Gnawmaster Rikfang of Clan Rictus had drawn together a mighty swarm of ratmen to fight for him. Beneath his ragged banner massed an anarchic coalition of Verminus and Skryre clans, each of which brought ever greater numbers to swell the Gnawmaster’s ranks. It was not a tight-knit army and – skaven nature being what it is – the petty Warlords and Warlock Engineers who fought in Rikfang’s name were every bit as loyal as a Stormfiend is delicate, graceful and wise. The Clan Rictus alliance instead derived its strength from its overwhelming numbers and the potent, if dangerously unpredictable, war machines of the Clans Skryre. Though the enemies of a sprawling horde such as this might slaughter hundreds of ratmen, those lives were butdrops in a red-eyed, chisel-fanged ocean that would devour them whole in return.[1a]
Overview
Despite their natural tendency towards treachery, Stormvermin fighters are well-equipped, strong, brutal, and –when amassed in their clawpacks –incredibly efficient killing machines.[1b]
Their chief weapons are large and jagged halberds. These fearsome implements are designed to hook and hack through the armour and helms of their foes, from Stormcast Eternals to duardin. Of course, as self-interest dictates, these weapons are often employed against other skaven clans when an opportunity presents itself.[1b]
The skaven are nothing if not inventive, and their ingenuity – and native cowardice – can be seen in the design of their defensive equipment. Alongside ragged tunics and a compact shield of wood and metal, they wear segmented torso armour, a tabard and rear neckplate.This lightweight combination covers both their front and back, offering the wearer an equal measure of protection and freedom of movement, whether dealing with sudden, scuttling advances, pell-mell retreats or their murderous comrades-in-arms.[1b]