Newbie ?s about hired hands and pistols

Hello! My friend, who is a long-time WFB player, wanted to get into a skirmish game recently, so we have started Mordheim. I have painted GW models before, but never played their games (mostly a boardgames player/Heroscape for minis). I have been working through the rules and we have played 2 games so far, but I have a few questions. (My all-melee Pit Fighters got whipped pretty good, so I'm starting a Skaven warband now).

My questions:

Hired Hands do not count toward the total warband limit, but they count in battle. Do they add an exploration die after the battle? If yes, the beggar then gives 2 dice, but if no, the beggar is the only one to add an exploration die, right?

My leader has a brace of pistols and 2 attacks (my friend let me start with some XP with the warband, and I rolled an extra attack). However, I can only shoot one pistol once each round unless I get a skill, right? If I do get a skill to shoot both in the same round, do I have to shoot at the same model with both, or can I shoot once, see if I knock down+ him, then shoot someone else? Is there any other way to attack multiple times in the shooting phase?

As far as close combat is concerned, when I charge (with both pistols loaded), I can do my choice of the following:

A. Shoot both pistols in round 1, then switch to melee weapons for the following rounds.

B. Shoot both pistols in round 1, then use them as clubs in the following rounds (though I believe this is a common house rule, not an official one).

C. Shoot one pistol and use one melee weapon in round 1, shoot the other pistol and use the melee weapon in round 2, then use two melee weapons in the following rounds.

D. Don't bother with the pistols and just use a melee weapon or weapons.

Thanks for your help!

Only Heroes can search after the battle, Hired swords are not heroes.

A. if you have the pistolier skill.
B. there is no such offical rule.
C. maybe. there are a lot of topic in the forum search for them.
D. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks for the answers! I searched around the forums and gathered what I thought I saw, but this helps a lot.

Quote :

A. Shoot both pistols in round 1, then switch to melee weapons for the following rounds.

B. Shoot both pistols in round 1, then use them as clubs in the following rounds (though I believe this is a common house rule, not an official one).

C. Shoot one pistol and use one melee weapon in round 1, shoot the other pistol and use the melee weapon in round 2, then use two melee weapons in the following rounds.

D. Don't bother with the pistols and just use a melee weapon or weapons.

A. Any one with 2 pistols may shoot them both in the first round of hand to hand. The Pistoleir skill is a shooting skill which allows two pistols to be shot in the same shooting phase. Pistolier has no effect on melee. See the Pistolier skill.

B. We use this house rule, but it is a house rule.

C. This would be a house rule, it is specifically prohibited by the official rules. There are a lot of topics because pistols are kind of wonky.

D. Pistols are very handy in melee, but usually at the beginning of a campaign. That S4 attack can be a difference maker for humans fighting almost anything.

Thanks for those clarifications Von Kurst!

A. Yeah I mistaken my bad sorry.
D. keeping some sort of cheap ranged weapon is not a bad idea. If enemies are close and warriors can not run or charge an enemy because it can be intercepted, over all cant reach his target, its beacome an option to at least try to wound it with a ranged weapon.