Codex: Hrud - Clan Moulder

[Calixtus]

Within Hrud society, the Greyfurs have always lived in an oppressive state, being dominated by the whims of their stronger and more aggressive kin. It so happened that in one particular Tribe, certain Blackfurs of high status started dabbling in the mutagenic effects of Warpstone upon living organisms. Despite the seeming moral implications of such an act, using Warpstone to induce forced mutations in other lifeforms is not much of a taboo within Hrud society. After all the direct cause of their genesis as a sentient species is entirely due to exposure to raw Warpstone. The dark experiments of these Blackfurs went largely unnoticed, until an increasing number of disappearances were reported among the Greyfurs. These Blackfurs of like mind banded together into a coven, christening themselves as Moulders, after the act of biological moulding. These Moulders, as they called themselves, deemed the Greyfurs lesser by birth, and thus felt it entirely excusable to experiment exclusively on Greyfurs.

When the Greyfurs finally learnt of the horrific, abominable acts perpetrated by these "Moulders" against their fellow Greyfurs, they were incensed. Open revolt erupted within the entire Tribe as Greyfurs banded together against their former masters. The Greyfurs, carried with the moment of the times, saw it as the perfect opportunity to overthrow the authority of the Blackfurs and upturn the dominance so unjustly imposed over them through the hierarchical order within the Tribe. This turn of events was known as the Great Revolt. The Greyfurs, taking strength in their numbers, were worked up in an incensed fervour. Though stronger and more adapted to war, the Blackfurs were vastly outnumbered by at least 5-to-1. The Greyfurs proved to be an unstoppable tide that the Blackfurs were helpless to stem, and they quickly lost control of the situation within the Tribe.

In their desperation, they turned to the Moulders for help, striking a bargain that they may lawfully conduct any manner of experiments as to their whims if only they would restore the authority of the Blackfurs. This dark deal was known to both parties as the Great Pact. The Moulders, scheming and working for their own selfish ends, simply viewed the situation as the perfect means to test their creations. Advancing forth from deep within the subterranean dungeons of the Moulders came shambling huge creatures three times the height of even the largest Blackfurs, and running alongside them, tiny pups that have been twisted into slavering beasts stronger than a Greyfur. The Moulders named their creations collectively as Rats, a humiliating term in their language that roughly translates to "born slave". These Rat beasts overwhelmed the Greyfurs entirely, as each resistance met was slowly worn down by the waves after waves of mindless beasts. The Greyfurs in their desperation, discovered that the Rats, mindless as they were, were controlled by various Packmasters, who drove them forth through fear of pain. The Greyfurs then prioritised their efforts in taking down the Packmasters, hoping with the collapse of the command structure, the Rat beasts would lose their will to fight. But ultimately it was not to be, for the Packmasters were formidable opponents on their own, and were able to expertly exercised control over the Rat beasts, forming them around into a living shield.

In the face of inevitable defeat, the remaining Greyfurs were subdued by the Moulders and forced to work as slaves in their laboratories within their dungeons. Once in a while, a Greyfur slave would be selected and dragged into the deepest depths of the dungeons, never to be seen again. No one knows what exactly happens within, but the agonising cries surely reflect the committing of unspeakable horrors. Fear is instilled within the hearts of the Greyfurs, for no one wishes to suffer such a fate, and it is this fear that keeps them in line, repressing any desire for rebellion or freedom. Having settled their end of the bargain, the Moulders demanded that the Tribe be renamed after them. Thus, from that day onwards, Clan Moulder was born.

~The End~

Special Rules:
Great Wealth: The great wealth of Clan Moulder allows them to purchase their items of trade at cheaply and in bulk. These items include the Nightshades and Stillsuits from Tribe Mors, and the Warplasma Grenades and Warpfire Grenades of Clan Skyre. Clan Moulder receives a discount of 1Pt whenever it equips any of its warriors with the following items: Warplasma Grenades, Warpfire Grenades, Nightshades and Stillsuits. In addition, the cost of Warplasma Shells is at a discounted price of 0.5Pts.
Great Beast: The Blackfurs of Clan Moulder never hide their visage behind the Mirage Cloaks, for doing so would diminish the impact of their presence with the Pawslaves and Rat beasts. This is the rule of Clan Moulder, through the power of bestial fear. The Blackfurs of Clan Moulder never deign to wear the Mirage Cloaks.

Within the hierarchy of Clan Moulder, Pawslaves form the bottom rung of society. They consists of the Greyfurs who fought during the Great Revolt, and were eventually squashed into submission. Pawslaves are so called because the paws, the padded regions of the feet, have connotations of inferiority in Hrud society, being the lowest portions of the body of a Hrud. No longer referred to as Greyfurs, their Blackfur masters use the derogatory term, "Rat", to call them. As such, they are also known as Slaverats. They are a broken bunch, with their spirits crushed and their will to live diminished. In battle, the Blackfurs round up huge numbers of them into a single horde, and drive them mindlessly onwards towards the enemy. They are equipped with the barest of weaponry, having to resort to their claws and fangs in combat. They have however been known to resort to scavenging on the battlefield, salvaging the equipment of fallen soldiers of both friend and foe alike. In combat, they are driven forward for fear of the barbed lashes of their Slavemasters who lead from the back. Against a more powerful foe, they become sandwiched between two oppressive forces that are pressuring them in separate directions. Eventually, the entire mob succumbs to the pressure, either pressing forward relentlessly, or fleeing desperately from the foe, overrunning the Slavemasters through numerical superiority.

Troops:
Pawslave: MS:3 BS:1 S:2 T:2 A:1(2) W:1 I:4 L:2 AS:- CS:5+
Point Cost: 2
Unit Size: 10-50
Equipment: Claws and Fangs

Special Rules:
Nocturnal, Burrow Warren, Fleet of Paw, Instinctual Preservation
Unarmed: Being Slaves, Pawslaves are given no weaponry at all to defend themselves despite being driven into war. As such, they depend on their claws in combat and count as having an additional Hand Weapon.
Pack Mentality: The Slavemasters are not considered when determining the number of rows within the Pawslave unit, despite comprising the back row.
Scavengers: Hruds are known to live in huge underground Warrens beneath Hive Cities. In such situations, the Hruds are forced to subsist on scavenging, emerging from their subterranean dens to snatch whatever food supplies or equipment they can get their hands on. So too it is with technology. Much of their progress in science has been through the acquiring and dissecting of the gadgets of other races. This has much to do with the fact that the dens they live in do not harbour the appropriate conditions for the manufacturing of firearms or any other such technological products. So it comes to be that Hruds residing within the underground of Hive Cities resort to a life of scavenging for all manner of things, from food to weaponry. The Pawslaves in this case, in their desperate bid for survival, left to their own devices without any adequate equipment, attempt to increase their chances of survival by scavenging from fallen warriors upon the field of battle. To represent their scavenging tendencies, whenever the Pawslave unit happens upon fallen bodies on the Battlefield, you may choose to swap one model per fallen warrior, to represent the Pawslave grabbing the equipment for his own. In other words, when any soldiers on both sides are to fall in battle, place them sideways down on the Battlefield instead of removing them as usual. Soldiers that have been wiped out from a Sweeping Advance are removed as per normal and do not count towards the fallen bodies upon the Battlefield.
Fear Driven: If the Pawslave unit is to break during a close combat engagement with an enemy unit and fail its Leadership Test, the Slavemasters in the back row will start Attacking the unit with their Barbed Whips at a Strength of 2. For each Hit caused, add one to the Combat Resolution. If the new Combat Resolution breaks even, the Pawslaves retain their nerve and continue fighting. If the Combat Resolution is still negative, the Slavemasters are unable to "convince" the Pawslaves into continuing the fight, and they break away in terror, stampeding over the Slavemasters. The Slavemasters must pass an Initiative Test or are outright killed as the mass of bodies trample them. The remaining Slavemasters will attempt to regroup the Pawslaves by chasing after them in a Fall Back Move, at 2D6"+1, while the Pawslaves will continue fleeing without pause till they reach the end of the board at 2D6"+2. Should the Pawslaves rush into a friendly unit, that unit has to pass an Initiative Test to see if it manages to avoid being squashed by the stampeding Pawslaves. If they fail the Test, they are automatically Wounded. Armour Saves apply as usual. If the Slavemasters do reach the fleeing Pawslaves, the Slavemasters count as Charging into them, as the Slavemasters attempt to whip the Pawslaves into submission. The Pawslaves do not hit back, for fear of the repercussions of doing so. The Slavemasters then pass a Leadership Test, with any Combat Resolution modifiers applying, to check if they have managed to quell the Pawslaves' stampede of fear. If the Combat Resolution is instead positive, i.e. enough Hits are caused such that the Combat Resolution is now in your favour, their fear of the Slavemaster's whip override all other emotions and they throw themselves recklessly into the fray. In subsequent turns, the Pawslave unit is imbued with Frenzy that is lost when it is once again broken in combat. Should all the Slavemasters fall in battle, the Pawslaves will automatically flee towards the edge of the board.

Even among the Pawslaves, a hierarchical order of sorts is established. The stronger, more vicious Greyfurs would be able to fight for the best scraps during mealtimes. These Greyfurs, being natural leaders, are put at the front of the Slave pack during a battle, while the Slavemasters harry them from behind. Among the Pawslaves, they are known as Pawleaders, and the Pawslaves naturally submit to their leadership during a battle.

Pawleader: MS:3 BS:1 S:3 T:2 A:2(3) W:1 I:4 L:3 AS:- CS:5+
Point Cost: 3
Unit Size: 1 per 5 Pawslaves
Equipment: Claws and Fangs

Special Rules:
Nocturnal, Burrow Warren, Fleet of Paw, Instinctual Preservation, Unarmed, Scavengers, Fear Driven, Pack Mentality, Pack Leaders

In order to keep the Pawslaves in line and under control, Slavemasters are employed to lead packs of Pawslaves on the battlefield. As the task of handling Pawslaves is considerably less precarious than controlling the mutant Rat beasts of the Moulders, the selection procedure for Slavemasters is considerably less difficult compared to that of the Packmasters. Even then, the weakest of the Blackfurs is easily a match for the strongest of the Greyfurs, so there is little fear of revolt from the Pawslave packs. As a precaution though, the Slavemasters wear suits of Shell Armour, crudely forged pieces of armour made by joining the bits and pieces of scavenged armour parts. Just like the Packmasters, Slavemasters expertly wield Barbed Whips, both as a weapon and as a means of instilling control over the packs. The criteria of selection of Slavemasters include quicker wits, sharper reflexes and leadership qualities, as the Slavemasters have to keep a constant watch over the Pawslave masses. The Slavemasters are also trained to be accurate with firearms as they often see little combat due to the need for being at the back of the pack.

Slavemaster: MS:4 BS:2 S:3 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:4 L:7 AS:5+ CS:6+
Point Cost: 8
Unit Size: 1 per 5 Pawslaves
Equipment: Warplock Pistol and Barbed Whip, Sheath, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Shell Armour

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw, Whip Mastery
Barbed Whip: When used in instilling control over the Pawslave pack, the Slavemasters do not lash with force, but instead allow the sharp barbs of the whip to rake over the skin of the Pawslaves. Whenever the Barbed Whip is used in controlling the Slaverats, the Slavemasters make 3 Attacks each that Hits by rolling a D6 for the Slavemaster and a Pawslave and adding the scores to the Initiative of the Slavemaster and Pawslave respectively. Should the Slavemaster score lower than the Pawslave, he misses with his Barbed Whip. Should he score higher, he Wounds with a Strength of 2 upon the Pawslave. CS may be taken by the Pawslaves to denote them running for cover from the Barbed Whips of the Slavemasters.
Expendable Lives: Pawslaves are treated with the utmost contempt. In the eyes of their Slavemasters they are next to thrash. As such, they have no qualms about firing their Warplock Pistols into a combat engagement with Pawslaves and an enemy unit. On a roll to-Hit of a 1 when firing their Warplock Pistols, the Slavemaster misses and shoots a Pawslave instead. The Slavemaster may not fire his Warplock Pistol if he is within 1" of the enemy but may instead use it as a Hand Weapon.

Due to the enslavement of the Greyfurs, the Packlords of Clan Moulder have to resort to using Blackfurs to form the core of their army. These groups of Blackfangs are led by warriors that have the potential to be selected as Packmasters, or even the feared Black Guard. These warrior leaders are known as Fangleaders. As Clan Moulder is a very wealthy Clan, it is able to equip even the lowest ranking troops with the best of equipment. Every single Blackfur within a Blackfang pack is equipped with Shell Armour, a privilege that cannot be said the same of for rival Clans. The Packlords of Clan Moulder understand the limitations of the armies they can field however, noting the lack of range firepower in any form. Thus, despite being contrary to their nature, Blackfangs are known to be used as range troops in battle, creating stationary firing zones across the battlefield. However, the Packlords recognise that they are best suited to combat where their natural prowess reveal themselves. As such, within a pack of Blackfangs, it is not uncommon to find a variety of weapon types, some wielding deadly close combat weapons, while others using Warplock Rifles. A pack of Blackfangs is considerably smaller than Greyfur packs, due to their rarity within each brood. The Fangleaders are as rare to the Blackfangs as Blackfurs are rare to Greyfurs. Due to their superiority in combat, Fangleaders are almost exclusively deployed as assault specialists. Fangleaders are also essential to quell any infighting that may erupt among the Blackfangs. Blackfurs of all kinds when left among themselves, are prone to engage in fights for dominance to establish leadership within the pack. By installing Fangleaders into Blackfang Packs, the Blackfangs naturally recognise the strength of the Fangleaders and submit to their leadership. Should the Fangleaders all fall in combat however, the Blackfangs will fight amongst themselves again to establish a new leader.

Blackfang: MS:4 BS:1 S:3 T:3 A:1 W:1 I:3 L:6 AS:5+ CS:6+
Fangleader: MS:4 BS:1 S:4 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:3 L:7 AS:5+ CS:6+
Point Cost: 6/9
Unit Size: 10-30/1 per 5 Blackfangs
Equipment: Warplock Rifle +Warplasma Shell+0.5Pt/Warplock Pistol +Scimitar+1Pt +Rifle Sling+2Pts/+Sheath+2Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, Shell Armour
/Warplock Pistol +Scimitar+1Pt +Sheath+2Pts, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Shell Armour

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Burrow Warren, Fleet of Paw, Pack Mentality, Scavengers
Combined Arms: Within a pack of 20 Blackfangs, any number of them may be equipped with either Warplock Rifles, or Warplock Pistols and Scimitars.
Ritual of Dominance: If at any time during the start of your Turn there is a complete lack of Fangleaders within a Blackfang pack, having all fallen in battle in the previous Turn, as long as the Blackfang pack is not within 6" of an enemy unit, the Blackfang pack will erupt into infighting. The Blackfang pack resolve all of its Attacks against itself. For every 3 Saved and Unsaved Wounds, replace one Blackfang with a Fangleader. As long as one Fangleader is "revived", all infighting cease. If not, infighting carries on till a Fangleader is selected.

To exercise the greatest of control over such vicious, mindless beasts, an equally tough and brave individual is needed. As such, only the very best amongst the Blackfangs is selected to become a Packmaster. A Packmaster is armed with a Warplock Pistol and a Barbed Whip, which he uses with intricate skill. He wears Shell Armour, lest the wild abominations under him turn against him. He forgoes the Mirage Cloak however, as the Cloak conceals his entire visage and diminishes the power of his presence towards those under him. Beneath the Shell Armour, he wears the skintight Stillsuits. Even with the wealth of Clan Moulder, these Stillsuits are expensively procured from trading with Tribe Mors. Only Packmasters have the privilege of wearing these rare and expensive suits given the precarious nature of their work.

Elite:
Packmaster: MS:4 BS:2 S:4 T:3 A:3 W:2 I:5 L:8 AS:5+ CS:6+
Point Cost: 15
Unit Size: 1
Equipment: Warplock Pistol and Barbed Whip, Sheath, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Shell Armour, +Blood Skiff+30Pts

The Barbed Whip of a Packmaster is covered with barbs and thorns that dig deep into the skin. In order to drive his packs forward, the Packmaster lashes at them with just enough force to rupture the skin. The blow is not serious enough to be lethal to the beast, but the pain caused from the barbs digging into the flesh forces the packs into submission. When attempting to make any manoeuvres with the beast units under the control of the Packmaster, the Packmaster makes 4 Attacks that Hits by rolling a D6 for the Packmaster and the Rat beast and adding the scores to the Initiative of the Packmaster and Rat beast respectively. Should the Packmaster score lower than the Rat beast, he misses with his Barbed Whip, and the Rat beast does nothing. Should he score higher, he Wounds with a Strength of 2 upon the chosen beast unit. Armour Saves may be taken as normal. Manoeuvres include simply Moving the unit in the desired direction or Assaulting with the unit. In addition, the Packmaster must always stay within at least 4" of the beast units under his control.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw
Whip Mastery: Wielding a whip requires consummate skill. In inexperienced hands, the wielder is more than likely to hurt himself than the enemy. In the hands of a Packmaster, he is able to lash out with startling accuracy, striking at targets way out of the range of conventional melee weapons. As such, Packmasters have a Range of 4" in close combat. The Barbed Whip counts as Two Hand Weapons when used at a range of 4". This allows them to stay within 4" of the packs under their control while maintaining unit cohesion with them. The Whip becomes unwieldy to use when the enemy is too close in proximity to the bearer. As such the Barbed Whip is treated as an ordinary Hand Weapon when engaged in targets within 1" and loses its additional close combat Attack.
Beastmastery: The number of beasts under the control of a single Packmaster is equivalent to the number of Attacks the Packmaster is capable of making with his Barbed Whips, i.e. 3 Attacks. This is to represents the difficulty present in dividing your attention between multiple packs. As the Packmaster only has the dexterity and reflexes to make 3 Attacks per turn, he is effectively able to control only 3 Rat beast units.
Merely Beasts: The Packmasters treat the packs beneath them as mere beasts and have little regard for them, save the accomplishment of their purpose. The Packmaster may always use his Warplock Pistol to fire into combat even if the beast units under him are within that engagement. On a roll of a 1, a beast unit is Hit instead. If the Packmaster is directly engaged with the enemy, i.e. he is within 1" of an enemy unit, he may not fire his Warplock Pistol but may use it as an additional Hand Weapon.
Master of the Pack: If the Packmasters are to fall, the Rat beasts under his control would go berserk and start attacking friend and foe alike. The Rat beasts will charged towards the unit in closest proximity, regardless if its friend or foe.

Within the brood produced by a Hrud Queen, there are some pups that are born without sentience. These pups are gathered inside the laboratory of a Moulder where he exposes them to high amounts of raw Warpstone. The radiation from the raw Warpstone accelerates their muscle growth such that they become compact killing machines of muscle and sinew. However, the high exposure to the radiation from the Warpstone damages the processes of their minds, turning them into little more than mindless killing machines.

Rat Pack: MS:3 BS:0 S:3 T:3 A:10 W:10 I:3 L:3 AS:- CS:5+
Point Cost: 20
Unit Size: Swarm Base
Equipment: Claws and Fangs

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Swarm Mentality, Swarm
Blackfurs: To denote the small percentage of Blackfurs within the pack, for every 6 rolled to Hit, one Attack will be made at +1S, i.e. S4.
Fleet of Paw: When Hruds of all kind Move over ground, they fall onto all fours to gain maximum mobility. To represent this, during the Shooting Phase, you may forgo Shooting to make a Move instead. Roll 2D6 and the combined score is converted into the distance travelled in inches. This is only applicable if the Hrud is unarmed and thus both forelimbs are free. If that is not the case, roll a single D6 instead. However, doing this forgoes the Cover Save provided by Instinctual Preservation. It is possible to keep the CS while still making a Move during the Shooting Phase. Simply Move forward your Initiative in inches. This represents them bounding forward, yet cautiously, with their senses on the alert.
Burrow Warrens: Hruds live underground in a complex labyrinth of tunnels that exit at various points on the surface. If the Hruds are on the defensive and fighting on home turf, then there will be the presence of various burrow holes across the battlefield. For every Rat Pack and Pawslave unit within your army, place a marker anywhere upon the Battlefield to denote a burrow hole. Any Hrud unit may access these burrow holes and pop out of another of these burrow holes during the Movement Phase. If an enemy unit is within 6" of a burrow exit, the Hrud unit counts as charging with a +1A bonus on top of the usual Attack bonus for charging just as if it has the Surprise Assault Special Rule. This is to represent the Hruds ability to sense the vibrations caused by movements above ground and thus gain the preemptive on units on the surface. A Hrud unit may choose instead to enter a burrow entrance and lay in wait underground till an opportunity presents itself, when an enemy crosses a burrow exit, to reemerge for a Surprise Assault.

Dire Rats are full grown Greyfurs that have been exposed to the same levels of radiation as those pups in the Rat Packs. The Greyfurs become horribly mutated, most notably experiencing a tremendous increase in size and power. As it is with the Rat Packs, the mental processes of the Greyfur is severely traumatised by the experience, causing the Greyfur to regress into a primal state. The Greyfurs lose all sense of self-preservation and their natural senses are heightened to an extreme degree. Packmasters utilise their enhanced sense of smell to track down the blood scent of the enemy, allowing the Dire Rats to operate independently of the Packmasters as they hunt down their specific prey. Permanently falling down onto all four paws, the immense limb muscles of the Dire Rats allow them to make sudden bursts of movement to cross vast distances in a split second. All Hruds are capable of burrowing, seeing as how their Warrens are made out of an intricate network of tunnels. Normally, it would be unfeasible to rely on burrowing to travel across the battlefield, given the time and effort required. However, the forelimbs of the Dire Rats have underwent such an accelerated growth of muscles that they can effortlessly tear into the ground and tunnel their way to any point upon the battlefield.

Dire Rat: MS:4 BS:0 S:4 T:4 A:2(3) W:2 I:5 L:4 AS:- CS:-
Point Cost: 14
Unit Size: 7
Equipment: Claws and Fangs

Special Rules:
Fleet of Paw, Calvary, Burrow Warren
Blood Scent: Choose a unit type for the Dire Rat unit to hunt. From now onwards, the Dire Rat unit may act independently of the Packmaster and must always Attack units of that selected type.
Burrow Earth: Remove the Dire Rat unit from play. Treat it as a reserve unit and roll for its deployment like it was in reserve since the start of the game. You may choose to Deep Strike the unit anywhere upon the table top, with the exception that if the Dire Rat unit surfaces directly next to an enemy unit, it is counted as having charged the unit with the Surprise Assault rule.
Pack Instinct: The Leadership of the Dire Rat unit is increased by 1 Point for each additional Dire Rat within the pack from the first. In addition, the Dire Rats operate in packs of 7 and as such a pack of 7 Dire Rats is considered a single unit, i.e. a Packmaster may have 21 Dire Rats under him at all times.
Instinctive Retaliation: If the Packmaster would cause a Wound on a Dire Rat while attempting to control the Movements of the pack, the Dire Rat would have to pass a Leadership Test on its own unmodified Leadership. If it passes the Test, it Attacks the Packmaster. Resolve all Attacks and all Wounds incurred upon the Packmaster. The Packmaster dodges the Attacks on a successful passing of an Initiative Test.

Rat Ogres are created in much the same way as Dire Rats and Rat Packs. The difference however is that they are an amalgamation of various body parts from all manner of creations fused together albeit in a crude fashion. That is not the end to the growth of the Rat Ogres however; they are left in the deepest, darkest levels of the Hell Warren, with walls of raw Warpstone constantly radiating the mutating energy of Chaos, to fend for themselves. Ultimately, left without food and faced with the prospect of death, they turn on each other in an orgy of cannibalism, all the while suffering a slow but sure transformation from the mutagenic effects of Chaos. These harsh conditions ensure only the strongest and fittest of the Rat Ogres survive and become the ultimate warriors of Clan Moulder. Some even after being retrieved from the Hell Pits, as they are called, have additional appendages fused onto them through the use of pure Warpstone as a adhesive. The process of fusing additional limbs onto the Rat Ogres dulls their reflexes and senses however. The hide of the Rat Ogres respond to the constant torture from the radiation within the Hell Pits by developing an extremely dense layer of dead skin and cellular outgrowth. All of this is not without its repercussions however, as the horrendous and traumatic experiences within the Hell Pits cause the Rat Ogres to become wild and uncontrollably aggressive. Prior to the start of the battle, the Rat Ogres have to be placed in chains of neosteel. Once released, the Rat Ogres would seek for a way to vent their anger. As their anger mounts, the Packmasters will find it all the more harder to control them. In the worse scenario, the Rat Ogres will turn on their masters, easily tearing them limb from limb. Thus, in order to pacify the Rat Ogres into submission, the Packmasters will continually lash at them with their whips, hopefully containing them till the opportune time comes when they can be unleashed upon the enemy.

Rat Ogre: MS:4 BS:0 S:5 T:5 A:3(4) W:3 I:4 L:7 AS:5+ CS:-
Point Cost: 25
Unit Size: 1
Equipment: Claws and Fangs

Special Rules:
Hatred, Feel No Pain
Extra Appendage: +1A, -1I. Initiative may never be made lower than one.
Tortured Hide: The intense pain suffered from the constant exposure to radiation has gifted the Rat Ogres with an unnatural resilience. After experiencing such an intense and horrific experience within the Hell Pits, the Rat Ogre has become numb to pain and is capable of surviving blows that would otherwise kill them outright. +2AS. May only ever be increased once. In addition, the Rat Ogre may never be Insta-Killed.
Rebellious: Every turn after the first, the Rat Ogre's Leadership increases by one as his pent-up rage builds up. For every Turn the Rat Ogre's Leadership exceeds that of the Packmaster, he must pass a Leadership Test to see if he goes against the Packmaster. If he passes the Test, the Rat Ogre has now gone berserk and is subjected to Frenzy. His first act is to immediately engage the Packmaster in combat. He will always charge the nearest unit, friend or foe. In order to reduce the Leadership of the Rat Ogre to prevent such a mishap, the Packmaster must lash at the Rat Ogre with his whip at a Strength of 2. For each Hit caused, the Leadership of the Rat Ogre decreases likewise. Remember that the Packmaster may only use his whip, so he is entitled to three Attacks, not forgetting that the Barbed Whip counts as Two Hand Weapons at a Range of 4". If the Rat Ogre is broken in combat with an enemy unit, use the Leadership of the Rat Ogre if it is currently higher than the Packmaster, for all Leadership Tests.

Skimmer technology came to the possession of Clan Moulder in much the same way as it was with the other Clans. Verminkin II sold the technology to Griffkin, in fact, Griffkin was so impressed with the War Skiffs in their display during the war between the combined host of the three tribes against the forces of Clan Verminkin, that it was said he was the first to ask of Verminkin III to be sold the technology. Verminkin III refused initially for he had acquired the technology to give a military edge to the forces of Clan Verminkin over the other tribes and especially against the Great Clans. However, Griffkin asked and asked, so impressed was he because although he was not at the scene of that battle, the Rat beast packs of his Clan had been hired in great quantities and at great expense by the combined wealth of the three tribes. Yet, even against such a great host with the dreaded Rat beasts of Clan Moulder, the combined host of three tribes were soundly beaten. At each refusal of Verminkin II, Griffkin insisted all the more and with each request, raised the price for the selling of the technology. At last, greed got the better of Verminkin III and he with so many demanding the technology of the skimmers, Verminkin III held it like an auction, with the skimmer technology being sold to the highest bidder. Of course, none could match the Great Wealth of Clan Moulder and thus Clan Moulder came to be the first Clan to possess the skimmer technology after Clan Verminkin. Eventually though, Verminkin II sold the technology to all who came hungering for it, for the right price. In this way, skimmer technology proliferated among the Hruds.

The Moulders were very keen with the new War Skiffs, for they saw in them the potential to transport their Rat beasts quickly into the theatre of war. If only they were larger though...and with this thought, the Bloodsmiths of Clan Moulder were put to task with enlarging the carrying capacity of the War Skiffs. The tinkering of the Bloodsmiths resulted in a 50% increase in carrying capacity, which greatly pleased the Moulders. Griffkin too was pleased with this development, and he christened the new War Skiffs, Blood Skiffs, after the Bloodsmiths who were their designers. Unlike with the other tribes and clans, Clan Moulder is unable to field Greyfurs as the drivers of the Skiffs due to the fact that all the Greyfurs have either been enslaved or mutated into hideous Rat beasts. Instead, Blackfurs are called to the task, and they undergo similar rigourous training to the Wardrivers of Clan Verminkin. These Blackfurs call themselves Bloodrivers after the selected name of their Skiff. Due to the comparatively weaker quickness of mind and dexterity of digits of the Blackfurs compared to Greyfurs, the Bloodrivers are not as adept at manoeuvring the Skiffs as the Wardrivers.

Fast Attack:
Blood Skiff: FA:11 SA:10 RA:11
Point Cost: 30
Unit Size: 1-3
Equipment: +Warplock Gun+15Pts, +Warplightning Cannon+20Pts, Wardrive, Front Ram, +Side Scythes+5Pts, +Warpshield+15Pts
Bloodriver: MS:4 BS:2 S:3 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:4 L:7 AS:5+ CS:6+
[b]Equipment:[b] Warplock Pistol, Pike, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Shell Armour
Blackfang: MS:4 BS:1 S:3 T:3 A:1 W:1 I:3 L:6 AS:5+ CS:6+
Fangleader: MS:4 BS:1 S:4 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:3 L:7 AS:5+ CS:6+
Point Cost: 6/9
Unit Size: 10-30/1 per 5 Blackfangs
Equipment: Warplock Rifle +Warplasma Shell+0.5Pt/Warplock Pistol +Scimitar+1Pt +Rifle Sling+2Pts/+Sheath+2Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, Shell Armour
/Warplock Pistol +Scimitar+1Pt +Sheath+2Pts, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Shell Armour

Special Rules:
Fast Skimmer, Open-Topped, Transport, Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Skilled Rider, The Scythe, The Weave
Flexible Skeletons: The skeletal structure of the Hruds is segmented into many joints and appendages. As a result, they have great flexibility, able to squeeze into the tightest of spaces. The Blood Skiff thus, despite being a small skimmer, is able to transport many Hruds at a time, as the Hruds simply bend their bodies to make room for more occupants. This behaviour of the Hruds has earned them the nickname "bendies" by Human crewmen. The Rat Ogre in contrast, due to the horrible mutations and the grafting of the various alien parts upon its trunk, has become far removed from the Hrud that it originally was. The unique skeletal structure of the Hruds is lost to the Rat Ogre in his grotesque, mutated state. So it is too with the Dire Rats and Rat Swarms. The mutations they have endured has caused them to lose their original Hrud skeletal composition and their large size makes that take up more space than a Hrud would require. This is the reason why Clan Moulder modified its Blood Skiff for greater transport capacity, because the Master Moulders intended to travel into battle onboard the Blood Skiffs with their Rat beast packs. The Blood Skiff has 15 Transport Slots while the other Skiff types have 10. Hruds of all kinds take up 0.5 Transport Slots, so the Blood Skiff is able to carry 30 Hruds. Rat Packs and Dire Rats take up 1 Transport Slot, while Rat Ogres take up 2 Transport Slots. So flexible and bendable are the Hruds that it is not uncommon for them to squeeze in numbers that go above the recommended carrying capacity. As such, attached unit leaders do not take up Transport Slots. They count as being 0.

The Master Moulders are the descendants of those first Moulders whose actions sparked the Great Revolt that ended in the total enslavement of the Greyfurs within the Tribe. Within the Clan, they are viewed with a mixture of conflicting emotions, at once admired for their inventive brilliance and as the saviours of the Great Revolt, on the other hand seen as mad scientists entirely obsessed with their work. During the aftermath of the Great Revolt, the Warlords feared that that the popularity of the Moulders amongst the masses would force the leadership of the Tribe to be wrested from them and given over to the Moulders. However, the Moulders in their eccentricity, refused such an offer, contend simply to continue their abominable experiments on the mutagenic powers of Warpstone and its effects on living organisms. The Warlords were both relieved and pleased; in their eyes the creations of the Moulders presented a means for the Tribe to rise up in status and power amongst the rival Tribes. Through the power presented by their twisted creations, they would dominate the battlefield, eventually elevating the status of their Tribe to that of a Clan. The Packlords, as they soon chose to refer to themselves, saw the Moulder's work as a form of currency to be exploited, and were known to engage in elaborate trades, exchanging their created monstrosities with the secret technologies of other Tribes. Clan Moulder thus became amongst the wealthiest and militarily strongest of the tribes, eventually rising to become one of the four Great Clans, together with Clan Skyre, Clan Eshin and Clan Pestilens.

When the Master Moulders go to battle, they surround themselves with the toughest of their creations. In their possessions are Warpcommand Orbs, devices of the same make as the Warpchannel Orbs used by the Warplords of Clan Skyre. The difference however, is that the Master Moulders use these Orbs as a portal to channel their influence over their subordinate creations, influencing the wavelengths of their minds, thus aligning them with the intentions of the Master Moulders. As such, they move as a single cohesive unit, needing none of the crude implements of the Packmasters to control the beast packs under them. The Master Moulders see the battlefield as an arena to put their creations to their test. They carry with them an assortment of all sorts of experimental gadgets, and being the mad scientists that they are, their only obsession is to see the successfulness of their implements in the practical field of war. One example of such a device includes the Corruptor Raygun, that has a crystal of raw Warpstone at its core that forms the fuel that powers the device. The Corruptor works by emitting rays of high radiation induced by the Warpstone, causing the flesh of its victim to erupt uncontrollably with all manner of mutations. Within the arsenal of the Master Moulder are the Warpstone Grenades. These Grenades are composed entirely of raw Warpstone in its most volatile and unstable form. The essence of these Warpstones are contained within glass orbs that crack upon impact, allowing the Warpstone essence to spill out into the surrounding area. So potent are they that they are capable of inducing rapid mutations almost instantaneously upon targets within their immediate vicinity. Master Moulders are so named however for their ability to manipulate the forms of the beasts directly under them even amidst a battle. The beasts under his control are either fed Warpstone Brew which greatly enhances its physical strength or are injected with Warpfire Brew that causes them to enter a state of frenzy. The trump within the arsenal of the Master Moulder is his own ability to induce mutations within his own body by imbibing a concoction of Warpstorm Potion. The liquid within is highly potent and invigorating, as the Warpfire scorch the insides of the Master Moulder. As such, the Master Moulder only resort to such moments when left with no other options. The changes within the body of the Master Moulder occur nearly instantaneously. The muscle bulk erupts outwards uncontrollably, turning the Master Moulder into a hulking form of muscle and sinew. In this form, the Master Moulder is known as a Master Mutant. The Master Mutant is capable of spitting vile acid at targets far away. The effects of the Warpstorm Potion only lasts so long; eventually the Master Mutant reverts back to his original form. The Warpfire Potion is not without its side-effects however, and leaves the Master Moulder very much akin to a drunken state. Over time, he slowly regains the full processes of his mind. Due to the considerable repercussions of imbibing Warpfire Potion, it is only used as a last resort, when the Master Moulder is faced with imminent death.

HQ:
0-1Master Moulder: MS:4 BS:4 S:3 T:4 A:2 W:2 I:6 L:8 AS:4+ CS:6+ IS:5+
Master Mutant: MS:4 BS:4 S:6 T:5 A:2+D3 W:2+D3 I:3 L:9 AS:4+ CS:- IS:5+
Point Cost: 50
Unit Size: 1
Equipment: Warpcommand Orb, Warprestore Orb, Corruptor Raygun, Mutagent Injector, Warpstorm Potion, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Warpstone Armour, +Blood Skiff+30Pts

The Warpcommand Orbs work slightly different than the Warpchannel Orbs. While the Warpchannel Orbs act as a medium between the user and the Warp, the wielder of the Warpcommand Orbs act as a medium between the user and the minds of those he is attempting to affect. Through channeling their wills through the Warpcommand Orbs, they are able to influence the minds of the creatures in their direct vicinity. As long as the Master Moulder passes a Leadership Test, all Rat beast packs within 6" of the Master Moulder may make a Move, be it Assaulting or simply Moving. In addition, the Warpcommand Orb have so overrided the intentions of the Rat beasts in its domain of influence, that the Rat Ogres do not suffer from the [b]Rebellious[b] Special Rule under the command of a Master Mutant.
The Warprestore Orb is a Warpstone Orb designed with the intent of healing and repairing the wounds suffered by the Rat beasts in combat. What it does is it nullifies the bleeding and cuts suffered by the Rat beasts, by programming the mutational energies within the Orb to fuse back the torn tissue and muscle at the cellular level. A loss limb can even be fused back in this manner, but of course at immense pain. This makes it not so ideal to be used on a Hrud, but with the Rat beasts, their tolerance of pain is much greater due as their senses having been made numb and insensitive from the transformative process they have experienced, so it would be of little consequence. The Warprestore Orb must be right next to the loss limb or wound to fuse and heal it back in shape. As such, the Warprestore Orb can only affect a single Rat beast at a time. A single Rat beast within the retinue of the Master Moulder gains Regeneration. For each Wound it has suffered, on a roll of a 4+ it regains it back. The Warprestore Orb can be used on the Master Moulder in much the same way as long as he has imbibed the Warpstorm Potion.
The Corruptor Raygun is a range weapon that sprays the raw mutagenic essence of the Warpstone within the containment unit of the weapon. The spray of raw Warpstone essence appears as a mist that evaporates nearly instantaneously upon contact with the air. As the mist settles upon the flesh of living organisms, the skin erupts with mutation, causing insufferable pain to the victims. The particles that constitute the mist never truly evaporates away and lingers in the air. As such, victims that have been sprayed by the Raygun inhales the toxic substance within their bodies, where the mutagenic essence of raw Warpstone undermines the internal organs of the victims, diminishing their physical fortitude and the natural resilience of the victims. In addition, as the victims slowly succumbs to the effects of the Corruptor, his senses lose their sensitivity and the nervous functioning of his limbs becomes affected. Units Hit by the Corruptor Raygun suffer a permanent reduction in their MS, T and I by 1.
The Mutagent Injector allows the Master Moulder to directly mutate his creations even upon the battlefield. One such Mutagent is the Warpstone Brew, a concoction that greatly increases the strength of the bearer, although the effects are only temporarily. Rat beast that has been injected with Warpstone Brew doubles their Strength for one turn only. Another Mutagent commonly used by Master Moulders is the Warpfire Brew. As the Warpfire courses through the blood streams of the Rat beast, its nervous system overloads, exciting it into a frenzied state. Rat beast that has been injected with Warpfire Brew becomes subjected to Frenzy. You may inject both Mutagents within the same Turn during the Assault Phase, even when the Master Moulder and his retinue is engaged in combat, as long as the Master Moulder is screened by his Rat beast packs.
When all the Rat beasts under the command of the Master Moulder is dead, the Master Moulder immediately imbibes the Warpstorm Potion that he always carries in reserve. The Warpstorm Potion is so called because its intense potency causes tremendous mutations to occur within the body of the Master Moulder, within the space of a second. The Master Moulder attains a massive hulking form that puts the Rat Ogres to shame. The Warpstorm Brew combines the effects of both the Warpstone and Warpfire concoctions, as such besides the changes to the statistics of the Master Moulder as a Master Mutant, he is subjected to Frenzy. He is also further subjected to the rules of Calvary as when he travels, he falls down on all fours for maximum mobility. The Master Mutant retains his armour as the Stillsuits are made of highly stretchable material while the Warpstone Armour, due to the fine workmanship of the Smithmasters of Tribe Dirge, hold fast together. The Master Mutant is capable of spitting acid at targets from a Range of 12". The acid is so corrosive that it is capable of penetrating neosteel plating. The Spitting Acid Attack has the following profile: R:12" S:5 AP:1 T:A1, Pinning. The effects of the Warpstorm Potion do not last forever and only by passing a Leadership Test at the end of every Turn is the Master Mutant able to retain this form. This reflects the Master Moulder's willpower as he attempts to cope with the potency of the Warpstorm Potion. Upon failing the Leadership Test, the Master Moulder succumbs to the side-effects of imbibing the Warpstorm Potion, which is similar to a hangover. In subsequent Turns, the Master Moulder regains his old profile and suffers from a -1 modifier to his WS, BS, S, and I that is only regained upon passing a Leadership Test at the start of every Turn.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw, Master of the Pack
True Beastmaster: The Master Moulder sees the battlefield as an opportunity to test the effectiveness of his creations in battle. As such, his retinue always consist of the various Rat beast creations as a result of his experiments. There is no limit to the number of beast packs under his control as long as they fit within 6" of the Master Moulder.
Obsessed Experimenters: When the Master Moulder does appear on the battlefield, it is simply a situation where he attempts to gauge the effectiveness of his mad-inspired creations in the lethal conditions of the battlefield. The Master Moulder may never be the Army General.

Packlords are the Warlords of Clan Moulder. During the times when Clan Moulder was still a minor tribe, the Warlords of that era saw the Master Moulders and their twisted creations as a tool essential for the ascension of their Tribe. That was how Clan Moulder was born, named after the very individuals that gave rise to the Tribe as a major power. The Warlords saw how the twisted creatures of the Master Moulders were superior even to the elite Black Guard retinue. Thus the Black Guard was disbanded and the Warlords started to use Rat beasts to replace the Black Guards as their retinue. However, to handle and restrain the bestial instincts of the Rat beasts is no easy task and many Warlords in their inexperience have fallen prey to the Rat beasts. This led to the Great Coup, in which the Packmasters who were trained all along by the Master Moulders to handle the Rat beasts, turned against the ruling Warlords to take their place as the true masters of Clan Moulder. Some Warlords did survive the Great Coup, through tenacious will, finally mastering control over the Rat beasts. Thus it came to be that the hierarchy of Clan Moulder was to be determined by one's expertise in controlling the Rat beasts. The Rat beasts are creatures often possessing strong will and independent mind as they tend to follow their own inner instincts, so it is no easy task to tame them. The very best Packmasters are recognised for their skill and leadership by their fellow Packmasters and are elevated to the status of Packlords, individuals whose actions determine the overall movements within the Clan. The Master Moulders are an exception to the natural order of the hierarchy within Clan Moulder for they are the source of the Rat beasts and are so consumed by their own experimentations that they are very much unaware of the movements of power within the Clan structure.

Packlords come equipped with the very best of equipment the wealth of Clan Moulder is able to acquire. Their choice of weapons include the Barbed Whip, to control the Rat beasts that form their retinue, and the Weeping Blade, a steel blade dipped in a highly venomous poison. The venomous poison is extracted from the Hell Vipers that roam the lands of the Underempire. A single cut from a Weeping Blade can cause even the toughest and most strong-willed of individuals to succumb in a matter of seconds. For their protection, they wear the rare Stillsuits and the even rarer Warpstone Armour. The Warpstone Armour is intricately crafted by the greatest of the Hrud Smiths, offering protection superior to the Shell Armour. In addition, a single piece of raw Warpstone is embedded into the center of the Armour. The Warpstone chestpiece radiates an aura that extends into the Warp, protecting the bearer from Psychic intrusions. In addition, the aura acts as an invisible barrier that is capable of stopping even physical attacks. Under the leadership of the Packlords, Clan Moulder has arisen to become the wealthiest Clan in all Hrudom.

Packlord: MS:5 BS:3 S:4 T:4 A:4 W:3 I:6 L:9 AS:4+ CS:6+ IS:5+
Point Cost: 55
Unit Size: 1
Equipment: Warplock Pistol and Power Whip, Weeping Blade, Sheath, +Warplasma Grenades+2Pts, +Warpfire Grenades+4Pts, +Nightshades+2Pts, +Stillsuit+4Pts, Warpstone Armour, +Blood Skiff+30Pts

The Power Whip is a Barbed Whip imbued with Power field technology, gained from trading with one of the Migratory Tribes or Clan Pestilens. They are crafted by the Bloodsmiths just as it is with the Barbed Whips. An energy sheath envelops the entire whip, allowing it to cut through the thickest armour. Power Whips are Barbed Whips that ignore AS.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw, Barbed Whip, Merely Beasts, Master of the Pack, Alpha Pack
Whip Mastery: The same rule applies as with Packmasters and Slavemasters except the Packlord has 5 Attacks instead of 4. AS may not be taken against the Power Whip.
Beastmastery: The same rule applies as with Packmasters except the Packlord has 4 Attacks instead of 3. This also means that the Packlord may commandeer up to 4 Rat beast units at a time.
Lord of Beasts: When Clan Moulder becomes threatened by an external force, Master Packlord Griffkin will send several Packlords to defend the Clan. The Alpha Pack needs to be determined among the delegated Packlords, and the Packlords duel each other in their mastery and control over the Rat beasts, before they depart for war. Eventually one of them will best the others, and he is given the title of Beastlord and the rank of Pack General. If you have more than one Packlord in your army, choose one. He will be the Army General, and he has an improved profile of A5 and I7. This means that the Army General may commandeer up to 5 Rat beast units at a time.

[Calixtus]

Tribe Mors is splintered into a series of lesser tribes, forced to live a nomadic existence within the harsh Desert World of Tallern. These tribes chart their course over the desert sands using the locations of oasis as stops. These oases are scattered throughout the desert at random points. The tribe never stops at a location for too long so as to prevent their water source from running dry. They chart their course in such a pattern as to avoid contact with fellow tribes, so as to not exceed the limits of an oasis to provide. When they do chance upon other tribes, it is during their wanderings through the desert. A ritual exchange of information regarding the conditions of their respective tribes take place. In this way, the individual sections are made aware of the workings of the Greater Tribe on the whole. During such exchanges, the tribes use this opportunity to replenish whatever they so happened to be lacking currently, be it food supplies or firearms. In this manner, the balance of power between the tribes is kept in check, for the tribes necessarily have to sacrifice something they have in abundance in exchange for what they are in dire need of. No tribe is thus greater than another, although this system of balance is not perfect and some tribes are indeed wealthier or more powerful than their fellow tribes.

Conflicts however, do occur between the tribes at times, despite the stance of mutual aid and non-aggression practised between the tribes. These are occasions when the land dries up and the scarcity of water drives the tribes into competition for rare pockets of precious water. All this further creates an environment of harsh existence, where only the fittest survive. The Nomads of Tribe Mors are thus tough individuals, adapting to the many dangers posed by life in the Desert World of Tallarn, one such adaptation being the evolution of highly developed senses of perception. A Nomad is conditioned to be intimately aware of his immediate surroundings, thus it is extremely difficult to take one off-guard.

The Hruds of Tribe Mors have developed many means to conserve water, even the water within their own bodies. When a Hrud dies, his body is left within the Deathstill, the water extraction system within the huge Sandcrawlers that serve as the mobile homes of the Hrud Nomads. The water within the dead body is drained and stored in the water storage tanks within the Sandcrawlers. The Nomads have derived ways to conserve water to such an extent that they have developed incredibly advanced Stillsuits, at least from the standpoint of their primitive existence. These Stillsuits are made from the leathery hides of the Desert Yaks, a native lifeform of Tallarn that subsist on the sparse vegetation scattered throughout the desert. The hides of the Yak have high water absorbent properties and have even greater water retention capabilities. The Yaks as such do not imbibe water to quench their need for it like other lifeforms but immerse their entire bodies within an oasis. In this way they can travel many miles across the desert in search of the sparse vegetation that forms their diet, never needing to drink by subsisting on the water stored in the sacs beneath their hides. The Stillsuits work by absorbing the bodily waste products naturally generated by the actions of the body. A filtration mechanism within the Stillsuits extract the water, while leaving the waste byproducts to be excreted back into the surroundings. The extracted water is then reabsorbed back into the body of the Hrud. The entire water recycling system is powered by pumps built into the heels of the suit, thus the motions of the Hrud both causes the natural excretion of waste products and the powering of the processes of the Stillsuit.

Another invention of the Nomads of Tribe Mors is the Nightshades. The twin-suns of Tallarn scorch the barren ground with harsh, glaring rays, making it a setting most unfavourable to the Hruds, for due to their nocturnal origins, were highly susceptible to bright lights. The sensitive eyes of the Hruds could not take bright flashes of light, which made it even worse that the star system of Tallarn contained two suns. This prompted the Hruds to formulate a device which would ensure the protection of their eyesight in this harsh world. The Nightshades was thus invented to fulfill this need. It is made of two lenses that have been shaded to appear dark when viewing through it. The lenses is made of obsidian, a mineral, that due to its dark shade, prompted the Hrud Weaponsmiths of Tribe Mors to use in the creation of the Nightshades. To the Hruds wearing them, the time of the day would appear to be night, for everything is shrouded in darkness. This makes it perfect for the eyesight of the Hruds for they were born in a dark place, the Underempire of a moon of a planet at the center of the galaxy.

Another item the Nomads of Tribe Mors have taken to manufacturing is the Mirage Cloak. Although common and in wide circulation in the Underempire of the Hruds, the Hruds of Tribe Mors, due to their location and segregation from the rest of the tribes and clans of the Underempire, have taken to manufacturing their own Mirage Cloaks to weather the cold nights and hot days of the Desert World of Tallarn. While the first Mirage Cloaks and the Mirage Cloaks used by the tribes of the Underempire are black, for the landscape of the Underempire is shrouded in a deep twilight, the Mirage Cloaks used by the Nomads is brown, the colour of the sand that surrounds them for miles in all directions. This gives them a limited amount of camouflage, and it is the source of their reputed ability to go unnoticed, and part of the reason why they are so hard to spot. The Mirage Cloaks serve greatly in both war and peace times. In war, the Mirage Cloaks further obscure the silhouettes of their Nomads from their enemies, appearing as a "mirage" caused by the heat of the sun. This has given rise to its name among the Hruds, for its camouflaging properties. In peace times, it keeps out the heat of the sun, and gives some protection from the cold of the night. The Mirage Cloak is thus a prized possession of the Nomads, and even a necessity.

During the day, the Sandcrawlers of the splinter tribes of Tribe Mors seek out areas composed of soft soil. Great burrowing drills on the underside of the Sandcrawlers would dig deep into the ground, forming huge pits in which the Hruds would seek refuge from the scorching heat. The Hruds would then proceed to extend the depths of the pit horizontally through burrowing, creating a network of tunnels. These network of tunnels would have a main tunnel from which branch out the various sub-tunnels that lead to various dens. Moving down the layers of the Warren are the mating dens. Any Hruds in heat would proceed to mate within, and the young litters produced are gathered in the nursing dens at the lowest levels of the Warren where they would be furthest away from the dangers present on the surface. Having burrowed out the complex network of tunnels that comprise the interior of the Warren, the Hruds would then proceed to burrow sub-tunnels from the main tunnel route that exit onto the surface. These tunnel exits provide several routes of escape should an external force attempt to break into the Warren. The burrowing of the Warren is done by the Greyfurs of the tribe, while the Blackfurs act as sentinels guarding the Sandcrawler from threats. The Hrud Nomads reside within the Warren temporarily, until such a time that the water supply within the storage tanks of the Sandcrawler runs dry. When night falls, the tribe would then proceed on their nomadic wanderings, heading towards the nearest oasis where they can replenish their water supply.

The Hruds occasionally encounter the Tallarn Bedouins in their travels, Human nomads who live an existence of constant travel much like the Hruds. The Hrud tribes usual disposition is to avoid contact as much as possible with the Humans they coexist with. However, Hruds and Humans have been known to enter into territorial disputes over areas rich in resources. The Hruds of Tribe Mors have proven to be a resilient and resourceful foe, such that, out of respect of their adversaries, the Tallarn Bedouins have started to use Hrud terms in their everyday speech. The Hruds have likewise borrowed from the language of Man, calling themselves after them. The Fedaykin of Tribe Mors for instance, is derived from the tongue of the Tallarn Bedouins, the original word being "Fedayeen", and roughly translated, means "one who is ready to sacrifice his life".

In their initial forays with the Humans, the Hrud tribes were at a disadvantage due to their relative primitivity, lacking in firearms compared to the Tallarn Bedouins. The Hruds, with their cunning minds, saw the solution to the problem by scavenging from dead Tallarn Bedouins. In the aftermath of a battle, the Hruds would return to the scene of the battlefield to salvage whatever firearms they can from the bodies of fallen Bedouins. During times of peace, the Hrud would engage in a technological exchange with the Bedouin caravans they would meet, trading knowledge of the manufacturing of Stillsuits for knowledge of the manufacturing of firearms. Through these exchanges, the Hruds learnt to built forges for the manufacturing of weapons within their Sandcrawlers. The salvaged firearms from the fallen bodies of Bedouin Warriors were modified within these forges. These modified firearms, called Jezails by the Hruds, are highly customisable, capable of having attached double barrels, allowing the firing of two rounds in a single shot. The Jezails form the standard firearms of the Greyfurs of Tribe Mors, known as the Nomad Warriors of the Hrud by the Bedouins. The Blackfurs of Tribe Mors, calling themselves Dune Warriors, use a sawn-off version of the Jezail. Its reduced size allows it to be used as an additional close combat weapon in hand-to-hand engagements, but the range of the firearm is compromised due to its shortened barrel. The Sawn-off Jezail may be used both as a pistol as well as a rapid fire weapon due to its highly customisable design.

Another source from which Tribe Mors are able to gain access to firearms is from the fellow Tribes and Clans of the Underempire and the rest of Hrudom. The Nightshades and Stillsuits manufactured by Tribe Mors are goods of high demand in all Hrudom, and fetch tremendously high prices. The usual exchange of a Nightshades or Stillsuit is commonly either a Warplock Rifle or Fusil. Besides the trading of firearms, Tribe Mors use their monopoly over the production of Nightshades and Stillsuits to procure valuable raw materials and food sustenance that would be otherwise scarce on the Desert World of Tallarn. The denizens of Tribe Mors do not use these firearms in their engagements but rather use the parts and pieces as raw materials for their own modified weapons of war. An example of such a weapon that contain parts of the Warplock Rifle is the Hrud Rifle. The only individuals in the entire Tribe to use Warplock Rifles or Fusils in engagements of war are the Seer Chieftains. The main reason why Warplock Rifles are not used as a standard firearm by the warriors of the Tribe is due to the fact that the weapon restricts mobility as it is a move or shoot weapon. Battles fought under the harsh Suns of Tallarn are quick and decisive, with mobility being integral to victory. On the open, bare lands of Tallarn, there is no place to take cover and being able to be constantly on the move is essential to survival. The Seer Chieftains on the other hand do not have to be constantly on the move. Rather, holding a stationary position in the center of the army in full view of the movements of each element of the Tribe would be more favourable as the Seer Chieftains are responsible for coordinating and commanding the forces of the Tribe. As such, the Seer Chieftains choose weapons of war that have great range and possess tremendous firepower. The Warplock Rifle and the Fusil is easily among the most powerful weapons available to Tribe Mors, so they are considered a staple equipment of the Seer Chieftains. However, it is also not uncommon for the Seer Chieftains to equip themselves with the weapons of the various warriors of the Tribe. For instance, if the Seer Chieftain so chooses to join a Sharpshooter unit, he would wield instead the Hrud Rifle. Over his long lifespan, he has so trained in all the ways of war mastered by the warriors of Tribe Mors, he is at home within any unit upon the battlefield, able to fulfill each distinct role equally well.

Within the forges of the Sandcrawlers, the Weaponsmiths of Tribe Mors developed the Hrud Rifle, an entirely original creation specifically designed to suit the nomadic style of warfare of the tribes. It is so called for it was designed by the Weaponsmiths to be the definitive weapon of war for the Hruds. Its components are derived from the parts of the various types of firearms the Hruds have come across through their scavenging. It is a high-powered, single-shot slug rifle, with a long barrel that gives it incredible range. The most innovative design of the Hrud Rifle is its recoilless firing mechanism, allowing the Hrud Rifle to be fired even on the move. The Hrud Rifle is upgradeable with a laser-sighted sniper scope that allows it to hit targets at critical areas with pinpoint accuracy. The Hrud Rifle is also designed to be compatible with various types of ammunition. Indeed, it has been observed of Hrud riflemen of Tribe Mors, firing pulse shots with their rifles after an encounter with Tau Empire forces. As of yet, the Hruds have refused the invitations of the Water Caste ambassadors to join the Tau Empire, for the Hruds are a secretive race that pride themselves on their self-reliance.

~End~

Unlike the other Hrud Tribes and Clans, Tribe Mors is distinguished by the lack of racial tension between the Greyfurs and Blackfurs. The Greyfurs and Blackfurs coexist peacefully, each fulfilling a role within the tribe that they are best suited to. This culture is a direct result of a necessity derived from attempting to survive within the harsh desert environment of the world of Tallarn. If the society within Tribe Mors was atypical of the disorganised mass that characterises the other Tribes, with a great social divide between the Greyfurs and Blackfurs, Tribe Mors would easily succumb to the harsh forces of their environment. The Greyfurs, lacking the physical strength of their Black brethren, form the work force of the tribe, burrowing tunnels to create the Warrens, setting up the pumps to drain the water from oasis pools into the storage tanks within the Sandcrawlers, among other things. When the tribe goes to war, the Greyfurs too take up arms in defense of their tribe, for the entire tribe lives as one and fights as one and no personnel can forgo his responsibility to the tribe. Besides, although the Blackfurs are the warriors of the tribe, it would be impractical to depend solely on them for the defense of the tribe for they lack the numbers of the Greyfurs. The Greyfurs, forming the bulk of the tribe, are employed as range troops, where they would be safe from engaging in close combat of which they are ill suited to. Tactically, the Greyfurs are used as stationary firing bases, as a defensive deterrent against advancing enemy forces. In their forays with the Human Bedouin Warriors of Tallarn, the most commonly encountered Hrud is the Greyfur, so the Greyfurs form the archetype of the Hrud in the minds of the Bedouin. As such the Greyfurs of the tribe have come to be known as the Nomad Warriors of the Hrud to the Bedouin. The Greyfurs have adopted this name for themselves, and the Nomad Warriors of the Hrud form the bulk of the forces of Tribe Mors.

Troops:
Nomad Warrior: MS:3 BS:1 S:2 T:3 A:1 W:1 I:5 L:6 AS:6+ CS:5+
Point Cost: 5
Unit Size: 10-20
Equipment: Jezail +Double-Barrelled+3Pts, +5Spike Launchers+10Pts, +2Plasmortars+20Pts, Nightshades, Stillsuit, Mirage Cloak

The Jezail is a modified autogun, the weapon of choice of the Tallarn Bedouins. As a result, the availability of Jezails is directly related to the scavenging of fallen Bedouins in the aftermath of a war. The Jezail is almost a direct copy of the autogun except it is more customisable, and use Kryshards for ammunition, giving it greater penetrative power. Its modifiability includes its ability to extend its barrel into a double-barrelled version of the Jezail, allowing it to fire two shots instead of one. It has the following profile: R:24" S:3 AP:6 T:RF.
Modifying a Jezail with Double-Barrells doubles the Shots fired by the Jezail. That means when firing within 12", the Jezail fires 4 Shots while when firing at the maximum distance, the Jezail fires 2 Shots.

Spike Launcher[Kryspike]: R:24" S:5 AP:2 T:A1
Spike Laucher[Spike Bomb]: R:24" S:4 AP:4 T:A1, Blast, Pinning, Multi-Layered Grenade
Spike Launchers are modified Grenade Lauchers of the Imperial Guard scavenged by Tribe Mors during a battle. The Spike Launchers are lightweight and highly portable, such that they can be fired on the move, much like they were as Grenade Launchers. The ammunition fired by Spike Launchers, as the name suggest, are formed from the teeth of dead Sandworms, called Kryspikes. Sandworms are massive creatures that reach lengths of hundreds of metres. Lining the interior of their mouths are innumerable jagged teeth that are composed of a diamond-hard substance called Krys. The Krys is then sharpened and refined into a form that can be used by the Hrud Nomads as Kryspikes. When fired from a Spike Launcher, the Kryspike is capable of piercing the toughest of armour, save the armoured hulls of the tanks of the Imperium. In their encounters with the Terminators of the Space Marines during the Great War, the armour of the Terminators proved as resilient to the weaponry of the Hrud Nomads as the armoured hulls of the tanks. The only weapon capable of piercing Terminator Armour was the Kryspike Launchers, such that within every Nomad Warrior troop, up to five Warriors are delegated with the task of carrying these Spike Lauchers into battle, selecting the hard targets while leaving the rest of the troops to mob up the light infantry.

In the aftermath of the Great War against the Humans, the Frag and Krak Grenades raided from the Imperium were dissected and the workings of their mechanism studied by the Weaponsmiths of the Hrud. Through this, the Hrud Nomads acquired the technology to create explosives that fragment upon impact. The Hrud Weaponsmiths, within their forges in the Sandcrawlers, started development on an explosive device that would be composed of several layers of fragment that shattered upon impact. Yet, instead of the scattering of mere shrapnel, the outer layer of the bombs would be composed of Kryspikes. Thus, the Spike Bomb was invented. On the surface, the Spike Bomb appears as a ball covered with spikes made of Krys protruding from every possible point. Within the Spike Bomb however, the composition and structure is very similar to a Frag Grenade, with hundreds of tiny ball bearings lining the interior, with the exception that the ball bearings are substituted by Kryshards. In other words, the Spike Bomb is a Multi-Layered Frag Grenade. Upon impact with an enemy unit, the Bomb shatters, showering the immediate vicinity with Kryspikes, the shrapnel of the bomb casing, and the Kryshards at the core of the Spike Bomb. The target unit is thus bombarded several times over, as the fragmentation reduces them into pieces. Unless equipped with Power Armour or stronger, the survival rate from a Spike Bomb blast is extremely low. The Spike Bomb is a Blast Weapon that causes Pinning. In addition, it has the Multi-Layered Grenade rule that states that all units caught within the Blast are subjected to D3 Hits of S and AP of 4.

Plasmortar[Shell]: R:G48" S:7 AP:2 T:H1, Blast, Pinning, Overheat
Plasmortar[Grenade]: R:G48" S:5 AP:3 T:H1, Blast, Pinning
In the disarray of the Imperial forces during the death raid of those brave Fedaykin death commandos, the Imperial forces were forced into retreat. In the haste of their evacuation, the Imperial forces left many of their equipment behind. These were salvaged by Tribe Mors for their own use. Predominant among the equipment left behind are caches of Plasma Guns and Mortars, which presented too heavy an object and were thus left behind during their evacuation procedures. The Hrud Nomads disfavoured the Plasma Guns in exchange of their own hand-crafted Jezails, for the Plasma Guns had the tendency to Overheat with extended use, killing its wielder. Given the myriad of dangers already faced by the Hrud Nomads within the harsh desert environment of Tallarn, the complications of the Plasma Gun made it all too unfavourable a weapon. However, they acknowledged the awesome firepower contained within a single Plasma Gun, and as such, the Weaponsmiths of the Hruds worked on harnessing the plasma power within the Plasma Guns and combining this power with the delivery system of the Mortar, thus reducing the casualties caused by overheating. The Plasmortar was thus born. The Plasmortar is capable of firing a single Plasma Shell that contains the penetrative firepower of the Plasma Gun. It is also capable of a secondary mode of firing, in which it lobs a single Plasma Grenade that suffers from lesser strength and penetration compared to the Plasma Shell. The designs of the Weaponsmiths were unable to completely removed the complications involved with the overheating of the plasma, but at least the feedback is contained within the Plasmortar itself, and no harm comes to those found within its immediate vicinity. The weight of the Plasmortar has its setbacks however, and requires it to be transported by two Hrud Nomads. The Plasmortar has to be set up before use, to compensate for the recoil of the projectile as it is fired. The Plasmortar must be carried at all times by two Nomad Warriors. Place the Nomad Warriors at most 2" apart. This is contrary to the Skirmishers rule, which says the Nomad Warriors within a troop can maintain a distance of 4" apart. If you choose to fire the Plasmortar, the two Nomad Warriors may not choose to use their Jezails. Should the Plasmortar Overheat, simply remove it from the Battlefield. The two Nomad Warriors may continue to operate as per the normal rules applied to all Nomad Warriors.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Scavengers, Burrow Warren, Sand-Walkers, Secretive, Fleet of Paw, Scouts
Skirmishers: Each individual model within a Hrud unit may stay up to 4" of each other. When the unit is Charged, it may choose to scatter instead of receiving the Charge. Roll a D6 and add to the I for both opposing forces and compare the end scores just like when making a Sweeping Advance. If the Hrud unit scores higher, then it withdraws 2D6"+2. The enemy unit is forced to Move its full Charge distance, but does not get into Assault, unless it is able to reach the fleeing Hrud unit through the rules of Calvary for instance. Skirmishers may choose to regroup their formations once during the start of your Turn.
Sand-Walkers: Living within the deserts of Tallarn, one must always be wary of the Sandworms of the Desert, Shai-Halud as known to the Human Bedouins. They eat anything that moves upon the desert sands, for they are the lords of the desert, and nothing that moves upon the surface is free from their clutch. The Bedouins however, have learnt of a way of moving that is able to deceive the Sandworms burrowing deep within the earth, that they are simply the Sand Vipers that roam the land, or even the wind shifting and turning the sands. This is possible because the Sandworms sense the vibrations on the surface from the sensitive hairs on the soft skin that lay beneath the hard armour plates that cover the length of their bodies. By moving in a certain pattern, making one forward step with the foot, while dragging the other behind, the Sandworm is deceived into thinking the vibrations is made from the wind lifting and plowing the sands. In this rather slow and haphazard manner, the Hrud Nomad is able to move undetected over the sandy deserts. Move Through Cover USR. Only applies if they are fighting within a desert terrain.
Secretive: The Hruds of Tribe Mors have developed a secretive way of life due to the harsh conditions faced when living within the Desert World of Tallarn. The dangers faced at all times within the desert has allowed them to evolve highly develop senses of perception, able to perceive the onset of danger almost instantaneously. This, together with their naturally secretive disposition towards life, has made sightings of Hrud Nomads a rare occasion indeed. To reflect this, when a Hrud unit of Tribe Mors is in Cover, any enemy units attempting to Shoot or Charge at them has to roll a D6 and add it to their Initiative. The Hrud unit does likewise, adding D6 to its Initiative and comparing the score with that of the enemy. If the Hrud unit scores higher, than the enemy unit is free to target another unit but not that Hrud unit. If the Hrud unit scores lower, than the enemy unit may Shoot or Charge the unit as per normal.
Hunter-Seekers: Nomad Warriors firing Spike Launchers may choose targets separate from the rest of the troop.
Trench Diggers: During prolonged battles, Nomad Warriors have been known to fortify their firing bases by digging trenches with their claws. Although digging a trench in the midst of battle is a risky affair, the Nomad Warriors are known to do so fairly quickly. The trenches provide exceptional cover against all sorts of firearms, at least those that travel forth horizontally. However, the trench provides no protection from artillery weapons like the mortar that bombard the enemy from above. At the start of your Turn, determine if any of your Nomad Warrior units are to dig a Trench. If so, that particular unit(s) may not make any further Movements for the rest of that Turn, be it Moving, Shooting or Assaulting. Trace an imaginary line that is 6" in length across the Battlefield to denote the Trench. The Trench may not be placed upon Difficult or Dangerous Terrain. The Trench provides +2 to the CS of all the Nomad Warriors within the unit as long as they are behind the imaginary line. The Trench only provides a CS from Shots that come at an angle that touches the imaginary line before Hitting any of the Nomad Warriors behind the line. Template Weapons do NOT negate the CS of Nomad Warriors behind the Trench, but Blast Weapons suffer no penalties against the Nomad Warriors behind the Trench. If the Nomad Warriors behind the Trench did not fire in the previous Turn, then all Shots fired at them only Hit on a roll of 6. In order to create a trench during the chaos of a battlefield, the Nomad Warriors within a single pack must band together and use their collective strength in order to dig a trench in the shortest time possible. Besides, it is unfeasible to create a trench that spreads too wide amidst a battle. As such, every single Nomad Warrior must be within 1" of each other and the entire unit must be behind the imaginary line that denotes the Trench.

The Blackfurs of Tribe Mors form the backbone of the fighting forces of the tribes. While the Greyfurs present the work force, Blackfurs are the warrior sentinels of the tribe, forming an ever vigilant guard against any would-be attackers. They tame their natural aggression by engaging in ritual combat among themselves, as a means to vent their pent-up energy. The ritualised combat instills discipline among the Blackfurs, suppressing their tendencies towards infighting. Indeed, over the ages, the ritual combats practised by the Blackfurs have developed into a highly technical artform. By understanding the flow of power between two opposing forces, the Blackfurs attempt to manipulate the outcome of combat by learning to apply force precisely at the right location and time. This technical outlook towards combat differs greatly from the Blackfurs of the other tribes who rely on pure aggression and recklessly throw themselves into the fray. Much of these techniques were developed through their encounters with the Bedouin Warriors of the Tallarns. Despite their seeming frailty compared to the physique of a full-grown Blackfur, the Bedouins were easily able to overcome a Blackfang in single combat. Through their exchanges, the Blackfurs learnt of the martial art practised by the Bedouin Warriors, called by them, "The Weirding Way". Its philosophy is based on being in control of the flow of combat by adapting to the opponent's movement and seeking the weak spots in their fighting style. The Blackfurs borrowed from them by copying these techniques and adapted them to fit their physique. The constant life of warfare within the desert and the practise of ritual combat between the Blackfurs on a daily basis has made even the lowliest Blackfur a highly skilled combatant, capable of standing his own even against the combat specialists of other species.

In battle, the Blackfurs would attempt to close in on the enemy, where their fighting prowess can be put to good use. The bare lands of the desert provide little places of cover, but the dunes, rising like rolling hills across the landscape, act as barriers between the Blackfurs and the enemy. The Blackfurs came to learn to travel from dune to dune, relying on these mounts of sand for cover, till they were in such a position as to be able to engage with the enemy. The Blackfurs of Tribe Mors thus came to be known as the Dune Warriors by their Human adversaries. Even then, the Blackfurs have learnt that it is impractical to depend solely on unarmed combat and carry sidearms with them. The Dune Warriors are thus versatile troops, capable of engaging both at range and in the melee. Through their encounters with the forces of the Tau Empire and Imperium of Man, the Dune Warriorss learnt that range weaponry and physical combat were insufficient in covering the entire dynamics of warfare. The firearms of the Hrud Nomads were unable to pierce the armoured hulls of the tanks of the Imperium, and in nearly every engagement, the Hruds were forced into retreat, lacking the technology to deal with armour. The Dune Warriors, seeing themselves as the warrior sentinels of the Tribe, resorted to raiding Imperial weapon depots to discover a means to deal with the seemingly invincible tanks. During their raids, the Dune Warriors took whatever they could carry with them, and the Frag and Krak Grenades, being lightweight and carriable en masse, were easy pickings. Through the process of trial and error, the Dune Warriors learnt of the use of the Frag and Krak Grenades. The Weaponsmiths of the Hruds modified the Krak Grenades, using a casing made of Krys to replace the usual shrapnel used by the Imperium. These modified Grenades came to be known as Krys Grenades, and had greater penetration power than a Krak Grenade. So it came to be that in any engagements with armoured companies, the Dune Warriors were sure to carry with them these Grenades. The Dune Warriors thus came to be multi-purpose warriors, capable of fulfilling any role upon the battlefield. Through merit of their efforts, the Dune Warriors have come to be recognised by the tribal leaders as being the backbone of the forces of Tribe Mors.

Troops:
Dune Warrior: MS:5 BS:1 S:3 T:3 A:1 W:1 I:4 L:7 AS:6 CS:6+
Point Cost: 7
Unit Size: 10-20
Equipment: Sawn-Off Jezail and Claw/+5Plasma Pistols+5Pts, Kryshard Grenades+1Pt, Krys Grenades+2Pts, Nightshades, Stillsuit, Mirage Cloak

The Sawn-Off Jezail is a modified version of the Jezail with a sawn-off barrel and a built-in pistol grip. The pistol grip allows it to be fired with a single hand, freeing the other hand to be used in hand-to-hand combat. The Sawn-Off Jezail has the following profile: R:18" S:3 AP:6 T:RF, Pistol-Grip.
Pistol-Grip: When within 12" of the enemy, the Jezail may be used as if it was a Pistol, being fired once before being used as an additional Hand Weapon in combat.
During one of the Great Raids upon the Imperial weapon stockades, the Dune Warriors encountered Plasma weaponry. The Dune Warriors recognised them as weapons of immense power, having seen them being employed by Imperial Guardsmen during the Great War. The Dune Warriors took the Plasma Pistols for their own use, disdaining the bulk of the Plasma Guns, as a possible option against the armoured hulls of the tanks of the Imperium until a viable alternative could be found. The Plasma Pistol has the following profile: R:12 S:7 AP:2 T:P, Overheat.
Kryshard Grenades are modified Frag Grenades with the ball bearings at the core replaced with Kryshards. They are thrown right before engaging the enemy in close combat and are specially designed to flush out enemy forces in cover. For each Charge bonus you choose to lose, you may throw a Kryshard Grenade. It has the following profile: R:G12" S:4 AP:4 T:A1, Blast, Pinning. For each casaulty inflicted from the Kryshard Grenade Attacks, the enemy unit must pass a Pinning Test with a -1 modifier. If the target unit fails its Pinning Test, all bonuses gained when receiving a Charge while in cover are negated. Both Attackers and Defenders engaged according to Initiative value as if there was no cover.
Krys Grenades are Krak Grenades modified with greater penetrative power through the use of Krys as the constituent material of both the casing and the core. They function in much the same way as Krak Grenades, except striking at S7 instead of S6.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Sand-Walkers, Secretive, Fleet of Paw, Scouts, Skirmishers
Dune-Walkers: If the Dune Warriors choose to Move as if they were in Difficult Terrain instead of moving normally, they are counted as having a +2 to their CS, for a total CS of 4+, that works against Template Weapons too. This Special Rule only applies if the Dune Warriors are fighting in desert terrain.
Way of the Claw: Gain a +1 to-Hit modifier in close combat.
Overgrown Incisors: Gain an Extra Attack as long as the Dune Warrior is within 1" of an enemy unit.

Hrud Rifles are used exclusively by the Sharpshooters of Tribe Mors. It can be said that Hrud Rifles were created to fill a need for mobile, long-ranged elite fighting troops in battle, especially against the more advanced races. This motive was decided by the tribal leaders when they convened together during the Great Gathering, after the initial forays between Tribe Mors and the advanced civilisations of the Tau Empire and the Imperium of Man. Their superior firepower, and the lack of armour of the Hrud Nomads, resulted in an unacceptably high casualty rate among the Hruds. The course of action decided upon then, during the Great Gathering, was the formation of an elite fighting unit that had the range to engage the enemy at a distance where they would be safe from return fire, and the mobility to move across the battlefields should their positions be compromised, while maintaining a constant fusillade. Thus, the Sharpshooters of Tribe Mors was born. Sharpshooters are selected from Greyfurs who have shown exceptional bravery in battle. The selection criteria is extremely strict for the Sharpshooters are forced to operate independently from the rest of the tribe. They are as such a highly disciplined force, that, due to the conditioning of their role upon the battlefield, have developed acute senses as a direct result of their honed instincts developed from learning to survive while operating independently, on their own judgement. Sharpshooters are often in the most forward positions upon the battlefield, so that they are better able to target key units whose demise could possibly determine the fate of the battle. They would advance cautiously up the field of battle, moving from cover to cover in the knowledge of the vulnerability of their armour. When stationed behind rocky outcroppings or other assorted terrain features, the Sharpshooters are adept at blending completely with the terrain, almost being impossible to spot. Being desert-dwellers, Sharpshooters are expert at manoeuvering over difficult terrain, easily noticing where the land is roughest and moving in a shifting fashion over smooth ground in a pattern that mimics the movements of desert snakes. Sharpshooters have also been known to use the burrow tunnels of their Warren to move quickly from point to point. The true distinction of the Sharpshooters however, is their immense skill with the Hrud Rifles. They develop these skills by living a tough regiment everyday of their lives, perfecting their aiming skills through sheer practise. During the day in their periods of rest, they would sleep with their rifles slung to their bodies. The end result is that the Sharpshooters are able to perform unnerving feats of accuracy with their rifles, capable of targetting areas where the armour is most vulnerable, and bypassing even the formidable defences of the Terminator Armour of the Space Marines.

Elite:
Sharpshooter: MS:3 BS:2 S:2 T:3 A:1 W:1 I:6 L:8 AS:6+ CS:5+
Point Cost: 13
Unit Size: 5-10
Equipment: Hrud Rifle +Bolt Shell+1Pt +Pulse Shot+3Pts +Warplasma Shell+5Pts +Laser Sights+5Pts +Rifle Sling+2Pts, Nightshades, Stillsuit, Mirage Cloak

The Hrud Rifle is made out of the parts of countless lesser firearms, but take its key components from the Warplock Rifle. This includes the long barrel of the Warplock Rifle, the flintlock firing mechanism, its ammunition casing and its compatibility with a wide range of ammunition types. However, the most prominent feature of the Hrud Rifle, its ability to fire on the move, is due to its recoiless firing mechanism that is technology stolen from the Storm Bolter of the Imperium. The chief implement is believed to be a great spring shock absorber at the butt of the Rifle. The Hrud Rifle has the following profile: R:36" S:4 AP:6 T:A1.
Being on a Human world means that the Hruds of Tribe Mors come into contact with Humans on a regular basis. Scavenging through the equipment of fallen Human soldiers, the Hruds have gotten their hands on the Boltgun and its Bolt Shell. This has inspired the Weaponsmiths to modify the Hrud Rifle to be compatible with various ammunition types, allowing the Sharpshooter to fire a round with increased penetration. The Bolt Shell has a S4 AP5. Each Bolt Shell must be Purchased separately. If 3 Bolt Shells are purchased then you may fire a Bolt Shell for 3 Turns.
The Hruds of Tribe Mors have encountered the Tau when they came to the world of Tallarn. Engagements with the Tau brought to the Tribe the realisation that the weaponry of the Tau was superior even to the Humans. The Hruds thus have resorted to scavenging their equipment, in the same way they scavenge from fallen Human warriors. As the Tau equipment is sophisticated and well-crafted, the Weaponsmiths have been unable to crack their secrets. However, they have been able to configure the Hrud Rifle to accept Pulse rounds as ammunition. Pulse Shot has a S5 AP5. Same rules of Purchasing apply as with Bolt Shells. Like the Bolt Shell, the Sniping rule conferred by Laser Sights may be combined with the rules of firing Pulse Shots as long as the Sharpshooter did not Move that Turn.
Trade of Nightshades and Stillsuits with their kindred tribes in the Underempire has allowed Tribe Mors to gain Warplasma Shells. They are given as an ammunition option to the Sharpshooters. Warplasma Shell has a S5 AP3, Blast, Pinning, Warplasma Acid. Units splashed by Warplasma Acid suffer a -1 modifier to their AS that is accumulative.
Laser Sights confers the Sniping rule for the Hrud Rifle. In addition, shots from the Hrud Rifle causes Pinning. The Sharpshooter may choose to use the Laser Sights for targetting an enemy unit. They gain a Hit on a D6 roll of 2+, and may choose to Wound on a 4+ instead of using the Strength of the Hrud Rifle. In addition, these attributes can only be gained if the Sharpshooter did not Move that Turn. In other words, the Hrud Rifle becomes a Type Heavy 1 firearm.
Nightshades, as the name suggest, are eye goggles designed to block out the burning rays of the Sun from the sensitive eyes of the Hruds. The Nightshades were invented by the Greyfurs of Tribe Mors, due to the need to protect their light-sensitive eyes from the harsh twin-suns of the Desert World of Tallarn. When worn, the bearer sees his surroundings as if it was nighttime. The Nightshades have proliferated among the other tribes of Hrudom, through trades of mutual exchange, whenever the mothership of Clan Rictus would pass through the Tallarn system. The most common item of trade for every Nightshades is the Warplock Rifle. The more advanced Fusils have found its way to the possession of Tribe Mors through exchanges with Clan Skyre.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Secretive, Sand-Warlkers, Burrow Warren, Scouts, Infiltrators, Skirmishers
Sharpshooters: When using the Laser Sights of their Hrud Rifles, on a to-Hit roll of 5+, the Shot is fired with an AP of 1.
Covert Adepts: Stealth USR.
Fleet of Paw: During the Shooting Phase, the Hrud unit may opt to Move instead of Shoot. To reflect the fact that Hruds may travel on all four limbs for increased mobility, roll 2D6 and the value rolled is the distance travelled in inches. You lose the benefits of Instinctual Preservation as a result as the Hruds are too occupied with moving forward to be bothered about any possible dangers that lay ahead. This special Move is only possible if the Hrud in question is capable of coming down on all fours in the first place. Thus his forelimbs must be free from any weapons and be totally unencumbered. If that is not the case, then roll a single D6 instead to determine the distance Moved. Sharpshooters are able to purchase a Rifle Sling for their Hrud Rifles. The Rifle Sling allows the Rifle to be slung on the back, leaving the forelimbs free for movement. You may choose to keep the benefits of Instinctual Preservation by instead moving forward the unit's Initiative value in inches. This is to reflect the Hrud moving forward with his senses on the alert.

Fedaykin, roughly translated from the Tallarn tongue, means "one who is ready to sacrifice his life(for a cause)". During the purges of the Hrud Nomads by the Imperium on the world of Tallarn, Tribe Mors was nearly brought to extinction. The Hrud Nomads were masters over the desert of Tallarn, having become familiar with the terrain through their numerous wanderings. Despite the superior firepower of the forces of the Imperium, the Hruds used guerrilla tactics and their familiarity of the terrain to their advantage, and managed through feats of bravery to fight the Imperium to a stalemate. Hrud Sharpshooters would lure Imperial Guardsman over difficult terrain, and as they struggled across the rough terrain to get their weapons in range of the Hruds, the Sharpshooters would pick them off one by one from the safety of cover.

However, the Imperium started employing the use of tanks against Tribe Mors. The weapons of the Hrud Nomads were incapable of piercing the armour of the tanks, and their mastery over the terrain was useless as the tanks had no difficulty traversing over difficult terrain. The Hruds of Tribe Mors were thus slow but surely driven back, despite their utmost efforts. It was only when certain Dune Warriors, through much personal risk, raided an Imperium weapon supply depot and brought back with them Frag and Krak Grenades. The Weaponsmiths of the Hruds dissected and studied the workings of these Grenades and managed to create their own versions of these explosives, modified with even greater firepower, using Kryshards as the source of the fragmentation.

Meanwhile, as the Weaponsmiths worked on the creation of these new explosive devices, the Hrud Nomads attempted to delay the advances of the Imperium. During these critical periods, in their desperation, Krak Grenades were used by the Dune Warriors in suicide raids against the tanks. But even then, the actions of the Hruds only managed to delay the Imperial forces temporarily, as the Imperial forces continued their march onwards. At long last, the Weaponsmiths completed their device they were working on, made from the components of the Krak Grenade, yet containing firepower of a considerable degree higher. At this period of the war, known to the Humans as the Great Xeno-Purge of Tallarn, Tribe Mors was in the face of imminent doom. During these desperate times, a squad of death commandos were formed from the bravest of the Dune Warriors. These death commandos were christened Fedaykin by the Seer Chieftains of the Tribe, or "one who is ready to sacrifice his life for a cause". These death commandos adorned vest wrapped with these countless explosive devices, ready to be detonated by the single pull of a wire. In one of the final battles of the Great Xeno-Purge, the death commandos laid in wait in cover, while the rest of the forces of the Tribe distracted the advancing Imperial host. As the fighting grew fiercer, the Hrud forces suddenly withdrew, feigning retreat to lure the Imperial forces forward into the range of the death commandos lying in wait. The commanders of the Imperial forces, believing their withdrawal to be a sign of weakness, sent their forces forward hoping to rout and crush the Hruds in one decisive blow. The commanders were tricked; in their forays with the Hruds, the commanders had come to believe their tanks were invincible and were unstoppable against the forces of the Hruds. The advance guard of tanks pushed onwards, heedless of the doom that awaited them. When the tanks finally drew into range of the brave death commandos who were lying in wait, the death commandos sprang from their cover, charging heedlessly towards the closest tanks. The tank commanders were utterly taken by surprise and were unable to respond at all before the first of the commandos crashed into the vehicles. The collision triggered the detonation of the explosives within the vest. The detonation of multiple explosives, each with power greater than a single Krak Grenade, turned the tanks into nothing but flaming debris. One by one, the tanks fell as the death commandos collided with each one in a suicidal rampage. The Imperial forces were turned into disarray by these startling change of events. In the chaos of the moment, the Imperial infantry were taken by surprise as the retreating Hrud forces returned in full force, exploiting their moment of weakness and hunted them down to the last man. This was the first major turning poi