CORVUS CABAL

By Dave “StyrofoamKing” Seidman-Joria

Based on the Pirate Warband by Tim Huckleberry, Skaven Warband, Chaos Marauders by BTB Team

Sometimes when the Greywind rolls across the Hooked: Any Cabalite model may be armed
mortal worlds, it carries with a name, a with Ropes and Hooks, including henchmen.
hunger, a feeling of covetousness. From the
shadowy corners of Chaos, followers whisper Hoarders: It is the instinct of Cabalites to
the name of the Great Gatherer, the great amass goods rather than lose them. In the
Mother Crow. As most Chaos Gods, the Great post game phase, if you wish to sell one or
Gatherer thirsts for blood as tribute; but it is more items, your leader must first pass a
unique in that it will also accept trophies, leadership test. If they fail, you cannot sell
baubles, and treasure as well. items this phase. If you pass, you may sell any
number of items as normal. This restriction
The Cabal are unique among cults in that they does not apply to treasure items, such as
are equally happy squatting in a cave in the Wyrdstone, Valuables, Crates, etc., which may
wilderness as they are in an alley in be sold as normal.
Marienburg. The Corvus Cabal follows in the
wake of large armies, ready to pick off the
stragglers and any overlooked treasures. In Choice of warriors
this manner, they have raided and infiltrated A Corvus Cabal warband must include a
ruins and cities all over the world, from the minimum of three models. You have 500 gold
Cathayan Borderlands to ramshackle towns of crowns (representing
Sartosa. And the haunted city of Mordheim your resources) which you can use to recruit
offers no horror for them, only glittering and equip your initial warband. The
opportunity. maximum number of warriors in the warband
may never exceed 20.
SPECIAL RULES
Shadow Piercer: Each Cabal warband must
Hired Swords: Cabalites are worshippers of have one Shadow Piercer: no more, no less!
chaos, and may only hire Hired Swords and Shrike Talon: Your warband may include up
DP that can be hired by Possessed Warband. to two Shrike Talons.
Hatchlings: Your warband may include up to
Scramble: Cabalites can move over obstacles two Hatchlings.
with inhuman agility.
 Instead of being automatically clearing Cabalist: Any number of models may be
obstacles that are less than 1”, cabalites Cabalists.
can automatically clear any hostile barrier Spire Stalker: Your warband may include up
or friendly model that is less than 3” tall or to five Spire Stalkers.
climb up buildings less than 3” without Giant Birds: Any number of models may be
spending movement. giant birds.
 If they commit to jumping a vertical gap
that is less than 3”, they do not need to roll Starting experience
for initiative to avoid falling. A Shadow Piercer starts with 20 experience.
 They may also climb any building they are
in contact with, even if they did not start Shrike Talons start with 8 experience.
their turn touching it. Hatchlings start with 0 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience.
 CORVUS CABAL

CORVUS CABAL EQUIPMENT

SHADOW PIERCER EQUIPMENT LIST SHRIKE TALON EQUIPMENT LIST
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
Dagger 1st free/2gc Dagger 1st free/2gc
Club 3 gc Axe 5 gc
Axe 5 gc Sword 10 gc
Sword 10 gc Spear 10 gc
Halberd 10 gc Fighting Claws 35 gc
Spear 10 gc
Missile Weapons
Missile Weapons Javelin / Dart 5 gc
Sling 2 gc
Javelin / Dart 5 gc Armour
Throwing Stars 15 gc Toughened Leathers 7 gc
Blowpipe 25 gc Light Armor 10 gc
Raven Familiar 25 gc Shield 5 gc
Buckler 5 gc
Armour Helmet 10 gc
Toughened Leathers 7 gc
Light Armor 10 gc Miscellaneous
Shield 5 gc Rope and Hook 10 gc
Buckler 5 gc Razor Feet 15
Helmet 10 gc Wings (pick one)
Raptor Wings 25
Miscellaneous Vultue Wings 40
Rope and Hook 10 gc Stryx Wings 75 gc
Harpy Wings 185 gc

SKILLS
Comb. Shoot Acad Strn Spd Spcl

Shadow Piercer

Shrike Talon

Hatchling
 CORVUS CABAL

1 Shadow Piercer 0-2 Shrike Talon

65 gold crowns to hire Desiring to emulate the swooping death strikes
Shadow Piercers are the murderous leaders of of hunting birds, Shrike Talons equip
the Corvus Cabal, whose task it is to seek out themselves with winged harnesses. Leaping
worthy tribute for the Great Gatherer – in the from on high, they descend upon their prey in
from of slaughtered enemies and stolen loot. an eviscerating flurry of iron talons.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld 45 gold crowns to hire
5 4 4 4 3 1 5 1 7 M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Weapons/Armour: The Shadow Piercer may 5 4 3 4 3 1 5 1 7
be equipped with weapons and armour Weapons/Armour: A Shrike Talon may be
chosen from the Shadow Piercer Equipment armed with items from the Shrike Talon
list. Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Any models in the warband within 6" Loners: Shrike Talon’s are immune to All
of the Shadow Piercer may use his Leadership Alone tests, as they frequently work by
instead of their own. themselves.
Acrobats: Shrike Talons start with the Speed
skill Acrobat from the Mordheim rulebook.
Acrobat. The warrior is incredibly supple and
agile. He may fall or jump from a height of up
to 12" without taking any damage if he passes
a single Initiative test, and can re-roll failed
Diving Charge rolls. He can still only make a
diving charge from a height of up to 6".

0-2 Hatchlings
15 gc to hire
Some Cabalists are blessed by the Great
Gatherer with great promise. They can speak
fluently with a carrion-bird familiars, and,
should they survive, long enough, could be
fierce leaders of their own cabals.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
5 2 3 3 3 1 3 1 6

Weapons/Armour: A Hatchling may be

armed with items from the Corvus Cabal
Equipment list.
 CORV US CABAL

Cabalists Giant Bird

25gc to hire 15gc to hire
Cabalists are cold-hearted murderers who fall The Corvus Cabal are known to attract large
upon their victims in a flurry of knives and birds: vultures, buzzards, and worse. These can
war-picks, butchering their prey before be persuaded to join in the hunt, rather than
stripping them of valuables and carving bloody waiting for the scraps after.
trophies from their flesh. M WS BS S T W I A Ld
M WS BS S T W I A Ld 9* 2 0 3 3 1 4 1 4
5 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 6 Weapons/Armour: None. Giant birds never
Weapons/Armour: A Scavengers may be use any armour or weapons.
armed with hand-to-hand weapons and SPECIAL RULES:
armor from the Corvus Cabal Equipment list. Experience: Giant Birds are animals and do
SPECIAL RULES not gain experience.
Grab and Run: Once per turn, when a Short Flight: Giant birds may Fly up to 9”
Cabalist gains a treasure item (ex. A during their turn in any direction, including
wyrdstone shard), if they are not engaged in up, ignoring any terrain or models under
combat, they immediately make a move of them. However, this move is not doubled for
1D6 inches (If the treasure slows their moving or charging.
movement, reduce the bonus move Breakable: A bird can be easy animal to
appropriately). break, given the opportunity. When attacking
a knocked down bird in hand-to-hand
0-5 Spire Stalker combat, all attacks automatically wound
35gc to hire (taking it out of action).
Spire Stalkers are agile cutthroats whose
domain is the rooftop. Leaping and climbing
above the battlefield, they position themselves
for the perfect ambush before striking
mercilessly.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
5 4 3 3 3 1 4 1 6
Weapons/Armour: A Spire Stalker may be
armed with hand-to-hand weapons and
armor from the Corvus Cabal Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Daredevil: A Spire Stalker may re-roll failed
Initiative tests when Leaping Gaps, Jumping
Down, and performing Diving Charges. (If
used with Acrobat, you may still only reroll a
failed test once).
 CORV US CABAL

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Raven Familiar Wings

25 gc - Rarity 7 -Any Heroes except Strike Cost / Rarity: Varies. Shrike Talon Only
Talons. Shrike Talons may wear one set of wings at a
The Great Gatherer will sometimes bless a raven time, in addition to any armor. Rules, rarity and
with great power and strength to aid a worthy costs vary (see below).
retainer.
Range: 20”; Strength: 3; Special Rules: Dive Raptor Wings – 25gc – Rarity 5
Bomb, Special Training. Whenever you use Diving Charge, you may
SPECIAL RULES extend the range of your fall / charge by up to
Dive Bomb: If the shooter is attempting to hit a +4”; this can be:
target behind partial cover, the shooter may  Extending the maximum height you can do a
ignore the penalty for cover if the has no diving charge (past the normal 6” limit) to up
obstruction from above (i.e. can be seen from to 10” OR
above without cover).  Extending your range of chargeable targets
Special Training: When you buy a Raven, it on the ground by +4” (charging opponents
comes with one of the following specialties: up to 6” from the base of the building instead
Harrying, Scrying, or Covetous of your choice. of 2”) OR
Harrying Raven: In lieu of taking a shot, the  A combo of the two that equals 4 or less.
pick an opposing enemy within 20”; they must Likewise, when you successfully jump from a
pass a fear test. If they fail, their movement is height of 2” or higher, you may land in any open
halved on their next turn. You cannot target the space below you that is within 4” from your
same model with more than one harrying normal landing spot at the base of the building
attempt in a single turn. (this vertical movement does use up your
Scrying Raven: In lieu of taking a shot, the movement).
familiar owner may send the familiar out to do
reconnaissance. Pick a hidden opponent within Vulture Wings – 40gc – Rarity 7
20”; that opponent must pass an Initiative test. Your Shrike now causes fear. See the
If they fail, the raven has spotted them, and they Psychology section for details.
no longer count as hidden.
Covetous Raven: In any scenario in which you Stryx Wings – 100gc + 1D6x10– Rarity 10
are roll to find treasure, once per turn, you may All missile attacks against you are at -1 to hit.
reroll a search result of a friendly model within (This does not stack with an Elven cloak, as it
20” (ex. Scenario 7: Hidden Treasure). If you use uses a crude form of the same magic).
this ability, you can’t use the raven to
“shoot” this turn. Likewise, you may Harpy Wings – 250gc - Rarity 12
reroll one dice in the post-game Instead of your normal move, you can fly up to
related to finding loot (ex. Hidden 12” in any direction. This move is not doubled
Treasure: rerolling to find a when charging or running. You may not fly and
treasure or the 1D3 for shoot in the same turn, nor may you fly in a
number of gems; rerolling tight space (ex. Fly up the staircase of a
the type or amount of building, instead a sewer).
treasure found with an
exploration result).
 CORV US CABAL

Razor Feet Blowpipe

20 gc – Rarity 6 Shrike Talon only 25 gold crowns
Availability: Rare 7
Your movement is increased by +2. Also, The blowpipe is a short hollow tube which
whenever you charge a model as a diving can be used to shoot poisoned darts. While
charge or by flying, you may make two the darts by themselves are too small to cause
additional attacks with your feet during the significant damage, the poison used by the
first round of combat; treat each as if it were Corvus can cause searing agony and eventual
a dagger attack. death. The other advantage of a blowpipe is
that it is silent, and a well-hidden shooter can
Javelins fire the darts undetected.
5 gc - Common Range Strength Save modifier Special
rules
Javelins are throwing spears used by fighters to
Range: 8" Strength: 1 Special Rules: +1
pick off opponents at a distance.
Enemy Armor Save, Poison, Stealthy
Range: 8" Strength: As user Special Rules: SPECIAL RULES
Thrown Weapon +1 Enemy armour save: Like Daggers,
Thrown Weapon: The Javelins are thrown Blowpipes are not the best weapons to use
weapons and the warrior suffer no penalty for penetrating an enemy model’s armour. An
for moving and shooting. They may not be enemy wounded by a blowpipe gains a +1
used in hand to hand combat. bonus to his armour save, and a 6+ armour
save if he has none normally.
Fighting Claws Poison: The needles fired by a blowpipe are
35 gold crowns per pair coated in a venom very similar in its effects to
Availability: Rare 7 the Black Lotus (if you roll a 6 on the To Hit
Fighting claws are sharp metal blades roll, the victim is automatically wounded). A
attached to the hand of the Corvus warrior. It blowpipe cannot cause critical hits.
takes a real expert to use them effectively. Stealthy: A Cabalist armed with a blowpipe
Range: Close Com.; Strength: As User; can fire while hidden without revealing his
Special Rules: Pair, Climb, Parry, position to the enemy. The target model can
Cumbersome take an Initiative test in order to try to spot
SPECIAL RULES the firing warrior. If the test is successful, the
Pair: Fighting Claws are traditionally used in Cabalist no longer counts as hidden.
pairs, one in each hand. A warrior armed with
Fighting Claws gets an additional attack.
Climb: A warrior equipped with Fighting
Claws can add +1 to his Initiative when
making Climbing tests.
Parry: A Skaven armed with Fighting Claws
may parry blows and can re-roll a failed
attempt once, in the same way as a model
armed with a sword and buckler.
Cumbersome. A model armed with Fighting
Claws may not use any other weapons in the
entire battle. (Does not prevent you using
Razor Feet).
 CORV US CABAL

SPECIAL SKILLS
Trophy Hunter – If your hero successfully Grim Totem – When you learn this skill,
takes an opponent out of action or collects a immediately gain a free Lucky Charm or
treasure (ex. Wyrdstone), it gains +1 Attack Rabbit’s foot. After each battle, if at least one
for the remainder of the game. (This does not member of an opposing’s warband died, you
stack) may choose: gain a free Lucky Charm, a free
Rabbit’s Foot, or 2D6 gc. Alternatively, if the
Familiar Speaker – If you own a familiar, it opponent rolls “Blinded in One Eye,” you gain
can gain an additional special training (2 +1D3 Experience instead (Eyes are the Great
instead of 1). In addition, you may change Gatherer’s FAVORITE tribute).
which two specialties it has at the start of
each scenario. Chosen of Chaos: The Hero has been found
worthy of his god’s service and entered the
Swooping Attack – Shrike Only – You may rank of a Chaos Warrior. He uses the
now leap over opposing models less than 3” maximum profile for Chaos Warriors.
tall. Once per turn, when you make a non- M WS BS S T W I A Ld
charge move over an opponent (as a leap,
4 8 6 5 5 3 8 5 9
flight, or jump) you may a quick strike at
them. You may make a single attack with one
hand at -2 to Hit. It cannot crit. Succeed or Chaos Armour: The Hero may not wear
fail, you must keep moving past the model, Armour, but has a natural Armour save of 4+
and cannot end your turn in base contact with that can be combined with shields and mount
the target. bonuses as normal. Prerequisite: Hero must
first take Chosen of Chaos skill.
Gift of Hunger– The Gatherer blesses you in
way that resembles the gifts of the Horned
God; you may learn 1 skill from the Skaven
(Eshin) warband. In the case of Tail Fighting,
treat this as a mutation: you grow an extra
appendage (likely bedecked with feathers or
talons!)
 CORV US CABAL

Bonus Section: The Cabal Comes to Sartosa!

StyrofoamKing: What first attracted me to the Corvus Cabal is that they were the first Chaos warband
that felt “right” for my campaign setting: Sartosa, the Pirate Isle. Most Chaos factions seemed too
focused on corruption, magic, or berserker rage; none of which fit. However, a gang of agile,
avaricious, cutthroats seems right at home!

As such, here are some optional rules for “Swabbies” for them, should you ever want to run them in
your sea-faring campaign (be set in Sartosa, Lustrian Isles, or wherever).

0-5* Decoys
Decoys are unskilled recruits that are used to distract the enemy. These decoys are either duped into
helping or coerced into it.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
5 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 5

Weapons and Armor: Decoys may be equipped with the following items: daggers, clubs,
toughened leathers, and ropes and hooks.

SPECIAL RULES
Blend In: When a Decoy is deployed, it doesn’t appear as a “Decoy”- instead, use a Cabalist or Spire
Stalker model as a stand-in. The decoy is deployed as a “member” of an existing henchmen group;
until revealed, it appears to be identical to any other henchmen in the group, seems to be equipped
like them (to an outsider), and moves like them. It is revealed as a Decoy when a. it is hit with a
ranged attack, b. it attacks or is attacked in hand-to-hand combat, or c. it takes damage some other
way (ex. Taking falling damage).
Never Gain Experience: Decoys generally aren’t interested in proving their worth to the cabal,
they are interested in survival and hopefully escape! Decoys never gain experience in games.
Rabble: Decoys do not need to be armed all the same. Each may be given different equipment, but
only items listed above Decoys can never use magic, or cast spells of any sort, no matter their
original background or abilities.
‘Blast, they got away!’ If the Cabal Warband itself Routs, any Decoys who have already left the
table in previous turns are presumed to have made a successful escape, and are never seen from
again. Remove them from your warband roster as if they had been killed.

‘Don’t mind them, they ain’t true cabalites!’ The rest of the cabal barely notice if any Decoys run
away or go Out of Action – they know they’ll find them later on and give them 30 lashes if they’re
lucky! Any Decoys who are running away or have been taken out of action do not count towards the
need to take a Rout test for the warband.