So, say you're the average trained Empire Free Company member or Brettonian Peasant drafted alongside the men at arms. You're sent to quell a Vampire Count uprising/invasion, along with the rest of your army. There's a big fight, etc., and somehow you get cut off from everyone else. It's midnight and the full moon has lit up the (of course) spooky woods/town/cornfield you happen to be stuck in. You then find yourself sharing the general vicinity with (insert VC unit here). How can you survive, and can you do anything to further the military goals you came here for?
Well, let's break it down by unit type.
Zombies: Slow, dull-witted to the extreme, and able to be escaped by barriers that defy their simple mechanistic minds, or lack thereof. While grisly and terrifying to behold, in small numbers you may even be able to kill two or three before fleeing. In large numbers, though, sheer body mass and volume can scale or break through walls. For an example, look up the World War Z trailer. But, again, speed of any variety coupled with a little stamina should keep you safe, and if the terrain is suitable, you might be able to lead them in circles and then go for help. The key is getting over the fear of walking corpses.
Skeletons: Less terrifying than zombies, as they seem less human. And they are, minus the armor, easier to incapacitate. A sledge, or anything heavy enough, handles the limbs quite well. Break what you need to get away if there are too many for you to outfight alone. As with zombies, leading them into convenient areas and using your greater agility and speed also works.
Dire Wolves: Even one of these will be a serious problem. It is faster, larger, and stronger than you, does not feel pain or fear, and will not stop hunting you or anyone else nearby until it is destroyed. The good thing is, it only has one immediately lethal end. The head. Break the jaw and you're not entirely home free, but your odds increase dramatically. Try and get into a position that allows you to set up the time and manner of your encounter, because fleeing for help is not an option. Use its drive for the hunt to corral or destroy it. If there's more than one, then just try to keep alive as long as you can, because a whole pack will be nearly impossible to stop.
Ghouls: Again, a serious problem, especially in groups. Fast, intelligent (roughly speaking), tough, and bent on feeding, ghouls will be a hard foe to combat. Vital shots are necessary, as incapacitation is NOT going to work here. While you can try to go and get help, the chances of this working are only slightly better than with the dire wolves. With ghouls, their need to feed can be used to trip them up by offering flesh, whereas with dire wolves, well, wolves need to hunt.
Corpse Cart: Thankfully, it's pulled by zombies. If you can fight past the stench and disease, try to take out the driver. If you can't, the alternate option might work anyway. Try baiting the cart into an area where it can't maneuver and then block its retreat path or lever a large boulder/stack of bricks/heavy object onto it for the best results. Usually, though, your best option is just to go get help. The cart is too ungainly and slow to be too dangerous.
Black Knights: Getting up a tree is your best chance for survival, as running will not work and they can go through walls on their mounts. You can then drop on one (provided there is only one) and try and break bones with your fall or by unhorsing the skeleton. In groups, sneaking off for help is most advisable.
Hex Wraiths: Sneak away, and don't even bother to engage them. You can't win. Pray until you reach a friendly wizard.
Vargheists: Like ghouls, you can distract them with the urge to feed, so cattle, if you wound them, might help if they are nearby. Otherwise, your chances of winning in a fight, hiding successfully, or running fast enough is just about nil.
Crypt Horrors: Well, if you can set them on fire somehow, that might work well. Other than that option, running as fast and as quietly as you can for aide is your best bet.
Grave Guard: If there is only one, or at max three, trick them into a pit or hard to escape area and leave them/drop rocks on them until they crumble. If nothing heavy is available, go run off for aide while they're stuck. If in large numbers, run, but quietly.
Fell Bats: Distract them with wounded livestock if you can, and book it. Otherwise, find the sturdiest structure available and shut yourself in. If worse comes to worse, try and damage their wings when they come for you. If it's just one, you might even survive.
Bat Swarms: Locking yourself in a room with all the crevices sealed is probably your best best.
Spirit Host: Pray it doesn't notice you and get away as fast as you can.
Varghulf: Wounded livestock are your only hope once again.
Cairn Wraith: Pray it doesn't notice you and get away as fast as you can.
Banshee: Pray it doesn't notice you and get away as fast as you can.
Black Coach: Run stealthily away. If you aren't daunted by having your blood drained, try and find away to damage the wheels of the coach and wreck it. Suddenly downed trees may work. Just don't expect to live long once the driver and the occupant begin looking for you.
Blood Knights: Run stealthily away. You cannot outrun them if noticed, or outfight them if caught. However, challenging them to a duel of honor might, somehow, if they aren't terribly hungry, appeal to their martial code of honor and you may by your missing friends some time to find you or get farther away from death.
Terrorgheist: Pray it doesn't notice you and get out of there.
Zombie Dragon: Pray it doesn't notice you and get out of there.
Necromancer: While it is best to escape unnoticed and get magical aide, if you really think you can crack it, snapping a mortal necromancer's neck, braining them, or stabbing them repeatedly is a viable method of survival and heroism. Just be quick and do it like a ninja, or he might get a spell off.
Coven Throne: Pray it doesn't notice your stealthy escape.
Mortis Engine: pray it doesn't notice your stealthy escape.
Vampires of Any Variety: Just hope they don't notice you and leave in secret. If worse comes to worse, the head and the heart are deathblows. Just don't expect that you'll be able to even react in time.
So, questions, thoughts, comments?
Well, let's break it down by unit type.
Zombies: Slow, dull-witted to the extreme, and able to be escaped by barriers that defy their simple mechanistic minds, or lack thereof. While grisly and terrifying to behold, in small numbers you may even be able to kill two or three before fleeing. In large numbers, though, sheer body mass and volume can scale or break through walls. For an example, look up the World War Z trailer. But, again, speed of any variety coupled with a little stamina should keep you safe, and if the terrain is suitable, you might be able to lead them in circles and then go for help. The key is getting over the fear of walking corpses.
Skeletons: Less terrifying than zombies, as they seem less human. And they are, minus the armor, easier to incapacitate. A sledge, or anything heavy enough, handles the limbs quite well. Break what you need to get away if there are too many for you to outfight alone. As with zombies, leading them into convenient areas and using your greater agility and speed also works.
Dire Wolves: Even one of these will be a serious problem. It is faster, larger, and stronger than you, does not feel pain or fear, and will not stop hunting you or anyone else nearby until it is destroyed. The good thing is, it only has one immediately lethal end. The head. Break the jaw and you're not entirely home free, but your odds increase dramatically. Try and get into a position that allows you to set up the time and manner of your encounter, because fleeing for help is not an option. Use its drive for the hunt to corral or destroy it. If there's more than one, then just try to keep alive as long as you can, because a whole pack will be nearly impossible to stop.
Ghouls: Again, a serious problem, especially in groups. Fast, intelligent (roughly speaking), tough, and bent on feeding, ghouls will be a hard foe to combat. Vital shots are necessary, as incapacitation is NOT going to work here. While you can try to go and get help, the chances of this working are only slightly better than with the dire wolves. With ghouls, their need to feed can be used to trip them up by offering flesh, whereas with dire wolves, well, wolves need to hunt.
Corpse Cart: Thankfully, it's pulled by zombies. If you can fight past the stench and disease, try to take out the driver. If you can't, the alternate option might work anyway. Try baiting the cart into an area where it can't maneuver and then block its retreat path or lever a large boulder/stack of bricks/heavy object onto it for the best results. Usually, though, your best option is just to go get help. The cart is too ungainly and slow to be too dangerous.
Black Knights: Getting up a tree is your best chance for survival, as running will not work and they can go through walls on their mounts. You can then drop on one (provided there is only one) and try and break bones with your fall or by unhorsing the skeleton. In groups, sneaking off for help is most advisable.
Hex Wraiths: Sneak away, and don't even bother to engage them. You can't win. Pray until you reach a friendly wizard.
Vargheists: Like ghouls, you can distract them with the urge to feed, so cattle, if you wound them, might help if they are nearby. Otherwise, your chances of winning in a fight, hiding successfully, or running fast enough is just about nil.
Crypt Horrors: Well, if you can set them on fire somehow, that might work well. Other than that option, running as fast and as quietly as you can for aide is your best bet.
Grave Guard: If there is only one, or at max three, trick them into a pit or hard to escape area and leave them/drop rocks on them until they crumble. If nothing heavy is available, go run off for aide while they're stuck. If in large numbers, run, but quietly.
Fell Bats: Distract them with wounded livestock if you can, and book it. Otherwise, find the sturdiest structure available and shut yourself in. If worse comes to worse, try and damage their wings when they come for you. If it's just one, you might even survive.
Bat Swarms: Locking yourself in a room with all the crevices sealed is probably your best best.
Spirit Host: Pray it doesn't notice you and get away as fast as you can.
Varghulf: Wounded livestock are your only hope once again.
Cairn Wraith: Pray it doesn't notice you and get away as fast as you can.
Banshee: Pray it doesn't notice you and get away as fast as you can.
Black Coach: Run stealthily away. If you aren't daunted by having your blood drained, try and find away to damage the wheels of the coach and wreck it. Suddenly downed trees may work. Just don't expect to live long once the driver and the occupant begin looking for you.
Blood Knights: Run stealthily away. You cannot outrun them if noticed, or outfight them if caught. However, challenging them to a duel of honor might, somehow, if they aren't terribly hungry, appeal to their martial code of honor and you may by your missing friends some time to find you or get farther away from death.
Terrorgheist: Pray it doesn't notice you and get out of there.
Zombie Dragon: Pray it doesn't notice you and get out of there.
Necromancer: While it is best to escape unnoticed and get magical aide, if you really think you can crack it, snapping a mortal necromancer's neck, braining them, or stabbing them repeatedly is a viable method of survival and heroism. Just be quick and do it like a ninja, or he might get a spell off.
Coven Throne: Pray it doesn't notice your stealthy escape.
Mortis Engine: pray it doesn't notice your stealthy escape.
Vampires of Any Variety: Just hope they don't notice you and leave in secret. If worse comes to worse, the head and the heart are deathblows. Just don't expect that you'll be able to even react in time.
So, questions, thoughts, comments?
