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I was thinking of models that I'd like to use as a Herald of Slaanesh and remembered this cool vampire countess. I also remembered one of the first blog enteries I made, which was making up a 40K character for this model. So I thought I would revisit Decembra and revise her for 6th edition...
Decembra, Queen of the Damned
A countess of the nobility of an Imperial world, her orgies and human sacrifices drove her further and further into the clawed hands of the Chaos Powers. She eventually became as close to the mythical vampires as any of their fallen servants.
WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | Sv | Pts |
5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 8 | --/5++ | 160? |
HQ model, Independent Character (infantry), Daemon
Love’s Cold Touch – This is the name she’s given to her sword, a dreaded weapon that drains the blood and soul from its victims. Her close combat attacks are AP3, unless she rolls a 6 to-wound: these wounds are AP2 and inflicts Instant Death no matter the victim's toughness.
The Deepest Eyes: Decembra’s gaze goes beyond enchanting. Her beautiful dark eyes become endless wells that swallow the mind of anyone who gets lost in them. Units wishing to fire Overwatch against her charge must pass a Leadership test to do so. Decembra also causes Fear, thus robbing the competence of those who face her, and suffers no initiative penalties for charging through cover (as with offensive grenades).
Shadow Walk: Appearing from the darkness itself, Decembra may Infiltrate and she and her unit have the Shrouded special rule. When alone she moves as a shadow, ignoring Difficult Terrain and Impassable Terrain. She may also start the game in reserve and Deepstrike, bringing any unit she’s joined with her whether they normally Deepstrike or not.
Bloodlust: She has the Fleet and Rampage special rules.
Immortal: Having absorbed hundreds of souls over the millennia, she has become an eternal evil. Decembra counts as a Daemon (fearless and invlun save) and if killed, she may make a Leadership test. If she passes place Decembra back into reserve with 1 wound remaining. She may then reenter by outflanking (per Infiltrate), deepstriking (per Shadow Walk), or entering from her own board edge.
Queen of the Damned: So alluring are her wicked charms that souls not strong enough to resist are forced to follow her beyond the grave. Whenever Decembra kills a non-vehicle, non-monstrous creature in close combat, place those models aside--there is a chance they'll rise as one of her Suitors. At the end of the Combat Phase, roll a die for each. Those models whose Leadership is equal to or greater than her own (so Ld 8, 9, or 10) return on a 6. Those with a lower Leadership return on a 5 or 6. At the end of the turn place the appropriate number of Suitor models (undead something-or-others) either in coherancy with her (as they join her unit) or with each other within 6" of her (as they form their own unit--minimum of 3 to make their own--or join another existing Suitor unit).
Suitors: Those who have given their lives for her embrace go on in undeath as her Suitors. Any army that includes her may also include Suitors as a Troops choice. Decembra may also have one unit as a retinue of Suitors--these count as an HQ choice that does not take up a Force Org slot. This retinue may Infiltrate or Deepstrike with her and count as Shrouded while joined by her.
WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | Sv | Pts |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | -- | 5 |
Unit: Infantry, 5-20 per unit.
War Gear: Cold clammy hands with gnarly fingernails (CC wpn)
Undead: The Suitors are soulless slaves who are Fearless and Feel No Pain.
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So what do you think? I tried to make a fun vampiress who is somewhat well-balanced. Yes, she has a lot of special rules, might never be truly killed, and can convert enemy units into friendly ones. BUT her stats aren't that great, neither are her Suitors, and she's pretty vulnerable to shooting attacks. She'd be fun to play!