Vampire Counts

logo Upon the eastern marches of the Empire lies the blighted land of Sylvania. It is a region dominated by dark forests and bleak mountains. For the most part its inhabitants are poor, for the soil is thin and unprofitable to work, whilst the mountains are devoid of the mineral wealth found in abundance to the south and north. Moreover the land has an unfortunate reputation. Its forests are said to be haunted and the ground itself is thought to carry the contagion of Chaos so that even the dead that are buried in it do not rest easily. Those who live there are few in number, impoverished, malnourished, and utterly lacking in ambition and vigour. The ordinary folk of the land are broken in spirit and live in harsh servitude under callous and uncaring masters.

Although part of the Empire from its inception, Sylvania developed quite separately during the long period of anarchy known as the Age of Three Emperor’s when all centralised government broke down. In these years a new power arose in Sylvania taking the form of the Counts Carstein. The Carsteins quickly gained a reputation for cruelty that surpassed anything that had ever happened before in the Empire. Throughout the adjoining lands, stories were whispered of ghastly tortures and wanton cruelty, of necromancy and dark magic, and of the haunting of the land by restless spirits. People feared to walk abroad after nightfall for strange creatures stalked the night – creatures that feasted on the blood and flesh of men.

The true nature of the Carsteins emerged during the years that followed the coming of the comet and destruction of the city of Mordheim. It was a time of great contagion when the power of magic waxed strongly throughout the Empire. Harnessing much of that magic the great Vlad Von Carstein raised an army of dead from the poisoned soil and made his bid for the throne of the Empire.

Thus began the Wars of the Vampire Counts in which the dead sought to overthrow the living and the Carsteins sought to rule the whole of the Empire. Had they succeeded the Empire would have become a dead land where the living would exist only as cattle to feed a Vampiric nobility. Vlad almost did succeed but was slain as his undead hordes besieged Altdorf.

Vlad’s successors were to continue the war at first led by the insane Konrad Von Carstein and then by Mannfred Von Carstein. The armies of the dead ranged over the lands of the Empire until Mannfred was eventually driven back to Sylvania and defeated at the battle of Hel Fenn. After that battle Mannfred disappeared, presumed destroyed, but his body was never found and rumours of his return haunt the Empire to this day. Following this defeat Sylvania was scoured by the priests of Sigmar and many vampires were hunted out and destroyed. Syvlania itself was claimed by the Count of Stirland and now forms part of that province.

It remains a land of dread where the downtrodden peasantry still live in terror of the night and the things that walk beneath the moon.

vampire counts

Vampire Counts army selector

Troop Type Attacks Hits Armour Command Unit size Points per unit Min/max Special

Skeletons

Infantry

2

3

6+

–

3

30

2/–

–

Zombies

Infantry

2

4

–

–

3

35

2/–

–

Ghouls

Infantry

4

3

–

–

3

55

–/–

–

Grave Guard

Infantry

3

3

5+

–

3

60

–/4

–

Ethereal Host

Infantry

3

4

–

–

3

90

–/2

†1

Black Knights

Cavalry

3

3

4+

–

3

110

–/4

–

Dire Wolves

Cavalry

2

3

–

–

3

40

–/4

†2

Fell Bats

Monster

2

3

6+

–

3

65

–/1

†3

 

Vampire Lord

General

+2

–

–

9

1

150

1

†4

Vampire

Hero

+1

–

–

8

1

80

–/2

–

Necromancer

Wizard

+0

–

–

7

1

45

–/1

–

Winged Nightmare

Monstrous Mount

+2

–

–

–

–

+80

–/1

†5

Black Coach

Chariot Mount

+1

–

–

–

–

+40

–/1

†6

Special rules

Army rules

The following rules for Undead apply to all units except for Ghouls. Ghouls are considered to be ordinary mortal troops and the following rules do not apply to them.

Undead

Undead units never act on initiative. An Undead unit only moves in the Command phase if given orders (aside from Fell Bats which can ‘homeback’ as noted below). Including an Undead unit cannot make a supporting charge to support an unit of Ghouls charging on initiative.

Undead units are unaffected by the −1 Command penalty for enemy within 20cm.

Undead units are unaffected by the −1 Combat penalty for fighting terrifying troops.

Undead units are unaffected by the Confusion rule – they cannot become confused for any reason.

Special rules

1. Ethereal Host

Ethereal Host Attacks always inflict a hit on a score of 4+ regardless of whether the enemy is in the open, defended, or fortified. Enemy otherwise count as in the open, defended, or fortified in all respects (i.e. charge bonuses count or don’t count depending on status). Ethereal hosts cannot be driven back by shooting and do not roll for drive backs. They cause terror as described in the Warmaster rulebook. Ethereal Hosts cannot have magic items.

2. Dire Wolves

If the unit charges against an enemy in the open it receives an additional +1 Attack modifier in the same way as chariots and monsters. Dire Wolves cannot have magic items.

3. Fell Bats

Fell Bats can fly. Although they cannot use initiative they are allowed to home back as described in the Warmaster rulebook. No order is required to home back. Fell Bats are an exception to the normal rules for basing monsters, in that they are based along the long base edge in the same way as infantry, rather than the short edge like other monsters.

4. Vampire Lord

A Vampire Lord is a powerful sorcerers as well as the army’s general. He can cast spells in the same way as a wizard and can be given a magic item restricted to either a General or a Wizard. Note that the Vampire Lord is still a General and his command range extends over the whole battlefield as for other Generals.

5. Winged Nightmare

Any character can ride a Winged Nightmare. A winged Nightmare can fly increasing its rider’s move to 100cm and adding +2 to its rider’s attacks. A unit joined by a character riding a Nightmare causes terror in its enemies.

6. Black Coach

A Vampire Lord or Vampire can be mounted within a Black Coach adding +1 to its occupant’s attacks. A unit joined by a character riding in the Black Coach causes terror in its enemies.

nightmare

Vampire Counts spells

Raise Dead

5+ to cast Range 30cm

At the Wizard’s beckoning the mangled corpses that litter the battleground rise from the dead to continue the slaughter.

This spell can be cast upon a combat engagement taking place within 30cm of the Wizard. The spell can be cast regardless of whether the Wizard can see any units in the combat engagement or not. A single combat engagement can only be affected once by this spell in any turn regardless of how many units are involved in the combat. For purposes of deciding whether a combat is eligible as a target, combat engagements are as they appear when the die to cast the spell is rolled: so it is possible for pursuit or advances to bring two units of raised dead into the same engagement later on.

A Skeleton unit of three stands is created. Each stand in the raised unit must be placed so that its front edge contacts an enemy stand from the targeted engagement, or that it supports a friendly stand from the same engagement, including raised stands. The placement of stands may not split up the engagement into multiple smaller engagements. If raised stands come into contact with unengaged enemy units, those units will join the engagement after the raised unit is placed, similar to incidental contact during pursuit. If it is impossible to position all stands in combat or support then the unit is not deployed and the spell fails. Raised dead do not count as charging in the first round of combat. Raised dead are ignored for working out break point and victory points at the end of the game.

Vanhel’s Danse Macabre

5+ to cast Range 40cm

The bodies of the dead move under the powerful influence of necromantic magic renewing their vigour once more.

This spell can be cast on any friendly unit apart from Ghouls. The spell can be cast on a unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard can see it or not. The spell affects only a single unit, never a brigade and there is no supporting charge possible.

The unit can be moved just as if it had received an order in the Command phase. Character stands that have joined the unit will not move with it: they remain where they are.

Death Bolt

5+ to cast Range 30cm

A fearsome bolt of sorcerous lightning flies from the Wizard’s outstretched finger tips and strikes an enemy unit.

The Necromancer must be able to see his target to cast this spell and it cannot be directed against a unit in combat. The Deathbolt is treated like three ordinary shooting attacks except that armour has no effect (all targets count as having no armour). A unit can be driven back by Deathbolt as with ordinary shooting.

Curse of Years

6+ to cast Range N/A

The Wizard’s enemies crumble to dust as he smites them with the corrupting Curse of Years.

The Wizard can cast this spell if he has joined a unit in combat. The spell can be cast on any single enemy unit that is touching the unit the Wizard has joined.

The target unit takes six attacks worked out in the usual way. Any hits scored are carried over into the first round of combat and count as having been struck in the first round for purposes of working out combat results.

skeletons