Horned Hunters
Grade: 1b
Source: Nemesis Crown Supplement (PDF)
Setting: Nemesis Crown
Author: Mordheim Nemesis Crown Development Team
Horned Hunters prowl the woods both within the crater walls of the Taalbaston and throughout Talabecland and claim allegiance only to Taal – the God of nature and wilderness.
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 Hunter warband is a cult composed of feral devotees to Taal, the God of nature and the wilds. The warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns which you can use to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12.
Horned Hunter: Each Horned Hunter warband must have one Horned Hunter.
Priest of Taal: Your warband may include a single Priest of Taal.
Initiates: Your warband may include up to three Initiates.
Zealots: Any number of models may be Zealots.
Drunken Gang: Your warband may include up to five Drunken Gang.
Warhounds: Your warband may include up to five Warhounds.
Starting experience
A Horned Hunter starts with 20 experience.
Initiates start with 8 experience.
A Priest of Taal starts with 12 experience.
All Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Horned Hunter Skill Table
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horned Hunter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Initiates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Priest of Taal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Horned Hunter Special Skills
Horned Hunter Heroes may choose to use the following Skill list instead of any of the standard Skill tables available to them.
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+.
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.
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.
animal friendship
Having grown up amidst the animals of the forest this warrior exudes a certain charm to all ‘normal’ animals (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.
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 hunter 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 Hunter equipment lists
The following lists are used by Horned Hunter 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 | 5 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
Missile Weapons
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Short Bow | 5 gc |
| Bow | 10 gc |
| 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 |
| Mace/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 |
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: A Horned Hunter may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Horned Hunter equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Any warrior within 6" of the Horned Hunter may use his Leadership value when taking Leadership tests.
Hang the Bandit!: A Horned Hunter hates all Bandits and Outlaws.
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: A Priest of Taal may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Horned Hunter equipment list.
Special Rules
Prayers: A Priest of Taal may use the Prayers of Taal.
Strictures: Priests of Taal may never wear heavy armour.
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: Initiates of Taal may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Horned Hunter equipment list.
Special Rules
Infiltrator: 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.
Hang the Bandit!: Taal’s Initiates hate all Bandits and Outlaws.
Strictures: Taal’s Initiates may never wear armour.
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 chosen from the Henchmen equipment list.
Special Rules
Drunk: The militia are blasted out of their tiny minds on Rotfire moonshine and cheap ale. As such, they automatically pass all Leadership-based tests they are required to take.
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: Zealots may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Henchmen equipment list.
Special Rules
Strictures: Zealots may never wear armour.
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
Animals: Warhounds are animals and thus do not gain experience.