Blood dragon list-bland?

[Lord Asuryan]

Is it just me,or does the Blood Dragon army list seem rather bland, esp. comared to the others? Lahmians get swains/entourage, Von Carsteins get levy, drakenhof guard, and scouting dire wolves, Strigoi get skirmishing ghouls/court of ghoul king, and special Varghulfs, and Necrarchs get unridden dragons and terrors. blood dragons, on the other hand, get the ability to take an excess of blood knights (which you prolbably woudn't want to) and core grave guard (which don't count as core for minimum requirements.) this means that in 2000 points, the VC player needs totake 3 units of skeletons, before taking anything else...and given blood dragons not being very profocient with magic, the units would have to be quite large to begin with. this REALLY doesn't leave many points for all those slots of black knights, blood knights and grave guard. In general, the lis seems quite bland and cookie cutter. maybe it would be better if the list had even one other core option, or had the option to equip the skeletons differently (as even LAHMIANS get to give their skellies halberds.) some kind of a unique unit (foot blood knights? a REAL blood dragon as a rare choice?) dunno. personally, though, the blood dragoncutom list is currently the only one that I feel NO inclination to play (which is odd, as th BD are my favouite bloodline.)

anyone got any thoughts on this?

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

Having had a look at the list, I agree with you. They have gained very little for the amount they've lost. I think they skellys should have extra options, and I can't see a reason why the Graveguard as core can't count towards the minimum requirements.

I think something Blooddragon-ey for rare would be good, maybe a version of bloodknights without frenzy. I think Blooddragons would be able to control themselves and not charge off after some dogs or skinks. I however don't think they would go to war on foot, so i don't like the idea of units of dismounted blooddragons.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Yes I have to agree as well.

I am currently typing up the reviews I have had so far from feedback, and this can be part of the BD one. I do think we really need to create something more unique....perhaps something to represent they have spent many years mastering weapon styles hmm.....

Feel free to post any ideas you may have here in the meantime until I get the review written up.

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

I was thinking of something like this for a rare choice...A really powerful unit of knights.

Inner Circle knights of the Bloodkeep (Or something like that)
Points: A lot

Ws 6/ Bs 0/ S5/ T5/ W1/ I5/ A3/ Ld 9

Full plate
Lance
Shield
Barded Nightmare

Special Rules
Undead
Vampire
Martial Honour
Horse Masters

Horse Masters
They have trained in the saddle for hundreds of years and the ride the best horses the blood keep can provide.
They do not get the usual -1 movement for the barding on there steeds

 

[TMS]

I don't think that the list would need another unit of (even more) hyper-powerful heavy cavalry, to be honest. What about drawing upon some of their usual Bretonnian aspects and include some kind of flying cavalry or bowmen? IIRC, the appendix list in 6th ed used to list Bowmen as an option for Blood Dragons.

 

[Bishop]

Blood Knights on foot? An elite heavy infantry option.

I'd be okay with allowing one unit of Grave Guard to "count" towards minimum core per unit of Skeletons.

edit: woot, 600 posts

 

[Lord Asuryan]

honestly, I think that even more powerful (and expensive) blood knight is exactly what we DON'T need. In 6th edition, black knights could take lance formation-mybe that could be brought back? It'd be nice if skellies could be differently equipped, though I think no ranged weapons-BD strike me as the type to see that as dishonourable, even when ued by undead...
pegasus knight-type cav might not be a bad idea, though...light cav riding hellsteeds could add another dimension to the list.
I would also like to see some advantages that are not merely cavalry-based.
Finally, why no zombies? I thought that they were just the corpses of the freshly dead, and would be in plentiful supply. I don't really see a vampire (or his pet necroes) turning his nose up at corpses to reanimate just becausethey're fresh.

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

Ok seem's i'm out voted on heavier cavalry.

I think hellsteed riding bloodknights could be cool, though i'm not sure on them as a foot formation as I think all blooddragons would ride to war.

I think the reason for No zombies is that Blooddragons prefer to really on skill of army rather then shambling hordes.

How about a weak cavalry option for a core choice so gives you the ability to have an entirely mounted force.

 

[Lord Asuryan]

that'd be neat, light cav forcor would mean some neat conversions/stuff.

what do you think of giving more options to grave guard, so that it's also possible to do a balanced/foot BD list? halberds? full plate? flails? dual h/w? make them (maybe a 0-1 choice) more like undead Chaos Warriors?

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

If they where tough enough they could be a rare choice rather then a 0-1.

How about as blooddragons are known for there fighting skill, maybe there minions would be better skilled also. Maybe Ws 3 skellies and Ws 4 Graveguard.

Maybe even a new dragon for a lord mount, I imagine a Blooddragon Lord would tame his own dragon rather then raising an already dead on.

Edit: I'm just brainstorming some ideas, just so you know.

 

[Lord Asuryan]

I like the normal dragon idea. seems interesting, again conversion oppurtunities. the WS increase makes sense, aren't the undead under the direct control of the vampire? so that if he's more skilled, they would be too?
also might want to look into issues with the HoC in blood dragon lists, just cause passing WS 9 to a unit is really, really good. even if you dowant your lord in combat most of the time, there will be times that he isn't.

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

Nice spot on the helm, Ws 9 would be really good, but the lord would be getting into the thick of it so wouldn't have as much chance to use it so I think it kinda balances.

 

[Lord Asuryan]

maybe, but if you have the lord on foot (or just in a skelly unit,) then cav can reach combat first, use WS. WS 9 Black/blood knights (particularly black knights, with barrows banner and wight king) would be really nasty...could easily break a ranked up unit. also, if someone's playing smart and avoiding your big, scary lord, than you could use it.

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

It wouldn't be WS 9 knights on the charge i'd be worried about because they will be hitting on 3's whether there Ws7 or 9 and with that many hits there probably won't be a lot striking back. It would be a Ws 9 skelly/GG unit that would be the nail in the coffin :lol: as most would be on 5's to hit them.

 

[Lord Asuryan]

true 'nuff.
what do you think about lance formation? yea or nay?

 

[Capt Rubber Ducky]

I'm not sure, I think it would be a nice addition but it is a bret only thing atm (bar the Red dukes ability) so I think it would be unfair to give it to the entirity of this army, and Black knights can't have it unless bloodknights have it really and there isn't a lot of point giving it to bloodknights because they don't need it.

Maybe there is some other advantage we could give to our cavalry, though I can't think what.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

The review for the Blood Dragon list is not taking place here:

https://www.vampirecounts.net/thread-6958.html

Please continue this discussion there.

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