Source: Town Cryer #13 · Setting: Mordheim / Lustria · Author: Derek Whitman
The land of Norsca lies to the far north of the Empire across the stormy sea of Claws. This is a harsh land of snow and ice with mountains of Frost and Dusk that reach unto the heavens themselves and march right down to the sea.
The humans that live here are powerfully built, with large, well-muscled frames and long limbs. The Norse are a bloodthirsty people whose society is based entirely around war and fighting. They make or produce very little in their inhospitable homeland and their attitude is to take whatever they need from the lands of others. Many a time their dreaded longships have brought terror and destruction to the lands of men and the other races.
The Norse people live in marauder tribes or clans much like the Unberogens who were, centuries earlier, the founders of the Empire. It is for these reasons that the Norse are seen as a very primitive and uncivilised race by others and indeed many Norse tribes openly worship the dark gods of Chaos as their own.
All Norse warriors are trained in the art of war at a very young age and become skilled in the use of sword, axe and shield for theirs is a brutal society where only the strongest survive. Probably because of their well-founded fearsome reputation the Norsemen have few allegiances apart from to their clan and their ancestors and so make excellent mercenaries.
Despite their brutish behaviour the Norse make superb natural sailors rivalling even the High Elves, and it was indeed the Norse who were the first humans to discover Lustria and the South Lands. In their longships, the Norse sailed from the Old World to Lustria, establishing the first colony, Skeggi. The Norse plague the coast of Lustria raiding many coastal settlements but it is their desire for riches and saga that have driven them further inland to pillage the temples of the Slann.
Special Rules
All Norse warriors are subject to the following special rule:
Seafaring: The Norse are a seafaring people and spend much of their time rowing boats. To represent this, all Norse warriors get +2 to Strength when they row a boat.
Choice of Warriors
A Norse warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold crowns to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband may never exceed 15.
- Jarl: Each Norse warband must have one Jarl to lead it — no more, no less.
- Berserkers: Your warband may include up to two Berserkers.
- Bondsmen: Your warband may include up to two Bondsmen.
- Wulfen: Your warband may include up to one Wulfen.
- Marauders: Your warband may include any number of Marauders.
- Hunters: Your warband may include up to five Hunters.
- Wolves: Your warband may include up to five Wolves, provided it includes a Wulfen.
Starting Experience
A Jarl starts with 20 experience.
Berserkers and the Wulfen start with 11 experience.
Bondsmen start with 0 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Heroes
Jarl
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
The Jarl of a Norse warband is the most battle-hardened veteran of his group and often a lesser clan chieftain of his tribe. He has seen many battles and is used to the bloodshed. While some Jarls choose to command their forces with strategy, most just run into the fray with the rest of the warriors. However the Jarl decides to run his warband, all of the other warriors respect him and look up to him.
Weapons/Armour: A Jarl may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Norse Heroes Equipment list.
Special Rules
Leader: Any warrior within 6” of the Jarl may use his Leadership instead of his own when taking Leadership tests.
Berserker
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Berserkers are some of the most ferocious warriors in any Norse warband. They have proven their worth over countless battles and have learned that death is nothing to be feared. They charge into battle without any regard for their own safety and are really quite demented.
Weapons/Armour: A Berserker may be equipped with weapons chosen from the Norse Heroes Equipment list, but may never wear armour.
Special Rules
Berserkers: Berserkers are subject to frenzy as detailed in the Psychology section of the Mordheim rulebook.
Wulfen
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
Wulfen are Berserkers with a very rare mutation. When there is a full moon, or when blood starts flowing on the battlefield, the mysterious and deadly Wulfen turn into blood-hungry beasts, part man and part wolf or bear. These creatures are known and greatly feared as werewolves to most Old Worlders. To the Norse they are Werekin — monstrous beasts which can tear through flesh and armour with their huge claws and massive fangs as they go on the rampage.
Weapons/Armour: A Wulfen is a ravening beast of teeth and claws and may never use weapons or armour, although it suffers no penalty for being unarmed.
Special Rules
Fear: Wulfen are terrifying creatures to behold and cause fear.
Bestial: Wulfen are ravenous beasts and therefore immune to psychology. Also, despite being greatly revered by their barbarian kinsmen, Wulfen are too feral and uncontrolled to become the leader of the warband.
Bondsmen
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
These are young fighters who are still inexperienced. They are bonded to their Jarl by the oath of servitude.
Weapons/Armour: Bondsmen may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Norse Heroes Equipment list.
Henchmen
(Bought in groups of 1–5)
Marauders
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Marauders are the standard warriors in any Norse warband. They have experienced bloodshed and have been trained to fight since they were children. Marauders are so named as they are pirates and raiders.
Weapons/Armour: Marauders may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Norse Henchmen Equipment list.
Hunters
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Hunters are expertly skilled in stalking the wild game of the Umbra. When warriors are exiled from a tribe they become renegades, following Norse champions on epic voyages to offer ranged attacks as well as their exceptional hunting skills.
Weapons/Armour: Hunters may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Norse Hunters Equipment list.
Wolves
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
The harsh lands of Norsca are inhabited by a great many ferocious beasts: massive woolly mammoths, vicious polar bears and wolves far larger than those encountered elsewhere in the world. Norse hunters capture and use these beasts. Properly trained they make formidable foes.
Weapons/Armour: Wolves have very sharp fangs. They never use or need weapons or armour.
Special Rules
Animals: Wolves are animals and thus do not gain experience.
Pack Leader: Wolves are feral animals that only respond to the strongest in their pack — the Wulfen. In the event that no Wulfen is included in the warband due to a death or an injury, the Wolves cannot be used until the creature is replaced.
Equipment Lists
Norse Heroes Equipment List
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | |
| Dagger | 1st free / 2 gc |
| Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Flail | 15 gc |
| Missile Weapons | |
| Throwing Axes (as Throwing Knives) | 15 gc |
| Armour | |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Light armour | 20 gc |
Norse Henchmen Equipment List
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | |
| Dagger | 1st free / 2 gc |
| Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Missile Weapons | |
| Throwing Axes (as Throwing Knives) | 15 gc |
| Armour | |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
| Light armour | 20 gc |
Norse Hunters Equipment List
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons | |
| Dagger | 1st free / 2 gc |
| Hammer | 3 gc |
| Axe | 5 gc |
| Sword | 10 gc |
| Spear | 10 gc |
| Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
| Missile Weapons | |
| Javelins | 5 gc |
| Bow | 10 gc |
| Armour | |
| Shield | 5 gc |
| Helmet | 10 gc |
Skill Table
| Combat | Shooting | Academic | Strength | Speed | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jarl | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Berserker | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Wulfen | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Bondsmen | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Norse Special Skills
Norse heroes may use the following skill list instead of any of the standard skill lists.
Barbarian Courage: As Norse warriors strive to die bravely in battle, they learn to fear nothing and embrace hardship. This hero never needs to take All Alone tests and may re-roll failed Fear tests.
Battle Tongue: Only a hero with the Leader skill may gain this skill. It allows models within 12” of him to use his Leadership, rather than the normal 6”.
Berserk Charge: The Norse are very skilled with weapons that many other races see as primitive and savage. When this hero is armed with an axe or double-handed weapon, he may re-roll all failed to hit rolls when he charges.
Crushing Blow: Norse warriors train in almost all of their spare time. They are expert fighters and learn to put all of their strength into very powerful attacks. No enemy may parry an attack made by this hero because it strikes with such great power that it pushes right through a buckler or sword.
Shield Master: Norse warriors begin training with shields when they are still children. Some warriors become so skilled with these weapons they can block almost any blow against them. When this hero is armed with a shield he may parry with it in addition to getting a 6+ save.
Norse Runes
Norse Marauder warbands may hire a Norse Shaman (see Hired Swords). The Norse Shaman uses the Norse Runes, treated in the same way as Sigmarite Prayers — they can be cast whilst wearing armour, and abilities that give saves against spells also give saves against runes.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Howl of the North |
| 2 | Angvar’s Fury |
| 3 | Elvek’s Cold Spear |
| 4 | Gift of the Fates |
| 5 | Kiss of Frost |
| 6 | Bear’s Might |
Howl of the North — Difficulty 9
Icy winds sweep before the Shaman knocking missiles from their path. The Shaman is immune to all missile fire. Roll a dice during the Shaman’s recovery phase — on a roll of 1 or 2 the winds dissipate.
Angvar’s Fury — Difficulty 7
The Shaman’s howls rouse the anger of the warriors around him to a fever pitch. All warriors within 8” of the Shaman gain +1 to hit in hand-to-hand combat against the opposing warband. The spell lasts till the start of the Norse player’s next turn.
Elvek’s Cold Spear — Difficulty 7
A razor-sharp icicle flies at the Shaman’s foe. The icicle has a range of 18” and causes one S4 hit. It strikes the first model in its path. Normal armour saves apply.
Gift of the Fates — Difficulty 7
The Shaman calls on the three Wyrd Sisters of Norse legend for a glimpse of the future. The Shaman may adjust one die roll by +1/–1 between a successful casting of this rune and his next recovery phase. A ‘to wound’ roll adjusted to or from 6 will not cause a critical.
Kiss of Frost — Difficulty 6
The Shaman covers ground of his choosing with slick ice. A single model within 12” of the Shaman must pass an Initiative test or be knocked down.
Bear’s Might — Difficulty 9
The Shaman calls upon the spirits of the great Ice Bears of the North to aid him. The Shaman gains +1 Attack, +2 Strength, +2 Toughness and –2 Initiative (to a minimum of 1). Take a Leadership test at the beginning of each turn (both yours and your opponent’s) — if the test fails, Bear’s Might drains away. Bear’s Might can only be cast successfully once per game.