Gunnery School of Nuln

Grade: 1b
Source: Nemesis Crown Supplement (PDF)
Setting: Nemesis Crown
Author: Mordheim Nemesis Crown Development Team

Lore

The province of Nuln is respected across the Empire as the home to the finest handguns and war machines, save for those constructed by the Dwarfs. This makes them a desired commodity for any Imperial army using cannonry and as such graduates from the Imperial Gunnery School are highly prized for their skills in training artillery on vulnerable targets with unerring accuracy and maintaining the war machines.

Perhaps the most surprising fact is that the Imperial Gunnery School does not create new weapons of war. Such tasks are executed by the College of Engineering, either the well known one in Altdorf, where luminaries as von Meinkopt (creator of the Hellblaster) and Pfielmann (Grenade Launching Blunderbuss) were taught, or the Gunnery School’s neighbouring one in Nuln. Once the Colleges of Engineering create a war machine, the Imperial Gunnery School then start training gunners to use them.

This creates a high demand for their services with only a limited number available at any one time. Yet this demand has still led to the school refusing to lower its standards to concentrate on producing better skilled gunners and engineers, rather than a lot of sub-standard graduates barely capable of knowing which end of the cannon shoots the balls out.

Most of the students at the school come from the Imperial nobility, sons who show talents in mathematics or an interest in things that go boom, as well as not being immediately in line for succession. Once they graduate, students are given the choice of staying in the school for further studies (and eventually becoming a Master Gunner) or returning home. For some the prospect of yet more years of studies will send them home where they will go on to fight as an army’s pistoliers or outriders. Those who remain will attain the pinnacle of their craft and get to watch their former trainees charge across the battlefield, often to their deaths.

One of the requirements of the school is that all students undergo fieldwork to see how weapons perform in the field, and how the students perform too. They are sent out under the tutelage of a Senior Gunnery Officer and an instructor, one who has graduated recently and who knows what is expected with fieldwork.

For such an excursion, the group leave the school and Nuln for a period of time and travel wherever they feel. The instructor evaluates the aptitude of the students, making assessments of whether they are likely to graduate. Their abilities vary from undeveloped to talented, but they are always very well equipped.

special rules

Impeccable Care
Amongst one of the first things that the students are taught is to take proper care of their equipment and the right way to perform that maintenance. Once they have mastered this function, they learn to repair the same weapons should they become damaged and because of this they can buy such black powder weapons on the cheap and quickly return them to good working order. As a result they can buy these weapons at a fairly reduced price! They can ALWAYS use the reduced cost for black powder weapons listed in their starting Equipment List, and they gain an additional +2 on rare rolls to find any black powder weapons since people don’t mind selling broken guns!

Properly Used
The students know the proper way to use their weapons, spending many hours on the school’s shooting range. This is considered to be a good use of time between lessons and recommended by all the school’s instructors, after all if the students constantly blow themselves up with their weapons, there wouldn’t be many graduates. When using the optional Misfire rules, if a one is rolled, roll a second dice. On a 3+ the misfire is ignored (the shot still misses, but the weapon does NOT explode).

Proud To A Fault!
Anyone studying at the Gunnery School is very proud of this fact, as it is a great honour to be accepted. After they start using black powder weapons, students recognise the superiority of these weapons and refuse to bend their knee to the ‘lesser’ ranged weapons. The members of this warband NEVER use any non-black powder ranged weapons (this prohibition does NOT apply to hired swords or dramatis personae, as they are hired help and have not received proper Nuln training).

Choice of warriors

A Gunnery School warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 15.

Senior Gunnery Officer: Each warband must start with a single Senior Gunnery Officer, no more, no less.
Instructor: A warband may include up to one Instructor.
Senior Student A warband may include up to one Senior Student.
Underclassmen A warband may include up to two Underclassmen.
Sons of the Guns: A warband may include any number of Sons of the Guns.
Marksmen: A warband may include up to 7 Marksmen.
Pistoliers: A warband may include up to 5 Pistoliers.

Starting experience

A Senior Gunnery Officer starts with 20 experience.
An Instructor starts with 12 experience.
Senior Students starts with 8 experience.
Underclassmen classmen start with 0 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience

Gunnery School Skill Table

	Combat	Shooting	Academic	Strength	Speed
Senior Gunnery Officer	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Instructor		✓	✓		✓
Senior Student	✓	✓		✓	✓
Underclassmen	✓	✓			✓

Gunnery School equipment lists

The following lists are used by Gunnery School warbands to pick their weapons:

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons

Item	Cost
Dagger	1st free/2 gc
Mace/Hammer	3 gc
Axe	5 gc
Sword	10 gc
Spear	10 gc
Halberd	10 gc
Morning star	15 gc
Double-handed weapon	15 gc

Missile Weapons

Item	Cost
Pistol	10 gc (20 for a brace)
Double-Barrelled Pistol	20 gc (35 for a brace)
Duelling Pistol	20 gc (35 for a brace)
Double-Barrelled Duelling Pistol	35 gc (65 for a brace)
Handgun	25 gc
Double-Barrelled Handgun	45 gc

Armour

Item	Cost
Light armour	20 gc
Heavy armour	50 gc
Shield	5 gc
Buckler	5 gc
Helmet	10 gc

Miscellaneous

Item	Cost
Superior Black Powder	25 gc

Marksman equipment list

Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons

Item	Cost
Dagger	1st free/2 gc
Mace/Hammer	3 gc
Axe	5 gc
Sword	10 gc

Missile Weapons

Item	Cost
Pistol	10 gc (20 for a brace)
Double-Barrelled Pistol	20 gc (35 for a brace)
Repeater Pistol	25 gc
Blunderbuss	30 gc
Handgun	25 gc
Double-Barrelled Handgun	45 gc
Repeater Handgun	50 gc
Hand-held Mortar	70 gc
Pigeon Bombs	25 gc

Armour

Item	Cost
Light armour	20 gc
Shield	5 gc
Helmet	10 gc

Miscellaneous

Item	Cost
Superior Black Powder	25 gc

Special Equipment

This warband has access to the following special equipment when purchasing items from the Trading Post, outside their starting list:

Double-barrelled Duelling Pistol

Cost: 45 + 2D6 gc (80 + 4D6 gc for a brace)
Availability: Rare 11 (Rare 12 for a brace)

A natural evolution from the double-barrelled pistol, but it has proven less popular than envisaged. It had been thought that nobles would invest in them as a showpiece and put a stop to pointless duels, as who would want to shoot a rival who could shoot, miss, and then shoot again, even if you got two shots at them as well. Perhaps the designer should have put a few more hours thinking into it.

Range: 9"
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Accuracy: A duelling pistol is built for accuracy as a skilled duellist is able to hit a coin from twenty paces. All shots and close combat attacks from a duelling pistol have a +1 bonus to hit.

Prepare shot: A duelling pistol takes a complete turn to reload^❓, so your model may only fire every other turn. If he has a brace of duelling pistols he may fire every turn.

Save modifier: Duelling pistols are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a duelling pistol must make his armour save with a -2 modifier.

Hand-to-hand: Pistols can be used in hand-to-hand combat as well as for shooting. A model armed with a pistol and another close combat weapon gains +1 Attack^❓, which is resolved at Strength 4 with a -2 save modifier. This bonus attack can be used only once per combat. If you are firing a brace of pistols, your model can fight with 2 Attacks in the first turn of close combat. These attacks are resolved with a model's Weapon Skill like any normal close combat attack and likewise may be parried.^✏️ Successful hits are resolved at Strength 4 and with a -2 save modifier, regardless of the firer's Strength.

Double-barrelled: A double-barrelled weapon is a tricky piece of engineering, but it's a wonderful piece for combat. When firing such a weapon, the bearer must declare whether he is firing one or both barrels. If firing a single barrel, treat the shot as you would a normal weapon. However when firing both barrels, the method changes slightly:

- To hit: roll a single dice as you would normally. This allows for a narrow field of fire emanating from the weapon.
- To wound: roll for each shot individually, as each shot can wound on it's own. Treat each shot that inflicts Critical Hits separately.
- Reloading: After firing both barrels, place 2 tokens on the model. In your next shooting phase remove 1 token to represent one barrel having been reloaded. Token removal should be the last thing done in your shooting phase and you cannot shoot in the same phase as your reload.
- Firing a Brace: If you fire both guns and barrels at the same time, place 4 tokens down, 2 each of different colours (one for each pistol in the brace). Remove one token of each colour every turn.

Double-barrelled Handgun

Cost: 60 + 2D6 gc
Availability: Rare 10

Created from a request by a Nuln nobleman who had been impressed by a demonstration model, the gunsmiths slaved long and hard to replicate it until a final model was forged. By then the noble had forgotten about it and the Colleges were left with a job lot. These were given to the Gunnery School as a gift and sort of disappeared on route.

Range: 24"
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Prepare shot: A handgun takes a complete turn to reload^❓, so you may only fire it every other turn.

Move or fire: You may not move and fire a handgun in the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or stand up.

Save Modifier: Handguns are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a handgun must take its armour save with a -2 modifier.

Double-barrelled: A double-barrelled weapon is a tricky piece of engineering, but it's a wonderful piece for combat. When firing such a weapon, the bearer must declare whether he is firing one or both barrels.

- To hit: roll a single dice as you would normally. This allows for a narrow field of fire emanating from the weapon.
- To wound: roll for each shot individually, as each shot can wound on it's own. Treat each shot that inflicts Critical Hits separately.
- Reloading: After firing both barrels, place 2 tokens on the model. In your next shooting phase remove 1 token to represent one barrel having been reloaded. Token removal should be the last thing done in your shooting phase and you cannot shoot in the same phase as your reload.

Double-barrelled Pistol

Cost: 25 + 1D6 gc (46 + 2D6 gc for a brace)
Availability: Rare 9 (Rare 10 for a brace)

Originally created by a forward thinking blacksmith in Ostland for a vampire hunter, the engineers in the College at Nuln picked up on the trick very quickly. The design was simple enough; it is merely a pistol with a pair of barrels and a two-part trigger, which is capable of firing one or both barrels at a time, giving it the ability to punch a hole in even the toughest armour.

Range: 6"
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Prepare Shot: A pistol takes a complete turn to reload^❓, so your model may only fire every other turn. If he has a brace of pistols he may fire every turn.

Save Modifier: Pistols are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a pistol must make his armour save with a -2 modifier.

Hand-to-hand: Pistols can be used in hand-to-hand combat as well as for shooting. A model armed with a pistol and another close combat weapon gains +1 Attack^❓, which is resolved at Strength 4 with a -2 save modifier. This bonus attack can be used only once per combat. If you are firing a brace of pistols, your model can fight with 2 Attacks in the first turn of close combat. These attacks are resolved with a model's Weapon Skill like any normal close combat attack and likewise may be parried.^✏️ Successful hits are resolved at Strength 4 and with a -2 save modifier, regardless of the firer's Strength.

Double-barrelled: A double-barrelled weapon is a tricky piece of engineering, but it's a wonderful piece for combat. When firing such a weapon, the bearer must declare whether he is firing one or both barrels.

If firing a single barrel, treat the shot as you would a normal weapon. However when firing both barrels, the method changes slightly:

- To hit: roll a single dice as you would normally. This allows for a narrow field of fire emanating from the weapon.
- To wound: roll for each shot individually, as each shot can wound on it's own. Treat each shot that inflicts Critical Hits separately.
- Reloading: After firing both barrels, place 2 tokens on the model. In your next shooting phase remove 1 token to represent one barrel having been reloaded. Token removal should be the last thing done in your shooting phase and you cannot shoot in the same phase as your reload.
- Firing a Brace: If you fire both guns and barrels at the same time, place 4 tokens down, 2 each of different colours (one for each pistol in the brace). Remove one token of each colour every turn.

Hand-held Mortar

Cost: 80 + 2D6 gc
Availability: Rare 12

The explosive power of a mortar, in a small enough package to be carried by a single man, the Hand-Held Mortar enables a warrior to launch an explosive into the midst of the enemy, sowing death and disorder.

Range: 24"
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Prepare shot: A Hand-held Mortar takes a complete turn to reload^❓, so you may only fire it every other turn.

Move or fire: You may not move and fire a Hand-held Mortar in the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or stand up.

Save Modifier: Hand-held Mortar are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a Hand-held Mortar must take its armour save with a -2 modifier.

Scatter: If the warrior misses his roll to hit, the shot will land 2D6” in a random direction (determined using a Warhammer directional die, using the “clockface method” of scattering, or whatever other method the players can agree to).

Experimental: The Hand-held Mortar is always Experimental: subject to the optional Blackpowder Weapons rules from the Mordheim rulebook, even if they are not normally used in your campaign. On any result other than “BOOM!”, the weapon has jammed or run out of loaded barrels and must be reloaded.

Explosive Radius: After determining the final landing spot, the explosion created by the bomb will cover a small area. The target and any models within 1 ½” of him each take a single S4 hit from the blast.

Hersten-Wenkler Pigeon Bombs

Cost: 30 + 2D6 gc
Availability: Rare 8

When the full potential of gunpowder was realized in the Empire, it became only a matter of time before some enterprising engineers combined explosives and small animals. After initial failures with attempts to use rats, bats, and dogs, promising results were realized with pigeons. While not completely accurate due to having something of a mind of their own, pigeons are able to get to even distant targets quickly, and are very hard to prevent from reaching their target once they have been launched. Once it gets there, pigeon's small metal harness will fall away, freeing the bomb to ravage a small area below, while the pigeon returns home.

Range: Unlimited
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Move or fire: You may not move and fire a Pigeon Bomb in the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or stand up from knocked down.

Explosive Radius: If the Pigeon Bomb lands on target, use the Explosive Radius rule under the Hand-Held Mortar above to determine the area of effect.

Temperamental: When launching a pigeon bomb, do not use the BS of the warrior. Instead, roll a D6: on a 5-6, the a pigeon bomb hits its target; on a 2-4 the fuse wasn't cut properly and the pigeon explodes harmlessly in the air before reaching its target; on a result of 1, something has gone disastrously wrong and the pigeon explodes in the hero's hands… he and everyone within 1 ½” takes a S4 hit.

Pigeon Roost: Once a Hero buys pigeon bombs, he has enough for the full game, and his supply gets replenished at the start of each new game.

Repeater Handgun

Cost: 60 + 2D6 gc
Availability: Rare 11

The next step in the evolution of multi-barrelled weapons, a Repeater Handgun mounts a number of handgun barrels around a rotating cylinder, each one firing in turn. Prone to misfiring or other malfunction, Repeater Handguns are still highly sought after items, as they will launch a veritable storm of lead at the enemy if they don't break down.

Range: 24"
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Save Modifier: Handguns are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a handgun must take its armour save with a -2 modifier.

Move or Fire: You may not move and fire a handgun in the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or stand up.

Fire Thrice: The Repeater Handgun may fire up to three shots; if more than one shot is made the to hit roll is at -1. Resolve each shot individually, you may choose to shot later shots at a different target, but they must be within 3" of the previous target. Ordinary targeting restrictions apply to shots as per Mordheim rulebook.

Experimental: The Repeater Handgun is always Experimental: subject to the optional Blackpowder Weapons rules from the Mordheim rulebook, even if they are not normally used in your campaign. On any result other than “BOOM!”, the weapon has jammed or run out of loaded barrels and must be reloaded.

Slow Reload: To reload a Repeater Handgun takes a Slow Reload long time and a bit of focus. The warrior must do nothing (no moving, no shooting, no fighting in close combat, etc.) for a complete turn in order to reload the weapon.

Repeater Pistol

Cost: 30 + 2D6 gc
Availability: Rare 9

It wasn't long after the invention of the repeater handgun that the same principle was being used on pistols. Still prone to misfiring or other malfunction, they have found a place in gunnery bands armouries. Stories of calm instructors gunning down hordes of foes within feet of themselves are legendary and in all likelihood untrue. But it just could happen...

Range: 6"
Strength: 4

Special Rules

Save Modifier: Pistols are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a handgun must take its armour save with a -2 modifier.

Fire Thrice: The Repeater Pistol may fire up to three shots; if more than one shot is made the to hit roll is at -1. Resolve each shot individually, you may choose to shot later shots at a different target, but they must be within 3" of the previous target. Ordinary targeting restrictions apply to shots as per Mordheim rulebook.

Experimental: The Repeater Pistol is always Experimental: subject to the optional Blackpowder Weapons rules from the Mordheim rulebook, even if they are not normally used in your campaign. On any result other than “BOOM!”, the weapon has jammed or run out of loaded barrels and must be reloaded.

Quick Reload: The basic design of the pistol and number of barrels allows quick reloading, the pistol will always be able to fire at least one shot. After shooting more than one shot in a single turn the model must spend a complete shooting phase without shooting and without being in combat, before firing multiple shots (see Fire Thrice, above) may be taken again.

Not a Club: The Repeater Pistol may be used as a normal pistol in the first round of combat. After that it doesn't count as an additional hand weapon as it is far too delicate to risk in such a crude fashion. Its owner will not willingly discard it in a fight and so must fight on without the use of an additional hand weapon.

heroes

1 Senior Gunnery Officer

60 gold crowns to hire

A veteran of many excursions, extremely skilled and a deadly foe, these Officers have seen a lot of action, sometimes a little too much for some, and have partially retired from the front line to teach. They enjoy these little ‘days out’.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	4	4	3	3	1	4	1	8

Weapons/Armour: The Senior Gunnery Officer may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Gunnery School Equipment list.

SPECIAL RULES

Leader: Any models in the warband within 12” of the Senior Gunnery Officer may use his Leadership value when using Leadership tests.

Hunter: See Shooting Skills.

0 – 1 Instructor

45 gold crowns to hire

The gunners of Nuln are the most respected in the Old World. They are in charge of keeping up the mighty Empire war machines such as the great cannons. They are well educated and extensively trained, but not yet too battle-hardened, so these excursions give them field experience, even in the smallest things.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	4	3	3	1	4	1	7

Weapons/Armour: The Instructor chooses weapons and armour from the School’s Armoury List or the Marksman Equipment List.

Special Rules

Expert Weaponsmith: The Instructors know every trick in the book when it comes to working with black powder weapons. While there is an Instructor in the warband all Pistol weapons receive a +3” range bonus and all other black powder weapons receive a +6” range bonus.

0 – 1 Senior Student

45 gold crowns to hire

The upperclassmen at the school are well acquainted with the forms of combat and mechanics used by the Empire. The years of using pistols and firing cannons has given them plenty of experience with weaponry and this is not their first excursion into the wilds of the Empire. It is likely to be their last before they graduate.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	4	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: Senior Students are allowed to choose weapons and armour from the Gunnery School Equipment List.

0 – 2 Underclassmen

20 gold crowns to hire

This is the first excursion for these freshmen, who have had maybe only months of training and shooting. Most will see this as a chance to escape the stuffy halls of academia and go hunting for pleasure. The brighter ones will realise that this is a true test of their dedication and knowledge.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	2	3	3	1	3	1	6

Weapons/Armour: Underclassmen choose their weapons and armour from the School’s Armoury List.

henchmen

(Bought in groups of 1-5)

Sons of the Guns

25 gold crowns to hire

Orphans left on the doorsteps of the school, well cared for and trained to take care of the constructs as apprentices and assistants. Many go on to form gun crews for the cannons taken into battle and some even rise as far as commanding such crews. For the most part they remain a background element to the successful workings of any cannon or black powder weapon and have become an essential part of the school. On the excursions, Sons of the Guns provide a much-needed set of arms to carry provisions and spare powder, as well as providing much needed additional firepower in a fight.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: The sons of the guns choose weapons and armour from the Gunnery School’s Equipment List.

0 – 7 Marksmen

30 gold crowns to hire

It is said that some of the finest marksmen in the Empire have graduated from the Gunnery School, though many backwoodsmen in Hochland disagree. Certainly compared to their rural counterparts, Marksmen show more proficiency over a wider range of black powder weapons, even the Long Rifle.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	3	4	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: The Marksmen choose their weapons and armour from the Marksmen Equipment List.

Special Rules

Quick Reload: Marksmen trained at the Gunnery School are forced to practice many drills day after day, including those that teach them to load their weapons for speed under high-pressure conditions. Marksmen have the Hunter skill from the Mordheim rulebook. A Marksman who becomes a Hero gains no further effect from taking the Hunter skill in addition to this.

0 – 5 Pistoliers

35 gold crowns to hire

Part of any student’s tutoring involves learning pistols and pistol maintenance and many become crack shots with repeated practice. Sadly they do not devote as much time to learning from the other parts of the curriculum and often graduate through money and luck, returning home to show off their skills, drifting into the army as Pistoliers or Outriders.

Profile	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
	4	4	3	3	3	1	3	1	7

Weapons/Armour: The Pistoliers choose their equipment from the Gunnery School’s List.

Special Rules

Crack Shot: Experts with pistols in close quarters; they have an uncanny ability to turn what should have missed its target into a success. When using pistols in close combat, they may re-roll any missed to-hit rolls with the pistol in the first round of combat.