Vladimir Tzepesci, Great Prince of Umbrey

[mozart]

Take my money

[G Konkel]

Hey. It's a named horse with a model now, it's effectively unkillable at this point.

Does everyone forget Malagant, Kraye's horse's name?

[rivenwyrm]

I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the weapons. The under-hand spear thrust is kinda... weird (like he's gonna throw it or something), and the mace is... take it or leave it. There was a thread a while back wherein someone pointed out that there was a russian lord (with a nice portrait in this pose, no less) who fought like this. Seems a bit... unimaginative to just copy it straight.

Dominion was a kickass sword. I know he wields it two handed, but you can wield a sword like that from horseback, you just need to be very good. Something along the lines of special magical abilities that enhance your martial prowess...

[FearLord]

I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the weapons. The under-hand spear thrust is kinda... weird, and the mace is... take it or leave it. There was a thread a while back wherein someone pointed out that there was a russian lord (with a nice portrait in this pose, no less) who fought like this. Seems a bit... unimaginative to just copy it straight.

Dominion was a kickass sword. I know he wields it two handed, but you can wield a sword like that from horseback, you just need to be very good. Something along the lines of special magical abilities that enhance your martial prowess...

Vyros is going to be wielding a 2 handed sword from Horse back though, so perhaps they felt two of them in one book would be a bit much...

[Sunstrider910]

I have to say, kind of disappointed in his posing. He is holding his lance wrong, and he already broke his mace. A small chain in the middle like that makes the weapon really unwieldy, but i can't see that it adds any practical value. A flail is on a long chain for a reason, it lets you get around shields, etc. His mace will just flop around funny when he swings it.

If he hits someone with that lance on the gallop, he is going to break his own arm. He is holding it more like a stabbing spear, or a throwing spear, but it is way to long and poorly shaped for that... and presumably he has the mace for close in fighting in the first place.

Of course, I'm the guy who complained the old axer model was holding his ax wrong :-) I know they are magic weapons etc, but i still believe physics and the mechanics of the human anatomy should be taken into account.

-Cantankerous old Sun.

* Edit - man I check the whole thread to make sure no one has commented on this for me to reply to, and while i am typing this up rivenwyrm Goes and says kind of what i was thinking. ah well :-)

[Snarl]

If I had to ride a horse with that armor on, I would be terrified of running into something and impaling my face on the mane spikes.

My exact first thought as well.

[scout's honor]

I hate to say it, but I'm terribly disappointed. He's holding that lance like a gargantuan dagger (and remodding that looks like it'll be a nightmare), the mace just looks silly (and slightly oversized), in profile he's the headless horseman, and compared to Vlad's length that Pozdyov warhorse looks like a Shetland pony. I was unhappy with the loss of Dominion but I thought a lance or spear would be cool enough to make up for that - I definitely changed my mind on that account.

[MikeC103]

this model looks really good. as a former Khador player though, I couldn't help but notice the lack of the Khador symbol on the model. Did I overlook it, or is there some other reason for it's absence?

[Dacian]

It was the shoulder pads which convinced the empress to give back the lands of umbrey.

[Darguth]

I hate to say it, but I'm terribly disappointed. He's holding that lance like a gargantuan dagger (and remodding that looks like it'll be a nightmare), the mace just looks silly (and slightly oversized), in profile he's the headless horseman, and compared to Vlad's length that Pozdyov warhorse looks like a Shetland pony. I was unhappy with the loss of Dominion but I thought a lance or spear would be cool enough to make up for that - I definitely changed my mind on that account.

He's holding the lance exactly like one would use a spear from horseback *after* a charge. Jabbing down into your opponents.

[joelker41]

Is the different heads possibly a close-up on a dismounted model? Vladas a dragoon would make me sick LOL.

[PG_Dino-Czar]

Is the different heads possibly a close-up on a dismounted model?

Nope.

The kit builds only one model.

This kit only includes one model. The site listing it as two was an error that has been corrected.

[Grimtuff]

Is the different heads possibly a close-up on a dismounted model? Vladas a dragoon would make me sick LOL.

Seeing as there is still the horse in front of him in the picture and it has been confirmed a few posts up that he's not a Dragoon I'm gonna go with no.

I'm not a fan of the posing at all. If we can pose him like the artwork (why no open mouthed head though? Unless there's a 3rd (please!)) then I take it all back, but he just looks a little awkward ATM. It seems every other incarnation of Vlad has to have an oddly posed model. pVlad eVlad Vlad3

[joelker41]

I know I just wanted to see more shoulderpads loving Khador fanboy joygasms.

I think shoulderpads is the wrong term, shouldermountains is more accurate.

[Baffler]

I like it a lot, I hope Vyros2 is as good.

[Havock]

Little known fact: The first Conquest was built from Vlad's discarded shoulder pads.

It's armor was considered too thick and too impractical, so they trimmed it down a little. That's how Conquest was born.

[jandrese]

this model looks really good. as a former Khador player though, I couldn't help but notice the lack of the Khador symbol on the model. Did I overlook it, or is there some other reason for it's absence?

Vlad's armor predates the formation of Khador as an empire. You'll notice that his previous versions don't have the symbol on them either. It is ancient relic armor that even predates the steam power assist that most Warcasters have for their armor. It is a level of magic item that appears only once a century or two.

I also suspect that his true loyalty lies with Umbrey, which just happens to be part of the Khador empire. He has pledged loyalty to the Empress for now, but if Umbrey ever tried to secede from the empire he would be be right there with it.

The Old Witch is in a similar boat I think, with her loyalty tied to the land and the people, not the Empire. She assists the Empire only so long as it helps the people.

[tremulant123]

This model to me looks FAR less epic than both his other incarnations.

Also, he needs a sidekick donkey for his shoulder pads to ride on.

[MadHatter5045]

it has been confirmed a few posts up that he's not a Dragoon

THANK GOD!!!!

Excellent model though

[Demitra]

Can I hop in a time machine and zoom up to the release date?

[Tyr852]

Nice looking model , glad they added the second head and I have to agree that having a dismount doesn't make much sense for Warcaster as it would make assassination runs dam near impossible especially if his base was small instead of medium. Would have been nice if he reforged dominion as the spear head though but I'm sure there is fluff behind that weapon as well.

[Indy]

Even Vlad's horse has shoulder pads. Little gold ones. Vlad: SWAG.

Curses, beat me to it. Vlad4's (due out in 2019!) shoulder pad growth will likely be transferred to his new mount. And by that, I mean epic Drago. Vlad4 will ride Drago. You heard it here first!

[komodokeeper]

Can I hop in a time machine and zoom up to the release date?

If you could. . .you already would have . . .
. . .couldn't get a date with Haley, huh. . .

[HellecticMojo]

wow... I'm legitly impressed. Alternate head, good sculpt (his mace-chuck looks so less stupid in model than the art)

I hope he doesn't lose usage of his lance after the charge like the Uhlrans do.

[rham7649]

I would also like to be the first to point out by the chiseled cheekbones of the the alternate head that Vladimir 3pesci here was sculpted by the same artist that did the Kayazy. Does that mean the Khador nation likes his sculpts now? O.o

(yes this is meant in jest. . .but a serious question nonetheless

Oh, . . .and I think the flowing cape is meant to show movement and therefore create a dynamic stance.



And, the gallery has this guy listed as:

Model Count: 2. . .just FYI

Actually it has it as Model Count: 1... just FYI haha

[malovane]

No dismount is sad...even still...

[Cuagau]

He's holding the lance exactly like one would use a spear from horseback *after* a charge. Jabbing down into your opponents.

This. The unfortunate truth, to my knowledge, is that a spear from horse back was pretty much designed to be used once. If you hold onto a spear or lance (which pretty much just broke off after killing the poor sap [unlike a tourney lance which is meant to break and NOT kill]) during a charge attack, you'd be dismounted because the horse isn't just going to stop as soon as you make contact. Charge, stab down, let go, ride off and mace/sword/axe things to death.
Also because of the muscle groups involved, you generate far more power and control holding the spear the way Vlad does than by holding it as a lance because you are pushing downwards. The greeks used the same grip whilst fighting in phalanx.
I'm far from an expert, but my housemate is interested in this sort of thing. It seems logical.

[AJ the Ronin]

Actually it has it as Model Count: 1... just FYI haha

Kinda unfair, right? When he posted the model count was 2. It wasn't until later that Simon pointed out that it was a mistake.

[roddo]

This is super cool. My favorite warcaster in the fluff, and hes finally got his mount. Kinda PO'd that hes not the only one getting one, but whatever.

[PG_munkeee]

As a protectorate player I am both happy and terrified of this model.

[Antigonus]

Vyros is going to be wielding a 2 handed sword from Horse back though, so perhaps they felt two of them in one book would be a bit much...

Well, then, they should've changed Mr Johnny-come-lately, shoulder-pad-stealin', one-eyed Elf instead of the Horselord.

And the shouldermountains amuse me.

[PG_Sobek]

Well, then, they should've changed Mr Johnny-come-lately, shoulder-pad-stealin', one-eyed Elf instead of the Horselord.

Are you sure Vlad didn't get the idea from Vyros? Vyros was a toughened war vet long before Vlad was even born.

[Rochr]

As near as I can tell, you may as well just field an IFU model with Vindictus' left arm - same weapon loadout, looks Khadoran, and approximately half the price.

Which will also look one quarter as good. Seriously, you will be in trouble playing a miniature game if you can't afford the pieces. Not trying to be a jerk or anything but putting together a bunch of dudes to make a Warcaster seems so GWish.

[sathoon]

Khador makes me cry, but this super vlad is beautiful!

Blood of kings + a run move will probably take vladimir and his horse into low-orbit without the aid of a rocket booster.

[scout's honor]

This. The unfortunate truth, to my knowledge, is that a spear from horse back was pretty much designed to be used once. If you hold onto a spear or lance (which pretty much just broke off after killing the poor sap [unlike a tourney lance which is meant to break and NOT kill]) during a charge attack, you'd be dismounted because the horse isn't just going to stop as soon as you make contact. Charge, stab down, let go, ride off and mace/sword/axe things to death.
Also because of the muscle groups involved, you generate far more power and control holding the spear the way Vlad does than by holding it as a lance because you are pushing downwards. The greeks used the same grip whilst fighting in phalanx.
I'm far from an expert, but my housemate is interested in this sort of thing. It seems logical.

Spears were used in almost an overhead grip and pretty much thrown rather than stabbed. Lances were held under the arm, simply because they were too heavy to be accurately used otherwise - and the rider could always let go after the hit. Vlad unfortunately does neither. With that awkward way his arm is positioned there's no way he's ever going to be able to put a lot of strength behind his attack.

[quindraco]

Which will also look one quarter as good. Seriously, you will be in trouble playing a miniature game if you can't afford the pieces. Not trying to be a jerk or anything but putting together a bunch of dudes to make a Warcaster seems so GWish.

I come from a chess background, and while I have some interest in how good my models look, my primary interest has always been and will always be how well my models perform on the table. In addition, neither I nor anyone I know makes so much money that 20 dollars is a completely insignificant sum. The question is not what I can afford, but what I choose to afford, and 20 dollars is 5 gallons of gas, a sushi dinner, or 4 sandwiches at Subway, and I'd rather have any of those than a prettier model with the same performance.

I would gleefully proxy all of my models with simple, abstract plastic sculptures, as is done with chess (when's the last time you saw king-shaped king or a queen-shaped queen outside of luxury sets?), if it were tourney-legal and someone was producing them. Naturally, I would also need a way for both my opponent and myself to instantly recognise which model is which, but that seems like a solvable problem.

[Khador247]

Warcasters cost a bit of a premium. You only get one per year sometimes two for your faction. They're the most important piece on the table. He'll cost about $30 from my favorite online store. I'll gladly pay it.

[Blighted Tyrant]

Spears were used in almost an overhead grip and pretty much thrown rather than stabbed. Lances were held under the arm, simply because they were too heavy to be accurately used otherwise - and the rider could always let go after the hit. Vlad unfortunately does neither. With that awkward way his arm is positioned there's no way he's ever going to be able to put a lot of strength behind his attack.

When not used a thrown weapon, but instead as a melee weapon the over arm stance (such as the one depicted) would offer him the most power and control over his weapon. This is all while we are ignoring the fact that he would use the spear in the initial moments of the charge thus the pose before switching to the use of his mace.

[HRM]

Awesomesauce. Will purchase.

People REALLY hate the guy's shoulderpads huh?

[eathotlead]

Impressive. Most impressive.