Deck Archetypes: Ahrimanes Bleed & Block

Ahrimanes Bleed & Block deck is one of the best toolbox decks around. It has won numerous tournaments around the world, including the EC2006. It draws it strength from the ability to intercept all almost anything while being able to put pressure on its prey by bleeding it and/or intercepting actions its actions.

How to win with them
Despite the fact that most players consider this deck a wall deck its approach is quite toolboxy when you look at the actual deck lists. The deck can intercept, fight and bleed, not as good as dedicated decks in these areas, but at least to some degree.

Although the "Ahrimanes" clan only has a small number of vampires to select from, the group 2/3 selection is quite sufficient. "Howler" is clearly the star of the deck; a built-in +1 strength as well as handy maneuver for an 8-cap vampire with all of the "Ahrimanes" clan disciplines at superior is a neat package.

The deck's main strength is its ability to intercept consistently. The "Ahrimanes" have access to permanent intercept like "Raven Spies" or "Guardian Angel" as well as transient intercept in the form of "Cat's Guidance", "Falcon's Eye", etc. More importantly the deck can also block crosstable (with "Falcon Eye"), i.e. it can block his preys bleed or tries to oust its prey in turn with any other (D) actions.

While the deck has some combat abilities, it lacks any decent damage prevention; it can only go to long range to avoid combat. The deck does not hit very hard, nor does it feature aggravated damage, but it offers consistently damage for 2-3 per round, usually with "Aid from Bats" and "Carrion Crows". So the deck usually doesn't put an opposing vampire to torpor immediately, but by prolonged combats or repeately battling the same vampires. "Nose of the Hound" is often used in addition, especially if the opponents vampire are hard to block (i.e. they are playing block denial or running high amounts of stealth.

One of the deck's strength is that is has a number of ways of ousting its preys. It can oust by bleeding using the Presence disciplines, it can oust by putting vampires to torpor using "Fame" or "Tension in the Ranks", or it can oust by putting a "Smiling Jack" into play and defending it.

Bleed & Vote defense
Since the deck any bleed bounce or reduction ability, the deck relies only on its ability to block bleeds. This is difficult in the beginning when it only has to rely on its transient intercept, which is usually not enough for a dedicated stealth bleed deck.
The deck lacks any votes, and therefore also has to rely on its ability to intercept in this section.

Combat defense
As the deck can dish out some damage as well, it has somewhat good prepared against combat decks. Against close combat decks the "Ahrimanes" do quite well as the number of maneuvers ("Nose of the Hound", "Aid from Bats", "Swiftness of the Stag") the decks has, are enough to go to (and stay at) longe range. Against long range combat deck, the "Ahrimanes" have significantly more problems. "Cel Gun" decks can usually be kept at bay with "Canine Horde" and "Carrion Crows", but against "Breath of the Dragon" or "Walk of Flame" the "Ahrimanes" go to torpor.

How to win against them
The deck is somewhat vulnerable at the start of the game, but properly build-up with "Raven Spies" and the permacept locations like "KRCG Newsradio" it is hard to oust. For example a "Stealth & Bleed" deck is often able to oust an "Ahrimanes" deck if it is its first prey, but has problems ousting it when it is the second prey.

You can exhaust the untap capability of the deck, if you have enough minions or means of untap (like "Majesty" or "Freak Drive"), but you have to be aware of the combat capabilities of the deck. The deck is also vulnerable to block denial or the combo "Forgotten Labyrinth" and "Elder Impersonation".

As in most decks how rely heavily on a certain vampire, "Pentex Subversion" or "Banishment" on "Howler" cripples the deck to some degree.

Key Cards

• "Raven Spy" -- provides the basic intercept the deck needs for blocking.
• "Falcons Eye" -- this the Animalism version of "Eagle's Sight" allowing to block actions ignoring normal restrictions.
• "Speak with Spirits" -- this is the basic reaction card for this deck, as it both allows the reacting vampire to untap and may give the acting vampire +1 intercept.
• "Carrion Crows" / "Murder of Crows" -- both cards are used for adding damage which cannot be prevented easily as it is not damage from a strike, but environmental damage.
• "Enchant Kindred" / "Aire of Elation" -- these Presence bleed card are usually used for ousting.
• "Nose of the Hound" -- usually a few of these rush action cards are splashed into the the deck.

Notable Examples & Variations
Usually I try to list all of the different variations of the deck from "Lasombra TWD archive", but in this case I choose not. The reason for this that there are 15+ decks in the TWD archive, and the variations of the deck are usually only how much bleed vs. how much intercept is in the deck.
More intercept/combat orientated variants:

• "Bitch Fight 3: the Return of the Bitch" by Anthony Coleman.
• "Cross Atlantic Angst" by Hugh Angseeing.

More bleed orientated variant:

• "Ahrimanes by David Quiñonero-Santiago.
• "Crazy Bird Lady by Andy Smith.
• "Birds of Prey by Chad Brinkley.

Sample Deck

Event: European Championship (Day 2)
City: Turin (Italy)
Date: 26th of November 2006
Number of players: 40

Winning Deck by Anthony Coleman

2 Cynthia Ingold ani for pre SPI 6 Ahrimane Sabbat
4 Howler obf ANI PRE SPI 8 Ahrimane Sabbat
1 Juanita Santiago ani pre spi 4 Ahrimane Sabbat
2 The Siamese ani pro PRE SPI 7 Ahrimane Sabbat
1 Dani ani 2 Nosferatu antitribu Sabbat
1 Gillian Krader ani dem 2 Pander Sabbat
1 Zip ani 2 Ravnos Sabbat

Library:
Master(17)
2 Animalism
6 Blood Doll
1 Guardian Angel
1 KRCG News Radio
1 Pentex Subversion
1 Powerbase: Montreal
1 Smiling Jack, The Anarch
1 The Hungry Coyote
1 The Rack
1 WMRH Talk Radio
1 Fame

Action (11)
1 Aranthebes, The Immortal
1 Army of Rats
4 Engling Fury
1 Heart of the City
4 Nose of the Hound

Equipment (2)
2 Leather Jacket

Ally (5)
1 Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1 High Top
1 Mylan Horseed (Goblin)
1 Neighborhood Watch Commander (Hunter)
1 Ossian

Retainer ( 8 )
3 Murder of Crows
1 Owl Companion
4 Raven Spy

Reaction (20)
5 Cats' Guidance
5 Falcon's Eye
10 Speak with Spirits

Combat ( 18 )
6 Aid from Bats
2 Canine Horde
8 Carrion Crows
2 Pack Alpha

Combat/Action Modifier ( 8 )
8 Swiftness of the Stag

Event (1)
1 The Unmasking