This is what I am thinking of using for blood on the water this sunday.

2x*graverobber 28pts
General Volkare 69pts
Serpentfang 33pts
3x***vampiric skeletons 102pts
2x*skull golems 56pts
*detonating zombie 12pts

300 pts exactly

Okay, I have two graverobbers to bring everything back from the dead, and to bring each other back as well. The Vampiric skeletons are beasts, I think we all know that, and they'll come back at full health no matter what. Volkare has serpentfang because I have very few relics, and it's the only one I really like. This way I can surge him into his counterattack click and still have a ten attack. The skull golems will hopefully base multiple enemies and sweep them. The detonating zomibe is really just a filler for the points, but i think he's pretty cool. What do ya think?

actually, a note to inform you of. The skeletons and zombies only have a 50% chance to come back, otherwise they are removed from the game. However, if you roll a 1-3, they suffer no damage when they come back.

Another note: Both of your skull golems have frenzy, are you prepared to have 2/3 actions already taken for your first couple of turns? Just something to consider.

I like the army, but maybe you could take one of the skull golems out.

Actually, it's a good idea to have an undead themed army, but IMO, Necro is just too unreliable to focus on. Having 2 Grave Robber just looks like overkill to me since you there are only 4 figs in your army that will come back at full health.

Besides, I'm not a huge fan of Vampiric Skeletons, they aren't bad, but IMO, I'd rather have 2 Skull Golems rather then 3 Skeletons... Even better, I'd try to switch them for *** Zombie Centaurs, which are just much better and more efficient (not mentionning 2 pts cheaper)...

Well part of the problem is I don't have much 2.0, and all the 1.0 stuff I have just doesn't seem to work. I'm planning on buying some boosters soon though. Mebbe I'll put in a healer instead of 2 Graverobbers, and take out the golems. I only have 1 *zombie centaur though.:(

Actually, I think you're better off with the goems then with the skeletons, but thats just me... Zombie Centaurs are always a good thing to have in a zombie army, regardless of rank...

so exactly, what do you have to work with?

okay, this is ALL my 2.0 stuff

general volkare
Prophet priest tremelen
blackthorn
kieran Starsdawn
treefel
enchanted fuser rifle
serpentfang
jeweled helm
helm of ruleblade of dominance

2x*skull golems
3x***vampiric skeletons
2x*steamknights
**steamknight
*steam mauler
***steam mauler
*highelven warrior
**high elven warrior
3x*gulthak orcs
***gulthak orc
2x***orc warbeasts
3x**dwarven axemen
***dwarven axeman
*troll smasher
***troll smasher
*shocktrooper
**shocktrooper
***shocktrooper
***High elven archer
*apprentice conjurer
***apprentice conjurer
**war priestess
**crusader Priest
***crusader Priest
***guild enhancer
*atlantean swordmage
**atlantean swordmage
*cloudwarrior
***infantry golem
**ubkhan
*combat magus
*zombie centaur
***mortar altem
*mortar altem
*** khamsin artilleriat
*** amazon scouts
2x**death singers
**rage paladin
***dark crusader
*dark crusader
*death singer
***khamsin trooper
*khamsin trooper

well looks like you got plenty to wrok with here... there are some really good pieces here, and depending on waht kind of army you're aiming for, you can easily come up with something pretty strong...

here are a few pointers on what you got there...

Uniques: generally, I'd say you can focus an army on any of the uniques you pulled, teh trick is simply to give them decent support...

Volkare:
A nice figure, you're right about giving him Serpentfang, as it works quite well with Volkare, another interresting thing to try would be with Jeweled Helm... played carefully, it can be devastating...

Prophet-Priest :
Yet another realy good unit, in fact, this one can be easily played without a relic... Just watch out for range-hindering domains...

Black Thorn :
Expensive, but deadly, she is another unit that would benefit nicely from Serpentfang or a shield if you can get your hands on one... A little trickier to play however...

Kieren :
By himself, he's an ok fighter, but with a relic like silvercloud, he becomes much stronger...

Nons : Unlike waht you might think, your 2.0 non-uniques pool is quite deep and interresting, I'll highlight some of them

* Steam Knights :
Those are really nice figures, they got good close combat capabilities, decent ranged combat abilities, no attack-type bonus, and quite a deep dial (along with toughness)... At 46 points, they aren't the cheapest figs out there, but they can get the job done.

*** Steam Mauler :
Yet another storng BPR golem, the Mauler's strenght lies in it's 2 bombardement tokens along with it's "Sniper" sub-faction ability which allows you to control to a certain extent the movement of your ennemy and to deal soem nasty damage as well (remember, there is no -2 on the token's defense, but there is on the figs you attack afterwards.)

*** Orc Warbeasts :
True melee monsters, the Warbeasts can easily wreck opposing figures... having a :hspeed: , they can't free spin, but they also deal shakeoff damage when they break away, and hey can double-time without taking damage. Besides that, they have some awesome damage potential, and good resistence (toughness), a tad expensibve, but they can definitely pay for themselves.

*** Troll Smasher:
Yet another melee monster, high attack, Thunderblow, crushing blow, high damage, it's a bit expensive, but it can definitely deal some massive damage...Also note that the * one isn't too bad either...

*** Crusader Priest :
Probably the best piece to play if you're planning on bringning Mage Spawns to teh table... Revenant also helps a lot, really, this piece can easily be the centerpiece of your army...

** Ub-Khan : All right it's not quite a *** one, but the Shadow Khan's version of this piece is still quite strong. Counter-attack with a decent defense, and an attack of 11 makes for a decent piece... add ot that the lurk ability and you get quite a winner here.

* Zombie Centaur :
Read Orc Warbeast, but make it much cheaper, but give him still some decent combat values...

*** Mortar Altem :
The key here is the 2 bombardement tokens it has. A ncie bonus comes in the form of the "Rally" sub-faction ability which allows it to auto-heal 2 damages if it starts your turn demoralised...

*** Khamsin Artillists :
Yet anotehr really strong fig, teh sniper sub-faction SA is really creat on thsi one as it means it has effectively 11 attack, and it can spin around to shoot anything you want... Overwatch gives you yet more options... Just keep some bodyguards around and she will od you wonders...

** Deathsigners/*** Dark Crusader:
I decide to talka bout those in the same section because both figs act in the same role: cheap Revenant figure... At 29 points, Revenant will hardly ever come cheaper... Teh DEathsigners ahve the advantage of lasting a bit longer, and of having better overall combat values (along with Pathfinder), but the Crusaders have Venom and Stealth which is nothign to laugh at...

** Rage Paladin :
Another decent melee fighter for the Dark Crusade, and quite like teh ** Ub-khan, I might add. the main difference lies in the Vampirism sub-faction ability rather the lurk... also the 17 defense helps a lot when it comes to close combat fighting...

This is only a quick overview of waht you have to play with, I skipped pieces, probably forgot some stuff about soem pieces as well, but it should give you an idea of waht yo ucan actually do with the stuff you got...

Have fun! :)

Thanks Olan, that really helps. :)

Ok Here's my semi-new army
*graverobber
3x*** Vampiric Skeletons
Prophet Priest Tremelen
***khamsin artillerist
***troll smasher

Not half-bad... all ther pieces are there, it should be able to do what it's supposed to... Having on of those ** Deathsigners would be awesome however, as Revenant is incredibly good... Maybe you oculd switch a Skeleton for it, then you would have 9 points to upgrade stuff...

And how about trying that Zombie Centaur of yours? TReally, just give it a shot, an dif you're not happy about it, come and tell me why.

Like I said, the Khamsin Artillist is pretty good, but I think using Tremelen is already enough range for this one, you could easily swap her for more close combat firepower...

Okay, I took out the smasher and the artillerist and put in a ** and a ** deathsinger, and the *zombie centaur.

maybe you could try to switch one of your skeletons for your Rage paladin... at least, you would be clsoer to the build total...