Hatred is a powerful emotion and instances of hatred and rivalry are commonplace in the Warhammer world. There are grudges borne over centuries, racial animosity bordering on madness, and irreconcilable feuds that have left generations of dead in their wake. Some races hate other races with such bitter conviction that they will fight with astounding fury and this is specified in the troops' entry.

Troops fighting in close combat with a hated foe may re-roll any misses when they attack in the first turn of any close combat. This bonus only applies in the first turn of a combat and represents the unit venting its pent-up hatred on the foe. After the initial round of blood-mad hacking, they lose impetus and subsequently fight as normal for the rest of the combat.

Troops who Hate their enemy must always pursue them if they flee. They cannot attempt to avoid pursuit by testing against their Leadership as other troops can. They even pursue if they are defending an obstacle. If they wipe out a Hated enemy in the turn they have charged, they will always overrun.