Few generals have complete freedom to
choose where they will fight, so we assume that the terrain is fixed and that
the players have only a limited freedom to control the direction from which
they approach it. We accordingly favour a permanent terrain board with
asymmetric terrain features fixed permanently to it. One alternative is to
build it up from 300mm or 12” square blocks or carpet tiles. Another
is to place individual terrain features on a flat board or cloth.
The battlefield is notionally bisected
twice at right angles to its edge, to produce 4 equal quarters. To be eligible, a terrain must comply with
all of the following:
1.
The majority
of the playing surface must be flat good going, such as pasture, large
open fields or steppe.
2.
At least
three of the battlefield's quarters must contain at least part of a
terrain feature.
3.
At least two
of the battlefield's quarters must contain a river or bad going or impassable
terrain.
4.
The
battlefield must include at least 4 separate terrain features. At least 2 of
these must be bad going terrain features of not less than 200p diameter,
placed so that at least their nearest point is within 600p of the centre
of the board.
Bad going must be easily recognisable, and can be steep and/or wooded
slopes, rough or boggy ground, sand dunes, a wood, a built-up area (such
as a village or town quarter), a marsh, or small enclosed fields.
Aerials count only woods and built-up areas as bad
going. An element that is partly in bad going is in all circumstances
treated as if entirely in bad going. Gentle slopes are not bad going.
All hill slopes confer a close combat
advantage to an element with at least part of its front edge upslope of the
whole of the opposing element. Unless modelled with crests, hills are assumed
to slope from a central ridge or point down to their edge.
Rivers must flow between two different board edges, or from a board
edge to another river, the sea or a lake. Movement along a river is
possible only to water lurkers. Troops wading across a river are
not treated as in bad going, but are penalised in other ways. Rivers
no more than 200p wide are assumed to be sufficiently shallow and
easy banked as to cause only moderate delay, but provide help to troops
defending their banks. To count as defending a river bank, an element
must be entirely on dry land, facing the river, with the water’s edge closer
than its own base depth (as measured straight forward from the nearest part of
its front edge), and with part of its opponent’s base still in the water. Roads
that intersect rivers cross them by ford or bridge.
Rivers more than 200p wide, sea and lakes can only be waded to or from an
island, and only where the channel is no more than 200p
wide. Troops crossing are treated exactly the same as if crossing a river, and
troops defending the shore count exactly as if defending a river bank. Cliffs are impassable terrain for ground
troops, so it is best not to have to recoil over their edge! Beaches are
good going.
Spell casting is hindered but not
prevented by running water, presumably because of the small electrical field
generated. Running water includes streams, rivers, sea, and those lakes with an
inflow or outflow. Magicians sometimes dwelt on islands in lakes and Celtic
magicians briefly daunted Romans crossing the Menai Straits.
Roads are among the most common terrain features of fantasy worlds. Few
are paved with gold (or more likely yellow brick), most being simply convenient
routes by which people are in the habit of moving, so should be depicted as
pale brown earth tracks. Since legendary weather is better than ours apart from
the obligatory mid-winter snowfall, such tracks rarely turn to mud. Ground
troop elements necessarily move astride roads rather than on them (as did
actually many real troop types until recent times), so it is important that the
terrain on both sides should be identical, so as to make it obvious if
the element is in good or bad going or uphill should it be involved in
fighting.
Since with these rules so much less time
is needed to paint armies, and the size of the playing area is so limited, we
hope players will feel they can afford to spend time and ingenuity on making
their terrain as visually attractive as their troops.
These can take any form appropriate to
their army, such as an enchanted forest, elf hill, the entrance door to dwarf
caverns, city, beached fleet, mountain peak, barrow or graveyard, but most
usually an exceptionally tall and spiky "Walt Disney Gothic" castle
or tower.
Only the defending player or side has a
stronghold. (See P.13)
Strongholds are NOT troop elements. They
are assumed to have their own garrison or magical protection and cannot be
further garrisoned by elements. They offer powerful resistance to open attack,
but are regarded as the seat of the defenders’ power. Thus defenders losing
their stronghold are defeated.
A stronghold must fit inside an imaginary
rectangle of 600p maximum length and width, and must itself be at least 200p
in length and width.
A stronghold must either be positioned on its
player's base board edge (see P.13), or on the shoreline if this is a sea edge. At least
its nearest point must be within 400p of the centre of that board edge
or shoreline. A stronghold cannot be placed entirely behind terrain impassable
to ground troops - there must be at least a one element wide passable route to
it.
As terrain defences are already included
in a stronghold’s combat factor (see P.22), strongholds and troops attacking them
are always treated as if in flat good going and cannot count as defending a
river bank.
Only one element can fight in close
combat against a stronghold during a bound. It can be aided by up to two other
elements, which need not be in contact with the main fighting element. All must
be in at least partial front edge contact with the stronghold.
A stronghold cannot count as a flank or rear contact, nor as an overlap.
A stronghold cannot be captured by
unaided aerials, but can be captured by aerials aided by ground troops.
Both players dice. The low
scorer is the defender. The defender chooses the terrain square(s) or places
the terrain on the board. The high scorer is the attacker, who numbers 3
battlefield edges 1,2,3 and a preferred fourth edge 4,5,6, then dices for
his/her base edge. The defender places his/her stronghold on that opposite.
The defender now deploys all his/her troops except gods, dragons and
lurkers within 600p of his/her base edge or of its shore line if it
is a sea edge. The attacker does the same. The defender then takes first
bound.
The defender takes first bound, then each side alternates. During each side’s bound:
PIPs cannot be retained for use in later bounds.
A god is not deployed on-table until
successfully invoked by the controlling player expending 6 PIPs, then is
placed anywhere in the controlling player’s half of the board but not within 200p
of enemy. Any future score by that player of only 1 PIP requires the
army's first god to arrive (of those currently present) to leave
the battlefield without returning during the battle. A god relied on by both
sides joins whichever side first successfully completes the invocation, and
counts lost to the other side.
DEPLOYING DRAGONS
Dragons are not deployed on-table until successfully summoned by
the controlling player expending 6 PIPs. When summoned, all an army's own
dragons, but not those of an allied contingent, are deployed with their rear
base edges in contact with any part of the army’s base board edge, but not
within 200p of enemy.
DEPLOYING LURKERS
Lurkers are not deployed on-table until enemy troops enter a
suitable terrain feature, as described below:
·
Land lurkers
(and water lurkers in marsh only) must be placed in a bad going
terrain feature with their front edge in close combat contact with an enemy
element that has just entered or been deployed in that feature. This must be
in the lurkers’ controller’s first bound of the game, or in the bound
after that enemy element was deployed in or entered that bad going feature.
·
Water
lurkers must be placed in a water feature (river, sea or lake) with
their front edge in close combat contact with an enemy element that has
at least part of its base in or over that feature.
·
If
the enemy element is of aerials in either of the above cases, lurkers can only
be deployed if the aerials are already in close combat contact to their front.
Deploying lurkers for the first time costs
1 PIP. Lurkers cannot make a tactical move in the same bound that they are
deployed.
When deployed, lurkers must have at least
part of their base in the terrain feature in which they appear. They cannot voluntarily completely
leave that terrain feature. If, however, they either flee or no
longer have any enemy within 600p, they are removed from the
board and can be used a second time for 2 PIPs, or a third and final time
for 3 PIPs, not necessarily in the same terrain feature. If forced to leave
their terrain feature to conform to enemy or to recoil, they cannot make any
tactical move except to return to that terrain feature.
REPLACING
HORDES
Replacement hordes are deployed with their rear base edges in
contact with any part of their side’s base board edge or their stronghold, but
not within 200p of enemy. 1 PIP is expended for each horde replaced. If
more than one horde is replaced in a bound, each one after the first must be
deployed in side edge contact with another horde deployed this bound.
Replacement hordes cannot make a tactical
move in the same bound as they arrive.
DESORCELLING
HEROES OR MAGICIANS
Desorcelling a hero or magician expends 6 PIPs.
A desorcelled hero reappears in front edge
contact with the enemy stronghold if there is one, and must resolve combat with
this when close combat is next resolved. If the enemy have no stronghold the
hero reappears in rear edge contact with the enemy base board edge, as near the
centre of that edge as terrain permits.
If an enemy element blocks arrival of a
desorcelled hero, that enemy element is shifted, pivoted and moved back (and,
if necessary, the hero moved forward) sufficiently to conform to front edge
close combat contact with the hero’s flank edge.
A desorcelled magician reappears exactly
where ensorcelled, facing the same direction, as indicated by his marker. (See
P.24). An ensorcelled magician can only be
voluntarily desorcelled when his marker is not even partially covered by other
troop elements, whether friendly or enemy. If desorcelled due to the destruction,
ensorcellment or fleeing of his/her bespeller, and his marker is even partially
covered, the magician is destroyed.
A tactical move is a
voluntary move that uses up PIPs and happens before bespelling, shooting and
close combat. It can be by a single element or by a group of elements. It
must not be confused with outcome moves (recoils, flees and pursuits), which
are compulsory, do not use up PIPs, usually follow bespelling, distant shooting
or close combat and are always by a single element.
Each single element or group tactical move uses up 1 PIP. Extra PIPs are required in certain circumstances:
· Use 1 extra PIP if the move includes magicians or aerials.
· Use 1 extra PIP if any or all of the following apply:
o If the troops’ own general is lost.
o If the whole of the element or group to be moved starts more than 1200p away from their own general’s element.
o
If the whole of the element or group to be moved starts
both more than 600p away from their own general’s element and also
either beyond the crest of a hill or in or beyond a wood or built-up area.
A tactical move by a single element can be in any direction, even backwards, diagonal or oblique, and can end facing any way.
A
group is defined as a number of elements which, except as made necessary by
wheeling a column to follow a road, are facing in the same direction with each
in both edge and corner to corner contact with another. To move as a group,
each element must move parallel to, or follow, the first of them that moves and
must move the same distance or wheel through the same angles. None can start in
contact with an enemy element’s front edge. Aerials can group only with aerials.
Groups are
temporary: If the whole of a group cannot move, some of its elements will
probably be able to move as a smaller group or as individual elements.
Conversely, a group or single element can move to join other elements and make
its next move as a group including these.
A group move
by road, or across bad going or a river, must be in or into a 1 element wide
column.
A group move can include any of the following:
·
Moving straight ahead.
·
One or more wheels (forwards only) on either or both
front corners, measuring the move distance of the outer front corner of each
wheel in a straight line. The wheels must be added together to determine the
total move distance.
·
Reducing frontage to form a single element wide
column. (See P.16).
·
Wheeling a column to follow a road. This is only
necessary if any elements would otherwise entirely leave the road. Each element
wheels in succession on arrival at the place where the first wheeled. Only the
front element’s move is measured, the other elements being treated as moving
the same distance.
·
Moving up to half an element base width sideways to
line up with enemy within 1 element base width ahead. Troops are not permitted
extra tactical move distance to allow this, but the distance moved should be
measured diagonally.
A
group move cannot include any other reductions or increases in frontage or
changes in direction or facing.
(See
P.69). The
front element of the column moves forward normally. It can wheel. Other
elements of the original group move as if by single element moves, the nearest
elements falling in behind the column, the rest moving to close up any
resulting gaps. No element can exceed its normal move distance nor end further
to the rear than its previous position. Except as made necessary by wheeling
part of the column to follow a road, all elements must end facing the same
direction and in both edge and corner to corner contact with another element of
the original group. It may take more than one move for the whole group to join
in the column.
PASSING OVER, UNDER OR THROUGH FRIENDLY OR ENEMY TROOPS
When an element’s outcome move is insufficient to clear the base of an element it is passing through, under or over, it is placed in the first large enough unoccupied space beyond. When an element’s maximum tactical move is insufficient to clear the base of an element it is passing through, under or over, it cannot pass.
No element can make a tactical
move within 1 element base width distance in front of an enemy element (see P.68)
or within 1 base width distance of an enemy stronghold except in any of the
following circumstances:
Artillery cannot move
if that move would end in any contact (even corner-to-corner) with enemy other
than a stronghold. Other troops can only move into contact with enemy elements
if a single element or at least one element of a group ends (after enemy
conform if required to do so - see below) in one of the following positions:
If a group
moves into contact with enemy elements that have a gap of less than an element
base width between them (and are not required to conform as below), some may
end the move in partial contact, but not in accordance with any of the above.
These will not take part in combat this bound, except as an overlap. (See P. 74).
Any troop
element which is in good going and not part of a group must immediately pivot
and/or shift sideways to conform to an enemy group contacting it unless already
in contact with enemy to its front or there is insufficient on-board unoccupied
space for it to conform or to recoil after it has done so. (Even if a recoil is
not a possible outcome). (See P.70).
Such an element conforms to full front edge to front edge contact with the
enemy element making most contact with it. In all other cases, the moving side
must conform to one of the contact positions listed in the first paragraph.
No element
can move into contact with an enemy element’s rear unless it starts entirely on
that side of an imaginary line prolonging the rear base edge of the enemy
element. (See P.71).
No element
can move into contact with an enemy element’s flank unless it starts partly or
entirely on that side of an imaginary line prolonging the side base edge of the
enemy element, any part not on that side of the line being behind the enemy
rear. (See P.71).
Aerials can engage ground troops in close combat, but cannot be engaged in close
combat by ground troops other than a hero or paladin unless already in
close combat to their front. In other circumstances an element of aerials
whose base is in physical contact with the base of an element of ground troops
is deemed not to be in contact for the purpose of the rules, except that the
aerials can count as an overlap. (See P. 74).
An aerial element in physical contact with an enemy ground element in one of the contact positions defined in the first three bullet points at the start of this section, but not yet engaged in close combat, can initiate close combat in its own side’s bound without expending PIPs. (See P.74).
As soon as aerials are in close combat to their front (even
against other aerials), all ground elements currently in suitable physical
contact (including overlaps) also enter the close combat, and remain in close
combat contact until all physical contact (except overlaps) is lost after
resolving outcome moves.
(See P. 72).
Except as necessary when contracting a group into a column, an element cannot
even partly enter a gap less than 1 element (base width) wide between any of
unless both of the
following conditions are met:
This does not
prevent an element in the middle of a column of elements from expanding out
from the column as a single element move.
A single element can
use a tactical move to break off from enemy in contact with its front, but only
if all of the following apply:
An element
breaking off must move at least 200p straight back and any remaining
move must be in the same direction. It ends its move facing the element broken
off from.
Aerial elements can cross
water in any direction and can end their bound over water.
Water lurkers
can move in any direction in a water feature.
Other
elements can only cross a river (or channel narrow enough to be treated as a
river – see P.11)
by bridge or by wading.
Elements
wading a river must do so within 45o of perpendicular to the bank,
and must face either the direction they are moving or the opposite direction.
(See P.73).
After starting to cross they cannot voluntarily change direction except:
Artillery cannot make a tactical
move off-road in bad going.
Aerials can fly over ground troops, a stronghold or any terrain, but cannot end any move in a wood or built-up area.
Movement is not measured when
an element starting its move in an overlap position pivots into front edge
contact with the same enemy element’s flank (even if the enemy element is not
in close combat contact to its front). Otherwise the maximum distance between the starting
point of any front base corner of a single element or any element of a group
and that corner’s final position is:
|
Tactical Move Distances (See P. 67) |
||||
|
Dragons,
flyers, aerial heroes, gods. |
1200p |
|||
|
Airboats. |
500p |
|||
|
|
Entirely along a road |
At least partly off-road in |
||
|
Good going |
Bad going |
River |
||
|
Other
heroes, paladins, riders, magicians. |
500p |
500p |
200p |
100p |
|
Beasts. |
400p |
400p |
400p |
100p |
|
Knights,
behemoths. |
400p |
300p |
200p |
100p |
|
Shooters,
sneakers. |
400p |
300p |
300p |
100p |
|
Blades,
spears, warband, hordes, clerics. |
400p |
200p |
200p |
100p |
|
Land
lurkers. |
200p |
200p |
200p |
100p |
|
Water
lurkers. |
200p |
200p |
200p |
200p |
|
Artillery |
300p |
200p |
- |
100p |
To count as moving
entirely along a road, all elements of a column must be at least partly on the
road throughout the move. The front element of the column must face along the
road and straddle it. (The same applies to a single element.)
Extra PIPs can be used to each add 100p
to a road move (by any troops except aerials or lurkers), provided that it does
not start or go within 200p of enemy.
The river move distance applies while the
front edge of a single element or of a column is in a river (unless at a road
ford). Only the front element of a column is delayed by a river.
With the exception of rear elements of a
column wading a river:
·
An
element starting its move with any part of its base in bad going or with its
front edge in a river cannot move further than its maximum move in that terrain
type even if part of its move is in good going.
·
An
element whose move would enter bad going or a river must stop at the edge of
the terrain feature if its move has already exceeded its maximum permitted move
in that terrain. If it has so far moved less than that maximum move, it can
move into the terrain until that maximum move is reached.
A magician element which is neither in
close combat contact with an enemy element nor overlapping an enemy element
that is itself in close combat contact to its front, can bespell one enemy
element (or stronghold) within 600p during a bound. This expends 2
PIPs. A 2nd or 3rd magician element that bespells the
same target element aids the bespelling of the 1st (main
bespeller) instead of its action being resolved separately. 1 PIP is
expended for each 2nd or 3rd bespeller.
Range is measured from the nearest point
of the bespelling element to the nearest point of the target element. Magicians
are able to scry their targets by magical means, so intervening elements or
terrain features do not block bespelling. Bespelling is permitted even if the
target is in close combat contact. Except for the opponents not being in contact, the effects of
bespelling are resolved exactly as in other combat.
Artillery and shooters can shoot at any one enemy element edge
(or stronghold) any part of which is both within range and inside an imaginary
rectangle extending 1 element base width either side of the shooting element’s
front. (See P. 74).
Range is measured from the nearest point
of the shooting element’s front edge to the nearest point of the target edge
(including corners). Maximum range is 500p for artillery and 200p
for shooters.
Shooting is not permitted if any of the
following apply:
·
If
either the shooting element or the target is in any of the following
situations:
o
In
close combat contact.
o
Overlapping
an enemy element that is itself in close combat contact to its front.
o
In a
position to provide rear support to a friendly element that is in close combat
contact to its front.
·
If
any other troop element is even partly between (uncrossed) straight lines
joining the front corners of the shooting element to the corners of the target
edge, or if either of these lines passes through the target element, except
that:
o
Aerials can be shot at over ground troops.
·
If a
stronghold, hill crest, wood or built-up area is even partly between
(uncrossed) straight lines joining the front corners of the shooting element to
the corners of the target edge, except that:
o Troops whose front edge is entirely within
50p of the edge of a wood or built-up area can shoot outwards.
o Troops can shoot inwards at a target edge
which is entirely within 50p of the edge of a wood or built-up area.
Each element can only shoot (including
shooting back) once in a bound. Any element that can shoot must shoot.
Artillery shoot only
in their own side’s bound and then only if they did not move.
Except for the opponents not being in
contact, the effects of distant shooting are resolved in the same way as
other combat. When two opposing elements mutually target each other, each side
only throws one dice, the total combat scores determining the outcome of both
sides’ shooting.
A target which has not already shot, and
which can shoot back, must shoot back at the shooting element most directly to
its front. (See P.74).
When more than one element shoots at the same target, a 2nd
and 3rd
element aid the shooting of the main shooting element instead of
their shooting being resolved separately. Any more elements shooting at
that target this bound have no effect. If the target element is shooting back
at one of the elements, that one must be treated as the main shooting element,
otherwise the owning player chooses which of his elements counts as the main
shooting element. (See P.74).
Close combat occurs when an element has moved into, or
remains in, both edge and corner to corner base contact lined up with an enemy
element or in at least partial front edge contact with an enemy
stronghold.
Flank or Rear Contacts
An element contacted to flank or rear by
an enemy element’s front edge must turn to face at the end of the movement
phase unless either of following apply:
·
It is
already in mutual frontal edge contact with an enemy element.
·
It is
already in front edge contact with the enemy stronghold.
If there is insufficient room for the
turn, the contactor is moved back to make room. If that is impossible, the
contactor’s move is cancelled.
If an element is contacted to flank or
rear by the front edges of more than one enemy element, its controller chooses
which one it will face. If turning to face one such attacker breaks contact
with another, this is moved to renew contact if there is room.
If an element contacts the flanks of two
enemy elements, both these turn, the second moving to behind the first. If
a 3rd element is contacted, it recoils.
An element in contact with the flank or
rear of an enemy element which is fighting to its front fights only as a
tactical factor for its friends.
An element counts as an overlap against an
enemy element in close combat if either of the following apply: (See P. 74).
·
It is
in right-to-right or left-to-left front corner to front corner contact with the
enemy element, and is not itself in full front edge close combat contact.
·
It is
in partial or complete side edge to side edge contact with the enemy element,
whether or not itself in close combat contact to its front. Two opposing
elements in contact on their side edges overlap each other.
An element overlapping an enemy
element which is fighting to its front fights only as a tactical factor for its
friends. It can overlap two enemy elements on opposite flanks, or elements
exposed by its own frontal opponent having recoiled, fled or been destroyed or
ensorcelled that bound.
Dragons cannot give or receive friendly
overlap support.
Whether in close combat,
bespelling, bespelled, shooting or only shot at, each player dices for his main
element, and adds the appropriate combat factor to its score:
Combat Factors
|
|
|
God,
paladin, dragon or stronghold. |
+6. |
|
Hero. |
+5. |
|
Blades, airboats
or sneakers. |
+5 v foot
or stronghold, +3 v others. |
|
Behemoths. |
+4 v foot
or stronghold, +5 v others. |
|
Spears, artillery,
magician or cleric. |
+4. |
|
Knights,
beasts or shooters. |
+3 v foot
or stronghold, +4 v others. |
|
Riders or
warband. |
+3. |
|
Flyers,
hordes, or lurkers. |
+2. |
When an element is attacked in flank or
rear while also fighting to its front, its opponents use only 1 dice and the
combat factor of the element to its front.
TACTICAL FACTORS
Add to or subtract from combat scores for
each of the following that applies:
|
Tactical Factors |
|
|
+2 |
Count this factor (once only) if either
of the following apply: ·
If
it is being bespelled and the shortest line from the main bespeller crosses running water or
within 600p of a cleric or paladin (friendly or enemy). ·
If
it is being bespelled or shot at while in a wood or built-up area. |
|
+1 |
If resolving close combat: If spears or warband have a friendly
element of the same type in full front edge contact with their rear edge, and
neither element is in bad going. |
|
+1 |
If it is a general’s element and is in close combat, shot at or bespelled (but
not shooting without being shot back at or bespelling). |
|
+1 |
If
resolving close combat: Count this factor (once only) if neither element is
aerial, and either of the following apply: ·
If
uphill. ·
If
defending a river bank except at a road ford or bridge. |
|
-1 |
For each 2nd
or 3rd element aiding a shooting or bespelling enemy or an enemy
attacking a stronghold. |
|
-1 |
If resolving close combat: For each flank of the element which
is either overlapped or has an enemy element in front edge and front
corner-to-corner contact with it. This factor cannot be counted more than
once on each flank. |
|
-1 |
If resolving close combat: If the element has an enemy element
in full front edge contact with its rear edge. |
|
-2 |
Count this factor (once only) if any of the following apply,
except vs. a stronghold: ·
If
any type except shooters, warband, lurkers, beasts or stronghold is in bad going on or off-road (whether
in close combat, bespelling, bespelled, shooting or shot at). ·
If
mounted (other than beasts) have any edge in contact with the front edge of
enemy (other than aerials) who are in bad going on or off-road. ·
If
aerials have any edge in contact with the front edge of enemy who are in a wood or
built-up area on or off-road. ·
If any
type except water lurkers has any edge in contact with the front edge of
enemy water lurkers. ·
If
bespelling an enemy magician who is within 600p of his own
stronghold. |
COMBAT OUTCOME
Compare your element’s combat total with
its opponent’s, then
make the outcome move specified below. This depends on the type of your
element (or stronghold) and that of its main close combat opponent or
the main element shooting at or bespelling it. If no outcome is
listed and neither side breaks-off, continue fighting next bound.
Elements disregard an unfavourable outcome
in the following circumstances:
·
When
bespelling any element
except another magician or a god.
·
When
shooting without
being shot back at. (Artillery cannot shoot back in an enemy bound).
·
When aiding bespelling or distant shooting.
·
When
fighting as an overlap.
·
When
fighting sneakers (unless a general, stronghold or other sneakers).
An element in frontal combat with an enemy
flank or rear edge, or aiding an attack on a stronghold, disregards the
outcomes listed below, but recoils if a friendly element in contact with the
enemy’s front recoils, flees, or is destroyed or ensorcelled.
If a spear or warband element is destroyed as a result of a combat
in which it added +1 for a rear rank element, that rear rank element is also
destroyed. This applies even if the destruction is a consequence of a recoil
combat outcome. [See P.24].
|
Combat Outcomes |
|
|
If
its total is equal to that of the enemy: |
|
|
If Hero v
Hero, or Paladin v Magician. |
Both
destroyed if in close combat and both their final totals are odd numbers. |
|
If
its total is less than that of the enemy but more than half: |
|
|
God. |
Flee off
the battlefield from god, magician or cleric. |
|
Dragon. |
Destroyed
by hero or paladin. If not, flee off the battlefield. |
|
Airboats,
flyers. |
Flee 600p
from magician. If not, recoil. |
|
Hero. |
Ensorcelled
by magician. Destroyed by hero, paladin or artillery. Flee 600p from
stronghold. Otherwise, recoil. |
|
Paladin,
artillery. |
Destroyed
if in contact. |
|
Knights. |
Destroyed
by behemoths, or by shooters, artillery or magician they have moved into
contact with this bound, or if in bad going. If not, recoil. |
|
Riders. |
Destroyed
if in bad going. If not, recoil. |
|
Behemoths. |
Flee 600p
from magician, dragon or artillery. If not, recoil. |
|
Beasts,
shooters. |
Destroyed
by any mounted in contact. If not, recoil. |
|
Blades. |
Destroyed
by warband. If not, recoil. |
|
Spears,
hordes, clerics. |
Destroyed
by knights if in good going or by warband. If not, recoil. |
|
Warband. |
Destroyed
by behemoth, or by knights if in good going. If not, recoil. |
|
Lurkers. |
Flee off
the battlefield. |
|
Sneakers. |
Flee 600p. |
|
Magician. |
Ensorcelled
by magician. Destroyed by hero, paladin, dragon or god. If not, recoil. |
|
Stronghold. |
Captured by
any ground troops in contact, or by aerials aided by ground troops. (See P.12). |
|
If
its total is half or less than half that of the enemy: |
|
|
Flyers. |
Destroyed
by hero, magician, aerials or shooters. If not, flee 600p. |
|
Others. |
Destroyed. |
A hero or
magician ensorcelled by a hostile magician is temporarily removed until
desorcelled by expenditure of 6 PIPs or the destruction, ensorcellment or
fleeing of the bespeller.
A
magician who scores 1 with a bespelling dice and who has done so before is
self-ensorcelled. Any magicians aiding bespelling are not affected. A
self-ensorcelled magician can only be desorcelled by the expenditure of 6 PIPs.
An ensorcelled magician, however ensorcelled, is replaced by a flat marker of the same size as the magician’s base. This marker must show facing, and either depict an ensorcelled frog, insect or similar, or have a suitable model placed on top. If a model is provided, it must not be fixed to the marker. This is so that it can be moved out of the way if another troop element ends its move over the marker. The marker does not count as a troop element, cannot move, does not obstruct troop movement or shooting, and cannot be involved in any bespelling, shooting or close combat.
A recoiling element moves straight back
its base depth to its rear without turning, or a base width if this is less.
If it meets friends, it passes through to their rear if of a type allowed to do
so, otherwise pushes them (and any subsequent elements) back if they are
facing in the same direction. Behemoths, dragons or gods can only be pushed
back by behemoths or dragons.
A recoiling element is destroyed if any
of the following apply:
·
It
starts its recoil with any enemy in front edge and front corner-to-corner
contact with its flank edge or full front edge contact with its rear edge. If
all such enemy are sneakers, the recoiling element is destroyed only if it is a
general.
·
It is
unable to complete its recoil because it meets enemy that it cannot pass
through, pass under or destroy.
·
It is
unable to complete its recoil because it meets friends that it cannot pass
through, pass under, destroy or push back sufficiently to complete its recoil
move.
·
It is
unable to complete its recoil because it meets terrain it cannot cross or a
stronghold.
·
It is
of aerials and its recoil would enter a wood or built-up area.
·
It
is of any type (except water lurkers) with even part of its base in or over a
river at the start of or during its recoil move, and recoils in a direction
greater than 45o from perpendicular to the bank.
The first bullet point applies even if the
enemy are of a type which the recoiling element could normally pass through,
pass under or destroy. Otherwise, any troops in the path of the recoil of a
behemoth or dragon except behemoths, aerials or
sneakers are destroyed. Troops met at the end of its recoil are not destroyed.
An element that recoils because of the
effect of shooting only at its rear base edge, first turns 180o.
If aerial troops recoil from ground troops
that pursue, and their bases remain in contact after both have completed their
outcome move, the close combat continues next bound.
A pushed back element does not count as
recoiling. If it meets friends, it passes through to the rear if of a type
allowed to do so, otherwise pushes them back if they are facing the same
direction. Behemoths, dragons or gods can only be pushed back by behemoths or
dragons.
The recoiling element, not the pushed back
element, is destroyed if, before the recoiling element has completed its recoil
move, a pushed back element meets any of the following:
·
Enemy
it cannot pass through or pass under.
·
Friends
it cannot pass through, pass under or push back sufficiently for the recoiling
element to complete its recoil move.
·
Terrain
it cannot cross or a stronghold.
·
If
it is of aerials, a wood or built-up area.
·
If
it is of any type except water lurkers, a river if it would be pushed back in a
direction greater than 45o from perpendicular to the bank.
In each
such case the pushed back element is moved back as far as the obstruction.
If, on the other hand, a pushed back element is pushed even partly off the board edge, it is lost, and the recoiling element is only lost if it also crosses the board edge.
Elements in the path of a pushed
back behemoth or dragon are not destroyed.
A fleeing element first recoils (as
above). An element that must flee off the battlefield is then removed
without having to travel to the edge. Any other element turns 180o
after its initial recoil and moves the remainder of its flee move towards its
original rear. The total flee move, including recoil and turn, is 600p
measured from the element’s initial rear edge to its final front edge.
After its initial recoil and 180o
turn, a fleeing element changes direction only by the minimum necessary up to
90o:
·
to
avoid enemy it cannot pass through, under or over,
·
to
avoid friends it cannot pass through, under or over,
·
to
avoid bad or impassable going,
·
to
pass through friends it contacts,
but not to avoid crossing a river, which destroys ground troops.
In the case of the first three bullets, it can only change direction if no such
obstruction is visible in the new direction within 400p.
It is destroyed by enemy or impassable
terrain it cannot so avoid. Friends it cannot pass through, under or over, nor
avoid, are burst through, then flee behind it until it stops.
An element that starts its flee move in a
river is not destroyed (unless destroyed as a result of its initial recoil –
see above).
An element of knights, behemoths, beasts
or warband whose close combat opponents recoil, break off, flee or are destroyed
immediately pursues straight forward the lesser of its own base depth or width
unless any of the following apply:
·
It
remains in contact with an enemy front edge after its frontal opponents break
off.
·
It
fought only as an overlap or flank or rear contact.
·
Any
part of its base would enter a river, reach impassable terrain or leave the
battlefield.
A warband element that added +1 in rear
support of a pursuing element also pursues.
Except as noted below, an element counts
as lost, and is removed from play, if any of the following apply:
·
If
it is destroyed.
·
If
it leaves the battlefield (whether voluntarily or as a result of fleeing,
recoiling or being pushed back even partly over the board edge).
·
If
it is currently ensorcelled.
A god, dragon or lurker element that has
not yet been deployed does not count as lost.
A horde element that is replaced, a lurker element that returns, or an
ensorcelled element that is desorcelled ceases to be lost. A horde general
can return but no longer counts as a general. Destroyed lurkers cannot return.
Lurker elements that were removed from the
battlefield on the latest occasion because they had no remaining opponents
within 600p do not count as lost, even if they previously fled or this
was the third time they left the battlefield.
Apart from hordes, lurkers and ensorcelled
elements, elements that leave the battlefield (whether voluntarily or as a
result of fleeing, recoiling or being pushed back) cannot return during the same battle, but
reappear in the next turn of a campaign.
A side is defeated and must immediately
flee off the battlefield if, at the end of any bound, any of the following
apply:
·
It
has lost its commander-in-chief, and has also lost more AP than the other side.
·
It
has lost half its AP, and has also lost more AP than the other side.
·
It
has lost its stronghold.
The following additional rules are for
battles between armies of 48 or more AP. Except as stated below, the standard
battle rules apply.
Battlefield
The playing area needs to be wider but not deeper than in the
standard game. For 72 AP armies, for example, double the width. For the purpose
of determining eligibility of terrain, divide the total playing area into
standard playing areas and apply the usual requirements to each such area.
Command Structure
Each army is divided into commands, each controlled only by its own general.
One general is designated as commander-in-chief.
The total number of commands in an army
cannot exceed the total number of AP in the army divided by 24, but commands can be of unequal size.
The total of 6AP, 4AP and 3 AP elements in
an army cannot exceed half its total points, but commands can have as many such
elements as are available.
Dice
One differently
coloured 1 to 6 dice is needed for each command.
Deployment
Each side throws one dice. The lower scorers are the defenders. The
defenders choose the terrain squares or place the terrain on the
board. The higher scorers are the attackers. The attackers number
the playing area’s two long edges 1,2 and 3,4,5,6 respectively. They then
dice, taking the edge corresponding to their score as their base
edge. The defenders place their side’s stronghold on that opposite. Both
sides now alternately deploy one command (except gods, dragons and lurkers)
within 600p of their base edge, or of its shoreline if it is a sea edge.
The defenders start first. The defenders take first bound.
PIPs
One PIP dice is
thrown for each command at the start of the bound. Each command’s PIPs can only
be used for troops belonging to that command. It is not necessary to complete
the movement of each command before going on to the next.
A
tactical move by a single element or group including the C-in-C expends 1 PIP
less than usual.
Replacing
Hordes
The requirement
to place hordes replaced in the same bound together only applies within
individual commands.
Demoralised Commands
A command becomes demoralised for the remainder of the game if either of the following apply:
·
At
the end of any bound it has lost half its original AP.
·
Its
general is lost and its next PIP dice score is not greater than half its AP
currently lost. This represents immediate panic after loss of a general, so only
applies once per command.
Each
tactical move by a demoralised command can only be used to do one of the
following:
·
To move a single element.
·
To hold a single element in place,
turning it 180o if desired.
·
To hold a group in place without turning.
No other group moves are permitted.
In
each of their side’s bounds, all elements of a demoralised command that are
neither moved nor held nor in close combat flee off the battlefield. After an
initial recoil, they are removed without having to travel to the edge.
Demoralised
elements deduct –1 in all types of combat.
Troops
of a demoralised command do not count as lost for the purpose of determining
the lost AP of the whole army until they are destroyed or leave the
battlefield, except that:
·
Ensorcelled elements count as lost. If
they are desorcelled they no longer count as lost. This does not, however,
cause the command to cease to be demoralised even if it reduces the command’s
losses to less than half.
·
Gods, dragons and lurkers that are
currently off the battlefield count as lost even if they have not yet been
deployed. They cannot be deployed.
·
Destroyed hordes cannot be replaced.
If
enemy are in close combat with elements of a demoralised command, the normal
pursuit rules are extended to apply to all types of undemoralised element
including supporting spears, but excluding artillery.
Winning
and losing the battle
The standard
rules apply.
INTRODUCTION
This section contains procedures for a simple mini-campaign for
3 to 10 players, 6 being normal, capable if desired of being played in a
single day, and using the battle rules of the previous section. The battle
rules can equally be used to decide battles for larger military/political
campaigns, or for Richard Bodley Scott’s computer moderated campaign system.
MAPS
A stylised circular map for a six player campaign is shown at the
end of this section. Maps for different numbers of participants follow the same
general form. Movement is by marked routes between nodal points representing
provinces, ownership of which can conveniently be shown by coloured counters.
The circular form can be substituted by others that correspond better to a
historical or fictional geography and/or modified by eliminating some routes or
specifying them as sea movement, but it must not be possible to attack a
player’s capital province without first attacking another of his provinces.
RESOURCES
Each player starts with three provinces, one of which is his
capital province, and a field army of 24 AP. One player also controls the
centre province in addition to his normal three.
All elements that are lost through
battle or siege are placed in a reserve, and all elements that are recruited
are taken from that reserve, so the field army can never exceed 24 AP. Any
eligible element of the field army can be nominated at the start of a battle to
include the general.
THE CAMPAIGN YEAR
There are three seasonal campaigning rounds per year – SPRING,
SUMMER and AUTUMN. Each player dices at the beginning of each year. The highest
scorer plays first. Play then proceeds clock-wise to the left. Each player has
a turn in each round.
Before the spring round, all
players simultaneously write down the location of their field army. Each must
locate his entire field army in any one province currently under his control.
Its location is revealed and marked at the start of his first turn of the year,
or if his territory is invaded or he sends a contingent to assist another
player. Declarations of war are also written down and read out together.
At the end of the autumn round, the
armies retire into winter quarters until the following spring, dicing for each
sea movement stage necessary to reach their own or an ally’s territory if no
land route is available. Each player then transfers 2 AP from his reserve to
his field army for each province now under his control, plus an extra 2 AP for
his capital, thus simulating new recruitment.
If a player does not take part in a
battle or siege during a year, the maximum size of his field army next year is
reduced to 20 AP, it being assumed that the profound peace has led him to
economise and unduly neglect his defences.
MOVEMENT
Each time troops move, they can travel a maximum of 2 movement stages
along the designated routes. They cannot pass through or over a province they
do not control unless granted passage by the controlling player.
On his turn, a player who has not yet sent a contingent that
season to help an ally may attack a province of a player with whom he is at
war. Before deciding to do so, he may solicit allies to assist him. If he
then decides to proceed with his attack, the defender may also solicit allies.
The defender can then choose
either: (a) to engage the attacker in battle, moving up his field army if it is
not already present; or (b) to stand a siege, moving up his field army or
retreating it away if he so wishes. He can do either of these even if he has
earlier that season himself attacked or sent an allied contingent.
The field armies of players allied
or tributary to the attacker or defender are not moved to their aid, but
despatch allied contingents. Their main body cannot then itself attack
that season, but can move, together with surviving elements of such
contingents, to defend one of its own provinces.
The only circumstance in which two
allied field armies can be at the same location is if one is standing siege and
the other is attempting to relieve it, in which case the besieged army provides
only a contingent for the battle.
Instead of moving to invade, a
player may use his turn to move his field army to another of his or an ally’s
provinces in readiness for further movement in future turns.
A player’s field army is in supply if it is either in or next to a
province controlled either by himself or by another player who permits him to
be supplied. A field army that ends its move out of supply dices, then
transfers 2 AP times its score to its reserve as lost to hunger,
disease and desertion (before any battle or siege). A field army which
starts its turn out of supply can retreat up to 2 movement stages into supply
even if it has previously provided an allied contingent.
GIVING BATTLE
If an invaded player decides to give battle, this is fought
between the opposing players’ field armies, using the battle rules.
Only the player owning a province,
if involved, will have a stronghold on the battlefield. The main protagonist on
the same side (usually but not always the same player) is the defender
and the main opponent the attacker, so that this does not have to be
diced for.
When choosing the terrain, the
defender must
attempt to reflect the historical or fictional terrain in the vicinity of the
battle site.
PARTICIPATION BY ALLIES
A player can send an allied contingent to a battle if this can
move from his field army’s location to the province under attack and is granted
free passage through any intermediate province by the controlling player, but
only if his own field army has not already made an attack that season. If two
contingents are sent in a season, they must be of different elements.
An allied contingent consists of up
to 6 AP from the player’s own field army. It cannot include gods. One eligible
element must be nominated to include a general.
Allied contingent(s) move in their
side’s bound, repeating phases 1 to 3 of the bound after their side’s main
protagonist. They
use their own separate die to determine how many elements/groups they can move
each turn. They do not arrive on table until they score 6, then arrive in a
single one element frontage column, adjacent to their stronghold if any, at
that table edge best representing their map route to the battlefield relative
to the main protagonists. (They may sometimes have a choice of edge). They
cannot arrive within 600p of an enemy stronghold. Their edge of
arrival is that on which replacement hordes will also arrive. They
measure their first move from the board edge. They cannot leave the table
intentionally or change sides and attack their supposed ally, but the eagerness
with which they assist him is a matter for their own conscience! If an allied
contingent includes a dragon, this cannot arrive on the contingent’s first
score of 6.
An allied contingent:
The battle is fought until ended as specified in the battle rules.
The losses of allied players are added together when determining whether their
side is defeated. The original strength of allied contingents is added to that
of the main army in determining the side’s original AP, whether or not those
contingents have yet arrived. Contingents that have not yet arrived do not
count as lost. This simulates an army grimly hanging on until its
reinforcements arrive. Loss of an allied contingent’s general requires its
remaining elements to attempt to march off and leave the table, starting with
its next bound.
Elements destroyed by combat are
transferred from the players’ field armies to their reserves. Elements that
leave the table and ensorcelled magicians return to their field army after the
battle. A hero still ensorcelled at the end of the battle is taken to the
bespelling magician’s next stronghold, and cannot be recruited back or its AP
used again unless voluntarily released by its captor, rescued by the capture of
that stronghold, or desorcelled during battle at that stronghold.
Loss of a main protagonist’s
general or stronghold is penalised by the transfer of 4 AP from his field army
to his reserve at the end of the battle in addition to those destroyed during
the battle. This simulates desertion by demoralised troops.
If the player owning the province
fought over is defeated, it and its stronghold is captured by the other main
protagonist without any further siege. A defeated field army or contingent must
retreat to another of its own provinces. If it cannot, it is destroyed.
After a battle, each player gains 1
prestige point for each AP his troops have destroyed or forced to recoil or
flee off table in excess of those of his own elements that have been destroyed
or forced to recoil or flee off-table. A player who captured the enemy
stronghold or whose troops destroyed the main enemy protagonist’s general gains
an additional 4 prestige points for each such instance.
STANDING A SIEGE
If the defender elects not to fight a battle, the province’s
stronghold is besieged. If he has a field army in the province, this must
either retreat to another of his provinces or stand siege. The attacker now
dices. He must score 6 to capture a stronghold in which the enemy field army is
standing siege, or 5 or 6 if the enemy field army is not present. If a captured
stronghold contains the defender’s field army, the whole army is lost.
If a besieger fails to capture the stronghold, he loses 2 AP of his choice,
which he transfers from his field army to his reserve. His allies suffer no
losses. The siege continues next season unless winter intervenes or the
besieging army moves or is defeated in battle. The score needed for capture
reduces by 1 each season the siege lasts. A field army that has accepted siege
can sally out in its next turn to give battle, but not to retreat
without battle.
An allied contingent assisting a
besieger is automatically recalled if its own nation is invaded.
A player can ask at any time to become a tributary of another,
who, if he agrees, becomes his overlord. A tributary cannot declare war
without the consent of his overlord, and must provide an allied contingent if
ordered to do so by his overlord. Neither can attack the other while the
relationship lasts.
A player whose capital is taken normally
automatically becomes
a tributary of the conqueror, retaining control of his capital and any other
provinces yet remaining to him. If, however, his race is completely
inimical to the conqueror’s (as determined by the campaign scenario) he must
replace sufficient of his field army elements with equivalent AP of hordes so
that hordes form at least 12 AP of his full strength field army. If he is
unable or unwilling to do this, he is instead knocked out of the game. If so,
his field army disperses and his remaining provinces become independent until
successfully besieged. Field
armies or allied contingents cannot pass through such an independent province,
except to besiege it.
If a tributary’s capital is
subsequently captured by a different player, he becomes a tributary of
that player instead, the same rules for inimical races applying.
A player who himself is or becomes
tributary can retain or acquire tributaries of his own, and can order these to
provide a contingent to support his own field army or provide a substitute contingent
for his own overlord. A player cannot have 2 overlords.
A player whose overlord loses his own capital or two consecutive field battles can renounce tributary status and regain his independence. If so, any elements replaced by hordes return to their former status.
VICTORY
When the time limit has been reached, each player counts as his
score the prestige points he has gained in battles, 6 points for each province
now under his personal control, and 4 points for each of his direct
tributaries’ provinces. A player who is knocked out of the game
before then gets no points for provinces, but retains his prestige points.