Faction: The Society of the Menacing Rat The Society of the Menacing Rat is a Nurgle aligned Chaos Cultist group that employs certain tactics to spread pestilence across various worlds in the Imperium. Although it is known that the society has backing from certain civilian groups within the Imperium, they are also known to be outright terrorists and resort to various attacks from within several Hive Cities. Chaos God: Nurgle Numbers:Unknown Number of Mutants, Heretics, Renegade Guardsmen, Cultists, Chaos Beastmen, and Psykers Leader: Shrall Battle cry: The Plague comes from within! Conception: Imperial reports indicate that the Society was formed sometime around 800.M41, however it is known that the Society utilizes abhuman beastmen that would have been seen in active service around the Imperium during the Great Crusade.Whether the Society has been hidden in secracy for that long or if somehow Beastmen have been harbored and sought refuge under the Society for all these years remains a mystery. Organization: The Society operates as one would find oddly as a Tzeentchian cult would, such as in they manipulate certain legitimate civilian organizations and leaders to further their goals. However, instead of seeking to add change, they seek to add pestilence and decay across the Imperium. Renegades The basic foot soldiers of the Society, they come from Imperial Guard units who eventually join the cult and serve as the more competent and organized military infantry units. Heretics Heretics are the bulk of the Societies forces. Most of them are simple Nurgle cultists that one would find in other Chaos cults and even working under Chaos Space Marines.Members of the Menacing Rat however appear to have an odd fascination with rats in a sort of pseudo-religious aspect that they incorporate into their faith. Mutants Mutants make up a good percentage of the basic infantry of the Society, especially those with such mutations that appear to be rodent like in nature. Mutants are great for spreading plagues and infiltration as well. Gutter Runners Gutter Runners are specialized assassins within the cult. They excel at fighting in densely urban combative areas and from within Hive Cities. These daring assailants attack their foes with knives coated with poison. Martyrs A specialized version of your Menacing Rat cultist. These cultists are trained and prepared to gleefully give their lives to Papa Nurgle by self-detonating around civilian crowds, places of political importance, and even at Imperial Guard stations. When they do so they are given special detpacks that explode and release all manners of biological and chemical weaponry upon their victims nearby. Plague Priests These are your standard Nurgle worshiping plague bearing priests commonly found in other non-Astarte Chaos Warbands aligned to Nurgle. As such they fulfill the same roles of spreading 'Papas blessings' of pestilence and decay. However, many in the Society seem to have a bizarre fascination with vermin and rodents. As such they are often seen with rat based ritualistic tails, paws, and even large boned rat heads. Chaos Beastmen The cult even employs Abhuman Beastmen who have hidden from the Imeperium ever since the Great Crusade as well as from various walks of life. These soldiers generally serve as their strongmen and to further serve Papa Nurgle. Leadership The Society is rumored to be lead by a rather mysterious man who goes only by the name Shrall. Much of Shralls identity is unknown but it is known that he lived in a Hive City and made a name for himself as a sort of criminal in the underworld and helped with several Hive Gang organizations prior to him taking power from within the Society. Battle Doctrine: The society has influenced many of the Imperiums underground through both legitimate and illegitimate means. They draw power from the various Hive Gangs in many Hive Cities as well as through civilian contracted organizations from within the Imperium. As such they often influence the underworld and various rebellious groups through vice, graft, extortion, or bribery. However, the Menacing Rats are also known to be all too willing to harm civilians through acts of fanatical terrorism and to even hunt down and assassinate certain civilian figureheads to further their goals. They are known to favor urban combat and like to lead their foes into traps through hit-and-run tactics. The use of biological and chemical weaponry is also seen throughout the Society as well, even by renegade Guardsmen and other defecting Imperial officers. When it comes to larger conflicts the Society likes to make use of disenfranchised mutants and abhumans operating en mass attacks. Often these attacks are supported by biological attacks and suicide by pestilence isn't that uncommon. Finally the use of standard human and mutant psykers is seen to spread plague and ruin upon the Societies foes. Religion: By nature many within the Society worship Chaos by worshiping Grandfather Nurgle. As such the vast majority of the Society are Nurglates. However, there maybe a minority within the Society that perhaps worships a rather obscure lesser deity, the Horned Rat. Why this is remains a mystery, do they believe that this is a form of Nurgle? Do they believe that Grandfather Nurgle and this Horned Rat or rather exclusive and yet connected? Perhaps this is just another name and interpretation or perhaps some Greater Daemon servant of Nurgle. Whatever the case maybe this is often seen with their fascination with rodents and vermin from within the cult. Advantages & Disadvantages Pros: Friendly towards other Chaos cults Unique playstyle Good leadership (Shrall, ++Redacted++, ect.) Plague weaponry Biological and chemicle weaponry Cultists tend to be better trained on average Chaos Beastmen! Civilain influence Urban combat adeptness Marks of Nurgle Gifts of Nurgle Psyker/Sorcerer heavy Cons: Small squad size Rely heavily on hit-and-run tactics. Beastmen and mutants tend to be fodder units No vehicles No aircraft A lot of suicide attacks lead to shortages of manpower Their attacks are sporadic and are not full on assaults Almost useless against Astartes by themselves Notable Society Characters: Shrall (Current Leader) Wyatt (Second in command) ++Redacted+ Notable Campaigns: ++Redacted++ The Blight Bombing of Hive City Arcadia The uprising of Hive City Siag Wargear: Lasguns Laspistols Autogun Blight Grenades Blight Drones Bile Spewers Plagueknives Rat Packs (biochemical and biological explosives) Plague Scythes (Rare) Marks of Nurgle Staff of the Rat (as seen for their Plague Priests) Chainswords Powerswords (acquired from dead commissars) Plasmaguns (Rare) Beastswords (Beastmen only)