Armada: Northern Alliance Busse

For use in both factions: Northern Alliance and Varangur

The fleets of the northern clans share their designs – ones that have served them well for centuries. Their sleek vessels often eschew heavy guns in favour of manoeuvrability and boarding equipment, striking swiftly into the heart of the enemy fleet that their hardy warriors might get to grips with the foe face-to-face. For the Varangur, this entails packing their decks with merciless, bloodthirsty warriors. For the Northern Alliance, much of the fighting is undertaken by the Icekin, doughty dwarfs, hulking snow trolls, and ogre mercenaries.

• Centuries ago, the first Busse was devised by a visionary mystic, who had received a dream-quest from Korgaan himself. He had foreseen a time when the clans would unite, and would require a longship of great size, capable of carrying a veritable army across the Frozen Sea to conquer the lands of the South. This vision almost came true, and certainly the promise of new conquest was enough for the warring clans to put aside their differences long enough to construct the Busse to the mystic’s specifications.