Starting warbands - Post them here! (Read first post, plz)

JAFisher44 wrote:

I agree, Superdwarfs is a recipe for failure. Go for the bare minimum of equipment. Run lots of henchmen in lots of groups (for max LGT potential). Lose the Gromril. Even at 50 gc it isn't worth it. If you feel you have to buy lots of equipment, go with ranged. It kind of sucks that Dwarf ranged is so damn expensive. Frankly I think that crossbows are way overcosted. +1 S and 5 extra range are about a wash for move or fire, yet a crossbow is more than 3x expensive as a bow. But, I digress.

Here is the warband I usually start off with.

Noble (85)
Hammer (3)
Hammer (3)
Total (91)

Engineer (50)
Hammer (3)
Hammer (3)
Total (56)

Slayer (50)
Hammer (3)
Hammer (3)
Total (56)

Slayer (50)
Hammer (3)
Hammer (3)
Total (56)

Thunderer x1 (40)
Free Dagger

Thunderer x1 (40)
Free Dagger

Thunderer x1 (40)
Free Dagger

Thunderer x1 (40)
Free Dagger

Thunderer x1 (40)
Free Dagger

Clansman x1 (40)
Free Dagger

Total 499

I take thunderers over clansmen cause they cost the same, they have the same stats, they have access to hammers, and they can do range if things go well for me money wise.

Beardlings are tempting cause they are cheap, but I really don't want a Beardling Hero.

Granted, in my group we play by the rules as written for the most part, so no penalties for dual weilding. About the only "house rule" is that we allow people to fire a hero after they roll a LGT if they want the henchman over one of their current heroes.

, in my opinion you must buy some weapons for your henchmen, i think that you will not win a lot of battles with only the free dagger. if you want to kill enemys you have to include your heroes in close combat and it would be dangerous in the starting battles of the campaign becuase you have more posibilitys of loose someone.
ofcourse, have 10 guys is a very good idea, but y would prefer to quit the clansmen and add a beardling, and you would have 15 gc to buy 5 hammers for your henchmen, and now you will have more posibilitys in the close combats with them, and you have 10 warriors too.
This is only my opinion

xarly22 wrote:

, in my opinion you must buy some weapons for your henchmen, i think that you will not win a lot of battles with only the free dagger. if you want to kill enemys you have to include your heroes in close combat and it would be dangerous in the starting battles of the campaign becuase you have more posibilitys of loose someone.
ofcourse, have 10 guys is a very good idea, but y would prefer to quit the clansmen and add a beardling, and you would have 15 gc to buy 5 hammers for your henchmen, and now you will have more posibilitys in the close combats with them, and you have 10 warriors too.
This is only my opinion

Once i get some income my first move is to buy some weapons for my henchmen. Free daggers aren't that bad. Having 2 attacks is nice (hammer, free dagger) but I don't want to use a beardling. With my luck the bugger would get LGT.

Looks like it's time to post my own treasure hunter warband:
[list]

• Dwarf Noble: Dwarf Axe, Helmet, Free Dagger: 110
  
• Dwarf Engineer: Crossbow, free dagger:  70
  
• Dwarf Slayer, 2 Axes: 60
  
• Dwarf Slayer, 2-handed  weapon: 65
  
• Thunderer, Crossbow, free dagger: 60
  
• Thunderer, Crossbow, free dagger: 60
  
• Beardling, hammer, shield: 35<LI>Beardling, hammer, shield; 35
  

Beardlings are there to intercept charges and take hits while my heroes counter-charge and mop up whatever's left. Those crossbows are expensive, but in my first game I had three turns to take pot-shots before they closed and gave me some breathing space. What's not in the list: my two Clansmen I converted with swords and pistols...

Ilias Schwarmacher's Investigation & baron Markov's Militia (Marienburger Warband)

Witchhunter Captain Ilias Schwarmacher (Captain - 60), 100
- Dagger & Sword 10
- Brace of pistols 30

Witchhunter Sven Rotheim (Champion - 35), 75
- Dagger & Sword 10
- Brace of pistols 30

Kislevite Noble Boris Markov (Champion - 35), 60
- Dagger & Sword 10
- Axe 5
- Bow 10

Aprrentice Jörgen Becker (Youngblood - 15), 25
- Dagger
- Bow 10

Cleric Pjotr Svyrnov (Youngblood - 15), 18
- Dagger
- Mace 3

Feodr Asimov, Alexandr Klis, Michael Radov (3 Warriors - 75), 90
- Dagger
- Axe 15

Max Brecher, Gustav Manz (2 Marksmen - 50), 110
- Dagger
- Axe 10
- Crossbow 50

Börg (Ogre Bodyguard - 80), 80
- Light armour
- Sword & club

----
558

I was looking for a highly narative warband, and this is what I came up with. The story goes: Ilias Schwarmager was sent to Kislev to investigate the fate of a notorious Necromancer who was said fled to Kislev. In Kislev Ilias' men joined up with baron Markov, who had encoutered the Necromancer there. Together Ilias and Markov have hunted the Necromancer, and now the villain is trying to find a refuge in Mordheim both men have sworn to hunt him down in the fallen city.

They are two nice warbands. SoldierOfFortune i would try and get a melee weapon for your thunderers tho just in case they do get into CC but thats just me. Arathorn i raly like the background story of your warband and it looks ok to.

Doc

Ive created this Marienburger starting warband:

Captain: hammer, sword and bow 83

champion: sword and bow 55

champion: sword and bow 55

youngblood: sword 25

youngblood: 2 hammers 21

Tilean Marksman: 30

Elf Ranger: 40

5 Marksmen: axe and bow 200

2 swordmen: sword 90

total 599 points.

xarly22, that'd be scary to face right off the bat. However, the maintenance costs for the Hired Swords would eat into profits, and the Marienburgers don't really have any ongoing benefits to make up for that.

This has been my standard Marienburger starter for a while now:

Captain: Sword/Mace/Long Bow: 88
Champion: Sword/Mace/Long Bow: 63
Champion: Sword/Mace/Long Bow: 63
Youngblood: Sword/Mace/Long Bow: 43
Youngblood: Sword/Long Bow: 40
7x Marksmen: Mace/Long Bow: 301

Total: 598

This has been very effective against many types of opponents at the start. Placing the Marksmen each in separate Henchmen Groups really ups the chance of getting that 6th hero soon, and due to the heroes Skill Lists, Marienburgers are destined to be pretty much a shooty warband, so I just go with it.

The very next henchmen I add to this are three swordsmen (sword/longbow), then I'll look at the Halfling Scout (and a Halfling Cookbook), add the final two swordsmen, then see about the Elf Ranger and Tilean Marksman just to make this the most pointed warband ever.

For hero skills, Trick Shooter comes first, then Eagle Eyes.

Trick shooter is nice, but quickshot is a bit more usefull i think. And another point, only Marksmen can get longbows

(Arathorn) (Wyldhunt)

Thanks, Arathorn - I've been rightfully dinged on the longbows - that'll teach me to quick post without going back and checking my lists...

However, in my experience Trick Shooter is more useful than Quick Shot, since the latter requires one to stay put, reducing manueverability. Quick Shot is often my third pick, unless I trade up to Crossbows, in which case I'll get Nimble instead.

So here's the legal list:

Captain: Sword/Mace/Bow: 83
Champion: Sword/Mace/Bow: 58
Champion: Sword/Mace/Bow: 58
Youngblood: Sword/Mace/Bow: 38
Youngblood: Sword/Mace/Bow: 38
7x Marksmen: Mace/Long Bow: 301

Total: 576

I still have a soft spot for defense, so in the past I've spent the remainder on 2 helmets. However, I've never even considered starting with Hired Swords (due to maintenance drain), so xarly22's list does give the idea of including the Halfling Scout, for a total of 591. Of course, the 24gc could be saved and used for a swordsmen (or help with replacing dead models) after the first battle, which is probably smartest.

i think that hired swords can help you in the first battles of the campaign.
For example: the Tilean Marksman only cost 30 gc, hi strikes alwais with 3+ and has a crosbow, light armour and sword, for inly 30gc, of course you have to pay his maintenance, but only 15 gc, that is a ridiculus cost, comparing the 40 gc for a marksman with a longbow only, that strikes with 5 or 6 in the better situations.
If you loose a marksman you have to pay another 40gc for him, but if you loose a Tilean marksman you only pay 30gc for another.
if you combine this one with the elf ranger you have 2 shooters very dangerous, that could help more than marksmen to kill people. Of course y use this combo only with marienburgers becuase they have 100gc more, and you can take another 5 marksmen and 2 swordmen.

For all the Tilean Marksman's starting advantages, he still doesn't have Nimble. This means he either moves or shoots until (if) he can pick up that skill - and the opponents I've played against are pretty good at denying one model a shot without the shooter moving. Yes, his extra punch can help sway the battle movement a bit, but not much - it's only one shot (three crossbowmen, even when they don't move themselves are much more effective at influencing enemy movement). That 3+ to hit doesn't mean anything if he has no target or has to move.

One extra Marksman only costs me only 0 - 10 gc per battle (depending upon how many total I have in the band and how many Wyrdstone shards I find each tmie). He'll also stay with me if I choose to spend the money I do receive elsewhere.

Here's the real kicker: the Tilean Marksman and Elf Ranger together cost 35gc per battle - I can buy a new warrior (Marksman with bow even) each battle for how much I have to pay just to keep the pair. Yes, Seeker can occasionally help find something nice - but only occassionally - more often than not, it doesn't help much. While you're paying 35gc to keep the pair you got initially, I'm saving up to buy them after I have the other stuff, then can keep them easily, because I already have my 17 warband members and Halfling Scout (yes, the 17th warband member is due to a Halfling Cookbook). Who knows? During that time I may even roll Returning a Favor and pick up one of the Hired Swords without paying their initial hire fee...

Again, facing the Tilean Marksman and Elf Ranger in a beginnnig warband is scary - no doubt about that, and for a one-off game, it's a great inclusion. But you're bleeding your profits to keep them between battles, while I'm saving and building my warband to be stronger in the long run. A fully-armed Mariengburger warband with 7 Longbows and 5 Bows is scary enough at the start to make my opponents come to me on my terms, and not delay in the range of my 12-bow attack.

Alright. Here is my basic idea for my Remasen warband.
* It's a tight squeeze (0 remaining gold) but I hesitate to remove men.
* Are four ranged specialists (champion and 3 marksmen) enough?
* I maximized heroes as recommended. I should net a reasonable profit presuming I can adequately shield those young 'uns.
* Are spears worth while? I'm tempted to give the captain one rather than a sword, just for the modelling opportunities.
* My locals are playing with shields offering better armor save.

Captain w/ Sword, Dagger, Shield and Helmet 85
Champion w/ Sword, Dagger, and Shield 50
Champion w/ Bow, Dagger, and Buckler 50
Youngblood w/ Daggers (2x) 17
Youngblood w/ Club and Dagger 18
2 Warriors w/ Swords and Daggers 70
2 Duelists w/ Swords and Daggers 90
3 Marksmen w/ Longbows and Daggers 120

Thanks!
Horatio

I just won a couple of ridiculously overpriced models on ebay to support my existing warband. So now I am thinking about a starting warband. What do you all think of this:

HEROES = 359
Carnival Master 70 73
Dagger, Mace +3

Brute 60 75
2-hand-weapon +15

Brute 60 75
2-hand-weapon +15

Tainted One 25 68
Dagger, Mace +3
Bloated Foulness + 40

Tainted One 25 68
Dagger, Mace +3
Bloated Foulness + 40


HENCHMEN = 134
Plague Bearer 50 50

3 Brethren 25 84
Dagger, Mace +3


7 gc rest


I know it's probably cheesy blah blah... I tried to start with more henchmen instead of a second Plague Bearer although the latter would probably tear enemy warbands apart in the early games.

OK,

We're starting our campaign tomorrow and I'm playing Witch Hunters, here's what I'm thinking:

Captain: 95GC
Sword
X-Bow

Warrior Priest: 70
2 Swords
Helmet

Witch Hunter: 50 GC
X-Bow

Witch Hunter: 50 GC
X-Bow

Witch Hunter: 50 GC
X-Bow

2 Flaggelants: 110
Flails

5 Warhounds: 75 GC

500 GC

What do you guys think? Is this a good starting band? Should I drop one of the dogs and get my WHs hand weapons? Should I lose a X-bow or two?

Thanks for the input!!!

BurnTehWitch:

I wouldn't bother with 2 swords on the Priest as it is expensive and kinda pointless to be honest. He can still only make one parry and doesn't get a reroll on it unless you apply a house rule. The cash you save on dropping a sword can buy a club/hammer for each of the Witch Hunters

Cianty:

It lacks a bit of variation model wise with identical equipment for my taste, but I guess that's a common problem with Carnival and Possessed.

catferret wrote:

It lacks a bit of variation model wise with identical equipment for my taste, but I guess that's a common problem with Carnival and Possessed.

I guess it's a common problem with Mordheim in general as shown in the endless discussions about dual-wielding and armour. Mace/club plus the free starting dagger is the most cost effective weapon choice and especially for starting warbands I don't buy fancy equipment (pistols, swords) unless I can really afford it. Well, I could switch the Master's club with a sword with the remaining 7gc I have.

The Brutes are totally silly equipment-wise with only TWO weapon choices, one being flail and one being 2-handed-weapon, of which only the latter works perfectly with their free Strongman skill. That is really boring.

The only other weapon choice I can see is getting with some Bows but for 15gc they are way too expensive for starting warbands, where I have to focus on
1. Starting with at least a decent number of Brethren to ensure LGT.
2. Buying Blessings of Nurgle for the Tainted Ones.

The options are really limited when keeping the above in mind. Once thing I was wondering was wether it is better to start with 2 Brethren or with a Plague Bearer instead. Models that don't gain experience are best in the first game(s) and become weaker as the campaign progresses...

The Plague Bearer is very good, but as you mentioned it is a trade off between a strong unit that will help you win the early games or two "standard humans" that can gain XP and up your chances for TLGT. As i think that winning is not very important in Mordheim unless you play a campaign i would take the brethren.
And the Plague Bearer will still be effective when you can afford him , but he will not be a game-winner any more.

Thanks, Horatius! Those were my thoughts exactly. Plus, I only have one of the two Plague Bearer models but a shttload of Brethren models.

Starting Orc Warband - so here's the starting combo I've found very useful for Orcs, with a few options:

The core:

Boss: 80
Shaman: 40
2 Big 'Uns: 40x2=80
5 Orc Boyz (each in their own henchman group): 25x5=125
Total models: 325

9 Clubs: 3x9=27
9 Bows: 10x9=90
Total equipment: 117

Total core: 442

Option 1: Advanced Critical Chart Dual-wield min-max cheese
3 Helmets (for heroes): 10x3=30
9 Clubs (for all): 3x9=27
Total add: 57
Total core + option 1: 499

Option 2: Defensive (useful for house rules nerfing DW and improving armor)
3 Helmets (for heroes): 10x3=30
3 Shields (for heroes): 5x3=15
Sword (for Shaman): 10
Total add: 55
Total core + option 2: 497

Option 3: Initial Shock Value
Goblin: 15
2 Cave Squigs: 15x2=30
Club (for Goblin): 3
Short Bow (for Goblin): 5
Total add: 53
Total core + option 3: 495

My reasonings:

1. I've found that Mordheimer is absolutely right - 9 models is the sweet spot for most beginning warbands. The opponent must still get 3 models OOA before having to take rout tests, yet the warband still gets to use a favorable column on the selling wyrdstone chart to jump a bit of income. With 9 models, you can also get decent starting equipment.

2. I've found that while I cannot rely on missile weapons, not having them enables the enemy to rely on his! We know that more rolls is better in HtH, and it's doubly-so for missiles - not to mention that I can cover more of the board if more models have them. Yes, even the Shaman - especially if he ends up with a crappy starting spell. As I expand the warband, I can hand off his bow to someone else if/when he no longer uses it.

3. Helmets for Orc heroes: in addition to helping them avoid enemy stun, they can get the 'ard ead skill - having a 2+ save vs stun is simply awesome for survivability.

4. Even when using the Advanced Critical Chart and official DW/armor rules, be careful with option 1 - all those clubs in henchmen hands can haunt you!

5. My favorite option is 2. I'll get my heroes Resilient, 'ard ead, and well 'ard at some point, and hopefully find some Light Armor (or Gromril) along the way. If they get to T5 with Resilient, then their armor will always be effective against humans with the "regular" assortment of 1h weapons. Even with just T5 or Resilient, they'll have a decent chance, as not all henchmen will be S4.

6. The Shock option is for a bit of variety, and is not something I've actually done. It brings down the starting income (12 models in the band), and is hard to control (1 Gobbo vs 2 Squigs). It also gives the enemy something easy to kill in your warband. But it could be fun.

7. This is just the starting base - my initial drive is to add as many Boyz as possible (going for 19), at least with clubs, and with bows as I have the gold crowns (spend as much as possible between turns - invest don't save!). Again per Mordheimer's advice, I leave my henchmen in separate groups until I have my six heroes - in one campaign, I had two of the five henchmen roll The Lad's Got Talent after the second game! In the next campaign, I had to wait many turns (around 6 or so) before I had six heroes. As I come across found items my heroes can use, I'll keep them, but won't go out of my way to purchase them - the additional orc bodies are just too useful to pass them by.

I'm just starting Mordheim, this is my first attempt at a list.

Marienburger Pirates (9 Man)

Captain (105)
Sword
Duelling Pistol
helmet

2 Champion (140)
Duelling Pistol
Sword

2 Youngbloods (50)
Sword

4 Swordmasters (240)
Pistol
Sword

(All with free daggers)

65 crown left over - thinking of trying to fit either some higher strength weapons and/or more duelling pistols. Or just use it to replenish fallen warriors early or buy rare items early (Thinking Cathayan Silk and lucky charm for the Capo). Maybe just throw in another swordsmaster though.

Any comments and criticism appreciated

Back-Up Ninja: As stylish as that warband will look, I think a couple of guys with longer ranged weapons would be beneficial to support the combat guys.

Dropping 1 Swordsman and combining that with the spare gold in your stash would allow you to get 3 Marksmen with Longbows (120) with 5gc spare to save up to buy them a close combat weapon at some point. Those 3 long range guys would still be mobile if need be in comparison to crossbows or handguns.

If you wanted to stick with the gunpowder theme then you could take 2 Marksmen with Handguns. Although they can only fire every 2nd turn, you could take the opportunity to move to a new shooting position while reloading.


Wyldhunt: Personally, I think Greenskin bands need plenty models to give you some redundancy when models fail animosity. Therefore I favour option 3 and add some more models. However, you may only have 1 squig per goblin so you will need to find more gold in order to buy another gobbo before you can include a 2nd squig.

@catferret: The Minderz rule does say that each Cave Squig must remain within 6" of a Goblin to remain under control, but there is no wording that says each Goblin can only control one Cave Squig, or that I can recruit only one Cave Squig per Goblin in my warband.

Yes, the Orcs do need models to offset Animosity, which is a reason I drive for more models after the beginnnig 9. However, Animosity doesn't hit often, and my tactics take Animosity into consideration (for one thing, I spread my henchmen among my heroes), so I haven't found it especially limiting at the start of a campaign.

@Back-Up Ninja: very colorful list! I do agree with catferret's practicality suggestions. However, I would just go with bows on all henchmen over pistols - unfortunately, regular pistol range is just too short. Then I would get a second Duelling Pistol for the Captain and Champions. If you have some left after that, more helmets for heroes can help, or get a second sword for your Swordsmen.

Choice of Warriors Section. Cave Squigs. "You may never have more cave squigs in your warband than you have goblin warriors."

And there we have it - thanks! You know, this really is the primary reason I'm on this forum - there are so many little rules in disparate locations that it's hard to keep the load in memory...

For my Pirates,

Would dropping one of the swordsmen for a pair of marksmen with blunderbusses be a good ranged support option.Leaves me with a healthy 15 crowns just in case, unless i arm the marksmen with axes or clubs.