Sir Richard, Knight of the Blood, his amour stained from battle, marched quickly towards the main hall of the keep. From beyond the great doors the sounds of music and conversation could be heard. Throwing open the doors the knight strode purposely towards the main table, knelt and spoke "My Lord! The dark elf kin have made landfall near Tavisvale and raid your lands and have slain your servants."

Lord Baris looked at the knight before him. “So Richard, the dark ones grow bold once again. Its time for us to once again remind them that these lands are mine to protect. After all, it has been a poor year and we cannot allow our livestock to be depleted by raiders.”

Vampire Counts
Lord Baris, Vampire Lord, Lvl 2, Red Fury, Infinite Hatred, Dreadknight, Sword of Might, Carstein Ring
Sir Richard, Vampire, BSB, Lvl 1, Dark Acolyte, Lord of the Dead, Flayed Halburk, Biting Blade
Lady Cyrandris, Vampire Lvl 1, Nightmare, Dark Acolyte, Lord of the Dead, Cadaverous Cuirass, Gem of Blood
Gregor, Lvl 1, Red Fury, Sword of Striking, Nightshroud, Talisman of the Lynci
15 Skeletons with Full Command, War Banner
15 Skeletons with Full Command
15 Skeletons with Full Command, Spears, Hellfire Banner
15 Crypt Ghouls inc Ghast
5 Dire Wolves
7 Dire Wolves inc Doom Wolf
6 Black Knights, Barding, Full Command, Royal Standard of Strigos
2 units of 3 Fell Bats
Black Coach

Dark Elves
From memory so it may not be 100% correct.
Dreadlord on Manticore, S6 Magic GW, Reverse Ward
Sorceress, Lvl 2, Sac Dagger
Sorceress, Lvl 2, Staff of Sorcery
Sorceress, Lvl 2, Tome of Furion
16 Crossbow Dark Elves inc Champ
10 Crossbow Dark Elves inc Champ
10 Crossbow Dark Elves inc Champ
10 Spear Dark Elves (PD Fodder for Sorceress with Sac Dagger)
2 units of 5 Harpies
4 Cold One Chariots
Hydra
2 Repeating Bolt Throwers.

Deployment (Positions from VC viewpoint)
The Vampires had a large tower (left), a central low hill back in the deployment zone, and a largish forest on the right. The Dark Elves had a large hill within the deployment zone on the left with a large forest on the right.

Vampire counts deployed left to right, fell bats, Black knights & large unit of dire wolves sheltered behind the large tower. Skeletons (WB), Skeletons (Spears), Skeletons, Black Coach, and Ghouls in a line in front of the central hill. Smaller unit of Dire wolves on the right flank with the second Fell bat unit on the far right on the other side of the forest. Lord Baris in skeletons with WB, Sir Richard & Lady Cyrandris in Skeletons, Gregor in Skeleton (Spears).

Dark Elves deployed one RBT and large unit of crossbow elves on the hill on the left. Two chariots and hydra deployed in front of the hill. 10 Spear elves in center with the third chariot, then the two units of 10 crossbow elves on the right. Remaining RBT just inside the forest on the right flank. Harpies central. Dreadlord on manticore centre, sorceress with dagger in 10 spear elves, sorceress with staff in spear elves, remaining sorceress in 10 crossbow elves.

The vampires finished deployment first and won the roll for first turn, seeing all the open ground and deployed missile troops they declined the first turn.

Turn One
DE
With nothing in charge or missile range the dark elves faced the choice to either advance or lose a turn of shooting as the VC were out of range. The hydra advanced on the right with two chariots in support. One chariot failed their stupidity tests and rumbled forward. The centre advanced to stay level with the stupid chariot. Harpies on the left moved up to be in position to move to the rear of the VC lines in the next turn. The manticore and a chariot advanced in the centre towards the centre of the VC lines but stayed out of charge range of the black coach. The crossbows on the right flank advanced. In the magic phase the coach stole a die but most DE magic was out of range. Shooting on the right saw the small unit of dire wolves reduced to two.

VC
Seeing no real need to advance into the lines of chariots arrayed against it the VC line the infantry advanced to secure the left of the line against the tower. Black Knights advanced behind the tower to be out of shot of the RBT’s. Fell bats on the left made a run up the flank to set up a charge on the left RBT next turn. The BSB moved from the skeleton unit he deployed in to the spear unit. Magic saw the coach snatch a second die and some skeletons added to the units to receive the inevitable tandem charges.

Turn Two
DE
Another failed stupidity test saw one of the chariots stumble into the back of the hydra pinning it in place for this turn. The other chariot saw no advantage in advancing and stayed with its stupid partner. In the centre another chariot advanced towards the VC lines in front of the Black Coach. The Dreadlord on the Manticore advanced behind. The harpies on the left advanced to be in position to be behind the VC skeleton blocks. Once DE magic had little effect either failing to cast or being dispelled. Shooting saw the flanking fell bats on the left destroyed and some skeletons disappear from the right skeleton unit but had little other effect.

VC
Seeing an opportunity for a charge on the forward chariot the Black Coach declared a charge. The DE chariot unable to flee without passing through the Dreadlord/Manticore decided to hold. No other charges. The position of the Hydra & Chariots on the left saw the skeleton units adjust their positions slightly. Black Knights moved to be in position to flank charge chariots or hydra through the Tower. Ghouls advanced to be in position to support the coach if necessary. Magic saw some skeletons returned to units depleted by shooting in the previous round. Cyrandris cast Wind of Death on 16 which the DE were unable to dispel. The resulting Host (2 bases 6 wounds) appeared in front of one of the chariots blocking its ability to support the Dreadlord or other chariot in combat with the coach. Combat saw the coach win combat by two breaking the CoK Chariot which fled through the DE General (causing a wound on the manticore) and killing a couple of crossbow elves. The Coach pursues into the Dreadlord on the Manticore.

Turn Three
DE
This turn sees all the chariots pass their stupidity tests. Elves within 6” of the coach pass their terror tests. The Hydra declares a charge against the flank of the skeleton block with Cyrandris. The DE’s are unable to charge both chariots on the left into Lord Baris’s skeleton block as one chariot lacks LOS due to Hydra & Tower so neither charge. The charge by the Hydra fails. Magic sees Bladewind cast against Cyrandris’s skeleton block and many skeletons die. Other magic dispelled or fails to cast. Combat sees the Coach do two wounds to the manticore and take one in return. The combat is drawn.

VC
Black Knights declare charge through the Tower into the flank of the Hydra. The skeleton blocks remain where they are. The Spirit Host created in the previous round charges the chariot in front of it. Ghouls advance. Magic sees skeletons raised back into skeleton block shot up the previous turn. Combat sees the Black Coach shrug off the Dreadlord & Manticore, return attacks take the last wound off the Manticore leaving the Dreadlord on foot. Dreadlord auto breaks and is quickly run down by the Coach which purses into a unit of Crossbow elves. The Host is unable to hurt the chariot but wins by outnumber, the chariot breaks and runs through the larger unit of crossbow elves on the hill the host is unable to catch either the chariot or pursue into the elves. The Black Knights kill both handlers and put down the hydra only to see it shrug off all the wounds due to regen. The hydra strikes back and kills 5 out of 6 knights, popping the last from combat resolution.

Turn Four
DE
Hydra charges the skeleton block in the flank, but can only come in contact with Cyrandris (Mounted Vampire. Doh! Was expecting the Hydra to die or at least be held, by the Black Knights). The two chariots on the left charge the Vampire Lords skeleton unit. Harpies fail their fear test to charge dire wolves on the left, and two fell bats on the right. Magic shreds the skeletons engaged with the hydra and some ghouls. Word of pain on the Vampire Lord’s unit. Shooting sees the remainder of the ghouls wiped from the table. Combat sees the Cyrandris go down to the Hydra, Crossbow elves go down to the charging coach, with the elves being run down by the coach. The chariots into the Lord’s unit don’t do enough damage to the skeletons but the vampire fluffs his wound rolls (hits 4 times in spite of Word of Pain) leaving the combat a win for the DE’s but without enough damage to pop the unit from CR.

VC
Dire Wolves and Fell Bats charge the two harpie units. Gregor charges out of the skeletal spearmen at the DE spearelves who hold. Spirit Host charges crossbow elves on the hill. Magic sees skeletons added back to two skeleton units. The combats with harpies do nothing this round so continue. Combat sees the Vampire Lord kill one DE chariot, the other makes its break test. The hydra chews some more skeletons. The host kills a couple of crossbow elves but combat is lost by one. Gregor kills 6 DE spearmen and the unit breaks and is run down taking a sorceress with it. The overrun leave Gregor facing the now rallied chariot which fled the spirit host in the previous turn.

Turn Five
DE
A chariot charges Gregor. Another chariot charges the black coach, to block it charging the unit of crossbow elves with sorceress. Magic does little. The remaining shooting knocks off a couple of skeletons from Sir Richards unit. In combat the chariot kills Gregor and overruns into the rear of the black coach/de chariot combat. In that combat both chariots fail to harm the coach, all damage being absorbed by the ward, the coach does one wound and the combat is drawn. The Hydra finally kills off the remaining skeletons and is now unengaged. Harpies on the right kill off the fell bats but the ones on the left fail to defeat the dogs.

VC
Large units of Dire Wolves who have been hiding behind the tower all game charge in to support the other dire wolf unit (well wolf now) against the remaining harpies. The host behind the far hill forget to move. Magic sees models restored to both of the skeleton units and an IF Wind of Death sees another spirit host raised (two bases, 5 wounds). This is placed directly in front of the hydra to stop it charging the BSB’s unit in the last turn. Combat sees the two chariots in combat with the black coach fail to wound, the coach in turn kills the chariot to the front. The chariot in the rear breaks from combat and is destroyed when it flees through the spirit host. The vampire lord kills the remaining chariot in combat with his unit. Harpies go down to the wolves.

Turn Six
DE
The elves have little left now and apart from the hydra nothing moves. The hydra blocked from charging moves past the host to use its breath weapon in the shooting phase on the BSB’s unit. Magic is dispelled. Concentrated shooting sees the BSB’s unit reduced to only two skeletons plus BSB. There are no combats this round.

VC
Big dire wolf unit moves to claim table quarters. Magic sees lords unit raised above 50% but fail to bring BSB’s unit about 50%. No shooting or combat.

Result
Both sides have given each other a mauling with heavy losses on both sides. Quarters and dead general for VC are cancelled out by DE captured banners. VC are on the winning side of a 250VP margin.

Thanks for the report! Soft list you had, but sounds like a good game. Would've been nice to see which spells you rolled.

That's some bad luck against the Hydra, you failed all 4+ armour saves?

Cyrandri's Gem of Blood, did it activate?

You weren't able to deploy your Hellfire Skellies opposite the Hydra?

How pumped was the Coach in the end?

I love Gregor, that build is pretty optimal against Dark Elves. Did you remember no impact hits for the chariot? Gregor should have a little chance of killing the chariot before dying from the mount/crew attacks, but I think it's lower than 50%.

Spells: All have Invocation of course
Lord Barris, Raise & Gaze
Sir Richard (BSB), Raise & Wind of Undeath
Gregor, Raise Dead
Cyrandris, Van Hels & Wind of Undeath

So not a great selection of spells really.

Yep, failed all 5 4+ saves, three one's and two two's from memory.

Hydra did 5 wounds on Cyrandris, gem bounced the first (saved with regen) and needed 3 6+ AS to survive. The dice gods were not with me.

The unit of skeletons with the hellfire banner was in position to charge the hydra but if it charged it would of put Sir Richard (BSB) in btb with the Hydra. It was pretty unlikely that the Hydra would die on the charge and the return had a good probablity of taking out the BSB. In hindsight the charge was problably worth the risk but at that stage of the game I was already lost one of my Lord of the Dead casters and I didn't want to risk losing the second one at that point.

Yep, no impact hits for Gregor. But he was a bit tired from chasing down those pesky spear elves and didn't manage to get any unsaved wounds on the chariot. Cold one did a single wound, CR did the rest. It's a good build but if you don't kill everything that can attack you with only T4 and 6+AS he's in trouble.

Coach ended the game with MR3, so three upgrades. Picked the first two (hate+scythes) early but dispite the huge number of PD being rolled it just refused to power up. MR3 picked up in turn 6, the other two in the second turn.

Edit - Some additional comments. With three level 2 the sac dagger and the spell that gave them extra PD the DE's were able to pump out a really nasty magic phase. Luckly most of the spells were shorter ranged but mid/end game it really gave my units a pounding.

Good choice to go second, I find I do that most of the times I use infantry based lists. With fast elite lists it's the other way around.

Thanks for the report. Seems like it was a fun game.

I play mostly infantry lists and I find with my undead there is generally an advantage to go second. Especially against a shooty list if I can start outside of range, means they are either forced to move or lose a turn of shooting.

Against combat heavy/fast lists I'll take the first turn as I want the extra magic phase before they hit my lines.