Some Warband Ideas

[dieselhorst]

So here are some warband ideas I had after I read the 2.05 rules. Unfortunately, I'm just a broke college student so I don't have any minis for them (or even a proper gaming table), but I decided to show the stats and some of the (rather playful) fluff. Let me know what you think!

QUIKTHORN RANGERS

Hailing from the vale of the Quikenbourne river, this small alliance of humans and elves are charged with the task of defending the Quikthorn forest. They are led by Fellrond Half-Cloven, the steward of Quikthorn, and his life-long friend Atheldread.

Fellrond Half-Cloven, Steward of Quikthorn:
To Kill: 4 (Elven Cuirass, +1)
Combat: 4 (Icebrand, +1)
Shoot: 4 (Spirit Bow)
Magic: 1
Level: 4
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Leader
Abilities: Acrobatics, Guiding Spirit (Buff 1 shoot, all, long)
Cost:80

Atheldread the Bold, trusted friend to Fellrond:
To Kill: 4 (Elven Cuirass, +1)
Combat: 5 (Elven sword, Master swordsman, +2)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 4
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Leader
Abilities: Jump 1, Majesty in combat (Buff 1 combat, all, battle)
Cost:65

Indoomiel, Elven Bowman:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 2
Shoot: 4 (Long Bow)
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Hold
Abilities: Arc Fire, Gloom Cloak (Shielding).
Cost:30

Ingloomiel, Elven Scout-ranger:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 3
Shoot: 2 (Throwing knives)
Magic: --
Level: 2
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Panics
Abilities: Acrobatics, Gloom Cloak (Shielding)
Cost:24

Slayomer, Human Marksman:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 3
Shoot: 3 (Crossbow Rifle)
Magic: --
Level: 2
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Hold
Abilities: --
Cost:20

Slayoden, Human Swordsman:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 4 (Sparring Partner to Atheldread, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Hold
Abilities: --
Cost:17

Queer-Root Dry-Branch, Twisted Spell-Caster:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 1 (Frail, -2)
Shoot: 3
Magic: 4
Level: 2
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Strange Visions (Panics)
Abilities: Deep Connection to Dankthorn (Summon)
Cost:31

Dankthorn the Treeman, Sproutling to Lord Quikthorn himself:
To Kill: 5 (Tough Bark, +1)
Combat: 5 (Mighty Branch, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 4
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Hold
Abilities: Dooooon't be Haaaaaasty (Slow)
Cost:21

Spells (Queer-Root): 2x Bridge, 1x Blink, 1x Enshroud, Teleportal.

Total: 299

If you should ever travel by the banks of the fair Quikenbourne, then you can be sure you will be under the watchful eyes of the Quikthorn Rangers. And should you come with force in defiance of Freeborn creatures, then you can be sure that they will make your greeting of deadly barbs, blades of quiksilver, and the very wrath of the forest brought to life.

THE DEMON SKULL CLAN

The Demon Skull Clan was once a proud and wealthy family with power of governance over several hamlets and villages on the borders of the Northern Wastes. However, with the advent of the Derkening, the young master Cranius, an apprentice to a great highland wizard, was seized by the dread forces of the beyond and was granted the curse of bone. The curse tainted his heart and slowly consumed his body with a crust of bone that grew everyday. Cranius murdered his master and then his father, claiming leadership of the clan. Before long, the curse had spread to the entire clan and damned them to the beyond. Cranius and his few followers then set out on a desperate attempt to find the stone all-knowing to reverse the curse...and...perhaps... use it for eeeevil.

Lord Cranius Demon Skull:
To Kill: 4 (Curse of bone, +1)
Combat: 3
Shoot: 4
Magic: 4
Level: 4
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Leader
Abilities: --
Cost: 69

Vertebrae, Cranius's Bone-Hawk familiar:
To Kill: 2
Combat: 3
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 2
Size: 2
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Bound
Abilities: Fly, Familiar (Buff 1 magic and 1 combat to Cranius)
Cost: 26

Humorus the Dying, Cranius's Bodyguard:
To Kill: 5 (Curse of Bone, Advanced Case, +2)
Combat: 4 (Heavy Blade, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 4
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Berserk
Abilities: Skulltum (Shielding), Slow
Cost:35

Lateralus the Deciever, Cranius's most trusted servant:
To Kill: 4 (Curse of bone, +1)
Combat: 3
Shoot: 3
Magic: 3
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Steadfast
Abilities: --
Cost:48

Pelvus, Lateralus's Hound Familiar:
To Kill: 2
Combat: 3 (Slavering Jaws)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 2
Size: 2
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Bound
Abilities: Familiar (Buff 1 magic to Lateralus)
Cost:11

Femur, Acolyte to Cranius:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 3
Shoot: 3
Magic: 1
Level: 2
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Panics
Abilities:--
Cost:22

Skull Knights x5, the lost members of the clan, trapped forever in bodies of bone:
To Kill: 4 (Curse of bone, +1)
Combat: 3
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 2
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Respawn
Abilities: Very Slow
Cost:4 each, 20 total.

Doomclaw Demon, creature of the beyond:
To Kill: 3
Combat: 4 (Rending Claws, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: 1
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Animosity
Abilities: Fly
Cost:30

Flesh Golem, Abomination of dead flesh made animate:
To Kill: 5 (Senseless to pain, +1)
Combat: 4
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 2
Size: 4
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Blind Fury
Abilities: Very Slow
Cost:7

Spells: (Cranius) 1x Control, Teleportal, 1x Push, 1x Strike Fear, (Lateralus) Dispel Portal, 1x Entrap, 2x Bridge, Teleportal, (Femur) 1x Quicken, 1x Buff.

Total Cost:300

If you notice it is unseasonably dark without your homestead, and that your skin is breaking out in rough, irksome patches, consult your village dermatologist immediately; for the Curse of Bone is spreading.
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Uh oh. I'm out of time for now. Got to get to class. I will post back later tonight or tomorrow with my third warband idea: THE RONIN.

[veronakid]

diesel-

These are absolutely fantastic. After months of reading nothing in these parts but rules minutiae parsing, it is great to hear that someone out there is putting some thought into creating fun, characterful warbands. You sound like you would be an ideal opponent.

Thanks very much for posting these. I am looking forward to THE RONIN!

[dieselhorst]

Word! Thanks Veronakid, glad you like them. I have to say, I am just in love with the freedom you get in Skulldred for creating ANYTHING YOU WANT. Still getting over it.

Anyway, here's the other idea I had. It's loosely based off of my favorite sword-wielders from anime and manga. I also thought it would be a good way to use all of the 'interesting' wild sides in one warband to reflect the variety of (often conflicting) personalities you tend to get in these stories. So here it is:

THE RONIN:

After being betrayed by his corrupt master (and taking his bloody revenge,) the heartbroken Shmiamoto Smooshashi turned his back on his former life and swore to wander the face of the earth. In his journeys, he happened upon other wandering swordsmen, some worthy, some not so worthy, but each with his own tragic story and an oath to never return to their home. So the wandering swordsmen found themselves on the road when the Derkening came, and they have been busy ever since.

Shmiamoto Smooshashi, Dragon Swordsman:
To Kill: 4 (Leather armour, +1)
Combat: 4 (Legendary Blade, +1)
Shoot: 3 (Secret technique: 9-Headed Dragon Strike)
Magic: 4
Level: 4
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Leader
Abilities: --
Cost: 69

Shmimura Battousai, the Manslayer: A man sick of being used for his outstanding killing ability, he now travels with the Ronin so that he might help the weak.
To Kill: 3
Combat: 5 (Master of Battojutsu, +2)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 4
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Leader
Abilities: Jump 2, Acrobatics
Cost: 49

Yoronoa Xoro, the Pirate Killer: With a katana in each hand and one clenched in his teeth, Xoro fights for only one goal-- to become the strongest swordsman in the world. If there is even the faintest whiff of a fight, Xoro will be right there to prove himself.
To Kill: 3
Combat: 4 (Three-Sword style, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Berserk
Abilities: Move Fast
Cost: 28

Vagrant Noogan: A wandering good for nothing. Beholden to no one, he travels only to maintain his freedom and to hopefully fill his belly. Sometimes he behaves more like a wild dog than a man.
To Kill: 3
Combat: 4 (Wild Attacker, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Blind Fury
Abilities: Bitter Rival (Buff 1 Combat, battle to Jim)
Cost: 25

Vagrant and Ronin Jim: A disciplined and talented swordsman, wandering after defeating and killing his sensei. From the moment that he met Noogan, he recognized that the ruffian had great power, but also that he stood for the opposite of everything he believed. Since then, they haven't stopped fighting, vying to prove that one is stronger than the other.
To Kill: 4 (Disciplined defense, +1)
Combat: 3
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Animosity
Abilities: Bitter Rivals (Buff 1 Combat, Battle, to Noogan.)
Cost:26

Spiku Spiguru, Bounty-Hunter: A warrior who knows how to flow like water, Spiku travels to make his fortune by taking bounties. Unfortunately his luck is not very good, and sometimes his heart gets in the way. He is also not very reliable, and will abandon a fight at the drop of a hat if he feels that it is pointless.
To Kill: 3
Combat: 4 (Fast hands, +1)
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: "This has nothing to do with me..." (Bound)
Abilities: Practitioner of Jeet Kune Do (Blink)
Cost: 22

Aku Sokuzan: A former law-enforcer for the new government, Aku developed into something of a fanatic. If he sees evil, he will destroy it, instantly. However, he also has motives which he alone knows, and sometimes they can lead him to betrayal.
To Kill: 3
Combat: 3
Shoot: 2 (Vacuum Blade Strike)
Magic: 1
Level: 3
Size: 3
L-Strike: --
Wildside: Treacherous
Abilities: Ghost
Cost: 40

Big Choji the Loyal One: Has served under Smooshashi for a decade and trusts him above anyone. When Smooshashi vowed never to return, Choji had no choice but to follow. In battle he is a formidable opponent, standing two heads taller than anyone, and in full armor. He will do anything to protect his "Boss".
To Kill: 5 (Leather Armor, +1)
Combat: 4
Shoot: --
Magic: --
Level: 3
Size: 4
L-Strike: 3 (Nagamaki)
Wildside: Steadfast
Abilities: Slow
Cost:34

Spells: (Smooshashi) 1x Entrapment, 2x Recoil

Total: 299

[veronakid]

Love it! This has to be the first Asian-flavoured Skulldred warband I've seen. It's a shame that, as you said, you don't have the minis for any of these. I would love to see them all come to life.

Pick one of the bands posted here, head over to Reaper's online store, get a few figs, and get painting, man!

[dieselhorst]

Haha, thanks VeronaKid. I'm glad you like them.

Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to afford minis any time soon. I am trying my hand at sculpting instead, though I'm only on my first fig and he's looking pretty rough. I'll let you know if I get a character done.