that isn't Undead and doesn't crumble when it invariably loses combat. Don't expect them to grind out combat wins like a Spirit Host can: they're disruptors which can put themselves into awkward places and align themselves at awkward angles and generally gum up a good chunk of the table. At its best in the Von Carstein forces where you can take two single bases.