Advice on play style for starting Vampires

[Digger Goreman]

Inducements are only worth a third of their cost by design, so not as important as one might think.... Thralls to vamps is a tuff one and seems to depend on opponents and dice rolls.... Since vampires are the life of the team, and thralls are the lifeblood of the vamps, when are there ever too many? This might be a rare case where perusing fumbbl will be telling by relying on a number of coach's opinions....

In my limited experience with vampires, I have a two vamp team, 6 rerolls and 9 thralls (10 before the last game) with only three improvements; and an unusual team (started in an iron man league) at one time having 4 vampires and 11 thralls and (since converting to a regular league) 3 rerolls.... Because of the way they started, the remaining Fangs all have pro, followed by strongarm; leap; and leap, block....

As always, ymmv....

Best of luck....

[Jimmy Fantastic]

TV is an issue if your team is not worth the TV. You also need to consider your rerolls and your ability to manage the Vamps.

[20phoenix]

I read somewhere that a good rule of thumb is 2 thralls for every vamp but tbh i run 6 vamps without problem and thats with 0 pro on the team. Its whatever you are comfortable with. What Jimmy said is right though - get them blodged up before adding more as you will chew through rerolls like nobodies business otherwise. Better to top up on thralls first before adding vamps to as well.

[J_Bone]

I may add a Thrall before my next match after giving it some thought... That will mean I have no loner journeymen in my next match and (providing I get no further MNGs) I should have 9 Thralls and 4 Vampires from then on. As a beginner with no blodge so far I think that will probably serve me well.

[J_Bone]

And maybe I'll add one more "for good luck"

[20phoenix]

No point in buying a thrall unless it adds to your bench. Buying one to replace a journeyman is just exposing 40k of your treasury to be killed when a journeyman can do the same job.

[Smeborg]

J_Bone - the best Vamp league team I have played against (they won our tabletop league in style) used the following system:

5 Vamps and 9 or 10 Thralls (I can't remember), 4 or 5 re-rolls (also can't remember).

The Vamps all took Dodge as first skill (the most helpful skill for biting).

4 of the Vamps went: Dodge, Block, Tackle, M-Blow (IIRC).

1 of the Vamps went: Dodge, S-Hands, K-Ret, S-Arm. He was used as the Thrower, and was rather effective. Usually he did not take the field on defense.

There were 1 or 2 stat boosts on the Vamps, too, IIRC, always rather nice.

The Thralls took Wrestle as first skill, Guard (I think) on doubles (there may have been 1 Leader, but I think not).

This development strategy made for a nice harmonious playstyle, without undue complications. TV was nicely contained relative to the other teams in the league.

Hope that helps and all the best.

[Digger Goreman]

Good, succinct explanation... I like the build and rational....

[J_Bone]

That build looks nice and is pretty much what I was planning with a lot of my team so it's reassuring. I was thinking mighty blow and tackle would make good skills along with the blodge. I was more thinking of making a couple of safety pieces like that but it makes sense to have it across the board. I think my AG5 guy will be developed into a dedicated ball retriever / thrower so sure hands makes a lot of sense on him as he is often picking up in dodgy situations (on a 2+/3+ most of the time but still).

Thanks for that... Most helpful!

[Smeborg]

Yes, the AG5 guy is the obvious ball handler/thrower. If you give him Strong Arm at some point, he can throw 10 squares on a 2+.

There is a certain logic to developing most of the Vamps in the same way, as thanks to Bloodlust, you never quite know who you will have to perform the task at hand.

All the best.

[Jimmy Fantastic]

A Vamp thrower is pointless. Blodgestep all mens rather than MB.

[J_Bone]

After playing a developed Wood Elf team in one a league final some time back I can attest to how aggravating Block, Dodge & Sidestep are together. My Orcs didn't stand a chance. Definitely a build to consider.

[MKL]

(...) Blodgestep all mens rather than MB.

I'm mulling about starting a Vampire team, so I'm interested.

In this build, what do you see as fourth skill?
And about Tackle, do you see it as second skill on Thralls (after Wrestle)?

[20phoenix]

First vamp I go tackle/MB, the rest are a mix of tackle and sidestep as third skill with the other being taken as the fourth. I also tend to build one dedicated marker (blodge/DT/SF/tackle). Final skills are a mix of jump up, pro and MB. Stats change the priority of everything though.

Thralls go wrestle/fend, leader then guard on doubles. I have been fortunate to be blessed with an AG4 thrall (it was two but I lost one ) who acts as my ball retriever with +MA/block/KOR and pass.

[Jimmy Fantastic]

(...) Blodgestep all mens rather than MB.

I'm mulling about starting a Vampire team, so I'm interested.

In this build, what do you see as fourth skill?
And about Tackle, do you see it as second skill on Thralls (after Wrestle)?

https://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=team ... _id=695348

This team is a good example. Deffo want a Frenzy guy, want some Tackle and MB still but Blodgestep first.
Ofc pray for stats on Vamps and get Kick on a Thrall.