Animal Companions and Kennel

[Fencing Frog]

Hello Frostgrave brain trust can the Kennel upgrade to a hideout be used to house an animal companion?  or does it have to be a Warhound?

[tyrionhalfman]

The rules would suggest warhound

[area23]

A warhound in the sense that it would be the stats for a warhound. It could be a boar or a velociraptor or a mutant barking toad.

[Fencing Frog]

A warhound in the sense that it would be the stats for a warhound. It could be a boar or a velociraptor or a mutant barking toad.

No I am talking about the Bear, Snow leopard or Wolf I get via the Animal companion spell. It takes up a slot in my war band why couldn't it be the War hound's spot?

[Darkson71]

Because most kennels are dog-size and not bear-size?

[tyrionhalfman]

I've never used an animal companion in game, how do they compare to the warhound? If they're comparable and your opponent is willing I'm sure you could houserule it?

[Smith]

The rules would suggest warhound

The rules do explicitly say War Hound, so the extra model bonus from the kennel only counts if it's a War Hound. If you replace the model with an animal companion (as per the spell rules), you'd no longer have a War Hound, so the bonus from the kennel would be void.

I'd argue that a kennel is, like a War Hound, a mundane addition to a warband's resources. An animal companion is a wild animal summoned by magic, so wouldn't be at home in a kennel. I'd interpret it as an ally that arrives when called for, rather than a permanent resident!

[Magos Kasen]

As other's have said, RAW it's pretty clearly only possible to use it with a warhound. However if your opponent is ok with it (and I would be), I don't see why you couldn't use it for an animal companion in a campaign. Perhaps not with a bear, but at least with, say, a wolf.

Although, given how much better bears are than pretty much any other animal companion, I'm not sure why you wouldn't take one.

[Fencing Frog]

Although, given how much better bears are than pretty much any other animal companion, I'm not sure why you wouldn't take one.

Well the Leopard is faster than the Bear, and has a higher Will so its not as likely to be charmed away from you.   The Wolf is a wash with the war hound but its "free."