Editing The 9th Age/Tactics/Vampire Covenant (section)

==Tactics==
The tactics are currents as of second edition.

Two things of note if you want to play Vampire Covenant:

1: Everything you have is undead, learn how unstable works now or your games will take forever.

2: VC is considered in some circles the most powerful army in T9A, be prepared for skub.

===Army Rules===
'''Reanimated''' An additional attribute on all of your units (shortened Rea), determines the number of wounds raised with Arise! (H spell) and The Dead Arise (bound spell).

'''Master of Undeath''' One character in your army must be designated the Master, at the beginning of the game the Master is always your general, even if they wouldn't normally be allowed to (see Ashes to Ashes).

'''Ashes to Ashes''' At the end of any phase in which the Master is removed as a casualty your army starts to crumble.  At the end of the turn a new Master may be selected as long as the character is A: a wizard and B: is vampiric or is using evocation.  If there is no new master your army continues to crumble.

'''Gates of the Netherworld''' whenever a model with this rule successfully casts the H spell it may additionally raise 1 wound on any unit/model within 12".  Flexible and is a great means of keeping characters alive by effectively doubling their healing.

'''Awaken (x)''' A model with this rule can raise models beyond a unit's starting size for unit types listed with this special rule.  A unit cannot increase more than double its starting size or beyond its maximum size as listed in its unit entry.

'''Necromantic Aura''' Friendly units within 6" of a model with this rule reduce health loss from unstable and Ashes to Ashes by 1.  Not a huge buff, but can effect many units and will make them that much more sustainable.  I've seen zombie hordes survive at one zombie because of this.

'''The Dead Arise''' A bound spell (4/8) that allows you to create an entirely new unit of undead, but only ones that the model has Awaken (x) for.  Being able to create a roadblock whenever and wherever you need one is great.  The only model in your army that will have this will be your general.

'''Ghostly Form''' Models gain magic attacks and ghost step.  Units with ghostly form cannot be joined by characters without it.

'''Autonomous''' entirely autonomous units may march even outside of a friendly commanding presence.  Allows your scary flankers to get deep despite being undead.

'''Reaper''' A unit where every model has this special rule can move through other units in the movement phase.  If they do so, they make a sweeping attack with 1 hit per reaping model at str 5 AP 10.  A nice way to whittle down enemy bricks before they can flank your zombie blocks.

'''Vampiric (x)''' at the end of each melee phase, if at least one attack by a vampiric model caused an unsaved wound, roll a d6.  If the result is equal to or greater than the amount listed (x) they regain 1 health.  1s always fail, 6s always succeed.  Not usually enough to rely on to sustain a character, but saves you some additional healing here and there.

'''Unholy Appetite''' If one attack with unholy appetite causes an unsaved wound, all attacks with unholy appetite reroll failed to hit rolls for one turn.

===Hereditary Spell===
'''Arise!''' For each target, either raise R&F models equal to their Rea value or one character in the targeted unit raises health according to its Rea value.  Boosted versions create bubbles of reanimation that can be consistently cast on 3 dice for the chunkiest version.  This spell is also repeatable, so if you have the points to spare have every single wizard that can have this spell.

===Vampiric Bloodlines===
You may choose to have your army represent a single bloodline of vampires, if so all vampire counts and courtiers must be upgraded with the corresponding bloodline.  A bloodline gives you access to the ancient blood power of the respective bloodline and blood ties to a specific unit.  Blood powers are not bloodlines.  Only a bloodline army can take the respective ancient blood power (0-1 per army).  An independent army can take any blood power with a 0-1 limit per army, a bloodline army can only take their respective blood powers but can repeat them any number of times.  Functionally, you're only going to have 1 or maybe 2 vampires in your army, so go ahead and take the bloodline you want, it will give you some increased flexibility and some crazy buffs for certain units.  Blood ties are mentioned in their respective unit entries.

====Brotherhood of the Dragon Bloodline====
''The Knights''

The vampire gains weapon master, +2 off skill, plate armor, and may purchase any number of melee weapons.  This comes at the cost of the vampire being capped in their wizarding and forcing them to issue/accept duels unless another model does so first.
Only can take Occultism path

'''Ancient Blood Power: Crimson Rage''' For each unsaved wound this vampire inflicts in melee it attacks again at the same initiative step against the same target(s).  Your vampire will slam here and there and everywhere.

'''Blood Power: Eternal Duelist''' reroll to-hit and to-wound rolls of 1 in close combat.

'''Blood Power: Monster Hunter''' Multiple wounds (2 against towering presence).  Not as good as some other monster hunters out there, but if your opponent loves their dragon accept no substitutes.

====Von Karnstein Bloodline====
''The Noblemen''

The vampire rerolls failed vampiric rolls, adds +1 to their sides combat score, gives their unit autonomous, and increases the range of their commanding presence or rally around the flag by 6".
Only can take Evocation or Occultism (no change to baseline)

'''Ancient Blood Power: Storm Caller''' All units within 12" of the vampire gain hard target (1).  Shooting is the bane of your existence and now it's harder to mow down your hordes before they can make it into melee.

'''Blood Power: Hour of the Wolf''' the vampire's unit gains swiftstride and Awaken (zombies, dire wolves, bat swarms, and great bats).

'''Blood Power: Unbreakable Will''' At the beginning of each round of combat select a single unit within the same combat as this vampire, they gain stubborn.  Stubborn makes it take twice as long for a unit to crumble, use it to make them hold enemies in place for those flanks.

====Lamia Bloodline====
''The Catlike seducer''

The vampire loses 1 attack but gains lightning reflexes, enemy units in base contact suffer -1 agility, and as long as the vampire doesn't have heavy armor or a shield it gains distracting.  Duels issued by this vampire must be accepted and enemies in a duel suffer -1 attack (but not their mount, careful dueling a dragon).
Only can take Evocation or Witchcraft path 
*Takes a penalty to attack but are suited for assassinating characters. Brotherhood of the Dragon may get better armour but it's at the cost of magic, while Lamia doesn't and they can force that Skaven hero to face his death.

'''Ancient Blood Power: Commandment''' R&F models in a unit joined by this vampire set their offensive and defensive skill to 6.  Your zombies just got competent.

'''Blood Power: Mask of Innocence''' Enemy units in base contact suffer -1 discipline.  It helps you crack large units.

'''Blood Power: Mesmerizing Gaze''' Can cast Whispers of the Veil as a bound spell (4/8).  Can cripple critical units, if it doesn't get dispelled.

====Strigoi Bloodline====
''The Animal''

The vampire gains hatred, fortitude (4+), and +1 health, but cannot be mounted except on a shrieking horror, cannot equip any armor, and caps wizarding ability but is a Shamanism.  Turns your vampire into a beatstick.

'''Ancient Blood Power: Ghoul Lord''' The vampire, it's a mount, and all models in its unit gain poisoned attacks.  If they already had poison attacks, the poison triggers on 1 better (5+ instead of 6+ usually).

'''Blood Power: Flying Horror''' on foot only, gains fly (7/14), light troops, swiftstride, and storm of wings.  Turns your vampire into a (relatively) fast character hunter.  Only do this if you're confident it can survive getting a shot at.

'''Blood Power: Bestial Bulk''' on foot only, max 1 per army.  The vampire is put on a larger base, is now large(gets stomp), and +1 resilience, but cannot take any weapon enchantments or armor.

====Nosferatu Bloodline====
''The Wizard''

The vampire suffers -1 attack, -2 offensive skill, cannot be equipped with heavy armor or a shield, but gains Awaken (zombies, skeletons), gates of the netherworld, and must be upgraded to the best wizard level available to the vampire.  Always knows the H spell in addition to its other spells.  Essentially makes a Vampire Necromancer.
Only can take Cosmology, Evocation, or Occultism

'''Ancient Blood Power: Blood Magic''' Choose a path, the spellcasting values for that path is reduced by 2 but suffers a +1 miscast modifier.

'''Blood Power: Arcane Knowledge''' Knows the H spell in addition to its other spells.  +6" range to all spells (+3" aura spells).  Bound spells and spells with range caster or caster's unit are not affected.

'''Blood Power: Forbidden Path''' choose 2 paths available to the vampire, a master is adept in both paths and an adept is an apprentice in both paths.  Worse than Essence of a Free mind, but is also 35 points cheaper.