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

=== Lords & Heroes ===

* '''Vampire Lord 0-1:''' Hands down one of the scariest characters in the game, making even a heavily armoured Chaos Lord pause for thought. Weighing in at 285 points and paying 50 points for a (mandatory!) extra wizard level, this fellow is not cheap. A level 3 spellcaster with an extra point of WS/BS/W/I/A over a standard Count, they will cost you an extra hero slot. In games of 3k+ they are very worth running, but can be difficult to include in a smaller game with the competition for hero slots in this army. On the other hand, being able to cast spells with four dice, being level 3 wizard, is very useful. If you are playing Necrarch, level 4 even better.

* '''Vampire Count:''' Probably the most widely used Lord choice for VC in 2k games- this entry has superb combat stats with the option for a great weapon or lance for Von Carsteins and Blood Dragons, elevating them to S7, the magic number for smacking chariots around. In an army that otherwise struggles to deal with well protected threats, this guy will be the lynchpin of your army and it is well worth spending the points on magical items to amplify his impact on the game. A Ward save is a must. In larger games, a Count makes a great choice of secondary Lord: slap them on a Winged Nightmare and let them go to town.

* '''Master Necromancer:''' Let's get one thing straight: if you take one of these instead of a Vampire Lord you're in the wrong army book. That said: they're a modestly priced level 4 wizard and make great partners for Vampire Counts in 3000 point games, since they can wantonly throw five dice at spells and not worry as much about miscasting. Give them a Power Familiar and they're totally self sufficient.

* '''Vampire Thrall:''' A great damage amplifier to any unit s/he joins with combat stats that would make an Elector Count blush. Unable to use a magic (unless a Necrarch) this is a pure combat character and will preform well alongside both infantry and cavalry. VC/BD bloodlines have access to GW's which will boost their already impression St5 to high enough to instant kill chariots. Also a potential BSB, although perhaps best avoided on the bloodlines that cannot take the heavy armour that said BSB will need (namely, a consideration for von Carsteins and Blood Dragons, less so for the others (and impossible for Strigoi). Von Carsteins have a notorious power build which swings a great weapon, charges 18" with Wolf Form, and sports a 1+ armour save with the Flayed Hauberk: it's absolutely brutal and will go through skirmishers, war engines, chariots and other nuisances like butter. The Asp Bow is an interesting consideration for Lahmians as well - their BS gives them 50/50 odds of sniping a unit champion or wizard over a turn or three, and the lower stats and weapon options for them makes a character not on the front line more reasonable.

* '''Wight Lord:''' 20 points cheaper than a Thrall and significantly less fighty than a Thrall. If points are tight or you want to make a characterful hero-slayer they are worth considering - Gem of Blood and Sword of Kings may be combined to make a decent (if expensive) character hunter. A very good consideration for BSB if taking Bloodline that does not let their heroes wear armour, and a potentially good source of Killing Blow in a unit with the Banner of the Barrows. VON ANON ADDS: one thing people overlook here is the Leadership value of 9, compared to the Thrall's 7. If you want your unit to stick around after your General dies, and if you want to restrain from pursuing defeated enemies so you can hold position and control the field, Wight Lords are very very good at doing that.

* '''Wraith:''' An interesting and characterful slot, which is both ethereal and causes terror and can even be mounted to join a unit of cavalry- but already competing for hero slots with killier Thralls and more useful Necromancers these are rare to see on the tabletop. There is a build which makes use of the '''Cursed Book''' mounted on a horse and flank charging/combo charging with a unit like Grave Guard, which can cause a lot of potential problems for fighty characters to deal with. Another possibility is to take Obsidian Amulet which makes your wraith extremely tough and also gives MR to unit he is with (and he MUST be inside an unit or die [lul]). Don't overlook that they cause terror, which can really help put Ogre heroes and Maneaters in their place, and they can make for an excellent speedbump - within 12" of the Battle Standard they can hold up a line of Knights for a turn or two while you bring in a proper unit to support them. All in all, a niche pick with a lot of potential.

* '''Necromancer:''' The question is not 'should I take a Necromancer' but 'can I justify using my Hero slots on anything else?' Access to a fantastic lore of magic and a catalogue of strong magical items plus generating dice for your Lord means you're bound to take at least one. Aside from Gaze of Nagash none of your spells require line of sight so these grubby minions of the night are often found picnicking in lonely forests, cowering in buildings, or surrounded by a summoned bunker of zombies.