The Great Hunger

Some models in a Great Hunger Warband can have Arcana Putrescere Powers. A Matagot Hag can have up to 3 Arcana Putrescere Powers, a Lord of Tumours can have 1 Arcana Putrescere Power, and Gregori Gula can have 1 Arcana Putrescere Power each. All of the Arcana Putrescere Powers that are available are described in the Arcana Putrescere Powers List below.

• Arcana Putrescere Powers are divided into Arcana Purtrescere Abilities and Arcana Putrescere Spells. Arcana Abilities: Arcana Putrescere Abilities are used in the same way as an Ability from the model’s Warband Entry. Arcana Putrescere Spells: Arcana Putrescere Spells must be cast in order for them to be used. The description description for the Spell will say how and when it can be cast. In addition, Arcana Putrescere Spells have a cost that must be paid in INFECTION MARKERS to cast the Spell (the cost is included in the title of the spell). Note that you do not have to take a Success Roll for a model in order to cast a spell.
• To pay the cost of an Arcana Putrescere Spell, you must remove a number of INFECTION MARKERS from models within 12” of the Spellcaster equal to the spell’s Cost. You can remove the INFECTION MARKERS from any models (friend or foe) that do not have the ARTIFICIAL Keyword. The models can be anywhere on the battlefield and do not have to be in the spellcaster’s Line of Sight, and the spell cost can be paid by removing INFECTION MARKERS from more than one model if you wish.
• If the cost of an Arcana Putrescere Spell’s Cost is a range of numbers, you must choose how many INFECTION MARKERS you will pay before the spell is cast. For example, if an Arcana Putrescere Spell had (Cost 1-3), you must pay a cost of 1, 2 or 3 INFECTION MARKERS before you cast the spell.
• Some Arcana Putrescere Spells can only be cast if a model takes a Cast Spell ACTION. When it does so, you must pay the spell cost as described above, and you can then take the Cast Spell ACTION with the model. Note that a model cannot take more than one Cast Spell ACTION per Activation (as it cannot use an ACTION more than once per Activation).
• A model that is casting a spell is called the spellcaster.

Plague Knights in a Great Hunger Warband have the Ravenous Infection Ability (see below) at no additional cost in ducats, and can only be given one of the following Plague Knight Ranks instead of the ones listed in the Black Grail Special Rule: • Butcher King (10 ducats): At the end of a battle, if this Plague Knight is not Out of Action and it has taken at least one enemy model Out of Action with a Melee Attack, gain 1 Glory. • Knight Companion of the Feast (5 ducats): Add +1 DICE to Risky Success Roll for a Ravenous Infection ACTION (see below) if the model taking the ACTION is this Plague Knight or is a friendly model within 3” of this Plague Knight. • Knight of Twin Cleavers (5 ducats): This Plague Knight has the IGNORE OFF-HAND Keyword, and its Melee Attacks have the SHRAPNEL Keyword.

A Great Hunger Warband can include 0-3 Cradle Thralls. Cradle Thralls use The Ravenous Warband Entry, but do not count towards a Great Hunger Warband’s Maximum Field Strength, have the INFILTRATOR Keyword and cost 2 Glory to recruit (they do not cost any ducats)

The Grail Thralls or Fly Thralls in a Great Hunger Warband are called The Ravenous. They have a Melee Characteristic of +0 DICE, their Melee Attacks gain the CRITICAL Keyword, they have the Ravenous Infection Ability, a cost of 35 ducats each and can have the Grasping Maw and Unending Starvation Battlekit from the Great Hunger Armoury.

A Great Hunger Warband can include 0-2 Desiccated Husks. Desiccated Husks use the Corpse Guard Warband Entry, but replace the Bodyguard Ability with a Melee Characteristic of +2 DICE and their Melee Attacks gain the CRITICAL Keyword at no additional cost in ducats.

Models in a Great Hunger Warband cannot have Beelzebub’s Axe, Black Grail Shields, Bolt-Action Rifles, Blunderbusses, Compound Eyes Helmets, Corruption Belchers, Gas Grenades, Infested Rifles, Machine Guns, Musical Instruments, Muskets, Pistols, Troop Standards or Viscera Cannons. In addition, Grail Hounds in a Great Hunger Warband can have the Grasping Maw Battlekit from the Great Hunger Armoury.

A Plague Knight, Ravenous, or Cradle Thrall (see above) can take a Ravenous Infection ACTION. If they do so, take a Risky Success Roll for the model. If the roll is a Failure, the model’s Activation ends immediately. If the roll is a Success or a Critical Success, you can place 1 INFECTION MARKER next to any other model within 1” of the model taking the Ravenous Infection ACTION. Then, the model taking the Ravenous Infection ACTION’s Activation ends immediately.

A Great Hunger Warband must include either 1 Matagot Hag or 1 Lord of Tumours (but not both), and can include 0-2 Plague Knights. It cannot include Corpse Guard, Heralds of Beelzebub or an Amalgam. In addition, Plague Knights must be mounted on 32mm or 40mm bases, and the Ravenous must be mounted on 25mm or 32mm bases.