20. Warband Creation

Warband Creation — Core Rules

Starting Allowance
250* gold crowns(gc) to recruit and equip your warband.

*Updated Jan 2026

Leadership Structure

Choose 2 leaders from:
Wizard + Apprentice (–75gc leadership tax)
Wizard + Captain (–50gc leadership tax)
Captain + Apprentice (–25gc leadership tax)
The leadership tax is subtracted from your starting gold.

Warband Size

Max 10 models, including your 2 leaders.
(Some factions, like Undead and Skaven, may have custom caps — see faction rules.)

Soldiers & Specialists

You may fill your remaining slots with:
Soldiers — no restriction unless otherwise stated.

• Many Soldiers cost 0gc. This is based off of Ghost Archipelago's crew structure where your basic crewmen are free, and your other members are considered Specialists and cost gold to hire. This is one reason why your starting gold is reduced compared to Frostgrave.
• Some Soldiers cost gold, even though they may be equal to free Soldiers, based on stats. This is done to limit spamming of certain types of members and for warband balance.

Specialists — max *4 per warband.
Some warbands limit the number of high-cost specialists (100gc+), see faction notes.
Specialist definition: Any model tagged as Specialist in its profile.

• Some basic members of your warband, based on Mordheim's rosters, have been classified as Specialists, even though they seem like mundane/ordinary Soldiers. This may seem arbitrary at first, but limiting certain types of members helps with balance and was also a result of using GA's crew structure as a model.
• For example, in the Witch Hunter Warband; Zealots come in two types - the basic melee type which is free, and the other type which is listed as a Specialist and is equivalent to the Archer crewman from Ghost Archipelago. While both types are Zealots based on Mordheim's warband structure, it was necessary to separate them into different categories for Albion.

Equipment

Pay gold costs (gc) as listed in each unit’s profile.
Equipment and traits are predefined — no custom load-outs unless specified by faction rules.

Spell casters

Wizards/Priests have full spell access to the 10 curated spell list, but only choose 8 spells to use for each game. 

• The 8 known spells are set at the beginning of campaigns. The only way to expand your known spell list in a campaign is to find a scroll/grimoire/magic item that has a spell from your curated list that's not currently memorized. If throughout the campaign your known spell list exceeds 8 (up to the max of 10 curated) you may then select your spells before each game, tailoring them to the situation.
• It is important to note that Spellcasters may only use spells from their curated list. They may not learn spells from other curated lists. This is restrictive, but it is done to maintain the flavor of each school and to preserve game balance.

Apprentices may cast a limited number of spells if paired with a Captain (max 4) chosen from the curated list, otherwise they know the same 8 spells as their Wizard, and cast at the standard -2 penalty. 

• Apprentices cast spells at the standard -2 penalty, regardless if taken with a Wizard or Captain.

Magic school and spell list are set per faction guidelines.

Summary Checklist

• Choose 2 leaders → subtract leadership tax.
• Spend remaining gold (*250gc – tax) to recruit up to 10 models total (or up to faction max).
• Max *4 Specialists.
• Follow all faction-specific restrictions.
• Equip according to profiles.
• Choose spells as applicable.

Warband Build Example

Quick Build Example — Skaven Warband (Max 12 Models)

Leadership Choice

• Player chooses: Wizard (Eshin Sorcerer) + Captain (Assassin Adept) Leadership tax = –50gc.
• Starting gold = 250gc – 50gc = 200gc remaining.

Select Leaders

• Eshin Sorcerer (Wizard) 
• Assassin Adept (Captain) 
• Leaders count as 2 models toward the 12-model cap. 10 slots remaining.

Recruit Soldiers & Specialists

• 5x Verminkin (Melee) = 6 x 0gc → 0gc Using full allowed cap (0–6) for free melee Verminkin. 
• 1x Verminkin (Ranged / Javelineer) → 1 x 25gc → 25gc Paid Verminkin Ranged. 
• 2x Giant Rats → 2 x 10gc → 20gc Cheap activations / mobility. 
• 2x Black Skaven 2 x 50gc (Infantryman equivalent) → 100gc 
• Total: 25gc + 20gc + 100gc = 145gc spent.
• Remaining gold: 200gc - 145gc = 55gc remaining.

Total Model Count = 12