5. The Goretide.

I managed to pickup a copy of the Khorne Bloodbound battletome last weekend.  I was looking for more explanation in the way a Bloodbound Warhorde would be put together.  I was also hoping it would reveal more about the Goretide in general.  I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed.  

Without further ado here is a breakdown of the unit types available to Khul's Gorechosen.

1.  Exalted Deathbringer:-  ' MORDAX SLAUGHTERTHIRST'.
              BLOODSTORM:  3 x units of WrathMongers.
              Mighty Skullcrusher unit.
              Khorgoraths.
              Fleshhounds.
              Bloodletter unit.
              Fleshhound unit.
              Bloodwarriors.

Mordax commands Khul's personal retinue of elite warriors.  Whilst Mordax's ambition knows no bounds Khul believes in keeping his more ambitious subjects as close as possible.  Mordax is cold and calculating.  It is his belief that it is only a matter of time before he commands the Goretide for himself.

2.  SlaughterPriest:-  'LAKSHAR BLOODSPEAKER'.
              DARK FEAST:  Bloodstoker.
                                         3 x units of BloodReavers.
              Chaos Giant.
              Chaos Warshrine.
              Bestigors
              Ungors
              Duardin Slayers.
              Warhounds.

Lakshar's force is almost entirely comprised of units made from subjugated races gathered during Khul's initial conquest of the Brimstone Peninsula.  Lakshar gains immeasurable pleasure from spreading the corruption of hatred in Khorne's name. 

3.  Bloodsecrator:-  'THREX SKULLBRAND'.
               Wrathmongers.
                Skullreapers.
                Blood Warriors.
                BloodReavers.
                Bound Slaughterbrute.

Carrying the Goretide's banner has attracted some of the Warband's most devoted killers.  Threx himself has no motivations beyond finding another body to slaughter in futile attempts to satiate the incessant ramblings of hate in his mind.  Khorne himself has rewarded Threx's acute single mindedness with a Bound Slaughterbrute so that the reach of his hatred has no bounds.

4.  SkullGrinder:-  'BARBARICUS KREED'.
               RED HEADSMEN:  3 x units of BloodWarriors.
                                                 Aspiring Deathbringer.

Like all SkullGrinders Barbaricus's origin and motivations are unknown.  Provided there is killing to be done in Khorne's name Barbaricus is never far away.  BloodWarriors and other aspirant champions flock to him like moths to a flame, hoping that they will be benefactors to  unique and grisly weaponry direct from Khorne's forge. 

5.  BloodStoker:-  'VEKH THE FLAYER'.
               SKULLTAKE:  Skullreapers
                                         Khorgoraths
               Chaos Spawn.
               Mutalith VortexBeast.
               Chimera.
               Chaos Giant.
               Chaos Trolls.
               Aspiring Bloodstokers.
               BloodReavers.

Vekh is constantly on the search for larger, meaner monsters with which to bring slaughter in Khorne's name.  His devotion to the cause enabled him to climb the ranks to the Gorechosen where he currently resides.  Loyalty to Khul is absolute, but to his peers less so.  He currently has his eye on a certain Skaven Abomination subjugated by a certain Karnus Gnaw.

6.  Aspiring Deathbringer:-  'JANGOS SCYTHE'.
                Bloodwarriors.
                BloodReavers.
                Aspiring BloodStoker.
                Khorgorath.
             
Jangos is desperate to cement his position within the Gorechosen.  Desperate for a higher position he will betray anyone in order to catch Khul's eye. 

7.  Aspiring Deathbringer:-  'KARNUS GNAW'.
                Bloodwarriors.
                BloodReavers.
                Aspiring BloodStokers.
                Khorgorath.
                Skaven Abomination.

Karnus was responsible for taming the Skaven North of the Brimstone Peninsula.  During his successes he acquired a Skaven Abomination to which his Aspiring Bloodstokers, against all odds, managed to tame.  The Skaven's alliance with Khorne would be described as uneasy at best, but their hatred for the carnage Karnus caused transcends their fear for Karnus's master. 

8.  Aspiring Deathbringer:-  'MANTHRAX WRATH'.
     Aspiring Bloodsecrator:-  'BENEFAX WRATH'.

Collectively known as the 'SKULL WARDENS'.

               BLOODBOUND WARBAND:  Skullreapers
                                                                   Bloodsecrator

                Bloodwarriors.

                BloodReavers.
                Aspiring BloodStokers.
                Khorgorath.

SPECIAL RULE:  TELEPATHIC LINK - A warband with the Skull Wardens counts as having two Generals.  Command Abilities can only be used once per turn as normal except that it counts as being effective from both of them at the same time. 

Khorne believes in singular absolutes.  The Wrath brothers are a problem for Khorne as he ideally needs one of them to die in order to be able to reward them properly.  Having two warriors making up a single slot of the Gorechosen is troublesome.  Problem is they work so well together.  The Skull Wardens are very effective on the battlefield but are hamstrung by each other's existence.  The brotherly loyalty they share is unquestionable, as well as their loyalty to Khorne.