Uhhhh sundial can work just fine with the vat. What you do is let the exile effect come onto the stack, then use the sun dial. Now the effect clears as a result of the sun dial. Similar situation to using the sun dial with Venser and glimmerstag or oblivion ring. I've used it in that manner on mtgo as verification.
Permalink
Yes once bloodchief is activated with mindcrank all that has to happen is the opponent has a card go to the grave yard OR lose at least one life. Then they die before you know it as each card activates the other. I have a verison of this deck i run on mtgo and have been able to get the combo out and running between turns 4 and 6. Haven't run into a control deck or a deck with alot of enchantment/artifact destruction yet. I like running a few one drop 2/2 creatures to activate the ascension. Ember Hauler works well too as he can do combat damage then be sacked to activate on opponents turn. Great 2 for 1 in this deck. Volt Charge's proliferate works pretty well in this deck as if you time its use to there actually being a counter you have bloodchief up and running at the end of that turn.
I see your style though is a traditional blue, delay, mill a bit in the meanwhile. The thing is that when played right this deck will have milled your deck before you can get any of those bigger creatures out :-) . The thing is you really don't take full advantage of the hedron crab, they're there but not being fully utilized. With the right draw I can use the mill effect of the crab 4 times in one turn by laying a terramorphic expanse, fetching the land. Then use the dreamscape artist to fetch 2 lands and use the effect two more times. This nets me a mill of 12, and I have two lands untapped. Put more than one crab out and you're really moving, not to mention getting a tome, mind funeral, or glimpse at the same time to cast with the two mana. Many of the spells I'm using can either slow down the game OR transmute to get the mill cards. Haunting echos and the Void deal with the Gaea's Blessing and the like, and the Nemesis is there is the game goes on too long.