47. Norse Warband

 

Norse

Across the storm-lashed Sea of Claws lies Norsca — a realm of jagged coasts, frost-locked mountains, and endless winter skies. Its people are broad-shouldered and long-limbed, forged by a land where only the strong survive. They live in marauder clans and sea-roving tribes, each bound by blood-oaths to kin and ancestors.

The Norse do not till fertile fields or weave fine trade goods; they take what they need from others. Many tribes pay homage to old gods — some wise and some dark — and most view war as both a necessity and a way of life. From youth, every Norse warrior learns the axe, sword, and shield, and the ways of the longship. They are sailors without peer among men, daring the deep oceans where even High Elves tread lightly.

In Albion, the Norse arrive as raiders, seekers, and mercenaries. Some come for plunder, driving their prows into hidden coves before striking inland. Others follow visions from a völva or the whispered challenge of an ancestor’s ghost. The allure of Albion’s barrows, stone circles, and veil-thin places calls to them like the promise of a saga waiting to be written.

To the locals, a Norse warband is a storm given form — sudden, fierce, and gone as swiftly as it came. To the Norse, Albion is a land of trial and omen, where the worthy will carve their names into both stone and song.

 

Why Play Norse?

Norse warbands are relentless, hard-hitting raiders built for decisive, aggressive play. Their warriors thrive in the press of melee, backed by the primal ferocity of Wulfen and swift-moving Wolves. Faction traits like Blood of Beasts and Saga-Wrought reward bold charges and well-timed heroics, letting your fighters push through enemy magic and deliver devastating blows at key moments. Whether striking from the flanks or surging head-on, Norse excel at breaking enemy lines before they can rally.

While their ranged options are limited, their speed, resilience, and sheer combat prowess more than make up for it. Norse warbands reward players who commit to the fight early, capitalize on momentum, and aren’t afraid to gamble on a single legendary moment. Perfect for commanders who want to play as the storm on the horizon — fast, brutal, and unforgettable.

 

 

 

Leadership Choices

 

Leadership choice costs gold, which is deducted from the starting Warband allotment of 250gc. For one-off games, players can choose one leadership option per game. In a campaign, the selected leadership option remains fixed unless the leader(s) die(s), or a scenario allows a change.

 

Option 1: Rune-Seer (Wizard) and Adept (Apprentice) – 75gc

Option 2: Rune-Seer (Wizard) and Jarl (Captain) – 50gc

Option 3: Jarl (Captain) and Adept (Apprentice) – 25gc

 

Starting equipment is chosen from Arms and Armor List as normal. Rune-Seer /Captain have 5 slots available; Adept has 4 slots available. Rune-Seer/Adept may not wear any type of armor or carry shields as these interfere with spells.

 

 

Rune-Seer (Wizard)
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes
6	+2	+0	10	+4	14	Rune Magic

 

·       Rune Magic - Choose 8 spells from Rune Magic

 

Jarl (Captain)
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes
6	+2	+1	10	+3	12	Stat Increase

 

·       Stat Increase - When creating a captain, you may choose one of the following stat increases for them: +1 Move, +1 Fight, +1 Shoot, +1 Will, +2 Health. The captain’s stat line should be changed accordingly.

 

Adept (Apprentice)
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes
6	+0	+0	10	+2	12	Adept, Rune Magic

 

·       Adept – If “Leader” is a Rune-Seer, knows same 8 Runes as Rune-Seer, casts at -2 penalty (per normal rules)

·       Rune Magic – If Captain is chosen as Leader, Chooses 4 Runes from Rune Magic (Still casts at -2).

 

 

Warband

 

Warband Builder Reference

Max models – 10 (including leaders)

Max Gold – 250gc

Max Specialists – 4 (Including any hirelings)

 

Warband Traits

o   Blood of Beasts: Wulfen and Wolves gain +2 Will when resisting Control, Charm, or mind-affecting spells. If a Wulfen is in the warband, all Wolves gain +1 Fight.

o   Saga-Wrought: Once per game, one model may re-roll a single die roll. This may be an in-game or out-of-game roll, excluding treasure rolls. Only one use per warband per game.

 

Specialists								Min/Max
								0-3
Wolfen – Werewolf
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
7	+4	+0	11	+5	12	Expert Climber	150gc	0-1
Berserker – Savage
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
6	+4	+0	10	+3	14	Two-handed Weapon	100gc	0-2
Hunter – Archer
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
6	+2	+2	11	+0	10	Bow, Quiver, Dagger, Light armor	50gc	0-2
Marauder – Man at Arms
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
6	+3	+0	12	+	12	Hand Weapon, Shield, Light armor	50gc	0-3

 

 

Soldiers								Min/Max
								0-8
Bondsman – Crewman
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
6	+2	+0	10	-1	10	Hand Weapon & Shield or Two-handed weapon	Free	0-6
Bondsman – Javelineer
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
6	+0	+0	10	+0	10	Javelins (Throwing spears, axes…)	25gc	0-3
Wolf – Warhound
M	F	S	A	W	H	Notes	Cost	Min/Max
8	+1	+0	10	-2	8	Animal	10gc	0-3

o   Animal – Cannot pick up treasure tokens and has no item slots.