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Voland's Venators

The Venators.

Voland's Venators are a famous band of Dogs of War mercenaries whose reputation as the best cavalrymen in all of Tilea exceeds that of even veteran knights of the Empire or some say, even Bretonnia itself. [1a]

Battle Cry

Last One to Die is a Sissy!. [1a]

Overview

This band of renegades, exiles, and disposed son's of nobles and lords are expert cavalrymen, and like everyone in the company, their leader is also a superb horsemen. The leader and captain of this expert band of knights is named Voland. No one knows of Voland's origin, but some say he was the son of a noblemen of the Empire, or the disposed son of an Elector Count, and some would even say that he is none other then the bastard son of the Emperor himself. Voland himself neither denies nor acknowledges these rumors. [1a]

Voland came to Tilea from somewhere within the Empire. At the time he was just one of many mercenary heroes hired by the Tileans in the never-ending civil wars that ravaged the land. He rose to prominence as leader of a band of mercenary knights called the Venators, which means "Hunters" in low Tilean. The motives of Voland and his brother knights could not have been more different from the Bretonnian or even the Empire traditions of Knighthood. They were soldier's of fortune interested only in two things, namely money and spending it. They were also expert cavalry whose thunderous charge could scatter the deepest enemy formations - something which the Tileans desperately needed, but lacked until that time. Voland soon decreed that the Venators should abandoned all identifying family crests, and adopt new names in order to obscure their true origin. [1a]

Those who join Voland were more often than not the dispossessed, and frequently disgraced, sons of the rich and famous, owning nothing but magnificent suits of armor and well-bred warhorses. Their ambition turned mainly to fighting and money, though not necessarily in the order. Not only were they good fighters, but they were eager to practice and get even better. These young wastrels were joined by renegade Empire Knights, and one or two of Bretonnian Knights Errant who somehow forgot their noble errands, leading to a lot of good-humored rivalry and brawling. [1a]

Voland's Venators fought their way through the Old World hiring themselves out for gold, which they spent mainly on debauched drinking seasons in which wine was consumed by the gallons. For a while they traveled east where they were hired by some of the more desperate of the Border Princes, tenaciously holding on to their tiny realms in the Ork-infested wastes. For entertainment between battles the Venators joust against each other while their companions wager. It is quite common for Venators to be seriously injured or even killed in these fights, or in the drunken brawls which eventually follow. [1a]

The regiment is accompanied on the march by a long baggage train of servants, grooms, and raucous camp followers piled on top of trundling wagons loading with cask of loot. Voland and his men once shocked the Bretonnian nobility by the sheer audacity of coming to the great tourney of Couronne with their armor still tarnished with the mud and blood of Kislevite battles. Despite nursing hangovers, they eventually manage to joust and also unhorsed the Kings Champion and a score of their best knights. The King of Bretonnia was so incensed by this that he swore Voland would never enter his realm again except in chains. Despite the hatred by Bretonnia and the shunning of the Empire Knights, the Venators cared not a bit. They have fought many battles against worse foes, in place where nobler and more sober knight have never seen before. [1a]

Motto

Voland's Venators. The Answer. No Questions Asked. [1a]

Swords for Hire

The Venators may be hired by any army except Bretonnia [2a] and have been seen fighting for Orcs. [3a]

Weapons and Equipment

  • 5th Edition: Barded Warhorse, Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Lance, Shield. Includes Voland, Musician and Standard Bearer. [1a]
  • 6th Edition: Barded Warhorse, Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Lance, Shield. Includes Voland, Musician and Standard Bearer. [2a]

Miniatures

Quotes

It's not just losing, it's losing to them. They're barely even proper soldiers. No discipline, no uniforms and the worst breath you've ever smelt on anyone that wasn't an Ogre. So why do they fight like the personal guard of the Emperor.

~ Count Emmerschein von Mirrenburg.[1a]

Gallery

Sources

Dogs of War
Units Dark Emissary - Dogs of War Giant - Duellist - Fenbeast - Halfling Hot Pot - Hireling Wizard - Hireling Wizard Lord - Irongut - Leadbelcher - Manbiter - Maneater - Mercenary Cannon - Mercenary Captain - Mercenary Crossbowman - Mercenary Dwarf - Mercenary Dwarf Sapper - Mercenary General - Mercenary Halfling - Mercenary Heavy Cavalry - Mercenary Light Cavalry - Mercenary Ogre - Mercenary Paymaster - Mercenary Pikeman - Mourngul Renegade - Norse Marauder - Ogre Bull - Paymaster's Bodyguard - Truthsayer
Characters Ahmed Shufti - Alphonso Garracha - Aranessa Saltspite - Asarnil the Dragonlord - Arnulf Schwarz - Beorg Bearstruck - Borgio the Besieger - Bruno Hauptleiter - Deathfang - Bjorn Irongrim - Edvard Van Der Kraal - El Cadavo‎ - Ennio Mordini - Fernando Pirazzo - Fleugweiner Sonderblitz - Ghazak Khan - Golgfag - Golthog - Gossippa Lotta - Hrothyogg - Ignatius - Isrogdal - Jack O'the Sea - Jacopo d'Arezzo - Jaego Roth - Jeremiah Tusk - Lars Mortensen - Lietpold the Black - Long Drong - Louis di Burgundum - Lorenzo Lupo - Lucciano Soprania - Lucrezzia Belladonna - Lucky Levi - Luka Silvaro - Malakai Makaisson - Mann Hirsch - Marco Colombo - Lumpin Croop - Marquand Volker‎‎ - Matthogg - Mengil Manhide - Muhannad Ru'af - Mydas the Mean - Oglah Khan - Otto Steinroth - Rienzi - Roque Santiago Delia Fortuna - Ruglud Bonechewer - Sheerglas - Torgoch - Toxote - Ulli Leitpold - Varis - Willi Ziege - Wolfgang Von Neuwald - Zara Bok
Notable Mercenary Companies Al Muktar's Desert Dogs - Alcatani Fellowship - Anakonda's Amazons - Bearmen of Urslo - Birdmen of Catrazza - Bloodaxe Alliance - Blue Herons - Braganza's Besiegers - Bronzino's Galloper Guns - Cursed Company - Giants of Albion - Golgfag's Maneaters - Grevenfeld Company - Gorskull's War Trolls - Grudgebringers - Leopold's Leopard Company - Long Drong's Slayer Pirates - Lumpin Croop's Fighting Cocks - Manann's Blades - Marksmen of Miragliano - Matthogg's Payswords - Mauls of Morr - Oglah Khan's Wolfboyz - Pirazzo's Lost Legion - Red Talons - Reivers - Ricco's Republican Guard - Ruglud's Armoured Orcs - Schmidt's Renegades - Star of Victory - Tichi-Huichi's Raiders - Toxote's Hellmounts - Torston Treehaka's Sea Axes - Van Klumpf's Buccaneers - Vespero's Vendetta - Voland's Venators - Von Kragsburg Guard - Wythel Warriors
Images - Miniatures - Quotes - Vehicles