Getting into Warcry has never been easier with Games Workshop’s recent release of free to download Soulblight Gravelords’ rules. In today’s post, I’m going to show you my Warcry roster and some example warbands I made using Cursed City models, Start Collecting Soulblight Gravelords and a Vampire Lord. The Cursed City game is out of production, however, Radukar’s Court is available to order on the Games Workshop online website or their in-store order points.
As I was painting my way through the Cursed City models, I was enjoying the paint scheme and was getting the itch to army build Nagash’s dusty troops. When Games Workshop released the free Warcry rules for Soulblight Gravelords, I dropped my other projects and jumped into my Corpse Car(t) and headed to my local Games Workshop and picked up Start Collecting Soulblight Gravelords and a Vampire Lord. The Vampire Lady is so cool. She’s super-human in stature, she towers over her minions. I didn’t want to use Radukar as my Vampire Lord because he is a named character and pretty recognisable (he’ll be stopped every 5 minutes in the Varanspire for his autograph).
Warcry is different when it comes to army building, you’re allowed up to 20 models on your roster, however, when you’re playing a game you’re allowed to pick up to 15 models from that roster to use. You start off with 1000pts and that can grow based on territories you conquer. The number of territories also decides the number of heroes or allies you can field on the battlefield. For my example warbands I’ll start with 1000pt with no heroes/allies (just the mandatory Leader).
With my 20 models chosen, let’s have a look at what I can do with my 1000pts.
The Smash Warband
- Vampire Lord
- Vargskyr
- Kosargi Nightguard
- Kosargi Nightguard
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
The Smash Warband is small at only 7 models in total but everyone (apart from the strength 4 Vampire) is strength 5, so even against toughness 4 enemies you’ll be wounding them on 3s making them very reliable. Using the Vampire Lord’s [Triple] Call of the Crimson Feast will give all fighters within 6″ +1 to their attack characteristic making up for the small number of fighters. The Vargskyr and Kosargi have 2″ range to their weapons which will help ganging up on tough enemies is easy to do.
Total 995pts.
The Fast Warband
- Wight King on Skeletal Steed
- Vargskyr
- Black Knight
- Vyrkos Blood-born
- Vyrkos Blood-born
- Zombie
- Zombie
- Skeleton Warrior with Ancient Spear
- Skeleton Warrior with Ancient Spear
I could choose the Wight King as my Leader and make the Vampire Lord my Hero on my roster. Then I could play a fast warband. 5 models are really quick and all move 8″ (apart from the Vargskyr who moves 6″). The Zombies and Skeletons are slow but you can use [Double] Shambling Horde to move a Dead Walker Zombie or Skeleton Warrior an extra number of inches equal to the value of the [Double]. If that’s a double 6, then you get a bonus 6″ on top of your 3″ move action. use your second action as a move and you just moved a zombie or skeleton 12 inches! Dead Walker Zombies and Skeleton Warriors have the minion runemark, which means if they get taken down, you can [Triple] Summon Undead Minions. Allowing you to set up a minion within 3″ of the Wight King (or any Soulblight Leader). This warband will have no problem reaching any objectives on the board.
Total 995pts
The Horde Warband
- Vampire Lord
- Zombie
- Zombie
- Skeleton Warrior with Ancient Spear
- Skeleton Warrior with Ancient Spear
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Wight Blade and Crypt Shield
- Graveguard with Wight Blade and Crypt Shield
- Graveguard with Wight Blade and Crypt Shield
- Seneschal
A whopping 12 models makes up this warband. With low movement you’ll be wanting to use [Double] Shambling Horde to get into position and also [QUAD] Vanhel’s Dance Macabre to get some bonus moves (or attacks) in. With so many minions you can use [Double] Necrotic Siphon to offload damage your Vampire Lord sustain onto a minion (equal to the value of the double). If this kills off the minion you can always bring them back with [Triple] Summon Undead Minions in a following turn. If you have a [Quad] and your Seneschal within 6″ of your Leader you can turn him into an attacking machine with [Quad] Chosen Champion. The Seneschal gets a bonus attack action and an additional number of attacks equal to half the value of the [Quad] rounding up. A possible three attack actions and three bonus attacks makes for 15 attacks at str 5 with damage 2/4.
Total 970pts
The Balanced Warband
- Vampire Lord
- Vargskyr
- Kosargi Nightguard
- Vyrkos Blood-born
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Great Wight Blade
- Graveguard with Wight Blade and Crypt Shield
- Skeleton Warrior with Ancient Spear
Based on everything we just covered, I think the Balanced Warband will be the warbandI use in my first game. it has speed, heavy hitters, and more tactical options as more fighters’ rune marks are represented on Fighter Abilities. 8 models is an average sized warband as well.
Total 995pts
What’s next?
With the roster filled, next job is to plan some games, after that I’m already thinking of the future. I really want to add some Vargheists and ultimately I want to capture a monster, either a Terrorgheist or a Zombie Dragon. I can make these models out of the Start Collecting Flesh-eater Courts set. I’m also going to need some Thralls like Direwolves and Fellbats. I guess this means I’m also starting a Soulblight Gravelord’s army then for Age of Sigmar. I do quite like the idea of an Undead army in the colours of Ulfenkarn.
Hi. Awesome work. But you need a necromancer to use vanhel dance and necrotic syphon with the horde warband.
This is fantastic mate. What a great article. Makes me want to have a go!