Brainstorming Ideas for Proxy Cannibal Warrband

Greetings,

I had an idea for a Cannibal warband. I would like to Proxy the Undead warband. (just brainstorming at this point) I’m looking for ideas on how to rewrite the Fluff and names without changing the rules or stats, to keep the balance. The thought was to have a crazed warband that mostly doesn’t use weapons and armor.

The part I’m having some issues with is converting/explaining the “Undead” and “No pain” aspects to living creatures. The “no pain” could be described as “The continual consumption of human, demon, and unclean flesh, found in Morheim, has made them crazed. Their sense to pain has dulled to be hardly noticeable.”

What other ideas would you all have on how to put something like this together? Or what other warbands would be better to Proxy and why?

Have you looked at the survivors of Strigos warband from the Sylvania setting? That seems to be a good fit for a cannibal warband with a Strigoi leader, Domnu (Dregs) as humans that have recently resorted to cannibalism and Ghoul henchmen.

I've seen an 'All Ghoul' undead warband, which proxied easily enough. A Strigoi Vampire with massive claws which counted as a pair of sword or axes (i forget which). The 'dregs' were armed with primitive versions of weapons (like a 'club' that was obviously a man's leg). A suitably depraved-looking necromancer fitted right in. Ghouls for henchmen, & an extra-mad ghoul on all-fours counted as a Dire Wolf. So I think that'd probably be a good fit for cannibals too.

I think you've about got it right with the No Pain rule; I did the same thing for a 'Masochist' character in a Slaaneshi Cult warband. 'Immune to Psychology' is covered by them being mad cannibals -- so is 'Cause Fear', because who wouldn't fear the flesh-eating maniac? I think 'Immune to Poison' can be explained through something like "Continual consumption of the foulest meat has left the warrior with a constitution that can survive anything. The warrior is not affected by any poison."

In this situation, I suppose the 'heroes' would mostly be those cannibals who still have the mental strength to use even basic tools, which could explain why the Necromancer & Dregs don't get those special rules. If you used Zombies, I suppose those are the maddest, shuffling degenerates, oblivious to anything except the smell of meat. Dire Wolves could be replaced with the Wardogs from the Witch Hunters list as a less overtly undead substitute. OR, you make them terrible tormented creatures the cannibals have... maybe stolen from a noble's menagerie, & now use as attack-beasts. Spoilers for Brotherhood of the Wolf, but like in that film.

Citizen Sade's suggestion of the Survivors of Strigos seems a good one too; it's largely an adaptation of the Rulebook Undead list, adjusted for a savager breed of Vampire. It also has the advantage of moving away from Necromantic Magic, which would be tough to explain in a non-undead cannibal warband.

The only alternative that I can think of just now is to use Orc rules, emphasising the brute-force aspect. Animosity rules reflect their tendency to turn on each other when hungry. But that seems a less appealing option, to my mind, than Undead (or Strigos), given you'd end up excluding a lot of the fun Orc & Goblin options, like Squigs.

The Fallen from Relics of The Crusades might also be a good fit. They would barely need a coat of paint, let alone the serial numbers being filed off.

The leader is standard Mordheim vampire, but the rest of the heroes are normal humans and they get ghouls and wardogs as henchmen. Also undead giant vultures, but you don't really need those if you don't want them. Also, the leader and the butcher get the 'eater of flesh' special rule, which is very much on-brand for a cannibal warband.