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Proposed Race Expansion #3: The Vampire Counts; "Bloodlines"

Wyvax#7456Wyvax#7456 Registered Users Posts: 6,313
As some of you may recall, back in April I started a series regarding hypothetical large lord packs focused on a single race. Put together one for the dwarfs and greenskins respectively but then CA broke the news about an actual imminent 4 LL LP coming out just a few days after my GS post. I put the series on hiatus, as I wanted to see where they were going with the idea and more importantly how the community as a whole would react to the product as we got closer to release. Now that we're less than a week away from release and we've seen everything short of getting our own hands on the DLC, I feel comfortable continuing on with this series of threads, as it looks to be a legitimate direction for future DLCs down the line for both CA and us as the consumer. Keep in mind that I'm trying to keep a quality over quantity design with these, so unlike the coming Champions of Chaos LP, there will be fewer units overall, but hopefully more interesting stuff. So anyway, with that stated, here's the third entry, centered around the VC, in a hypothetical DLC centered around the various known bloodlines.

I should note that several others have been talking about this very topic recently, so this might come across as redundant, but I've been steadily working on this and other threads like it for the past few months. I take a while to write things.

New LLs:

Neferata, the first Vampire.

She needs no introduction here, but it's still deserved. The founder of the Lahmian bloodline and the first vampire to ever exist, Neferata, the once queen of Thrice-Cursed Lahmia, cousin of Khalida and Lady of the Silver Pinnacle. In her we have quite the vamp, (pun intended), an undead LL that provides a campaign where beguilement and seduction on the world map is just as important as prowess in battle. Personally I am not averse to recycled campaign mechanics if they make sense for the LL, but within both the High Elves influence mechanic as well as the new Slaanesh influence mechanics, we have the perfect set of campaign abilities for Neferata on the campaign map. I'd also argue that Be'lakor's ability to 'mark' defeated human lords would also work with her, though instead of becoming daemon princes, she would simply gain control of a mortal lord or hero for her faction utilizing herself or one of her vampire heroes. Would be interesting to have a vampire faction that can acquire Imperial wizards or Frost Maidens in campaign, quite spicy. Additionally, her start in the Silver Pinnacle would greatly spice up the campaigns of both Kislev, Azhag, nearby Chaos LLs and Astragoth Ironhand when he arrives to take his place in Zhar Naggrund with the rest of the Dawi Zhar.

Zacharias the Everliving, current and greatest of the Necrarchs.


(6th edition miniature shown above.)
Zacharias is a bit of a mysterious character. You see, the original Necrarch vampire, W'Soran took on a pupil in one Melkhior the Mad. Melkhior proceeded to eventually kill and eat the corpse of his master in a bid to acquire more power, unfortunately for Melkhior this backfired and W'Soran proceeded to body swap his spirit into his pupil in the process. It's not clear whether Melkhior is still in there with his master now, but that is why he is called 'the Mad'. "Melkhior" the proceeded to tutelage the young Zacharias, a mere necromancer at first (who actually first learned under Dieter Helsnicht), but seeing the potential in him bestowed upon him the blood kiss. Suffering much abuse at the hands of the mad master, Zacharias fled after a particularly nasty bout of anger. He found himself in a large cave and settled in to heal, sometime in his sleep a dragon crept in and fell asleep as well, Zacharias awoke and like a leech sucked every once of blood from that great beast, obtaining the same power as Abhorash through decidedly less than honorable ways. He returned, riding upon his newly acquired undead dragon and got his revenge upon Melkhior. No one knows what happened to his former master, if he managed to flee with his life, or if Zacharias did to him, what he did to W'Soran; if so, could it really be said that the current greatest Necrarch is not really the first???

Necrarchs are the doctor Frankenstein's of the vampires, they are physically weak (for a vampire) but excel all manner of dark magic, including the creation of new and terrible forms of unlife. They have much in common with the Skaven clan Moulder in this regard, and while I think a direct copy of Throt's laboratory mechanic would be too heavy handed, something similar would suit Zacharias quite well. Zacharias himself dwells in a fortress deep in the Forest of Shadows, a haunted wood that lies between the Imperial provinces of Ostland and Nordland, just north of the Middle Mountains. This is a part of the map that often sees little play, with only Kostaltyn, and now Festus and Khazrak joining this area in the next patch. This would bring a vampiric threat to mix up an area that otherwise sees only fights between the Empire, Kislev and Norscans.

Walach Harkon, founder of the Order of the Blood Dragons.

The greatest of all Blood Dragons short of Abhorash himself. Walach Harkon is the Grandmaster of the Order of the Blood Dragons. Unlike his lunatic brother playing at piracy in the New World, Walach has not forgot what it means to be a son of Abhorash, and leads with martial cunning and efficiency. Unfortunately, unlike his sire, he is far less noble and a brutal butcher upon the field of battle, none may question his law as grandmaster. The Order was once a noble thing, guarding a pass in the Grey Mountains between Bretonnia and the Empire, but Walach took it for his own in a single bloody knight, turning those he deemed worthy and purging the rest. He would be the most potent melee character for all of the Vampire Counts if added, rivaling Vlad himself.

Vorag Bloodytooth, first and greatest of the Ghoul Kings.

(Picture above is a generic Ghoul King, Vorag never received official artwork sadly.)
After the fall of the Kingdom of Strygos and the disappearance and presumed death of Ushoran, the remaining Strigoi had to flee from the other traitorous bloodlines. Hunted down like animals, they were forced to seek shelter in crypts and other desolate places, feeding on dead bodies in order to survive. In this debased state, the mutated, both in body and mind into feral ravenous beasts, ruling over courts of ghouls instead of human subjects. In the midst of this humiliation, one of them sought revenge. Vorag Bloodytooth was the get of Ushoran himself, and he would singlehandedly restore his bloodline to greatness. With a grudge worthy of the great book of the dwarfs, he slew the vampires that sought his head as a trophy drinking the blood of a Von Carstein noble to double his own power. Gathering a swarm of ghouls that lived in Sylvania he crossed the Blackfire Pass and back into the Badlands, head of an army of ghouls and undead, hellbent on rebuilding the ancient empire of his father Ushoran. The first Ghoul King, he ravaged the orc and goblin tribes that came to oppose him, clawing a bloody swath through the Badlands and eventually winding up in the Plain of Bones in the southern Darklands, he forced the goblin tribes he conquered into slavery, where they built his new capital, the Fortress of Vorag in that ancient dragon graveyard. Eventually Vorag met his end at the end of a rather lucky bolt fired from a goblin spear chukka (the same way that Giles le Breton fell in combat funnily enough) and his kingdom crumbled. His legacy remains however, the ghouls now infesting the place and worshipping the fearsome Omdra the Dread, a black dragon of hideous proportions, and his own son Gashnag the Black Prince leads a decidedly quieter life in the Border Princes protecting his people, and the Ghoul Kings are again a force to be feared. But just as Vlad and Mannfred demonstrated, when it comes to vampires in Warhammer, "what is dead may never die..."

As a faction Vorag would have an interesting campaign, were all the other vampiric factions hate you immensely, as do the local greenskins, and there are both vanilla and Chaos Dwarfs to deal with in the lands nearby, plus skaven. Now his Fortress is currently occupied by Imrik, Prince of Caledor and elven squatter; either Imrik can mover eastwards to the elven City of Spires with a map expansion (a surviving Asur colony just east of the Haunted Forest on the border with Ind), or Vorag could start in the ruins of Morghiem where Strygos once stood. We already know that an unnamed Strigoi faction dwells their in Immortal Empires, it's leader simply named "The Ghoul King", perhaps that creature is the FIRST Ghoul King, and we just need to wait for an update to find out?? In such a campaign, Vorag would also have Skarbrand and Malagor to deal with and would likely have a goal of ousting the poncy knifeear from his fortress as he rebuilds ancient Strygos and takes the Badlands and beyond for himself.

FLC LL: The Red Duke, the Scourge of Aquitaine.

He's already in the game, why he isn't a proper LL is beyond me (same goes for Boris Todbringer). Really, he just needs a unique voice actor, some minor touch-ups to his model and that's great. He's languished in this halfway purgatory for too long CA, unleash El Syf, the Scourge of Aquitaine!

"New" Lords:

Revamped (pun unintended) Bloodline lords, no more kit-bashes. While the Von Carstein and Strigoi look alright, the Blood Dragons, Lahmians and especially the Necrarchs are very lackluster, even compared to their art in the bloodline menu. BDs just lack that extra flair to set them apart from the Von Carsteins, Lahmian ladys don't actually follow the Lahmian cultural fashion established by Neffy, and Necrarchs are self-evidently bad. Each are in dire need of a facelift to make them stand out. Admittedly perhaps this portion of the pack should be a FLC alongside it, but the help is needed.




I don't really have any decent ideas for new generic lords or heroes honestly, so I'll move right on to units proper.

New Units:

The Coven Throne

One of the few missing units from the Vampire Counts army book, uses the same base model as the Mortis Engine, but it has an aristocratic flair that befits both the Von Carsteins but especially the Lahmians. These decadent chariot lounges debuff the enemy as well as cutting through men.

Handmaidens

Another Lahmian themed unit, these are mentioned in the endtimes as servants of Neferata. Instead of just being the vampire hero that we already have, they could be implemented as a small squad of elite infantry, similar to Aspiring Champions. With more support and debuffing roles in mind for the battleline as well as your general from being surrounded by a small harem of these ladies. This is all theoretical by me mind you, but would make for a good bodyguard type unit.

Grave Guard (Halberds)

They were in 6th edtition WFB. Removed afterwards. Some reliable AL infantry would be nice, it's such a simple unit to make too, just new rusted up halberds and boom, there it is.

Spirit Host

One of the few units missing from the 8th edition book, the above model utilizes their new AoS look. Considering the way that CA implemented Nurglings, I could see them doing something similar here, individual clusters of spirits in roving balls that all move as one on the battlefield.

Simulacra

From the White Dwarf #310, the Army of the Lichemaster, Simulacra are spirits that have been imposed on statues to fight for their master. Would provide a rather exotic and tanky alternative to Grave Guard.

Dismounted Blood Knights
Mostly because I cannot think of anything else Blood Dragon themed asside from maybe some form of haunted trebuchet or something, but the latter may be breaking the VC identity too much. Basically, just sword and board, though I could also see a halberd version as well, providing the VCs with some expensive foot infantry killers on par with Chaos Warriors with shields.

Abyssal Terror


Another unit missing from the tabletop. These draconic gargoyle looking monstrostities are actually stiched together amalgamations created by Necrarch vampires. They were a mount on the TT, though I could also see them utilized as a unit, perhaps as a flying pack of monsters or even as a special mount type for Black Knights? Would create an interesting dichotomy to the Pegasus Knights of Bretonnia.

Patchwork Men

Basically, just Frankenstein's monster. These are super-zombies from the RPG created by the Necrarchs and they're both much stronger and carry a vestige of their identiies from life within them, could be either a new infantry type or perhaps utilized as a new hero type given the lore.

Wicker Man

Also from the RPG. Since the Necrofex Collossus went to the Vampire Coast, these abominations could be used to fill in the same role for the more traditional Vampires. These things are similar in creation, cobbled together from wood, metal, various odds and ends of construction material plus corpses, having nasty blades for hands, and burning with a supernatural fire that doesn't consume the whole construct but instead acts as a weapon. The thing is powered by a talisman that connects to a puppet that the necromancer uses to control it, and the only way to destroy it is to sever that connection. It's a very unique monster and fits in quite nicely with the Necrarch theme. A lot of nice models online that people have created for it too.

Strigany
The Strigany are the Warhammer equivalent of the Romani or the gypsies of our real world. They're the descendants of ancient Strygos and often follow vampires, especially the Strigoi Ghoul Kings in the current era. They were useable as units on the table top in 6th edition. A couple different variants of these could be implemented as new mortal units for the VCs, two hand weapons, skirmisher light cavalry, etc. They even had a unit champion called a Domnu, which could be turned into a heavier version.

Charnel Guard
These are special Crypt Ghouls for the Strigoi in 6th edition that had better stats. Could be a beefier, meaner and armored version, all decked out and bones and maybe with dual weapons or something.

Undead monsters.

Something missing that the Vampire Counts are known to do in the setting, but doesn't really pop up in game is there habit of raising up undead monsters. So far there are the Terrorgheists which are unique to them, as well as undead dragons, which are mounts only, but they're known for using just about anything they can get their hands on in the lore. So I propose a few here, though perhaps it would be best if they were only available in campaign, similar to certain WAAAGH! units.

Undead Giant

We all know what this is. Giants are pretty ubiquitous now across the armies, but it's pretty odd that there isn't a zombie one yet for the VC. It's a thing that exists in the setting after all and any necromancer would be happy to have one, so why not?

Bone/Undead Hydra


The model is from Dreadfleet, the amazing art is from Warhammer Online. A truly frightening beastie made all the more terrifying by being undead. Honestly I just really want to see that concept art realized in game, lol.


Anyway, that was it for the Vampire Counts. It's been a while since I've done one of these threads, but I'll endeavor to get the next one out in a much timelier fashion, particularly since the Champions of Chaos DLC is no longer looming over my head as a big mystery anymore. Next one was going to be the Warriors of Chaos, but well... lol. So next one is the Beasty Boys.

Comments

  • Rheingold#6691Rheingold#6691 Registered Users Posts: 1,631
    Nice, though I still want Abhorash instead of Walach. Though I don't think it will happen. Still a fella can dream.
  • Wyvax#7456Wyvax#7456 Registered Users Posts: 6,313
    Rheingold said:

    Nice, though I still want Abhorash instead of Walach. Though I don't think it will happen. Still a fella can dream.

    I don't blame you, he's sort of like the vampire version of Miyamoto Mushashi, a wandering warrior of unmatched skill, on his own sort of internal quest. Dudes a badass.
  • Captain_Rex#1635Captain_Rex#1635 Registered Users Posts: 39,453
    edited August 2022
    Would love this DLC and pay lots of money for it.
    Summon the Elector Counts!
  • Wyvax#7456Wyvax#7456 Registered Users Posts: 6,313
    edited August 2022
    ArneSo said:

    Would love this DLC and pay lost of money for it.

    I'm personally happy with the CoC given they had all those mark options on the TT, but I've been consciously trying to aim for a quality > quantity design with these. Though I do recognize that I've included the kitchen sink a bit.
  • Alchimist#7739Alchimist#7739 Registered Users Posts: 392
    I like it, but Walach Harkon is far too similar to the Red Duke which is why Abhorash would be better, even if the character is less of an army leading general and more of a wandering sword master.
  • Lunaticprince#9972Lunaticprince#9972 Registered Users Posts: 7,129
    That looks awesome would buy in a heart beat !
  • Wyvax#7456Wyvax#7456 Registered Users Posts: 6,313
    Alchimist said:

    I like it, but Walach Harkon is far too similar to the Red Duke which is why Abhorash would be better, even if the character is less of an army leading general and more of a wandering sword master.

    Yeah, Walach's not my personal pick, but I figured that they might be hesitant to add Abhorash given his character and there's no way that they're reselling the Red Duke. Originally, I'd thought about including Dieter Helsnicht in the list, but that would break the mold of this being a Bloodlines themed DLC suggestion, plus I decided to include him in another undead themed list, which everyone can probably guess what that's about.
  • WallyBFeed#8810WallyBFeed#8810 Registered Users Posts: 391
    This would be an insta-buy for me.
    This message was brought to you by the Purple Hand.



    Messing up Twister mats since 1240.
  • feanor0230feanor0230 Registered Users Posts: 10
    Looks great, would buy it as pesented instantly.
    However I also would prefer Abhorash. He Couleur have his own narrative either finding worthy warriors for his blood kiss or joining the order factions as a vampire to fight the chaos oder destruction races.
    The Red Duke could take a similar role to Wallach, leading an order of blood knights
  • Ekix#9944Ekix#9944 Registered Users Posts: 2,006
    We have red duke already, I prefer no Walach Harkon, and better if comes Harakte (old founder of jade bloodline) or the retconned founder of the jade bloodline.

    More features:

    Heros, one more for each bloodline
    Night Battles to be a summonable strategic thing from campaign map
    Blood Kisses expanded to custom build your lords and heroes
    Necromantic Relics as currency for strengthening the quality of necromancers, recruiting simulacras, spirit hosts and dragon zombies...

  • Wyvax#7456Wyvax#7456 Registered Users Posts: 6,313

    Looks great, would buy it as pesented instantly.
    However I also would prefer Abhorash. He Couleur have his own narrative either finding worthy warriors for his blood kiss or joining the order factions as a vampire to fight the chaos oder destruction races.
    The Red Duke could take a similar role to Wallach, leading an order of blood knights

    I'd be okay with that honestly.
  • LordSolarMach#5538LordSolarMach#5538 Registered Users Posts: 2,367
    Great in general; VC really would be perfect for this sort of pack.

    The version I've had in my head is slightly different - headlined by Nagash, with a narrative based around either trying to resist him and break his curses upon them, or trying to bring all of the undead to heel.

    Legendary Lords
    • Nagash
    • Neferata
    • Ushoran/Vorag
    • Zacharias
    • The Red Duke [FLC]
    Lords & Heroes
    • Lahmian Countess
    • Necrarch Acolyte
    Units
    • Coven Throne
    • Charnel Guard
    • Flesh Golems/Patchwork Men
    • Morghast Harbinger & Archai
    • Dread Abyssal
    • Grave Guard with Halberds [FLC]
  • WhySoSalty#3990WhySoSalty#3990 Registered Users Posts: 1,571
    Equix said:

    We have red duke already, I prefer no Walach Harkon, and better if comes Harakte (old founder of jade bloodline) or the retconned founder of the jade bloodline.

    More features:

    Heros, one more for each bloodline
    Night Battles to be a summonable strategic thing from campaign map
    Blood Kisses expanded to custom build your lords and heroes
    Necromantic Relics as currency for strengthening the quality of necromancers, recruiting simulacras, spirit hosts and dragon zombies...

    give it up buddy. OPs suggestion is what the vast majority want and expect.....well except you and your massive imagination
    My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperial, can you say the same?


  • Ekix#9944Ekix#9944 Registered Users Posts: 2,006

    Equix said:

    We have red duke already, I prefer no Walach Harkon, and better if comes Harakte (old founder of jade bloodline) or the retconned founder of the jade bloodline.

    More features:

    Heros, one more for each bloodline
    Night Battles to be a summonable strategic thing from campaign map
    Blood Kisses expanded to custom build your lords and heroes
    Necromantic Relics as currency for strengthening the quality of necromancers, recruiting simulacras, spirit hosts and dragon zombies...

    give it up buddy. OPs suggestion is what the vast majority want and expect.....well except you and your massive imagination
    why you are so frustrated of my massive and genius imagination? I didn't said no to the OP's suggestion, just expanded it with one more bloodline and new features.
  • Wyvax#7456Wyvax#7456 Registered Users Posts: 6,313

    Great in general; VC really would be perfect for this sort of pack.

    The version I've had in my head is slightly different - headlined by Nagash, with a narrative based around either trying to resist him and break his curses upon them, or trying to bring all of the undead to heel.

    Legendary Lords

    • Nagash
    • Neferata
    • Ushoran/Vorag
    • Zacharias
    • The Red Duke [FLC]
    Lords & Heroes
    • Lahmian Countess
    • Necrarch Acolyte
    Units
    • Coven Throne
    • Charnel Guard
    • Flesh Golems/Patchwork Men
    • Morghast Harbinger & Archai
    • Dread Abyssal
    • Grave Guard with Halberds [FLC]
    A generic, non bloodline version of the Lahmian and Necrarch lords would be pretty useful. I can't imagine Neferata or Zacharias relying on the generic vampire lord as is. This would also work to go towards developing the bloodlines lords models as well since they're so meh. I'm unsure how Nagash will eventually be implemented, I'd like to see him get a special roster of his own released alongside the Nameless and other bigwig necromancers, but I could just as easily see him becoming the undead version of Daniel with units from all three of the undead races. Regardless, CA defintely have something special in mind for him.
  • Maedrethnir#1968Maedrethnir#1968 Registered Users Posts: 17,945
    Sure, I like the idea, but only if won't be as terrible quality-wise as CoC.
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