Hrud ideas

Codex: Hrud

* * *

Hrud Special Rules

Nocturnal
All Hrud are Nocturnal. Nocturnal creatures make sight checks when Night Fighting conditions are not in effect, but do
not make them while Night Fighting conditions are not in effect.

Swarms
All Hrud models with a T and W value have the Swarms GSR, granting them the Vulnerable to Blasts and Small Targets
GSRs.

Squash!
As small xenos, Hrud have well-developed senses of self-preservation. When a Hrud model would suffer Instant Death, it
instead takes a single additional wound.

Nightbound Special Rules

The Nightbound are a fearsome breed of xenos. Few in number, their cunning, speed and savagery make them the ideal
complement to the throngs of much weaker Hrud to whom they ally. They are Nocturnal, Stubborn, may Deep Strike if
the mission permits, and Feel No Pain. All Nightbound are considered to be Psykers whether or not they have purchased
any Psychic Powers. They may never be placed on the board while Night Fighting conditions are not in effect, and may
make their first roll to arrive from Reserve on their player's first turn in which Night Fighting conditions are in effect. At the
beginning of a player’s turn, if Night Fighting conditions are not in effect, for each Nightbound that player controls on the
table he or she must pass a Psychic test with Perils of the Warp in effect as usual. If this test is passed, the Nightbound
may continue as usual, but otherwise it must test twice for pinning, then suffer an automatic attack of Perils of the Warp.

Hrud Psychic Abilities

Call Shadows
All Hrud Psykers are assumed to have this Psychic Power and it may always be used on top of their usual one power per
turn as an exception to the normal rules. At the beginning of each game-turn (as opposed to player-turn) that Night
Fighting conditions are not in effect, or that Night Fighting conditions would cease to be in effect, you may take a Psychic
Test using the total number of Hrud Psykers on the table as the LD value. Perils of the Warp applies to a single Psyker of
your choice if it occurs. If the Psychic Test is passed, Night Fighting conditions either go into effect or do not cease to be
in effect.

Consuming Darkness
Psychic test required. Use at the start of your turn. The Psyker calls the power of the Warp to crackle in a perverted
exoskeletal arrangement, shielding himself from the attacks of enemies. As his very blows crackle with the force of the
Warp, the Psyker may use any number of Psychic Powers for the remainder of your turn. If Night Fighting Conditions are
in effect, these powers are immune to Psychic Hood. (so no leadership roll-off) He counts as Invulnerable and being
armed with a Force Weapon as well until the end of his player's turn. May not be purchased or used by the wearer of a
Nightshade Cloak.

Haste
Psychic test required. Use at the beginning of your shooting phase. The Psyker momentarily draws a friendly unit
within LOS into the Warp. If the Psyker passes his test, the unit immediately makes a Fleet move in lieu of shooting.

Armoury (so far)

Ranged: (two-handed)

Autocannon S7 AP4 48" Heavy 2

Demo Charge (maybe) S8 AP2 12" Assault 1 Ordnance

Hrud Spike Launcher S5 AP4 24" Assault 1 Blast

Melta Gun S8 AP1 12" Special
Plasma Gun S7 AP2 24" Rapid Fire Gets Hot!
Plasmortar S7 AP2 G36" Heavy 1 Blast
Scavenged Firearms S3 AP- 12" Assault 2

Melee (single-handed)
Heavy Close Combat Weapon 1 point
(Rending Close Combat Weapon 5 points (maybe))
Plasma Pistol S7 AP2 Pistol Gets Hot! 5 points

Wargear
Plasma Grenades (ty primer) 1 point
EMP Grenades 2 points
Psychic Hood 15 points, Psyker only, 0-1 per 1000 points in army, rounded up.
Nightshade Cloak 0-1 per 1000 points in army, rounded up. The wearer of a Nightshade Cloak
will always inflict wounds in melee on a 4+, regardless of the target's T. The Cloak further produces a disorienting effect
on the senses of most galactic sentients, manifesting in humans as a sort of blind spot. Enemies wishing to fire at the
wearer or any friendly unit within 6" of him must take a sight test exactly as though Night Fighting Conditions were in
effect. If Night Fighting Conditions are all ready in effect, the cloak instead provides +1 to any cover save the targets
would have, or, if they are in the open, a 6+ cover save instead. The effects of multiple Nightshade Cloaks are NOT
cumulative.
40 points.

Sunglasses Some Hrud wear protective lenses against the harsh glare of the world under the pitiless scorching suns of
the neglected and barren worlds on which they breed. Treat these Hrud as having the Acute Senses GSR.

Vehicle Upgrades

Gotta work on these.

List Organization
Hrud society is split into three general factions. The Tribe of the Soil are hoary traditionalists, relying on skills of
husbandry long marginalized in the other two tribes, gumption, and their ties with the other two tribes. The Tribe of the
Star are the more outward-looking Hrud. They were the first to introduce plasma, grav and force field technology to the
other tribes; are willing to trade with humans and other xenos - or at least those who see them as belonging behind the
snack cart rather than in it, as some Kroot leaders are wont to. They are also the tribe most suspicious of the intentions
of the Nightbound to their race. The Tribe of the Sky are the most enthusiastic supporters of the Nightbound, boast the
most prolific psychic powers, and are the tribe most likely to swarm - reasons for which they are also the Tribe with which
the Imperium has the greatest experience.
When selecting your list, you must choose a single tribe. Tribal affiliation affects the type of FOC slot occupied by a given
unit as well as the eligible allied contingents that tribe may take. Allied contingents consist of 0-1 HQ, 0-2 Troops, 0-1
Fast Attack and 0-1 Elite FOC choices from the allied Codex. Allied contingents may not fulfil FOC chart required
selections. Eligible alliances are as follows:
Tribe of the Soil: Tribe of the Star, Tribe of the Sky
Tribe of the Star: Tribe of the Soil, Kroot Mercenaries, Tau Empire, Alien Hunters Radicals (non-Deathwatch), Blood
Axes, Unmarked Lost and the Damned (representing Human and Orkish mercenaries/merchants)
Tribe of the Sky: Tribe of the Soil, Dark Eldar, Lost and the Damned (yes, they definitely ARE up to something, as they
often don't just get dragged back to Commoraugh for the opening act in the Arena...)
Tentative Unit Entries
Stats to follow for blank entries

Tribe of the Soil

Troops
Hrud Swarms 6 points/base

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Swarm Base 2 3 2 2 4 3 4 7 6+
Unit: 3-15 Swarm Bases per Hrud Swarm.
Equipment: Scavenged Firearms
Special Rules: Nocturnal
Options: Plasma Grenades for +1 points/Swarm Base, Sunglasses for +1 points/Swarm Base

Beetle Jockeys (T=Troops, F=Fast Attack, H=Heavy Support)

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Beetle Swarm (T) 1 - 2 2 4 4 3 7 6+
Man-Sized Beetles (F) 2 3 2 2 4 3 4 7 5+
Ogryn-Sized Beetles (F) 3 3 5 2(4) 4 2 5 7 4+
Monstrous Beetles (H) 4 3 8 2(7) 6 1 6 7 3+

Equipment:
Beetle Swarms are armed with their mandibles alone. The riders of Man-Sized Beetles and up Beetles are armed with
Scavenged Firearms.

Options:
Sunglasses at +1/+3/+5 points respectively for any ridden beetles. Plasma Grenades for +1/+3/+5, EMP Grenades for
+3. Up to one in three Ogryn-sized Beetles may mount a Hrud Spike Launcher, plasma gun, or melta gun on its head.
(+5/+10/+10) Each Monstrous Beetle may make up to two such selections.

Special Rules:
Beetles - Beetles are Beasts, and thus are Fleet and have a 12" assault move. Beetles may further choose to move as
Jump Infantry. If they do, their save is reduced to -/6+/5+/4+ respectively as their shells have to open in order for them to
use their wings. Beetle Swarms are Hrud-sized and smaller beetles, too small for even a Hrud to mount. They are
Swarms but do not use the Squash! special rule and are not Nocturnal. They also may not be used for
compulsory FOC slots. Man-Sized Beetles carry one Hrud each and thus count as normal Hrud, plus Beasts and the
option of jumping. Man-Sized and up beetles count as Nocturnal as they have Hrud riding them. Ogryn-Sized Beetles are
not Swarms, are mounted one to a base, and count as being equipped with a Heavy Close Combat Weapon in Melee.
They are suprisingly resilient and benefit from the Squash! special rule. Monstrous Beetles are Monstrous Creatures
and benefit from the Squash! special rule.

Tribe of the Star

Tribe of the Sky
(unallocated unit types/iffy special rules)
HQ
Greater Nightbound
Hrud Prophet

Elites
Lesser Nightbound
Hrud Engineers

Hrud Weapons Teams 12 points/base

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Weapons Team 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 7 6+
Independent Character: For every seven Swarm Bases in your army, you may take a single Weapons Team. Each
Weapons Team counts as an Independent Character. Weapons Teams do not occupy FOC slots.
Equipment: Hrud Spike Launcher
Special Rules: Nocturnal.
Options: May exchange their Hrud Spike Launcher for a melta gun or plasma gun for +10 points. Sunglasses for +3
points/base.

Hrud Chieftains 15 points/base

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Chieftain 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 8 6+
Veteran Chieftain 3 3 2 2 4 4 4 9 6+
Character: For every seven Swarm Bases in your army, you may take a single Chieftain. Each Chieftain counts as an
Independent Character. (though, of course, that base will look a little empty without a trusted retainer or two on it. It's fine
to show some of the Chieftain's weapons carried by his retainers if you choose to depict them, otherwise you could
simply say he is a particularly potent individual with no need for the aid of such lackeys.)
Chieftains do not occupy FOC slots.
Equipment: Close combat weapon
Special Rules: Nocturnal, Independent Character
Options: Each Chieftain may select a single Psychic Power, one single-handed weapon, or a single piece of wargear. Up
to one Chieftain per full 500 points in your army (i.e. round down) may ugrade to a Veteran Chieftain for + 15 points.
Veteran Chieftains may make two such selections, and may stack the effects of close combat abilities they use. (i.e. can
use a Rending knife and a Heavy axe for no armour saves better than 4+ allowed, +1 A, and autowound with no save on
a 6 to hit, etc.) May also have sunglasses at +1 point.

Dusk Trawler
F S R BS
13 13 13 3
Fast Attack (reword imminent)
Blood Skiff 60 points/vehicle
F S R BS
10 10 10 2
Squadron: 2-4 Blood Skiffs
Type: Skimmer, Open-Topped
Armanent: Variable - See Modular
Transport Slots: Variable - See Modular
Special Rules: Nocturnal, Modular
Modular: Blood Skiffs are simply medium-sized grav sleds built with rudimentary grav tech, a technology presumably
initially borrowed from lost STC files and honed with traded Tau devices. In civilian application, Skiffs may serve to move
workers from burrows to factories, ore from mines to smelters, or dignitaries between appointments. In wartime, the
similar size and power of Blood Skiffs force Hrud technicians to choose between protection, power, armanent, and
transport capacity. One Blood Skiff has 25 transport slots. Each embarked stand of troops or each character occupies a
number of slots equal to its W characteristic. The Skiff may sacrifice 5 transport slots to mount a pintle Hrud Rifle or Hrud
Spike Launcher, or to enclose the crew and transport compartments with retractable armour plates. (ignores Open-
Topped, except for purposes of access points. Mostly because I'm not about to dictate where you can and can't get off a
model that's not in production...) They may sacrifice 8 transport slots to mount a pintle Plasma Gun or Melta Gun, or 13
for larger cooling systems and more fuel capacity. (counts vehicle type as Fast Skimmer) A squadron of Blood Skiff is
allowed to transport multiple Hrud units, so long as no more than one unit, including attached characters, is embarked on
each Skiff.
(the following part I am less sure about, but might be sort of fun) In particularly desperate times, the Hrud may load their
Skiffs with high explosives to crash into their opponents, with the crew either bailing out prior to impact or fatalistically
gripping the controls until the end. The Skiff sacrifices 12 transport slots for each Pintle Demo Charge it wishes to mount.
In contravention of normal Ordnance rules, it may fire both of them. After the Demo Charges have been fired, remove the
Blood Skiff from the game. No victory points are scored for its destruction. (You HAVE to shoot both Demos, and both at
the same target as usual - no Batman Returns splitting the skiff in two, these guys aren't Krorks or anything like that.)

Hrud Scouts

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Scouts Base 2 3 2 2 4 3 4 8 6+

Unit: 1-10 Scout Bases per unit.

Equipment: Scavenged Firearms
Special Rules: Hrud,
Options: Plasma Grenades for +1 points/Swarm Base
(okay, they need some work...)

Heavy Support
Dusk Trawler
Hrud Gun

(Pack Psychology (goes with Nocturnal II and some more rules tweaks)
The diminutive Hrud display a sort of low cunning. Timid in small groups, they grow bolder in numbers. Hrud units that
are not Independent Characters count the number of four-wound stands of Hrud in their unit, round up, as their LD value.
Hrud units of eleven four-wound stands, round up, are LD 10. Units of twelve or more stands – rounded up – are LD10
and Fearless.)

(Dodge (with Nocturnal II)

Hrud evolved from even smaller pests, and have inherited their ancestor’s aptness for dodging blows sufficiently
powerful to liquefy their flesh. Whenever a Hrud model would be Killed Outright by any effect, (including anything causing
Instant Death) it instead takes an I test on 2D6. The amount by which it fails is the number of wounds it takes instead.)

I'm less sure about the bracketted rules.

Adversaries (just for fun)
Small Hrud colonies are a nuisance more than anything, easily coped with by the underdenizens of a Hive city or the
simple tribesfolk of many a Feral world. In the event of a serious infestation, a world can experience total structural
paralysis as fortifications and equipment disappear – often literally – from under the noses of the PDF guarding them.
For worlds of sensitive strategic or ceremonial significance to the Imperium – or in cases where heavier equipment
capable of exterminatus is unavailable – the vigilant Deathwatch may attempt bold interface assaults to extricate vital
relics or assassinate a particularly competent Hrud leader. Deathwatch Kill Teams deployed against Hrud may do so from
Drop Pods and/or as a single FOC slot for no additional points. These pods may take any eligible upgrades. However, all
Hrud Swarms gain Without Number when deployed against an FOC containing a Deathwatch Kill Team. (as in Codex:
Tyranids – like “sustained assault” in 3rd)

It seems like the nightfigting psyker powers are a needless complication. Just make the game start with nightfight on a
4,5,6, and then this effect ends on a 5+ turn 2 etc.On a 1,2,3 the game stats as normal but the nightfight rules come in
effect on a 5+ turn 2 etc. This would make sure that theres some random element.

Also, make the army special rules give a BIG boost at night. Something like, Infiltrate, Scouts, Stealth, Die-Hards,
Furious Charge, Sharpshooters(even on plasma gun overheated shots) and some version of night vision that needs no
roll at all.

Then take away them all at day and let them have the night (day) fighting rolls instead.

The core troopers could have a basic kind of plasma rifle, with a profile of S6 AP3 24" Heavy1. With a BS of 2 I dont
think this would be to OTT.

the stat line is great

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Swarm Base 2 2 2 2 4 3 4 7 6+
possibly better if they were not in swarms. then you would not suffer instant death from standard weapons like bolters.

nocturnal I
why should getting up during the night rather than in the day time make them immune to instant death when its dark?
why not just stick them on individual bases rather than multi wound blocks.

nocturnal II (+ extras)
the hruud are nocturnal so see clearly when it is dark. however when it is light they have difficulty seeing due to being
unaccustomed to the brightness .
Nocturnal creatures make sight checks when Night Fighting conditions are not in effect, but do not make them while
Night Fighting conditions are in effect.

nocturnal creatures will only fight during the day if there is no way to avoid it.

when fighting a batle involving nocturnal armies, the dawn and dusk rules are always in use unless it is a night fight
mission.
if you roll for dawn, the first turn is fought under night fight conditions. roll a D6 at the start of every subsequent game
turn. on a 4+ day breaks and the night fighting rules are no longer in effect. the rest of the game is fought as normal.
if you roll dusk, the first turn is fought under normal conditions roll a D6 at the start of every subsequent game turn. on a
4+ dusk falls and the night fighting rules are in effect from the end of that turn onwards.

rending is too powerful

give the guns a low strength but lots of shots
if you want something like rending take a lesser version and say either:
1. hrud guns/rifles will always cause a wound on a roll of 6 reguardless of target's toughness.
2. hruud guns/rifles have the 'choppa' rule ie. they are powerfull enough to go through any armour so the best possible
save against them is 4+

There seems to have been some interest in Hrud from the invent your own race thread, so why not make a separate
thread.

My suggestions

Well what do we know about the Hrud exactly?

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Hrud#.U2dgKv3sHFI

- They range between stooped ratlike creatures to hulking beasts

- They have advanced warp weaponry
- naturally produce strong neuro-toxins
- exude a mist of poison gas that obscures them from enemies
- They're focused around ancestry and family ties, meaning they're most likely organized into clans lead by their elders
- They take other species as pets
- dwell in the dark
- Their presence creates decay
- Some can step through the Warp

Some of my suggestions based on the fluff.

USRs
night fighter
deepstrike
stealth
obscuring mist 5+ cover save
5+ poison in close combat

Troops: Hrud warrior clansmen

WS3 BS3 T4 S3 I4 A1 W1 SV6+
armed with lasgun type weapons with access to have a clan leader with access to power weapons
can be upgraded with 4+ saves

Hrud Scavengers
WS3 BS4 T3 S3 I5 A2 W1
infiltrate
Scout
pathfinders
Hrud Scavengers are at the bottom of the clan order with no family ties or respected ancestry however every clan leader
keeps a large retinue to supply him and in fact scavengers lay the basis for the wealth clan-lord, in times of war they are
sent to lead the troops to an advantageous position to launch the attack, a Squad may appoint a second unit to give the
infiltrate rule however the unit must deploy 6" behind the untouchables.
Rending?

Elites: Hrud ancients

WS4 BS4 T7 S6 I4 A3 W3 SV 4+
terminator size bases
may take locator beacons
an upgrade for a 2+ save?

Hrud second sons

Those among the Hrud with noble heritage yet no claim to a clan and household of their own seek may choose to show
themselves as leaders on the battlefield and so gain a following
WS4 BS4 T5 S4 I4 A2 W1 SV 4+
have access to Hrud Fusils, S6 Melta ap2 R18
have access to power weapons
May take a lorekeeper initiate as an upgrade (lvl 1 psycher)
Weepers
There is little place for the widows among the Hrud as a concubine's re-marriage is seen as an insult to the dead the
polygamous nature of the Hrud means that as many fifty may become widows with the stroke of a foemen's blade. Some
fall back into the untouchables scavenging to stay alive, others band together to form "weepers" who seek death in the
arms of the enemy to join their lost spouse.
stats no fething idea…
feel no pain
rending
fleet
harrowing wail
furious charge
enemies they assault must take a leadership test.

lorekeepers.. psychers and special weapons

HQ: Hrud council of elders:

4 Elders plus advisors... second sons, lore keepers, may also take pets from different species which give the preferred
enemy special rule against that race (why do you think they keep them? kindness?)

Fast attack WS2 BS2 T2 S2 I3 A4 W3 (beasts)

berserk charge
deep strike same rules as tervigons
Untouchables have no clan and are forced to perform all grueling manual labor like carving out the tunnels and cities that
the Hrud call home, when the Hrud go to war it is often the untouchables that lead the first charge, exploding from the
earth in a shower of earth and crazed flesh, hungering for the living flesh they smell so near, their masters following from
out of the newly created tunnel
based on terminator size bases each with three or four models on them to save having to buy and move a gak ton of
models around the board, or you could go with the traditional hormagaunt style swarm of 10-30

Rag-lord although the untouchables have no clan structure and are repressed to the point that organization is nigh
impossible leaders known as rag-lords often appear sometimes from the sons or retinues of minor nobility sometimes
even from the masses of the untouchables themselves and try to form those he can into new lands to form a clan of his
own, few succeed however.
With a rag-lord HQ untouchables become a troop choice, an army that has a rag-lord HQ cannot take a Hrud council as
they would never deign to grace such a rabble rouser with their presence.

I still have some more work to do on this, but here is what I have so far. Check out the MechaCrane for a neat new
mechanic

HQ
Pit Boss
BS-3;WS-4;S-3;T-6;I-5;A-1;W-4;LD-10;SV 3+
Wargear:

Earthspeaker
BS-3;WS-3;S-3;T-5;I-5;A-2;W-2;LD-9;SV 4+
Psyker level 1, force weapon, automatically knows Earthquake. May be upgraded to psyker level 2 or 3 to roll on
Divination, Biomancy, or Telepathy.
Earthquake: witchfire 36” range. Large blast, ordnance 1, barrage, str 9, ap2

Elite
Tech-rat
BS-3;WS-3;S-3;T-5;I-5;A-2;W-2;LD-9;SV 3+
Repair: on a 4+ may repair either a weapon destroyed or immobilized result.
Wargear: Welding kit (Melta pistol, Power Maul)

Troops: Ratori. Units of 5-15. 12 pts per model.

BS-3;WS-3;S-3;T-5;I-5;A-1;W-1;LD-8;SV 5+
Special Rules: Move through cover, Disease Aura
Wargear: Shunt-gun; mining armor, defensive grenades
Any rat may swap shunt-gun for pistol and hand-drill (2 cc weapons, hand-drill is ap5)
For every 5 rats in the unit, one may swap his shunt-gun for a special weapon
If the squad is 10 or more, one rat may swap his shunt-gun for a heavy weapon
May take a Breaching Drill as a dedicated transport

Shunt-gun: 18”, assault 1, str 4, ap 4, pinning

Disease Aura: The enemy unit suffers 1d3 str 4 ap- hits for every 5 rats in the unit on the first round of combat. These
hits take place at initiative step 10. This rule has no effect after the first round.

Transport/Heavy: Breaching Drill. 75 pts

BS-3;F-13;S-11,R-10;HP-3
Transport capacity – 16 models
Tank
Wargear: Drill, Hull mounted Mining Laser
Fire points: One model may fire from top hatch
Access Points: 1 on each side and 1 on rear
Special Rules: Deepstrike, Tunnel
Drill: roll 2d6 for dangerous terrain, only fails on 1,1. If a tank shock or a ram is performed, the unit being hit
automatically suffers d6 str10 ap- hits. If the unit elects to perform a death or glory attach, they suffer an
additional d6 str10 ap- hits.
Mining Laser: See Multi-Melta
May swap Mining Laser for a twin-linked Shunt-Cannon (24” Heavy 4, str6 ap4, pinning) = free
May take one additional weapon from the following:
Mining Laser = 15 pts
TL Shunt-Cannon = 20 pts
Corrosive Jet (torrent, Str5, ap4) = 15 pts

Elite: Toxin Squad: 3 models. May upgrade to 15

BS-3;WS-3;S-3;T-5;I-5;A-1;W-1;LD-8;SV 5+
Special Rules: Move through cover, Disease Aura
Wargear: Microbe Propellant. (Template, str -, ap 3, poisoned 3+)

Fast Attack: Ragres

BS-0;WS-5;S-4;T-5;I-5;A-2;W-2;LD-7;SV 5+
Unit type: Beasts
Special Rules: Diseas Aura, Fleet, Wild Animals
Wargear: Claws and Teeth

Heavy: MechaCrane
BS-3;F-14,S-13,R-10
Heavy Tank,
Wargear: Seismic Cannon, Digging Claws, Shunt-Cannon sponsons
Transport capacity: none
Seismic Cannon: 48” str 9 ap2 Ordnance 2. Alternatively, this cannon may be fired at area terrain within 48” and in LOS.
If hit, the terrain is treated as dangerous terrain as it is slowly leveled and flattened out. Each model inside must
immedietly take a dangerous terrain check at -1. At the beginning of the following turn’s shooting phase roll a d6. on a 3+
the terrain piece is removed from play and each model inside the area terrain suffers a str 8 ap- hit.
Digging Claws: These claws may be used to fortify the crane in place. The crane may spend 1 full shooting phase
digging in to position. During this phase no weapons may be fired. On every turn in which the Crane remains dug in,
its BS is increased +1 and it receives a 5+ cover save.

The question is how do you interpret the Fluff

I don't like having infiltration for everybody as that takes away the hard choices as a commander, if you're forced to buy
troops to make you're heavy hitters infiltrating it makes the troops relevant instead of just another force org slot to fill
while still allowing for a "terror from the shadows" themed list.

Personally I like the idea of proud warlike Hrud being lead from their subterranean metropolis into position buy cowering
scavengers, ready to show the imperium the sons of the ancient ones true form and with it the meaning of fear.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

The whole aging Aura is a little bit hard to do, I was thinking of making it mainly a special weapon or psyched buff, but
the idea of treating it a little like a hammer of wrath attack is I think a good idea.
I was thinking as a fast attack choice that kind of fit the "terror in the dark" theme

Fast attack: Hrud Snatchers

WS 4, BS 4, S 4, T 5 I 5, A 2, W 2
Stealth
Shrouded
Infiltrate
Shadow walker
Rending
3+ cover
Hrud are children of the warp however few have such an intuitive understanding as the Snatchers, stepping through the
warp to reappear somewhere else.
The Snatchers may instead of moving in the move phase deepstrike.
Watchers! Watchers in the dark!
Before deployment the Snatchers may secretly appoint a unit to "shadow", they may then infiltrate up to 3" directly
behind that unit.

Few in number Hrud snatcher clans enjoy a special place in Hrud society, although they live on the outskirts of Hrud
society they are more respected than shunned, although the scavengers relay valuable information to their masters it's
snatchers who build the backbone of Hrud reconnaissance, moving unseen in the shadows, finding their opponents
every weakness, abducting those who have seen or suspect too much as well as those who possess valuable
information whisked away to the deeps to face interrogation, it is for these reasons why the Hrud council values these
clans so highly.

I think the biggest issue with creating a new race at the moment is how can they be different enough compared to all the
other factions.

A lot of things I have noticed are people saying lets give them an elder statline +1T -1I and give them X number of rules
and then Yay new race.
That simply is not enough.. A lot of thought was made when they finally introduced the Tau and Necrons to create a
unique game style. Even the sisters were given uniqueness through their Acts of Faith and Shield.

By all means, attempt to create the Hrud but try to think how can they play differently compared to everyone else?

Sister Sydney definitely came up with the interesting concept of all infiltrate. The question is how to balance that. Maybe
enemy can Seize on a 4+ or infiltrators shoot at half range.
{I have thought of a characterful USR for the Hrud but we see how this goes}

Also, one mistake I made was to give too many varying statlines. Icculus had the right idea. Unless factions are made of
multiple races, statlines should be very similar to each other. eg Orks have around 3 different main statlines (Boyz Nobz
and Grots) + Characters, IG has multiple due to Ogryns and Ratlings.

Now on criticising your stuff..

They get 5+ cover and stealth so does that mean 4+ cover then?
Do your Hrud have any particular drawbacks? They have good toughness, good access to armour (Fluff wise a 4+ to a
2+ is comparable to a car and a tank), good weaponry and can easily take down monstrous creatures. Hruds in the fluff
are afaik inferior to Orks.

The Fast Attack after Hrud Council

Is that meant to be Trygon instead of Tervigon?

That is all I could find.

The fluff is what it is.. By using your own idea you are pretty much making a new race.

Sorry to rain on your parade.

Just my two cents... The fluff is what it is.. By using your own idea you are pretty much making a new race.
Sorry to rain on your parade.

Just my two cents...

The way I see them is having all-round access to deepstrike and infiltrate shenanigans. They should be weak in
prolonged engagement without access to lots of monstrous creatures and no vehicles, the vehicles part is probably
where I differ from Icculus most. Tyranids don't have vehicles, but can rely on monstrous creatures to soak up fire, Hrud
need to make sure they can get into combat and stay in combat.

The Space Marines and Tyranids have access to infiltrating and deep striking units but to a much smaller extent and with
the option to take monstrous creatures and vehicles.

Yes I agree, but making them all able to infiltrate is a bit of a one trick pony, in my view multiple builds should be possible,
if you give Scavengers the ability to infiltrate a unit you allow the option of infiltrating, you solve the problem of getting
your hordes into range and balance the ability to infiltrate as limits you tactically somewhat. Same goes for untouchables
acting like Trygons (and thanks for the catch), it allows you to have a terror from the deep list while making a choice with
pros and cons

I'm open to the idea of a more standard stat line, but I was trying to show a strict hierarchal tendency in the Hrud, where
the oldest get the most food and therefor grow. As I said I'm fine with the idea of changing it, but I thought it differentiated
them a bit form other races.

No, the 5+ cover is if they don't have any other cover and cannot be modified (except maybe by special gear), it's to
make up for the fact that they don't have an armor save.

Only one unit (might) have access to 2+ and only elite options have access to 4+ saves, the rest have 6+ or no saves.
Only the second sons have access to Hrud Fusils, which is so far their only access to AV.

You need to playtest it.

What i think is that they're too tough. Only the toughest should be t4. And t5 is reserved to a warboss/plague marines
level of toughness. Better make them squisher but cheaper. Like they should be.

I think you should dance around guardsmen statline for your average guyz. With grot's statline for the squishiest.

Troops: Hrud warrior clansmen

WS3 BS3 T3 S3 I4 A1 W1 SV6+ Ld7
deepstrike, stealth, obscured, poison (5+)
- 6 pts

Troops: Untouchable
WS2 BS2 T2 S2 I3 A1 W1 SV- LD5 (or 6)
deepstrike, stealth, obscured, poison (5+)
- 3 pts

And note, they're guardsmen with stealth, deepstrike, obscured, poison - but without possibility for orders and good gear.
6 pts is a steal for that. 7 might be too much for their squishness in this edition with all the difficulties to deepstrike. They'll
feel just fine, i guess. And the untouchable are gona be grots with poisoned 5+ and +1 ini but without runtherd to
compensate for ld.

Maybe u're gona have other mechanics for ld bumps. For example, Hrud might be lead by a higher ranked warrior with
ld8 while untouchable might be lead by hrud. Sorry, i'm not quite sure if it's fluffy or not. So the idea of sergeants might be
misplaced. But you might alwayz find another solution to compensate for their obvious ld problems.
I think that warriors of mid-high rank must be able to take krak nades for +1 pt per model. So that if you have a squad of
30, 10-15 may take nades and it's gona be a steal also. I wish my orkses could do the same thing, honestly. Probably
should limit the ammount of nades. Like 3 per every 10.

Troops: Hrud warrior clansmen

WS3 BS3 T4 S3 I4 A1 W1 SV6+

Hrud Scavengers
WS3 BS4 T3 S3 I5 A2 W1

Elites: Hrud ancients

WS4 BS4 T7 S6 I4 A3 W3 SV 4+

Hrud second sons

Those among the Hrud with noble heritage yet no claim to a clan and household of their own seek may choose to show themselves
as leaders on the battlefield and so gain a following
WS4 BS4 T5 S4 I4 A2 W1 SV 4+

can see what you mean by different hierarchy's but look at the stats again..
You will literally need cards next to the unit to keep track of their profile.
One unit would be fighting at WS3 I5 A2, another unit will be WS4 I4 A3 etc whilst being the same species.

Now you mentioned you wanted them not to have (many) monstrous creatures nor vehicles.
Is the idea for a horde army or an elite (via specials) low count and sub par stats army?
Are they similar to Space Skavens? I know people try to avoid this question but do you see your interpretation as
Skavens? Personally I see Hrud as ratmen but this is your version.

A suggestion for a horde army could be similar to the kroot and krootox as a standard Unit format (or ork boyz with
multiple nobz) [10-30 models per troop squad]
An elite low count will be more in line with playing along with their warp tech (think militarum tempestus scions) [5-10
models]

Here is my idea of how I see the Hrud

WS2 BS2 S3 T3 W1 I4 A1 Ld7 Sv6+ Pts4

Models: 10-30
Weapons: Claws and clubs
Specials: Stealth, Infiltrate, Night Fight, Poison 5+ (melee)
Upgrades: For every 5 models, one can be upgraded with Fusil +10pts (Same stat as yours but also gives +1 Ld up to
Ld10)

They aren't warriors (hence the low WS and BS) they simply swarm their opponents and let the decay take over.
The fusil gives them a sense of confidence.

I think this way creates a few unique elements as well.

Look to the Skaven in WHFB for inspiration.

Not outright ripping off, but inspiration and taking some general themes.

Skaven rely on sheer mass and have some rely devastating if rather unreliable high end weapons. Generally speaking,
in melee they should not be able to beat most things one on one, but make up for that by being able to have three
clanrats for every Imperial Swordsman and being good enough at melee.
So semi-competent at assault (not Ork or Tyranid level good, but not Tau or Guard level bad per model if we're
comparing to hordable armies) and weapons that can backfire rather unpleasantly or do something really awesome. So
lots of gets hot or SAG style madness.

Another big thing of course, is being so apathetic to their own casualties that they can shoot into assault (at the risk of
hitting your own troops).

But as I said, only take broad strokes. Converting things 1 to 1 from Fantasy to 40k and back again is a bad idea.

I don't really see them as space skaven 1 to 1, they don't strike me as a spiteful plague unto the universe in the same
way, they seem to be much older and wiser with their own culture and traditions slowly drifting through time, cursed
through their involvement with the old ones to turn all they see to dust and ash.

Just for context this is how I see Hrud in my head, at least the really old and powerful ones.
The untouchables and scavengers might be huddled in dirty cloaks to disguise them, but the high level ones I see as
clad in robes and cloaks that seem to have once been vibrant and beautiful but have turned ancient and faded through
the entropic field

No offence but it seems like an impossible task..

The problem is your version is different from some views (myself and others in this thread) of the Hrud (3rd edition Space
Skavens)
Without the same vision it is hard for everyone to work together.

Can you explain where you get your envisioning of the Hrud from in terms of garment?
The image you use shows it with no cloths and weapons (from Xenology Biologis or some novel name similar to that) so
makes it hard to see them wearing robes.
The lexicanum has no mentions about them being lavish. Do not confuse ancient with aristocratic.
You also previously mentioned they have a strict hierarchy and age/experience makes them bigger. Where is that based
from?

I said it before and I will say it again.. (esp if you cannot clarify where you get your interpretations from)
Make a new race instead.

You have an idea here already for a play style.

- Weak expendable grunts and powerful elites, leaders/HQs (Similar to Orks and Tyranids)
- Minimal Monstrous Creatures and vehicles. (Not similar to Tyranids and Orks)

Work around that, provide some fluff and explain why they may be a threat to the IoM and then we can work together
more on this.
 Scay Vyn

I believe the term Tribe fits the flavour of Hrud society more instead of the word Clan. Clan has more of a flavour that
suits the disorganised, dog-eat-dog Machiavellian setting presented within Skaven society. Although the Hruds are more
or less considered the Ratman equivalent of 40k, their description in the fluff is more passive and neutral, neither inclined
to darkness or light, but more geared towards their own self-sufficiency and survival.

Within this article, I will present the rules and background of the various units I have devised for Clan Moulder. I believed
it would be most fitting to see Hrud society as divided into various Tribes, and some Tribes having risen to prominence
through certain means. Only the Tribes that have risen to prominence and come to dominate Hrud society at large and
referred to as Clans. If you have written my previous article, http://www.librarium-online.com/forums/showthread.php?
t=107747, you will realise the intimate relationship Hruds share with Warpstone. From there, I decided that these various
Tribes that have risen to prominence share a distinct similarity in that they, through tapping into the immense potential
latent within the Warpstone, adapted that power to suit their circumstances and needs and thus rose to power through
virtue of their relationship with the Warpstone. For instance, the Clan Moulder utilises the mutagenic essence within the
Warpstones to create various beasts of war by inducing horrific mutations to empower them. Clan Eshin in comparison,
craft tools made of Warpstone, such as the potent Warpstone Blade that cuts through the Immaterium with ease, ignoring
Invulnerable Saves. Or for instance, the Warptunnel Orb, carried by Warp Runners, the master assassins of Clan Eshin,
allowing them to teleport onto any point on the battlefield, provided they pass a Psychic Test as they channel their will
into the Orb. In other words Clan Eshin utilises Warpstone to develop tools and weapons that would serve their ends.
Clan Skyre needless to say develop technology directly based on Warpstone. Clan Pestilens is the one exception,
representing rats in their archetype as disease carriers.

Now for some background on Clan Moulder:

Within Hrud society, the Greyfurs have always lived in an oppressive state, being dominated by the whims of their
stronger and more aggressive brethren. 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 fellow lifeforms is not much of a taboo within Hrud society.
After all the direct cause of their genesis as a sentient species is entirely related to their 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.
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. 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 lost control of the order
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 per their whims if only they would restore the authority of the Blackfurs. 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
five times the height of even the largest of 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 "created 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 able to expertly exercised control over the Rat Packs, forming them around into
a living shield. Left with 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 Master Moulders demanded that the tribe be renamed after them.
Thus, from that day onwards, Clan Moulder was born.

MS=Melee Skill BS=Ballistic Skill L=Leadership AS=Armour Save CS=Cover Save

Rat Pack: MS:3 BS: 0 S:3 T:3 A:10 W:10 I:3 L:3 AS:- CS:5+
Equipment: Fangs

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 rawWarpstone. 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.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Herd Mentality, Swarm
Blackfurs: To denote the small percentage of Blackfurs consisting within the pack, for every 6 rolled to Hit, one Attack
will be made at Strength +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 highest score is
converted into the distance travelled in inches. This is only applicable if the Hrud is unarmed and thus both forelimbs are
free. In such a 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. The distance travelled may never be greater than 6" however. 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 Slaverat 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 directly over 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.

Packmaster: MS:4 BS: 2 S:4 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:4 L:7 AS:4+ CS:6+
Equipment: Barbed Whip, Warplock Pistol, Shell Armour, Stillsuit

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.

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 close combat weapon 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.
Barbed Whip: The 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 an Attack that Hits automatically and 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.
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. 2 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 2 Attacks
per turn, he is effectively able to control only two 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.

Dire Rat: MS:4 BS: 0 S:4 T:4 A:2 W:2 I:5 L:4 AS:- CS:-
Equipment: Fangs and Claws

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.

Special Rules:
Fleet of Paw, Calvary
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 Dire Rat within the pack. In addition,
the Dire Rats operate in packs of 6 and as such packs of 6 Dire Rats are considered as a single unit.

Rat Ogre: MS:4 BS: 0 S:5 T:5 A:3 W:3 I:3 L:7 AS:5+ CS:-
Equipment: Fangs and Claws

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 Hive 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 cohesive.
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 outgrowths. 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 when they can be unleashed upon the enemy.

Special Rules:
Hatred, Feel No Pain
Extra Appendage: +1A, -1I. Initiative may never be made lower than one.
Tortured Hide: +2AS. May only ever be increased once. In addition, the Rat Ogre may never be Insta-Killed. 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.
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 two Attacks at the most, as the Barbed Whip counts as two close
combat 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.
Slaverat: MS:3 BS: 1 S:2 T:2 A:1 W:1 I:4 L:2 AS:- CS:5+ Pts:3
Equipment: Claws, Scavenged Firearms

Within the hierarchy of Clan Moulder, Slaverats form the bottom rung of society. They consists of the Greyfurs who
fought during the Great Rebellion, and were eventually squashed into submission. No longer referred to as Greyfurs,
their Blackfur masters use the derogatory term, "Rat", to call them. 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.

Special Rules:
Nocturnal, Burrow Warren, Fleet of Paw, Instinctual Preservation
Unarmed: Being Slaves, Slaverats 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 Slaverat 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 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 Slaverats 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 Slaverat unit happens upon fallen bodies on
the battlefield, you may choose to swap one model per fallen warrior, to represent the Slaverat 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 Slaverat 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 Slaverats retain
their nerve and continue fighting. If the Combat Resolution is still negative, the Slavemasters are unable to "convince"
the Slaverats into fighting, 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. If the Combat Resolution becomes
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 Slaverat unit is imbued with Frenzy that is lost when it is once again broken in combat.

Slavemaster: MS:4 BS: 2 S:3 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:3 L:6 AS:5+ CS:6+
Equipment: Barbed Whip, Warplock Pistol, Shell Armour, Stillsuit

In order to keep the Slaverats in line and under control, Slavemasters are employed to lead packs of Slaverats on the
battlefield. As the task of handling Slaverats 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 Slaverat 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.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw, Whip Mastery
Barbed Whip: When used in instilling control over the Slaverat pack, the Slavemasters do not lash with force, but
instead allow the sharp barbs of the whip to rake over the skin of the Slaverats. Whenever the Barbed Whip is used in
controlling the Slaverats, the Slavemasters make two Attacks each that Hits automatically and Wounds at a Strength of
2.
Expendable Lives: Slaverats 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 Slaverats and
an enemy unit. On a roll to-Hit of a 1 when firing their Warplock Pistols, the Slavemaster misses and shoots a Slaverat
instead. The Slavemaster may not fire his Warplock Pistol if he is within 1" of the enemy.

Blackfang: MS:4 BS: 1 S:3 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:3 L:6 AS:5+ CS:6+
Fangleader: MS:4 BS: 1 S:4 T:3 A:2 W:1 I:4 L:7 AS:5+ CS:6+
Equipment: Warplock Rifle/Warplock Pistol and Hand Weapon, Shell Armour
Weeping Blade and Warplock Pistol, Shell Armour

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 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 combat prowess show 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 range weapons. 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 when there is no established leadership. Blackfurs of all kinds when left among themselves, are prone to
engage in fights for dominance to ensure the survival of the fittest. By installing Fangleaders into Blackfang Packs, the
Blackfangs naturally recognise the strength of the Fangleader and submit to his leadership. Should the Fangleaders all
fall in combat however, the Blackfangs will fight amongst themselves again to establish a new leader.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Burrow Warren, Fleet of Paw, Pack Mentality
Combined Arms: Within a pack of 20 Blackfangs, any number of them may be equipped with either Warplock Rifles, or
Warplock Pistols and Hand Weapons.
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.
Master Moulder: MS:4 BS: 4 S:3 T:4 A:2 W:2 I:6 L:7 AS:4+ CS:6+
Master Mutant: MS:4 BS: 4 S:6 T:5 A:2+D3 W:2+D3 I:3 L:8 AS:4+ CS:-
Equipment: Warpcommand Orb, Corruptor Raygun, Mutagent Injector, Warpstone Grenade, Warpstorm Potion, Shell
Armour, Stillsuit

The Master Moulders are the descendants of those first Moulders whose actions sparked the Great Rebellion that ended
in the enslavement of all 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 Rebellion, on the other hand
seen as mad scientists entirely obsessed with their work. During the aftermath of the Great Rebellion, 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 experiment with 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.

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 within the moment of war. 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
sinewy muscle. 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 Warpfire 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.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw
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.
Warpcommand Orb: 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.
Corruptor Raygun: The Corruptor Raygun is a Template 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 victim. 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 the body, where the mutagenic influence of the essence of raw Warpstone undermines the internal
organs of the victim, diminishing the physical fortitude and natural resilience of the victim. In addition, as the victim slowly
succumbs to the effects of the Corruptor, his senses loses their sensitivity and the nervous functioning of his limbs
become affected. Units hit by the Corruptor Raygun suffer a permanent reduction in their WS, T and I by 1.
Mutagent Injector: 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.
Warpstone Grenade: Warpstone Grenades are glass orbs containing the raw essence of Warpstones. Master Moulders
throw these grenades just before engaging with the enemy, and as the glass orb shatters, rawWarpstone spills over
those unfortunate to be hit by it. Rampant mutations course over those unfortunate beings exposed to
the raw Warpstone. Although immediate physical changes are impossible within such a short span of time, the radiation
easily affects the brainwaves of the victims, causing slight retardations in their mental processes, affecting their
judgements and responses. The Warpstone Grenade is a Blast Assault 1 weapon that causes Pinning. In addition, it is
used right before Charging into an Assault. It is a Guess Range weapon and as such it might scatter. Units hit by the
Warpstone Grenade, even partially, are subjected to a Leadership Test with a -1 modifier. If any of the targets fail the
Test, lay the models down on their side. In the following combat engagement, these models may never make any
Attacks and are Hit automatically. At the end of the turn, any surviving models are take a further Leadership Test with a
-2 modifier and so on until they pass the Test in which case their Leadership value is permanently altered from the
negative modifiers.
Warpstorm Potion: 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 Shell Armour, due to the crude manner in which its constituent parts are
joined, hang loosely together, still being able to provide the barest of protection. The effects of the Warpstone Brew 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 Brew. 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 suffers from a permanent -1 modifier to his WS, BS, S,
and I.
Obsessed Experimenters: When the Master Moulder do 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.

Packlord: MS:5 BS: 3 S:4 T:4 A:3 W:2 I:5 L:8 AS:3+ CS:6+ IS:5+
Equipment: Barbed Whip and Weeping Blade, Warplock Pistol, Stillsuit, Warpstone Armour

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 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 their own creatures. 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 movement 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. 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 chest 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 of Clan Moulder, Clan Moulder has arisen to be the wealthiest Clan in all of Hrudom.

Special Rules:
Instinctual Preservation, Nocturnal, Fleet of Paw, Barbed Whip, Merely Beasts
Whip Mastery: The same rules applies as with Packmasters and Slavemasters except the Packlord has 3 Attacks
instead of 2.
Beastmastery: The same rule applies as with Packmasters except the Packlord has 3 Attacks instead of 2. This also
means that the Packlord may commandeer up to 3 Rat beast units at a time.

Why did Games Workshop decided on Hrud for a name? Personally, I feel a better name can be
made for them. For one, it is awkward to pronounce and doesn't seem to fit the flavour of the
race. Anyway, this is my take on how a Codex on the Hrud would be like. Please feel free to
comment as you wish. On a side note, it is my preference to substitute WS(Weapon Skill) with
MS(Melee Skill). To use weapon skill to denote one's prowess within a melee is too vague as
weapon could also be used to refer to firearms. Basically, the word weapon is too broad a
category and the range of what is a weapon is not secluded to just those used in close combat. I
apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Troops MS BS S T A W I LASCS
Greyfur 3 1 2 2 1 1 4 5 6+ 5+
Blackfang 4 1 3 3 1/2 1 3 6 5+ 6+

I decided that the Hruds are differentiated by colour variations of their furs. The colour variation would be a progressive one with Black
and White at the extreme end of the spectrum, and with Grey in the middle. The fur colour determines certain characteristics of the
Hrud. For instance, Blackfurs are more aggressive and their natural savagery is expressed with an above average Melee(Weapon) Skill
of 4. They are naturally bigger and tougher than their Grey counterparts so they benefit from a higher S and T. About why they have 2
Attacks, I decided that calling them Blackrats wasn't pleasant sounding and drew inspiration from the Skaven terms, i.e. the leaders of
Stormvermins are called Fangleaders. But also I wanted the name to mean something rather than just simply be a title, so I decided
that Blackfurs are also distinguished by their more pronounced incisors, again which fits very well as a show of their more carnivorous
tendencies over the Greyfurs. In close combat, these fangs become deadly weapons. However, the close proximity required in order to
be in a position for the fangs to be used means that only if the Blackfangs are in the front row would they be able to use their second
Attack. The Blackfangs also would poorly fulfill their role to add close combat punch in a unit of Greyfurs, if they have only a MS of 3,
considering they have only Strength 3. However, I decided to compensate for these advantages by having a low I of 3, a compensation
for their larger size and the slight loss of agility as a result.
Regarding the Greyfurs, I decided Clanrats wouldn't be suitable as a name because although it is suggested that Hruds are analogous
to rats, it is not explicitly stated. Greyfurs form the bulk of Hrud society, compared to the rare Blackfurs and even rarer Whitefurs.
Since there has never been a unit in all the WH40k armies that have S and T lower than 3, I thought it would be a most fitting way to
distinguish the Hruds. Also, they have been described in the fluff as being diminutive in size and the fact that they are rat-like should
say something about their natural physical build. Now, in regards to their low BS, during the night or in any scenario with little light, it
is boosted by 2 to become an average score of 3, a Racial Trait I call Nocturnal. I chose 1 because this value in regards to Ballistic
Skill has never been used in any other unit within the game. Incidentally, this Racial Trait applies to all levels in Hrud society, so with
the more powerful units in the army that have a higher basic BS, it is likewise increased by 2 at night. The interesting thing is that
within the Armoury of the Hruds, I have developed some prototype weaponry(prototype as in the rules might require some fine-
tuning), that allows for the creation of artificial night around the bearer of the Nightfield. The artificial night created around the bearer
would also obscure them from Range Attacks. Also, Nightshades which block out the rays of the Sun and allow the bearer to look at the
world as if it was nighttime. However, the idea that if every single Hrud unit has access to Nightshades the relevance of the basic BS
being 1 would be lost, so I believe that Nightshades should only increase the BS by 1, blocking out the rays of light, but crudely. The
Racial Trait Nocturnal also allows all Hrud to bypass the rules of targetting in Night Fighting.

Given everything considered, with their utterly worthless BS and with a Strength and Toughness that renders them next to useless in
close combat, I have basically made the Hruds almost unfeasible to play. Fear not, because this is compensated with the fact that their
standard firearm is able to overcome these innate weaknesses. For one, the Warplock Rifle has a range of 30", a Strength of 5 and AP
of 3, basically containing amazing firepower for just a standard firearm. What really compensates for the abysmal BS of 1 however is
that the Warplock Rifle is a Blast weapon. This means that when they DO hit, they hit HARD and the fact that multiple opponents are
hit by the Blast template would make up for the many misses otherwise. The downside is that the Warplock Rifle is of Type Heavy 1.
How do I explain all this? Warplock is actually a play on the words flintlock, and the natural progression from there is to have them
work with a similar mechanism to the flintlock rifle. The flintlock requires a lot of preparation, needing you to ram the ammunition down
the barrel, among other things, and the concentration required makes it a move OR shoot weapon. Also the flintlock is pretty much a
one-shot one-cock weapon, requiring a reload after every shot. This primitivity of technology again fits the fluff of the Hruds very well.
They impress me as a race that are too nomadic and too disorganised a society to have the civilisation required for advanced weaponry.
So how do we explain the immense firepower of their standard firearm? I explain this with the fact that the Hruds do not possess power
from their technology but from the incredibly powerful substance they so had the fortune of acquiring, that which is the Warpstone.
Again, a highly distinguishing factor for them as a race, comparatively, while the Orks prowess in combat makes up for their crude
technology and while the Eldar rely on sophisticated weaponry to maintain their supremacy, the Hruds gain their edge from an external
source, compensating their relative primitivity with an extremely potent power source. Sort of how the entire universe in Dune revolves
around Arrakis despite its primitivity due to it being the source of melange.

My version of the Warplock Rifle works like this: the ammunition of the Rifle is a shell of crystallised Warpstone of which encapsulates
Warpstone in its volatile form as Warplasma. Through some alchemical means the Hrud is able to convert Warpstone into a volatile
plasmic state. When the Warplock Rifle fires a shot, the force of impact of the shell of Warpstone upon contact with the armour or flesh
of the target causes the shell to shatter. The volatile Warplasma is released from the casing of the Warpstone, reacting cataclysmically
with the surrounding air, causing an intense explosion. The superdense heat of the Warplasma allows it to easily penetrate armour, yet
it is not true plasma so it only has an AP of 3.

Another point to consider is how utterly vulnerable the Greyfurs are to even the weakest of firearms, given their nearly nonexistent
Toughness and AS. Their survivability is somewhat increased with a respectably long ranged firearm, but given their low BS, they
wouldn't be able to whittle down the enemies sufficiently before they approach into firing range. All Hruds therefore benefit from a
natural Cover Save even in the open. This is explained by the fact that they are small in size and their own natural instincts of self-
preservation allows them to find cover even in the barest of settings. As a Racial Trait, Instinctual Preservation, the basic Hrud
benefits from a 5+ CS unless stated otherwise. Blackfangs have a worse Cover Save because they are larger for one, and being of a
more aggressive make, their instincts of preservation are not as strong as the Greyfurs. Also, when in terrain like woods for instance,
the CS provided by the wooded terrain is combined with the CS provided by Instinctual Preservation to represent the greater number of
places to take cover.
As described in the fluff, the form of the Hruds is almost entirely obscured with a hooded cloak, giving them a visage very similar to the
Jawas in the Star Wars franchise. The form of the Hrud is visibly distorted by these Mirage Cloaks, as they are called, garbling their
outlines and the lack of distinctness of their profiles makes them difficult targets to distinguish. As a result, all units firing at a Hrud
equipped with a Mirage Cloak suffer a -1 to Hit penalty. This is on top of the 6+ AS conferred by the Mirage Cloak. All these tallies very
well in the real world, where soldiers use face paint exactly to break apart the profiles of their faces, a technique essential in jungle
warfare, essentially allowing them to blend in seamlessly into the surrounding foliage.

During peacetimes, the Hrud do not have any distinctive hierarchy that separates the Greyfurs from the Blackfurs. However, in times of
war, the Greyfurs recognise the Blackfurs for their superiority in combat and so rely on them to lead packs of Greyfurs into combat. In
this role, the Blackfurs are known as Blackfangs. While the Greyfurs are all equipped with Warplock Rifles, the Blackfangs may instead
opt to exchange their Warplock Rifles for an additional hand weapon, effectively bringing their maximum number of Attacks to 3 as long
as they are in the front row of any combat engagement. I have noted that the low Leadership of the Greyfurs even with their Blackfang
leaders would post a severe problem. As such I have borrowed from Warhammer Fantasy's own Ratmen equivalent, the Skaven Special
Rules, specifically "Strength In Numbers", which states that Skaven units add their rank bonus to their Leadership. How can this be
reflected in WH40k where ranks are nonexistent? I believe this can be easily sorted if we would take the number of models directly
behind the leading model in a unit or at least a model in the front row. The models that count must be directly behind the leading
model that is being used for reference, or in simpler terms, count each layer behind the first row and add that number to the
Leadership value of the unit. However, if the unit has any Blackfangs, then a particular Blackfang must be used as the reference point
for determining the number of rows in a unit. This Racial Trait is called Pack Mentality.

In fluff terms, the Hruds in the back rows gain courage from the Hruds in front of them, in their minds, they act as a living barrier
between them and the enemy. The Hruds in the front however are unable to back off even if they wish to due to the pressure of their
mates pushing from behind them. In other words the cohesion within a unit of Greyfurs is not one of discipline but of fear and self-
preservation. A band of Greyfurs is a mass of bodies pressing forward in reckless regard to their fellow mates, as such, within the rule
of Pack Mentality, each model within a Greyfur unit must remain within 1" of each other. The Greyfurs gain courage from the close
proximity of their neighbours, and their nearness to each other instills in them surety of their existing numbers.

Also, rare as Blackfurs may be, they are common enough that there may be up to 6 Blackfangs in a single Greyfur unit. For each 5
Greyfurs, one of them may be exchanged for a Blackfang(I have not decided the point costs yet, so I am unable to say the points
necessary to upgrade to a Blackfang). This means that the total size of a Greyfur unit may not be more than 30. This rule is
called Pack Leaders, and as the name suggest, the Blackfangs must always be in the leading row of the Greyfur unit.

HQ MS BS S T A W I L AS CS
Black Guard 4 2 4 3 1/2 1 4 7 4+ 6+
Warlord 5 3 4 4 2/3 2 5 8 3+ 6+
Chieftain 4 4 3 3 2 2 6 9 4+ 4+
Prophet 2 5 1 2 1 3 4 10 4+ 5+
Verminlord 8 0 6 6 6 6 10 9 4+ -

The Black Guards are Blackfangs that are noted especially for their prowess in combat and has been specifically selected to form the
bodyguard retinue of either a Warlord or Chieftain. The Black Guard can be seen as the cream of the crop of various forces of the Hrud,
for indeed they are. Amongst the various coloured subspecies of Hrud, the Blackfurs are the fiercest and imbued with the greatest
physical strength. Then, even among this strongest of subspecies, there are those born with the raw Strength that set them apart from
their peers. There are those too, individuals of lion-heart and iron determination, that by their personal strength have risen against the
odds and established their names on the field of battle. Whatever the means, these first among equals have garnered the attention of
the ruling Warlords and have been handpicked to form his elite retinue. As the Warlord lives, these chosen warriors fight with
dedication and pride, knowing that they are the elite of the elites. If any of these prideful soldiers have any designs on the seat of the
Warlord, no emotion is shown, for indeed the Warlord has risen to his position not by luck or chance. Even if the Black Guard has
confidence in his ability to challenge the Warlord, his intentions will not go unnoticed by his fellow Black Guards. He must contend
himself with his current position, lying patiently in wait till such an opportunity presents itself to take that one step closer to reach the
height. So it comes to be that within the midst of battle, great as he may be, the Warlord will fall, and then the Hands of Fate beckons,
enticing these mightiest of warriors. The tension mounts, as the mistrust and hate built up between them all this while threaten to spill
out. Ambition fill their hearts; if not now, when? The vacuum created by the fall of the One has to be filled and who better than me? At
last, one amongst these proudest of warriors succumbs to his inner desires, to the beast within. He is the trigger that catalyses a whole
chain of reactions, the go button they were all waiting for. Now the dam has burst, the torrent of emotion rushes forth; nothing is left
but for that one prize. All pretentions are abandoned, as brethren turn against brethren in this battle for one's worth. As the dust
settles, one is left standing. The Fates has chosen, and as it is and always has been, there can only be One...

Elitist Pride: As long as the Warlord or Chieftain is alive, the entire unit is Stubborn. However, if the Warlord is to fall in battle, and
the Black Guards are not currently within 6" of any enemy unit at the start of the Turn, the Black Guards have to take a Leadership
Test. If the dice rolled is lower than the unmodified Leadership value of the unit, the entire unit erupts into infighting. Treat the Black
Guards as Frenzied and resolve all Attacks against itself. At the end of the combat, count the total number of Wounds incurred, Saved
and Unsaved. If the total number is 6 or more, replace one model in the unit with the Warlord. The new Warlord is counted as
salvaging all the weaponry and armour of the previous Warlord. Remove any casualties incurred from Unsaved Wounds and the unit
may act as normal in each Phase except the Movement Phase. If the total number is less than 6, continue resolving Attacks against the
units until the total number of Saved and Unsaved Wounds is 6.

Warlords are Blackfurs who have risen in power through strength of arms. Among the offspring produced by Hruds in their mating dens,
about 20% of them are Blackfurs, while the rest are Greyfurs. Within each batch of newborns, it is rare to find even a single Whitefur.
Within the litter, the Blackfurs natural aggression causes them to fight amongst themselves in a bid for dominance. The weaker
Greyfurs, being less aggressive, would avoid the Blackfurs, taking safety in their numbers as a deterrent from the predations of the
Blackfurs. Thus, it is imprinted into the mentality of the Greyfurs from infancy of the supremacy of the Blackfurs, and this stigma is
carried on even onto maturity. Due to the instilling of the dominance of the Blackfurs onto the Greyfurs right from infancy, the societal
structure within the Hrud Clans is very much determined by the nature of the Blackfurs, thus, due to their innate aggression, the
dominant philosophy pervading Hrud society is based on the survival of the fittest. Even right from infancy, among the Blackfur litters,
there is a struggle for dominance. In display of strengths and outright conflicts, the chief Blackfur is determined. Undoubtedly, this
Blackfur would be naturally imbued with the physical strength that marks him above his peers. This, coupled with the fact that his is
born into a harsh environment in which he is tested in the extreme in order to ensure his own survival, toughens him up, preparing him
for the struggles up the hierarchical order within the clan. The mindset developed from exposure to the harsh reality during his time as
a pup hones his natural instincts such that the driving forces of aggression and self-preservation override all other emotions, eventually
leading to outright war, as he come into conflict with other such individuals who are similarly motivated. The Greyfurs are helplessly
pulled along by the whims of these powerful individuals, as they struggle for supremacy. As such Hrud society is splintered with civil
wars intermingled with periods of fragile peace when the balance of powers reaches a stalemate. These Blackfurs which come to
determine the fate of Hrud society at large are called Warlords. As a Blackfur ages and survives through countless battles, the natural
bulk of their body increases due to the metabolic processes incurred within their bodies through facing near-death situations. As a
natural consequence of this, the pronounced incisors that are native to Blackfurs become larger and sharper.

Ferocious Fighter: Each Unsaved Wound caused by the Warlord, grants the Warlord another Attack. The Warlord is the epitome of
the spirit that characterises the Blackfurs, of unbridled ferocity. The stronger and more successful the Blackfur, the fiercer his
disposition would be. In combat, the Warlord is an unstoppable whirlwind of whirling blades, giving in to his primal ferocity to channel
his blows. Each blow that cuts deeper only empowers him to fight with renewed fervour, flowing with the momentum of his attacks,
slashing indiscriminately at the fools that dare challenge him.
Great Fang: The Warlord gains Rending for one Attack only. This only applies if the Warlord is in the proximity to use his special Fang
Attack.
Tenacity: When the Warlord is reduced to 1 Wound, all close combat Attacks made against the Warlord suffer a -1 to-Hit penalty. The
CS bonus provided by Instinctual Preservation increases to 5+. When Hit by Template and Blast weapons, as long as the Warlord is
not entirely covered by the template, the Attack misses the Warlord completely on the successful passing of an Initiative Test. On his
rise up the ranks of Hrud society, the Warlord has experienced countless brushes with death. The only thing preventing him from
suffering the same fate of the many before him is his tenacious will to succeed and not succumb to the weakness that is death.
Overlord's Ambition: When a Warlord goes to war, he rides forth to establish his supremacy and through merit of victory of arms,
extend his authority over a greater part of the Clan. As such the Warlord will always be the Army General and there may only be one
Warlord in the entire army no matter the point size of the army. There may be as many Chieftains as allowable within the army though.
Alpha Pack: If any unit is to break and flee on the battlefield, immediately take a Leadership Test using the Leadership of the current
Army General. If the Test is passed, the unit flees towards the position of the Army General instead of fleeing towards the edge of the
battlefield.

Although Blackfurs dominate Hrud society, there are Greyfurs which rise to positions of power, some even having Warlords serving
beneath them. More often than not however, the opposite is true. In a society ruled by physical strength and power, it is impossible for
a Greyfur to rise up the ranks through the norm. Ultimately it is a mixture of deceit and cunning, with the right amount of tact and the
careful manipulation of circumstances that a Greyfur achieves an equal footing among their Black-furred counterparts. As such a
Greyfur of such a standing would be in possession of tremendous willpower and force of personality. Other traits that characterise these
remarkable individuals are highly developed senses of perception by virtue of birth. More probably though, it is an instinctive sense
cultivated through a constant need to watch their back given the precarious nature of their positions. The Greyfur in all possibilities, has
made countless enemies in the extent of his career, by his own unscrupulous actions of backstabbing and manipulation, not to mention
ambitious younglings waiting patiently in the shadows to deliver the very same fate the upstart has so ruthlessly gifted to many before
him. He is constantly on the watch and within the scheme of the survival of the fittest, he has been transformed into one of iron will
and unshakable determination, fueled by ambition and self-preservation. These notable individuals are delegated as Chieftains by the
Warlords above them, leading entire sections of the army during times of war. During times of peace, the Chieftains hold judicial
authority over parts of the clan. Due to the circumstances of their rise to power, these Chieftains are often highly paranoid amongst
their fellow Greyfurs, and are thus accompanied at all times by two Black Guards who act as his personal bodyguards. It should be
noted however that Greyfurs are by their nature passive and not inclined to the power struggles of their darker brethren. This further
distinguishes the Chieftains as individuals of tremendous personal strength, forced by circumstances to resort to Machiavellian means.
Their true motives are not always clear; it may be that they are entirely self-motivated for position and power in a world dominated by
their darker brethren, or it may be that they are acting with altruistic intentions, as a bastion of pride and strength for the Greyfurs
against the supreme authority of the Blackfurs. Whatever the case, they are highly complex individuals, both loathed and admired in
equal measure.

Delegate: The Chieftain and his bodyguard retinue must always be leading a unit and may never leave that unit.
Force of Personality: All units within 12" may use the Leadership of the Chieftain for all Leadership Tests. If the Warlord and his
retinue is within 12", and the Warlord is the general of the army, then the Warlord has to rely on his Leadership for his own Tests.
Paranoid: Accompanied by two Black Guards that must stay within 1" of the Chieftain at all times. If the two Black Guards are to fall
in battle and the Chieftain is leading a group that contains Greyfurs, at the start of every turn, the Chieftain has to pass an Initiative
Test. If the Test was to fail, the Greyfur unit he is with will Attack him as long as the unit is not currently engaged in combat. The
Greyfurs are considered as charging Chieftain and thus must manoeuvre themselves to surround him. If the Chieftain was to fall in
combat this way, you may choose to distribute the weaponry and armour of the Chieftain as you wish among the Greyfurs of that unit,
as the Greyfurs salvage his equipment for their purposes.
Ruthless Cunning: If the Warlord is to break in combat and flee, the Chieftain will instantly seize this opportunity by declaring himself
the new Army General. If there are more than one Chieftain, then they all consider themselves the Army General. If the Chieftain and
his retinue are ever to be in charging distance of a rival Chieftain, then that unit must charge if at all possible. Once the Chieftain
declares himself the Army General, he may freely join and leave any unit just like an Independent Character.
Stigma of Dominance: The Greyfurs are programmed from young to fear the Blackfurs, for their superior strength. This stigma
carries on into maturity and although it is not openly admitted to, a social hierarchy of sorts is formed within the Clan, with Blackfurs at
the top. Even in the fields of battle, the Blackfurs deign it beneath them to take orders from their "lesser" brethren and as a result, the
Greyfur Chieftains defer to them in their presence on the battlefield. If a Chieftain is within 12" of a Warlord, you may not use
the Force of Personality Special Rule.

One out of every hundred pups within a litter, a Hrud with fur of the purest white is born. Normally, it is within the instincts of the Hrud
Queen to kill off any defective offspring who reveal any abnormalities in physique, a preprogramming stemming from the need to
maintain the survival of the fittest. Its eyes are red, an almost certain indication that it is an albino, a mutation, an anomaly. Even
more ominous, whereas Blackfurs are predominantly male, the Whitefur is without sexual organs, an outright abomination of nature.
Even amongst Greyfurs, its constitution is weak, vulnerable even to the weakest of the Greyfurs. Yet, it is left alive, even nurtured, with
the utmost care and concern. This is most unusual, given as how the incessant infighting of the Blackfur pups as they turn on each
other, even unto the extent of cannibalism, would be disregarded by the Hrud Queen despite being aware of it, as if silently
encouraging these acts. The Hrud Queen would seclude the Whitefur from its coloured brethren, although there is little need to, for
despite the frail constitution of the Whitefur and the indiscriminate aggression of the Blackfurs, the Whitefur is left untouched, almost
as if revered as an object of sanctity. Or perhaps it is fear that drives them away, a creature not to be associated with and to be cast
aside? It has been conjectured that the Whitefurs produce a natural pheromone that affects and allows them to control to some degree
their coloured counterparts, staving them off away when it would easily succumb otherwise to their superior physical strength.

The true reason for the Whitefur's seclusion however, is not for its protection but for its nurturing. It appears the true threat to the
Whitefur is not the predations of its brethren but its own fragile constitution that would almost certainly deteriorate without the proper
care. The Hrud Queen places the entirety of her attention upon the Whitefur and it is only upon the maturation of the Whitefur that the
Hrud Queen's breeding cycle begins anew. Should the Whitefur dies under the nurturing of the Hrud Queen, the Hrud Queen would
enter into a state of depression and be unable to reproduce for many cycles. As such indirectly, the progress of the Whitefur's growth
forms the cornerstone of the survival of the Hrud species as a whole. As a further complication of matters, the Whitefur's maturity is
not determined by its physical growth. Indeed, the Whitefur retains its infant form throughout its life. In its premature stages the
Whitefur utters not a word and is incapable of much movement, subsisting by suckling from the Queen. At regular intervals, the
Whitefur is made to ingest raw Warpstone that has been regurgitated by the Hrud Queen. The regurgitated Warpstone appear as a
viscous liquid, having been digested by the stomach acids of the Hrud Queen. In this form as viscous liquid, the infant Whitefur is able
to swallow it whereas it would be unable to if it was raw solid Warpstone. These are the most perilous moments in the nurturing of the
Whitefur, for ingesting raw Warpstone in any amount is lethal by itself. The Whitefur is able to consume them in certain amounts, yet
indeed the Warpstone is anathema to the digestive systems of the Whitefur too. What happens is that the Whitefur is able to transmute
the toxicity within the Warpstone and thus bypass its otherwise harmful effects.

The reason why Warpstone possesses such malevolent effects on organic lifeforms is because Warpstones are condensations of pure
Chaos energy. By ingesting Warpstones, the tremendous mutating powers of Chaos is able to directly affect the inner workings of the
body. Chaos is utterly defineless, as such the structural integrity of the molecules of the organs is undermined at the fundamental level,
as they lose form due to the potency of the influencing power of Chaos. However, the Whitefur is able to transmute the mutational
energy of Chaos, controlling the direction and flow of the volatile Chaos energy through sheer willpower, subverting its volatile nature
entirely, the resultant product being a high energy substrate that enriches the entire being of the Whitefur. Yet if the Whitefur were to
receive too potent a dosage, it would most certainly die. This is why it is so crucial that the Hrud Queen exercises the most precise of
judgements, giving what is sufficient and no more. As the Whitefur progresses towards maturity, its tolerance towards the Warpstone
increases and it is better able to cope with larger dosages of Warpstone. At the penultimate point of reaching full maturity, as that last
dosage of Warpstone is consumed, a sudden change overcomes the entire being of the Whitefur, as if taken by some otherworldly
force. The red eyes emanate with a strange luminosity that burns with a steady gleam. To peer into them is to see two glowing disks
that shine with an intense light that appear to radiate from some inner source. The burning intensity of that light pierces right into the
soul, as if all is laid bare, yet one is unable to turn away, entranced by its inexplicable intensity. Even the form of the Whitefur, once
crumpled and diminutive, lacking in definition and shape, becomes slender and upright. It is then declared that the Prophet has arisen,
the One to channel the powers of the Warp has been made manifest.

In truth, the Whitefur is indeed a mutation, an anomaly amongst Hrudkind, and the Hrud Queen recognises it for what it is. The
closeness the Hrud shares with the Warpstone is due to the fact that the genesis of sentience within their species was a direct result of
their gradual exposure to the warping influence of the Chaos within the Warpstones. Amongst the Hrud in their presentient state, white
albinos were indeed rare yet not unheard of. Upon influence of the Warpstones that led to their genesis as a sentient race, white
albinos that were born were more susceptible to the mutating influence of Chaos that is the source of their sentience. When they are
born thus, they exist in a semi-vegetative state, unable to fully access their consciousness. As the Warpstone is fed to the Whitefurs,
they are forced to undergo an excruciating process. The pain awakens them temporarily from their vegetative state, and the immediate
reflexive response of self-survival causes them to instinctively transmute the Warpstone within them. This act requires tremendous
willpower and self-control as the Whitefurs extend their will even over the inner workings of their bodily functions. Thus the process of
nurturing of the Whitefurs can be said to be a manipulation of circumstances in order to create a situation where the Whitefur is forced
to attain absolute dominion over the entire workings of its body. When the Whitefur reaches such a stage, it becomes "awakened",
attaining instant recognisition of the self. To the Hrud, they interpret it as the descending of the One, possessing the vehicle that is the
Prophet. The entire act of nurturing is seen as a process to prepare the Whitefur for the Descent of the One. In actuality, the Whitefur
has simply unlocked the potential within it through force of will and freed itself from its vegetative state. Whitefurs, due to their own
lack of pigmentation and other associated defects of albinism, have an exceptionally low resistance to the influence of Chaos. This
makes them exceptional Psykers, able to easily tap into the flow of Chaos within the Warp.

The process of the Whitefurs in attaining full mastery over their body does not stop upon the Awakening. Upon achieving
consciousness, the Whitefurs focus their attention into manifesting their inner psyche, their true essence, into the physical world. Such
is their psychical control over the sensitivities of their body that they can cause actual physical transformations over parts of their body,
influencing their shape and figure in a similar fashion to the changes wrought when Chaos affects the physical plane. This
manifestation, more often than not, happens in stages, resulting in partial manifestations, due to the extreme difficulties involved in the
manifestation process. The Whitefurs, having attained full awareness over the functions of their body, attempt to go beyond even that,
for even complete self-control is a limitation in of itself, and all barriers and limits are broken when consciousness is utterly surrendered
and control is utterly given over to one's inner instincts. That is the true manifestation. Unfortunately for the side of the Hrud, it is
highly possible that a fully manifested Prophet would lash out even against their own kind, for It is given entirely to Its own instincts
and in Its absolute state sees only Itself and no other. It has been conjectured that there is an even greater form than the Manifest
Form, of which they call the Verminlord, after the singular deity of the Hrud, the Great Horned Rat. In this Form of the True Avatar, the
Verminlord maintains Its essential form yet retains Its awareness. In this state the paradox of giving over to one's instincts while
maintaining one's logical processes is eliminated as the Verminlord's instincts becomes indistinguishable from Its willful intentions. It
should be noted however, that contrary to the belief of the Hrud, the Whitefurs are not Prophets that are able to make manifest their
God, the manifestation of the Verminlord is a reflection of the true inner psyche of that particular Whitefur, and thus It differs from
each individual to the next.

The Prophet has many Special Rules in addition to the fact that they possess Psychic Powers, but I have yet to determine what they
should be. Needless to say, one of them would be its inspirational presence to other Hrud, probably called The Manifest. It would
probably work like a double-edged sword, very much like that Special Rule for the Ethereals of the Tau Empire. One probable Psychic
Power I can think of for it is Call of the Shadows, which covers the entire battlefield with darkness, mimicking the time of night. It
would remain in play as long as the Prophet continues to channel it every turn. I understand that the way its statistics stand now, it is
so fragile as to be completely unplayable. Keep in mind that in the fluff I have written, they possess an unfathomable presence that is
extremely charismatic and entrancing. It should be called Luminous Presence and it would affect enemies attempting to charge at
the Prophet or simply attack it. Possibly all units within a 12" Range suffers from certain difficulties when attempting to target it. Also
one of its abilities, the True Form as I call it, is its ability to become the Verminlord. I believe it would work best by having the Prophet
fail a Psychic Test in order to become the Verminlord. This is akin to the Prophet attempting to go beyond the limitations of its mind.
This special Psychic Test is made right at the start of your turn before the movements of any other units on your side. Given the
Prophet's high Leadership of 10 it would be hard to fail. If you were to pass the Psychic Test, that is, you fail to transform, the Prophet
may not make any other move for the rest of the turn as it is recovering from the exhaustion of the effort. Also, if the Prophet is to
suffer from Perils of the Warp, the usual rules do not apply and instead the Prophet makes a partial transformation. Choose one type of
statistic, be it Strength or Attacks and it will now be replaced with that particular statistical value for the Verminlord. If the Verminlord
is successfully made manifest, It must immediately pass a Leadership Test to see if It maintains Its sanity or fully gives in to Its
instincts. If it fails the Test, the Verminlord goes berserk and is subject to Frenzy. On top of that, during your opponent's turn, he/she
may control the Verminlord exactly as if It was his/her own unit. Whenever the Verminlord is broken in combat and loses Its Frenzy,
take another Leadership Test. If the Leadership Test is passed, the Verminlord regains Its self-awareness and thus is returned to your
control. Should you fail however, the cycle is repeated, the Verminlord gains Frenzy, is controlled by both sides during their respective
turns until beaten in combat again, in which another Leadership Test is taken and finally the Test is passed and you break out of the
cycle. Note: I am not completely sure how Perils of the Warp works. From what I understand it happens whenever you
roll a double 1 or 6. It would be greatly appreciated if you would clarify for me.

Troops MS BS S T A W I L AS CS
Vermin Tide 3 0 1 1 10 10 4 5 - 4+
Storm Runner 4 1 4 3 2/3 1 4 7 5+ 6+

It has been speculated that Vermin Tides are Hruds in their infant forms gathered into swarms. The question is why would the Hruds
sent their young in their diminutive forms into battle when they would have a near survival rate of 0%. It has been suggested that
Hrud Queen produces too many offspring at times, going beyond the ability of the clan to provide for the increase in mouths to feed.
This would be highly agreeable for indeed the Hrud Queens are capable of producing many offspring in a single given brood. Yet the
rare Black-furred pups have been spotted in Vermin Tides. If the Hruds within a Vermin Tide are meant to be expendable, it would
almost certainly be composed entirely of Greyfurs. The truth of the matter is that the pups that compose a Vermin Tide do not have the
necessary means to achieve sentience, retaining in a primitive state. The Hrud Queen is able to sense which among the brood are born
without sentience. These defects are gathered into a single swarm and thrown at the enemy to act as fodder and a distraction for the
more integral parts of a Hrud force. The fact that there is the presence of Hruds that lack sentience within the broods gives relevance to
the fact that the Hruds achieved sentience as a species from an external source rather through the rigours of evolution. Although it is
uncertain as to how the Hrud first came into contact with Warpstone, it is undoubtedly that the mutational effects by being in the
presence of Warpstone allowed for the arising of sentience within the Hrud. The Hrud Queens knowingly repeat this process by
ingesting raw Warpstone particles and allowing the Warpstone to influence the developing foetuses within Her womb. When the
damaging effects of the Warpstone becomes too much for the Hrud Queen, She regurgitates the Warpstone, now in a liquefied state,
which is either fed to a developing Whitefur or left to be crystallised once again into solid Warpstone. This explains the close
relationship the Hruds share with Warpstone. To them it is more precious than gold for it is their lifeblood.

I chose a value of 1 for the Strength(S) and Toughness(T) of the Vermin Tide simply because these are values that have not been used
for any unit in the game. Furthermore, it would be unfeasible to present their S and T as 2 since the Greyfurs, the matured forms of
the Vermin Tides, already are S and T 2. To compensate for their abysmal S and T, I have given them 10 Attacks(A) and Wounds(W).
Also, to represent the presence of Blackfurs within the Tide, for every 6 rolled when rolling to-Hit, the Attack is made at Strength 2.
That means on average 2 Attacks will be at Strength 2 for every 10 Attacks, which is quite an accurate representation of the
percentage of Blackfurs within every new brood, which is 20%. This Special Rule is called Blackfurs. The Vermin Tide benefits from a
4+ CS at all times that can be combined with the CS provided by terrain features. This is a representation of their small size and, in
their primitive state, their instincts of self-preservation that are innate to their species as a whole are that much stronger. Also
the Swarm rule means that they cannot be insta-killed by all manner of weapons except Blast and Template weapons.
The Swarm rule also means that the number of standing Attacks they haveis equal to the amount of Wounds they currently have.
Included in the Swarm rule is that the Vermin Tide never gains the +1A bonus for charging into combat. The Herd Mentality rule
states that you may choose any of your units that you own to Attack the Vermin Tide. For every Hit incurred, the Leadership of the
Vermin Tide increases by one. Decrease the unit by the appropriate number of Unsaved Wounds as usual. The Vermin Tide becomes
subject to Frenzy and has to charge towards the nearest enemy unit. If the Vermin Tide is broken in combat, the unit loses Frenzy and
its Leadership reverts to normal. In addition, whenever the Vermin Tide has to take a Leadership Test for losing in combat, the Test is
taken with an unmodified Leadership, i.e. it will always be taken with the current, unmodified Leadership value of the Vermin
Tide. Fleet of Paw allows the Vermin Tide to make an additional move during the Shooting Phase. Instead of making any Shooting
Attacks, you may opt to roll a D6 and then move that many inches forward, ignoring Difficult Terrain and losing the CS bonus provided
by Instinctual Preservation. However, you may instead choose to move forward at your Initiative value in inches, while retaining the
CS bonus.

Storm Runners are the elite fast attack close combat specialist of the Hrud Clans. Like their name suggest, they are meant to storm the
front of the enemy, closing in at breakneck speeds before tearing the enemy in the melee. They are composed entirely of Blackfurs and
only the fiercest and strongest of the Blackfangs are allowed to join. The early origins of the Storm Runners began when the strongest
of the Blackfangs started banding together as a single fighting group during times of war. This was unheard of in the past because the
natural disposition of Blackfurs when gathered in groups was to turn against each other. The Warlords of those times found a solution
by splitting up the Blackfangs amongst units of Greyfurs, eliminating any chance of infighting. When the ruling Warlords first learnt of
the gathering of this large group of Blackfangs, it was largely disregarded as the possibility that any sort of determined organisation
arising from such a group, especially one as large as this, was met with derision by them. Great as a threat such a large number of
Blackfangs would pose, the huge size of the group meant that the Blackfangs would be all the more uncontrollable, and it was their
faith in the latter that the Warlords so trusted in. Surprisingly, the group did not succumb and the rumours abound of their sightings at
critical moments on the battlefield, striking with alarming speed then quickly withdrawing. All this revealed an alarmingly high level of
discipline. What was even more puzzling was their unpredictable behaviour, withdrawing from the scene as quickly as they came,
reaping none of the spoils they had so surely earned. Not surprisingly, this renegade group adapted to a fighting style that most suited
their nature. Being amongst the fiercest and strongest of the Blackfangs, they revelled in the melee, abandoning the use of weapons so
that their claws and fangs can perform unhindered. This became their hallmark; indeed such was their prowess in combat that mention
of their name caused ripples of fear among the Warlords. The Warlords, once rivals and enemies upon the battlefield, convened
together for the first time in response to this threat. To the Warlords, the renegades represented a threat that would destabilise the
natural order of Hrud society. They presented a direct challenge to the supremacy of the Warlords, for only a Warlord had the right to
wage war as per the traditions. This roaming renegade warband was against the traditions established during the Age of Warlords. If
the traditions were to fall, so too would the primacy of the Warlords be questioned by their subordinates, and in the worse scenario the
entire Clan would be torn apart by civil strife. The Warlords decided to parley with the leader of the renegades, offering him and his
band the position of Black Guard of the ruling Overlord.

From their conference, the Warlords learnt that Blackstorm, leader of the renegades, had rallied the other Blackfangs with the promise
of power. Through sheer feat of arms, he quelled the inevitable bickering and infighting of the Blackfangs. Upon gaining their utmost
attention he revealed to them his plans in forming a specialised fighting troop that relied on the very essence of the natural instincts of
the Blackfur and manifest them in combat. The random sightings of Blackstorm and his band were simply the first few forays to test of
the effectiveness of this new fighting formation. Blackstorm, however refused their offer, insisting that he be recognised with the title of
Warlord. Discussions fell apart after that, the Warlords being unable to accept this young upstart as their equal. Against the combined
might of the Warlords, Blackstorm and his band was forced to resort to living a guerrilla existence, relying on their superior speed to
ambush and then withdraw, slowly depleting their forces through attrition. During these grueling months, Blackstorm and his warband
lived an existence of constant warfare, and through trial and error, perfected their fighting style. Such was the height of their combat
ability that the persistence of the Warlords wore off, and Blackstorm was eventually recognised as a Warlord by the Clan. Blackstorm's
first act as Warlord was to formalise the Storm Runner elite fighting regiment, which recruited Blackfurs on the basis of speed and
strength.

Storm Runners have Fleet of Paw, Hit and Run and Furious Assault Special Rules. In addition, they use both their claws in combat,
thus having a total of 3 Attacks altogether. Storm Runners travel on all fours to maximise their speed as they close in on the enemy.
Upon nearing the enemy, the Storm Runners makes a Feral Leap. Gauge using your judgement if the target is reachable with Feral
Leap. To determine the charge distance of the Storm Runners for that turn, take the total distance travelled during the Movement
Phase and Shooting Phase(through Fleet of Paw) and add them together. If the distance is misjudged and you fall short of your
target, then simply move the Storm Runners that amount of distance. If the total leaping distance would cause you to land within the
ranks of the enemy, simply place the Storm Runners in between them, creating space by moving the enemy models ever so slightly
apart. This means that more Storm Runners are in a position to Attack the enemy. Also, if the leaping distance would cause some
Storm Runners to land behind the ranks of the enemy, it would never happen, simply place the Storm Runners within the ranks of the
enemy as you would in the previous scenario.

More to come: Gutter Runner, Night Runner, Warp Runner, Fusilier, Warpflamethrower
Please comment on what I have written. Criticisms are accepted too.