The Red Duke

"’Good’? I spit on ‘good’! I desire only power, and you watch, for I shall have it!"

The Red Duke is a unique Vampire Counts lord unit. He leads the Mousillon faction in The Old World and Mortal Empires campaigns, but is not playable unless you confederate his faction as one of the other Vampire Counts. He is available for multiplayer, however.

The Red Duke is almost identical to the Blood Dragon Vampire Lord. He is of the Wizard unit type.

Description
The histories of Bretonnia are littered with Dukes who err from the path of righteousness and fall, irreparably, into madness and depravity. So it is with the Red Duke; a warrior of terrifying renown who now wages war across Bretonnia in search of ever-greater power. He is an Undead scourge upon the Kingdom, but it was not always so. He was once the Duke of Aquitaine, a mighty warrior who quested determinedly in the Lady’s name. However, he was struck down by mysterious illness that claimed his body and ravaged his soul. He was interred by his Knights in a grand tomb worthy of his successes, yet he rose again three nights later as a vicious, hateful Vampire, in defiance of all things good and natural. Uncaring of the life he had before, the Red Duke now takes residence in the cursed city of Mousillon, warring endlessly against King Louen, desiring that Bretonnia yield entirely to him or face total annihilation!

Abilities

 * El Syf
 * Foe-Seeker
 * The Hunger
 * Frenzy
 * Lore of Vampires

Items

 * Scroll of Leeching
 * Potion of Strength

Mounts

 * Hellsteed
 * Barded Nightmare
 * Zombie Dragon

Strategy
The Red Duke has 140 more health than the ordinary vampire lords (Red Dragon Bloodline or vanilla), and unlike other Red Dragons (similarly to the ordinary vampire lords or the Von Carstein Bloodline ones) he is shielded (35 parry). When compared to the Red Dragon Vampire lords, he has 8 more Melee Defense an 30 more Weapon Strength (20 ordinary and 10 AP damage), but doesn't have the bonus vs. infantry.

Skill-wise, the Red Duke's tree is almost identical to the Red Dragon, save for the surprising lack of two generic Vampire Lord skills (Aura of Dark Majesty & Dark Pact).

Trivia

 * The Red Duke is a Blood Dragon Vampire Lord.