After seeing RobinTrevize's demonic warband it got me thinking about why and the demons would end up forming a warband and not just a huge army. So I've latched onto the idea of a few being forced through into mordheim in a severely weakened state by all the wyrdstone and the comet. They then have to take human hosts to grow before they can take on their full demonic nature. So it's sort of a cross between Demons, the Possessed and xenomorphs. Actually it's probably less xenomorph and more las plagas from resident evil 4 as it's possession as well.
Demonic Host warbandWhen the comet struck the boundaries between this world and the realm of chaos were stretched and strained so much that small fractures formed all over Mordheim forcing the pure essence of demons through into the cursed city. These demons despite being immensely powerful could not sustain their corporeal form so took Hosts and waited feeding off the tainted energy of the wyrdstone. After a few months, as bands of mercenaries from across the empire and even further afield had started to arrive in Mordheim seeking their fortunes, the demons began to emerge from their human pupa as twisted monstrosities of chaos.
The strongest began to rally the others around them to form small bands to gather more wyrdstone to bring more of their kin into this realm. For, while the walls between the realms had begun to reknit, with forbidden magics and the power of the wyrdstone the fractures in the barrier between the realms could be reopened briefly to bring forth yet more creatures of chaos. Like the first wave these second and successive waves could not maintain their form without the use of a human host to allow them to feast on the abundance of chaotic energy from the wyrdstone until they to could emerge in their true form.
Because of the exceptional circumstances that allowed these demons through to this world they were pure demons and not constrained by the human form as the possessed who came before were. While this allowed them to eventually rise to their full potential as the children of chaos their very presence in this world was controlled by the fickle winds of magic meaning they could easily lose their grip on this mortal world and be banished back to the realm of chaos forever.
Choice of warriors:A Demonic Host warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500gc available to spend.
The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 12
Herald: your warband must include 1 Herald, no more no less!
Lesser Demon: Your warband may include up to a single Lesser Demon
Half-Formed: Your warband may include up to 2 Half-Formeds
Host: Your warband may include any number of Hosts
Demonic Hound: Your warband may include up to 2 Demonic hounds
Fury: Your warband may include up to 3 Furies
Special Rules
Summoning: Demons are obviously not hired in the traditional sense so the gc cost for hiring represents the cost of the resources required to perform the magics that let them cross over to the mortal world.
Demonic: Demons are not of this world and so gain some special abilities that mere mortals do not possess but these do come at a price. Unless otherwise stated all members of the Demonic Host warband follow the rules for Demonic as outlined below.
- Immune to Poison and Drugs: All Demons are Immune to the effects of all poisons and drugs
- Immune to Psychology: They instantly pass any LD based test they are required to take due to the effects of psychology (not rout tests).
- No Pain: Demons do not feel pain as humans do and for some it is closer to the human feeling of pleasure. Demons cannot be stunned and are instead treated as knocked down as if they had made a successful helmet save.
- Cause Fear: Demons are Horrifying creatures to behold and so cause fear
- Demonic Instability: Demons are only bound to this world by the fickle power of the winds of magic and can disappear if they lose their grip on them. If a Demonic Host warband fails a rout test then every model with the Demonic special rule must pass a LD test or be instantly taken OoA.
- Demonic Aura: Due to demons magical nature they gain a degree of protection from physical harm. All Demonic creatures have a 6+ armour save against all non magical attacks that cannot be combined with other armour or modified by strength (but will be negated if no saves are allowed).
- Demon Weapons: Demonic creatures may never use any weapons or armour that are not listed in the Demonic Gifts list.
True Children of Chaos: Demons are the true children of chaos and so are not willing to interact with the lesser servants of chaos despite answering to the same masters. A Demonic Host warband will not hire any hired sword or dramatis persona that is not of a demonic nature.
Children of the Gods: Most demons are associated with one of the four chaos gods while some are agents of them all. Upon creation A Demonic host warband must decide which of the gods they wish to serve and this will give them certain special rules.
- Khorne: The Herald and Lesser Demon gain an additional Attack but may only use Axes (double or single handed) and Halberds.
- Nurgle: The Herald gains an extra wound and the Lesser Demon is at +1 Toughness but may only use blunt weapons such as hammers (double or single handed), flails or morning stars.
- Tzeench: The Herald becomes a spell caster and gains access to the chaos rituals while the Lesser Demon gains +4BS and can spit magical flames that work like a normal shooting weapon with range 10” and S3 but suffers no penalty for moving and shooting.
- Slaanesh: The Herald and Lesser Demon gain +1 Movement (over their racial maximum) and a special rule called Pain is Pleasure.
- Pain is Pleasure: Every time that the demon takes a wound (after saves) in close combat it may instantly make a single attack against the model that caused the wound (even if it was taken OoA by the wound).
Undivided: *(not quite sure what do for this one)*Starting Experience:A Herald starts with 20 experience
A Lesser Demon starts with 12 experience
A Half-Formed starts with 0 experience
Henchmen start with 0 experience
Demonic Host skill tables:Herald may choose from the Combat, Strength, Speed or Special skill lists.
Lesser Demon may choose from the Combat, Strength, Speed or Special lists.
Half-Formed may choose from the Strength or Speed lists.
Maximum characteristics
DemonM..WS...BS....S...T...W...I...A..LD
5.....8...0/6*..6...6...4...7...4...10
* = Tzeench
Half-Formeds and Hosts: use Human maximums
Demonic Gifts
HtH WEAPONSAxe (5gc)+
Sword (10gc)
Spear (10gc)*
Halberd (10gc)+
Morning star (15gc)%
Flail (15gc)%
Double Handed weapon (15gc)+%
Rapier (15gc)*
MISSILE WEAPONSNone
ARMOUR Shield (5gc)*
Light Armour (20gc)
Heavy Armour (50gc)+ %
+ = Khorne only
% = Nurgle only
* = Slaanesh only
Mortals
HtH WEAPONSDagger (1st free/2gc)
Axe (5gc)
Spear (10gc)
Double Handed Weapon (15gc)*
MISSILE WEAPONSBow (10gc)
ARMOURShield (5gc)
Helmet (10gc)
Light Armour (20gc)
* = Half-Formed only
Heroes
Herald1
95gc
M..WS..BS..S...T...W...I...A..LD
5.....5.....0...4...4...1...5...1...9
Weapons /Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Demonic Gifts list
Special rules
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6” of the Herald may use his Leadership instead of their own (not for Demonic Instability).
Demonic: As detailed in the warband special rules.
Lesser Demon0-1
50gc
M..WS..BS..S...T...W...I...A..LD
5.....4.....0...4...3...1...5...1...8
Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Demonic Gifts list
Special rules
Demonic: As detailed in the warband special rules.
Time to Grow: Lesser Demons need time to grow in their host body before they can manifest themselves in corporal form and so none can be hired after warband creation meaning that you have to promote Hosts to get more lesser Demons.
Half-FormedSometimes a demon attempts to leave their human host before they are strong enough to hold their form and end up trapped as mortal half demon half human mutants. The outward appearance of these mutants is not that unusual so these unfortunate beasts shuffle around in long black cloaks amongst the humans purchasing supplies for the Heralds to summon forth their demonic army with.0-2
30gc
M..WS..BS..S...T...W...I...A..LD
4.....3.....2...3...3...1...4...1...7
Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Mortals list
Special rules
Mortal: Half-Formeds are mostly mortal and so do not benefit from the Demonic special rule.
Part Demon: The part transformation to a demon has left the Half-Formed with some of the Demons Power. Upon recruitment but before equipment is bought roll a D6 to see how the transformation has affected the Half-Formed.
- The Half-Formed has gained some of the magical protection that demons possess. The Half-Formed now has the Demonic Aura special rule.
- The Half-Formed is blessed with some of the resilience of the demons. The Half-Formed has the No Pain special rule.
- The Half-Formed has patches of demonic flesh littering their body and is something truly horrific to behold. The Half-Formed causes fear.
- The half-Formed has some of the demons strength imbued into it. The Half-Formed now has the Mighty Blow skill from the strength skills list.
- The Half-Formed has one demonic arm that gives it incredible strength. The Half-Formed has the Strongman Special rule.
- The Half-Formed possesses all of the traits of their patron god. The Half-Formed gains the bonus that Lesser Demons get for following their god.
HenchmenHostThe hatred and pain of battle helps the demons mature inside their humanoid cocoons so they regularly enter into the numerous fights on the streets of Mordheim.0+
20gc
M..WS..BS..S...T...W...I...A..LD
4.....2.....2...3...3...1...3...1...7
Weapons/Armour: May choose weapons and armour from the Mortals list
Special Rules:
Mortal: While the demons are in their human hosts they are mortal and so do not benefit from the Demonic special rule.
Ascension: Hosts are just a shell for the demons to mature inside until they are strong enough to hold their form in this realm. When a Host gets a LGT roll a piece of wyrdstone must be spent to replace it with a newly recruited Lesser Demon hero (the Host's equipment goes to the warband's stash). This can mean that there is more than 1 Lesser Demon in the warband but there may never be more than 4 Demonic Heroes in the warband (including the Herald). If the Host cannot ascend because there are not enough hero slots left or you do not have enough wyrdstone then the host is just killed due to the uncontrolled transformation ripping both demon and host apart.
Demonic HoundThe Demonic Hounds of chaos have a much smaller essence than the lesser demons and so can be brought through from the realm of chaos whole needing only a small sacrifice to help them take form.0-2
30gc
M..WS..BS..S...T...W...I...A..LD
7.....4.....0...4...3...1...4...1...7
Weapons/Armour: Fights with claws and teeth
Special Rules
Demonic: As detailed in the warband special rules.
Simple Demons: Demonic Hounds are simple demons that do not learn from their mistakes as such they do not gain experience.
FuryLike the Demonic Hounds the relative ease with which Furies can be brought into the realm of men makes them abundant in the cursed city0-3
25gc
M..WS..BS..S...T...W...I...A..LD
3.....3.....3...3...3...1...4...1...7
Weapons/Armour: Fights with claws and teeth
Special Rules
Demonic: As detailed in the warband special rules.
Simple Demons: Furies are simple demons that do not learn from their mistakes as such they do not gain experience.
Fly: Furies may make a flight move or charge of up to 12” instead of normal movement that ignores elevation and obstacles but they cannot end their move on any impassable terrain.
Razor Claws: On the turn that a Fury charges it may make an additional attack.
Special Skills
Gift of the gods: Depending on their god the hero receives a different gift.
- Collar of Khorne: The Collar grants a 4+ save against the effects of all magic targeted against them.
- Nurgle’s Pustules: The pustules that litter the demons body are filled with thousands of tiny insects that swarm around the demon when it is attacked causing all enemies to be at -1 to hit in close combat.
- Tzeenches robes: The robes grant visions of the future allowing the wearer D2 rerolls per game provided they are not wearing any armour.
- Slaanesh’s Armlets: The armlets are covered in thousands of tiny razor sharp barbs that inflict huge amounts of pain to the wearer and increases the strength of all attacks from Pain is Pleasure by 1.
Demonic Vigour: The armour save provided by any suit of armour worn by this demon is increased by 1.
Eternal Hatred: The demon is so fixated on the destruction of all life that they hate all enemies.
Weapon of the Gods: The demons weapons gain a different blessing depending on their god that they serve.
- Khorne: The demon’s weapons are wickedly sharp and so all attacks are at +1 to injure.
- Nurgle: The demon’s weapons secrete a sticky and noxious fluid that means that all weapons count as being coated in Black locust.
- Tzeench: The demon’s weapons hum with magical energy which means that all attacks in close combat will cause criticals on a 5-6 not just a 6.
- Slaanesh: The demon and their weapons flicker and shift in and out of this realm meaning that their charges cannot be intercepted.
Rooted to this World: (leader only) Any demon within 12” of the leader (including the leader) when the warband routs may reroll their Demonic instability test if they fail it (although you may only reroll once).