Come, take a seat at the table of the Flesh-eater Courts – thanks to the infectious delusion spread by the abhorrants, that pile of twitching corpses looks like a slap-up banquet, and you are invited to tuck right in. Each of these twisted vampiric abhorrants has their own peculiar flavour of mania through which they view the world. When they congregate, the ebbing and flowing of their collective delusion warps the minds of their followers, a volatile shifting of perspective that forms the core of their faction rules in Battletome: Flesh-eater Courts.
In every turn, the Flesh-eater Courts fall under the sway of a specific Delusion that alters how they perceive the battle. A Kingdom Deluded lets you choose a Delusion in the first turn of the battle, but after that you are partially at the whims of the dice – on a 1 or 2 you must pick a different Delusion to the previous turn, on a 3 or 4 you are forced to maintain the Delusion – even if the originator has perished – and on a 5 or 6 you must pick as if it was your first turn again. There are two Delusions to choose from in your battle traits – A Splendid Pageant and A Glorious Banquet – but the rest are found on the warscrolls of abhorrent Heroes.
Once Per Turn (Army), Start of Any Turn
A KINGDOM DELUDED
The mass delusions suffered by these cannibals are volatile but intense.
Declare: You must use this ability at the start of each turn. If it is the first turn of the battle, pick a Delusion from these battle traits or, unless otherwise specified, from the warscroll of a friendly unit on the battlefield. If it is not the first turn, make a delusion roll of D6.
Effect: On a delusion roll of 1-2, you must pick a different Delusion to the one you picked last turn. On a 3-4, you must pick the same Delusion as the one you picked last turn, even if it is on the warscroll of a unit that has been destroyed. On a 5-6, you must pick a Delusion like you did in the first turn. For the rest of the turn, you believe the Delusion you picked.
Most Delusions take root quickly and spread to all the nobles in your army, a new normal overtaking their servants rapidly. In one moment the masses believe that they are performing A Splendid Pageant, setting run rolls to a minimum of 4, and encouraging units of five or more Infantry to obscure the aristocracy from enemy spells and ranged attacks. The next second the court is in the midst of A Glorious Banquet, their gluttonous frenzy adding 1 to hit rolls for all units that charged that turn.
The real meat on the bones is the way each character presents you with a feast of options as the battle progresses. As The One True King of the carrion court, Ushoran improves run and charge rolls for his followers, while his powerful, maddening aura hampers those of his enemies, and all nearby Serfs who stand their ground get Anti-charge (+1 Rend). As the Epicentre of Delusion, he can also sway the result of the Delusion dice roll by 1 either way, giving you some control over the ever-shifting mania.
Passive
A GLORIOUS BANQUET
As the court closes on its prey, the nobility signal for the feast to begin.
Effect: While you believe this Delusion, add 1 to hit rolls for combat attacks made by friendly Flesh‑eater Courts units that charged in the same turn while they are wholly within 12" of any friendly Flesh‑eater Courts Heroes.
Keywords: Delusion
Passive
THE ONE TRUE KING
News of Ushoran’s mighty deeds spreads like wildfire through the Flesh‑eater ranks, inspiring his subjects to carry out their duties with greater vigour.
Effect: While you believe this Delusion:
Add 1 to run rolls and charge rolls for friendly Flesh‑eater Courts units.
Subtract 1 from run rolls and charge rolls for enemy units.
The melee weapons used by friendly Serfs units have Anti-charge (+1 Rend) while they are wholly within friendly territory and did not charge in the same turn.
Keywords: Delusion
Rakish and unpredictable, High Falconer Felgryn is considered a troublesome ne'er-do-well by the nobles – but the hoi polloi see him as a hero and well known friend to all the common beasts of the kingdoms. When Sir Felgryn is Abroad! he emboldens downtrodden citizens and lowing creatures, so enemy units in combat with Serfs, non-Hero Monsters, and Beast units must subtract 10 from their control score.
Far more reputable is Grand Justice Gormayne, who pursues Accusations of Regicide with unimpeachable tenacity, integrity, and more than a little bit of relish. The Serfs and Knights that constitute his jury are impelled to enact stern retributive justice should any nearby nobles be wounded by their barbaric foes, adding 1 to the damage characteristic of their melee weapons.
Passive
SIR FELGRYN IS ABROAD!
Felgryn’s roguish example and affinity with animals make him beloved of commonfolk and creature alike, each resisting all the more fiercely when he takes to the field.
Effect: While you believe this Delusion, subtract 10 from the control scores of enemy units while they are in combat with any friendly Serfs units or any friendly non-Hero Flesh‑eater Courts Monster or Beast units.
Keywords: Delusion
Passive
ACCUSATIONS OF REGICIDE
Of the many crimes Gormayne is empowered to punish, few stir his jury to a frenzy more than an attempt to harm the nobility.
Effect: While you believe this Delusion, add 1 to the Damage characteristic of melee weapons used by friendly Serfs and Knights units while they are wholly within 12" of any friendly Flesh‑eater Courts Heroes that had any damage points allocated to them in the same turn.
Keywords: Delusion
Other Delusions may stem from the zealous orations of the Abhorrant Cardinal, who helps his congregation weather the effects of magic and extinguish enemy Manifestations, or the howls of an Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Zombie Dragon, who beseeches Knights and Monsters to perform thunderous charges. If Nagash chooses to join the cannibal kingdoms in battle, he displays godly contempt for the baffling fantasies his servants pursue, rendering him immune to all effects.
While Delusions are the core rule of the army, other battle traits remain familiar: you’ll still heal through Royal Blood and be able to enact a glorious Feeding Frenzy, though now it is a once per battle ability that requires the Hero making the call to be in combat themselves. Once per turn your nobles can also still Muster Guard to return bodies to their Serfs and Knights, and for a command point you can still Summon Loyal Subjects to summon a half-strength unit from the battlefield edge.
With nine heroes contributing to the mass mania of the Flesh-eater Courts, you’ll need to choose wisely when constructing your army to ensure you have the right abilities available. Battletome: Flesh-eater Courts is available to pre-order on Saturday, alongside High Falconer Felgryn.
