With the upcoming release of Warhammer Underworlds: Spitewood, the game of cards and combat is giving you the option to take a break from the sweltering mines of Embergard and come and chill out in a leafy paradise. Ah, bliss. Actually, it says here this little arboreal getaway is often known as the Hunter’s Paradise and the Untamed Weald, and its inhabitants are a bellicose bunch who worship the Hunter God. Come to think of it… is that the rhythmic thumping of hooves we can hear?
Roaming the contorted pathways of the Spitewood are the Kurnothi – aelves, centauroids, and tree-folk all united under Kurnoth. They don’t take kindly to trespassers, even if you’re just holidaying. When nefarious invaders threaten their home, warbands are sent to hunt them down, and few are as swift or as exacting as Kurnoth’s Heralds.
This warband is made up of three Kurnothi, swift hunters all. Ylarin, Master of the Paths, takes the lead, joined by the fearsome Cullon, Axe of Kurnoth, and Lenwythe, Eye of the Forest. Each fighter in this warband is nimble, at movement 4, and a little tougher than average with 5 health, but they don’t have much in the way of raw defence – though they have some tasty abilities to tip the odds.
As a trio, they aren’t lacking for damage. Ylarin’s spear is a solid 2 damage with Grievous on critical hits, which becomes innate on inspiration. Cullon’s mighty axe reaches 3 damage, which gets Cleave when you inspire, and Lenwythe’s bow hits reliably for a ranged attack. All of the group can also put their hooves to good use, battering foes and driving them back with surprising force thanks to Grapple.
Kurnoth’s Heralds are determined to drive enemies out of their realm by whatever means necessary, and, fittingly, their Inspire condition is fulfilled when they make a successful attack on an Action step that they began in friendly territory. This lets you choose to either stand your ground on home turf, or charge forth and punish transgressors.
Key to these Swift Sentinels' survivability is their faultless knowledge of the labyrinthine woods in which they live, and while in their own territory they count as Flying, and can’t be Flanked by enemies. The only way your foe can tip the odds is if they commit three whole fighters to one Herald, a tough ask for many warbands.
INSPIRE
After an Action step, if a friendly fighter began that Action step in friendly territory and then made a successful Attack, Inspire that fighter.
SWIFT SENTINELS
Perfectly attuned to the Hunter’s Paradise, Kurnoth’s Heralds run circles around intruders who dare stray into their territory.
While they are in friendly territory, friendly fighters have the Flying runemark and cannot be Flanked (they can still be Surrounded).
Mobility and lethality carries over to their once-per-game abilities. Pursuing The Endless Hunt is a ceaseless task, and once per game, after they have Attacked, a friendly fighter can be pushed up to two hexes – useful for connecting with another combat, escaping danger, or snagging a crucial objective.
With a Precision Volley, Lenwythe can let loose a second attack on a different target, doing some helpful chip damage or potentially even finishing off a straggler. Ylarin can even supercharge his attacks once per game, gaining Cleave or Ensnare on a weapon of his choice, demonstrating exactly why he has command of the Heralds.
THE ENDLESS HUNT
Kurnoth’s faithful rarely slow and never standstill, for the hunt never ends.
Use this immediately after a friendly fighter has Attacked. You can push the attacker up to 2 hexes. You can only use this ability once per game.
As a Strike warband, Kurnoth’s Heralds want to get stuck in, but maintaining control over their home territory will need to factor into your plans if you want to drive invaders out. It’s no coincidence that they pair well with the Hunting Grounds Rivals deck in Warhammer Underworlds: Spitewood, which we’ll be taking a look at later in the week. Next, though, we’ll be checking in on the Blood of the Bull, who are gunning for revenge against the worshippers of Kurnoth.
