Rare
Terrorgheist - ✪✪✪✪✩
If any of our units’ reputation precedes them, it’s this guy’s. Affectionately known as the T-Bat, the Terrorgheist is known for its powerful Death Shriek. Dealing hefty damage that attacks Leadership while ignoring Toughness and Armor Saves, Death Shriek allows the Terrorgheist to live up to its name, terrifying the most harden of Chaos Champions and their followers. Because of its scream, many of you would rate the T-bat ✪✪✪✪✪, but you can’t believe all the hype. Yes the Terrogheist is a beautiful model, yes it can be the answer to many a Vampire Count general’s problems, and yes it can scream and shout with the best of them. But against a skilled opponent, the Terrogheist is a large hulking model that is easy to wound and as it takes damage its infamous Death Shriek weakens. Even worse, there are so many efficient counters to the Terrorgheist; cannons, bolt throwers, magic missiles, poisoned shooting, decent hammer or anvil units, rival monsters, Wood Elf shooting… the list goes on. Truthfully, most armies should be focusing on neutralizing the big bad T-bat on turn 1 and have him dead or useless by turn 2.
But it’s not all Doom & Darkness, the Terrorgheist has some survival tactics that are easy to put in play. First, keep your general within 12” of the T-bat whenever it moves, until most threats to it are gone. That beast can fly and a 20” hop can get it out of trouble before trouble gets it, letting the T-bat re-position for optimum screaming. Second, keep the T-bat within 12” of your Lore of Vampire casters. Healing up on our Lore Attribute is easy and immediately repairs the scream right before using it. The same for getting it in range of Invocation, allowing it to regain 2 Wounds from casting one spell. Third, engage it in close combat tactically. If it charges the right units, the T-bat will take a little damage that can be healed, it can still scream at a target outside of combat and can no longer be targeted by shooting because it’s engaged. Remember though, if you engage the T-ba, you want it to kill and move on quickly so it doesn’t get pinned down. Finally, field multiple threats for target saturation. For most players, this is a second Terrogheist (or a third being ridden by a Strigoi) but similar threats such as a Mortis Engine, multiple Hexwraiths units or a Black Knight bus often get similar responses and can open up your available strategies.
And speaking of Doom & Darkness, the Terrorgheist synergizes very well with that spell. Aura of Dark Majesty helps too. The vampire general who makes good use of Death magic and the Cursed Book or who can keep the T-bat targeting units affected by Aura of Dark Majesty will be pleased at the results. So keep your Terrogheist moving, avoid the plethora of threats and disintegrate the most elite, armored units in your way.
Mortis Engine - ✪✪✪✪✩
In the right hands, the Mortis Engine is ✪✪✪✪✪. In the wrong, it’s ✪✪✪✩✩:. At first glance, the Mortis Engine is quite mindboggling because it does so many incredible things. First, it grants a stacking Regeneration bonus that makes even Crypt Ghouls, Zombies and Skeletons hard to kill and gives a character with Seed of Rebirth a hefty boost. With the Blasphemous Tome upgrade it grants +2 to your Lore of Vampires spell casting rolls (even bound ones) and makes 2 dicing them deliciously easy. The double miscast from Blasphemous Tome affects all Wizards in range, so be careful with it (especially around Ogre Kingdoms and their Hellheart) but it can also be used offensively against your opponents too. At the start of your turns, the Mortis Engine damages all enemy within range, clearing out chaff and weakening or destroying smaller units. By late game, this effect is devastating as it kills the high Toughness units too. The Engine has Ghostly Howl, allowing it to deal with armor. With Spectral Steeds, it moves as an Ethereal allowing it to use terrain to its advantage. As a chariot, the Mortis Engine hits fairly hard on a charge and since it can’t march, it doesn’t matter if it’s within the general’s radius.
With T5, W5 and Regeneration the Mortis Engine can take a beating and grind in combat all while damaging nearby enemy turn after turn. By keeping it within 12” of your Lore of Vampire wizards, it is easily kept at full Wounds with Curse of Undeath, thus making the Engine very difficult to kill. Cannons are its biggest threat, so the wily general will use its free pivot to present its side to cannons, granting the shallowest target and thus making it harder to hit. Crypt Horrors used as a screen not only gain a Regeneration buff, but as Monstrous Infantry can keep cannonballs from penetrating them and thereby protecting the Engine. Two Mortis Engines are especially effective, as the Regeneration bonus stacks and the double Engines creates target saturation for cannons, gunlines and magic. Still, a determined opponent can make keeping the Engine intact difficult, so your plans for when and where it eventually explodes are important. A good Vampire general maximizes its effects, charges the Mortis Engine into the right combats and then if necessary run the Mortis Engine into your enemy and let it be destroyed, exploding and taking out even more of them. This is where the Mortis Engine requires skill to use properly as poor timing can make it useless or worse, turn it against you. But with so many effects, when used right the Mortis Engine is a game defining center to your army that can end in a specular explosion rivalling even Michael Bay’s best attempts at blowing things up.
Varghulf - ✪✪✪✩✩
As a Vampiric unit, the Varghulf is very mobile and can operate away from your general. It’s fast, has reliable damage and takes a beating. Unfortunately, the Varghulf competes with the ever popular Mortis Engine and Terrorgheist for MVP of our Rare choices. Fact of the matter though, the Varghulf is a good flanker, he destroys MSU armies and tears through elves. He is valuable in monster mash lists or as support for a cavalry based army and he excels at hunting down Wizards and warmachines. Also, since the Varghulf has a solid T5, W4 and Regeneration, running him within 12” of a Lore of Vampires Wizard from time to time is a great way to top off the occasional Wound he loses. Many armies are going to build around the Mortis Engine or Terrorgheist. But the Varghulf fits an unconventional niche that plays an important role in unconventional armies.
Black Coach - ✪✪✩✩✩
The Black Coach is not an optimal choice. Though it is vampiric, it doesn’t grind as well as our Varghulf or hit as hard as Blood Knights and it’s nowhere as fast as either of them. Where the Black Coach shines is it’s hard to kill and it can deal with small units. With T6 W4 AS3+ and a 4+ ward, the Black Coach can take a beating from shooting and magic. With its impact hits and Evocation of Death power, means it cleans up MSU lists. But its problem is in drawn out combats where it has difficulty producing ongoing damage. This makes the Black Coach a liability to itself and other friendly undead units as its inconsistent damage turns into poor combat results, which causes crumble. To be fair, the Black Coach is probably ✪✪✩✩✩ in the hands of the right general and even ✪✪✪✩✩: against Wood Elves. It even combos with Master of the Black Arts to power up faster. But unless you really need its unique features, there are better choices you can make.
Blood Knights - ✪✪✩✩✩
So, hands down, the Blood Knights hit harder than nearly anything else in our army. For the right player, they are easily ✪✪✪✩✩:. Just looking at their stats, it’s apparent these lords of blood and night can wreak havoc. A minimum sized unit has 12 S7 and 4 S4 attacks when charging. They’re Vampiric and cavalry, so they are very mobile, have great reach and their 2+ AS is respectable. Blood Knights can get into a flank easily and excel at running their enemies down. There is a downside to all of their awesomeness however, they aren’t cheap, heal slow, and have 1 Wound each. Plus with Ld7, their Frenzy could get them into a bind if they get lead around by your opponent. All of this, AND they are competing with the ever coveted Rare spots.
But don’t listen to the naysayers. They are playable. Taken in small units of 4, Blood Knights are still affordable and can ruin someone’s day. Tool them up further with command and the Flag of Blood Keep, and they gain a 4+ ward save against shooting and ranged spells. Throw in MR2 and that ward vs. Spells is a 2+. Some pro-level players even use them as a deathstar, taking 6-10 Blood Knights, loading them up with blender Vampires, a Battle Standard and key Magic Items then keeping the ensuing mess of fangs, lances and hellfire-eyed horses riding down any and everything in sight. However you use Blood Knights, avoid putting your general in them. It makes both your general and the blood knights an easy target, and it wastes your general’s march bubble when it should be supporting your non-vampiric troops.
Cairn Wraiths - ✪✩✩✩✩
Do not take these... Seriously. They aren’t good. Yes, they are Ethereal, yes they hit hard, but unlike their Hero version, they cannot hide in a unit and are doomed to walk around with Absolute. Zero. Protection. The best case scenario; your Cairn Wraiths get targeted by magic missiles that you will HAVE to dispel to keep them alive. Worst case scenario; your Cairn Wraiths come up against one of the many armies with an abundance of magical shooting or close combat attacks. Between Wood Elves, Warriors of Chaos, Skaven, Dwarves, Daemons and characters with magic weapons, your Cairn Wraiths will go POOF faster than you can say “Oh holy shit!” Now, in some metas or with some creative generals Cairn Wraiths might be a ✪✪✩✩✩ and if any unit says “Hey, got balls of steel? Want an insane challenge? Try me!” its’ this one. But most armies do not need this unit, so save yourself the headaches and take Cairn Wraiths as heroes instead. As Nagash intended!
If any of our units’ reputation precedes them, it’s this guy’s. Affectionately known as the T-Bat, the Terrorgheist is known for its powerful Death Shriek. Dealing hefty damage that attacks Leadership while ignoring Toughness and Armor Saves, Death Shriek allows the Terrorgheist to live up to its name, terrifying the most harden of Chaos Champions and their followers. Because of its scream, many of you would rate the T-bat ✪✪✪✪✪, but you can’t believe all the hype. Yes the Terrogheist is a beautiful model, yes it can be the answer to many a Vampire Count general’s problems, and yes it can scream and shout with the best of them. But against a skilled opponent, the Terrogheist is a large hulking model that is easy to wound and as it takes damage its infamous Death Shriek weakens. Even worse, there are so many efficient counters to the Terrorgheist; cannons, bolt throwers, magic missiles, poisoned shooting, decent hammer or anvil units, rival monsters, Wood Elf shooting… the list goes on. Truthfully, most armies should be focusing on neutralizing the big bad T-bat on turn 1 and have him dead or useless by turn 2.
But it’s not all Doom & Darkness, the Terrorgheist has some survival tactics that are easy to put in play. First, keep your general within 12” of the T-bat whenever it moves, until most threats to it are gone. That beast can fly and a 20” hop can get it out of trouble before trouble gets it, letting the T-bat re-position for optimum screaming. Second, keep the T-bat within 12” of your Lore of Vampire casters. Healing up on our Lore Attribute is easy and immediately repairs the scream right before using it. The same for getting it in range of Invocation, allowing it to regain 2 Wounds from casting one spell. Third, engage it in close combat tactically. If it charges the right units, the T-bat will take a little damage that can be healed, it can still scream at a target outside of combat and can no longer be targeted by shooting because it’s engaged. Remember though, if you engage the T-ba, you want it to kill and move on quickly so it doesn’t get pinned down. Finally, field multiple threats for target saturation. For most players, this is a second Terrogheist (or a third being ridden by a Strigoi) but similar threats such as a Mortis Engine, multiple Hexwraiths units or a Black Knight bus often get similar responses and can open up your available strategies.
And speaking of Doom & Darkness, the Terrorgheist synergizes very well with that spell. Aura of Dark Majesty helps too. The vampire general who makes good use of Death magic and the Cursed Book or who can keep the T-bat targeting units affected by Aura of Dark Majesty will be pleased at the results. So keep your Terrogheist moving, avoid the plethora of threats and disintegrate the most elite, armored units in your way.
Mortis Engine - ✪✪✪✪✩
In the right hands, the Mortis Engine is ✪✪✪✪✪. In the wrong, it’s ✪✪✪✩✩:. At first glance, the Mortis Engine is quite mindboggling because it does so many incredible things. First, it grants a stacking Regeneration bonus that makes even Crypt Ghouls, Zombies and Skeletons hard to kill and gives a character with Seed of Rebirth a hefty boost. With the Blasphemous Tome upgrade it grants +2 to your Lore of Vampires spell casting rolls (even bound ones) and makes 2 dicing them deliciously easy. The double miscast from Blasphemous Tome affects all Wizards in range, so be careful with it (especially around Ogre Kingdoms and their Hellheart) but it can also be used offensively against your opponents too. At the start of your turns, the Mortis Engine damages all enemy within range, clearing out chaff and weakening or destroying smaller units. By late game, this effect is devastating as it kills the high Toughness units too. The Engine has Ghostly Howl, allowing it to deal with armor. With Spectral Steeds, it moves as an Ethereal allowing it to use terrain to its advantage. As a chariot, the Mortis Engine hits fairly hard on a charge and since it can’t march, it doesn’t matter if it’s within the general’s radius.
With T5, W5 and Regeneration the Mortis Engine can take a beating and grind in combat all while damaging nearby enemy turn after turn. By keeping it within 12” of your Lore of Vampire wizards, it is easily kept at full Wounds with Curse of Undeath, thus making the Engine very difficult to kill. Cannons are its biggest threat, so the wily general will use its free pivot to present its side to cannons, granting the shallowest target and thus making it harder to hit. Crypt Horrors used as a screen not only gain a Regeneration buff, but as Monstrous Infantry can keep cannonballs from penetrating them and thereby protecting the Engine. Two Mortis Engines are especially effective, as the Regeneration bonus stacks and the double Engines creates target saturation for cannons, gunlines and magic. Still, a determined opponent can make keeping the Engine intact difficult, so your plans for when and where it eventually explodes are important. A good Vampire general maximizes its effects, charges the Mortis Engine into the right combats and then if necessary run the Mortis Engine into your enemy and let it be destroyed, exploding and taking out even more of them. This is where the Mortis Engine requires skill to use properly as poor timing can make it useless or worse, turn it against you. But with so many effects, when used right the Mortis Engine is a game defining center to your army that can end in a specular explosion rivalling even Michael Bay’s best attempts at blowing things up.
Varghulf - ✪✪✪✩✩
As a Vampiric unit, the Varghulf is very mobile and can operate away from your general. It’s fast, has reliable damage and takes a beating. Unfortunately, the Varghulf competes with the ever popular Mortis Engine and Terrorgheist for MVP of our Rare choices. Fact of the matter though, the Varghulf is a good flanker, he destroys MSU armies and tears through elves. He is valuable in monster mash lists or as support for a cavalry based army and he excels at hunting down Wizards and warmachines. Also, since the Varghulf has a solid T5, W4 and Regeneration, running him within 12” of a Lore of Vampires Wizard from time to time is a great way to top off the occasional Wound he loses. Many armies are going to build around the Mortis Engine or Terrorgheist. But the Varghulf fits an unconventional niche that plays an important role in unconventional armies.
Black Coach - ✪✪✩✩✩
The Black Coach is not an optimal choice. Though it is vampiric, it doesn’t grind as well as our Varghulf or hit as hard as Blood Knights and it’s nowhere as fast as either of them. Where the Black Coach shines is it’s hard to kill and it can deal with small units. With T6 W4 AS3+ and a 4+ ward, the Black Coach can take a beating from shooting and magic. With its impact hits and Evocation of Death power, means it cleans up MSU lists. But its problem is in drawn out combats where it has difficulty producing ongoing damage. This makes the Black Coach a liability to itself and other friendly undead units as its inconsistent damage turns into poor combat results, which causes crumble. To be fair, the Black Coach is probably ✪✪✩✩✩ in the hands of the right general and even ✪✪✪✩✩: against Wood Elves. It even combos with Master of the Black Arts to power up faster. But unless you really need its unique features, there are better choices you can make.
Blood Knights - ✪✪✩✩✩
So, hands down, the Blood Knights hit harder than nearly anything else in our army. For the right player, they are easily ✪✪✪✩✩:. Just looking at their stats, it’s apparent these lords of blood and night can wreak havoc. A minimum sized unit has 12 S7 and 4 S4 attacks when charging. They’re Vampiric and cavalry, so they are very mobile, have great reach and their 2+ AS is respectable. Blood Knights can get into a flank easily and excel at running their enemies down. There is a downside to all of their awesomeness however, they aren’t cheap, heal slow, and have 1 Wound each. Plus with Ld7, their Frenzy could get them into a bind if they get lead around by your opponent. All of this, AND they are competing with the ever coveted Rare spots.
But don’t listen to the naysayers. They are playable. Taken in small units of 4, Blood Knights are still affordable and can ruin someone’s day. Tool them up further with command and the Flag of Blood Keep, and they gain a 4+ ward save against shooting and ranged spells. Throw in MR2 and that ward vs. Spells is a 2+. Some pro-level players even use them as a deathstar, taking 6-10 Blood Knights, loading them up with blender Vampires, a Battle Standard and key Magic Items then keeping the ensuing mess of fangs, lances and hellfire-eyed horses riding down any and everything in sight. However you use Blood Knights, avoid putting your general in them. It makes both your general and the blood knights an easy target, and it wastes your general’s march bubble when it should be supporting your non-vampiric troops.
Cairn Wraiths - ✪✩✩✩✩
Do not take these... Seriously. They aren’t good. Yes, they are Ethereal, yes they hit hard, but unlike their Hero version, they cannot hide in a unit and are doomed to walk around with Absolute. Zero. Protection. The best case scenario; your Cairn Wraiths get targeted by magic missiles that you will HAVE to dispel to keep them alive. Worst case scenario; your Cairn Wraiths come up against one of the many armies with an abundance of magical shooting or close combat attacks. Between Wood Elves, Warriors of Chaos, Skaven, Dwarves, Daemons and characters with magic weapons, your Cairn Wraiths will go POOF faster than you can say “Oh holy shit!” Now, in some metas or with some creative generals Cairn Wraiths might be a ✪✪✩✩✩ and if any unit says “Hey, got balls of steel? Want an insane challenge? Try me!” its’ this one. But most armies do not need this unit, so save yourself the headaches and take Cairn Wraiths as heroes instead. As Nagash intended!
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