Editing Warhammer/Tactics/6th Edition/Vampire Counts (section)

=== Rare Units ===
*'''Banshee''': the Screaming Lady of Supreme Irritation. Ethereal is the only defence that this lady has, but that said it is a very good defence in an edition low on magic weapons actually being used. Average statistics in every other way (human average at that), with only two wounds, this lady is not really a fighter, and is easily crumbled if she is caught on her own to pure static combat res (rough maths means that if she is charged by a unit with a rank and a banner, she will die even if she does her average 1 wound). (VON ANON observes that the Banshee is a walking case for the VC Battle Standard Bearer, as suddenly she's not dead and has now held up an enemy unit so you can counter-charge. Best speedbump!) What makes this lady special is the Ghostly Howl - one of the very few shooting phase abilities that VC have. The attack is not a Leadership test, do not let your opponents pull fast ones here - it's an attack which happens to involve the Leadership stat. Roll d26+2, subtract the target's Leadership, anything left over is a wound that ignores armour saves. By itself it's a novelty, but if you're running with Lahmians and/or a Lore of Death caster, you're suddenly knocking down the target's Leadership by three or four points. Don't throw it away on chaff, go after expensive cavalry or elite infantry where every wound counts. Remember also that you can scream into combat, even if the Banshee isn't involved in the fight herself - if SHE is fighting, she has to scream at her own opponents, but she can hang around behind your lines and wail away. Interesting, surprisingly cheap, requires close reading of the rules in a manner that can offend the learned opponent, but not something to build your entire battleplan around.

* '''Black Coach''': 0-1. An...interesting choice. In larger games with cannons and other S7 attacks, not the most amazing choice. In smaller games, i.e. under 2000 points when you only have one Rare slot and won't have a proper Vampire to be your fighting centrepiece AND there won't be as many threats around... it's worth a punt. 5++ keeps it moderately safe, as does the T6. Terror is also both defensive and useful for breaking smaller units. Evocation of Death is kind of meh this edition - essentially +1 wound (even going above starting value) for each wound caused. If it gets to 10 wounds it counts as a Scythed Chariot (Impact Hits d6+1) but only so long as the chariot has 10 or more wounds. It's an interesting unit, and thematic for von Carsteins and Lahmians, but ultimately kind of meh. Especially for its very high point cost, in an army where characters run expensive and you'll want to fill your slots.