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

==Bloodlines==

Unlike the later editions of WFB, Glorious Sixth the King of Editions and Edition of Kings makes you pick a Bloodline for every Vampire in your army, and makes sure the choice matters even if you don't touch a single power. Bloodlines are so atomic to how your army plays that they are worth talking about up top. FinAnon recommends strongly Blood Dragons and Strigoi. Keeping your general "alive" is the number one priority with this army. Blood Dragons can have easily 1+ 5++ which can withstand most of the blows. Strigoi get an automatic 5++ and can buy the regeneration which is usually another 4++. The Carstein Ring also makes the general almost unkillable but without any bonuses compared to the previous ones.

* ''von Carstein'' The generic Dracula Lords are, superficially, the weakest Bloodline, having powers that are mostly situational or not as immediately impressive. However, they can summon on a "free" Bat Swarm/d3+1 Fell Bats for 65 points or d3 Direwolves for 25 points that can come on from any table edge, enabling a very strong march blocking ability. They also offer a very nice +1 combat resolution that stacks with a Thrall's Battle Standard, and the ability for Undead to march within 18" instead of 12", without which Vampire armies tend to break up in the late game with some units falling out of place. Most of all, they alone can wield Vlad the Rad, Vampire Dad's von Carstein Ring, which can make them the most unkillable out of all the Vampires at the low low price of ''all your magic item allowance''. All in all the Von Carsteins do the most to support their army and control the battlefield, even if they don't look like all that on paper.

* ''Blood Dragon'' Melee Carnage on legs (or hooves, or claws, or something equally horrifying). Full Plate Armour on a Vampire Lord frame? YES! One less casting dice (because of the armour) but unaffected Dispel Dice. WS 10 - even Chaos Lords will be struggling with that one. Must issue and accept challenges, which with their armour and WS isn't normally a problem but does lock you into fighting heroes instead of curb-stomping infantry like a Vampire should. Honour or Death can potentially get around that, but it is still a potential risk. Of special note for Thralls and Counts is the delightful Heart Piercing power: with only three attacks these models are prone to whiffing their combats and a re-roll can ensure you get your money's worth out of them.

* ''Lahmian'' In this anon's opinion, ignore the gimmicky Seduction powers and focus on the bread and butter. Always Strikes First for 25 points? A 5+ Ward Save that can't be stripped away at 30? Obnoxiously high Initiative built in, along with a Leadership malus that goes well with Banshees? She can even take a neat bow that lets her snipe out unit champions or wizards for a trifling 30 points (probably best taken on a Countess or Lady to be sure of landing the hits with their higher BS, as there is a -1 malus involved). Not your average vampires, but definitely a viable choice for a niche build that uses Wights to get the heavy hitting done.

* ''Necrarch'' You trade two points of Weapon Skill and all your weapon and armour options for +1 to cast all your spells. Nehekhara's Noble Blood is the standout power here. It allows a Lord to monopolise a Lore of Magic in combination with the Spell Familiar and Forbidden Lore power. It turns a Count into a level 3 wizard who doesn't take up a Hero slot. It turns a Thrall into a level 1 caster who can actually throw down in combat, and their +1 to cast all spells means they can reliably cast middleweight Invocations on two dice. Other powers include the excellent Master of the Black Arts (which puts an extra 6" of range on the otherwise somewhat limited Necromancy spells and turns the Lore of Death's Drain Life into a goddamn tornado) and The Awakening, which improves the efficiency of your Invocations by throwing an extra d3 into the mix on each cast. 

* ''Strigoi'' Murder those units. Bonus attacks, Hatred, 5++, and absolute power house upgrades: this anon favours the "six S6 attacks" or "flying and regenerating" builds for a Count, or the "five wounds, mother bitches" approach to a Lord. Second anon prefers regeneration, S6 and some nasty ghouls behind enemy. Sadly cannot take any mundane upgrades or normal magic items, but with the superior abilities they can be a whirlwind of destruction. The Thralls are a bit crap as they can't carry the Battle Standard or achieve S7 attacks, but you'll probably want Necromancers and Wraiths to support these bad lads anyway. By far the deadliest vampire, with the most kit built in, and if you're not going for magical dominance they're probably the winner's choice.