PROJECT:  MERCENARIES

Author's Notes: (edited)

These rules are not handed down by ______, but are here to be used and modified as you wish. If you want to field say, Celtic army, just contact me, and I will send you all required adjustements. But, above all, remember the first rule of gaming: HAVE FUN!

-Longsword

General Rules

Hobgoblin Mercenaries

Celtic Mercenaries

Skaven Mercenaries

GENERAL RULES

1. Including Mercenaries in your force: You may add mercenaries into your army by paying their point cost from the allies point cost allowance. Important: you may only include one character plus one war machine for each unit in your mercenay contingent. The reason for this is that you hire mercenaries as bands, not as individuals. It also stops people fielding mercenary bands made out of War Machines and Characters exclusively. Champions do NOT count as characters in this aspect.

2. Characters, Standard Bearers, & Musicians: Mercenaries can field standards and musicians as normal. You can buy any character from the mercenary contigent list that you want, and you do not have to buy any lord character unless you want to. You must still buy one character to act as a mercenary commander.

3. Professionalism: Mercenaries are hardened warriors, who are used to the grim realities of war. They know full well that far more troops are killed when they turn to flee than durning the actual melee. To represent this, all mercenary forces may add +1 to their break tests. Also, when mercenary units/characters lose the combat by 1 point they don`t even have to take the break test. Victorious enemies can still lap around them, though. Also, mercenaries know what breaking the orders means, so they never pursue fleeing enemy, unless you want them to do so. No Ld test is required. Frenzied pursuit fleeing enemy as normal.

4. Mercenary Leaders: Mercenaries are loyal only to their own commanders, not to the leader of their employers. Mercenaries gain no benefits from your army General`s leadership (Ld) or from your Battle Standard. Instead, you must appoint one character in your mercenary force to act as your mercenary Commander. If two or more characters have the same Ld score, then you can choose which character is your Commander. All mercenaries from his mercenary contigent can use his Ld score within 12". The same rules apply to your army`s Battle Standard. Mercenaries gain no benefits from your Battle Standard (they might actually laugh at it when you are not watching), but they may bring their own Battle Standard if it is so indicated in the mercenary contigent list. Mercenaries may use this Battle Standard as normal.

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HOBGOBLIN MERCENARIES

Hobgoblins of the far north, the lords of the steppes, are much like the mongols were in our own world in the ages past: feared, hated and powerful. Their numberless hordes are most unwelcome in the Old World. Hobgoblin Hegemony, the empire of the Hobgobla Khan, is the largest kindom in the Known World. The tribe of Mournguls have conquered great parts of Cathaya, Border Princes and the dwarf masters. These hobgoblins are a truly different breed than the lowly slaves of the Chaos Dwarfs. Mournguls and their allies are warriors almost equal to orcs, and the Great Horde, the army of the Hobgobla Khan, is by far the most numerous army in the Warhammer World. Sometimes a powerful Khan falls from the favour of "da overboss" and is banished with his followers, or the Great Khan might send some troops to spy for new kindoms to conquer. These bands readily take employment as mercenaries. NOTE: Hobgoblins suffer from animosity as other greenskins.

May Use:
Orcs & Goblins, Dark Elves and Chaos Dwarfs may use Hobgoblin mercenaries.

CHARACTERS:

Equipment:
Hand weapon. Any character except champion may be given equipment as indicated in the Orcs & Goblins army book.

May Ride:
Hobgoblin characters (apart from the champions) may ride a monster or a hobhound (+10 points).

Magic Items:
1 for a Champion, 2 for a Pasha, and 3 for a Khan.

MERCENARY BATTLE STANDARD............80 points.

Standards carried by the hobgoblins are religious standards, and thus very important to hobgoblins.

Equipment:
Hand weapon and a battle standard. Battle standard bearer may be equipped as other greenskinned characters. (See Orcs & Goblins army book)

Magic Items:
Battle Standard bearer may carry a single magic item. This may be a magic standard.

May Ride:
Battle Standard bearer may ride a hobhound (+10 points).

Special:
If Battle Standard bearer is killed, any unit that accompanied him will be affected by the rules of frenzy.

HOBGOBLIN SHAMANS

Equipment:
Hand weapon. May be given additional equipment in the same way as Orcs & Goblins.

May Ride:
A shaman may ride a monster (see Orcs & Goblins army book), or a hobhound at +10 points.

Magic Items:
As standard.(eg. 1 for shaman, 2 for shaman champion, etc.)

Spells:
Hobgoblin shamans may use Waaagh and Bright magic spells. They must take WAAAGH tests as other greenskinnned warriors.

UNITS

Mournguls................................8 points per model.

Mournguls are the warrior elite of the Hobgoblin empire. Savage and powerful fighters, they often form the bodyguard of the mercenary commander.

Equipment:
Hand weapon and light armor.

Options:
Mournguls may carry shields at +1 points per model, double-handed weapons at +2 points per model, or spear at +1 points per model. Mournguls may carry a magic standard.

Hobhound handlers...............................6 points per model
1-6 Hobhounds per handler............at 10 points per model

Hobhounds are horrible creatures about the size of ponies, capable of rending a fully armored man limb from a limb. The closeness of the Chaos Wastes causes many mutations on these Steppe-living creatures. Two heads or iron spines are not uncommon.

Equipment:
Each handler carries a hand weapon.

Options:
None.

Warriors.................................................5 points per model

These are your "standard" hobgoblin tribesman: dressed in goatskins, drinking spirits and wielding saw-edged weapons. Their numbers are beoynd count.

Equipment:
Hand weapons.

Options:
Any unit may have spear (+1 point), shields (+1 point), light armor (+2 points). One unit may have double-handed weapons at +2 points per model.

0-1 Units of Hobhound riders.....................34 points per model.

These are the cream of the Hobgoblin Horde. Mounted upon the dreaded Hobhounds, they strike terror to hearts of anybody daring to defy the might of the North.

Equipment:
Spears, light armor, shields.

Options:
Hobhound riders may be equipped with bows at the additional cost of +4 points per model. Hobhound riders may carry a magic standard.

Human slaves................................3 points per model

These wretched men were once proud and free-spirited men and women of the far north, until they came under the iron rule of the Khan of all Khans. They compose of wide variety of nationalities, including Kislevites, men of the Empire, and Cathayans.

Equipment:
A hand weapon.

Options:
Slaves can be given shields at +1/2 points per model. They may be equipped with slings at +1/2 points per model.

Special:
Slaves must always be led by a Hobgoblin character. If this character is killed or leaves the unit for any reason, the slaves switch sides! They can be used by the hobgoblin`s opponent from that moment and never switch back to the side of the hobgoblins. This character may be a hobgoblin champion if you wish.

WAR MACHINES

Chaos Dwarf Cannons.................................105 points per model

Hobgoblin Khans often hire Chaos Dwarf engineers to give some badly needed support for their green masses. These cannons tend to be crude but effective. Use the standard rules for cannons.

Equipment:
Three crew with hand weapons and heavy armor.

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THE CELTIC WARRIOR MERCENARY BANDS

Celts are a savage and war-like breed of humans who inhabit the great island of Albion, and to a lesser extent, the smaller sister island, Morien. Celts are very loosely related to each other, and their only common thing is the reverence of the Mother Goddess Danu. Also, the druids and the skalds, the celtic bards, are revered in all Albion. Otherwise, the tribes wage war against each other, and plunder their brother celts quite happily. There are countless tribes that vary in size and physical charavteristics as well as in the level of their civilization and technique, but there are three major Houses. First, there is the Kindom of Tirnan, the most advanced and powerful of all celtic kindoms. These people who live in the lowlands of the Albion are propably foreing origin, as their blond hair, tall bodies and steel weapons would suggest. They call themselves the Norrans, though many tribes subjucated by them call them by many other names that shall not be written here. Second great tribe are the Scaths, fierce berserker warriors, who inhibit the norther parts of Albion. These warriors are famous for their prowess in battle, habit of bringing great deal of musicians with them to the field, and odious sacraficial rites to Danu. Thirdly, the people of Morien are a hardy, grim breed. They suffer from the attentions of their celtic cousins in the form of pirate ships. Because of this, the kings of Morien tend to be warriors rather than scholars, and many a pirate ship has been lost to the treacherous coast of Morien. It is impossible to give accurate descriptions of all the lesser tribes, but few of these deserve a special look. Dark Tribes are a small coalition of warriors. These maniacs belive that they are blessed by the war-god Crom-Cruarch, and that they are invincible. They paint their skin black and walk slowly towards the enemy, for they think that running to combat would suggest that you are a coward. The Feys are very rare these days, and getting rarer still. They are an enchanted tribe, and many of them are blessed with the gift of the Second sight. They cannot touch cold iron, and thus use stone weapons. In the open field they tend to fare badly, but when fighting in their beloved forests, they are undefeatable. Many Celts wander away from their relatively poor homeland, and being mighty and determined warriors, they are much in demand as mercenaries.

May Use:
Empire, Bretonnia, High Elves and Dwarfs may use Celtic allies.

CHARACTERS

CELTS

These include Norran, Scathan and Morionen characters.

Equipment:
A sword. They can be given any additional equipment as for Empire characters, except they can`t use firearms or crossbows.

May Ride:
Horse, Warhorse, or a Monster. See Empire army list to see the choises for monsters. Additionally, they may ride Wyrms. (see Monsters)

Magic Items:
1 for a Champion, 2 for a Hero, 3 for a Lord.

DRUIDS

Equipment:
A hand weapon. Druid may have any other equipment excatly the same way as other Celtic characters.

May Ride:
A Warhorse, Horse, or a Monster. Female Druids may ride Unicorns. Druids may ride Great Wyrms.

Magic Items:
1 for a Druid, 2 for a Champion Druid, 3 for a Master Druid, and 4 for a Great Druid.

Spells:
Druids may use either Amber or Jade Magic.

Special:
Druids recive 1 extra magic card from the winds of magic when they are in woods in the beginning of any magic phase.

DARK TRIBES

Equipment:
Two hand weapons. Dark Tribe Characters may buy any other equipment like other Celtic characters, except they NEVER wear armor.

Magic Items:
1 for a Champion, 2 for a Hero, 3 for a Lord.

May Ride:
Dark Tribe warriors may not ride Horses or Monsters.

Special:
Subject to Frenzy. May not make march moves. Cannot be broken in H-T-H.

FEYS

Equipment:
A wood or stone weapon. They may have light armor, shiled, spears, Two-Handed weapons or any of the bows.

May Ride:
Feys do not ride any creatures.

Magic Items:
1 for a Champion, 2 for a Hero, 3 for a Lord.

Special:
No movement penalties in woods. 4+ dispel. This dispel does not help anybody else except the Fey character.

0-1 Celtic Battle Standard....................80 points

Equipment:
A hand weapon and Battle Standard. You may equip him in excatly the same way as any other Celtic Character.

May Ride:
Barded Warhorse(+7points).

Magic Items:
Up to one magic item. This may be a magic standard.

UNITS

Norran Legionnarees...............................10 points per model

These are the basic Norran infantry: tough, arrogant and powerful. They form the backbone of most Celtic warbands. Tall, blonde and clad in iron, they cut a striking figure.

Equipment:
Light armor, shield and a hand weapon.

Options:
Norran legionneers may carry double-handed weapons at additional cost of +2 points per model. Norran legionneers may wear heavy armor at additional cost of +1 point per model.

Norran archers.........................................9 points per model

Norrans are very proud of their skill with the bow. They especially love hunting deers or rebel Celts.

Equipment:
Hand weapon, bow, and light armor.

Options:
Archers may be equipped with either crossbows(+1 point per model) or longbows(+1 point per model)

0-1 Unit of Norran Cavalry...........................27 points per model

These are the cream of the Norran lords. Riding mighty warhorses and equipped with steel weapons and armor, they form the celtic heavy cavalry.

Equipment:
Spear, light armor, shield, and a warhorse.

Options:
Norran Cavalry may be equipped with heavy armor at additional cost of +2 points per model. Norran Cavalry may carry a magic standard.

Celtic Warriors.............................................6 points per model.

Great many tribes of Albion are warlike and bloodthirsty. They often band together in a screaming mobs of warriors. These units are often used by the skilled Norran lords as a cannon fodder.

Equipment:
A hand weapon and a shield.

Options:
Celts may have light armor at additional cost of +2 points per model. Celts may be equipped with spears at additional cost of +1 point per model.

Special:
Celtic warriors may skirmish if you wish.

0-1 Unit of Dark Tribe Warriors.........................9 points per model

Dark tribes worship Cron-Cruarch a great celtic war-god. Many druids oppose this religion, because it bears an alarming similiarity to the dreaded cult of Khorne the Blood God. Warriors of Dark Tribes are greatly feared, and often the enemy rather flees before them than faces these maniacal fighters in melee. They scorn any armor as a mark of a coward and walk slowly to battle to show of their bravery.

Equipment:
Two hand weapons.

Options:
Warriors of the Dark Tribes can carry double-handed weapons at additional cost of +2 points per model. They may carry a magic standard.

Special:
Dark Tribe warriors are affected by the rules of frenzy. They may not make march moves, and they may not be routed from combat.

Scaths...............................................5 points per model

The people of the Highlands, Scaths are mighty warriors, always eager to do battle. They march to war by the sound of their bagpipes.

Equipment:
A hand weapon.

Options:
Scaths may carry short bows at the cost of +1 point per model. They may be equipped with throwing axes at +1 point per model. Scaths may carry double-handed weapons at +2 points per model. One unit of Scaths may carry halberds at additional cost of +2 points per model.

Special:
Scaths may carry their dreaded bagpipes to battefield. This is very discomforting to the enemy and it cheers the Scaths immensively. A unit whose musician is equipped with bagpipes counts as causing fear. This means they are also immune to fear themselves. These bagpipes cost 40 points in addition to the cost of the musician.

0-1 Unit of Feys...................................9 points per model

Feys are a strange race, more akin to elves than humans, although they are not as tall as the elves, nor do they live as long. In wartime, when they choose that the cause for the bloodshed is sufficent, they serve the celtic armies as scouts and skirmishers.

Equipment:
A stone hand weapon and a wooden shield.

Options:
Feys may swap their shields for additional hand weapons for no additional cost. Feys may be equipped with slings at additional cost of +1 point per model. Feys may carry a magic standard.

Special:
When a unit of Feys, or any model with them, is attacked by a spell, the feys may dispell it on a roll of 4+ on D6. Feys may skirmish if you wish. Feys do no suffer any movement penalties in woods.

0-1 Unit of Scatha Berserkers............................10 points per model

These are propably the most dangerous celtic warriors of all, and the Legends of Albion are full of heroic deeds made by these mighty men.

Equipment:
A hand weapon.

Options:
Berserkers may have flails at +1 point per model.

Special:
Berserkers are immune to psychology and break tests..

WAR MACHINES

Norran bolt throwers..........................51 points per model

This weapon was a bane of many a celtic army when Norrans begun their conquest of Albion.

Equipment:
Three crew armed with hand weapons.

Norran stone throwers.........................71 points per model

Norrans brought a great many artificers with them to Albion these skilled engineers wrought many powerful warmachines that were unknown to celts before this time of constant warfare.

Equipment:
Three crew armed with light armor and hand weapons.

MONSTERS

0-1 The Great Wyrm................................400 points

Aeons since, the Great Wyrms ruled Albion. But as the centuries passed, more and more of these creatures wandered to die by the sea, or succumbed in to a eternal, dreamless sleep. Still, there are few Wyrms left in Albion, and the greatest of the heroes amongst the celts can sometimes subdue one to serve them as mounts. It is said that these creatures are related to dragons, wich they greatly resemble, though they have no wings.

Special Rules:

SCALY SKIN: Wyrms have a scaly skin that gives them an armor save of 4+

TERROR: Wyrms are huge and frightening creatures. They cause Terror as explained in WH rulebook.

BREATH: Wyrms breath the mist of the ages. Use the standard dragonbreath template. Any model hit by the breath must take an I or LD check (choose highest). If the model fails, it falls asleep and is removed as casuality. Great Wyrm can breath but once in a battle. When taking I test you must roll equal or lower number on D6 than the model`s I characteristic.

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SKAVEN MERCENARY CONTIGENT

From time to time, the Council of Thirteen orders a particularily ambitious Warlord to be "relieved" from his post. If the unfortunate Skaven Lord survives the attempts made against his life, he has very few options. He can flee from his Clan and Hold and try to hide from the murderously effective Clan Eshin, or, if his authority and power are sufficent, he can bring his clan with him into exile. Such clans have to make their living in a one way or another, and most usually they end up as mercenaries for other evil creatures. They are willing to trade their services for the desperately needed warpstone.

May Use:
Dark Elf, Orc & Goblin, Undead, Chaos and Chaos Dwarf Armies may use Skaven Mercenaries.

CHARACTERS:

Skaven Champion Skaven Chieftain Skaven Warlord Warlock Engineer Warlock Champion Warlock Master Skaven Battle Standard Profiles and Rules can be found in Warhammer Armies - Skaven Book.

0-1 Skaven Assassin Adept.................170 points.

Assassin Adepts are very highly trained members of the Clan Eshin. They are personal aides to the lords of the Skaven Clans. Sometimes, when a warlord leaves Skavendom to live in the exile, his personal assassin may accompany him in the hopes of greater rewards as a mercenary killer.

Equipment:
Two Weeping Blades, throwing stars (count as throwing knives.). Additional equipment may be bought excatly like to other Skaven characters.

Magic Items:
Assassin adepts may carry up to two magic items.

Special:
Assassin adept may be placed on battlefield after other troops have set up. He may be placed anywhere on the field, except within sigt of the enemy troops or in their deployment zone. All normal weapons carried by the assassin adept are Weeping Weapons. They cause D3 wounds, and have extra -1 Save modifier. Units cannot use assassin adepts LD.

UNITS

0-1 Unit of Black Skaven.......7.5 points per model

Black Skaven are much like Stormvermin: they are the mercenary Skaven Lord`s personal elite guard, far stronger than the lowly clanrats, and recognisable by their black fur.

Equipment:
Hand weapon and shield.

Options:
Black Skaven may be equipped with flails (+1 point per model), double-handed weapons (+2 points per model) or with heavy armor (+3 points per model.) or with light armor (+2 points per model). Black Skaven may carry a magic standard.

Skaven exile clanrats.............6 points per model

These warriors have followed their leader out of the comforting womb of the Skavendom, and now they live a life of a hired warriors.

Equipment:
Hand weapon, light armor and shield

Options:
Clanrats may carry spears at the cost of +0.5 points per model. One unit may have double-handed weapons at cost of +1 point per model.

0-1 Unit of Dark Runners.........10,5 points per model.

Not all Skaven scouts belong to clan Eshin. Usually Skaven Warlords have at least some scouts under their command.

Equipment:
Light armor and hand weapon.

Options:
Dark Runners can be equipped with additional hand weapons at cost of +1 point per model. Dark runners may carry slings at the cost of +1 point per model.

Special:
Dark Runners can skirmish if you wish.

WAR MACHINES

0-1 Unit of Warplock jezzails.

One unit of Jezzails counts as ONE war machine.

Warpbarrels.....................................60 points per team.

Equipment:
Crew aremed with hand weapon and 2 warpbarrels each.

This is a new Skaven warmachine. It requires two crew who carry two barrels of deadly warpfire liquid each. When near enough to enemy troops, Skaven light the fuses of the barrel and throw it together towards the enemy. The barrel is full of little holes that open when the barrel is thrown, spilling the deadly liquid everywhere. Warpfire liquid is corrosive, poisonous, and it burns with intensively hot flame. When the barrel is thrown, nominate the target and roll the artillery dice. The number rolled is the distance barrel rolls forward in the two inch wide corridor. Everything within this area is hit by a S5, -2 Save, D3 W flame. If you roll a misfire, then the barrel breaks, spilling over the crew and hitting them in the same way as above. Warpbarrel crews may join units in the same way as the warp-fire throwers or they can operate as individual teams. They may move and fire, but cannot stand and shoot. Warpbarrel teams may march. Lone crewmember may not use the barrels (they are too heavy) but spare crewmembers may form new teams.

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