VAMPIRES IN WARHAMMER THE OLD WORLD - WTC and beyond with Charlie

Summary

Richie of Dawi After Dark talks with Charlie about the World Team Championship (WTC), where their team finished second after a demanding six-round tournament. Charlie enjoyed the event and was pleased with his Vampire Counts roster, though a close loss to Italy was a major disappointment. The game was affected by a disputed ruling and Charlie’s own positioning mistake. He stresses that, at this level, one small error can decide a game.

Charlie’s Vampire Counts Approach

Charlie chose a deliberately aggressive, high-risk list with two Mortis Engines rather than a more defensive, broadly reliable build. His goal was to pressure opponents, control the board, and pursue large scores.

The Mortis Engines’ spell and movement effects helped the army advance quickly. Charlie relied on the army’s resilience to take risks rather than protecting the Engines with ward saves. Against armies such as Wood Elves, he used the list’s speed to seize space early, then controlled objectives and hunted vulnerable units.

Against Beastmen, his practiced plan was to limit the enemy’s base contact and keep a key character out of reach. A placement error allowed the enemy’s Blackmoor to contact that character, illustrating how exact measurements and positioning matter.

Charlie’s match scores included:

• 15 against Wood Elves
• 20 against a Vampire Counts opponent from Spain
• 20 against Tomb Kings
• 17 against Wood Elves
• 20 in a final Vampire Counts mirror against Poland

He lost his match against Italy.

Team Results and Tournament Highlights

The team beat the Netherlands and Spain, lost to Italy, then recovered with wins over Denmark and Belgium. They ended the event strongly against Poland and came close to beating them. Charlie describes the draw as especially tough, with repeated matchups against leading teams.

He praises his opponents and the event’s sporting atmosphere. The team aims to play competitively but fairly, while making games enjoyable for their opponents.

Vampire Counts and Changes to Magic

Charlie says Vampire Counts performed well overall, averaging 11.1 points and ranking among the event’s strongest factions. Lists varied considerably: some used large infantry blocks, while others emphasized zombies, banshees, screams, or spellcasting.

The discussion also considers how the new channeling rules and magic items could affect Vampire Counts:

• Channeling can help secure important spells and may reduce the need for some spell-selection items.
• Mortis Engines become riskier because catastrophic miscasts can be especially damaging. Charlie considers double Mortis too risky for team play under the new rules, though potentially entertaining in singles.
• The Grounding Rod could mitigate miscast risk, but uses an important arcane-item slot.
• The Scroll of Summoning and Amulet of Spell Attraction may also be useful.
• Charlie is interested in illusion magic and powerful spells such as Mirage and Doppelganger, potentially supported by spell rerolls.
• A broader trend may be emerging toward multiple lower-level casters and more magic-missile pressure, creating armies that hit hard but are less durable.

Charlie also announces that the WTC was his last event as a player. He hopes to continue supporting the Vampire Counts community, helping develop lists, and contributing to better tournament play and sportsmanship.

Gamers and Sources Mentioned

Gamers and players: Richie, Charlie, Francesco, Miguel, Morten, Laurent (“Dox”), John Roy, Tom, Andrea (“Zambot”), Matthias, Arvid, Robin, Boris, Owen, Alex, and Andreas.

Channels and sources: Dawi After Dark, Sun Tzu Secrets, Monster Cast (including Primordial Truth), Brew Hammer, and New Recruit.