Horned Hunters
Grade: 1b
Source: Nemesis Crown Supplement (PDF)
Setting: Nemesis Crown
Author: Mordheim Nemesis Crown Development Team
Lore
The rites of Taal demand great mental, physical, and emotional fortitude from its practitioners. Some see the trappings of civilisation – cities, courts, and the like – as a failing in the interpretation of Taal’s will. Followers of Taal avoid firearms and other works of science, preferring to take pride in self strength and natural skill.
Taal is represented as a powerfully built man with long, wild hair crowned with the skull of a great stag. He wears animal skins and golden leaves flutter from his beard. In some tales he manifests as one of his totems: a stag or bear. Devotees dress in the image of their patron deity. While Taal is not usually revered in cities, in Talabheim, which is founded on river trade, he is called the Father of Rivers and is the city’s foremost God.
Special rules
Woodcraft: Followers of Taal make their homes in the wilderness and shall only frequent towns or cities when it is compulsory for them to do so. They are expert woodsmen and their knowledge of the wilds is unrivalled by all except perhaps the Wood Elves. Horned Hunter warbands move through any difficult terrain they encounter without suffering any movement penalties.
Choice of warriors
A Horned Hunters warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns available to spend. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12.
- Horned Hunters: Each warband must have 1 Horned Hunter: no more, no less!
- Priests of Taal: Your warband may include up to 1 Priest of Taal.
- Initiates: Your warband may include up to 3 Initiates.
- Drunken Gang: Your warband may include up to 5 Drunken Gang.
- Zealots: Your warband may include any number of Zealots.
- Warhounds: Your warband may include up to 5 Warhounds.
Starting experience
- The Horned Hunter starts with 20 experience.
- The Priest of Taal starts with 12 experience.
- Initiates start with 8 experience.
- Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Horned Hunters Skill Table
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horned Hunter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Priest of Taal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Initiate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Horned Hunters Special Skills
Horned Hunters Heroes may use the following Skill table instead of any of the standard Skill tables available to them.
Animal friendship
Having grown up amidst the animals of the forest, this warrior exudes a certain charm to all ‘normal’ animals (ie, warhorses, warhounds, etc). Animals will never attack him and up to two wardogs that the warrior owns do not count against the maximum number of models in the warband.
Infiltration
A warrior with this skill is always placed on the battlefield after the opposing warband and can be placed anywhere on the table as long as it is out of sight of the opposing warband and more than 12" away from any enemy model. If both players have models which infiltrate, roll a D6 for each, and the lowest roll sets up first.master trapper
This huntsman is a masterful trap setter. Trip wire range has been extended by this warrior to reach 4". Traps set by a master trapper are triggered by a score of 2+.
foul odour
Worshippers of Taal are one and all prodigious drinkers and none too hygienic! This warrior rises head and shoulders above the rest. After a lifetime of drinking, liquor has little effect on him any more... not that this stops him from consuming massive quantities! His unwashed clothes and sweat reek of alcohol and all living enemies (not Undead or Possessed) are at –1 to hit him in close combat. In addition, the warrior cannot carry any open flames (torch, lantern, etc.) and fire attacks made against him are resolved at +1 Strength as his beer soaked clothing burns readily.
pathfinder
Taal has gifted this hunter with an uncanny ability to find paths through unexplored territories. Roll one additional D6 during the exploration phase. A warband may only contain one pathfinder.
hide in shadows
The warrior has learned to crouch unseen in any cover they can find. Enemy models must halve their Initiative when attempting to find this warrior when he is Hidden.
Horned Hunters equipment lists
Horned Hunter equipment list
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Club, Mace or Hammer | 3 gc |
| Club, Mace or Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 5 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Short Bow (Short Bow) | 5 gc |
| Bow | 10 gc |
| Long bow (Long Bow) | 15 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Toughened Leathers | 5 gc |
| Light Armour | 20 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
Miscellaneous
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hunting Arrows | 20 gc |
| Blessed Stag Hide | 40 gc |
| Trip Wire | 15 gc |
Henchmen equipment list
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Club, Mace or Hammer | 3 gc |
| Club, Mace or Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 5 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bow | 10 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Toughened Leathers | 5 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
Special Equipment
Horned Hunters have access to the following special equipment when purchasing items from the Trading Post, outside their starting list:
Blessed Stag Hide
Cost: 40 gc
Availability: Rare 10
The animal skin is worn as a drape and is a symbol of honour once blessed by the hierarchs of Taal.
Special Rules
Trip Wire
Cost: 15 gc
Availability: Common
Horned Hunters are expert trappers.
Special Rules
When a model, friend or foe, moves within 2" of the marker he risks setting off the trap – roll a D6. On a score of 3+ he has triggered the trap and suffers a S4 hit (note that the Hero won't trigger his own traps).
If the trap did not wound the model or it didn't trigger, the victim may finish his move otherwise he is placed knocked down or stunned 2" from the marker. The marker is removed whether the trap was triggered or not.
Heroes
1 Horned Hunter
60 gold crowns to hire
The Horned Hunters are deeply zealous and shun the city of Talabheim. They safeguard pilgrims from the predations of bandits and hunt down dangerous beasts and the Mutants that flout Taal’s will.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
Weapons/Armour: Horned Hunter may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Horned Hunter equipment list.
Special Rules
0 – 1 Priest of Taal
45 gold crowns to hire
It is said that every priest of Taal is born during the darkest phase of the moon. A few Priests are ordained by their hierarchs to live in the wilderness, following the Path of Taal. They are guardians of wild places and those who wander them. To the creatures of Chaos lurking in the woods, they are terrors.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: Priest of Taal may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Horned Hunter equipment list.
Special Rules
0 – 3 Initiates
40 gold crowns to hire
Part of their initiation into this group is to undergo extensive tattooing, covering their chest and face. These feral hunters serve as masterful scouts.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: Initiate may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Horned Hunter equipment list.
Special Rules
If both players have models which infiltrate, roll a D6 for each, and the lowest roll sets up first.
Henchmen
(Bought in groups of 1-5)0 – 5 Drunken Gang
30 gold crowns to hire
The militia is a hodgepodge of trusted citizens, woodsmen, and hunters that band together in times of need. Ancient law dictates all able-bodied men must muster when summoned by the Hunters Council in times of war. Though how many come depends on the amount of Rotfire moonshine consumed the night before. For this reason the army commonly refers to them as the ‘Drunken Gang’. Despite its malign reputation, the militia is capable, made up of rugged and dependable Talabeclanders.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: Drunken Gang may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Henchmen equipment list.
Special Rules
Zealots
20 gold crowns to hire
While they lack the fiery rhetoric of most zealots, Taal’s followers are still fervent in their beliefs. They give up much in the way of a material life. They shun normal clothing and armour and wear animal skins, loincloths or less.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: Zealot may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Henchmen equipment list.
Special Rules
0 – 5 Warhounds
15 gold crowns to hire
Horned Hunters often keep packs of ferocious hunting dogs. With their huge jaws and powerful bite, they are perfect for hunting down (and tearing apart) any bandits, beasts and mutants.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons/Armour: Jaws and brutality! Warhounds never use or need weapons and armour.
Special Rules
Prayers of Taal
Taal is the God of Nature and demands the respect of all those who enter the wild regions of the Empire. He is portrayed as a tall, broad-shouldered man with long wild and thick beard. He wears a stag skull as a helm and is clothed in bison and bear skins. He is often called the Lord of Beasts. His followers include rangers, trappers and those who live in the wilds of the Empire.
Prayers of Taal are used by Ostlanders Priest of Taal, Horned Hunters Priest of Taal
Prayers of Taal work like Prayers of Sigmar although the Taal Priest never wears armour.
Armour
Though the above states the priest doesn't wear "armour", the unit entry for the Priest clarifies this only applies to Heavy Armour, so they can wear Light Armour, Helmets, and Shields as portrayed in their lore above.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stag’s Leap |
| 2 | Blessed Ale |
| 3 | Bear's Paw |
| 4 | Earthshudder |
| 5 | Tanglefoot |
| 6 | Summon Squirrels |
Stag’s Leap
Difficulty: 7
Many of Taal’s priests wear a stag skull as a symbol of their devotion and the Forest Lord’s power can be used to emulate the speed and beauty of this magnificent beast.
Blessed Ale
Difficulty: 5
Like his brother Ulric, Taal has a great appetite for the strong ales of the Northern Empire. During the summer Equinox, each village in Ostland opens one keg of ale (at least!) in Taal's honour.
Bear's Paw
Difficulty: 7
Many an armoured knight has been knocked to the ground by the surprising Strength of the followers of Taal. Although traditionally called ‘Bear’s Paw’ this spell is sometimes referred to as ‘Moose’s Breath’ by those Ostlander’s who have felt its power.
Earthshudder
Difficulty: 9
Taal’s domain includes both the earth and the skies and his power can reach out even into the dark streets of Mordheim. When his name is invoked three times and the blood of an eagle is poured on the ground, the Lord of the Wild will cause thunder to rumble and the earth to shake.
Tanglefoot
Difficulty: 8
It is said that when Taal walked the earth, living things would spring up behind him as he passed. A portion of his power can be summoned by his followers to help regrow forests and aid in the return of the land to its natural state.
Summon Squirrels
Difficulty: 7
Taal is the master of all beasts both great and small. Those who anger him may be mauled by a mountain lion or drowned in a flood caused by an angry beaver.