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Animal Bestiary

Source: Town Cryer #14

What follows is a summary of animals commonly found in various parts of the world, along with a few less common species. Note that animals are not particularly bright and do not gain experience. Note also that ridden animals can be ridden, but that doesn't mean that all of them want to be!

Attack Animals​

The most common attack animal in the Old World is the faithful wardog, especially favoured by Witch Hunters. Other warbands have their favoured attack animals - Giant Rats for Skaven, Dire Wolves or Vampires, Cold One Beasthounds for the Druchii, Black Hounds for Lahmian (watch this space!). Whatever the differences between the species, that a warrior with several sets of claws and jaws behind him is a more dangerous opponent than a warrior on his own.

For details of the various attack animals available to different races, see the Mordheim rulebook or the relevant warband lists.

Wardogs​

The men of the Empire have always been experts at raising ferocious bloodhounds to guard their cattle and holdings against roaming Goblins and Beastmen. A highly trained wardog is a dangerous opponent and worth its weight in gold in Mordheim.

If you purchase a wardog, it will fight exactly like a member of your warband, though it is treated as part of the equipment of the Hero who bought it. You will need a model to represent it on a battlefield.

Wardogs never gain experience, and if they are put out of action they have exactly the same chance of recovering as Henchmen (ie, 1-2: Dead; 3-6: Alive). Wardogs count towards the maximum number of warriors allowed in your warband.

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You could also use the profile above to represent one of the more exotic animals used by the warbands of Mordheim, such as trained bears, Chaos familiars or even fighting monkeys from the far-off Southlands!

Ridden Animals​

Humans like their horses, Ores their boars, Goblins their wolves. All agree that two legs are good, but four legs are better.

War Boar​

Cost: 90 gc
Availability: Rare 11 (Orcs only)

Large, ferocious and bad-tempered - a perfect mount for an Ore Warlord. Ore warbands occasionally make use of these noisome beasts while exploring the ruins of Mordheim and beyond. It isn't common though, as the bigger and meaner Orcs tend to take the boars for themselves.

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SPECIAL RULES​

Ferocious Charge: Ore war boars attack with +2S when charging, due to their bulk. Note that this applies only to the boar, not the rider.

Thick Skinned: The thick skin and matted fur of the boar makes him very hard to wound. Boars confer an additional + 1 bonus to the rider's armour save (malcing +2 total).

Giant Spider​

Cost: l00gc
Availability: Rare 11 (Goblins only)

The Giant Spider is the stuff of nightmares. Typica1lly 10 to 12 feet long they are highly prized by Forest Goblins as mounts.

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SPECIAL RULES​

Poisoned Attack: Giant Spider attacks are poisoned - attacks are considered as Strength 4, but this will not modify any armour saves.

Wall Walk: Giant Spiders (and their riders) may walk up and down walls without making Initiative tests. They may only jump up to 2" across or down, but this does count as a diving charge. When a spider jumps, its rider must make an Initiative test; if this test is failed, something has gone wrong - roll on the Whoa Boy! Table. Note even if the rider has the Running Dismount skill, the maximum diving charge is only 2".

Note: Giant Spiders cannot be used in a warband that already contains Giant Wolves.

Giant Wolf​

Cost: 85gc
Availability: Rare 10 (Goblins only)

The giant wolf is common in most of the mountain ranges of the known world. However, catching one of these nasty, fast-moving beasts is another thing - especially if you are a Goblin.

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Note: Giant Wolves cannot be used in a warband that already contains Giant Spiders.

Mule​

Cost: 30 gc
Availability: Rare 7 (any warband)

Their stubbornness is legendary, but even so, these beasts of burden are occasionally ridden by Halflings, Dwarfs and even overweight clerics!

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SPECIAL RULES​

Slow: Mules are not the fastest of mounts and only bolt 2D6".

Stubborn: If a warrior is riding a mule, or is in base contact with a mule, he must make a Leadership test each round or the mule will refuse to move.

Ornery: With no leader or rider, a mule will wander in a random direction. Should any close combat occur within 6", it will automatically bolt directly away from the combat.

Non-combatant: Mules will not fight in combat and may not be used to charge into combat - they will simply refuse to move. If an enemy warrior charges a ridden mule, immediately roll on the Whoa Boy! Table. If an unridden mule is charged, it will bolt directly away from the charger.

Riding Horse​

Cost: 40gc
Availability: Rare 8 (Humans only)

Riding horses are not trained for battle and will not normally attack an enemy. However, they are useful for moving rapidly around the site of a battle.

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Warhorse​

Cost: 80gc
Availability: Rare 11 (Humans only)

Warhorses are large, well-trained horses, quite at home in battle. They are primarily used by human warbands.

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SPECIAL RULES​

Battle Schooled: The mount has been specially trained to fight on a battlefield. The rider may re-roll any failed loss of control tests. Only one re-roll is allowed per test.

Elven Steed​

Cost: 90gc
Availability: Rare 10 (Elves only)

Elven steeds are graceful animals, but have a vicious temperament when called upon to fight. It is rumoured that even Dark Elves breed these fine beasts. Typically, High Elf steeds are grey and white, Wood Elf steeds are tan and white, and Dark Elf steeds are midnight black.

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SPECIAL RULES​

Battle Schooled: The mount has been specially trained to fight on a battlefield. The rider may re-roll any failed loss of control tests. Only one reroll is allowed per test.

Nightmare​

Cost: 95gc
Availability: Rare 11 (Vampires and Necromancers only)

The Vampire Counts occasionally need fell steeds to carry them about their business. Who cares if they're dead? They still have legs, don't they?

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SPECIAL RULES​

May Not Run: As an undead creature, a Nightmare may not run, but may charge as normal.

Immune to Poison: Nightmares are not affected by poison.

Immune to Psychology: As an Undead creature, Nightmares are immune to psychology, never have to make Leadership tests, and will always stand still if left leaderless. However, if the rider suffers a wound, he must roll on the Whoa Boy! Table as normal.

Chaos Steed​

Cost: 90gc
Availability: Rare 11 (Possessed warbands only)

note

It is suggested that Chaos steeds should be avaiable to all Chaos warbands, not just those that existed when these rules were originally published.

Chaos Steeds are malformed, debased parodies of the magnificent warhorses of the Empire. They are used by Possessed and other Chaos warbands.

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SPECIAL RULES​

May not be ridden by The Possessed: Even Chaos Steeds are skittish around the abhorrent Possessed and will not allow themselves to be ridden by such a being.

Battle Schooled: The mount has been specially trained to fight on a battlefield. The rider may re-roll any failed loss of control tests. Only one re-roll is allowed per test.

Cold One​

Cost: l00gc
Availability: Rare 11 (Dark Elves and Skinks only)

Scaly, mean and stupid, these native creatures of the New World make excellent mounts upon which to fight.

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SPECIAL RULES​

Fear: Cold Ones cause fear.

Stupid: Roll against the rider's Leadership each turn; if the rider fails the test then usual stupidity applies, otherwise move as normal.

Scaly: Cold ones give an additional +1 armour save bonus (making +2 total).

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