CULTISTS OF THE HORNED RAT
By Tommy Punk
The Horned Rat is not worshipped by skaven alone and a few, very deranged, humans worship him in the belief that by being good servants they will be spared when he claim the world. They live their ordinary lives and meet in the sewers once a month or so for rituals and guidance from a Skaven Cult Leader. They provide the Skaven with information, safe houses, safe routes in and out of the city as well as with food and the occasional shard of Warpstone.
They believe the meteor being the Horned Rat incarnating and have rissen to fight at his side, the Skaven Cult Leader is confused but is taking advantage of the confusion to further his hold on the city. The cultists often fight near the sewers where they have made their fortified camp or below the city itself in the basements, sewers and catacombs. The Cultists often wear animal pelts made from rats and mock rat-tails to further identify with the Horned Rat. They also hold a strong and blind faith in the Horned Rat that enable them to shrug off blows that would have knocked a mere manling senseless.
"Neek-neek. Foolish manlings think-think they can escape his-his wrath.
Squeek! The meteor was welcomed and as the city quickly turn-turned into a ruin you and your cult crawled out of the sewers to claim-claim the surface. You search-search for the Wyrdstone as everyone else but you also claim-claim and try to hold-hold important locations. You are wait-waiting for your fellow Skaven to arrive and help-help you take over the city. You will of course be their chieftain, and they will of course see-see your right to that title."
CHOICE OF WARRIORS
A Cult of the Horned Rat must include at least 3 models. You
have 500 Warp tokens which you can use to assemble your Cult. The
maximum number of models is 20.
| HEROES | |
| Cult Leader | Your Cult must be lead by a Skaven Cult Leader. |
| Skaven Aides | Your Cult may include up to three Skaven Aides. |
| Berzerker | Your Cult may include a single Cultist Berzerker. |
| HENCHMEN | |
| Cultists | Your Cult may include any number of Cultists. |
| Initiates | Your Cult may include any number of Initiates. |
| Rats | Your Cult may include any number of Rats. |
| Rat Ogre | Your Cult may include a single Rat Ogre. |
HEROES
CULT LEADER..................60 Warp tokens
The Cult Leader is a Skaven who have displeased his masters and been sent to the Manling City both as a punishment and to have him there in the event that he would actually be needed. Many Cult Leaders are Grey Seer Assistants that are sent to a manling city to study the manlings to learn how the enemy thinks.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| Cult Leader | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons and armour: The Cult Leader may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Skaven Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Leader: Any warrior within 6" of the Cult Leader may use his Leadership characteristic when taking any Leadership tests.
0-3 SKAVEN AIDES.............................25 Warp tokens
The Manling City are a dangerous place but also a place where to send troublesome Clanrats or Clanrats suspected of being on the payroll of another Skaven master and who could proove too dangerous to kill. They were sent along with the Cult Leader to provide him with a token bodyguard but also as a mean of rival masters to keep an eye on the events in the Manling City.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| Skaven Aide | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Weapons and armour: The Skaven Aides may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Skaven Equipment list.
0-1 BERZERKER...................40 Warp tokens
A few rare manlings take the worship of the Horned Rat into their hearts and grow to be the most devoted Cultists of them all. Their minds are filled with visions of fighting under the Horned Rats banner and their insane devotion allow them to fight with supernatural strength.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| Berzerker | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons and armour: The Berzerker may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Skaven Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Frenzy: The Berzerker is subject to Frenzy and must charge an enemy model if he can.
HENCHMEN (Bought in groups of 1-5)
CULTISTS...........................25 Warp tokens to recruit
Humans worship the Horned Rat in the belief that being good servants they will be spared when he claim the world. They live their ordinary lives and secretly meet in the sewers once a month.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| Cultist | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons and armour: The Cultists may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Cultist Equipment list.
INITIATES.......................15 Warp tokens to recruit
The number in the cult swelled after the meteor struck as more manlings abandoned their old gods and took to worship the dark gods in a vain attempt to be spared from the famine that ravage the ruinous city.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| Initiate | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
Weapons and armour: The Initiates may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Cultist Equipment list.
RATS..................8 Warp tokens
The cult have gathered small herds of rats in the sewers and are now goading them into their battles both to soak bowfire as well as to fight alongside their gods chosen animal.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| Rat | 5 | 2 | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Weapons and armour: The Rats cannot use equipment or weapons.
SPECIAL RULES
Pack size: Rats can be bought in groups as large as you wish.
0-1 RAT OGRE BODYGUARD.....................215 Warp tokens to buy
If the Cult Leader had been somewhat succesful or influental he might have aquired a mighty Rat Ogre bodyguard for himself.
| Profile | M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
| RatOgre | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Weapons and armour: The Rat Ogre is armed with sizeable claws and cannot use weapons and armour, not that it needs them anyway.
SPECIAL RULES:
Fear: The Rat Ogre is a huge and frightening monster which causes Fear.
Stupidity: A Rat Ogre is subject to Stupidity unless a Skaven Hero is in base contact with it.
SKAVEN EQUIPMENT LIST
| Hand-to-hand combat weapons: | |
| Dagger (1st free) | 2 WT |
| Mace | 3 WT |
| Hammer | 3 WT |
| Axe | 5 WT |
| Sword | 5 WT |
| Flail | 15 WT |
| Spear | 10 WT |
| Halberd | 10 WT |
| Missile weapons: | |
| Pistol | 15 WT (30 for a brace) |
| Armour: | |
| Shield | 5 WT |
| Helmet | 10 WT |
| Light Armour | 20 WT |
CULTIST EQUIPMENT LIST
| Hand-to-hand combat weapons: | |
| Dagger (1st free) | 2 WT |
| Mace | 3 WT |
| Hammer | 3 WT |
| Club | 3 WT |
| Axe | 5 WT |
| Sword | 5 WT |
| Spear | 10 WT |
| Missile weapons: | |
| Sling | 2 WT |
| Bow | 10 WT |
| Crossbow | 25 WT |
| Blunderbuss | 35 WT |
| Hand gun | 35 WT |
| Armour: | |
| Shield | 5 WT |
| Helmet | 10 WT |
| Fur cloak (count as light armour) | 20 WT |
Use Necromunda Ratskins as Cultists and Initiates. The name of the following model is the name the model has in the Citadel Miniature Annual catalouges.
To create a nice looking sentry model use the "Ratskin with autogun 2" and carve away the gun and glue a shield in its place. Then add a hand weapon to his hip or a spear slung on his back.
Many Cultists carry handguns so the "Ratskin with musket", "Brave with musket", "Brave with blunderbuss" and (2nd) "Brave with musket" doesn't need conversions as they are already armed with handguns.
To create an Initiate, a weak peasent use the "Brave with autopistol" and replace the scavenger looking club with a spear. Turn his right arm downwards and cut off the pistol and glue a shield in its place.
Some Cultists and Initiates carry a crossbow the "Brave with handbow" comes with a nice looking crossbow so all you have to is to replace the scavenger looking club with a nice hand weapon or a shield.
To make a Berzerker use "Brakkars body" and use the halberd from the new Empire Warriors box. You could use a halberd head from the box or use a more mighty looking head.
To make a Cultist armed with a spear you can give the "Ratskin with shotgun 1", "Ratskin with lasgun 1", "Ratskin with shotgun 2", "Ratskin with autogun" and "Ratskin with lasgun 3" some hefty carving and replace the gun with a spear. You can also cut of the nozzle on the autogun and lasgun to make a handgun.