This issue, we continue our

discussion of Warhammer warbands

with rules for running your own
escalation league in your gaming club
or local shop, a few clarifications
and updates about warband selection,
and the much-anticipated armyspecific rules.

WARHAMMER

WARBANDS
Many a great general began his military career humbly as the commander of a small
battalion. In his earliest engagements, the future general learns the strengths and
weaknesses of his men. Over time, he learns how to assemble the troops under his
command to create a fearsome strike force, just as the weaponsmith learns to blend metals
to forge a fine sword. Once the battalion commander masters this art, it is but a small
step to leading legions of men. The difference is little more than a question of scale.
From the teachings of Bartolo Miachevelia, Advisor to Kings

An Orc & Goblin warband clashes with the Defenders of an Empire village.

10 WHITE DWARF

ESCALATION LEAGUES
Participating in an escalation league is a
fun way to get in a lot of games of
Warhammer and can encourage you, your
friends, and your fellow club members to
assemble and paint a few new miniatures
or possibly start a new army. Players
begin an escalation league with a small
warband of 200 points. As the participants
play games over the course of the league,
their warbands will slowly increase in
size. By the end of the month-long
escalation league, each player will have a
good sense of the effective tactics for his
new warband, probably a few ideas about
how he wants to expand his warband into
a full-fledged Warhammer army, and most
importantly, at least 500 points worth of
painted models!

A High Elf warband defends itself against its age-old foes, the Dark Elves.

WARHAMMER
WARBANDS LEAGUE
In November, all U.S. Hobby
Centers will be running the very
warbands escalation league
presented in this article. The
action will run every Tuesday
night and Saturday afternoon, as
the Warhammer warbands build
from 200 points to 500 points or
more. Ask the staff of your local
U.S. Hobby Center for details of
the league and the painting and
modeling workshops that will, no
doubt, accompany it.

ESCALATION
LEAGUE STRUCTURE.
Each player begins by creating a 200point warband per the rules in this and last
months issue of White Dwarf. Over the
course of the 4-week league, any two
players can get together to play a game of
Warhammer warbands, though players
should not play the same person more
than twice in a row. It is up to the players
to organize games for themselves, but
league organizers can certainly set up
Bring and Battle nights to facilitate
league play. There is no formal schedule
of games, however. Players use the Little
War scenario from last issue for each
regular league game.

The base size of each warband or

starting warband size increases each
week. In addition, each time a participant
plays a game, he adds to his warband a
number of points, determined by whether
he massacred his opponent, scored a
victory, tied, or lost (see table below).
Warbands are restricted to a maximum
size, regardless of the number of games
played. For instance, in the middle of
Week 3, Rosss warband has won two
victories and lost once; thus, his warband
size is 435 points [i.e., starting warband
size of 400 + (bonus of 15 each for two
victories) + (bonus of 5 for the loss) =
435]. If Ross played more games, his
warband would continue to increase in
size but could never exceed 450 points,
the maximum warband size for week 3.

ESCALATION LEAGUE WARBAND POINT-SIZE TABLE

Week

Starting
Warband Size

Maximum
Warband Size

Points Added
for a Massacre

Points Added
for a Victory

Points Added
for a Draw

Points Added
for a Loss

200

225

10

300

350

15

10

400

450

20

15

10

500

570

25

20

15

10

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Each week, players start anew at the

starting warband size given for that week.
Thus, regardless of the number of games
played or the number of massacres,
victories, draws, and losses a player
scored in the previous week(s), he will
always begin each week of the escalation
league at the starting warband size listed
on the table.

Players may change their army lists from game

to game to reflect both the increased size of
their warbands as well as whichever models
and tactics they prefer to use against a particular
opponent and/or warband type.

massacring an opponent, 4 for a victory, 2 for a

draw, and 1 for a loss (whether the loss was a
result of a massacre or a victory). League points
accrue over the course of the entire escalation
league and are not reset at the beginning of each
week as is the starting warband size. Players
may want to post a scoreboard like the one
shown below, which represents an escalation
league in progress somewhere in the middle of
week 3.

Participants should keep track of the number

massacres, victories, draws, and losses as well
as the number of league points they have
earned. Players earn 6 league points for

ESCALATION LEAGUE SCORECARD

Player

Dirty Steve

Warband
Name

Warband
Type

Helmut
Vampire Counts
Nightbringers
Plague of Undeath

Warband
Size

Number of
Massacres
(6 pts each)

Number of
Victories
(4 pts each)

Number
of Draws
(2 pts each)

Number
of Losses
(1 pt each)

Number of
Mega-Battle
Victories
(6 pts each)

Number of
Mega-Battle
Losses
(3 pts each)

Total No. of
League
Points

420

47

Drew

The Sylvan
Scouts

Wood Elves

450

45

Ross

The Sea Lizards

Lizardmen

435

32

Jeremy

Durek
Anvilpantss
Rangers

Dwarfs

410

20

John

Baltius
Terravores Beasts

Beasts of Chaos

400

33

MEGA-BATTLES
At the end of each week of league play,
players may participate in the mega-battle,
which can involve all or some of the
participants. League organizers should
appoint a Games Master (GM) to facilitate
and act as referee for each mega-battle.
Winning a mega-battle earns players 6
league points, whereas losing earns 3.
Going into the mega-battle with a lead in
warband size is an obvious advantage, and
winning a mega-battle can yield benefits to
the victors in the remaining games of the
escalation league. The following rules
apply to mega-battles.
Warbands & Teams. Each player brings a
warband selected up to the maximum
points total allowed for his warband as
determined by his massacre-victory-drawloss record, the starting warband size for
the week, and the maximum warband size
for the week. Participating warbands will
likely have different points values. The GM
will divide the warbands into good and
evil teams (e.g., Dwarfs, Empire, and
High Elves vs. Orcs and Skaven). The
teams should include an even number of
warbands where possible, and the GM may
have to ask one or more players switch
sides to even things up (e.g., This Empire
army has been corrupted by Chaos and
thus will fight on the evil team.).
Once teams are established by the

12 WHITE DWARF

GM, each team fights as one army, with

each player controlling his own models.
Honor & Glory. Over the course of the
mega-battles, warbands may earn Honor &
Glory in addition to other bonuses. Each
time a player earns Honor & Glory, the
GM should give him a single Honor &

Glory token. These tokens may be used at

any future point in the escalation league to
reroll a single die. Once used, the
token must be discarded and cannot be
used again.
On the following pages, we list four
possible scenarios for your mega-battles.

Some Flayerkin, part of an Archaons Horde warband, attack a unit of Swordsmen.

WARBAND MEGA-BATTLE, WEEK 1: LOOT THE RUINS

OVERVIEW
A massive assault has left a local city in ruins. Though the
battle is over, small roving bands of warriors pick through the
ruins in search of anything of value.

ARMIES
Warband teams should be set up as described in Warbands & Teams.

BATTLEFIELD
The GM sets up a 4' x 6' area (or larger if you have a lot of
players) representing the aftermath of battle. Burned
buildings, piles of corpses, and rubble litter the battlefield
(but dont clutter things too much). The GM places seven
loot counters on the battlefield at least 12" from any table
edge and at least 6" from each other.

DEPLOYMENT
The GM nominates one long side as the good table edge and
the other as the evil one. Players deploy in order of total
league points, from highest to lowest, regardless of each
warbands team affiliation for this battle. Each player deploys
all of his models at the same time. An entire warband must be
set up within 12" of its table edge in an area no wider than
12". Any models that cannot fit in this area cannot participate
in the game. Scouts and other units with special deployment
rules may be set up according to those rules.

place the loot counter on the board on the spot where the
unit was destroyed. Any uncontrolled loot counter may be
captured by any unit/model that comes in contact with it.

VICTORY CONDITIONS
The team that ends the game in possession of the most loot
counters wins. Warbands in possession of loot counters at the
end of the game reap the benefits described below.

LOOT CHART
D6 Roll

1-3

Small Chest of Gold. The warband

that ends the game with the chest may
hire more troops. At the start of the next
week of league play, the warbands
starting warband size is 3D6 points
larger than normal.

4-5

Treasure Trove. The warband that

ends the game with the treasure may
hire more troops. At the start of the
next week of league play, the warbands
starting warband size is 6D6 points
larger than normal.

WHO GOES FIRST?

The team with the fewest number of players may choose to
go first or second. If both sides have the same number of
players, the team with the lower combined total league point
score may choose to go first or second.

LENGTH OF GAME
The game lasts 6 turns.

SPECIAL RULES
Loot. Whenever a model or unit that is not fleeing touches a
loot counter, roll a D6 and consult the chart below to see
what type of loot is found. The unit/model must try to survive
the battle and guard its loot. Units/models may move
normally with any number of loot counters, which may be
captured by enemies (but not by teammates) exactly like unit
standards. If a loot-bearing unit/model is destroyed for any
reason and the loot is not captured by a pursuing enemy,

Loot Type

War Banner. The unit finds a magical War

Banner (see Warhammer rulebook, p. 154)
of a unit that fell in the previous battle.
Any unit or model that captures the War
Banner may use it immediately (the War
Banner may replace the units regular
standard if one exists). The warband that
ends the game with the War Banner may
use it for free in the remaining games in
the escalation league. Note that after this
battle, the War Banner must be assigned to
a unit/model that can normally carry a
magic standard. In addition, the warband
that ends the game with the War Banner
earns an Honor & Glory token.

A Lizardman warband and a group of greenskins do battle in the jungles of Lustria.

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WARBAND MEGA-BATTLE, WEEK 2: KING OF THE MOUNTAIN

OVERVIEW
A group of warbands converges on a mountain, large hill, or other
objective of high tactical importance. The warband that takes the
objective for its side will win honor and glory.

ARMIES
Warband teams should be set up as described in
Warbands & Teams.

BATTLEFIELD
The GM sets up a 4' x 6' area (or larger if you have a lot of players).
A large hill or other objective should be placed in the center of the
battlefield. Scouts and other units with special deployment rules
must be set up as normal and cannot use their special rules for
this scenario.

DEPLOYMENT
The GM nominates one long table edge as the good side and the
other as the evil one. Players deploy in order of the number of
league points they have, from highest to lowest, regardless of each
warbands team affiliation for this battle. Each player deploys all of

his models at the same time. Each warband must be set up within
12" of its table edge in an area no wider than 12". Any models that
cannot fit in this area will not participate in the game.

WHO GOES FIRST?

The team with the fewest number of players may choose to go first
or second. If both sides have the same number of players, the
team with the lower combined total league point score may
choose to go first or second.

LENGTH OF GAME
The game lasts 6 turns.

VICTORY CONDITIONS
The team with the highest combined Unit Strength on and/or
within 6" of the objective at the end of the game wins (fleeing
models dont count). Each warband on the winning side earns an
Honor & Glory token. Also, the warband from the winning side
with the highest combined Unit Strength on or within 6" of the
objective at the end of the game wins an additional Honor & Glory
token (fleeing models dont count).

WARBAND MEGA-BATTLE, WEEK 3: AMBUSH THE CARAVAN

OVERVIEW

must be set up as normal and cannot use their special rules

for this scenario.

Despite recent warfare, merchants still struggle to conduct

business, and even the dangers of long, dark roads must be
braved for commerce to continue. Rumors of a richly laden
but modestly guarded merchant caravan have attracted the
attention of a group of ambushers and cutthroats.

WHO GOES FIRST?

ARMIES

The game lasts 6 turns

Warband teams should be set up as described in Warbands &

Teams. Add up the total league points of all the warbands of
each team. The side with the higher total acts as the Attackers
in this scenario.

BATTLEFIELD
The GM sets up a 4' x 6' area (or larger if you have a lot of
players) representing a road running down the center of the
board from short table edge to short table edge and the
surrounding countryside: clustered forested areas, jumbled
boulders, and hills. The GM places one cart or caravan model
per Defending warband on the road.

DEPLOYMENT
1. The Defenders set up first in order of total league points
from highest to lowest. Each warband must set up within 8" of
a cart (one warband per cart). Any models that cannot fit in
this area will not participate in the game.
2. The Attackers set up next, also in order of total league
points from highest to lowest. Each warband must be set up
within 12" of a long table edge and within an area 18" wide.
Any models that cannot fit in this area will not participate in
the game. Attackers can use both long table edges if they wish.
3. Scouts and other units with special deployment rules

14 WHITE DWARF

The Attackers go first.

LENGTH OF GAME
SPECIAL RULES
Carts. The Attackers may capture the carts by moving any
unit/model into base contact with them. Any unit/model with Unit
Strength 4 or greater may move normally with the cart but may
not fly. Units/models with Unit Strength 3 or less move at half rate.
Defending models may not move the carts until after they have
been captured by Attackers. Units/models may capture carts exactly
like unit standards. If a cart-controlling unit/model is destroyed for
any reason and the cart is not captured by a pursuing enemy, place
the cart on the board on the spot where the unit was destroyed.
Any uncontrolled cart may be captured by any unit/model that
comes in contact with it.

VICTORY CONDITIONS
The side that controls the most carts at the end of the battle wins
the game. Any Attacking warband that ends the game in control of
one or more carts may plunder their contents to hire more troops
and thus begins the next week of the league with a starting
warband size 6D6 points larger than normal. Any Defending
warband that successfully defends the cart near which it deployed
(i.e., either the cart was never captured, or it was successfully
recaptured and was in the Defending warbands possession at the
end of the game) earns an Honor & Glory token.

Greenskins put their fear in check to assault a fortified position held by the Undead.

WARBAND MEGA-BATTLE, WEEK 4: BESIEGING THE KEEP

OVERVIEW

WHO GOES FIRST?

A group of warbands has fortified its position in enemy territory by

constructing a crude keep. The indigenous forces have but one
mission: capture the keep!

The Attackers go first.

ARMIES

The game lasts 8 turns.

Warband teams should be set up as described in Warbands &

Teams. Add up the total league points of all the warbands of each
team. The side with the higher total acts as the Attackers in this
scenario. Neither the Attackers nor the Defenders may purchase
siege equipment for this scenario, but some will be provided for
them for free.

SPECIAL RULES

BATTLEFIELD
The GM sets up a 4' x 6' area (or larger if you have a lot of players)
representing the raiders fortified camp and places a small keep
with a footprint no larger than 12" x 12" in the center of the board.
The rest of the battlefield should have very sparse terrain: a few
tents, campfires, and the like.

DEPLOYMENT
1. The Attackers set up first in order of total league points
from highest to lowest. Each warband must set up within
12" of one long table edge and in an area no wider than
12". Any models that cannot fit in this area will not
participate in the game.
2. The Defenders set up next in order of total league points
from lowest to highest. Each warband must be set up
within 12" of the opposite long table edge and in an area
no wider than 12". Any models that cannot fit in this area
will not participate in the game.

LENGTH OF GAME

Small Siege. This game is a small-scale siege game, and the rules
on pp. 247-258 of the Warhammer rulebook and the updates on
pp. 112-115 of Warhammer: Annual 2002 apply.
Improvised Fortifications. The keep is a flimsy construction
compared with a proper castle. Add +2 to all results on the
Damage Charts for the keeps walls, towers, and gates.
Besiegers Equipment. Each Attacking warband gets two
ladders and one log ram at no points cost. This equipment
may be distributed as the controlling player sees fit. Any
Attacking Skirmishers may be equipped with Grappling
Hooks at no points cost.
Besieged Equipment. The Defending warband deployed in the
keep gets one cauldron of Boiling Oil at no points cost. Also, all of
this warbands units are equipped with Rocks at no points cost. All
Defending warbands get a single Honor & Glory token at no
points cost before the game begins.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

3. The Defending warband with the most total league points

deploys last inside the keep in the center of the table
and/or within 6" of it. Any models that cannot fit in this
area will not participate in the game.

Add up the Unit Strength of all models inside the courtyard or on

the ramparts of the keep. The team with the highest Unit Strength
wins the scenario. All warbands earn double the normal league
points for winning or losing (i.e., winning warbands earn 12
League Points instead of 6; losing warbands win 6 League Points
instead of 3).

4. Scouts and other units with special deployment rules

must be set up as normal and cannot use their special
rules for this scenario.

At the end of this battle, calculate each players total league points
earned throughout the course of the escalation league. The player
with the highest total is crowned winner of the escalation league!

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FURTHER RULES AND CLARIFICATIONS

ABOUT WARBAND SELECTION
WHAT COUNTS AS A CORE
SELECTION FOR WARBANDS?
All warbands must include a minimum of
two Core selections. Core units that do
not count toward the minimum number of
Core units in the regular army list (e.g.,
Warhounds in a Chaos army or Huntsmen
in an Empire army) do not count toward
the minimum two Core selections for a
warband. Of course, these units can still
be included in a warband; they simply
dont count toward the minimum Core
units required.

WHAT COUNTS AS
A MAGIC ITEM?
Per the basic warbands rules, warbands of
199 points or less cannot take magic
items. Exceptions to this rule are magic
items that are available to regular troops
(i.e., not exclusive to character models)
and/or those items that are not listed in the
magic item list of the Army book (e.g.,
Wight blades, Chaos armor, tomb blades,
and Skaven warp weapons). It is

permissible to take models with these

items in small warbands, and the items
count as magical per the normal
Warhammer rules.

book can it take normally available

options such as:
Command models

UNIT SIZES
AND UNIT OPTIONS

Magic standards (only available to

units in warbands of 200+ points)

Last month, we published a modified list

of minimum unit sizes for use with
warbands. After additional playtesting and
subsequent rethinking, we found it
prudent to clarify the existing warbands
rules for minimum unit sizes as follows.

Upgrades in status such as those

that promote Empire Knights to
Knights of the Inner Circle, Orcs to
BigUns, Chaos Warriors/Knights
to Chosen, Chaos units to a Mark
of Chaos other than Undivided,
Saurus Warriors or Skink Cohorts
to a Sacred Spawning, Grave Guard
to Drakenhof Guard, and the like.

The minimum unit size for models on 20mm or 25-mm bases is three models; the
minimum unit size for models on 25 x 50mm bases is two models; and the
minimum unit size for models on 40-mm
bases or larger is one model. However, no
warband regiment may take any unit
options, other than weapon and armor
upgrades, unless the regiment meets its
normal unit minimum listed in the Army
book. Thus, only when the unit meets its
regular unit minimum listed in the Army

Exceptions to these restrictions can be

found in Army-Specific Rules and
Clarifications below.
Note also that some units have a
maximum unit size. These unit maximums
apply to warbands just as they do to
regular Warhammer armies.

ARMY-SPECIFIC RULES AND CLARIFICATIONS

BRETONNIANS
Bretonnian warbands need not
include two characters, one of
whom is the Army Battle Standard
Bearer. However, Bretonnian
warbands can include 0-2 Herolevel characters like normal
warbands if the controlling player
wishes. One of these characters can
be an Army Battle Standard Bearer
but does not have to be. Bretonnian
warbands are NOT allowed one
more character than most other
warbands, as are regular, full-sized
Bretonnian armies.
Bretonnian Knightly units may take
the free upgrade to champion (i.e.,
Cavalier, Gallant, or Paragon) only if
the unit meets its regular unit
minimum listed in the Army book.
Bretonnian warbands are devastating on the charge.

16 WHITE DWARF

HORDES OF CHAOS
AND BEASTS OF CHAOS
Chaos warbands, like Chaos armies,
must be Beast, Mortal, or Daemon
warbands. Each type of Chaos
warband may include troops from the
other types (e.g., a Chaos Mortals
warband can include Beasts of Chaos)
per the normal rules.
One Spawn of Chaos counts as a
single Rare choice. Two Spawn can
never be included in a warband.
Hordes of Chaos Daemon warbands
are possible. However, as there are no
Daemon characters in the Hordes of
Chaos Army book under 150 points,
Hordes of Chaos Daemon warbands
must be led by a Bloodhowler or, if
the warband totals 200+ points, a
Mortal Hero equipped with the
Chalice of Chaos. As such,
Daemon players may find it more
practical to use the Daemonic Legions
list from the Storm of Chaos
campaign sourcebook to create
Daemon warbands.

A Hordes of Chaos warband has many elite and deadly warriors.

Units of Horrors less than 5 strong

cannot take Flamers; units 5-9 strong
can take up to 2 Flamers; units 10 or
stronger can take up to 4 Flamers.
Chaos warbands, except those led by
a Daemonic Commander, can include
a Dragon Ogre Shaggoth, which will
use up both the Special choice and the
Rare choice. The Shaggoth cannot be
promoted to a Shaggoth Champion.
A Beasts of Chaos warband uses cunning tactics and great mobility to emerge victorious.

DARK ELVES
Use the updated rules for Dark Elves
published in WD286. Otherwise,
there are no army-specific rules that
apply Dark Elf warbands.

This Druchii warband takes great advantage of Elven speed.

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DOGS OF WAR
Dogs of War warbands need not
include a Paymaster.
Dogs of War warbands may include
a single Regiment of Renown, which
counts as a Core, Special, or Rare
choice per the normal rules for that
Regiment. However, the normal unit
minimums and maximums for unit
size for Regiments of Renown are
never adjusted by the warbands
rules. Thus, for instance, you must
take a minimum unit size of 10 for a
unit of Riccos Republican Guard,
whereas a normal unit of Pikemen in
a Dogs of War warband has a
minimum unit size of 3. Dogs of
War warbands that include a
Regiment of Renown that comes
with a character or characters may
include no other characters in the
warband, and the character who
leads the Regiment of Renown
will act as the Commander of
the warband.

Dogs of War warbands have a large variety of units at their disposal.

No other types of warbands may

include Dogs of War units or
Regiments of Renown (except where
they are mentioned specifically in
the army list, such as Long Drongs
Slayer Pirates in the Slayer Army of
Karak Kadrin or Rugluds Armored
Orcs in Grimgors Ardboyz).

DWARFS
Dragon Slayers and Giant Slayers
may NOT act as Commanders of
Dwarf warbands.
The Hammerers Bodyguard special
rule can apply to whoever is acting
as the warbands Commander. Thus,
the Bodyguard rule could apply to a
Hammerer champion as well as a
regular Dwarf Hero. Note that other
types of champions acting as
Commander could not join the
Hammerer unit, and thus, the
Bodyguard rule would not apply.

Dwarfen warbands are made up of resilient and skillful warriors.

EMPIRE
Detachments must still meet
minimum warband unit size
requirements. Thus, the minimum
unit size for a detachment is three,
and only units six or stronger may
take a detachment.
Warbands of the Empire are flexible and can fit any combat role.

18 WHITE DWARF

HIGH ELVES
The Intrigue at Court rule works a bit
differently for High Elf warbands. If the
warband includes two Heroes, dice off as
normal to determine the Commander of
the warband. If the warband includes a
single Hero, he is the Commander. If the
warband includes no Heroes, the
controlling player may nominate a unit
champion to be the Commander, and no
Intrigue at Court roll is made.
Pure of Heart is not a mandatory Honor
for High Elf warbands but may be
selected for a character at the controlling
players discretion.
High Elven warbands are highly skilled and have good Leadership.

LIZARDMEN
Lizardman warbands may be selected
from the standard army list or the
Lizardmen of the Southlands army list.

ORCS & GOBLINS

Units of Common Goblins and Night
Goblins need be only 10 models strong
before they qualify for command models.
Night Goblin units under 10 models
strong cannot take Fanatics; units 10-14
models strong can take one Fanatic; units
15-19 models strong can take up to two
Fanatics; and units 20+ models strong
can take up to three Fanatics.

Lizardman warbands boast exceptional hand-to-hand combatants and are hard to break.

A Black Orc Big Boss counts as two

Hero choices. Thus, if a Black Orc Big
Boss leads the warband, he will be the
only Hero in the warband.

SKAVEN
Units of Clanrats and Clanrat Slaves
need be only 10 models strong before
they qualify for command models or a
Weapon Team.
The Mainstay rule applies to Skaven
warbands. Mainstay Clanrat units must
be at least 10 strong.
The following choices count as war
machines in warband games and cannot
be included in warbands of 1-199 points:
Warpfire Throwers, Ratling Guns, and
Warp-Lightning Cannons. Only one of
these selections can be included in a
Skaven warband of 200+ points as its
single war machine choice.
Orc & Goblin warbands are flexible, characterful, and fierce in combat.

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TOMB KINGS
Khemrian armies rely on their Generals,
their Hierophants, and their Incantations
when their forces march to war. Tomb
King warbands, however, are mustered
quickly for specific strategic objectives
or to respond to small threats, when the
full might of a Tomb King army is not
required. Thus, when a warband is
animated, different rituals are performed,
and the Undead officers are imbued with
different powers. As such, both the
animating magic and the chain of
command of a Tomb King warband
function somewhat differently than those
of a full-sized Nehekharan army.
Tomb Kings warbands cannot take both
a General and a Hierophant per the
normal Tomb King rules because of
warband points restrictions on Heroes.
Tomb King warbands may be led by a
Tomb Prince, an Icon Bearer, a Liche
Priest, or a unit champion. Regardless of
the type of model serving as the
Commander of the warband, the
Commander acts as both General and
Hierophant. If this model is destroyed,
the Undead models in the warband will
begin to crumble per the rules described
on p. 21 of the Tomb Kings Army book.

Skaven warbands use weight of numbers and technology to defeat the competition.

Tomb Princes and Liche Priests who

lead warbands use Incantations per the
normal rules.
If, and only if, an Icon Bearer or unit
champion is acting as the Commander
(and thus General and Hierophant) and
there is no Tomb Prince or Liche Priest
in the warband, the rules for Incantations
work differently. Each Magic Phase, any
Undead Tomb King unit with a unit
champion, standard bearer, and musician
may cast any one of the four Tomb King
Incantations as a bound spell with a
power level of D6 though Smiting,
Urgency, and Summoning may be cast
only on the unit performing the
Incantation. If, at any time, the unit loses
its champion, standard, or musician, it
may no longer cast Incantations. When
selecting your warband, remember that
only those units that meet the normal unit
minimums listed in the Army book (e.g.,
10 for Skeleton Warriors) may include
command models.

Tomb King warbands have unique tactics that can be both unexpected and deadly.

Chariot units always count as Special

choices in Tomb King warbands. Tomb
King warbands may take only a single
Chariot unit. However, this unit may
include 1-5 Chariots. This rule is an
exception to the normal warbands rule
that restricts a force to a single war
machine or Chariot.
Warbands of the Vampire Counts use Fear and nasty characters to win battles.

20 WHITE DWARF

VAMPIRE COUNTS
Vampire Counts warbands need not
include a Wizard (i.e., a model with the
entry Magic in its army list box).
Vampire warbands thus may be led by a
Vampire Thrall, Wight Lord, Wraith, or
unit champion as well as a Hero-level
Necromancer. Assume that whichever
Wizard animated the Undead is nearby
and has dispatched a small warband to
do his bidding. However, the destruction
of whichever model acts as the
Commander of the warband will initiate
the slow collapse of the Undead units in
the warband per the rules described on p.
25 of the Vampire Counts Army book.
Wood Elf warbands have excellent archers and use deadly hit-and-run tactics.

WOOD ELVES

STORM OF CHAOS ARMY-SPECIFIC RULES

Archaons Horde. As a Hellcannon counts as two
Rare choices, it may never be taken in a warband.
Chosen Warriors and Knights of Chaos count as
Special choices in an Archaons Horde warband.
Thus, these units do not have to meet the normal
army list minimums for unit size, unlike Chosen
units in a Hordes of Chaos warband, which must
meet the normal army list minimums for unit size
to take the upgrade to Chosen status.
Do not play the Halting the Tide scenario
with warbands.
One Spawn of Chaos counts as a single Rare
choice. Two Spawn can never be included in
a warband.
Army of Middenland. Detachments must
still meet minimum warband unit size
requirements. Thus, the minimum unit size
for a detachment is three, and only units six
or stronger may take a detachment.
Army of Sylvania. Sylvanian warbands may
be led by a Von Carstein Vampire Thrall, Wight
Lord, Wraith, or unit champion. The destruction
of whichever model acts as the Commander of
the warband will initiate the slow collapse of
the Undead units in the warband per the rules
described on p. 25 of the Vampire Counts
Army book.
Sylvanian warbands of any size place two Grave
Markers on the battlefield. One Grave Marker
must be placed on the Sylvanian half of the table.
Cult of Slaanesh. The Commander of the
warband must be either a Sorceress with the Mark
of Slaanesh or a unit champion whose unit has the
Mark of Slaanesh.
One Spawn of Chaos counts as a single Rare
choice. Two Spawn can never be included in
a warband.
Cult of Slaanesh warbands may not include
Knights of Chaos.

Daemonic Legions. Daemonic Heralds

and Daemonic unit champions may act as
warband Commanders.
Units of Horrors in a Daemonic Legion warband
cannot be accompanied by Flamers. Flamers are
organized into units of their own.
Errantry War. Errantry War warbands must
include at least two units of Knights Errant. Units
of Knights Errant need not take a standard bearer
per the Errantry Fervor special rule; however, any
unit of Knights Errant with five or more models
may take a standard bearer who must always carry
the free Errantry Banner.
Grimgors Ardboyz. A Grimgors Ardboyz
warband may be led by a Black Orc Big Boss,
Orc Big Boss, or unit champion.
A mounted Black Orc Big Boss counts as two
Hero choices. Thus, a mounted Black Orc Big
Boss can lead only warbands of 200+ points. Also,
if a mounted Black Orc Big Boss leads the
warband, he will be the only Hero in the warband.
If an Orc Big Boss leads the warband, the army
may include an Orc Shaman. The warband cannot
include a Shaman under any other circumstances.
This is an exception to the normal rules for
Shamans in an Ardboyz army.
Any number of units of Orc Boyz or Orc Boar
Boyz can be upgraded to BigUns, provided that
these units meet the normal army list minimums
for unit size.
Grimgors Ardboyz warbands cannot include
Effigies of Gork.
If Rugluds Armored Orcs are included in the
warband, Ruglud will the warband Commander,
and he and Maggot are the only characters the
warband may include.
High Elf Sea Patrol. High Elf Sea Patrol
warbands of 199 points or fewer need not and
cannot include any units of Lothern Sea Rangers.

None of the rules regarding Wood

Elves playing Pitched Battles (e.g.,
placing an additional wood terrain
piece on the Wood Elves half of the
table) apply in warbands games,
unless the scenario being played
specifically states otherwise.
Bladeweavers and First Dancers cannot
act as warband Commanders.

Warbands of 200 points or more must take one and

may take two if no Rare choices are selected.
Skaven Clan Eshin. A Clan Eshin warband may
be led by a Chieftain, an Eshin Sorcerer, or a unit
champion never an Assassin.
The Mainstay rule applies to Clan Eshin warbands.
Mainstay Night Runner units must be at least five
models strong.
The Clan Eshin special rule that gives the army
+100 Victory Points for each enemy character
killed does not apply to warband games.
Units of Clanrats and Clanrat Slaves need be only
10 models strong before they qualify for command
models or a Weapon Team.
The following choices count as war machines in
warband games and cannot be included in
warbands of 1-199 points: Warpfire Throwers and
Ratling Guns. Only one of these selections can be
included in a Clan Eshin warband of 200+ points
as its single war machine choice.
Slayer Army of Karak Kadrin. A Dragon Slayer
or unit champion must be nominated the
warbands Commander.
If Long Drongs Slayer Pirates are included in the
warband, Long Drong will the warband
Commander, and he is the only character the
warband may include. Similarly, if Malakai
Makaissons Goblin Hewer is included in the
warband, Malakai will be the warband
Commander, and he is the only character the
warband may include.

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