Newish Warband: Mercenaries of Nuln

But only the sisters are official. I have played them and would have liked some more variety, even if they do have good henchwomen .

Two henchmen will do as long as there is variety between them. A gunner and a warrior should have enough distinction depending on hero and equipment options.

If you have a group I suggest getting together with them and discussing the list to ensure they are 100% ok with it as they will be the ones you use it with.

Here is my updates to the equipment lists and a few other things. Mostly they are trimmed back abit now .... which in turn helps the likes of Gunners (returned for the moment) and Pistoliers specialise.

NULN MERCENARY EQUIPMENT LIST

Hand-to-hand Weapons
Dagger - 1st Free/2gc
Mace - 3gc
Axe - 3gc
Sword - 10gc
Spear - 10gc
Halberd - 10gc
Morning Star - 15gc
Double-handed Weapon - 15gc

Missile Weapons
Pistol - 10gc/20gc for Brace
Dueling Pistol - 20gc/40gc for Brace
Crossbow - 25gc (I still feel dubious about dropping it, as the gunpowder only limit seems rather harsh even for Nuln).
Handgun - 30gc

Armour
Light Armour - 20gc
Heavy Armour - 50gc
Shield - 5gc
Buckler - 5gc
Helmet - 5gc

GUNNERY EQUIPMENT LIST

Hand-to-hand Weapons
Dagger - 1st Free/2gc
Mace - 3gc
Axe - 3gc
Sword - 10gc

Missile Weapons
Pistol - 10gc/20gc for Brace
Dueling Pistol - 20gc/40gc for Brace
Blunderbuss - 25gc
Handgun - 30gc
Hochland Long Rifle - 150gc

Armour
Light Armour - 20gc
Shield - 5gc
Buckler - 5gc
Helmet - 5gc

Miscellaneous
Horse - 40gc * Pistoliers Only

ENGINEER EQUIPMENT LIST

Hand-to-hand Weapons
Dagger - 1st Free/2gc
Mace - 3gc
Axe - 3gc
Sword - 10gc
Halberd - 10gc
Flail - 15gc

Missile Weapons
Pistol - 10gc/20gc for Brace
Dueling Pistol - 20gc/40gc for Brace
Repeater Pistol - 30gc (Thinking of disallowing braces) / 30+2D6gc, Rare 11
Handgun - 30gc
Repeater Handgun - 50gc / 50+3D6gc, Rare 11
Blunderbuss - 25 gc
Grenade Launching Blunderbuss - 50gc / 50+3D6gc, Rare 12

Armour
Light Armour - 20gc
Buckler - 5gc
Helmet - 5gc

Miscellaneous
Superior Blackpowder - 30gc
Compass - 45gc
Telescope - 75gc
Pigeon Bombs - ?gc
Mechanical Steed - 200gc *Master Engineers Only

Other than that I've tweaked the names (Mercenary Captain and Sergeant of Arms now).

Now I've been considering the Master Engineers special ability, possibly playing off his Warhammer 'Master of Ballistics' skill, thought maybe just copy the Dwarf Engineer's Expert Weaponsmith ability? But I don't really want to take away from the Dwarves if I can help it.

Perhaps a single warrior who has line of sight to a target the Engineer also has line of sight to can reroll their to hit roll for shooting ... the Engineer can only spot for one in this way ... and can/can't(?) spot for himself.

My special rules for some of the weapons. Based alot on the rules from Gunnery School of Nuln.

Repeater Handgun (50+3D6 gc / Rare 11)

Maximum Range: 24”; Strength: 4;
Special Rules: Multi-shot, Move or Fire, Save Modifier, Experimental

SPECIAL RULES
Multi-shot: The repeater handgun’s multiple barrels allow it to hold more than one shot at a time; it may fire every turn with no need to prepare the shot like a regular handgun. Alternatively the repeater handgun may fire up to three times in a shooting phase at a -1 to hit.

If one does fire more than one shot in a turn than they must spend an entire turn doing nothing else (including moving, fighting, etc) in order to reload the repeater handgun.

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

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

Experimental: Repeater handguns are even more volatile and unpredictable than regular blackpowder weapons.



Repeater Pistol (35+2D6 gc / Rare 11)

Maximum Range: 6”; Strength: 4;
Special Rules: Multi-shot, Save Modifier, Hand-to-hand, Just the One, Experimental

SPECIAL RULES
Multi-shot: The repeater pistol’s multiple barrels allow it to hold more than one shot at a time; it may fire every turn with no need to prepare the shot like a regular handgun. Alternatively the repeater pistol may fire up to three times in a shooting phase at a -1 to hit.

If one does fire more than one shot in a turn than they must spend an entire turn doing nothing else (including moving, fighting, etc) in order to reload the repeater pistol.

Save Modifier: Repeater 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: Repeater pistols can be used in hand-to-hand combat as well as for shooting. A model armed with a repeater pistol and another close combat weapon gains +1 Attack, which is resolved at Strength 4 with -2 save modifier. This bonus attack can be used only once per combat. You may alternatively gain +3 Attacks, which are resolved at Strength 4 with a -2 save modifier but at a -2 to hit penalty and must spend a whole turn doing nothing else to reload the repeater pistol (As Multi-shot above).

Just the One: The weight and recoil of a repeater pistol makes it to impractical (and wrist shattering) to use two at once in a brace. You may only carry one repeater pistol at a time.

Experimental: Repeater pistols are even more volatile and unpredictable than regular blackpowder weapons. A repeater pistol is always subject to the optional blackpowder weapon misfires table (Page 164 of the Mordheim Rulebook).


Grenade Launching Blunderbuss (50+3D6 gc / Rare 12)

Maximum Range: 16”; Strength: 6;
Special Rules: Explosive Blast, Fire Once, Experimental

SPECIAL RULES
Explosive Blast: The blunderbuss’ payload explodes on impact, not only damaging the target but those nearby. If successfully hit resolve a Strength 6 attack on the target, also any models in base to base contact with the target automatically take a Strength 3 hit.

Fire Once: It takes a very long time to load the grenade launching blunderbuss so it may only be fired once per battle.

Experimental: Grenade launching blunderbusses are even more volatile and unpredictable than regular blackpowder weapons. A grenade launching blunderbuss is always subject to the optional blackpowder weapon misfires table (Page 164 of the Mordheim Rulebook).

Hope the triple post is ok, I've came up with the follow skills available to the Master Engineer and Apprentice Engineer, tell me how they look.

Spotter
The engineer has been schooled in the ways of ballistics and artillery and is adept at spotting targets afar and giving accurate directions to best hit said target. At the beginning of your turn you may have the engineer elect an enemy model within his line of sight to be ‘spotted’. The engineer may do nothing else that turn but all allies gain a +1 to hit with shooting attacks against the spotted target.

Tinker
It is a common trait amongst engineers to be ever tinkering with devices in an attempt to further improve them, though not always successful, this can often have beneficial results. At the start of battle you may select a single missile weapon (only those normally available to Mercenaries of Nuln) and attempt to have the engineer improve it, roll a D6 and consult the table below.

D6 Result
1 Oops: The engineers meddling has left weapon unusable, he can repair it but it will take one battle to do so. The weapon cannot be used in the following battle.
2 Long Range: The maximum range of the weapon is increased by 4”.
3 Armour Piercing: The weapon gains an additional -1 modifier against opponent’s armour saving throws.
4 Accuracy: When firing this weapon the warrior gains a +1 to hit.
5 Extra Punch: The weapons strength is increased by +1.
6 Deadly: Add +1 to all rolls on the injury table for those wounded by this weapon.

The improvements only last for the duration of a single battle (They require to much maintenance to last long term) and a weapon can only have a single improvement at a time.

Extensive Tester
The engineer is especially cautious with his devices, thoroughly testing them or simply knowing their quirks and how to avoid catastrophe. An engineer with this skill ignores the ‘Experimental’ special rules. They may also reroll the results to see if a Mechanical Steed can participate in an upcoming battle via the ‘Malfunctioning Mount’ special rule.

Wyrdstone Science
The mysteries of wyrdstone are endless though many seek to unlock them, the engineer has devoted his study to this dangerous art. You may sacrifice a single piece of wyrdstone at the end of each battle in order to roll on the table below.

D6 Result
1 The engineer comes down ill from his experiments (The fumes got to him) and must miss the next battle.
2-3 The research is inconclusive, the piece of wyrdstone is wasted and the engineer finds themselves no closer to uncovering its secrets.
4-5 Success! The engineer manages to make a breakthrough in his studies, he gains 1 experience.
6 Eureka! A miraculous discovery, the engineer may choose to gain D3 experience, or if they know magic (Say if they have the skill Arcane Lore and a Tome of Magic) they may generate a new spell, or finally if they have the Tinker skill they may make one improvement permanent (And may reroll the ‘Oops’ result). Remember a weapon may only ever have one improvement at a time, even if it is permanent.

I was also considering a 'Sapper' or 'Siege Warfare' skill they aids somehow in attacking foes in buildings, but not sure yet (or if to not improve it at all).

I'm mostly worried about Tinker and Wyrdstone Science as I'm not sure how well they balance.

So... where's the Powder Monkey, hmmm?

Opheliate wrote:

So... where's the Powder Monkey, hmmm?

`

Heh, I may have missed some things, simply going off second hand Empire knowledge somewhat (at least of the most current ones).

Whats the Powder Monkey do?

Well, nothing I think, but its a cool model! (You get it with the Empire Handgunners/Crossbowmen plastic kit. A little monkey with a blackpowder barrel under his arm).

He COULD, however, be used as a "Warhound" if you can find one

The powder monkey is a cool idea, make him into a helper for reloading faster or make him able to reload something like a blunderbuss once per game.
I still think that your normal handguns are too expensive. They are worse than crossbows but cost more - and you don´t have anything that makes more than one of them at a time better.

To counteract the handguns being worse than crossbows, the Powder Monkey (here we go again!) could be like this...

Powder Monkey (0-2)

M 5
Ws 2
Bs 0
S 2
T 2
W 1
I 4
A 1
Ld 6

Special Rules:

Black Powder Keg - Any friendly warriors within 4" of the Powder Monkey count as being equippped with Superior Black Powder.

Explosive - If the Powder Monkey is hit by fire or black powder weapon attacks, roll a D6. On a 4+, the keg of gunpowder explodes, taking the Powder Monkey OOA, and dealing a S4 hit to all models within 4" of the monkey.

Animal - The Powder Monkey cannot gain experience.

Equipment - The Powder Monkey cannot be equipped with weapons, but does not suffer any negative modifiers for fighting unarmed.

How bout that???

Horatius wrote:

The powder monkey is a cool idea, make him into a helper for reloading faster or make him able to reload something like a blunderbuss once per game.
I still think that your normal handguns are too expensive. They are worse than crossbows but cost more - and you don´t have anything that makes more than one of them at a time better.

Guess I was abit dubious about adding to many advantages after my list was accused of already being overpowered. But yes, I'm to consider something, a warband rule like Reilklander Leadership/Marksmen ... or something that provides an advantage somewhere, but don't want to make it to powerful. Giving everyone Hunter seems abit much honestly .... thinking maybe they get a +1 to hit the first time they fire a handgun in a battle maybe? Or reroll to hit rolls. Perhaps they have the equavelent of 'Nimble' but only when using handguns?