Warhammer Army Project/Norsca

This article needs rules updates. Upgrade plz.

Why Play Norsca?

Because you wanna play Vikings but don't necessarily want to sleep with daemons. Unfortunately, their weakness in having limited long-ranged combat still persists. Counter charge and Blood Rage also encourages more aggressive play, but will likely cause your formations to fall apart and leave flanks exposed.

Pros

• Your rules give you all you need to be constantly offensive.
• You like werewolves, Not the twilight ones, but the Body horror kind.
• You like Space Wolves but wished there were less "everything if wolf"
• You like Space Wolves but wished they were chaos.

Cons

• You're the light-armored side of Chaos.
• You have pitiful shooting, with no war machines and limited answers to armor
• That aggressive playstyle may come back to bite you when your force counter charges an enemy and leaves their flanks exposed to a buddy unit.
• Crusaders has no sense of distinctions when dealing with heritics

Army Rules

• Counter-Charge: As a reaction to a charge to their front, the Norse can instead charge them back. Before enemy rolls to charge, the unit test Leadership for your Vikings to move up Random Movement(2D3). The enemy rolls their charge distance, with success letting both sides count as charging.
  • a beneficial cavalry ability and most of your infantry to get off their charge abilities like impact hits, mounted spears, and Blood Rage.
  • opponents will often not even want to fight you face-on, even if you guarantee a useful charge. They would rather march toward your flanks or get too close for you to Counter-Charge.
    • You will find, especially with faster units, that they prefer flanking, or you will be within their movement range after a round of marching.

• Blood Rage: Norscan units gain Frenzy on their first turn of combat following a charge or Counter-charge. This translates to +1 attack and Immunity to Psychology for that turn's combat.

Equipment

• Fur Cloak: get the equivalent of a Lion Cloak, a natural armour (6+) against missile attacks. Additional protection to get your nacked madmen to the target.

Sagas

Additional options for Kings and Jarls to spend magic items allowance on. Like magic items, no repeats.

• Saga of the Fearless Leader: 35pts. Roll 3d6 discards the highest on character and unit Leadership tests.

• Saga of the Ever-Vigilant: 30pts. Model on foot with a shield only. gets parry(6+) for 5++ parry and -1 to hit.

• Saga of the Relentless Warrior: 30pts. +1 attack for every enemy in base contact (max of +3).

• Saga of the Shining Hero: 25pts. gain 6" Inspiring Presence or 12" if the General

• Saga of the Beastslayer: 20pts. gains Immunity (Terror) and gains +1 To Hit and To Wound when fighting Warbeasts, Monstrous Beasts, or Monsters in close combat.

• Saga of the Eternal Warrior: 20pts. if reduced to 0 wounds, on a 4+, the character regains 1 wound, except against Killing blow and other instant kill attacks.

• Saga of the Glorious Hunter: 15pts. Model on foot only. gain the Witch Hunter ability to single out an enemy model and reroll re-roll all failed To Hit and To Wound rolls against it.

Artefacts of the Gods

• The Crusher: 60pts. Not Mjolnir. A giant-slaying Multiple Wounds (D6), Lighting attack Great Weapon. Something for monster hunting and obliterating enemies in a dual.

• , The Swaying Spear: 55pts. Not Gungnir. A Spear + Javelin that always hits on 2+ and with Heroic Killing Blow. Another Monster/Hero killing weapon that leaves 15 points for your king to spend on protection.

• Tyrfang: 40pts. a +1 to hit Sword that ignores armour and Regen but damages the wielder if he doesn't make a kill in combat. keep in mind Most opponents will try to challenge him in a dual so the sword will finish him.

• Armour of Beowulf: 50pts. Medium armour with Regeneration(4+) and +1 wound.

• Shield of Svalinn: 30pts. Each time the bear makes a successful armour or ward save, the aggressor model's unit will get defanged until the end of the next turn with -1 WS and A. Pairs well with other protections.

• The Leaming Torc: 40pts. +1 Ld, and all enemies in B2B must pass a Ld test at the start of combat or else be unable to attack and attacks auto hit against them.

• Bone of Ulir: 10pts. at the start of each of your Magic phases, your wizard can get one random spell from any available lore. Very flexible, but you may not get the spell you need or properly make the most out of it.

• Girdle of Might: 55pts. 2xStrangth, a Jarl with 10S!!!!

• The Hollering Horn: 50pts. Once per turn, at the start of your turn, all friendly units within 12" can Random Move(D6) towards the nearest foe, and enemies take panic tests.

• Raven Banner: 60pts. Banner gives Fear and friendlies within 12" get Immunity (Fear/Panic).

Unit Analysis

Lords & Heroes

Named Characters

• Erik Redaxe: 270pts. The current High King and reuniter of norsca. He is your Karl Franz leader-type character with Valten's inability to die (Saga of the Eternal Warrior plus his axe). Alongside that, he has the ability to call upon a thunderstorm for one round, making all missiles take -1 to hit and strike one unit with a d6 S4 armour-ignoring thunderbolt. His axe also grants him Ignores Armour and a 4++ Ward. His LD 10 and Saga of the Fearless Leader will hold your Viking blob together. Not outstanding combat powers compared to a king, but you take him as an unkillable leadership linchpin and reduce the arrow before your wolves or at their throats.
• Sturmjarl: 315pts. Here's a super-wizard on steroids. On top of being a CL4 Wizard with WS5, he also an additional die to all casting checks that can cause FUN to happen on a 1 (Ld check or miscast), staff that reroll magic missile hits (lore of Heavens only) and Runes to re-roll one casting or dispel roll each turn. Like a Savage ork shaman, also throw into an elite unit greeting them Hatred and soft cover. Like any ork shaman, recommend a bodyguard as Sturmjarl fights nacked.
• Keorl Thunderhand: 210pts. This guy here's your beatstick +1 and monster slayer +3. Throw him at a monster, and it will die. He is effectively hitting and wounding monsters on 2+ with multiwound(d3), up to a guaranteed wounding on a 2+ with d6 wounds, and causing Fear to the fear-immune dragons. And to top off the dragonfuckery, he's immune to fire and breath weapons with a chance to bounce it back on them.
• Fenrir Wolfclaw: 235pts. The king of the Ulfwerenars and your Throgg equivalent as he not playing with the norskins like in Total War. Fenrir doesn't hide and if general, Ulfwerenars become the core for a werewolf army. Ulfwerenar and Skin Wolves within 12" may reroll charges and Counter-Charges.
• Styrmir Rimefrost: 465pts. King of the Frost Giants. He can't be your general. While similar to his kin, he also has a weapon with HKB and heavy armour that renders him immune to ice and a 4++ ward against missiles. Including him lets you take 2 Frost Giants as a single Rare choice.

• The Ravenswyrd: 260pts. You've got a loner of a guy who can never be general. He's flocked by a pair of ravens with WS3 S2. If he's ever hurt, he can roll a d6 to reduce his S, T, or A by -1 (and this can be recovered at the top of the turn with another d6 roll), but a 1 kills a bird-killing both sees him dead. In combat, he's no slouch either, with a pair of swords granting ASF, +1S in the first round, and AP(1). With Ambusher, he is a tarpit if you say one.
• Drenok Johansen: 135pts. This guy's claim to fame is his big-ass axe, one that deals AP(1) hits, Multiple Wounds (D3), and Saga of the Relentless Warrior for more attacks to cleave units. His armor's not much to speak of, being a 6+ (5+ against missiles). Exist as a beat stick jarl, cleaving through rows of things tougher than peasants or the occasional embedded hero.
• Jora and Bjorn: 245pts. A woman and a bear teamed up not unlike Thanquol and Boneripper. They're both skirmishers with immunity to psychology while together, but while Bjorn has regen 4+, Jora has a weapon that doubles all successful hits. Bjorn also acts as a meatshield for Jora, taking hits on a 4+. If Jora dies, Bjorn gets Frenzy and Unbreakable, while Jora gets Unbreakable and Hatred towards Bjorn's killer if the big guy bites it.
• Floki 'Lostson': 145 pts. A Jarl of Skeggi; Will duel you if you question his lineage to its founder, Losteriksson. He gifts the army with Vikings riding Cold Ones a needed heavier armor and infantry muncher calvery. Floki himself got the usual Lizard man toys, Ignores Armour Great weapon, Skinned Saurus Oldblood gives Predidary fighter, and a Ward save (5+) plus Forest Strider.
• Bragi Sturluson': 130 pts. Eric Redaxe’s personal Skald. His Rune-etched Tongue lets his songs affect units within 8", and his harp is a Repeater Handgun.
• Sigrun the Proud: 175 pts. Leader of a band of Shieldmaidens, she makes them stubborn. Hard to hit with her shield and saga, her sword is Flaming and Strength Bonus (2).
• Sigrun the Proud: 160 pts. The anti-Markus Wulfhart. after his village was slaughtered his village, like Oxyotl, he now stalks the forests killing men of the empire for revenge. Like Markus and Oxyotl, he specializes in killing humanoid characters, using his scout accompanied by Hunters to shoot the wizard off his horse before he can cast spells.

Generic Characters

• Norse King/Jarl: Your classic beatstick HQ. Norse Kings got a statline slightly below the Exalted Hero of Chaos and Jarl are above Marauder Chieftain. Jarl can be a BSB, but you would prefer a Skald for a foot unit if you can afford it, as then the Jarl can take more magic items. They can use quite a variety of playstyles while also being great beatsticks.

• Vikti/Seer: The Wizards of the Norse. Their lores are Fire, Beasts, Heavens, Shadow, or Death.

• Skald: 70pts. A Norse Musician in the way that Wood Elves have dancers and also a BSB. They can become a unit's musician (letting you cheep out on 10 points) and can use one of three songs. Unlike the Warrior Priests, these are all single-use (+1 attack, Stubborn and Immune (Psychology), or +1 to wound rolls) per unit and last for a single round, use them wisely. Taking a Skald for an on-foot deathstar is points well spent.

• Valkyries: 70pts. The Mythical Warrior Maidens who take the slain up to Valhalla, aka what Valkia the Bloody is without the Khorne. Like Valkia, they are fast-moving overseers, acting as a secondary general with a 6" Inspiring Presence. Keeps the human army in line over a wider distance.

• Ulfjarl: 175pts. A lone werewolf with Werebeast stats except with WS 6, but also the ability to hide in any unit like a Skaven Assassin, providing a frightful monster to an unassuming unit of Vikings. Sadly can only equip a single Talisman as its only magic item option.

• Beastmaster: 35pts. one the same reason you take Master Moulder in Skaven. Joins War Wolves, Ice Wolves, or Snow Trolls as Mixed Units, not only 8ld to a unit that not always near the general, but also giving them the Devastating Charge rule.

Mount

• Warhorse: A horse
• War Wolf Chariot:
• War Mammoth:

Core

• Bondsmen: Essentially Viking State Troopers. Average human stats, these guys will tend to be your mainline troops as they have the best balance between combat and defense with shields as stock. If you play them aggressively and use Counter-Charge you may find them pulled out of position and have their flanks exposed. or you can go mass human bows, which can also Counter charge if that throwaway dog unit more then 7" from your face thinks you're helpless (no help if within 7").

• Marauders: your popular chaos boyz with that WS4. You've options for Greatswords, but that plus shield and armour are sold separately. Even with light armour, fur cloak, and shield, they die quickly but still supply that needed sprinkle of WS4 S5 attacks to supplement your Bondsmen. Give a +1 to hit edge against other cheap infantry with great weapons, plus Frenzy makes them cheap can openers.

• Reavers: trade the GW option to be truer Choas Marauders with shields by adding +1 LD, throwing axes, and even Ambushers to their arsenal. They can either be used as upgraded Bondsmen or cover distances by coming out from the edge of the board. Paired weapons are good for Fighting units, and can be used to do more damage on close-range charges.

• Whalers: Your Skirmish Javelin throwers. Likely to be in front of your army to pelt enemies. Their only means of protection are loose formations and optional shields.

• Thralls: Your trash slave unit but also for slinging. They're even poorer in combat than your other guys and have Expendable, so use them as the useless meatshields they are. Default with slings, and you can also give them other throwing weapons or spears, depending on how you want them to die heroically. Slings are their other main use other than bodies as they have the second longest range in the army after bows, and they have AP.

• Norse Horsemen: Marauders as Fast Cavalry, their numbers are capped by how many Bondsmen, Marauders, and/or Reavers you pick up. This lets you get in your opponent's face around the first turn. They hit fairly hard with spears for their price (2 WS4 S4 I4 attacks per 14pts.)

• War Wolves: Like Vampire Dire wolves or Chaos hounds, they act as something fast and cheap charge blockers and chase away skirmishers.

Special

• Huscarls: Tougher Norse with I4 and S4 and a hero bunker. In addition to Stubborn, Shieldwall adds +1 to their armour against missiles from the front or side (getting a 3+/2+ from shield and fur cloak and light or medium armour). With Shooting focused meta, the armour gets them through the trenches to deliver thier S6 Great weapon (if not, be a missile magnet).

• Berserkers: The crazy motherfuckers. They take Reavers, and add S&T4, Frenzy, and Devastating Charge; Skirmishers are optional. Their pitiful saves invite being shot to death. When paired with something to take the brunt of the damage, they can rip through most mortals.

• Shieldmaidens: And who said women couldn't join an army? The cheaper hero bunker as they reroll failed parry saves as proof of how skilled they are with their shields. If you want a bit of ranged support, then grab some javelins. They are not as fighty as Huscarls and but are the same cost as Reavers, but they will live longer for their price, and you can divert points elsewhere.

• Hunters: The Empire's Huntsmen, but with +1 WS/I. These skirmishing scouts are every bit as deadly with a bow as they are with their blades. If you want them to do more combat for some reson, they can nab dual-wielding.

• Ulfwerenar: You have chaos werewolves. These fuckers are plenty threatening with M7 S/T4 and I5, and optional Skirmishers. With Frenzy plus counter-charge, Fear, and Regen (5+).

• Skin Wolves: The result of a Ulfwerenar, so chaos tainted that the wolf burst out of the skin. Pay more than two Ulfwerenar with fewer attacks, but higher unit strength and more wounds per model, so less investment is lost each time the unit loses a wound. Ulfwerenar is better-vanguarding into the enemy's face, while Skin Wolves are less of a point investment being flushed away every time it gets shot at.

• War Wolf Chariot: 75pts. Your standard light Chariot but has Blood Rage and Counter-charge to make it better at that role. The ability to get impact hits, even if charged during the opponent's turn, is something any chariot would want.

• Ice Wolves: Unlike War hounds, they are more like three Razorgors with a support role. 3 S5 attacks each, but they are expensive and fragile for a Monstrous Beast. Thier purpose is to use that 9" movement to stay out of the line of sight while positioning as to the time you charge with another Norse unit to apply Ice attacks.

Rare

• Werebeasts: 170 pts. The cheap small monster or make them tanker that can rip up ogres.

• Snow Trolls: A variant of the trolls seen in other armies, Frenzy, and Stupidity is not something easy controlled (Stupidity tests happen before Frenzy test, so not banking on that). They can smack around many armour units with their 4 attacks per model with Armour Piercing (1) rule, or the unit can troll vomit if that don't work, with the added bonus of them suffering Ice Attacks during the next combat.

• Frost Giant: 175pts. Unlike most giants, they are not drunken idiots. Get the normal giant Stubborn, immune to psychology, and especially ice attacks covering for a giant's weakness of not always going first. Your reliable big-guy-big-guy smasher. With a Great weapon, they will put wounds on monsters. If worried about being shot at, Medium armour and Shield will reduce damage, but nothing cures mass focus fire in 9th.

• Cursed Ettin: 210pts. A more psychopathic giant with two heads. Better at the Monster roles in exchange to being easy to spook with only Ld 7 and lack of Immunity (Psychology). By default, they have Hammed Hand: giving it a role also as a monster killer role like the necrosphinx given its one S8 HKB attack; this one can be swapped out. A Cursed Ettin's personality determines its best role, which you pick at the start of the game. Unfortunately, the personality change and only changes at the end of any phase it suffers a Wound and fails the following Leadership test (and can't voluntarily fail it). The default personality is The Betrayer: getting Hatred and a double flank or rear combat resolution bonus, something any monster likes. the other is The Savage: Sacrificing WS and LD for Str7 and frenzy, making Ettin better at monster fighting.
  • one of four upgrades for the Ettin is Gibberer as a leadership debuff aura. Scaled Horror makes the ettin tanky with enemies regretting fighting it with each successful acid-blood-spraying wound. Replacing Hammed Hand, with Man Scyther making it better at running over horses or a small platoon, or Rune Caller to turn that rare slot monster into another wizard.

• Ice Drake: 200pts. You have a dragon. Getting up close to him is a bad idea not only because of his breath weapon (Ignores Armour and Ice Attacks) but also because of his Ice attacks to kill dragon slayers before they can act. They still only have 4 S5 attacks, so the Drake still has to pick its fight carefully like most non-riden dragons.

• War Mammoth: 325pts. Yeah, you got your own gigantic war monsters. Their hugeness gives them 10 wounds, 5 Marauders with javelins, Impact Hits (D6+1), immunity to psychology, and 5+ natural armour, while their randomized attacks give them plenty of ways to manage the opposition without many drawbacks, unlike most giants. Persistent anti-monster attacks will bring it down. Like any pachyderm-like monster, they are more about killing the opposition before they get a chance to fight back at full strength and hope their bag of wounds will keep them alive.

Building your army

Buying Your Army

GW still sells the Vikings, along with some of the newer Warcry models if you want to be creative with your Northmen.

3d partys can give you more like Avatar of war. shieldwolfminiatures can be your supplier of dragons, trolls, and Mammoths.

Magic

• Fire: You have many options for mass ranged attack but a lack anything above str3 except Throwing axes at close range. Not a cannon or bolt thrower, lore of fire fulfills that missing Stonethrower role in your roster, while Flaming Sword of Rhuin is good to have in any situation (like putting on a unit of Vollyfire Thrall Slings).
• Beasts: Succefuly casting Wyssan's Wildform on your werewolves on a 9+ is a nicety, but the true benefit is the usual The Flock of Doom or The Amber Spear spell for the respective counter to war machines and monsters at range which Norsca lacks.
• Heavens: Chaos factions normally don't get this and fill many gaps in the Norsca roster, Shutdowns for Warmachine, and High Strength range removal, and improve melee performance with Harmonic Convergence and Iceshard Blizzard spell.
• Shadow: at low levels of the lore improve combat by worsening the enemies' stats. In higher levels, Penumbral Pendulum replaces your lack of cannon (and is more accurate than them in 9th), and Pit of Shades still kills ogres and orcs blobs. Steed of Shadows gets your hunter with Glorious Hunter or the Swaying Spear to be in range of its quarry.
• Death: Short range single target removal. The lack of mount options for your wizards hinders them unless springing for the carpet or boots or paired with a shadow wizard. If not a character sniper, then he is using the spells to help your mauradurs edge out to break the enemy on the charge or still win after they lose momentum.

External Links

The Project's website

Warhammer Army Project Tactics Articles
General Tactics	About 9th edition Magic Items Magic Tips Regiments of Renown
Forces of Order	Albion Amazons Bretonnia Cathay Cult of Ulric Dwarf Empire Estalia Halflings High Elves Kingdoms of Ind Kislev Lizardmen Nippon Wood Elves
Forces of Destruction	Beastmen Chaos Dwarfs Daemons of Chaos Dark Elves Orcs & Goblins Skaven Vampire Counts Warriors of Chaos Zombie Pirates of the Vampire Coast
Unaligned	Araby Dogs Of War Hobgoblins Norse Ogre Kingdoms Pirates of Sartosa Tomb Kings