Einhyr Hearthguard

An Einhyr Hearthguard of the Ymyr Conglomerate is ready to go to war on behalf of his league and in defence of its Votann.

Einhyr Hearthguard are the elite assault infantry of the Leagues of Votann. Clad in formidable exo-armour and equipped with a fearsome array of ranged and melee weaponry, Einhyr Hearthguard are a force to be reckoned with.

Whether forming a bodyguard for their Oathband's commanding heroes, striking deep into the heart of enemy territory, or serving as a potent voidship boarding party, the Einhyr are unstoppable on the attack and immovable in defence.

Role

An Einhyr Hearthguard of the Greater Thurian League wearing a suit of exo-armour and armed with a Volkanite Disintegrator, shoulder-mounted Exo-armour Grenade Launcher and a Plasma Blade Gauntlet.

When it comes to protecting their all-important Ancestor Cores, the Leagues of Votann demand no less than the very best weapons and armour around. The honoured warriors who wield them are true elites, wading into battle clad in servo-assisted exo-armour, carrying a name that commands respect from all Kin -- the Einhyr Hearthguard.

Selected from the most accomplished fighters in a Kin hold, such as the theyns, the Einhyr Hearthguard have many roles -- from bodyguards to deadly first-strike troops. Each Hearthguard has proved themselves over many years of front-line combat, ascending purely by the virtue of their deeds, just as the staunch meritocracy of the Leagues requires.

Theyns who truly excel at war may be selected to become members of the elite Einhyr formations, or else to ascend to the rank of "kâhl." Treading one of these paths does not preclude following the other at a later date, and some Kin have even belonged to both elite warrior circles at once. Most commonly, however, the kâhls stand apart as war leaders and generals, while the warriors of the Einhyr fulfil tactical roles as elite strike troops, bodyguards, voidship boarding parties and the like.

An Einhyr Hearthguard hesyr of the Trans-Hyperian Alliance armed with a Concussion Hammer, EtaCarn Plasma Gun and a Weavefield Crest.

Like Hearthkyn Warriors, Einhyr Hearthguard are dependable fighters, but their experience and inch-thick battle-plate take the Kin's natural durability to a whole new level. Crack units of Einhyr Hearthguard can be trusted to hold the line and inspire their fellows to stand firm even in the face of untold horrors.

A squad of Greater Thurian League Einhyr Hearthguard and their commanding hesyr outfitted with Volkanite Disintegrators and Plasma Blade Gauntlets. Their hesyr is idientified by the Weaveshield Crest on his exo-armour.

Each Einhyr is equipped with a EtaCarn Plasma Gun and a shoulder-mounted Exo-armour Grenade Launcher, laying down a solid curtain of fire as they advance. Once the Einhyr join the melee, they are just as formidable, lashing out with devastating Concussion Gauntlets.

These marvels use ancient technologies to increase the mass of a warrior's fist as they swing, turning an already burly uppercut into an earth-shattering blow that can lift a hulking Ork right off their feet.

Those who prefer the deftness of a sword over the raw power of their Concussion Gauntlets can fit a thrumming Plasma Blade Gauntlet to their wrist, perfect for slicing and dicing the galaxy's less damage-resistant dangers.

The exo-armour of the Einhyr Hearthguard is made from ultra-dense materials attached to a complex, servo-assisted frame, which allows the wearer to shrug off strikes even from anti-tank weaponry while retaining full freedom of movement. The armour can even auto-stabilise their aim while they return fire.

Every squad of Einhyr Hearthguard is led by a veteran warrior who bears the title of "hesyr" and is outfitted with a slightly different wargear loadout from the "standard" Einhyr.

Unit Composition

• 4-9 Einhyr Hearthguard
• 1 Hesyr

Wargear

• Exo-armour

• EtaCarn Plasma Gun

• Exo-armour Grenade Launcher (Shoulder-mounted)

• Concussion Gauntlet

• Weavefield Crest (Hesyr only)

• Volkanite Disintegrator (As replacement for EtaCarn Plasma Gun)

• Plasma Blade Gauntlet (As replacement for Concussion Gauntlet)

• Concussion Hammer (As replacement for Hesyr's Concussion Gauntlet or Plasma Blade Gauntlet)

• Teleport Crest (As replacement for Hesyr's Weavefield Crest)

• Eye of the Ancestors

Trivia

The name "Einhyr" is a fictional cognate to the einherjar of Norse mythology, which means literally "army of one" or "those who fight alone" in Old Norse. The einherjar are those who have died in battle and are brought to Odin's hall of Valhalla in Asgard by valkyries.

In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting beast Sæhrímnir, and valkyries bring them mead. This usage would be in keeping with the use of Norse themes for much of the culture of the Leagues of Votann.

See Also

• Einhyr Champion

Sources

• Codex: Leagues of Votann (9th Edition), pp. 20, 37, 94
• Warhammer Community - Exo-Armour Turns Leagues of Votann Elites Into Mountains of Muscle and Guns