Dwarf Slayer Cult
Grade: 2a
Source: By Dave ‘Styrofoam King’ Joria, based on Mark Havener's Dwarf Treasure Hunters (PDF)
Setting: Mordheim
It is a fallacy to assume that every Slayer acts the same. There are many reasons that Slayers join the Cult of Grimnir, and to seek their deaths facing monstrous creatures. For those who have failed their clan and their family, it is the only way to recover honor to the family name… a martyr for the sake of their living relatives. Others are dwarfs that have been disowned, betrayed by loved ones, and seek the solace of a gathering of embittered souls. For a few more ignoble dwarfs, it is the Foreign Legion, a chance to escape past mistakes.
But the greatest, grimmest, and the most memorable of all Slayers are the ones who have lost everything. No clan members will be there to remember them when they die, no family members to mourn them. These grim slayers have steeled their nerves, and teeter on the brink of madness. In any cult, they long for death the most, and as a testament to the cruelty of fate, often survive the longest. They seek stronger foes, fiercer monsters and more desolate lands to wander. Younger Slayers gravitate to them, gleaning what they can from the wizened warriors. The Giant Slayers are silent and direct in their instruction. Indeed, sometimes the only sound a Giant Slayer is heard making is the singing of his own Deathsong when heading into battle.
Special Rules
Hard to Kill: Dwarfs are tough, resilient individuals who can only be taken out of action on a roll of 6 instead of 5–6 when rolling on the Injury chart. Treat a roll of 1–2 as knocked down, 3–5 as stunned, and 6 as out of action.
Hard Head: Dwarfs ignore the special rules for maces, clubs, etc. They are not easy to knock out!
Grudgebearers: A Dwarf warband may never include any kind of Elven Hired Sword or Dramatis Personae.
Damnable Luck: All Slayer heroes add +1 to all Serious Injury rolls — they will never roll a result higher than 66.
Deathwish: Slayers are completely immune to all psychology and never need to test if fighting alone. This includes Frenzy and Stupidity.
No Toys!: Slayers may never use armor of any kind (does not include Lucky Charms), and may not use any missiles that aren’t thrown. Also, Slayers may never learn magic.
Slayers & Exploration
Reward for Recklessness: A Slayer hero that survives a game without getting taken out of action does NOT get any exploration dice. If a Slayer is taken out of action by means of an enemy attack, they gain one exploration die. If taken out of action without enemy influence, they gain none. This only applies to Slayer heroes. The Rememberer still gains dice normally.
To Drive Your Enemy Before You: If all opposing warbands rout and yours remains, you may instead gain exploration dice equal to the number of enemy heroes still on the board when they routed. You do NOT gain bonuses from opponent skills, hired swords, or items, and may not gain more dice than the number of Slayer heroes in your warband. If facing multiple opponents, choose one. You may decide at the end of the game which rule to apply.
Choice of warriors
A Slayer warband must include a minimum of 3 models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit and equip your warband. Maximum number of warriors is 12.
Heroes
Giant Slayer: Each warband must have one Giant Slayer — no more, no less.
Doomseeker: You may include up to 2 Doomseekers.
Rememberer: You may include up to 1 Rememberer.
Henchmen
Troll Slayers: You may include any number.
Stubbles: You may include any number.
Axe Hurlers: You may include up to 5.
Starting Experience
Giant Slayer starts with 20 experience.
Doomseekers start with 8 experience.
Rememberers start with 8 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Dwarf Slayer Cult Skill Table
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Slayer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Doomseekers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Dwarf Rememberer | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Human Rememberer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Special Skills
Deathwish: The hero is completely immune to all psychology and never needs to test if fighting alone. [Stubbles and Axe Hurlers only. See their entries for details.]
Ferocious Charge
The Slayer may double his attacks on the turn in which he charges. He will suffer a -1 'to hit' penalty on that turn. (Slayers Only)
Monster Slayer
In close combat, the Slayer always wounds any opponent on a roll of 4+, unless his Strength would need less. Ignores Toughness. (Slayers Only)
Berserker
The Slayer may add +1 to his close combat 'to hit' rolls during the turn in which he charges. (Slayers Only)
Deathblow
If taken out of action in hand-to-hand combat, the Hero may immediately make his remaining attacks. Usable even if stunned or knocked down. (Slayers Only)
Relentless
If the Hero fails a charge, he may still move his full distance toward the target. (Slayers Only)
**Axe Mastery
The Hero may reroll missed attacks if wielding an axe or Dwarf axe when charging. (Dwarves Only)
True Grit
Rolls of 1–3 on the Injury table are Knocked Down; 4–5 are Stunned. (Dwarves Only)
Thick Skull
3+ save to avoid being stunned. Treat result as Knocked Down instead. (Dwarves Only)
Songster
All friendly models within 6" may reroll Leadership tests with +1 Ld (max 10). (Rememberer Only)
Song of Honor
If a Slayer dies, one surviving Slayer Hero may gain +2 Experience. (Rememberer Only)
Slayer Equipment Lists
Slayer Hero & Henchman Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Mace/Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Dwarf Axe | 15 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Gromril weapon | 3× cost |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Throwing Axes | 15 gc |
Doomseeker Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Mace/Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Dwarf Axe | 15 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Flail | 15 gc |
| Whirling Blades | 30 gc |
| Gromril weapon | 3× cost |
Missile Weapons
None
Rememberer Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
| Mace/Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Dwarf Axe (Dwarf only) | 15 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Gromril weapon (Dwarf only) | 3× cost |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Throwing Axes | 15 gc |
| Pistols | 15 gc / 30 brace |
| Bow (Human only) | 10 gc |
| Crossbow | 25 gc |
Armour
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Light Armour | 20 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Buckler | 5 gc |
*Any weapon a Dwarf may purchase may be bought as Gromril for 3× cost. This price is only for starting warbands. Later Gromril purchases use the Mordheim rulebook.
Special Equipment
Dwarf Axe
Cost: 15 gc Availability: Rare 8 (Dwarfs only)
A specially crafted axe of lighter yet stronger metal.
Range: Close Combat Strength: As User Special Rules: Cutting Edge, Parry
Cutting Edge: -1 extra save modifier.
Parry: May parry if opponent's hit roll is less than D6 roll. Cannot parry attacks of double Strength or more. May re-roll failed parry if wielding two parrying weapons.
Throwing Axe
Cost: 15 gc Availability: Common (Slayers), Rare 5 (Others)
Range: 6" Strength: As User Special Rules: Thrown Weapon, Axe Thrower
Thrown Weapon: No penalty for moving or over half range.
Axe Thrower (Skill): Hero may throw two axes per shooting phase, both +1 Strength. Cannot combine with Quick Shot or Knife Fighter.
Whirling Blades
Cost: 30 gc per pair Availability: Rare 9 (Slayers only)
A pair of chained axes whirled in deadly arcs.
Range: Close Combat Strength: As User Special Rules: Pair, Cannot be parried, Cutting Edge, Whirlwind of Death
Cannot be parried: Flexible chain renders parries useless.
Cutting Edge: -1 extra save modifier.
Pair: Always used together. Counts as +1 attack for off-hand.
Whirlwind of Death: +1 off-hand attack gains Strike First if charged. Only this extra attack strikes first.
Heroes
1 Giant Slayer
85 gold crowns to hire
The most experienced and battle-scarred of all Slayers in the warband. Having dipped his hands in the blood of giants, he is off to Mordheim in search of the next big hunt: Demons.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
Weapons/Armour: A Giant Slayer may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Slayer equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6" of the Giant Slayer may use his Leadership instead of their own. Dwarf: See special rules above for Dwarves. Slayer: See special rules above for Slayers.
0 – 2 Doomseeker
50 gold crowns to hire
Doomseekers plow recklessly into the enemy, whirling their weapons madly around their heads. They are armed with axes on the end of chains, which they spin about themselves, slicing through their foes with surprising speed.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Weapons/Armour: A Doomseeker may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Doomseeker equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Dwarf: See special rules above for Dwarves. Slayer: See special rules above for Slayers.
0 – 1 Rememberer
40 gold crowns to hire
When hired, choose a Human or Dwarf Rememberer – he follows the stats accordingly. The one sane member of the warband, the Rememberer is a bard charged with the task of recording each Slayer that falls in battle.
| Race | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarf | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Human | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons/Armour: A Rememberer may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Rememberer equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Rememberer: Once per game, any Slayer Hero fighting a Large creature or T5+ model within 6" of the Rememberer may re-roll any failed To Hit rolls once. Pick Up the Slack: If not taken out of action, the Rememberer may make a rarity or Dramatis Personae roll for each taken-out Slayer hero in addition to normal rarity searches. Not a Slayer: Does not benefit from Slayer-only rules (Deathwish, Damnable Luck, etc.), may not learn Slayer-only skills, and may never be warband leader. Humans: If Human, does not gain Dwarf-only traits or skills.
Henchmen
Troll Slayers
40 gold crowns to hire
Trollslayers are the most numerous part of a slayer cult, solitary souls pushed beyond fear who find exhilaration in the blood of massive beasts.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Weapons/Armour: May be equipped from the Slayer equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Dwarf: See special rules above for Dwarves. Slayer: See special rules above for Slayers.
0 – 5 Axe Hurlers
40 gold crowns to hire
In a past life, they were likely Thunderers or Rangers. No one asks. Their skill with throwing axes is more than enough to prove their worth.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Weapons/Armour: May be equipped from the Slayer equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Dwarf: See special rules above for Dwarves. Strong Arm: When throwing, range is increased by Strength in inches. Born Marksmen: May choose Shooting skills if they roll "That Lad’s Got Talent," even if no hero has Shooting skills. Skittish: Lacks Deathwish. If promoted, must learn Deathwish immediately regardless of skill set.
Stubbles
25 gold crowns to hire
Newly crowned Slayers. Their shaven heads still show stubble and ink is still wet in their beards. Not all are young—some are still shaking from their past.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Weapons/Armour: May be equipped from the Slayer equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Dwarf: See special rules above for Dwarves. Skittish: Lacks Deathwish. If promoted, must learn Deathwish immediately regardless of skill set.
Tactics
The most effective strategy I've encountered is a subtle maneuver called the 'Move-In-A-Clump-&-Hammer-It-To-Death' strategy. Okay, it’s not subtle, but it works. In a perfect situation, find yourself a gate or an archway to bottleneck your opponent. Let the henchmen take the brunt of the first charge, and then countercharge the snot out of them with your heroes.
As campaigns progress, you'll feel the lack of armor. Consider Lucky Charms, Thick Skull, Step Aside. Use equipment smartly: two Dwarf Axes = parry and reroll! Dwarfs are tough and nearly every weapon they use has a -1 save modifier. If you can’t have armor, no one can!
Don’t spread out. Clump works. Use hired swords with speed or reach, like Wardogs or Ogres. And don't forget the Giant Slayer can take Academic skills. Hunch and Tactician can really help. Shooting battles? Avoid them when possible. Use terrain, your few missile options, and good positioning.
-Dave Joria, aka the self-proclaimed ‘Styrofoam King’