Order of the Mare

By Fredrik Edman
From the woodlands of eastern Bretonnia, and from
every village and town within a day’s ride from the Forest
of Loren, echoes the rumours of the Mare witch. A crone
Choice of warriors
of the dark arts according to some, but revered as the A Order of the Mare warband must include a minimum of
Prophetess of the Mare to her increasing number of three models. You have 500 gc which you can use to
followers. Claiming to be the heir of ancient heroes from recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of
the days of Gilles Le Breton, she sees it her right to warriors in your warband may never exceed 15.
restore honour to once-shunned knights. Eager to restore
their honour the knights swear allegiance to her, as they Paragon: Each Order of the Mare warband must have
once did to their former lords or even the Lady of the one Paragon. No more, no less!
Lake. The latter, known now as Paragons, are given a new
Dame of the Mare: Your warband must include a single
purpose by the Prophetess of the Mare, leading them on
Dame of the Mare. If she is removed you must recruit a
a quest for wyrdstones in Mordheim. Journeying
new one without delay (no other warriors may be
alongside the Paragons on their hunt for the curious
recruited before you do).
artefacts are a unique gathering of warriors known as the
Dames of the Mare.
Gallant: Your warband may include a single Gallant.
The Prophetess appoints these Dames to her retinues, Esquiresses: Your warband may include up to two
each possessing peculiar powers that some might label as Esquiresses.
witchcraft. Despite their unconventional abilities, the
Paragons, beguiled by the Mare Witch, overlook the Pilgrims: Your warband may include any number of
mystical nature of their allies. Despite the Bretonnian Pilgrims.
tradition, typically distrustful of such magic, the knights
are so entranced by the noble and inspiring Dames of the Bowmen: Your warband may include up to seven
Mare that they willingly dismiss such reservations. Bowmen.

A distinctive practice among the Dames involves the Redeemed knights: Your warband may include up to five
premature elevation of promising squires. These young Redeemed knights.
warriors, granted extraordinary strength and courage,
become knights errant and form a crucial bond with the Companion filly: Your warband may include a single
Paragons whom they join on their long journey to the City Companion filly.
of the Damned. In an unexpected turn, the Dames
replace the elevated squires with young girls, initiating
them into the mysterious order of the Dames of the
Mare.
Starting experience

Special rules
The Paragon starts with 20 experience.

The Dame of the Mare starts with 8 experience.

Knight’s virtue: A knight is a chivalrous warrior who is
superior to ordinary warriors. He will never panic and The Gallant starts with 8 experience.
break from combat and so does not have to pass a
Leadership test for being all alone. Esquiresses start with 0 experience.

Hired swords: Order of the Mare warbands have access Henchmen start with 0 experience.
to the same hired swords as a mercenary warband
would.

Horse and rider: Because the knights of Bretonnia are

typically mounted on horseback, the Paragon and the
Gallant may buy a single horse or warhorse each at half
the normal price upon recruitment.
 Order of the Mare equipment list
FOOTMAN EQUIPMENT LIST ARCHER EQUIPMENT LIST

Hand-to-hand combat weapons Hand-to-hand combat weapons

Dagger 1st free/2 gc Dagger 1st free/2 gc

Mace 3 gc Mace 3 gc

Axe 5 gc Axe 5 gc

Sword 10 gc Sword 10 gc

Spear (Pilgrims only) 10 gc Spear (Esquiresses only) 10 gc

Halberd (Pilgrims only) 10 gc Missile weapons

Double-handed weapon 15 gc Bow 10 gc

Flail 15 gc Longbow 15 gc

Morning star 15 gc Armour

Lance (Knights only) 20 gc Shield 5 gc

Missile weapons Helmet 10 gc

Bow (Pilgrims only) 10 gc Light armour 20 gc

Armour Miscellaneous

Shield 5 gc Horse (Esquiresses only) 40 gc

Helmet 10 gc DAME EQUIPMENT LIST

Light armour 20 gc Hand-to-hand combat weapons

Heavy armour (Knights only) 50 gc Dagger 1st free/2 gc

Miscellaneous Mace 3 gc

Barding (Knights only) 30 gc Sword 10 gc

Warhorse (Knights only) 80 gc Morning star 15 gc

Order of the Mare skills table

Combat Shooting Academic Strength Speed

Paragon ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Dame of the Mare ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Gallant ✔ ✔ ✔

Esquiresse ✔ ✔ ✔
 Heroes
1 Paragon 0-1 Gallant
60 gold crowns to hire 35 gold crowns to hire

A Questing knight that forsake property for the Lady of A young knight errant, brimming with boldness and
the Lake's Grail and went on a journey to confront lethal youthful zeal, emerged from humble origins as the
adversaries to prove his worth. During the noble quest former squire of the Questing knight. Clad in the
the knight met the inspiring Prophetess of the Mare, who outdated armour of his generous benefactor, he seeks to
recognised him as a gallant above others. She dubbed the prove worthiness in honour of the Dame of the Mare, the
knight her champion - a paragon of chivalry that will take mystical maid that elevated him to knighthood and
up arms for her cause and thus find his true path. blessed him with unbeleivable strength and courage.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 4 3 4 3 1 4 1 8 4 4 3 3 3 1 3 1 7

Weapons/Armour: The Paragon may be equipped from Weapons/Armour: The Gallant may be equipped from
the Footman equipment list. the Footman equipment list.

SPECIAL RULES: SPECIAL RULES:

Leader: Any warrior within 6” of the Questing knight may Knight’s virtue: The Gallant follows the rules of Knight’s
use his Leadership value when taking Leadership tests. virtue.

Knight’s virtue: The Paragon follows the rules of Knight’s

virtue.

Vow of poverty: The Paragon may not use a Lance.

1 Dame of the Mare

55 gold crowns to hire

Shrouded in mystery, yet noble and stalwart, a Dame of

the Mare is an inspiring sight. Her armour hints at the
ancient days of Gilles le Breton, but where she has
attained it is a mystery. Subtle arcane energies dance
around her fingertips. Awe-inspiring and enigmatic, she
blends nobility with an otherworldly duty, leaving all who
encounter her captivated by the spell of her presence.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld
0-2 Esquiresses
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 8 15 gold crowns to hire

Weapons/Armour: The Dame of the Mare comes Young girls, aspiring to damehood. Clad in modest attire
equipped with an ancient armour that may never be they serve their knights, learning combat, chivalry, and
removed, traded or stolen. It does not prevent spell battle intricacies. Originally recruited by the Dames of the
casting, and provides a 5+ save that cannot be modified, Mare, these young girls are eager to prove their
but doesn’t work against magical attacks. She may worthiness for future damehood under their esteemed
otherwise be equipped from the Dame equipment list. mentors.

SPECIAL RULES: M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Prayers: The Dame of the Mare may use prayers from
4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6
the Blessings of the Mare list. She starts with one
randomly determined prayer.
Weapons/Armour: Squires may be equipped from the
Archer equipment list.
 Henchmen
Pilgrims
25 gold crowns to hire

Peasants and simple folk that forsake their old lives to

follow the Paragon and the mysterious Dame of the Mare
on the long journey to Mordheim.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

4 2 2 3 3 1 3 1 6

Weapons/Armour: Pilgrims may be equipped from the

Footman equipment list.

SPECIAL RULES:

Hatred: Pilgrims are so devout to the Dame of the Mare

that they hate all and any enemies that defy her.

Peasants: While devout and loyal, pilgrims are simple

peasants with no ambition other than following their
chosen saint, as such may never become heroes. Reroll
any The Lad’s Got Talent results.

0-7 Bowmen 0-1 Companion filly

45 gold crowns to hire
20 gold crowns to hire
A devout beast that follows wherever the Dame of the
Seasoned archers that serve in their lords’ ranks as
Mare treads. The animal is noble and pure; yet there is an
ranged support, wielding longbows with precision. Such
otherworldly presence about it. What is more is that the
weaponry and skill is especially useful on long journeys in
horse seems to be of a breed no one in the warband has
stranger lands; and as such, bound by duty, archers in
seen before. Some notice that it highly resembles the
service of the knights of the retinue follow them to
horses on paintings and in histories of old; Noble and
whatever end.
untamed, yet as strong as any trained warhorse but with
twice the ferocity. Perchance is this one of the last
M WS BS S T W I A Ld individuals of the breed of horses that brave knights rode
on in the very days of Gilles le Breton, the breed that lay
4 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 6 the foundation of the extraordinary steeds that one can
find only in Bretonnia to this day?

Weapons/Armour: Bowmen may be equipped from the

Archer equipment list. M WS BS S T W I A Ld

8 4 0 3 3 1 4 2 5
0-5 Redeemed knights
35 gold crowns to hire Weapons/Armour: The Filly fights with its hooves, and
suffers no penalty for fighting unarmed. It is clad in
Formerly degraded knights with a new purpose in service odd-looking covering like were they from bygone times,
to the Prophetess of the Mare. Clad in worn, yet dignified, yet it shimmers with a spectral gleam. The covering
armour, they march with resilience and newfound zeal. provides the beast with a 5+ save that cannot be
Sworn to her cause, they conceal past colours and modified, but doesn’t work against magical attacks. The
symbols, donning hoods in humble devotion. filly may never take any equipment, except for the
covering it already carries.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld SPECIAL RULES:

4 4 3 3 3 1 3 1 7 Horse: The filly is an animal and thus does not gain any
experience. Additionally it follows the movement rules
for mounted warriors.
Weapons/Armour: Redeemed knights may be equipped
from the Footman equipment list.

SPECIAL RULES:

Knight’s virtue: Redeemed knights follow the rules of

Knight’s virtue.
 Blessings of the Mare

1. Unnerving gaze
Difficulty: 7

The Dame of the Mare, with her daunting gaze, petrifies her adversaries and renders them
hesitant to act against her. All attacks targeting the Dame in hand-to-hand combat are at -1 to
hit. Furthermore, all enemy models that are in base contact with the Dame must strike last, no
matter their target. The effects of the spell lasts until the beginning of the Order of the Mare
player’s next Shooting phase.

2. Phantom hoof
Difficulty: 9

The Dame channels a spectral force to deliver a distant and impactful strike, akin to a horse's
kick. Target any enemy warrior within 6” of the Dame, that model suffers a Strength 5 hit with
the concussion special rule.

3. Dame’s inspiration
Difficulty: 7

Infused with equine fervour, the Dame enhances her striking power and agility, allowing a
relentless onslaught in the heat of battle. The Dame’s attacks in combat gain +1 to hit and +1
to their Strength. The Dame must test, by rolling the prayer’s difficulty or greater on 2D6, at
the start of each of her turns to see if the effect remains in play.

4. Thirst for valour

Difficulty: 8

The Dame ignites one of her allies (it can’t be herself) within 12” with inspiration and an
insatiable thirst for glory and honour in the name of the Prophetess of the Mare. The target
warrior is now frenzied. Only one warrior can be affected by this spell at a time, if the Dame
chooses a new warrior the former target loses their frenzy.

5. Aura of dauntlessness
Difficulty: 10

The Dame says a prayer to bestow unwavering courage upon her entire retinue, empowering
them to face adversity with resolute bravery and unyielding determination on the battlefield.
For the duration of the battle, the save provided by Dame’s and friendly Companion fillies’
special armour save is increased by 1. The rest of the warband gains a special unmodifiable 6+
save against all non-magical attacks, this save is in addition to (and taken after) any other
saves they may have.

6. The Dame’s charger

Difficulty: 8

Eerie lights engulf the Dame who suddenly sits upon a spectral steed from ancient history: this
counts as her becoming mounted on a warhorse with a modified statline. It will remain in play
until the end of the game or until the Dame is dismounted. The Spectral charger offers no
armour save like other mounts, but increases the special save from the Dame’s own armour
by 1. In addition, the Spectral charger is such a ghastly apparition that it and its rider cause
fear.

M WS BS S T W I A Ld

Spectral charger 8 4 0 4 4 1 4 2 7
 A word from the author
This warband originally started out as a reskin and slight modification of the
Middenheim Mercenary warband and the Wolf priest of Ulric supplement found
in Town Cryer #8. Since it was appreciated in my local community I decided to
make some further thematic modifications to make it a warband in its own right.
This is the result.

About balance
Overall this warband should be balanced to play well against official and
semi-official warbands. Compared to the warband it was based on, I would
argue that The Order of the Mare generally has a weaker offensive output.
Notably, it has a considerably weaker presence in the shooting phase than the
original Mercenaries warband, and yet still several units have less offensive
capabilities in hand-to-hand combat than previously, most notably the Gallant
who lacks the additional Strength. Then there is the Filly which lacks both
Toughness and Strength compared to the wolf, as well as the general lack of
punch provided by blackpowder. This is of course a considerable set of
drawbacks, but it’s made up for to some extent by the addition of the Knights
virtue special rule, high Leadership values on the heroes, and the increased
movement for the Filly. I believe that the warband offers a somewhat unique
edge in terms of manoeuvrability and precision striking, due to the Filly, and that
mounts, lances and spears being readily available for most heroes from the get
go. Especially in combination with some of the spells available to the Dame
.
Blazing saddles
If the Blazing Saddles supplement (Town Cryer #14) is in play, the Paragon,
Gallant, Esquiresses and Redeemed knights should all automatically have the
Ride skill. In addition, The Order of the Mare warbands should be allowed to
ignore the normal warband limitation of two mounts in areas of dense terrain.
Artwork provided by Midjourney AI Art Generator
Edited in Adobe Photoshop by Fredrik Edman