Year one painting VS year 30 painting, and it’s plain to see that still I’m drawn to the same kind of models, themes and color schemes!

I’ve made a nice narrative thematic 500pt list and would like some advice.

My question is, where do I put my necromancer ? Dossing about by himself ? Or in one of the infantry blocks?

I’m just getting into old world so any info regards this would be appreciated! Thank you!

Vampire Counts Grand Army [489 points]
Vampire Counts

==== Characters [90 points] ====

Necromantic Acolyte [90 points]
- Hand Weapons
- General
- Level 2 Wizard

==== Core Units [251 points] ====

20 Skeleton Warriors [135 points]
- Hand Weapons & Shields
- Thrusting Spears
- Light Armour
- Skeleton Champion (champion)
- Standard Bearer
- Musician

20 Zombies [70 points]
- Hand Weapons
- Standard Bearer
- Musician

5 Dire Wolves [46 points]
- Claws & Fangs
- Doom Wolf (champion)

==== Special Units [148 points] ====

5 Black Knights [148 points]
- Hand Weapons & Shields
- Lances
- Heavy Armour
- Skeletal Steed
- Hell Knight (champion)
- Standard Bearer
- Musician

Exported from 2nd in Command: The Old World

>The unseasonal humidity chokes the Drakenwald. Outside your balcony, the fog smells of stagnant swamp water and rotting orchids rather than the familiar, cold rot of the Sylvanian earth.

>A figure stands in the corner of your study. It did not enter through the door. It is draped in a heavy, sodden cloak that drips onto your rugs, and though it stands perfectly still, you hear a faint, rhythmic click-click coming from its throat. It wears thick leather gloves, but as it gestures, the proportions are... wrong. Too long in the digit, too stiff in the wrist.

>The figure speaks with an accent that sounds like wind whistling through a hollow bone.

>"Greetings, Master of the Night. My Lord... he sends his respects. And this."

>It drops a heavy burlap bag onto your table. It doesn't jingle with the tinny sound of Empire Crowns. These are heavy, thick slabs of pure Lustrian gold, embossed with weeping suns.

>"A trifle for your troubles," the hooded thing hisses. "My Lord seeks a lost decoration. A sentimental thing. A staff of jade, carved with useless glyphs. It has... little value to one as great as you. An affective belonging of my Master, lost to thieves centuries ago. It has been seen in these humid lands."

>The figure leans forward, the golden glow of your candles reflecting off eyes that are too wide, too bulbous, and blinking horizontally.

>"Locate it. Recover it. My Master will pay twice...! Thrice this sum!. He will whisper secrets of the earth’s veins that your Necromancers have only dreamed of. A simple trade, yes? A useless stick... for the power of the stars."

>Vampires and Necromancers of Sylvania: The cold-bloods think us fools. They offer gold for a 'trifle' that they are willing to cross oceans to find. If the Jade Staff is worth this much to a Slann, imagine what it will do in the hands of the Undead.

>Raise your banners: we march for war!

Hi all! Today we launch the "Call to Arms" for a global summer campaign! (TOW players are welcome!)

This project is a tribute to the original 1997 campaign written by Jervis Johnson. We have restored and polished the semi-official 6th Edition rules for Amazons, alongside a system for Stolen Relics that lets any army use Lizardmen artifacts.

• Amazon Mercenaries: Rules for fielding the contingent as Dogs of War or a standalone force .
• Stolen Relics: A system where any faction can field ancient Lizardmen magic items.
• Lustrian Scenarios: Two prologue scenarios for replaying the historical looting of Huatl.
• Playtested: We ran a 12-player tournament in Zürich to ensure the rules are balanced and ready for the tabletop.

🛡️ The Two Sides

For this campaign, every army is categorized into one of two fronts for the purpose of the global scoreboard:

• Agents of the Slann (Reclaimers): Your goal is the absolute recovery of every sacred plaque. This front includes: Lizardmen, Chaos Dwarfs, Vampire Counts, Dark Elves, Dogs of War, Forces of Chaos, Ogre Kingdoms, and Orcs & Goblins .
• Defenders of the Relics: You currently hold the artifacts of Huatl and refuse to surrender them. This front includes: Bretonnia, High Elves, Dwarfs, The Empire, Kislev, Wood Elves, Skaven, and Tomb Kings.

In our case, we have been hired for recovering these artifacts... which means nothing, of course! We will carry our vengeance to the living, ally or foe! Meanwhile, a combined force of Unholy magic and the Childs of the Old Ones can be an interesting army!

Note: Internal conflicts (Attacker vs. Attacker or Defender vs. Defender) are valid and critical for the scoreboard.

🏆 The Stakes: The Siege of the Jade Staff

Winning the summer phase is only the beginning of the nightmare.

• The Prize: The side (Agents or Defenders) with the most points on July 31st successfully secures the Jade Staff of the Old Ones.
• The Consequence: Possession is a death sentence. In August 2026, the winners must hold a final, desperate Siege Scenario.
• The Wrath of the Slann: Lord Mazdamundi has felt the staff’s resonance. He and his agents are coming to reclaim it by any means necessary. The winner of the summer campaign must survive the "Great Reclaiming" to claim the ultimate victory.

⚔️ How to Participate

1. Play Your Games: The campaign runs from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.
2. Use the Supplement: You can use the restored Amazon Mercenary list or give your heroes Stolen Relics (Lizardman magic items). PDF: HERE!
3. Build Your List: Use our NewRecruit configuration (guide on p.10) to build campaign-legal lists on your phone. For Vampire counts, the NewRecruit includes these alternative lists:
   1. Clan Von Carstein (VC-AB, p.78)
   2. Clan Necrarch (VC-AB, p.78)
   3. Necromancer's Army (VC-AB, p.78)
   4. Clan Blood Dragons (VC-AB, p.79)
   5. Clan Strigoi (VC-AB, p.79)
   6. Clan Lahmia (VC-AB, p.79)
   7. Army of Sylvania (TdC, p.88-89)
   8. Vampire Coast (WIP)
   9. Army of the Lichemaster (WD#309-UK)
4. Report Results: Submit your battle outcomes (any edition/house rules) via our online form or email to influence the global scoreboard.

[WH World map modified from Tzapquiel's original]

Started in January

My ongoing undead army: Original Vlad Von Carstein. Did his shoulders gold and gave him a deathly pallor to tie him into his future models. Next up Isabella.

Calling this necromancer done and ready to haunt Mordheim.

Started from a Genestealer Cult Locus, then went full bits-box—Necromunda parts, undead details, and a spare sword that just felt right.

I wanted something more lurking and feral than noble—could easily pass as a vampire thrall, but firmly in necromancer territory.

Kept the scheme cold and restrained—blue-grey black robes rather than flat black, with pale, bruised skin built up through thin glazes. Tried to keep everything subtle and moody rather than high contrast the exception being the wyrdstone gem in the hilt and the Aethermatic blue in the skull detail on the sword.

Shout out to Dark Star’s Midnight Shroud wash and Vallejo’s Black Lotus Express Colour—both did a lot of the heavy lifting in the robes and shadows.

Pretty happy with how grim he’s come out. C&C welcome!

Knocked together a cursed city zombie cat to act as my Necrarch’s familiar—his eyes and ears creeping through Mordheim.

One Wyrdstone eye 👁️

One empty socket glowing Aethermatic blue

First time basecoating with Gryph-Hound Orange. On such a small mini too, I'm not going to lie, that was a fight. Well worth it in the end though— and it had to be ginger, my better half wouldn't let me entertain any other colour for a cat!

My next plan is to set it up against the vampire on the base, low and lurking like it’s just spotted something it shouldn’t.

The big issue now though, it needs a name.

Grim, weird, or stupid—hit me with your best!

I do think these latest models are peak fell bat, as much as I love the vintage “piggy” ones these are just so great and very fun to paint

I’m particularly proud of this mini, it’s the first time I’ve not used tricks like contrast paints and drybrushing and instead focused on more traditional techniques like layering and glazes to get the desired effect and I’m super happy with the results. Plus it’s the first time I’ve ever painted eyes which turned out better than I’d expected!

My zombie dragon

Went simple for my next Undead mini. A Banshee using JuanHidalgo's Ghost tutorial. Really simple and gives great results!