Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince

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Khador Logo.jpg Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince

Khador Warcaster

Mk4 icon.png
Unlimited Only
This model can only be used in the Unlimited game mode. You can see the other models with / without mk4 rules on this page.

Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

Vladimir is history walking. He is a relic from a time long forgotten when men ruled with iron fists and displays of pure power. The Dark Prince refuses to let this legacy die, and will spill his blood to defend it.

Basic Info

Vladimir1
Missing Info
Vladimir1.jpg
COST {{{cacost}}}
UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}}
FA {{{cafa}}}
Warcaster 0
BASE Small
SPD 6
STR 6
MAT 7
RAT N/A
M.A. N/A
DEF 15
ARM 16
CMD N/A
ESSENCE {{{essence}}}
FOCUS 7
FURY N/A
THRS N/A
HP 18
F. Field N/A
WJP +28
WBP {{{wbp}}}
IHP {{{ihp}}}
FA N/A
UNIT SIZE N/A
COST N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Warcaster 1
COST N/A
N/A
Understanding
the Statblock

Warcaster - All warcasters come with a stack of standard special rules - most notably being awesome. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Feat: Forced March

Warjacks in Vladimir's battlegroup beginning their activations in his control range double their base SPD and can run, charge and make power attacks without spending focus. Forced March lasts for one turn.

Abilities

Weapons

Skirmisher
Sword icon.jpg  RNG   POW   P+S 
1 7 13
  • Magical dam symbol.jpg Damage Type: Magical
  • Blood Boon - Once per activation, immediately after resolving an attack in which it destroyed an enemy model with this weapon, this model can cast a spell with COST 3 or less without spending focus points.
Ruin
Sword icon.jpg  RNG   POW   P+S 
0.5 4 10

Spells

COST RNG AOE POW DUR OFF
Blood of Kings

4 SELF - - Round No
The spellcaster gains +3 SPD, STR, MAT, DEF, and ARM for one round.
Boundless Charge

2 6 - - Turn No
During its activation, target friendly Faction model can charge without spending focus or being forced and gains +2" movement and Pathfinder when it charges. Boundless Charge lasts for one turn.
Razor Wind

2 10 - 12 - Yes
This spell has zero special effects.
Signs & Portents

4 SELF CTRL - Turn No
While in the spellcaster's control range, friendly Faction models gain an additional die on attack and damage rolls. Discard the lowest die in each roll. Signs & Portents lasts for one turn.
Wind Wall

3 SELF (★) - Round No
The spellcaster cannot make ranged attacks after casting this spell, and non-magical ranged attacks targeting it automatically miss. While completely within 3" of the caster, models cannot make ranged attacks and non-magical ranged attacks targeting them automatically miss. Wind Wall lasts for one round.

Theme Forces


Thoughts on Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince

Variant Sculpt

Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince in a Nutshell

Vlad is a powerhouse caster who doesn't quite fit any real niche in the Khador world; he's a monster support 'caster for the first few turns, situationally utilizing an awesome feat to get his jacks up the table at breakneck speed (SIXTEEN INCHES in one turn is practically breaking the sound barrier for a several-ton piece of machinery.) Or, using that same feat and Boundless Charge to ensure his 'jacks get the alpha on the enemy, while using Wind Wall to keep himself and a few key support models safe from most enemy shooting.

Once the fight is in full force, Signs & Portents turns even mediocre RAT/MAT troops into accurate hitters, and makes moderate damage rolls become reliable killers, which typically helps with the attrition game by ensuring your models don't miss what they're aiming/swinging at, and they reliably kill what they hit.

If things do start to go south, and the fight looks lost, Vlad can turn on a dime, going from a support 'caster to a melee monster, invoking his ancient lineage with Blood of Kings, boosting his stats to levels that make him nigh-unhittable, and utilizing his incredibly-buffed speed and *double-digit* MAT to start removing threats.

He's not going to wreck a heavy or a gargossal in a single swing, nor leap tall buildings in a single bound. But, man it's fun to try sometimes!

Feat thoughts

It can be used early to get your models up the table towards an objective, or be used later to spring a trap on a model who thinks you're too far away, by charging your warjacks an incredible distance. It's uses are endless, limited only by your imagination. A Khador Heavy Warjack capable of moving sixteen inches on the run, or charging eleven(or thirteen with boundless charge as well), ought to scare your opponents just a little bit.

Spell thoughts

As a general rule, if you're planning to support the army via Signs & Portents, Vlad will be the first or one of the very first models you activate. With his above-average CTRL RNG, he doesn't need to be extremely forward and expose himself to too much danger.

If your intention is to use Blood of Kings for the turn, your order of activation won't matter as much.

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • A knocked-down Vlad is a dead Vlad - even under Blood of Kings.
  • Lamentation locks down completely both of your most potent spells - and casters who have it can match your CTRL area. In such match-ups expect 1, maybe 2 turns when you can use BoK or S&P, before they shut it down.

Tricks & Tips

For reference, Signs and Portents roughly improves the average of rolls by 1.5 so that normal rolls would be about 8.5 and boosted rolls would be about 12, rather than 7 and 10.5 respectively.

List Building Advice

Strategy

His main method of winning is attrition, since the use of of his spells can seriously swing the bell curve on your opponent; even moderate damage dealers can hit and kill things well above their weight class, and his jacks almost always will have the alpha due to the enormous threat ranges his feat offers.

Vlad himself has a decent, if linear, assassination game. With Blood of Kings active, he's a melee powerhouse (MAT 10, for those keeping score at home) who can reliably hit even the nimblest of targets (boosted, he'll hit DEF 20 on average rolls) with (ideally) four P+S 16 and one P+S 13 swing. That'll kill just about any caster, and if a lock had enough fury to transfer it, their beasts are likely dead or mangled horribly.

Signs and Portents is Vlad's bread and butter; it allows him to take just about anything and make it better. It takes 'decent' and makes it good, turns 'good' into great, and 'great' becomes absolutely outstanding.

There is nothing in the faction that is bad for him, though, as with any caster, there are certain things which make him truly shine.

Theme thoughts

    Winter Guard Kommand    

It's quite common to see Vlad in this theme, based around several minimum-sized units of the Winter Guard Rifle Corps with maximum rocketeer attachments. Utilizing Signs and Portents, those rockets are almost guaranteed to hit where they're aimed for great effect. Throw in a pair of Winter Guard Field Gun Crew for their knockdown-on-hit to make those rockets super accurate. On average dice, you're looking at between 4 and 6 damage points per shot on a heavy jack, and more on a light. Three rocketeers per unit means heavy warjacks get wrecked fast, and lighter / light warjacks die even faster. The riflemen themselves are used to clear infantry and other annoyances from zones or charge lanes.

Battlegroup

Drago is his pet warjack that he can take in any theme.

Vlad is a combined arms caster through and through, thus he enjoys bringing a rather large battlegroup. This is because his buffs support troops and jack a like; S&P makes jacks terrifying and Wind Wall makes sure they get there. His feat is battlegroup-only and shoves all of his jacks down the enemies throat. This, combined with strategically applied Boundless Charges makes sure Vlad can seize a devastating alpha. Consequently, he prefers quality melee focused jacks to squash his enemies with.

  • The Juggernaut is THE Khadoran melee jack. Deploy at least one.
  • Multiple Marauders are also a good idea. With Siege Weapon and S&P they will crush huge bases with their Pistons.
  • The Spriggan can go along long way with him as well, helping his troops against stealthed models and stabbing foes with a 2" lance.
  • Victor has it all: A good melee game, excellent guns, stealth mitigation, incendiary shots against multi-wound targets. its also a big slap of metal for Vlad to hide behind in a pinch.

Starting a 25 point list (Brawlmachine)

In 2020.10 Phillip Melvin, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. It was then updated for the 2021.10 errata. He even wrote about its playstyle and expanded it beyond 25 points, which you can read here.

Theme - Winter Guard Kommand

Vladimir1: [+28 WJP]
Ol' Grim: [6 pts]
Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich: [Free] (3 pts)
Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan: [3 pts]
Winter Guard Infantry (Min unit): [6 pts]
  • 3x Weapon Attachments: [6 pts]
Kayazy Eliminators: [4 pts]

For more Brawlmachine list ideas, see Category: Brawl List

Other

Trivia

  • Released way back in Warmachine: Prime (2003)
  • His design, name and backstory are all based on the real-life historical person Vladimir Țepeș, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler, prince of Wallachia. Vlad the Impaler is commonly understood to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Count Dracula, which fits with the rumors about Vladimir Tzepesci's family, which is said to have sorcery in their blood and dabble into dark arts. Ironically Vlad, unlike his inspirations, seems to be a rather good guy.

Other Khador models

Khador Logo.jpg       Khador Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters

Butcher1 - Butcher2 - Butcher3 - Harkevich - Irusk1 - Irusk2 - Karchev1 - Karchev2 - Kozlov - Malakov2 - Old Witch1 - Old Witch2 - Sorscha1 - Sorscha2 - Sorscha3 - Strakhov1 - Strakhov2 - Vlad1 - Vlad2 - Vlad3 - Zerkova1 - Zerkova2

Warcaster attachments

Khador: War Dog - Greylord Adjunct
Mercenary: Madelyn Corbeau - Reinholdt - Wyshnalyrr

Other Warjack Controllers

"Junior" Warcasters: Malakov1 - Sorscha0
'Jack Marshals: Man-o-War Kovnik - Greylord Forge Seer

Heavy Warjacks

Beast-09 - Behemoth - Berserker - Black Ivan - Decimator - Demolisher - Destroyer - Devastator - Drago - Grolar - Juggernaut - Kodiak - Mad Dog - Marauder - Rager - Ruin - Spriggan - Torch

Colossal Conquest - Victor
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units

Assault Kommandos - Battle Mechaniks - Black Dragons - Doom Reaver Swordsmen - Great Bears of the Gallowswood - Greylord Outriders - Greylord Ternion - Iron Fang Pikemen - Iron Fang Uhlans - Kayazy Assassins - Kayazy Eliminators - Kossite Woodsmen - MOW Atanas & Standard - MOW Bombardiers - MOW Demolition Corps - MOW Shocktroopers - Widowmaker Scouts - WG Field Gun - WG Infantry - WG Mortar Crew - WG Rifle Corps
Ranking Officer CA : Koldun Kapitan Valachev

Solos

Bulkhead - Fenris - Greylord Adjunct - Greylord Forge Seer - Iron Fang Kovnik - Jozef - Koldun Lord - Malakov1 - Manhunter - MOW Drakhun - MOW Kovnik - MOW Strike Tanker - MOW Suppresion Tanker - Markov - Sofya - Sorscha0 - Ol' Grim - Underboss Vizkoya - War Dog - Widowmaker Marksman - WG Artillery Kapitan - Yuri1 - Yuri2

Battle Engines Gun Carriage - Man-o-War Siege Chariot - Man-o-War Assault Chariot
Theme Forces
Armored Korps - Flame in the Darkness - Jaws of the Wolf - Legions of Steel - Warriors of the Old Faith - Winter Guard Kommand - Wolves of Winter
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Khador Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Video Battle Reports

Rules Clarifications

RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification:  : Magical Damage      (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

* The "Damage Type: Magical" is not inherited by "secondary" damage from a weapon. That is, stuff like arcs (Electro Leap) or hazards (Scather). (Infernal Ruling)
  • All spells have "Damage Type: Magical" (refer errata).
    • This is inherited by "immediate" secondary damage (such as Eruption of Spines). (Infernal Ruling)
    • and might be inherited by "lingering" secondary damage (see below).
  • If a spell leaves a template in play that does damage to models that walk around in it, then:
    • if it is not described as a hazard it will do magical damage to models that walk around in it. (Example: Razor Wall)
    • if it is a hazard then it will not do magical damage to models that walk around in it. Instead, it does whatever damage type is specified by the spell description. (Example: Breath of Corruption).
    • (Infernal Ruling)
  • If a weapon/spell includes Magic Damage and another kind of elemental damage it will still damage Incorporeal models. Incorporeal models are not affected by the rule "if an attack does multiple types of damage and a model is immune to at least one it is immune to the entire attack."
    The phrase "immune to non-magical damage" should be interpreted as "immune to damage that doesn't include Damage Type: Magical" (not interpreted as "has immunity to Corrosion and Electricity and Cold and etc.")
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Rules Clarification : Blood Boon and/or Rites of Blood and/or Ritual Slaughter and/or Soul Food and/or Blood Weaver and/or Meat for the Beast and/or Reckless Arcana     (Edit)

  • General
    • The free spell doesn't interact with abilities that change the COST of a spell. (Infernal Ruling)
      • For instance, if you trigger it while being affected by Lamentation then you can still cast a COST 3 spell (even though if you spent focus to do the same thing it would cost you 6 focus/fury).
    • (Rites of Blood only): The Priestess doesn't need to be in the caster's CTRL range to use her ability.
    • (Blood Weaver only): It's not tied to a specific weapon, and it can be triggered multiple times per turn.
    • (Reckless Arcana only):
      • You can trigger it once during your turn, and a second time during the opponent's turn (via a free strike, countercharge, etc)
      • The model doesn't need to be in your control range to trigger it.
  • Timing
    • With reference to other abilities that occur "after the attack is resolved", the timing sequence is:
      • If you choose a non-offensive spell then it's resolved at Step 12.
      • If you choose an offensive spell then it's resolved at Step 14.
      • If you have another ability that triggers at Step 12 (such as Iona1 having Overtake), you can either cast a non-offensive spell and resolve both things at Step 12 in any order, or you can resolve the other ability at Step 12 then cast an offensive spell at Step 14. Note that you cannot cast an offensive spell at Step 14 then go back to Step 12 to resolve the other ability.
      • (Infernal Ruling for all of the above)
  • Multiple Attacks
    • If when you destroy the model, you get a free melee/ranged attack as well as the free spell (for instance you cast Black Spot on them), then you need to follow the "attack-generating abilities" rule in the core rulebook and make sure you only make one bonus attack:
      • You can cast a non-offensive spell (step 12) then get the free melee/ranged attack (step 14); or
      • You can cast an offensive spell (which is an attack) and forgo the free melee/ranged attack.
      • (Locked Thread)
    • If the model that triggered the free spell has Berserk and something is in its melee range, you don't get a choice of offensive spell or non-offensive. You have to choose either
      • a non-offensive spell plus the compulsory melee attack, or
      • no spell at all plus the compulsory melee.
      • (Locked Thread)
  • Spells outside of caster's activation
    • Some versions of this ability let the caster get a free spell when something else kills something. In this case:
      • The caster can channel the spell if they want. (Infernal Ruling)
      • The spell is cast during the other model's activation, so that model can potentially trigger any of their own activation-only abilities.
        Specifically, if one of Deathchev's warjack triggers Meat for the Beast, and Deathchev casts Abattoir for all warjacks to get a free attack, then the active warjack can boost the Abattoir attack, use Overtake, etc.
        (Infernal Ruling)
      • For similar logic, spells that "can only be cast once per activation" (such as Abattoir) can be cast twice per turn via this sort of ability. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification:  : Warcaster      (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

 
  • General
    • Damage from a feat is neither an attack nor Damage Type: Magical (unless the feat says it is).
    • FOCUS (uppercase) is the stat printed on the warcaster's card. Focus (lowercase) refers to focus points a model currently has.
    • Your CTRL area is double your FOCUS stat, not double your focus points. (Infernal Ruling)
    • Casting spells or using feats is an anytime ability with the added restriction that you can't use them on the same turn you run even before you run.
      • See also the clarifications on Any Time abilities (below).
    • Some warcasters are also Battle Engines and thus follow all the Battle Engine special rules.
      • There is no particular interaction between the Battle Engine rules and the Warcaster rules.
    • Work out all damage modifiers (such as Decapitation doubling the damage that exceeds ARM) before reducing it with the Power Field. (Infernal Ruling)


  • Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities     (Edit)         [Show/Hide]
    • "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except:
    1. Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A.
    2. After the model with the "Any Time" ability has had their activation end "prematurely". By this I mean you resolved something which includes the phrase "its activation ends". Examples include:
      • Running, failing a charge, or failing a slam.
      • Abilities that include "then its activation ends" (such as Reposition and Teleport).
    3. In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling)
    4. In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling)
    5. When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement).
    6. When you're in the middle of an attack. Which also includes effects that occur "after the attack is resolved".
      (Although the attack is "resolved" at Step 11, in terms of using an "Any Time" ability the attack is not "finished" until after Step 14. Refer to the first paragraph of Apdx A.)
    7. Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge).
    8. Warcasters/warlocks/etc can normally cast a spell or use their feat "At any time". However, there is a core rule saying they cannot do so on the same activation that they run. So, they are subject to all the same restrictions listed above, plus they can't cast/feat before running.
    9. Units: See below.

    • In general you can use "Any Time" abilities while you're knocked down or stationary (except Spells and Feats which specify you can't).
    • If you have a gun with a random ROF, you can use an "Any Time" ability inbetween rolling the number of shots and actually making the first attack. (Infernal Ruling)

    Units with "Any Time" abilities
    • You cannot use an "Any Time" ability before issuing/receiving orders. See step 1 and 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A.
    • A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after they run (Infernal Ruling) or fail a charge. Because that makes that specific model's activation to end even though the unit's activation is still ongoing, and you can't use abilities on models that are not active.
      • You can use an "Any Time" ability before running, however.
    • A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after anyone in the unit has begun a Reposition move. (Infernal Ruling)
  • Warcaster/Warlock Cavalry ( Edit )
    • Warcasters/Warlocks can't cast spells or use their feat while resolving Impact Attacks. Because Impact Attacks occur during movement - you can use spells or feat before moving, or after moving, but not during movement.
      • Exception: If your Impact target(s) include your charge target, then your movement has ended (refer rulebook, last paragraph of 'Impact Attacks') and thus you're fine to use "any time" abilities before starting the Impact attacks.


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Rules Clarification:  : Warcaster Unit or Warlock Unit     (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

This summary is specific to Warcaster/Warlock units. You may also want to check the Warcaster and Warlock pages respectively, for the "regular" rules clarifications.
  • All models in the unit count as part of the battlegroup. So, for instance, Butcher3's argus can be moved via his Energizer spell.
  • Warcaster units can have attachments. They can even attach units (such as the WSC). (Infernal Ruling)
  • The non-caster models are trooper models but are not normally Grunt models. Therefore they're not normally eligible for stuff like Revive.
  • If any member of the unit start to do their reposition movement, the warcaster or warlock in the unit would no longer be able to feat.(Infernal Ruling)
  • Press Forward Order vs Spells cast at Any Time (Edit)
    • You must issue orders before anything else. If you issue a Press Forward order, you must run or charge.
    • If you cast spells before moving, you can't run so you must charge.
    • If you cast spells before moving, then start the spellcaster's Normal Movement but have no valid charge targets, you are in a situation where you must charge but cannot charge.
      In this situation the spellcaster must either:
      • forfeit their Combat Action, use their Normal Movement to make a full advance, then their activation ends. (Note that you cannot cast more spells after the full advance).
      • forfeit their Normal Movement, then their activation ends.
      • (Infernal Ruling)
  • Steamroller 2018
    • The non-caster models can contest scenario zones & flags.
    • The caster model cannot contest.
    • The caster model can control zones and flags by itself, but:
      • to control a zone, the entire unit remaining in play needs to be in formation.
      • to control a flag, the entire unit remaining in play must be within 4" of the flag.
  • Units Buying Attacks (Edit)
    • If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because:
    • A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action.
    • A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA).
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Rules Clarification : Unit of Warcasters or Warlocks     (Edit)

  • Even though they're warcasters, if they're out of formation they suffer the normal penalties (can't make attacks, actions, spells, etc).
  • They can't upkeep each other's spells.
  • They can only dominate one SteamRoller scenario element at a time.
  • Each warlock/warcaster can have different upkeeps on them if those upkeeps are "target SELF" or "target model". If you cast an upkeep that is "target model/unit", that is the only upkeep any of them can have.
  • Units Buying Attacks (Edit)
    • If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because:
    • A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action.
    • A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA).
  • The Legion Twins
    • Rhyas cannot dominate a zone while out of formation.
    • Rhyas can use the feat while out of formation.
  • Haley3
    • Only Haley Prime is an 'actual' warcaster model, and as such she is the only one that can dominate a scenario element.
    • The echoes can Control/Contest scenarios like a normal unit.
    • Haley Prime can dominate an element even if the echoes are out of formation.

Rules Clarification : Parry - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Blood of Kings - None yet. (Edit)

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Rules Clarification : Boundless Charge      (Edit)

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Rules Clarification : Razor Wind      (Edit)

  • The text description has no in-game effect. It's just for flavour.
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Rules Clarification : Hand of Fate and/or Manifest Destiny and/or Signs & Portents     (Edit)

  • This buff affects any damage roll that is caused by a model, not just normal attacks. For instance, it can affect the damage roll when a Berserker explodes via Unstable. (Infernal Ruling)
  • Discard Die (Edit)
    • If you're discarding lowest or highest, you have to discard even if you want it for a critical hit.
    For instance: if you discard "the lowest die", need 6+ to hit, and roll a 3, 3, and a 4 ... then you must discard one of the 3s, and you'll end up with a non-critical hit with the 3 + 4.

Rules Clarification : Wind Wall - None yet. (Edit)