Blood Dragons of Lausanne Abbey

[Count Magpyr]

Here are my attempts at painting a 6th edition variation on a Blood Dragon theme. So far there are 3 Vargheists (animated statues) and a start on my Black Coach (Gondolier of Death).

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Wow these, are very unique, I don't think I've seen a Blood Dragon army themed like this - the Gondelier is inspired! What's the other theme/lore behind your army? You've also done really well on the animated statues, the read really well as stonework

 

[Seneschal]

Very cool! First time I've seen those models, quite the unique force you've got there!

 

[Count Magpyr]

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated.
The Gondolier is a relatively new sculpt by a company called Myth Forged. It was extremely well packaged, but still arrived in more pieces than expected!
The statues have been in my pile of shame for decades. Possibly they are not recognisable because they were manufactured in the last century
Unfortunately (for my painting) I've had a busy week, so not a lot to update. However I played my 6th ed. Avelorn varient, High Elves against the crumbly undead of Dieter Helsnicht. The Pale Lady has built an amazing conversion using the new AoS manticore and undead draconith. I managed to get rid of the rest of his army, but I just couldn't bring him down and he sensibly avoided combat We decided it was a narrow win for the elves, as DH flew off into the sunrise.

 

[Count Magpyr]

Rather than adapt 7th & 8th so that we can use Bloodlines, we play 6th (which already has Bloodlines), but adapt units from 7th & 8th to fit in with our 6th edition armies. For our group the Lore comes first, and you then go from there.
I am currently building a Blood Dragon army, using the Arkurgan Trueblades as my vamps. In a nutshell, my Blood Dragons went East and have returned enriched by eastern mysticism and blade skills. They follow all the usual Blood Dragon goals, but don't 'cheat' by riding cavalry and/or monsters. They hide in plain sight running a gigantic gothic monastery/cathedral/abbey.
How have I built their Bloodline and army list?

• The vamps have +2 to their WS
• The vamps count as wearing full plate (4+). I know the Trueblade models don't show this, but I am happy that this reflects their improved dodging and skill. If they weild 2H weapons, their save drops by 1
• They can cast spells in armour, but generate 1 less power die

Losing cavalry really limits their army selection. No Black Knights and I can't import Blood Knights either. They are also not alowed wraiths or spirit hosts in the 6th ed rules-that's fine, but why then allow Banshees 6th ed? So I cut banshees as well. Given my spooky gothic cathedral vibe I have added Bat Swarms to Core and Fell Bats to Special. I've kept the Black Coach, but i'm using an imposing undead gondolier which nicely fits my lore of the Ferrymen of the Dead who sail the bodies of the deceased to their final resting place at the isolated abbey. The two later edition units I have imported are Vargheists (as animated tomb guardians) and Varghulfs (Blood Dragons who have totally failed to keep their vows ). Wight Lords are still allowed as heroes, but these will be modelled as Blood Dragons who have almost broken their vows. Obviously I have tweaked points and ignored 7th/8th ed rules which are not part of 6th.

I must stress we are not looking to create all powerful, unbeateble deathstar armies. We enjoy the lore, modeling, painting, battling etc As a group we talk and are quick to make alterations if something turns out overpowered. We certainly manage to do it faster than GW! It has been a fun exercise and has worked quite well so far. I updated the old High Elf Sea Patrol army long before ToW appeared, reinstating my beloved 4th ed. Sea Elf Wardancers, using 6th ed Wardancer rules, with the latest Wood Elf Blood Bowl minis. Similarly my Avelorn Army includes the rules for the White Lions (the big cats) from the recent ToW book, but using the latest Mandrake minis to represent elves who have not been allowed to die because they broke their oath to Isha. The list goes on, I won't bore you any further.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

The Pale Lady has built an amazing conversion using the new AoS manticore and undead draconith.

Tell TPL that DoN demands he comes back to CN and posts his army, I want to see pics of this! Nicely done on the win and it's very fitting for Dieter to be flying off into the sunrise to fight once again

I really like the approach you're taking, I've always been a lore first person - realistically the majority of my involvement in the hobby has been around lore, the gaming tends to come second although as I've got older and can afford more models I have a growing pile of shame!

Going over the east and then modelling the vampires around their martial honour, with increased skill in parrying, dodging is very Blood Dragon Do you still use wolves - I could see these as some kind of hunting dogs and they would help with some fast support. Have you also excluded Necros / gone magic light?

 

[Count Magpyr]

Yes, I have excluded Necros and wolves as I think they are not in the 6th ed Blood Dragon list and/or I didn't want them! I tend to rum magic light with all my armies. I like magic to be a flavour rather than dominate. It might be because I started in Historical WG back in the day, who can say

My BDs have quite an ascetic approach, with high hurdles for the young bloods to achieve before they can approach enlightenment. I'm using the three Vyrkos models to represent my Fell Bats; new initiates who have failed at the first hurdle.

Are you working on any particular flavour of undead army at the moment?

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

I like you've taken the approach of proxying other units by different flavours of vampires who are failed initiates, or still learning. It allows you to to still stick with the army rules, but have your own units with a lot of flavour, it's a great concept.

I'm just starting to get back into my undead forces - a new job, a bucketload of DIY, a baby on the way, and working to invigorate CN means I'm juggling a bit! I have my old school undead (lots of 4th edition skellies etc) which I think I'll paint "just because". But in terms of a themed army, I love the Flesh Eater Courts delusions in AoS and I'm thinking of doing something like that but in the Old World

 

[Count Magpyr]

I like the idea of Ushuran and a group of survivors from their fallen kingdom (Strigoi?) hiding in the shadows. You could base them in the Grey Mountains of Bretonnia, an abandoned keep, that feeds your mortarch’s delusions.
Transforming the rules for a mortarch into TOW or an earlier edition is rather daunting, you could spend a good few evenings going down that particular rabbit hole. Sounds as though you already have a lot on though (congrats on a new baby on the way). Just do what you can, when you can, so it all stays enjoyable.
After the stress and strain of getting to grips with the entry requirements of the Golden Bat, I have finished some more of my army. Here is my Vampire Count- the Abbot, flanked by two Thralls- the Prioress and the Sacristan. Then there is the Wight King- the Tainted, followed by his ward the Varghulf- the Fallen.
My version of the Fell Bats next

 

[The Brotherhood of Necros]

Looking forward to facing off against these on Saturday (or will it be the elves?). I can’t remember which army you said you’d be using, but in either case, Dieter is summoning his forces as we speak!

 

[Count Magpyr]

Ha! I may bring my glorious Blood Dragons, however I haven’t even undercoated my core units yet

Here are my three ‘Fell Bats’. They represent young bloods who have failed to take to the Blood Kiss and are doomed to degenerate and die.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Great continuation of your theme, as your three "Fell Bats" work well, I can imagine them quick leaping across the field!

 

[Count Magpyr]

In their first battle they did exactly that. Unfortunately, they were just as swiftly cut down by the undead hordes of Deiter H. Ultimately the sheer ferocity of my Blood Dragons proved too much for Deiter’s magic. Once every unit was in combat, his magic became quite limited. It only took one miscast and therefore a lost magic phase, for the balance to swing in favour of the Blood Dragons. I think we will possibly avoid undead v undead in future. Certainly in 6th ed. there was little scope for tactics in the battle. It reminded me a little of AoS, where it all hangs on the heroes (in every faction, not just undead).