Oooooh, that's quite shiny. New Vampire Counts

* sighs *... I had a plan. It was a simple plan with but one objective: I was going to finish an army. I was going to power through my Skaven with single-minded determination. Then Workshop only goes and announces a new Vampire Counts range coming out next weekend. What's more it involves this:

Doesn't that look magnificent? All those layers of swirling ghosties holding the thing aloft. This is the Coven Throne, a Vampire Lord (well, Lady) mount and it's so bloody pretty. I particularly like how the spectral knights flow from the pillar of ghosts. There's such a sense of movement, as well, with the skirts and the curtains flowing out behind it. Plus, three lady vampires makes me think of all those versions of Dracula where the sisters speak in synch with one another.

Apart from that are the Vargheists, flying monstrous infantry representing Vampires that have gone feral. There are even Black Knights that don't look shit, finally replacing the ancient plastic-metal hybrids. The Black Knight kit also makes some sort of spectral cavalry called Hexwraiths, though I'm not sold on the look of them, to be perfectly honest. Might be the paint scheme, though, I'll see what I think of them when I see the sprues.

In a similar vein (I‘m so, so sorry for that…) to the Black Knights is a new Finecast version of Isabella Von Carstein, a character who has been languishing under a most inferior model since her husband got redone with the last edition. It seemed so unfair when you fielded them together, brilliantly sculpted seventh edition Vlad standing next to his horribly clunky fifth edition wife.

Plus, with Isabella, the three ladies on the Coven Throne and the existing Female Vampire model I'm really tempted to theme this new army (and it is inevitable) after the Lahmians. Should probably have a look at Nathan Long’s Ulrika the Vampire novels…