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

I have a suggestion which can help with the speed skill scale high surface. Instead or until you can get it use ladders.

Ladders (small/large) 5/10 gc Common/Rare 5

Small ladders have a length of up to 3”, large ladders are longer than 3”

it is from border town burning....

Athanatosz wrote:

I have a suggestion which can help with the speed skill scale high surface. Instead or until you can get it use ladders.

Ladders (small/large)            5/10 gc  Common/Rare 5

Small ladders have a length of up to 3”, large ladders are longer than 3”

it is from border town burning....

Interesting idea, although I doubt my group will be using Border Town Burning rules. I'd also probably just use a rope & hook instead - less cumbersome. I guess ladders have the benefit of allowing henchmen to use them afterwards, which could be situationally useful to attack an entrenched enemy in a building. In that situation I'd probably just let them stay there though, and rely on my crossbows/toughness/numbers to win a missile war.

So, this is the Dwarf warband I played during my last campaign, and it worked quite well. We used some house rules, most important the -1 to impact when dualwielding, +1 to AS when using a shield+hand weapon, +1 to parry when having higher WS, critics needed to be confirmed with a 4+ roll, and no need to start near a wall in order to climb it.

It's a close combat focused setup, fairly conventional but with some additions for development during mid campaign. Most people I've met seem to play Dwarfs in Mordheim like they play Fanstasy, dig a hole and shoot, but I think they perform better as close combat warband with some mid range support:

noble:        hammer+brace of pistols  (118gc)
engineer:    hammer+brace of pistols  (83gc)
slayer:       hammer                         (53gc)
slayer:       hammer                         (53gc)

1 clansmen:   hammer                       (43gc)
4 beardlings:  hammer                       (28gc each)

halfing                                            (15gc)
arabian merchant                              (20gc)


That makes quite a big starting Dwarf warband, 11 guys (9 for selling wyrdstone purposes). I dropped usual nice starting equipment choices as dwarf axes, and that's when the arab merchant comes to play. With their +1 to wyrdstone when exploring, Dwarfs are one of the safest warbands to start with hired swords, and the 15gc unkeep halfing+merchant have is totally affordable, specially if you use the merchant during the first games to buy dwarf axes, this guy pays for itself. They are 2 extra bodies for a small cost. Halfing is super cost effective (and my favourite hired sword), but his role in this band should be mobility rather than sniping, so go for leap and maybe even sprint over shooting if he earns skills. He will be making more damage to the enemy achieving mission objectives than actual shooting... unless he ears BS as first advance, then go for quick shoot. Not a big loose if he dies, so be bold using him.

Both, noble and engineer carry brace of pistols to support close combat from mid range. Eagle eyes should be the first choice when a skill is avaliable, and they will start to kick-ass. A popular variant is give a crossbow to the engineer, but I like to keep the band as a compact group with the halfling as a free roamer, dwarfs loose their huge resilience in CC as soon as they are outnumbered. Engineer makes a slow development sniper with his starting 10exp and BS3, and I don't like to give him that role unless I'm playing a long campaign.

Depending of the advances they get, I give slayers dwarf axes or halberds... a slayer with dual dwarf axes + Master of blades is nasty as tank, and halberd + Strike to injure is allways nice as counter charge if the slayer has more than one attack.

I didn't hire any thunderers, because with BS3 and no cheap long range weapons, they are super expensive slow development snipers (65gc, while a muuuch better tilean costs 60 for 3 games). So I focused on cost effective beardlings and one clansman, because with WS4 he can still carry dual weapons and impact on 4+ most foes... and the chance of him becoming a hero is always there.

I ended up being lucky with the advances, and they performed great. Noble ended as a BS6+eagle eyes headshot killing machine, and from mid range safety he wasn't taken OoA a single time. I got an extra hero in the second game, so I ruled the exploration and economy side quite soon, specially with the help of the merchant and the Resource hunter skill I got for the engineer after Eagle eyes. From that moment my warband grew fast and nice equipment started to make my heroes much more useful, making up two flaws Dwarfs have as a band, heroes don't start that great for their cost, and their low numbers makes them be outnumbered most times in CC. Since the merchant got a bodyguard really soon, I didn't get rid of him, but my initial plan was leaving him away as soon as he fullfilled his role, and hiring a tilean marksmen or pitfighter depending of my needs. Dwarfs usually shine at late campaign if they survive enough, but this band was really strong after just 3 games, I think it's a good setup for short and normal campaigns.

Tomorrow I will start a new campaign, with Marienburg this time. We will play with some nice territory conquest rules, let's see how they perform.

Reikland Mercenaries:

I am new to Mordheim, but have played plenty of Necromunda and there seems to be a some overlap.

My idea with this warband is to have a lot of dudes, plenty marksmen and pistols!
I am considering downgrading the marksmen to bows to give me a little more gold to upgrade weapons on my heroes and or even giving the marksmen a hand weapon.
If I downgrade the marksmen to bows I could give the Captain a brace of duelling pistols and the marksmen a hammer or mace or even just an extra dagger. Then I would later change the marksmen to crossbows and longbows, so the downgrade will be a little wasted. So some feedback would be appreciated.

My long term plan is to have plenty of pistols on all heroes, replacing hammers with swords - maybe giving the hammers to marksmen, at least one Champion with strongman and a 2H weapon. Get my warband to 15 members.

Mercenary Captain 60
-Hammer or Mace 3
-Duelling pistol 25

Champions 35
-Hammer or Mace 3
-Duelling pistol 25

Champions 35
-Hammer or Mace 3
-Duelling pistol 25

Youngbloods 15
-Hammer or Mace 3

Youngbloods 15
-Hammer or Mace 3

Heroes: 250

2 Marksmen w/Longbows 80
2 Marksmen w/Longbows 80
2 Swordsmen w/Sword 90

Henchmen: 250

Nice warband. Starting with dueling pistols on the Captain and Champions might be a good idea. I do like the longbows better than bows, just for the extra range with those BS4 Marksmen. Get your shots in early and often.

Agree it's a solid shooty list, and longbows are a must for Reiklanders. Dropping the 2 swordsmen for 3 warriors is also an option, to have expendable meat to take and intercept charges, but swordsmen are OK.

One thing as advice, surprisingly dueling pistols work better on youngbloods than champions, because they earn advances much faster (making a good pistolier takes at least 3-4 advances, something the youblood gets with 6-8 exp points, while it takes 9-12 to a champion). Use the pistols with the champions until the youngblood earns an advance (probably after the first game). If it is R, S or A forget about pistols and go for CC specialist, but most probably is you get WS/BS or new skill. If that's the case swap equipment and choose BS or eagle eyes, and see how fast you develop a beast of a pistolier. Even with BS2, a youngblood with eagle eyes and dueling pistols will score some points, and one casualty is all a younblood needs to earn a new advance.

IMO champions work better as close combat thanks to their higher WS and L (important if you face fear causing foes). Captain with pistols is allways great to keep him safe while providing L support.

That is sound advice bitxo, we just had our first games, we ended up with a 4 warband wyrdstone hunt, with two warbands allying against me after i took out some of their guys with longbows so the Skaven warband ended up with more or less all the wyrdstones. I then had a skirmish where one of my champs suffered multiple wounds and I rolled a 6!, so he have been taken down a peg suffering 6 different injuries, none of them full recovery - he will be retired as soon as someone promotes into hero.
One of my young bloods got a WS/BS advance after that battle so I am thinking giving him BS3 and a brace of the champs guns leaving one on my leader.
Taking warriors instead of swordsmen would probably have been better with how I played them, but I am pretty happy with how it turned out.
I decided to leave the marksmen in one group instead of two which turned out to be a very good decision since I rolled a BS increase on the group, BS5 longbows will probably dominate here in the beginning before people can afford armour.
I have just enough money to get another longbow marksman and another swordsman, which will bring my warband to 13 men.

My new test "can it work?" warband:
Plaugue pranksters (Carnival of Chaos)

Max the carnival master Eye of the Gods(leader), dagger, mace
70+10+3 gc
Günter the brute, flail
60+10 gc
Jürgen the brute, flail
60+10 gc
Edmund the tainted one, Bloated Foulness, Mark of Nurgle, dagger, mace
25+40+(2*35)+3 gc
Pankraz the tainted one, Bloated Foulness, Mark of Nurgle, dagger, mace
25+40+(2*35)+3 gc

All: 499 gc

It's a bit of the gamble in the first match I hope the sheer power of the heroes could work.

Athanatosz wrote:

My new test "can it work?"...

I'm curious about how that experiment worked (why that extra 10gc for the leader BTW?). Low numbers don't usually work on Mordheim, because it's likeable you will roll less exploration dice than your rivals and won't have gold enough to buy henchmen to keep up with the other bands. But having two brutes and two R4 W3 heroes it may work, and you allways have cheap nurglings to fill after the first game.

Not worked, Sheer numbers had beaten my warband. 10gc for the leader- Eye of the Gods (+ rule form BTB in that case not worth it.)

Hey guys,

Hope I’m not Necroing too hard.

Wanted some suggestions on an Undead Warband for an upcoming campaign.

We’re using official warbands only, WYSIWYG. As well as -1 to hit w/ dual-wielding. Slings -1 multi-shots and the option rules from the back of the book.

I was planning on suggesting to group making S5/6 as the start of armour reduction.

As far as the groups go: Skaven; unsure what he is bringing; dwarves 6 models, noble with dual pistols, engineer with xbow, two slayers and two thunderers w/ xbows. Final player is Carnival of Chaos.

I’ve got two warbands I’m leaning towards any C&C is welcome.

WB#1

Undead Warband 2
Heroes
Vampire
dagger
Mace
Sword
123gc

Necromancer
dagger
Mace
38gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
Shortbow
28gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
Shortbow
28gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
23gc

Henchmen
Zombies x6
90gc

Ghoul x3
120gc

Dire Wolf
50gc

Models: 15
Rating: 103
Gold: 0

————

WB#2
Undead Warband 2
Heroes
Vampire
dagger
Mace
Sword
123gc

Necromancer
dagger
Mace
Shortbow
38gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
Shortbow
28gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
Shortbow
28gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
Shortbow
28gc

Henchmen
Zombies x6
90gc

Ghoul x4
160gc

Models: 15
Rating: 103
Gold: 0

Necro has rolled re-animation.

Thanks guys!

Welcome!

Its hard not to raise a thread from the dead these days as forums are not particularly active.


My recommendation would be to lose the zombies and add ghouls and bows. Shortbows just add insult to injury. You are unlikely to hit anything anyway, why not not hit it at 24"? (This is especially important when fighting skaven.) Also the warrior most likely to hit something is the vampire (followed by the necromancer).

I go with bows just because people don't expect the undead to shoot them so they get careless and give an Undead warband shots they would never give mercenaries or elves.

The upside of zombies is low rating and that as long as you are patient, you can mob the heck out of people. The down side is warband development is dragged way down. If you play short campaigns, or not very often, or aren't patient this will become an issue.

2 or more wolves are way better than zombies (they can keep up with a vampire.)

Finally you are playing dwarves, who will eat your zombies (or at least enjoy the experience that killing them gives.)

Welcome to the forum!

I'd definitely agree that it's worth going with more ghouls & dire wolves, & losing some zombies. They're a lot more use than zombies, which in my (admittedly limited) experience mostly just shuffle towards enemies rather than ever actually fighting. Plus, in a campaign ghouls can gain experience & advances (which is useful), while if you want to add zombies it's easier than adding ghouls or wolves.

Also the strength of ghouls & wolves makes them a good choice against those tough dwarves, & they'll be good at frightening skaven. I've never tried, but I suspect trying to get zombies to attack skaven will be frustrating.

I'd disagree with VK on the bows; I wouldn't bother at all. A BS2 dreg is unlikely to hit much, if anything, with a bow -- but they can be useful slipping in alongside henchpersons & clubbing people. I especially wouldn't try to get into a shooting match with those very shooty dwarves, or skaven, who are likely to throw rocks at you a lot. By all means add bows later in a campaign, but the starting gold is better put toward ghouls.

This'll mean starting with a smaller warband, but it's good to have some spare slots for expansion, & you might acquire zombies from dead enemies or exploration events anyway.

So taking everyone’s suggestions on. I’ve swapped out the zombies for a dire wolf. This leaves me with 10 gold which is either a bow on the Vamp or Necro or a sword for the necromancer. Also regarding the Ghouls are they better off as a single henchmen group or as groups of 1 when it comes to trying an early LGT?

Undead Warband 2
Heroes
Vampire
dagger
Mace
Sword
123gc

Necromancer
dagger
Club
38gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
23gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
23gc

Dreg
dagger
Club
23gc

Henchmen
Ghoul (4)
160gc

Dire Wolf (2)
100gc

Models: 11
Rating: 83
Gold: 10

Definitely individual groups of 1 if you're going for TLGT

I thought I'd post an idea for a lizardmen warband here. I'm working on painting up some for an ongoing campaign I have going on with a brother, a friend, and my friends son.

Here's what I was thinking:

Skink Priest
Mark of the Old Ones
Shortbow
Shield

Saurus Totem Warrior
Mark of the Old Ones
Shield
Sword
Helmet

Skink Great Crest
Mark of the Old Ones
Shortbow
Shield

Skink Great Crest
Mark of the Old Ones
Shortbow
Shield

Skink Brave
Shortbow
Dagger

Skink Brave
Shortbow
Dagger


The idea is to basically abuse the notion that Mark of the Old Ones is essentially another wound for the heroes so might as well try and get it.

The plan is to get the skink braves killed for the first couple games and just auto-rout until I've gotten enough bodies to be competitive after a couple games. Priority would be to get some Saurus Braves in the list to try and get a couple more heroes and of course the obligatory skink screen.

I don't normally play with such small starting warbands I'm a bit nervous what are everyone's thoughts?

Just as an FYI we play that shields grant an extra +1 armor save and your save can never go beyond a 6 whilst using one.

@heretical--+1 to groups of one ghoul for lad's got talent.


@ryryak--it doesn't seem like much fun, but I don't play in your group.

I like to use my numbers against this tactic to make the player pay with a hero if I can.  Never had it tried with Lizards against me, since I am usually the only Lizard guy in the group (and I really try to limit Lizards to Lustria or Khemri when I can.)

This build seems like it will slow warband development way down, since Lizards are a 4 hero warband and its likely your only choice of LGT for awhile is skinks.  If you play a longer campaign, this will matter less.

On the flip side, I have seen nearly everything work better than I thought it would, including starting with just one hero and lots of henchmen for a beastman warband.

@ryryak
@vonkurst
@rhydderch

A) Hope I got everyone’s names right.

B) Thanks for the advice should hopefully have first B report in a couple of weeks I’ll let you know how I go.

Regards,

Hello!!;
I come back from the past with a new nick name.

I have decided to represent a new Marienburg warband with my models of my Marco Colombo's army. I Will post some Photos of them when i Will arrive home from my holydays.

I have created a roster following some important things to me:

1°) i Will use the models that i like most for the warband, trying to represent as soon as possible weapons, and status (Well represented Champions And youngbloods on a first look).

2°) the roster is going to be prepared for playing a campaign, not a single match.

3°) the roster idea is not to be the most Optimus or meta-game, the idea is to create a solid warband with the 2 points posted before.

The inicial warband:

Captain: brace of duelling pistols 110

Champion: pistol And sword 60

Champion: halberd 45

Youngblood: sword 25

Youngblood: halberd 25

3 marksmen: crossbows 150

3 swordsmen: swords 135

1 elf Ranger 40

590gc

Hi folks, what do you think about my horned hunters warband :

Chef : Joseph the Wolf with sword and mace (73 go)
Priest of Taal : Horace the Owl with spear (50 go)
Initiate : Tarik the Falcon with mace, long bow and hunting arrows (78 go) - infiltration skill
Initiate : Gaïa the Weasel with mace, long bow and hunting arrows (78 go) - infiltration skill
Initiate : Jurgen the Fox with mace, long bow and hunting arrows (78 go) - infiltration skill
Drunken : Raoul the Bear with mace, mace (36 go) - immune to ld test
Drunken : Gustave the Badger with mace, mace (36 go) - immune to ld test
Warhound "Cervoise" (15 go)
Warhound "Hydromel" (15 go)
Warhound "Lambic" (15 go)
Pit Fighter (30 go)

For a total of 499go (I can switch the spear of Horace with 2 maces...)

It's a fast team (warhound and infiltration) but not very powerfull, that is why I add the pit fighter.
Thanks by advance

So I am considering trying to run some tilean's because I like the idea of having duelists and rapiers flavour rise. Thankfully the latter also seems interesting rules wise

I have come up with the following list and would appreciate any C&C folks may offer

Heroes:
Viviana da Miraglea, Captain: Rapier, Light armour, shield (100)
Largo the small, Champion: Sword (45)
Nicolo Firenze, Champion: Sword (45)
Elisabetta the young, Youngblood: Crossbow, Hammer (43)
Montes the not as young, Youngblood: Crossbow, Hammer (43)

Henchmen: (Also known as, the A-team)
Angelia, Duelist: Rapier (50)
Alanzo, Warrior: Pike, axe (42)
Amadeo, Warrior: Sword (35)
Andino, Warrior: Pike, axe (42)
Aldo, Marksman: Longbow (40)

9 models could be a little low for starting, not too sure. The pikes should help with giving extra supporting attacks to teammates whilst in relative safety and they have the axes to swap to should they get engaged. I know armour isn't very useful but It felt fitting for her to have them what with the fact that she's the boss, the head honcho, el numero uno, mr big, the godfather, lord of the rings, the bourne... identity

Anyway reference jokes aside I definitely tried to go with something a bit more themely than just straight up power with this. They are miragleans hence the youngblood crossbows. I would have liked remasens for the strength bonus but their +1 ld ability doesn't seem all that useful compared to better marksman and crossbows. My other heroes will be getting crossbows as I get more money too. Swords generally seem a good weapon with parrying and help fit the nice duelist theme whilst not having to worry about the armour bonus rapiers give.

That looks like a pretty good starting line-up. Nine isn't bad for a starting warband; I find 8-10 is typical with human warbands. & you've got ten in that list...

That said, I'm not a fan of the Tilean list in the Lustria rules. The faction bonuses all seem a bit wonky, while also being almost the same as the human mercenary lists in the rulebook. & the armourer in me revolts at the special rules for pikes & rapiers -- pikes make no sense in a skirmish, especially not in a jungle! Rapiers were BETTER at piercing armour than other swords!

Ahem. I'd recommend using the human mercenary list as a proxy for Tileans, & just count rapiers as swords, pikes as spears, then build to the theme -- stick to crossbows rather than handguns, for instance. But if you're sticking with the Tilean list, I think you've got a good starting line-up.

Rhydderch wrote:

That looks like a pretty good starting line-up. Nine isn't bad for a starting warband; I find 8-10 is typical with human warbands. & you've got ten in that list...

Well apparently I can't count...

Rhydderch wrote:

That said, I'm not a fan of the Tilean list in the Lustria rules. The faction bonuses all seem a bit wonky, while also being almost the same as the human mercenary lists in the rulebook. & the armourer in me revolts at the special rules for pikes & rapiers -- pikes make no sense in a skirmish, especially not in a jungle! Rapiers were BETTER at piercing armour than other swords!

Ahem. I'd recommend using the human mercenary list as a proxy for Tileans, & just count rapiers as swords, pikes as spears, then build to the theme -- stick to crossbows rather than handguns, for instance. But if you're sticking with the Tilean list, I think you've got a good starting line-up.

Yeah I think possibly going with a human mercenaries to represent them would be best for balance reasons... I'll be honest although I played mordheim a bit I've never really known much about fantasy lore and factions. I'll probably have a look into some of the human factions like tilea a bit more lore wise and see if they're still how'd I'd wish to go with my duelist bunch. Though trying to make Italian looking soldiers could be a bit of fun too.

I'll try and come up with a similar line-up style for regular mercs though will need to change my youngbloods as without the +1 to hit they won't be anywhere near as helpful with crossbows. Maybe I'll give them swords and let them earn their keep on the front lines with my champions


EDIT!!

Righto so take 2! I have opted to go with marienburg (because tileans seem to be pretty wealthy) for my rules and the +1 to find rare items feel befitting for shrewd mercenaries.

Viviana da Luccini; Captain; Sword, Light Armour, Shield, Bow; 105
Largo the small; Champion; Sword, Buckler; 50
Nicolo Firenze; Champion; Crossbow, Sword; 70
Elisabetta the young; Youngblood; Bow, Axe; 30
Montes the not as young; Youngblood; Hammer, Bow ; 28


Angelia; Warrior ; Spear, Buckler; 40
Alanzo; Warrior; Spear, Buckler; 40
Amadeo; Marksman; Long Bow; 40
Arianna; Marksman; Crossbow; 50
Andino; Swordsman; Sword; 45
Aldo; Swordsman; Sword; 45
Alessia; Swordsman; Sword; 45

We often use the Tilean lists, but leave off the pike as its rules have changed with the 2005 rules review and pikes don't make much sense in skirmishes...

I still haven't decided how I feel about the rapier. Just calling it a sword saves money and is easy rules wise.

I do enjoy campaigns where handguns are used, but such campaigns work best if only humans are involved (dwarfs ruin everything).

Lore-wise, Tilean mercenaries were common in the Empire during the War of the Three Emperors, when Mordheim was set. & I literally just remembered there's a Town Cryer on proxy-playing Tileans & Estalians as mercenaries. Anyway... Lore-wise, Tileans in the Old World are often mercenaries or merchants, or a bit of both, so Marienburgers makes lots of sense (both the wealth & the hard-bargaining rules).

My own Tilean warband play as Reiklanders, for the archery bonus to my crossbowmen, & are built from the old Dogs of War models. The Dogs of War rulebook is the place to go for Tilean lore, by which I mean jokes about spaghetti & far too many exclamation marks!