Warhammer Ancient Battles
Warhammer Ancient Battles Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- The Game
- Characteristics
- Units of Warriors
- The Turn
- Movement
- Moving Troops
- Manoeuvre
- Terrain
- Charging
- Marching
- Shooting
- Hand-to-Hand Combat
- Panic
- Leaders, Standard Bearers and Musicians
- Characters
- Special Rules
- Psychology
- Light Troops
- Chariots
- Elephants
- War Machines
- Buildings and Fortifications
- Collecting an Ancient Battles Army
- Scenarios
- Scenery
- Victory
- Fighting Campaigns
- Veterans
- Ancient Battle Army Lists
- Ancient Battles Summary
The Game
The Warhammer Ancient Battles game is very detailed and it would be a mammoth task if it were necessary to learn every rule before you begin to play. Fortunately many of the rules are designed to represent extraordinary circumstances, weapons, and machines of war. Players should familiarise themselves with the basic game mechanisms and then get stuck into their first battle.
What You Will Need
To play you need two or more players, two miniature armies, and a firm, level surface such as a tabletop. Each player also needs a tape measure or ruler marked in feet and inches, and as many ordinary six-sided dice as possible. These are referred to as D6. Roll a D6 means roll a dice. 2D6 means roll two dice and add the scores together (2 to 12). Likewise 3D6 is three dice added together, and so on.
Scatter Dice and Artillery Dice
The game uses two special six-sided dice, the Scatter dice and the Artillery dice, where stone-throwing engines are employed (see War Machines). In most games they are not needed. You can make your own by painting the sides of an ordinary D6 white and marking the appropriate symbols on the faces with a felt tip pen.
The Battle
Battles are fought between two sides, each normally represented by a single player. You can involve several players on a side, one acting as overall commander while the others help move troops and roll dice. The rules assume one player per side.
Choosing Forces
Before a battle both sides must choose their forces. If players are new to the hobby there is nothing wrong with simply using all the models available, so long as they are roughly equal in number. Serious players choose armies from an army list.
An army list is a list of all the different troops that form a particular army. The list describes the armour and weapons carried by troops of that time, as well as any special rules that apply to them. To keep things fair, the army list ascribes every type of warrior a points value. The better fighter a model is, the higher its points value. If a model carries more weapons, or wears additional armour, its points value is increased. If it rides a horse, camel or war elephant its points value is increased further.
When fighting a battle both sides choose armies to the same total value. A reasonably sized battle is 500 to 1,000 points on each side, which can be resolved within an evening. A 2,000 point battle takes a little longer; 3,000 points gives a fairly big battle that will probably last a full day. You can fight any size battle you like.
Setting Up the Game
Suggestions for setting up scenery, deploying the armies, and working out which side has won are given after the game rules.
Characteristics
Troops, creatures and machines are described by nine characteristics. All characteristics are measured on a scale of 1 to 10. The higher a characteristic the better it is. Some creatures have a '0' for certain characteristics, which means they have no ability whatsoever in that field (a horse has no Ballistic Skill because it cannot shoot a bow or throw a missile).
- Movement Allowance (M): often simply called move, the number of inches a warrior can move on the tabletop under normal circumstances. A warrior with a Move of 4 can move 4 inches per turn.
- Weapon Skill (WS): how accomplished or skilled a warrior is with his weapons, or how determined and vicious a fighter he is. The higher the score, the more likely the warrior is to strike a hand-to-hand combat opponent. An ordinary warrior has a Weapon Skill of 3. A battle-hardened veteran might have a Weapon Skill of 4, 5 or higher. Models with a WS of 0 are hit automatically if attacked by an enemy model in hand-to-hand combat.
- Ballistic Skill (BS): how good a warrior is with ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows or thrown rocks. The higher the BS, the easier a warrior finds it to hit with missile attacks.
- Strength (S): how strong a warrior or weapon is. A puny warrior may have a Strength of 2 and a mighty elephant a Strength of 6 or higher. Most men have a Strength of 3. Some war machines, chariots and weapons have a higher Strength.
- Toughness (T): a measure of a man, beast, or object's ability to resist damage. The tougher a warrior, the better he can withstand an enemy's blows.
- Wounds (W): how much damage a warrior can take before he dies or is so badly hurt he cannot fight any more. Most warriors have a Wounds value of only 1. Large creatures or war engines are often able to withstand several wounds and have a Wounds value of 2, 3, 4 or more.
- Initiative (I): how fast a warrior can react. Warriors with a low Initiative are slow or cumbersome; those with a high Initiative are quicker and more agile. In close combat Initiative tells us the order in which warriors strike, since faster warriors attack before slower ones.
- Attacks (A): the number of times a warrior attacks during close combat. Most warriors attack only once, although some warriors of exceptional skill may strike several times.
Profiles
Every warrior in an army has a characteristic profile which lists the value of its characteristics, in the order M, WS, BS, S, T, W, I, A, Ld. The following example is the profile for a Roman Legionary.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Legionary | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Weapons and Armour
Most warriors carry weapons and wear armour. Some are armed with bows or other missile weapons enabling them to strike at a distance. Others are equipped with spears or swords for hand-to-hand combat. Special rules reflecting the differences between different types of weapons and armour are described later.
Units of Warriors
On the battlefield troops fight in properly organised units with officers to lead them. Units march in disciplined ranks, and they are trained to manoeuvre as a solid block.
Generally speaking, a unit is made up of troops of the same type. All the models in a unit will be of the same type, and have the same weapons and armour. Although individual warriors in the same unit may vary in certain ways, we assume that the differences average out over the unit as a whole.
Units move and fight in a formation of one, two, three, or more ranks. Each rank must have the same number of models except for the rear rank of a unit, which may have fewer models than the ranks in front. If a unit has a leader, standard bearer or musician these are placed in the middle of the front rank. Units can change formation as described later, but this takes time.
Facing
All models are assumed to face directly forward from the front of their base. A model can only see things that lie in a 90 degree arc in front of it. Troops must be able to see their enemy in order to shoot or charge.
Cavalry
When we refer to cavalry we specifically refer to horse-mounted troops (rather than camel riders, charioteers, etc). Elephants, chariots and their riders are covered by special rules described later. A cavalry model is treated in all respects as a single model. Should the rider be slain the entire model is removed from the battle.
Although horses have a separate profile, when the model is attacked it is the rider's Toughness and Wounds that are used. When Leadership tests are required use the rider's Leadership value. The mount's Toughness, Wounds, and Leadership are never used, but are included on its profile because horses might appear on their own or as pack animals.
Bases
We recommend that individual models are glued to card or plasti-card bases, to stop them falling over and to standardise the space taken by a model in the ranks, which determines how many troops fight in close quarter combat. The smaller of two sets of sizes provides compact and denser looking units; the other is more suitable for the larger 25mm figures made by figure manufacturers these days. The base sizes are suggested; you do not have to use them. If you have an army that is already based there is no need to change it.
| Base sizes | Width |
|---|---|
| Cavalry and Mounted Troops | 20-25mm wide |
| Light Infantry and Skirmishers | 20-25mm wide |
| Other Infantry | 15-20mm wide |
| War Engines, Chariots etc. | As required |
The Turn
Battles are fought between two opposing sides. Each player takes one complete turn, then his opponent takes a turn. The first player then takes another turn, followed by the second player again, and so on, each player taking a turn one after the other until the battle is over.
Within the turn, actions are performed in a fixed order called the turn sequence. Each turn is divided into phases during which the player moves all of his units, shoots all his missiles, then resolves all hand-to-hand combat and so on.
The Turn Sequence
When it is your turn it is up to you to keep track of where you are in the turn sequence. If you forget, your opponent should be able to remind you. Each turn is divided into the following four phases. These are always completed in the order given below, and all actions in that phase must be resolved before moving on to the next.
- Start of the Turn. The rules often call upon a player to make tests or actions "at the start of the turn". These are mostly Psychology tests as discussed in the Psychology section.
- Movement. During the movement phase you may move your troops as defined in the rules for Movement.
- Shooting. During the shooting phase you may fire any missile weapons as described in the rules for Shooting.
- Close Combat. During the close combat phase all troops in hand-to-hand combat may fight. Note that this is an exception to the normal turn sequence in that both sides fight, not just the side whose turn it is.
Exceptions
There are exceptions to the general turn sequence when things are worked out as they occur rather than in any strict order. Quite often the actions of one player will trigger some special weapon or the sudden appearance of a particular troop type. Consequences resulting from movement (plunging from a mountain path or sinking into quicksand) may be conveniently resolved there and then. Inevitably there will be the odd occasion when events can be worked out in one phase or another with little real difference.
Be Prepared to Improvise
In a game of this size and level of complexity there are bound to be some situations where the rules seem unclear, or a particular situation lies outside the rules as written. Players should feel free to invent and improvise. When you come across a situation not fully covered by the rulebook, be prepared to interpret a rule or come up with a suitable rule for yourselves.
When a situation of contention arises agree on a fair and reasonable solution and get on with the game as quickly as possible. One way of resolving a dispute is to roll a D6 to see whose interpretation applies and get on with the battle. Afterwards sit down and discuss what happened and see if you can reach an agreement in case the situation arises again. The spirit of the game is more important than winning at any cost.
Movement
During the movement or move phase, you may move your forces on the battlefield. Like the turn sequence, the movement phase proceeds in a strict sequence.
- Declare Charges. If you want any of your troops to charge you must declare this at the very start of the movement phase.
- Rally Fleeing Troops. If any of your troops are fleeing you may attempt to rally them.
- Compulsory Moves. Move troops that are subject to a compulsory movement rule.
- Move Chargers. Move charging troops and resolve other movement resulting from the charge.
- Remaining Moves. Move the rest of your troops.
Declare Charges
At the start of your move phase you must declare which units will charge. Except in a few unusual circumstances explained later, you are never forced to charge. However, charging is the only way troops are normally allowed to move into hand-to-hand combat. If you want to attack an enemy then you must charge; you cannot simply move into hand-to-hand combat without charging.
To declare a charge you must indicate which of your units is charging, and which enemy unit it is going to charge (for example, your spearmen are charging the enemy's archers).
A unit may only declare a charge if at least one model in the unit can see at least one model in the opposing unit. It is not necessary that every charger can see his foe; the whole unit is assumed to have the enemy in sight so long as at least one model can see.
A unit can charge up to a maximum distance of double its normal move. This is referred to as the unit's "charge distance". When you declare a charge you must do so without measuring, relying upon your judgement to estimate the distance.
Charge Responses
Once you have declared all your charges your opponent declares how his charged units will respond. A charged unit has four response options: stand & shoot, hold, flee, and fire & flee.
Stand & Shoot. If the charged unit is equipped with missile weapons and the chargers are more than half their charge distance away, then the charged unit can shoot at the chargers as they advance. Work this out immediately (see the Shooting section).
Hold. A unit can stand fast and receive the charge, individual troopers bracing themselves for the inevitable impact. This is the usual response of troops who are not equipped with missile weapons or who are too close to their enemy to shoot.
Flee. As soon as a unit declares that it is fleeing it is moved directly away from the charging enemy by 2D6" if its movement rate is 6" or less, or 3D6" if its move is more than 6". The fleeing unit is repositioned facing directly away from the enemy charging. Immediately move the fleeing troops the distance indicated by the dice roll. This is a rather desperate option as once troops begin to run they tend to carry on, and may run away from the battlefield altogether. The full rules governing fleeing troops are covered in the Hand-to-Hand Combat section.
Fire & Flee. If the charged unit is equipped with missile weapons and the chargers are more than half their charge move away from them, then troops can shoot at the chargers before turning around to flee. In effect, fire & flee is a combination of stand & shoot and flee. Work out the unit's shooting immediately (see the Shooting section). Once the unit has fired it must flee unless its fire halts the charge, as can happen if the enemy panics as a result of casualties suffered. If the charge is successfully halted the shooters will stand instead. See the Panic section for the effect of casualties.
Unless the chargers are halted by their fire, the unit must flee after it has shot, turning tail and running as described above. The only difference is that the number of dice rolled to see how far the unit runs is reduced by one to represent the time spent shooting. A unit with a move of 6" or less will therefore flee 1D6" and units with a move of over 6" will flee 2D6".
Rallying
Having declared charges and carried out any charge responses, the player whose turn it is has the opportunity to rally any of his troops that are currently fleeing. Troops are normally forced to flee when they are defeated in hand-to-hand combat or if something else equally traumatic has happened to them. Fleeing troops are of no fighting value unless they can be rallied, which means the troops come to their senses and stop fleeing in readiness to fight once more.
As fleeing usually results from hand-to-hand combat the rules for fleeing troops can be found in the Hand-to-Hand Combat section. In the rally phase of his turn a player makes a test to determine whether his fleeing troops manage to rally. If the troops rally then they remain where they are but may immediately adopt a new fighting formation facing towards the enemy.
If the fleeing troops fail their rally test and continue to flee then they are moved next with other compulsory movement.
Compulsory Moves
After the player has attempted to rally any units that are fleeing, it is time to make any compulsory moves that the rules require. Generally a player can move his troops how he wishes within the confines of the rules governing movement. However, sometimes troops go out of control, either because they are overcome by sheer terror, or because they are disorientated or confused. The player has no control over the movement of these troops and so these are referred to as compulsory moves.
The most common kind of compulsory move is fleeing. Fleeing troops always flee away from their enemy or towards their own base table edge, and they always move a randomly determined distance.
All compulsory movement is done now before other movement takes place. This gives troops moving in this way the opportunity to get in the way, block lines of advance and do other annoying things.
Charge Moves
Once any compulsory moves are complete, the player moves any units that have declared a charge. Chargers are moved towards their target in accordance with the rules in the next section. When troops charge they move twice as fast as normal, representing a run or gallop. This double speed move is a charge move. For example, troops with a normal move of 4" per turn have a charge move of 8".
Sometimes you may find yourself able to charge an enemy in the flank or rear. This is particularly good as an attack from an unexpected direction might throw the enemy into a panic, and is likely to give you an advantage in combat. A charging unit's position at the start of the movement phase determines if it charges into the flank, rear or the front of the enemy target. If the charging unit is in the target's frontal zone when the charge is declared it charges into the front. If the charging unit comes from the flank zone it charges into the side; if in the rear zone it charges into the rear. A unit's front, flank and rear zones extend out from its corners forming four quadrants of 90 degrees.
Often the position of a charging unit straddles two areas, in which case you must judge which area the unit is mostly in. If the situation is so close you cannot determine where a unit should charge then roll a dice to decide.
All units have a front, a rear and flanks. Units can only declare a charge against an enemy to their front, i.e. an enemy they can see. Although individual models can fight to their front, sides and rear, units which are attacked in the side or from behind suffer considerable disadvantages in combat. Where possible charge your enemy in the sides or rear, but never present your vulnerable side or rear to the enemy.
Remaining Moves
Once compulsory moves and charges have been resolved it is time to move the rest of your troops. Generally speaking, you do not have to move troops at all if you do not wish to. Or you can move them as short or great a distance as you like up to their permitted maximum move distance.
The rules governing movement, the encumbering effects of weighty armour, hindering terrain, obstacles to movement, and manoeuvring units on the battlefield apply to all movement except where otherwise noted, and so cover charging and compulsory movement as well as ordinary moves.
Moving Troops
The same rules govern almost all movement, including the movement of chargers and most compulsory moves. Any exceptions that apply to chargers and fleeing troops are discussed separately.
It is impossible to be absolutely accurate about the movement of troops. The odd fraction of an inch will inevitably disappear as lines are neatened and models are edged together. It is better to keep the game flowing than worry about unavoidable imprecision. Where a move is especially important or an exact measurement is critical, it is good practice to agree what you are doing with your opponent before moving your troops.
Movement Rate
Normal movement rate is defined as the Movement (M) characteristic value of a model minus any reduction imposed for the effect of encumbering armour.
During their move phase, units can move up to their movement rate in inches. For example, most warriors have a movement characteristic (M) of 4 and so may move up to 4". You do not have to move the full movement allowed or even at all if you prefer. Units which are charging or marching may move further.
Because the weight of their gear impedes movement, troops wearing a great deal of armour move more slowly.
| Armour | Reduction in movement |
|---|---|
| Shield, Light Armour or Heavy Armour alone, or Shield and Light Armour | None |
| Shield and Heavy Armour | -1" |
| Barded Cavalry | -1" |
For example, a warrior with no armour can move 4"; with a shield and wearing heavy armour he suffers a penalty of -1" and so can only move 3".
A horse rider can normally move 8". If carrying a knight with heavy armour and shield, and the horse is wearing barding, then the knight moves 8" -1" for the rider's armour and shield, and -1" for the horse's barding, which equals a move of 6". A horse without barding carrying a warrior wearing heavy armour and shield would move 7".
Manoeuvre
Troops move and fight in a tight formation of one or more ranks, forming a unit. When a unit moves it must maintain its formation, which means individual models are not free to wander off on their own. The formation can move straight forward as a body, but if it wishes to change direction then it must make a manoeuvre.
There are three specific manoeuvres which enable a unit to turn about or rearrange its ranks: wheel, turn and change formation. In addition there is a fourth special manoeuvre called reforming.
Wheel
To wheel, the leading edge of the formation moves forward, pivoting round one of the front corners. The unit swings round like the spoke of a wheel and completes the manoeuvre facing a different direction. When a unit wheels it counts as having moved as far as the model on the outside of the formation. Once you have wheeled you may use any movement the unit has left. For example, you might wheel 2" to the left and move 2" straight forward for a total move of 4".
A unit can wheel several times during its move as long as it has movement left and is not charging. A unit which is charging is only permitted to wheel in order to align itself to the enemy as described below.
Turn
To turn a unit of troops all the models remain in place, but are turned through 90 or 180 degrees to face their side or rear. To make a turn a unit must surrender a quarter of its move; a unit with a move of 4" must give up 1" to turn, for example.
When you turn a unit containing leaders, standard bearers or musicians, these models are always automatically repositioned back into the new front rank of the unit.
Change Formation
A unit can change formation by adding or reducing the number of ranks in which it is deployed. For example, a unit in two ranks may increase its depth to three ranks by moving models from the front two ranks to form a third line. A unit must surrender half of its move to either add or deduct one rank, or all of its move to add or deduct two more ranks.
Reforming
A unit of troops can change the direction in which it is facing and rearrange all at once by means of a manoeuvre called reforming. A unit can reform during its movement phase as long as it is not in hand-to-hand combat and is otherwise free to move as it wishes. The player declares the unit is reforming and it regroups into a new formation: re-arrange the unit into as many ranks as you wish facing whatever direction you want.
A unit which reforms cannot move that turn, as it takes the entire movement phase to reform. Reforming troops cannot shoot with missile weapons that turn either.
Terrain
Troops only move their full movement distance over unobstructed ground. They slow down if impeded by obstacles such as bushes or woods. Terrain is divided into five types: open terrain, difficult terrain, very difficult terrain, impassable terrain and obstacles.
Open Terrain
Open terrain is clear ground that does not impede movement at all.
Difficult Terrain
Difficult terrain includes the following:
- Brush, scrub and other clinging vegetation.
- Debris, wreckage, loose rocks, boulders.
- Fords, streams or shallow water.
- Marshes, bogs or thick mud.
- Soft sand.
- Stairs, steps or ladders.
- Steep or treacherous slopes. This can include hills if both players agree to it before the game; otherwise hills are considered to be open terrain.
- Woods or dense foliage.
Troops cross difficult ground at half their normal rate. A unit with a normal move of 4" can only move 2" through a wood.
If troops move over open ground and difficult terrain during the same turn, their movement over open ground is at full rate and over difficult ground is reduced exactly as normal. For example, a warrior moves 2" across open ground and then enters a wood. He now has 2" of his move left. This is halved for the difficult terrain so he now only moves a further 1" through the wood.
Very Difficult Terrain
Very difficult terrain includes areas that are even more arduous to move through, such as:
- Incredibly thick woods packed with briars and thorns.
- Almost sheer slopes that need to be climbed on hands and knees.
- Fast flowing but still fordable rivers.
Very difficult terrain reduces movement to a quarter of the normal rate. Fractions are rounded up to the nearest half inch to prevent unnecessary complication.
Impassable Terrain
Impassable terrain is terrain so difficult to move through that it cannot be crossed during the course of a battle. It includes rivers, lakes, impenetrable swamps and sheer cliffs. Troops must go round impassable terrain.
Players may decide before battle whether certain terrain features will be difficult, very difficult or impassable. The method of generating scenery described later can be used to determine whether scenery is difficult or very difficult, but players can always agree to make terrain features more or less passable if both sides prefer.
Obstacles
Obstacles are things like hedges, fences, walls and trenches that troops must clamber over to cross. It takes a warrior half of his move to cross an obstacle. A warrior with a move of 4" must surrender 2" to cross a hedge or a wall. If a warrior has insufficient move left to cross an obstacle he must halt in front of it; he does not count as halfway across if he has 1" remaining, for example. Where an entire unit of troops is attempting to cross an obstacle the penalty continues to apply while any of the models are crossing.
Units can end their movement on either side of an obstacle as long as both ranks are touching it. It is perfectly possible for part of a unit to end up on one side of a linear obstacle and another part on the far side. Place the part of the unit which can cross on the far side and leave the part that could not cross on the other side. As long as the ranks on both sides are in contact with the obstacle this is acceptable. When the unit moves from this position the ranks must be returned to base-to-base contact. The unit still loses half of its move until all the ranks have crossed.
If a wall, hedge or fence has a gate in it then it is assumed to be open unless otherwise agreed, and troops may move through the gate as normal.
The penalties for difficult terrain types and obstacles are cumulative. If troops are moving at half rate of 2" across difficult terrain, then they must surrender half their remaining move, a further 1" in this case, to cross an obstacle.
Charging
Chargers are moved after compulsory movement and before the rest of your troops. Make sure you have completed all of your charges before moving other troops. Chargers are moved at double their normal movement rate, but must make the usual deductions for terrain and crossing obstacles. For example, mounted Knights have a movement rate of 6" and can charge 12". If they are moving over difficult terrain such as a muddy field they move at half rate, reducing their charge distance to 6".
Before you move a charging unit check that the enemy has declared his response and that troops electing to flee have been moved, and troops electing to stand & shoot have done so. Troops which fire & flee shoot first, and must then flee unless their enemy's charge has been halted, in which case they stand instead.
A Failed Charge
If the chargers have estimated their move incorrectly you may find that chargers cannot move far enough to reach their intended target. If this is the case the charge has failed. If a charge fails the unit is moved its normal move distance rather than its double speed charge, directly towards the intended target, then comes to a halt. A unit that fails its charge cannot shoot with missile weapons that turn.
Manoeuvring During a Charge
A charging unit cannot turn or change formation. When a unit charges an enemy the player must endeavour to bring as many models into combat as possible. This can sometimes be achieved by moving the chargers straight forward, but often it is necessary to wheel them slightly at the start of the charge to face the enemy. If chargers need to wheel towards their target, execute the wheel and measure the distance they need to turn. This counts as part of the total distance charged. For example, if a unit can charge 12" it might wheel 4" to bring models to face the enemy and then charge up to 8" towards them.
Once a unit has completed any required wheel it moves forward towards the enemy and stops as soon as the two units touch.
Aligning the Combatants
Once the charging unit is in contact it is automatically aligned against its enemy to form a battle line. This extra alignment move is free. If it is impractical to align a unit properly because of interposing terrain, other models, or whatever, then it is acceptable to re-align the charged unit as well (or instead) so that battle lines remain neat.
Moving Engaged Units
Once opposing units are engaged in hand-to-hand combat they may not move until one side or the other breaks and is destroyed, or until one side disengages as explained in the combat rules. Units already engaged in hand-to-hand fighting at the start of their turn cannot move but must continue to fight in the hand-to-hand combat phase.
Charge Reactions
If your opponents stand & shoot or fire & flee it is possible they may cause sufficient casualties to force a Panic test as you charge in. This may result in your charge being brought to a halt before contact is made. This is why it is important to work out missile fire from troops who stand & shoot or fire & flee before moving chargers. Any shooting is counted as being at close range for the weapon, whatever the range to the chargers at the beginning of their charge may be.
If your opponents flee as you charge then they move directly away from you D6", 2D6" or 3D6" depending on their response and movement rate. Maybe the fleeing troops move too far for the chargers to catch them, in which case the charge has failed and the chargers move their normal movement after the fleeing troops. If the fleeing troops have not moved far enough away to avoid their attackers then they are in deep trouble: move the chargers into contact with the fleeing troops. In the combat phase the entire fleeing unit is destroyed, caught with their backs turned as they attempt to flee. The unit is automatically wiped out in hand-to-hand combat, causing friends within 12" to take a Panic test. See the rules for fleeing troops in the Close Combat section.
Redirecting a Charge
If your opponent flees it can happen that another enemy unit is presented within your charge range (for example, two enemy units placed so that one is directly behind another and the front unit flees). Under such circumstances the charger can declare that he will charge the newly revealed unit instead. If this new enemy unit is within the chargers' charge move then treat the situation exactly like a newly declared charge. However, the enemy unit may not stand & shoot or fire & flee because its frontage is covered by its own troops as they flee, therefore it is only possible to either flee or hold.
Oddball Stuff
A charge can sometimes trigger extra movement from the enemy. For example, Viking Berserkers leap out of their units and attack as soon as the enemy approach within 8" of them. This happens out of the normal sequence. The charge is halted as soon as the chargers move within 8" and the Berserkers are moved straight away. It is up to the player to say that he has out of sequence movements or actions to perform at the appropriate moment.
Flank and Rear Charges
Being charged from an area you cannot see and thought was safe is frightening for even the bravest of troops. If the enemy has somehow got round behind him a soldier might reasonably assume the battle to be lost.
Panic. Troops who are attacked in the flank or rear while already fighting other enemy must take a Panic test to see if their nerve breaks. This test is taken as soon as it has been established that the chargers are in range, but before moving any troops. Panic tests are fully described later.
Combat bonuses. If a unit is charged in the flank or rear by a unit of five or more enemy models then it loses any rank bonuses that it would otherwise have had in hand-to-hand combat. Units ranked up in depth normally fight better because the troops in the rear ranks physically support those in front. A unit charged in the flank or rear loses this advantage. See the Close Combat rules for details of combat results and how rank bonuses work.
If a unit is attacking an enemy to their flank or rear it gains the advantage of fighting a formation unprepared to fight in that direction. Consequently, the attackers receive extra combat bonuses as described in the close combat section.
Turning models. When a unit is attacked in the sides or rear, any models touching the enemy may be turned round so that they can fight. They can fight whether they are turned or not. The models may be turned back again should the attackers be driven off or destroyed.
Marching
Marching at the double allows troops that are slightly removed from the main fighting zones to move more rapidly. This represents the swift movement of reserves, and helps to ensure that units do not get stranded away from the fighting.
Marching troops move at twice their normal movement rate with weapons sheathed or shouldered. A unit on the march is not prepared for combat so marching is not suitable for use close to the enemy. Troops may only march if there are no enemy within 8" of them at the start of their move. They may, however, march within 8" of the enemy as they make their move.
A unit on the march cannot change formation. It can wheel as normal, as a column of troops would wheel to follow a curving road. A marching unit cannot move through difficult or other obstructive terrain or cross obstacles. It must stop if it comes to these features. A unit on the march cannot shoot missile weapons during the shooting phase.
War engines, heavy chariots and other large constructions such as wheeled siege towers cannot march; they are far too cumbersome.
Fast March
If a unit of troops is formed into a column no more than three models wide it can increase its rate of march to three times its normal movement rate. This is called a fast march. In order to make a fast march a unit must include a musician, and the unit is assumed to march to the beat of his drum or blast of his horn. For example, 15 troops formed three figures wide and five deep could fast march, but in a formation five wide by three deep they could not.
Except that it is faster than a normal march, a fast march is exactly the same as a march and all the rules for marching also apply to it.
Individual Models
Models which move individually, such as characters on their own, can march in the same way as units of troops. They march at three times the normal rate, at what would be fast march rate for a normal unit. In the case of individual models their speed bonus is not due to marching in formation, but takes account of their freedom to move, breaking into a run, avoiding scattered vegetation and hummocks in the ground, and so forth.
Snaking Column
A unit deployed in a long line with models lined up one behind the other can manoeuvre very easily. The lead model is not restricted by troops either side and so can choose a path which twists about. We call this snaking. Trailing models are placed so that they follow the path of the lead model. This is a special type of movement unique to long lines of troops. It is not a very practical formation for fighting, but it is very handy for threading your way through buildings and other obstacles.
Shooting
Once movement is complete it is time to work out your shooting. Troops armed with bows, crossbows, or other missile weapons may shoot at any enemy target they can see. You may also shoot with any war machines such as stone throwers or bolt throwers; the rules for these are covered in a separate section.
There is no particular order in which shooting must be resolved. Nominate one of your units you want to shoot with and select the enemy target you wish to shoot at. Once you have declared your target measure the range and resolve shooting using the rules below. Continue until you have shot with each unit or war machine.
Range
All missile weapons have a maximum range which is the greatest distance they can shoot. If your declared target lies beyond this maximum range because you have estimated the range wrongly, then your shots automatically miss. This is why you must pick your target before measuring the range. For example: the player is using short bows which have a range of 16". He declares he is opening fire on the nearest enemy unit. When he measures the distance he finds the enemy are 17" away. His hail of arrows falls short.
It often happens that some shooters in a unit are in range of their target whilst others are out of range. If so, only those that are in range can shoot and the remainder automatically miss.
Missiles lose power and accuracy long before they reach maximum range so ranges are divided into short and long. Short range is up to half the maximum range of a weapon. Long range is between half and the maximum distance. There are modifiers that make it more difficult to hit at long range. For example: short range for a short bow is up to 8". A target more than 8" away counts as being at long range.
Who Can Shoot
The direction an infantry model faces is assumed to be the actual direction faced by the warrior it represents. A target must lie within a 90 degree arc projected from the front of a shooter. Where models are on square bases this can be imagined by projecting a line through the corners. Models mounted on horses, elephants or in chariots are allowed to fire in any direction.
A shooter's line of sight, and therefore his shot, is blocked if there is anything between him and his intended target. Interposing models or scenery block his line of sight. Because of this, except as noted later, only the models in the front rank of a unit can shoot, because the models behind cannot see past their friends to the target.
Our models cannot see behind scenic features any more than their real-life counterparts could see through hills or hedges. It is not practical to be definitive about which kinds of building or terrain block sight. Use your own judgement within the following guidelines. The easiest way of checking if a model can see another is to get down over the table and take a model's eye view, but be reasonable about it.
- Hills, large boulders and buildings block sight over level ground. An interposing hill or house blocks your sight and prevents models shooting through it.
- Hedges and walls block sight over level ground. However, a model placed directly behind an obstacle so that it is touching is assumed to have taken up a position where it can see and shoot over the obstacle with head and shoulders clearly visible. Such a model can shoot but can also be seen and shot at.
- Woods block line of sight if the shooter and the target lie on opposite sides. It is only possible to see through 2" of woodland, so if a model is within 2" of the edge he can see out and shoot and can also be seen and shot at. If further inside the wood a model can neither be seen by models outside nor see them. If both target and shooter are inside the wood missile range is reduced to the farthest you can see, which is 2".
- Troops, friendly or unfriendly, block sight beyond them. It is not possible to shoot directly through one model to hit another.
Elevated Positions
Troops occupying elevated positions such as hills or the tops of buildings can see to shoot over the heads of models, over the tops of lower hills, lower buildings, trees, and obstacles. Not only can such troops see and shoot, but they can also be seen and shot at because they are standing high up. A unit deployed on a hillside may have models in a rear rank higher up the slope that can see over the heads of ranks in front of them and so can shoot. This enables many more models to shoot than is possible over level ground.
Cover
Troops take advantage of cover to hide from enemy missile fire, which makes them harder to hit. There are two sorts of cover: hard cover and soft cover.
Hard cover offers real physical protection as well as partially concealing the target from view. The corner of a building, a large rock, walls and wooden palisades are all hard cover. Troops positioned at windows and doors also count as being in hard cover. A model positioned at the corner of a building so that he is peeking round is behind hard cover. Models in trenches or pits are also counted as behind hard cover.
Soft cover partially shields a target from view but provides little actual protection against incoming missiles. You can hide behind a hedge but a crossbow bolt or an arrow will go straight through it. Hedges, open wagons or carts and woodland all provide soft cover. Troops within woods automatically count as being in soft cover.
Shooting and Hand-to-Hand Combat
Troops engaged in hand-to-hand fighting are far too busy to use missile weapons and therefore may not shoot.
Players may shoot at targets engaged in hand-to-hand combat, but it is not necessarily a good idea as you are likely to hit the wrong target and kill a friend rather than an enemy. If you do so then hits must be divided equally between both sides. Odd hits can be allotted to either side in some random fashion such as by rolling a D6: a score of 1-3 means a hit on your side, while 4-6 means a hit on your enemy.
Shooting at Chargers
A unit armed with missile weapons can stand & shoot, or fire & flee, at enemies charging them from more than half their charge distance. Work out shooting at short range for the weapon regardless of the range at the start of the charge. It is assumed that shooters wait until the last moment before drawing weapons or turning to flee. When shooting at a charging unit an additional -1 to hit penalty is imposed.
Units which shoot at chargers do so out of the normal turn sequence, in the other side's movement phase before chargers are moved. Chargers who begin their move within half of their own charge distance of the enemy cannot be shot at. They are simply too close, and there is insufficient time for the unit to shoot at their enemy.
Dividing Shots
A unit of troops always takes aim and shoots at a single target where possible, obeying the commands of their leader who is directing their fire. Therefore, where possible, all the unit must shoot at a single target, such as a unit of enemy troops or chariots. This may occasionally mean you are obliged to shoot at one target rather than another, because a particular target can be shot at by all your troops while another may be in sight of only a few. However, where no one target is visible to all shooters, you may divide your shooting between two enemy targets if you want to.
Massed Archery
Bow-armed warriors in the rear ranks of a unit can shoot over the heads of the troops in front of them. Although they cannot see their target, archers are trained to lob shots to a predetermined distance under the direction of their officers. Individually they are not likely to hit, but as a mass the effect can be devastating.
Infantry or cavalry armed with bows can shoot with models in the rear ranks of the unit so long as the unit did not move in its movement phase. However, the number of models shooting from rear ranks is halved (rounding down) to simulate their decreased accuracy. The target must still be in range of the model shooting, and must be within its arc of fire.
Certain armies combined bow-armed troops and shock infantry together into the same unit. Generally the missile troops form the rear ranks of the unit. In such circumstances missile troops in the rear ranks are allowed to fire overhead as described. For example, a regiment of twelve warriors might have six armed with spear and shield and six armed with bows. The regiment could be formed six models wide and two ranks deep, with the archers in the second rank. In the shooting phase the regiment could take three shots with the rear rank of archers (half of the six archers can fire overhead).
Hitting the Target
The chance of a shooter scoring a hit on his target depends on his Ballistic Skill, or BS. The higher the individual's BS, the greater his chance of hitting.
To determine whether you hit you must roll a D6 for every model shooting. Count how many models in your unit are shooting, and roll that number of dice. It is easiest to roll all the dice at once, although you do not have to. If you have a lot of models shooting you may have to roll several batches of dice. The following table shows the minimum D6 score you will need to hit.
| BS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To Hit | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | -3 |
If you score at least the number required you have hit; if you score less you have missed.
Although the chart covers scores of 1 or even less, the minimum dice roll needed to hit after modifiers have been applied is always at least 2. There is normally no such thing as an automatic hit; a roll of 1 always misses.
For example: you fire with 5 archers who have BS 3, so you need a score of at least 4 to hit. You roll 5 dice and score 1, 2, 2, 4, and 6 which equals 2 hits and 3 misses.
To Hit Modifiers
Factors other than your skill affect your chance of hitting, such as range and cover. Factors that make it easier are added to your dice roll. Factors that make it harder are subtracted from your dice roll.
- +1 Shooting at a large target. A large target is anything which in real life would stand over approximately 10 feet tall or which is especially bulky. Elephants are large targets, for example, while the vast majority of other types of troops are not. Cavalry models and light chariots are not considered to be large targets. Most war machines are large targets, and so are heavy or scythed chariots.
- -1 Shooting while moving. If the shooter moved during the movement phase then his chance of hitting is reduced. Even a simple turn or change of formation is enough to reduce his concentration and so counts as movement. This modifier does not apply to models mounted in a moving chariot or war wagon, or on the back of an elephant, but it does apply to cavalry.
- -1 Shooting at an enemy who is charging. If you are charged and elect to stand & shoot at your attacker, or fire & flee, then your chance of hitting your opponent is reduced.
- -1 Shooting at long range. If your target lies at over half your maximum range you are less likely to hit. Sometimes some of the shooters are within short range and some at long range. If this is the case you must roll two batches of dice, one for each range.
- -1 Shooting at a character model. If your target is a single man-sized character model then this penalty applies. See the section on Characters.
- -1 Shooting at skirmish formations. Skirmishing models are difficult to hit with missiles as they are relatively small, individual targets able to take advantage of whatever cover is available. Any enemy shooting at them suffers a -1 to hit penalty. See the section on Light Troops.
- -1 Shooting at a moving light chariot. Light chariots tended to move quickly and in an open formation, which makes them difficult targets to hit with missile weapons. Troops firing at light chariots that moved in the previous turn must subtract -1 from their to hit roll. This modifier does not apply when shooting at heavy or scythed chariots.
All shooting to hit modifiers are cumulative. So, for example, if you are shooting at long range at a target behind soft cover your chance of hitting is reduced by -2. This means that with a BS of 5 you would need to roll a 4 to hit instead of the 2 as normally required.
For example: ten archers open fire. The archers have a BS of 3 and their targets are 10" away. To make matters worse, the unit is standing behind a hedge (soft cover). The bold archers are armed with short bows which means their targets are at long range (short range is 8" or less for these weapons). Because their BS is 3 the archers need a 4 to hit but since their targets are in cover and at long range this means that they suffer a penalty of -2. So each archer needs to roll a 6 to hit as 6-2 = the 4 required. The player rolls ten dice and manages to get two 6s: two hits.
7+ to Hit
Sometimes a roll of 7 or more is required once modifiers are taken into account. Such attacks will still hit on a roll of 6, but the strength of the attack will be reduced. The strength of a hit is used to determine whether the target is slain, as explained next, and the penalty represents that difficult shots may not strike at full force.
The attacker must first roll a score of 6. If achieved then he can roll to wound the target as described below, but the Strength of the attack is reduced by the amount shown on the table. If this reduces the Strength to below 1 the attack has no effect: the missile has lost so much power it bounces harmlessly off the target.
| To Hit | Strength modifier |
|---|---|
| 7 | Strength -1 |
| 8 | Strength -2 |
| 9 | Strength -3 |
| 10 | Strength -4 |
| 11 or more | Strength -5 |
Wounds
Not all hits will wound their target; some may glance off armour or clothing, while others graze their target causing no real harm. Creatures such as elephants are so tough that arrows do not easily pierce their flesh, or are so resilient that they can ignore missiles sticking into their bodies.
Once you have hit your foe, you must roll again to see if you wound him. To do this compare the weapon's Strength value with the target's Toughness value. The target's Toughness is included on its profile but is usually 3 in the case of an ordinary trooper. Roll a D6 for each hit you scored and consult the Wound Chart. First find the weapon's Strength and look down the row. Then look across the column for your target's Toughness. The number indicated is the minimum score on a D6 required to wound. N means the attacker cannot wound.
Wound Chart (rows: weapon's Strength; columns: target's Toughness 1 to 10)
| S \ T | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | N | N | N | N | N |
Weapon Strength
The following table shows the strength of various missile weapons, included as examples; the section on Weapons describes all missile and hand-to-hand fighting weapons in more detail.
| Weapon | Strength |
|---|---|
| Short Bow | 3 |
| Bow | 3 |
| Longbow | 3 |
| Sling | 3 |
| Crossbow | 4 |
Continuing the example: the player in command of the archers, having scored 2 hits against the enemy troops behind the hedge, consults the table. The archers' short bows are Strength 3. The opposing troops are Toughness 3. He now needs to roll 4 or more to wound. He rolls a 4 and a 2, wounding one enemy trooper.
Armour
Models that are wounded still have a chance to avoid damage if they are wearing armour, carrying shields or if they are cavalry. These models have an armour saving roll or armour save. Roll a D6 for each wound your troops have suffered. If you roll greater than or equal to the armour saving throw of the model the wound has been absorbed or deflected by its armour. Rules for different types of armour and shields are covered more fully in the weapons section.
| Armour | Infantry save | Cavalry save |
|---|---|---|
| None | None | 6+ |
| Shield | 6+ | 5+ |
| Light Armour | 5+ | 4+ |
| Shield + Light Armour | 5+ | 4+ |
| Heavy Armour | 5+ | 4+ |
| Shield + Heavy Armour | 4+ | 3+ |
| Cavalry with Barding | - | Adds +1 |
| Large Shield | Adds +1 | Adds +1 |
| Buckler |
Cavalry models automatically have a saving throw of 6 even if the rider is wearing no armour. This represents the extra protection afforded by his mount. If the rider is wearing armour then his saving throw will be 1 better than it would be if he were on foot. For example, a warrior wearing light armour and carrying a shield has a saving throw of 5+ on foot and 4+ when mounted.
For example: a trooper carrying a shield and wearing light armour has a saving throw of 5+. This means he must roll a 5 or 6 to be saved by his armour. To continue our example from before: the archers have scored 1 wound on the enemy troops behind the hedge. The enemy troops are wearing light armour and have a shield, so their saving throw is 5+. The player in command of them rolls a 2 and has failed. If he had scored a 5 or 6 the arrow would have bounced off and the warrior would have been unharmed.
Armour Save Modifiers
Some weapons are so powerful that they can punch right through armour, so armour provides less protection against them. Such weapons confer modifiers that are subtracted from the foe's armour saving throw.
| Strength of hit | Reduces armour save by |
|---|---|
| 3 or less | None |
| 4 | -1 |
| 5 | -2 |
| 6 | -3 |
| 7 | -4 |
| 8 | -5 |
| 9 | -6 |
| 10 | -7 |
For example: a crossbow has a Strength of 4. A crossbowman hits a warrior in light armour with shield. Normally the warrior would need to roll 5 or 6 to make his save and avoid taking the wound but because of the crossbow's enormous hitting power, 1 is subtracted from his dice roll. He must now roll 6 to save.
Removing Casualties
Most troops can only sustain 1 wound before they fall casualty. Some models can take several wounds before they become casualties, but these are the exceptions. The number of wounds a model can sustain before it falls casualty is indicated by its Wounds value or W on its profile.
Casualties. If a unit of troops is hit and suffers wounds which it is unable to save then for each wound suffered one model is removed as a casualty. Casualties are not necessarily dead; they may represent men temporarily knocked out, or simply too badly wounded to carry on fighting. For our purposes the result is always the same so we can consider all casualties as slain and remove them from the game.
The player who has suffered the casualties must remove slain models from the unit. Although they would in reality fall amongst the front rank it is more convenient to remove casualties from the rear of the unit. This keeps the formation neat and represents rear rankers stepping forwards to cover gaps in the line as they appear. If models are deployed in a single rank then casualties are removed roughly equally from either end, representing troops gathering about their officers and standards.
Cavalry casualties. In the case of cavalry models all shots are worked out against the rider. If the rider is slain the mount is removed as well. This is a convenient and practical way of representing cavalry, as it dispenses with the need for individual dismounted riders and loose mounts.
Multiple wound casualties. Some models, such as elephants, are sufficiently resilient to have several Wounds. Each elephant model can endure 5 wounds. The same comments apply to any target which has multiple wounds. Imagine that a unit of elephants suffers 2 wounds from arrow fire. This is not enough to slay an elephant outright, so the player must make a note that it has taken 2 Wounds. Once the unit takes another 3 Wounds from other attacks it will have suffered 5 wounds and one elephant model is removed as a casualty.
Fast Dice Rolling
It is necessary to roll quite a few dice to resolve shooting, but all the dice are rolled together. Take as many dice as you have troops shooting and roll them all at once. So, if you are shooting with ten archers roll ten dice. Then pick out any dice which score a hit and re-roll them to wound. So, from our ten dice to hit four might typically score hits; these are re-rolled and may score 2 wounds. Dice which score wounds are picked out and handed over to the opponent so he can take his saving throws. This same system applies when you work out hand-to-hand combat damage, as described in the next section.
Hand-to-Hand Combat
Once all shooting has been resolved it is time to deal with the brutal cut and thrust of hand-to-hand combat or melee. Units engaged in hand-to-hand fighting cannot move or shoot, but must stand toe-to-toe with their enemy until one side is destroyed, forced to flee or disengages as explained later.
Regardless of whose turn it is, all models that are in contact with the enemy must fight. The close combat phase is an exception to the normal turn sequence in that both sides take part in the fighting, regardless of whose turn it is.
Close Combat Phase
Like the movement phase, the close combat phase follows a set order or sequence.
- Fight Combat. Each unit involved in combat fights as explained in the following rules. Fight all the combats before working out results.
- Results. Work out which side has won each combat and by how much. The losing side will have lost by 1, 2 or more "points".
- Break Tests. Each unit that loses in combat must take a Break test. Any unit failing its Break test is termed "broken" and rear rank models are turned round and moved askew to show this. Take all Break tests now.
- Panic Tests. If units have broken then other friendly units within 12" must take a Panic test to determine whether they panic and run. Take all required Panic tests now.
- Flee! Units which have broken or failed their Panic test must flee from their enemy as described in the following rules. Move all newly fleeing troops now.
- Pursue. Units whose enemies have broken and fled that turn are allowed to pursue, catch and destroy them, as described in the following rules.
- Redress Ranks. At the end of the close combat phase, formations are tidied up ready for the following turn.
Combats
Work out combats one at a time: resolve the fighting for all the troops involved in one combat before moving on to the next. A combat is usually a fight between one unit from each side, but several units may become involved. Combats frequently involve more than one unit on each side, especially if they last for several turns when troops pile in to support their friends. All the units in each conflict are interlinked; that is what defines the distinct combats.
Who Strikes First
Models strike blows in a strict order. Troops who have charged that turn automatically strike first. Otherwise, all blows are struck in the order of Initiative (I). Models with the highest Initiative value strike first followed by models with a lower value. If a model is slain before it has had a chance to strike it obviously cannot fight back. Striking first is a big advantage, which is why it is better to charge your enemy rather than allow him to charge you.
If opposing troops have the same Initiative value then the side which won the combat in the previous turn may strike first, or, if this does not apply, roll a D6, and the player who scores highest goes first.
Which Models Fight
A model can fight if its base is touching the base of an enemy model. Even models attacked in their side or rear may fight, and if you wish they may be temporarily turned in the ranks to indicate that they are doing so.
If a model is touching more than one enemy model the player can choose which to attack. For example, if faced with an enemy character and an ordinary enemy trooper you may decide to attack the trooper because you stand more chance of harming him, or you could take the outside chance of fighting the character.
A cavalry mount can also attack in some cases. The most common example is the fierce warhorse, which is trained to kick out against the enemy. These attacks are worked out separately using the mount's own characteristic values. This means that some cavalry have two lots of attacks: the rider attacks and his mount attacks as well.
Hitting the Enemy
To determine whether you score a hit roll a D6 for each model fighting. If you have more than one attack (A) with any of your models then roll a D6 for each attack.
The amount needed to score a hit on your enemy depends upon the relative Weapon Skill (WS) of the attacker and his foe. Compare the Weapon Skill of the attacker with the Weapon Skill of his opponent and consult the chart below to find the minimum D6 score needed to hit. If your warrior's Weapon Skill is greater than your foe's you hit him on a 3+. Otherwise you hit on a 4+, unless his Weapon Skill is more than double yours in which case you require a 5+.
To Hit Chart (rows: attacker's Weapon Skill; columns: opponent's Weapon Skill 1 to 10)
| WS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Cavalry. When you are fighting against cavalry all blows are struck against the rider using the rider's Weapon Skill. The mount may fight using its own Weapon Skill if it has its own attack, though this is rare; warhorses are the most notable example.
Defended obstacle. Troops lined up behind a wall, hedge or other linear obstacle can defend it. The front rank is moved right up against the wall to show this. An enemy that wishes to attack the defenders can do so by charging them as normal. Attacking models do not have to physically cross the obstacle; indeed they are unable to do so whilst it remains defended. Instead their front rank is positioned on the opposite side of the obstacle to where the defenders are situated.
If attacking an enemy who is defending a wall or a hedge, is inside a building, or behind some other defended obstacle you require a 6 on a D6 to hit. The penalty does not apply to both sides, even though the obstacle lies between them. Defenders have the advantage of already taking up a good position with their weapons sticking out or over gaps in the hedge or wall. This penalty no longer applies once the attackers have won a round of hand-to-hand combat. After the attackers win a round of combat it is assumed that enough attackers have forced their way over the obstacle to render it useless as a defensive barrier.
Wounds in Combat
Once you have hit your foe you must roll again to see if your hits inflict mortal wounds. This procedure is exactly the same as described for Shooting. Consult the Wound Chart given in the Shooting section, cross referencing the attacker's Strength (S) with the defender's Toughness (T). Both values appear on the warriors' profiles. The chart indicates the minimum score on a D6 required to cause a wound. Where the table shows an N the target is simply too tough for you to hurt.
Weapons modifiers. Unlike shooting it is the Strength (S) of the attacker that is used rather than the Strength of the weapon. Most troops have a Strength value of 3, the standard for ordinary warriors, but larger creatures such as elephants and machines such as chariots have a considerably higher Strength. However, some weapons carried by troops confer a bonus on the attacker's Strength. For example, charging knights with lances receive a +2 bonus on their Strength. Halberd-armed infantry gain a +1 bonus to their Strength. Infantry armed with double-handed axes gain a +2 bonus to their Strength in hand-to-hand combat. These bonuses are discussed together with other special rules for weaponry in the section on Weapons and Armour.
In most circumstances, where no bonuses apply, average troops score wounds on a roll of 4+.
Armour in Combat
Combatants that are wounded still have a chance to avoid damage if they are wearing armour or carrying shields. This is exactly the same as described for shooting. For each wound suffered the player rolls a D6. If he rolls greater than or equal to the armour saving throw of his troops then the wound has been absorbed or deflected by the warrior's armour.
Armour save modifiers. The higher an attacker's Strength the more easily it can pierce armour. If weapons give a strength bonus then this increases the strength of a hit, making it easier to pierce armour. The reduction in the enemy's saving throw compared to the attacker's strength is the same as for damage from shooting (the Armour Save Modifiers table above).
Removing Casualties in Combat
Close combat casualties are removed in exactly the same way as shooting casualties. It is most convenient to assume that rear rankers will step forward to fill any gaps, so in most circumstances it is practical to remove casualties straight from the rear ranks of a unit.
Models which fall as casualties are not removed from the tabletop immediately, but are placed behind their unit. This is important for two reasons. Firstly, when it comes to working out who has won the combat you need to know how many casualties have been inflicted by each side, and this is much easier where casualties are left behind their units. Secondly, models which are removed before they have a chance to attack may not do so, and any rear ranker stepping into his place cannot attack that turn. This means that the side to strike first has a significant advantage, as any casualties it causes reduce the number of enemy left to fight back.
Results
For each separate combat you must determine which side has won. Do this once all the units engaged in combat have fought.
Begin by adding up all the wounds caused by each side. It does not matter which particular units suffered the wounds; just add them all up. Do not forget to add the wounds taken by elephants or character models which have not been removed as casualties. The side which has inflicted the most wounds has won the combat. The other side has lost. If both have inflicted the same number of wounds then the result is a draw.
However, a side can claim extra bonus points under certain circumstances, for example if it has a battle standard, is attacking the enemy in the flank, or is fighting from higher ground. Each bonus point is added to the number of casualties you have inflicted. For example, if both sides cause 3 wounds the result is a draw, but if one side had a battle standard it adds +1 to its score, beating the enemy by 4 points to 3.
Once both sides have established their total points including the number of casualties caused and bonus points, compare the values to discover which side has won the combat. The higher the winner's score is compared to the loser's the bigger and more decisive the victory will be. This difference in scores is used when working out if a defeated enemy stands his ground or turns and flees.
Bonus Points Table
- +1 Infantry Rank Bonus. If your formation is an infantry unit of at least four models wide, you may claim a rank bonus of +1 for each rank of infantry behind the first at the start of the combat, up to a maximum of +3. So, an infantry formation three ranks deep would give you a +2 bonus, a four deep formation gives a +3 bonus. The bonus can be claimed for an incomplete rear rank so long as it contains at least four models. If you have several units fighting in combat count the bonus from the deepest unit; do not add up the bonuses from all the units fighting. Only infantry units count this bonus; cavalry do not. This bonus is lost if the unit is charged in the flank or rear by an enemy unit of five models or more.
- +1 Standard. If any of your units has a standard bearer then you may add a +1 bonus. If you have several standards you still only add +1, not +1 for each standard. Rules for standards are described later.
- +1 Battle Standard. If the army's battle standard is fighting in a combat, or is included in a unit of troops which is involved in combat, then you may add a further +1.
- +1 High Ground. If you are fighting from a higher position than your enemy you may add a +1 bonus. If you are defending a hill and several units are involved, some higher than others, the bonus goes to whoever has the unit in the highest position.
- +1 Flank Attack. If you are fighting an enemy unit in the flank you may add a +1 bonus, so long as your entire unit numbers at least five models. If both sides have troops attacking in the flank then the side with the most flanking units gets the bonus. The bonus is only applied once no matter how many flanking units are involved.
- +2 Rear Attack. The same applies as for a flank attack but to units attacking in the rear. This bonus and the bonus for a flank attack are cumulative. So if you are attacking in the side and rear you receive a bonus of +3.
- +1/+2 Destroyed Chariot. Each light or scythed chariot destroyed in combat adds +1 to the opponent's combat result, as well as points for any wounds inflicted. Each heavy chariot destroyed in combat adds +2 to the opponent's combat result as well as points for any wounds inflicted.
For example: a unit of archers is fighting a unit of spearmen. The spearmen inflict 3 wounds on the archers, and the archers inflict 4 wounds on the spearmen. The spearmen have four ranks in their formation, and as each extra rank adds +1 to the score this gives them 3 + 3 = 6 points against the archers' 4. The archers have therefore lost the combat, even though they have caused more casualties; the vast numbers of spearmen pressing from the back have overwhelmed them. The archers must therefore take a Break test adding +2 to their dice score. They have a Leadership value of 7, but with the extra +2 modifier on the dice the player has to roll 5 or less to stand and fight. The player rolls 2D6 and scores 7; the +2 modifier brings his total to 9 which is greater than the unit's Leadership so the archers are broken.
Losers Take a Break Test
The side that loses combat must take a test to determine if it stands and fights or turns tail and runs away. This is called a Break test. You need to take a separate Break test for every unit involved in the combat. Depending on which units pass and which fail their test some may break and flee, while others may stand their ground. Troops which are better led, braver, and more professional are more likely to stand firm, while wild, temperamental troops are far more likely to run for it.
Take the test as follows. Firstly say which unit you are testing for. Roll 2D6 and add the scores together. Now add the difference between the winner's and loser's combat score. If the total is greater than the unit Leadership (Ld) value then the unit is broken. Broken units will turn tail and flee once all combat on the entire battlefield has been worked out. Until all combat has been worked out simply turn a few of the rear rank models round to remind you that the unit has broken.
Units Reduced to Less Than Five
A unit reduced to less than five models automatically breaks if it loses a round of combat. Worn down by prolonged fighting and heavy casualties the unit breaks and flees without taking a Leadership test.
Panic Tests for Breaks
Once all defeated units have taken a Break test then troops nearby must make a test to determine how they react to seeing their friends turn and run. This is called a Panic test, and full rules for panic are given in the following section. This represents the spread of panic amongst the army as friendly units collapse and turn tail. Panic tests must be taken once all Break tests are complete but before any fleeing troops are moved.
Fleeing Troops
Once you have completed all of the Break tests resulting from combat that turn, and have taken any necessary Panic tests, it is time for broken troops to flee. Fleeing troops turn directly away from their enemy and run as fast as they can. They abandon their formation and run from their enemy in a complete rout, blindly scrambling over the ground in their efforts to avoid the enemy.
Move fleeing troops. Dice are rolled to establish how far the fleeing unit moves. If the unit normally moves 6" or less roll 2D6. If the unit moves more than 6" roll 3D6. The result is the distance covered by the fleeing troops minus any penalty for terrain or obstacles. Move the fleeing unit directly away from its enemy so that it is 2D6" or 3D6" away from them and facing in the opposite direction. Should the fleeing unit encounter friendly troops they push through them. Fleeing models that would otherwise end up intermingled with friendly units are instead placed to the side or beyond them if this is the only option.
Fleeing models that have their retreat completely blocked by enemy models are destroyed. In addition a fleeing unit will be destroyed if it is caught by pursuers as described under Pursuit.
Subsequent movement of fleeing troops. If it is not destroyed then a fleeing unit continues to move 2D6" or 3D6" towards its own side's table edge during its own side's move phase. It must attempt to get away from the battlefield as quickly as possible. This is a compulsory move so fleeing troops are moved first once charges are declared (see the Movement section).
A fleeing unit can do nothing else. For example, it cannot fight or shoot with missiles. Where able to do so, it will move round obstacles that block its path, including units of troops. Fleeing troops will not move towards enemy troops unless they have no other choice.
If any models leave the table edge the entire unit is considered to have left the battlefield and is removed from play. If enemy troops charge a fleeing unit then the fleeing unit automatically flees from the charge assuming the charge is within reach. The fleers are moved 2D6" or 3D6" like any other fleeing unit. The charging enemy destroys the fleeing troops if it catches them.
Rallying (Fleeing Units)
A fleeing unit may attempt to stop fleeing in its movement phase by taking a Rally test. This represents the efforts of leaders and brave individuals to call a halt to the rout, bring the troops to their senses and restore order. A unit that rallies successfully may reorder its ranks in preparation to fight once again.
Rally test. Rally tests are taken in the movement phase after charges have been declared but before movement. To take a rally test roll 2D6. If the score is equal to or less than the unit's Leadership (Ld) then the unit stops fleeing and has rallied. The unit must spend the remainder of the turn stationary and may not shoot or fight, but the player may rearrange its formation and turn it to face whichever direction he chooses.
A fleeing unit that has suffered too many casualties will be unable to rally. Units of troops reduced to less than five models are unable to function as a fighting unit and may not rally. The unit continues to flee until it leaves the table or is destroyed.
Pursuit
If a unit wins a combat and all of the enemy it is fighting break and flee, then the victorious unit will normally pursue. A unit may only pursue if all the troops it is fighting break; if one unit breaks and another stands and fights then the victorious troops do not pursue. Like fleeing, pursuit is uncontrolled, so dice are rolled to determine how far the pursuing unit will move.
Pursuit move. Once fleeing troops have been moved, victorious units may pursue. To find out how far they pursue roll 2D6 or 3D6 in exactly the same way as for fleeing troops. The pursuers move the distance indicated by the dice roll straight towards and through the fleeing troops if they move far enough.
If the pursuing unit's dice roll is greater than that of the fleeing unit then the pursuers have overrun and completely destroyed the entire fleeing unit. If the pursuers do not move far enough to overtake the fleeing troops then no further casualties are caused. The pursuers are simply moved the distance indicated towards their broken enemy. Leave a reasonable gap to separate the two units if both roll the same distance. Units do not continue to pursue in subsequent turns; pursuit is a single bonus move which is made when a beaten enemy flees.
Pursuit into fresh enemy. It sometimes happens that pursuers move far enough to hit a fresh enemy unit. This is considered to be a new charge, and the attacked unit must hold, as any attempt to flee or shoot amidst the confusion of running bodies is impossible. The resulting combat is worked out in the following turn. The pursuers are considered to be charging and so get all the usual benefits and bonuses as if they had charged that turn.
Assuming the pursuers do not encounter any fresh enemy they move as far as the distance indicated by their dice roll. In their following turn they may charge, march or move exactly like any other unit. No penalty is imposed because of their pursuit move.
Avoid pursuit. Normally a unit must pursue if it is able to, but the player may attempt to prevent this by making a test against the unit's Leadership (Ld). Roll 2D6, and if the score is equal to or less than the unit's Leadership then the test is passed and the unit may remain stationary instead of pursuing.
A unit does not have to pursue if it is defending a wall, hedgerow, house, or a comparable obstacle or fortification. In this situation, the player may decide to pursue or not as he wishes.
Troops that pursue a fleeing enemy over an obstacle must halve their pursuit move as they cross the obstacle. This applies even after the first round of combat, as it is assumed some, if not all, of the victors will have to cross the obstacle to pursue their enemy.
Pursuit off the table. A unit which pursues its fleeing enemy off the table returns to the same point in its following movement phase. The unit may not move other than to position itself along the table edge, though it may shoot and otherwise participate in the game as normal.
Redress the Ranks
Once fleeing troops and pursuers have been moved it is time to tidy up the formations of fighting units in preparation for the next phase. This will not always be necessary, as much depends upon the casualties inflicted and combat results. Units engaged in combat cannot move in their movement phase. The opportunity to redress their ranks following hand-to-hand fighting therefore affords the winning side the chance to adjust their formation slightly by expanding their frontage or lapping round the enemy's sides. Units must maintain equal-sized ranks apart from the rearmost rank.
Expand frontage. If a unit wins the combat it can move models from rear ranks and place them in the forward ranks to increase the width of the formation, thereby allowing more models to fight. A unit may expand its frontage in this way by up to two models on each flank.
Fleeing units. Units which are fleeing abandon their formation and so have no opportunity to redress their ranks at this time. The unit forms a rough block or mass of troops, and models are arranged in a disorganised manner to show their disorganised status.
Lapping round. If a unit wins the combat and its formation already extends to the enemy's flanks, then models may be moved from the rear ranks round the sides of the enemy unit. These extra models are described as lapping round. You may move up to two models around each flank, assuming there is room and that the flank is not blocked by another unit, building or terrain. Once models have covered the enemy's flanks, further models may be lapped around to the rear should they win a further round of combat. In this way it is possible to extend your line and surround an enemy unit completely.
Combat bonuses. Models which are lapping round the flank or rear are ignored for purposes of establishing a unit's rank bonus in hand-to-hand combat. Lapping round models in this way might therefore reduce your rank bonus by limiting the number of full ranks fighting. However, units that are lapping round do receive extra bonuses for flank and rear attacks so long as the entire unit consists of five or more models.
Defeat in combat. If a unit is defeated in hand-to-hand combat then any models already lapping round are immediately returned to the rear rank of the formation. They have been driven off by the enemy and forced to regroup behind the unit's main body.
Which models can fight. All models touching base-to-base are allowed to fight in hand-to-hand combat, so troops along the sides of flanked units can fight back against troops that are lapping round. Players might wish to physically turn the models round to face their enemies in order to show this, although it is not strictly necessary.
Disengaging from Hand-to-Hand Combat
Units engaged in hand-to-hand combat at the start of the turn may attempt to disengage from combat in their movement phase. Such troops are assumed to be taking advantage of a lull in the fighting to retire in an ordered fashion. Well trained or very manoeuvrable troops can disengage reasonably safely, whilst poorly disciplined troops may find their orderly withdrawal turning into a rout.
Declare if any of your units will disengage from combat at the start of the movement phase, at the same time that you declare any charges. Turn the models around through 180 degrees to show this. This turn is free and has no effect on the unit's further movement.
Units disengaging from hand-to-hand combat are moved in the compulsory movement part of the movement phase, before charging units are moved. Take a Leadership test for each disengaging unit in the same way described for avoiding pursuit: roll 2D6, and if the score is equal to or less than the unit's Leadership value then the test is passed.
If the test is passed the unit has successfully disengaged and may move up to double its normal movement rate away from the combat. If the test is failed then the unit breaks and flees, fleeing either 2D6" if its move is 6" or less, or 3D6" if its move is over 6".
Units that are fighting an enemy that successfully disengages from combat are not allowed to pursue. However, if the disengaging unit fails its test and breaks and flees, then its enemy may pursue just as if the unit had broken in hand-to-hand fighting.
Cavalry are allowed to disengage from combat without taking a Leadership test, but only if all of the enemy troops they are fighting are either slower or have the same movement as themselves. If any enemy troops are faster than they are, then a Leadership test must be taken as described above.
Panic
In the heat of battle troops often do not respond as you, their commander, might want them to. In particular, when troops see their friends running away some will lose their nerve, a few may waver, and soon the whole unit is fleeing away from the battle in blind panic. Some troops are steadier than others as indicated by their Leadership value (Ld). Troops with a high Leadership are much less likely to panic than troops with a low Leadership. These factors are represented in the game by Panic tests.
Taking a Panic Test
Roll 2D6 and compare the result to the unit's Leadership (Ld) value. If the result is less than or equal to the unit's Leadership score the test is passed and all is well. If the result is greater than the unit's Leadership score then the test is failed.
A Panic test is taken in the same way as a Break test in hand-to-hand combat and uses the same characteristic, namely Leadership. However, a Break test is not a Panic test, and vice-versa. This is important because some bonuses apply specifically to Break tests and others apply only to Panic tests.
Using the rider's Leadership. In the case of cavalry, chariots and elephants, the rider's Leadership is used for Panic tests and not that of its mount. If a chariot or elephant has several crew, use the highest value for the test.
Using a character's Leadership. If a unit of troops is led by a character then the entire unit can test against his Leadership value. Characters often have better Leadership than ordinary troopers, so a well led unit will be less prone to the effects of Panic. See the Characters section for rules concerning characters and units.
When to Take Panic Tests
A unit must take a Panic test in the following circumstances.
- Fleeing friends within 4" at the start of the turn.
- Friends break from or are destroyed in hand-to-hand combat within 12".
- Charged in the side or rear whilst engaged in combat.
- Fleeing friends are destroyed by chargers within 4".
- The General is slain.
- The unit suffers 25% casualties from shooting.
1. Fleeing friends within 4" at the start of the turn. Make a test at the start of your turn if there is a fleeing friendly unit within 4". You do not have to take this test if your unit outnumbers the fleers by at least two to one. For example, if you have a unit of 12 models and there is a fleeing unit of 7 or more models within 4" then you must test. If there are only 6 fleeing models then no test is required. If there are 2 fleeing units of 6 models each, then a test is needed as the total number of fleeing troops is 12. It is the number of models in the fleeing unit(s) which is important, not the number of fleeing models within 4" of the testers.
2. Friends break from or are destroyed in hand-to-hand combat within 12". Test during the hand-to-hand combat phase if one or more friendly units breaks within 12". You must also make this test if a friendly unit is completely destroyed in hand-to-hand fighting. In order to avoid confusion between units fleeing after losing a combat, and units fleeing as a result of panic, work out all combats first and then take all resultant Panic tests. Only one Panic test is required due to breaking or destroyed friends, regardless of how many broken or destroyed friendly units are within 12".
3. Charged in the side or rear whilst engaged in combat. Test if your unit is already fighting in hand-to-hand combat and is charged in the flank or rear by an enemy unit of five or more models. Make this test as soon as chargers have declared their charge and are determined to be within reach. If chargers are unable to reach the unit no test is required. If the enemy unit is smaller than five models no test is required as there are assumed to be too few to cause panic.
4. Fleeing friends destroyed by chargers within 4". If a friendly unit flees, or fires & flees, from a charge and is caught and destroyed, then all friendly units within 4" of the final position of the fleeing troops must take a Panic test unless they outnumber the destroyed unit by at least two to one. Take this test once all charges are complete, but before hand-to-hand combat starts.
5. The General is slain. If your army's General is killed then every unit in your army must take an immediate Panic test. With your leader dead rumour of defeat spreads along the battle front like wildfire.
6. The unit suffers 25% casualties from shooting. A unit must test if it suffers 25% of its number as shooting casualties in the enemy's shooting phase. Only one Panic test is required in the enemy's shooting phase on account of casualties; the results of the first test stand for any further casualties inflicted. For example if a unit of 12 troops takes three casualties it must test for panic. A unit must also test if it is charging and suffers 25% casualties from an enemy who either stands & shoots, or fires & flees. This may result in the unit panicking before its target, in which case it has been forced to flee from the hail of arrows unleashed by the defenders.
Chariots and Elephants
When working out the number of models in a unit for these tests, each cavalryman (rider and steed) counts as a single model, chariots count as the number of models equal to the number of crew, and elephants count as five or more models all on their own.
Skirmishers
Skirmishers are lightly armed troops who are not expected to stand before fully armed troops; their role is to harass and delay rather than to fight. A unit which is skirmishing cannot cause another unit to panic unless that unit is also skirmishing. Other units take no account of skirmishers dashing about the battlefield. No Panic test is therefore required by non-skirmishing units on account of broken, fleeing or destroyed skirmishers. See the Light Troops section for more details.
Panicking Units
A unit which fails a Panic test will flee in the same way as a unit broken in hand-to-hand combat or a unit fleeing from a charging enemy. Fleeing troops abandon their formation and are moved in a rough mass or mob a distance of 2D6" or 3D6" away from their enemy or most obvious threat, but the player is allowed to decide exactly where his troops will flee within these guidelines. See the Hand-to-Hand Combat section for rules governing fleeing troops.
Panicking at the start of the turn. If a unit panics at the start of the turn because of fleeing friends within 4" it may not attempt to rally that turn, but must flee during the compulsory movement part of its movement phase.
Panicking in hand-to-hand combat. If a unit is engaged in hand-to-hand combat and it panics, then the normal flee and pursuit rules apply. The fleeing unit may be pursued if its enemy won the preceding round of combat, and consequently the fleeing unit can be destroyed in the same way as a unit which breaks following defeat in combat. If the enemy did not win the previous round of combat (or if the antagonists have not yet fought for some reason) then the enemy cannot pursue.
A unit which panics and flees from combat does not cause other units to panic on account of friends breaking from combat within 12". A test is only required for friends that are defeated in combat and broken as a result.
Voluntary tests. It is conceivable that a situation occurs where both players agree a Panic test is in order, even though the rules do not strictly require it (for example in an invented scenario where ambushers spring a trap or boulders are thrown from cliffs). If both players agree, a Panic test can be taken to represent the unsettling situation the unit finds itself in.
Examples of Panic
Example 1. At the start of their turn a unit of ten infantry is confronted by a fleeing unit of friendly cavalry within 4". The infantry have a Ld value of 7. The player rolls 2D6 and scores a 3 and a 5 adding up to 8. As the infantry have a leadership of only 7 they fail their test. The infantry unit panics and must flee in the compulsory part of its movement phase.
Example 2. During the hand-to-hand combat phase a unit of barbarian warriors is defeated and broken. All friendly units within 12" must take a Panic test, which in this case includes a unit of barbarian cavalry and a unit of skirmishers nearby. Panic tests are taken before the broken unit flees. The cavalry roll a total of 9 which is more than their Leadership so they panic. The skirmishers roll a remarkable 4, even less than their leadership of 5 so they bravely stand fast. Both the barbarian warriors and the barbarian cavalry will flee from their enemy. A unit that panics and flees from hand-to-hand combat does not lead to further Panic tests; only units that are defeated and break in combat cause Panic tests.
Example 3. A unit of 10 Romans is charged in the flank by a unit of 5 barbarian cavalry while fighting a unit of barbarian warriors to its front. The Romans take a Panic test as soon as the cavalry declare their charge and are found to be within range. The Romans roll a total of 10 which is more than their Leadership so they panic and flee. They flee 2D6" away from their enemy. The barbarian warriors already fighting the Romans won the previous turn's combat, and so pursue. The barbarian cavalry continue their charge in the same way as if their foe had fled voluntarily.
Leaders, Standard Bearers and Musicians
These warriors are not just vital as individual warriors, they can also be seen as representative of their unit's training, morale, and willingness to obey its orders.
Leaders
Any unit of troops can include a leader model, representing an especially able commander. The leader model is always placed in the centre of the front rank of his unit. He remains in this position throughout the battle, charging, fleeing, fighting and moving along with his unit. Unlike the characters described in the next section, a leader can never leave his unit or act independently from it.
Leaders are armed and armoured like the other troops in their unit. If the model itself substitutes a sword for a spear, or does away with a shield, then these differences are put down to artistic licence and all fighting is worked out assuming the leader is armed in the same way as his men.
If a unit has a leader it may roll an extra attack dice on his behalf. For example, a leader with an Attack (A) value of 1 would normally roll one dice to hit, but because of the leader bonus this is increased to two dice.
Leaders are never removed as casualties unless all the ordinary troopers are already slain; a unit's leader is always the last to go down fighting.
Stranded leaders. Sometimes a leader can find himself stranded from a fight: his men are fighting but he is not. This is most likely to happen where a unit is charged in the flank or rear, but it can also happen if the front of the enemy formation is too short to cover the leader model. When this happens the player is allowed to move the leader into a position where he can fight in his next movement phase. Simply swap the leader for a trooper model that is already fighting. This can mean that the leader loses the chance to fight in the first turn of combat. Although this rule allows a leader to move to join the fighting, he may not do so if already fighting someone else. He cannot move to fight an enemy attacking the rear of the unit if he is already fighting an enemy to the front.
Standards
A unit of troops may carry a standard in the form of a flag, banner, totemic idol, or similar device. It is carried by a standard bearer assumed to be armed and armoured like the other models in the unit and who fights in exactly the same way. The standard bearer model is placed towards the middle of the front rank next to the leader. A side that has a standard may add +1 to its combat score when deciding who has won hand-to-hand combat. See the Hand-to-Hand Combat section for details.
Unit standard bearer models are not removed as casualties unless there are no other ordinary trooper models to remove instead. It is assumed that any surviving warrior picks up the standard should its bearer fall.
Capturing standards. If a unit flees from hand-to-hand combat and the enemy pursue, or if a unit is wiped out in hand-to-hand combat, then the enemy will capture its standard. The player must give the standard bearer model to his opponent for the remainder of the battle (it is returned once the game is over). This is important because a player can claim bonus victory points for each standard he captures.
Musicians
A unit may include a musician model to accompany it into battle, either a horn blower, a drummer or some other worthy soul. The musician is assumed to be armed and armoured like the other models in the unit and fights in exactly the same way. The musician model is placed towards the middle of the front rank of the unit next to its leader; the normal arrangement is therefore leader in the middle with standard and musician to either side.
If a unit has a musician then an inspiring horn blast or rousing drum beat can turn a drawn combat into a win. Where a combat otherwise ends in a draw each side rolls a D6 for each musician model that it has fighting. The side that rolls the highest individual dice score is the victor and wins the combat by 1 point. If one side has a musician and the other does not, then the side with the musician automatically wins a drawn combat by 1 point.
As with unit standard bearers, musicians are not removed as casualties unless there are no ordinary trooper models to remove instead.
Characters
A character is a significant individual in the game for whom we can invent suitable special rules: great heroes, mighty generals, and the odd rotten-hearted scoundrel. These characters are often valuable military commanders whose presence inspires other troops to feats of exceptional valour. A character might equally be an Egyptian princess being escorted to a dynastic marriage, a rich merchant leading a convoy, or an ordinary man or woman destined to play a significant role in the game. Each separate army list supplement includes a section giving the profiles for a range of types of character that can be used with the army.
Moving Character Models
Characters move and fight as individual units of one model, except that a character can join a regiment and fight with it and, if he does so, his movement will be restricted as described below.
Apart from models which have joined with other units, a character model is free to move in the movement phase. He must take into account any penalties to movement for crossing terrain and obstacles as normal, but he does not have to turn or wheel in order to change direction; the model is simply moved to face whichever direction is required as the player wishes.
Although characters can move more freely than units, they are still bound by the normal rules for declaring and executing charges. A character may charge an enemy in the rear if he starts his move in front of it, and he may not charge an enemy he cannot see when charges are declared.
Characters with Units
Character models can join units of troops and fight alongside them if you wish. To join a unit a character has only to move so that he is touching it. Once he has joined, the character model is placed in the front rank next to the unit's leader, standard and musician if it has them.
The character will inevitably use up a proportion of his move to reach the unit. If the unit has not moved then it cannot now move further than the character, as its remaining movement has been wasted waiting for him.
Although characters are normally placed in the front rank of a unit, if the unit is already engaged in combat then the character may be placed anywhere in order to fight the enemy, even at the sides or rear of the formation. Once the combat is over the character is returned to his rightful place in the front rank.
A character who is with a unit of troops might find himself unable to fight because there is no enemy facing him (the enemy line might fall short of his position or the enemy might be fighting to the side or rear of the formation). In this case the character moves to join the fighting in his movement phase in the same way as a leader.
If a character is travelling with a unit then his movement is dictated by the unit as a whole. He simply moves along like an ordinary member of the unit. If the character moves slower than the unit then the whole unit has to slow down so that he can keep up.
Characters Leaving Units
A character who has joined a unit may leave again during any subsequent movement phase. He may not join and leave the same unit in a single turn, but he may leave one unit and join another if you wish.
A character may not leave a unit while it is subject to some compulsory movement rule. For example he cannot leave a unit which is fleeing, declared a charge, has rallied that turn (because it cannot move) or which is engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
If a unit declares a charge any characters which have already joined the unit must charge too and take part in the resulting combat. This means that once hand-to-hand fighting has begun a character will not be able to leave the unit he has joined until all the fighting is over and any compulsory movement such as fleeing and pursuit has been resolved.
Character Leadership
A unit accompanied by a character may use the character's Leadership value for any Leadership tests it is required to take. If a unit is joined by several characters use the highest Leadership amongst them. Leadership is used for Panic tests, rally tests, and Break tests in combat, as well as many of the special Psychology tests described later.
While the character is with the unit he is considered to be part of it in all respects. If the unit is forced to flee for any reason, because of a failed Break or Panic test for example, then the character is forced to flee as well and at the same speed, and he may not leave the unit until it has rallied.
Shooting at Characters
A character model may only be picked out as a target by enemy shooters if he is the closest target. This means that characters can move around behind the battle lines without attracting an unrealistic amount of missile fire.
A character model that is with a unit may only be picked out as a target if the unit is the closest target and the character is in the rank facing the shooters. It is only characters who may be targeted in this way; leaders, standard bearers and musicians may not as they would be replaced by another warrior in any case.
When you are shooting at a character model there is always an additional -1 to hit penalty. This is because the normal chance of hitting assumes the target is massed up in ranks, or is pretty large to start with.
In addition, a character model who has joined a unit may be lucky enough to avoid death from a missile, thanks to a warning shouted by a comrade. If a character is with a unit and is hit by missile fire, a stone thrower, or any kind of shot, then roll a D6. On the roll of 1 the character fails to hear the warning and is hit by the missile. Work out damage as normal. On the roll of 2 to 6 the character is alerted to the danger and avoids the missile. The character is not hit and the missile strikes another model instead: transfer the hit to an adjacent model in the unit.
Hand-to-Hand Fighting
When a unit closes with its enemies in hand-to-hand fighting character models will inevitably find themselves confronted by enemy troops. When a model is fighting it can strike its blows against any enemy model whose base it is touching. In the case of troopers confronted by character models they will usually have the option of striking at a character or an ordinary enemy, as bases will inevitably overlap slightly as you move the models into combat.
Characters may sometimes come into direct combat against enemy characters, but the same choice applies to them: they may attack any enemy whose base they are touching. The exception to this is the challenge, as described below.
Challenges
In each turn before working out any hand-to-hand combat, each side is allowed to issue challenges. The challenge represents one-on-one combat between rival characters.
A player may issue one challenge in each combat fought. A single combat can include several units on each side and so may involve several characters, however only one challenge can be made per combat. Where several combats are fought during the turn one challenge can be made in each.
The player whose turn it is has the first opportunity to declare challenges. The player can issue a challenge with one character model from amongst those already engaged in each combat. His enemy has the option of refusing or meeting the challenge. If he refuses then no challenge takes place, and the refusing player must retire one of his own characters from the combat as described below. The disappointed challenger fights normally in the combat phase. If a player accepts a challenge he selects one of his own characters from those already engaged in the combat to fight the challenger.
If the player whose turn it is does not issue a challenge in any combat then his opponent may issue one himself. This may be accepted or declined in the same way. A challenge cannot be issued unless there is a character to fight. Ordinary troopers cannot take up a challenge.
Refused challenges. If a challenge is refused then the declining player must retire one character nominated by his opponent. The retiring character is removed from the engaged rank and placed at the back of the formation. This character may not fight or do anything else that turn. The character is returned to a fighting rank once the hand-to-hand combat phase is over, ready to fight in the next turn.
Fighting challenges. Once a challenge is accepted the two rivals are moved in the ranks so that they are opposite each other. If the models are in chariots it may be more convenient to remove them altogether and place them beside the fighting units. When combat is worked out these two fight together; no other models may attack them even if their bases are touching, and no other models may shoot at them.
Once the challenge is underway no further challenges can be issued in that combat until one character is slain or forced to flee. A challenge might therefore last over several turns of combat.
If a character is riding a warhorse that has its own attack then the horse fights during the challenge as well. If a character is riding a chariot then no other crew can fight, but warhorses pulling the chariot may. Attacks from heavy chariot impacts are worked out against the enemy unit before the rest of combat. As these attacks are impact damage they do not count towards the challenge, but they count towards the overall combat result.
Army Generals
An army can be commanded by a unique character known as the General. The character is in charge of the whole army and, more than any other model, represents you personally. The General can inspire others to fight on where otherwise they might turn and flee.
Any unit within 12" of the General model may use the General's Leadership value instead of its own when making a Leadership based test. This means that a unit near the General can use his superior Leadership when testing for fear, panic and other psychology, or for Break tests in hand-to-hand combat. A unit which is fleeing may use the General's Leadership if he is within 12" when attempting to rally.
If the General should flee then he loses any influence over his troops whilst he continues to flee. Also, if the General has to take a Panic test (because a nearby friendly unit flees from hand-to-hand combat for example), then he must do so before any other units which have to take a Panic test at the same time. For other units to benefit from the General's Leadership, he must set an example by standing firm himself.
The Battle Standard
An army can also include an individual who carries either the General's personal banner or the battle standard of the army itself. This character is known as the battle standard bearer.
If the battle standard joins a unit of troops then the unit receives an extra +1 combat bonus when working out who has won combat, in addition to the usual +1 for the unit's own standard. This is the only time when an extra banner confers a further bonus. Normally troops fighting alongside their banners receive only +1 no matter how many banners are involved.
Any unit within 12" of the battle standard may re-take a failed Break test. A unit is only allowed to retake its test once per turn. This ability does not apply if the battle standard bearer is fleeing. A battle standard only allows units to re-take Break tests; it cannot be used for any other sort of Leadership test, such as Panic tests.
Unlike with ordinary unit standard bearers the battle standard is not passed on if its bearer is slain. A battle standard can be captured in the same way as a unit banner. See the rules for Standards.
Special Rules
The preceding pages contain the most important rules, used in just about every game. The following rules are only used in special circumstances, either because a special troop type is being used in a battle (chariots or elephants, for example), or because the battle has some other unique feature (buildings, or troops that fight in a special formation). You do not need to learn any of the following rules until you play a game that requires their use.
Weapons and Armour
The game rules as already described allow for variation in the Strength and Toughness of opponents, and for differences in their armour, but not for the different kinds of weapons they might be armed with. Once the basics of combat have been mastered you may wish to introduce further detail by using the following rules representing different kinds of weapons.
Weapons
Some types of weapons confer both advantages and disadvantages to the troops that use them. For example, a heavy double-handed axe or sword gives a huge Strength bonus but always strikes after the enemy. Different weapons often imply different tactical options; knights armed with lances need to charge to use their weapons effectively so a player must manoeuvre them into position so that it is he, rather than his enemy, who charges into combat.
Weapons and units. As a general principle every model in a unit of troops carries the same weaponry (a unit of spearmen all carry spears etc.). All the models in a unit should carry the weapons ascribed to them, except for leaders, musicians and standard bearers where this is impractical.
It is acceptable for a unit to include the odd model that is armed differently, but the unit's overall appearance must not be misleading. In a unit of spearmen most will carry spears, and if a minority carry other weapons these are counted as spears as well.
Many players like to mix models in a unit, arming some with swords, some with spears, and so on. In a mixed weapon unit such as this, all models count as being armed with swords, axes, clubs or other hand weapons. No special rules are applied to these units on account of their weaponry.
Two weapons. Some troops are armed with more than one type of weapon (most troops carry a sword or dagger as well as their primary weapon). However, troops armed with more than one kind of weapon are only allowed to use one at a time. For example, a warrior armed with a bow and javelin could fire one or the other in the shooting phase, not both, while a spearman could use either his spear or his sword in hand-to-hand combat. A warrior who stands and fires as a charge response is allowed to change weapons, using one to fire at the attackers as they charge and another in the ensuing combat.
Hand-to-Hand Weapons
Almost all troops are armed with a hand-to-hand combat weapon of some kind, be it simply a dagger or a mighty double-handed axe. Special rules for each different type of weapon are described below.
Hand weapons. Hand weapon is the term used to describe all swords, axes, clubs, hammers and other similar weapons wielded in one hand. The difference between these weapons is slight and so they are all considered to be comparable in terms of use and effect.
- Some warriors carry a weapon in both hands so they can rain down even more attacks on their enemy. If a warrior carries a hand weapon in each hand he receives one extra attack from his left hand. It does not matter if his attack (A) value is 2 or more, a warrior receives only +1 attack from his extra weapon. This is an exception to the rule that a warrior may only use one weapon in hand-to-hand combat.
Daggers and improvised weapons. All troops are assumed to be armed with a weapon of some kind, be it a dagger or an improvised weapon such as a rock or rough club. Such troops are at a disadvantage when fighting troops armed with more efficient close combat weapons.
- Daggers and improvised weapons are easily deflected by armour. An enemy wounded by such a weapon receives a +1 armour saving throw modifier. For example, a warrior equipped with light armour and a shield would normally have an armour saving throw of 5 or 6, but he has an armour saving throw of 4, 5 or 6 against an opponent armed with a dagger or improvised weapon. Models that would not normally receive an armour save will save on a 6.
Double-handed weapons. This category includes all axes, swords, hammers and clubs which are so large that they must be wielded with two hands.
- Double-handed weapons require both hands to use. If the bearer has a shield he may not use it in hand-to-hand combat. It must be left on the ground or slung on his back during the fighting.
- Double-handed weapons are heavy to swing and leave the user vulnerable to a more lightly armed foe. Double-handed weapons always strike last regardless of which side charges or relative Initiative levels. If both sides are armed in this way chargers strike first followed by the side with the highest Initiative.
- Double-handed weapons confer a +2 Strength bonus on all hits. If the wielder's Strength is 3 then all hits from a double-handed weapon will be at Strength 5. As the enemy's armour save is affected by the strength of the hit, this will be reduced also. For example in the case of a Strength 5 hit the saving throw drops by -2.
Halberds. The halberd is a heavy bladed weapon mounted on a sturdy shaft, held in both hands and used to chop as well as thrust.
- Troops equipped with a halberd require both arms to wield it and cannot use shields in hand-to-hand fighting. If they carry shields it is assumed they are slung on their backs or placed on the ground before fighting begins.
- Halberds are heavy weapons and a mighty swing can cause considerable damage. Halberds therefore confer a +1 Strength bonus on all hits. A man with a Strength of 3 therefore hits with a Strength of 4 if fighting with a halberd. The Strength of a hit affects the armour save of the target, so this may be reduced as well. In the case of a warrior with a Strength of 3 a halberd hit has a Strength of 4 and -1 to save.
Thrusting spear. Thrusting spears are fairly long weapons, often 10 feet long or more, designed to be held and thrust at the enemy rather than thrown. Thrusting spears used by the Persian Immortals and their Greek Hoplite enemies both fall into this category, as would the Xyston used by Alexander the Great's Companion Cavalry. They are useful weapons for troops on foot or riding a horse, but are used differently by each.
- Infantry armed with thrusting spears may fight in two ranks of troops because warriors in a second rank thrust their weapons forward past those fighting in the front. This enables models directly behind front rank fighters to fight as well. However, this advantage only applies as long as the spearmen do not move. If they charge their formation is affected and they may only fight in a single rank that turn. Spearmen fight in two ranks if the enemy charge them while they stand their ground.
- Cavalry armed with thrusting spears receive a +1 Strength bonus when they charge. If the wielder's Strength is 3, for example, his total Strength will be 4 when he charges. This bonus only applies when the cavalryman charges and only for that turn. Any hits at Strength 4 or more confer the usual modifier on the enemy's armour saving roll.
- Infantry armed with thrusting spears were sometimes capable of fighting in a special formation, such as the Greek Hoplite's phalanx. Rules for such formations can be found in the separate army lists for the troops that are allowed to use them.
Throwing spear. Up to four or five feet in length, the throwing spear is quick, simple and cheap to produce, and highly effective in close combat. It allows troops to hurl a deadly volley of missiles as they charge, and then follow this up with a hastily drawn sword or axe. Alternatively, the spear can be held on to and used in hand-to-hand combat. In addition the rear ranks of an infantry unit can aid their companions by hurling their spears over the heads of the troops in front and into the enemy ranks beyond. Throwing spears have different rules depending on whether they are used by infantry or cavalry.
- Infantry armed with throwing spears may fight in two ranks in the first round of each combat, either when they charge or when they receive an enemy charge. This allows warriors directly behind front rank fighters to attack as well. In the second and subsequent rounds of combat only the front rank can fight. If an infantry unit gets involved in a second combat later in the same battle, then it can use its throwing spears again. Any spears that were thrown earlier are assumed to have been picked up again, or replaced with new spears supplied from stocks at the army's camp.
- Infantry in skirmish formation and all cavalry armed with throwing spears may re-roll any to hit dice that miss at the first attempt in the first turn of each combat. This represents the troops first hurling their spears at the enemy and then following up with a hand weapon if the spear misses its mark.
Heavy throwing spears. Heavy throwing spears are similar in length to ordinary throwing spears but have a longer and heavier metal spear head. They easily penetrate an opponent's armour or shield when they hit. The category includes weapons such as the Frankish angon and Spanish saunion, but is most famously represented by the Roman pilum. It also covers other heavy throwing weapons, such as the Frank and Viking throwing axe. Heavy throwing spears may only be used by infantry units.
- Infantry armed with heavy throwing spears are treated in exactly the same way as infantry armed with throwing spears, except that they add +1 to their Strength in the first turn of each combat.
Pikes. Pikes are extremely long spears as much as 20-25 feet in length. This category includes the famous Sarrissa used by Alexander the Great's pikemen.
- The rules for infantry armed with thrusting spears also apply to infantry armed with pikes. In addition troops equipped with pikes always strike first when fighting an opponent with a shorter weapon, regardless of Initiative and even if the opponent charged. The pike is longer than all other weapons apart from other pikes.
- Troops armed with pikes are often capable of fighting in a special formation, such as the Macedonian phalanx. Rules for such formations are covered in the separate army lists for the forces that use them.
Kontos. The kontos is the cavalry equivalent of the pike. Although the kontos looks a lot like a lance, it does not use lance rules. The lance rules represent the heavy lance that is designed to be couched and used in a charge with the full weight of the rider and his mount behind it.
- The rules for cavalry armed with thrusting spears also apply to cavalry armed with a kontos. Also, cavalry armed with a kontos always strike first when fighting an opponent with a shorter weapon, regardless of Initiative and even if the opponent charged. The kontos is shorter than a pike, but longer than anything else.
Lance. Cavalry armed with lances are the ultimate shock troops. Lances are only effective as they charge; thereafter the warrior either drops his lance and fights on with a sword, or else continues to use the butt of the lance to punch at his foe. It is very important that lance-armed cavalry successfully charge the enemy rather than allowing themselves to be charged.
- Cavalry armed with lances use the same rules as cavalry armed with spears, except that they receive a +2 Strength bonus when they charge rather than +1. If the wielder's Strength is 3, for example, his total Strength will be 5 when he charges. This bonus only applies when the cavalryman charges and only for the first turn of each combat. Any hits at a Strength of 4 or more confer the usual modifier on the enemy's saving roll.
Missile Weapons
By using missile weapons it is possible to strike down the enemy while still out of range of his hand-to-hand combat weapons. The rules for catapults and bolt throwers can be found in their own section later in the rulebook.
| Weapon | Range | Save modifier | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Javelin & Darts | 8" | 0 | As the thrower |
| Short Bow | 16" | 0 | 3 |
| Composite Bow | 24" | 0 | 3 |
| Long Bow | 30" | -1 | 3 |
| Crossbow | 30" | -1 | 4 |
| Sling | 18" | 0 | 3 |
Javelins and darts. The javelin is a light spear which is too flimsy to be much use in hand-to-hand fighting but is perfectly balanced for throwing at the enemy. This category also includes weighted darts such as the Roman martiobarbuli. Javelins and darts were used as a missile weapon by light troops operating in skirmish formation (each man carrying a large bundle of javelins), and as a secondary weapon by troops that fought in close formation (one or two javelins hurled at the foe prior to hand-to-hand combat).
- Javelins and darts have such a short missile range that the usual -1 penalty for shooting at targets over half range does not apply. In addition the -1 to hit penalty for moving and shooting does not apply because a warrior throwing a javelin or dart would usually make a run-up in order to gain the momentum to throw the weapon.
- Use the Strength of the warrior who throws the javelin or dart to work out damage from hits. The javelin has no strength of its own because its effectiveness depends on how hard it is thrown.
Short bow. The short or self bow was one of the most common missile weapons used in the ancient world, made of a flexible branch of wood and a string of sinew or fibres.
- Units armed with short bows may use massed fire as described in the Shooting rules.
Composite bow. The composite bow is constructed of several materials, fixed together to create a flexible, strong weapon with considerably greater range than a simple short bow. It was the major weapon of the armies of the ancient Near East, Egypt and Assyria.
- Units armed with composite bows may use massed fire as described in the Shooting rules.
Long bow. The long bow is a powerful bow favoured by experienced archers. It can fire an arrow substantially further than an ordinary bow. In addition the much heavier arrows it fires greatly increase its armour piercing ability.
- Units armed with long bows may use massed fire as described in the Shooting rules.
Crossbow. The crossbow is a more complex device than an ordinary bow. It is very difficult to draw back the string of a crossbow once it has been fired: the shooter must either brace the weapon against the ground with his feet while he heaves the string up, or employ some kind of mechanical device such as a windlass or lever. This means that a crossbow inhibits the movement of its users compared to a bow, but it is much more powerful and has a longer range.
- You cannot move and fire a crossbow in the same turn, so if you move in your movement phase you are unable to fire that turn.
Sling. The sling is little more than a looped strip of cloth or leather into which a stone is placed. The one advantage of the sling is that the rate of fire can be varied by releasing the sling shot before you have worked up full impetus. This reduces the range but enables the slinger to shoot far faster.
- A unit of slingers may fire twice in their shooting phase if they do not move in their movement phase. Their range is reduced to half (9") if they fire twice. Slingers cannot fire twice when they stand & shoot, or fire & flee, against a charging enemy as there is insufficient time.
- The sling requires a very large wind-up area compared to other missile weapons, typically requiring 2-3 times as much space. Therefore slings may only be used by troops in skirmish formation (see the rules for Light Troops).
Armour and Shields
Most troops wear armour and carry shields to protect themselves from the savage blows of their enemies. Armour greatly affects a warrior's chance of survival and so influences the outcome of combat. The more heavily armoured troops are, the harder they are to kill. There is a disadvantage though: because metal armour is so heavy troops wearing a lot of it move slower than unarmoured troops.
Armour and shields provide a model with a special armour saving throw that can negate some or all of the damage suffered in a turn. Most of the rules for armour saving throws have been covered already in the shooting and hand-to-hand combat rules, but they are gathered here for completeness, together with new rules to cover large shields and bucklers. (The printed Armour table earlier in the book lists Light Armour at 5+ for infantry, but the Armour section text and the Summary sheet's Saving Throw Chart give light armour as 6+, shield plus light armour as 5+, heavy armour as 5+ and shield plus heavy armour as 4+; see the Summary sheet at the end.)
Light armour. Troops may wear a metal breastplate, chainmail or a scale armour coat. These are described as light armour because they offer slightly less protection than heavy armour and weigh less.
- Troops wearing light armour receive an armour saving throw of 6+ against any wounds that they suffer. This save is increased by +1 for cavalry, as described earlier in the rules, and may also be increased if the warrior has a shield or is riding a barded horse.
Heavy armour. This is a completely enclosing suit of armour as worn by a knight, or a full panoply of armour including greaves, breastplate and helmet. It is made from metal plates and is very heavy and cumbersome. An enclosing suit of chain mail armour can also be classed as heavy armour, so the definition is not completely rigid.
- Troops wearing heavy armour receive an armour saving throw of 5+ against any wounds that they suffer. This save is increased by +1 for cavalry, as described earlier in the rules, and may also be increased if the warrior has a shield or is riding a barded horse.
- Troops wearing heavy armour and carrying a shield or large shield subtract 1 from their movement rate. Cavalry wearing heavy armour and carrying a shield or large shield subtract 1 from the mount's movement characteristic. This penalty does not apply to warriors wearing heavy armour and carrying a buckler.
Barding. Barding is armour made for horses, camels or elephants. It can be made of metal or can take the form of a thick quilted coat with a linen covering bearing the knight's coat of arms.
- Cavalry riding mounts that have barding increase their armour save by +1 point. For example, a warrior wearing light armour riding a barded horse would have an armour saving throw of 4+ (6+ for the light armour, +1 for being cavalry, and +1 for the horse's barding).
- Cavalry horses wearing barding must subtract 1 from their movement rate.
Shield. This is a standard sized shield of the type already described in the rules.
- A shield confers a +1 armour saving throw to the model carrying it. If used on its own, it provides an armour saving throw of 6+. This save is increased by +1 for cavalry as described earlier in the rules, and may also be increased if the warrior is riding a barded horse.
Large shield. Some warriors used very large shields that offered considerably greater protection than an ordinary shield. However their greater size and bulk meant that they could not be used by skirmishers or light troops who relied on mobility and speed of movement in battle.
- Large shields confer a +2 save modifier rather than the +1 save modifier for a normal shield. If used on its own it provides an armour saving throw of 5+ for infantry or 4+ for cavalry, including the +1 cavalry bonus.
Buckler. The buckler is a small shield that is light and easy to handle. This makes it ideal for light troops armed with missile weapons who are able to unsling the buckler quickly when engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
- The buckler confers a +1 save modifier. Troops in skirmish formation can always use a buckler if carrying one, but other troops can only use a buckler against hand-to-hand attacks and not against missiles. If used on its own it provides an armour saving throw of 6+. This save is increased by +1 for cavalry as described earlier in the rules, and may also be increased if the warrior is riding a barded horse.
Psychology
Ancient armies necessarily reflected the social conditions, military traditions, and even religious backgrounds of the warriors that fought in them. Societies with a strong military caste and deeply embedded sense of social duty produced good officer-led armies, well equipped and drilled to fight in battle. Other, more tribally-organised societies produced brave but ill-disciplined warriors, dangerous as individuals but often difficult to control or unpredictable on the battlefield. The psychology rules introduce different cultural characteristics for individual races and nations.
Psychology Rules
The more extreme and interesting tendencies of troops are represented by psychology rules: fear, terror, frenzy, hatred, stubborn, and warband. Each is represented by a special rule, or rules, that governs the behaviour of affected troops on the battlefield. For example, troops who fear their opponents will be reluctant to attack them, and if attacked themselves may decide to flee. Many troops are not affected by these rules at all, and most, where they are affected, are affected by only one.
Unit Psychology and Characters
In general, where a psychology test of any kind is required it is taken on behalf of an entire unit of troops. The entire unit is either affected or not at all.
A unit may be joined by a character who is unaffected by a particular psychology rule, or a unit and character may be affected by different psychology rules. Where a character is affected by rules that do not apply to the unit, he takes any necessary tests on his own, and is affected by the psychology rule that applies to him as an individual. This might cause a character to separate from the unit he is with, for example if he is forced to charge because of frenzy, compelled to pursue due to hatred, or obliged to advance because he is warband.
If a unit is compelled by a psychology rule then any associated character must remain with the unit, moving as it moves or staying put if it halts. He cannot leave the unit whilst it is bound by the rule. However, a character does not benefit or suffer from any bonuses or penalties from a psychology rule unless he is affected by it himself. A character does not go into a frenzy just because he is with a unit that does so, although he must accompany them as they charge.
Fear
Fear is a natural reaction to unnerving, unfamiliar situations or large bizarre creatures such as elephants. For example, camels cause fear in enemy horses, as horses find the sight and smell of camels unnerving.
A unit must take a fear test in the following situations:
- If a unit is charged by an enemy that it fears then it must test against its Leadership to determine if it overcomes its fear. This test is taken once the enemy declares his charge and is found to be within his charge distance. Roll 2D6 and compare the result to the unit's Leadership (Ld) value. If the result is less than or equal to the unit's Leadership score the test is passed. If the result is greater than the unit's Leadership then the test has been failed. If the test is failed the unit will automatically flee if outnumbered by the charging enemy. If not outnumbered the unit will fight as normal, but must roll 6s to score hits in the first turn of combat.
- If a unit wishes to charge an enemy that it fears then it must pass a Leadership test as described above to overcome its fear. If the test is failed, the unit may not charge and must remain stationary for the turn.
- A unit defeated in hand-to-hand combat is automatically broken without a Break test if it is outnumbered by feared enemy. If the feared enemy does not outnumber the unit then a Break test is taken as normal. It makes no difference whether a fear test as described above has been passed or not: a unit is automatically broken if it is defeated by an enemy that causes fear and which outnumbers it.
Terror
Terror rules represent creatures so huge and threatening that they are even more frightening than those described by the fear rules. In practice the most common example by far is the elephant. However, other large wild creatures might feature in your games (lions, tigers, crocodiles, and so on).
Troops confronted by creatures that cause terror must test to see if they overcome their terror. Roll 2D6 and compare the result to the unit's Leadership (Ld) value. If the result is less than or equal to the unit's Leadership score the test is passed. If the result is greater the test is failed, and they are completely overwhelmed with horror. Troops only ever test for terror once in a battle. Once they have overcome their terror they are not affected again.
If a creature causes terror it automatically causes fear as well, and all the rules described above apply. However, you never have to take a terror and a fear test from the same enemy or situation; just take a terror test. If you pass the terror test then you automatically pass the fear test too. As you only ever take one terror test in a battle, any subsequent encounters with terrifying enemy simply count as fear.
- A unit must test to overcome its terror if charged by or wishing to charge an enemy that causes terror.
- A unit must test for terror at the start of its turn if there is an enemy which causes terror within 8".
A unit which fails its terror test will flee immediately, exactly as if it had failed its Break test in hand-to-hand combat, or decided to flee from a charge.
Frenzy
Some outlandish warriors can go into a fighting frenzy, a whirlwind of destruction or raging fury in which all concern for their own personal safety is ignored in favour of a blood-letting, flesh-tearing attack.
- Frenzied troops must charge if there are any enemy within charge reach when charges are declared. The player has no choice in the matter; the unit will automatically declare its charge.
- Frenzied troops fight with double their normal number of Attacks (A) in hand-to-hand combat. Troops with 1 Attack therefore have 2, troops with 2 Attacks double up to 4 and so on.
- Frenzied troops always pursue a fleeing enemy whether the player wants to or not. Unlike other troops they may not attempt to hold back.
- Frenzied troops never panic and are not affected by other psychology rules. No Panic tests are required for frenzied troops, although Break tests are still taken in hand-to-hand fighting.
- If frenzied troops are broken in hand-to-hand combat their frenzy is automatically ended. They flee exactly like other troops. Should they subsequently rally they may continue to fight but they are no longer frenzied.
Hatred
Hate is a powerful emotion and the history of the ancient world is full of hatred and rivalry, grudges borne over centuries of racial animosity. Such warriors will fight almost to the death rather than flee from their enemies. The following rules apply.
- Troops who hate their hand-to-hand adversaries take any Break tests with a Leadership value of 10. They do not reduce this value regardless of the combat results and how many casualties they have suffered. This means they will not break unless they roll 11 or more on 2D6, or unless their enemy are a warband or cause fear etc, and therefore break them automatically.
- Troops fighting in hand-to-hand combat against a hated foe may re-roll any misses when they first attack. This bonus only applies in the first turn of each combat. After the first round they lose some impetus and thereafter fight as normal.
- Troops who hate their enemy must always pursue them if they flee. They cannot attempt to avoid pursuit by testing their Leadership as other troops can.
Stubborn
Stubborn troops are uncommonly tenacious warriors who have a reputation for carrying on fighting where other troops would run away. They may be professional warriors, hardened mercenaries, or determined zealots fighting for their lives. Stubborn troops cannot be defeated easily, and will only break and run after they have suffered heavy casualties.
- Stubborn troops do not have to take a Break test the first time they lose a round of combat in a battle. They pass the test automatically without any dice being rolled. Having ignored their first Break test they take all further Break tests normally. To remember if a unit has taken a Break test before or not, it is recommended that you turn the unit's standard bearer through 90 degrees or move him to the other side of his leader to signify this.
- If stubborn troops lose a round of combat against an opponent who would automatically break them (i.e. fearful, terrifying opponents, or charging warband), roll a D6; on a roll of 1-3 stubborn troops are automatically broken (the special rule for the enemy troops applies), on a roll of 4-6 they automatically hold (the special rule for stubborn troops applies).
Stubborn troops only ignore their first Break test; they cannot ignore panic or other psychology tests. For example, a unit of stubborn troops that were charged in the flank would still have to take a Panic test.
Warbands
Some troops are more confident in large warbands where their morale is bolstered by the presence of their comrades. These troops are almost always undrilled barbarian warriors, who lack the unthinking obedience of regular troops trained to act on orders without a second thought. Under the right circumstances they can prove tenacious and stout-hearted opponents. However, if things go wrong and they panic or break, they can prove extremely difficult to rally. Although units are referred to as Warbands these rules are used in some army lists to represent troops that are poorly trained militias or civilian mobs.
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Warbands add their close combat rank bonus to their Leadership value for all Leadership based tests. This means a warband receives a +1 to their Leadership for every rank after the first up to a maximum bonus of +3. If Warbands are fleeing or skirmishing no rank bonus would normally apply, and so they do not get a Leadership bonus either. For example, a warband with a Leadership of 5 is formed up four ranks deep. The extra three ranks after the first add +3 to the Warband's Leadership value, increasing it from 5 to 8. If the Warband was led by a chieftain with a Leadership of 6, then his Leadership would count as 9, while a Warlord with a Leadership of 7 would count his Leadership as 10.
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The warriors in a warband lack any sense of discipline and tend to advance over confidently in the face of the enemy. Warbands which are not otherwise bound by a compulsory movement rule must therefore take a special test at the start of each turn. Roll a D6 for each unit. On the D6 roll of 2-6 the unit remains under control and may move normally that turn. On a roll of 1 however, the unit surges forward in an undisciplined manner.
A unit obliged to surge forward in this way must charge the nearest enemy if any are within reach. If the enemy is not within charge reach the unit must move towards the nearest enemy, and must move at least 4" if possible. The unit can move faster than this if the player wishes and assuming that the unit is allowed to do so. If the unit's movement is blocked by friendly troops or terrain it moves as far as it can before stopping. If the unit is facing away from its nearest enemy it turns or wheels to face them and moves as far as it can towards them.
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The charge of a warband could often bowl over an enemy by its sheer ferocity. If the initial charge could be checked, however, then a warband would often find itself at a disadvantage against a more disciplined, cooler-headed, or less exhausted foe. To represent this a unit that is defeated in hand-to-hand combat is automatically broken without a Break test if it is outnumbered by a Warband which charged that turn. If the Warband does not outnumber the unit then a Break test is taken as normal.
Light Troops
Armies almost always included lightly armed infantry and cavalry, very often carrying weapons with which to harry the foe from a distance such as javelins, slings, and bows. This section describes rules for three different kinds of light troops: skirmishers, light infantry, and light cavalry.
Skirmishers
Skirmishers are loosely organised bands of troops who move and fight in a dispersed or open formation. Unimpeded by their fellows these flexible groups can easily move into or through rough terrain or woodland and into built up areas. Unconstrained by formal rank and file, a warrior can step aside to avoid incoming missiles, or deflect them with his shield.
In a dispersed skirmishing band each warrior fights as an individual. He does not enjoy the support of other warriors at his side as he would in a conventional regiment. Whilst ill-equipped to take on closely formed units in hand-to-hand fighting, it is a simple matter for skirmishers to harry such units by lobbing missiles from a short distance. In battle, skirmishers were deployed to screen the main army from enemy missile troops, or to make swift advances through woods, over steep hills or across rivers to occupy important positions that close order troops found difficult to reach. The best counter to skirmishers was other light troops.
Who Can Skirmish
In a battle only light troops are allowed to skirmish. These troops are indicated in their army list, and include all troops described as skirmishers as well as light infantry and light cavalry. However, any unit of infantry can adopt a skirmish formation in order to enter buildings as described in the section on buildings. Any unit of cavalry can also adopt a skirmish formation to move through a built up area, such as a courtyard, but cavalry are unable to enter buildings.
Skirmish Formation
Troops fighting in skirmish formation do not move or fight in a rigid formation of ranks and files. Instead they fight as a loose group or rough line with open space between each model. Troops described as skirmishers in their army list must fight in this formation; they cannot form up in a conventional formation. Light infantry and light cavalry can fight in either formation, and can change formation as described later.
Models are positioned up to 2" apart so that they are not touching each other. Should the group be split as a result of casualties, or should individual models become divided from it for some reason, then the player must rectify this in his next movement phase.
Moving. Skirmishing models are moved individually. The unit does not turn or wheel, and individual models are simply turned about freely as they manoeuvre. This does not reduce the distance they can move in any way. After movement is complete, the unit must still form a cohesive group with models up to 2" apart. Skirmishing models suffer no movement penalties either for crossing obstacles or for moving over difficult ground.
Double pace. Because they are unrestrained by the closeness of their formation skirmishing troops move at double pace. A skirmishing unit with a movement characteristic of 4 moves up to 8" rather than 4". Skirmishers do not double their doubled move to march or charge; they simply move at double pace all the time. Their standard move characteristic is still used to resolve pursuit and fleeing.
Shooting and moving. Skirmishing units that move faster than their standard movement characteristic value (more than 4" if the movement value is 4) are assumed to be concentrating on moving and are unable to shoot that turn.
Shooting at skirmishers. An enemy shooting at skirmishing troops suffers a -1 to hit penalty in the same way as if they were shooting at character models. If a character is fighting as part of a skirmishing unit the -1 penalty is applied only once and not twice.
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Skirmishers)
Skirmishing units may charge an enemy that is visible to at least one member of the unit when charges are declared. All models in reach are moved individually towards their foe and arranged into a fighting line. Any models that are unable to reach their enemy are placed loosely behind or beside those fighting so that the unit remains in a clump or line with models up to 2" apart.
Formation in combat. Skirmishing troops lack the formation of ranks and files and so lose some of the normal bonuses. Skirmishing troops receive no advantages for having additional ranks in their formation. Such ranks cannot fight in combat regardless of their armament, and offer no combat bonus when working out which side has won.
Skirmishing units have no flank or rear in combat. This means the enemy cannot receive a bonus for attempting to attack these positions. Similarly the unit cannot be charged in the flank or rear whilst engaged in combat, so no Panic test is required for this.
Engaged skirmishers. When skirmishing units are engaged in hand-to-hand combat, it is possible that some models will be fighting while others are left out of the combat. In this case any models not fighting the enemy are allowed to move in their movement phase and shoot at suitable targets in their shooting phase. Models not already fighting must move into combat in subsequent turns if they can do so. Models are moved as part of ordinary movement; no charge is declared, and the models do not count as charging.
Shooting at skirmishers in combat. Just as individual skirmishers who are not fighting are able to move and shoot, they can also be shot at by the enemy. The enemy is not obliged to randomly allocate hits between friend and foe as is normal when shooting into a combat.
Leadership tests. Skirmishers are scattered across a broad area and their leaders are unable to see all their troops. A unit of skirmishing troops makes any Leadership based test against its own Leadership (Ld) value. If a character joins the unit then his Ld cannot be used to take tests, and the character is bound by the results of any tests taken by the unit as a whole. Skirmishers cannot test on the General's Ld if he is within 12", and cannot re-roll Break tests due to the army's Battle Banner being within 12".
Skirmishers and panic. Troops that are arranged in a normal formation of ranks and files do not have to take a Panic test due to a unit in skirmish formation fleeing, breaking from, or wiped out in hand-to-hand combat.
Light Infantry
Some troops are described in the army lists as light infantry. Light infantry can either fight shoulder to shoulder like ordinary troops on the battlefield, or they can fight as skirmishers by adopting a skirmishing formation. When light infantry fight in skirmish formation all the rules described above apply to them.
When formed up in close order, light infantry are judged to be in a slightly looser formation than that adopted by regular infantry, which means that they do not benefit as much from the security and mass that extra ranks confer to a formation. Light infantry have a maximum rank bonus of only +2, compared to the normal maximum rank bonus of +3 for ordinary infantry.
Light Cavalry
Some troops are described in the army lists as light cavalry. Light cavalry can either fight shoulder to shoulder like ordinary troops, or they can fight as skirmishers by adopting a skirmishing formation as already described. Light cavalry are nimble, lightly armoured cavalry who are able to manoeuvre much more easily than slow ponderous cavalry encumbered by weapons and armour. When light cavalry fight in skirmish formation all the rules described above apply to them.
Adopting a Skirmish Formation
A unit permitted to do so may adopt a skirmish formation either as it deploys or during the battle assuming it is free to move normally. Simply move the models apart to form a rough clump or line with each model moving its usual double pace skirmish move.
Skirmishing troops who can do so can readopt a conventional formation so long as their unit includes a drummer, horn player or other musician model. The musician sounds the call to reform, and the unit regroups into a conventional formation centred upon the position of its leader. See the rules of Reforming in the section on Movement.
Chariots
Chariots were much used in the early period covered by these rules, but were increasingly replaced by cavalry. The Egyptians and early Greeks used light chariots drawn by two horses with a crew comprising driver and bow or spear-armed warriors. The Assyrians, Persians and the armies of Alexander the Great's successors made use of heavier chariots drawn by two to four horses which were designed to smash into an enemy unit and cause as much damage as possible. The heavier vehicles were often fitted with scythes. Most chariots had at least two crew members, one to control the team and the other to fight. Sometimes scythed heavy chariots would be fielded with only a heavily armoured driver, whose job was to drive the chariot into an enemy unit at break-neck speed.
Chariots on the Battlefield
Chariots are treated as a single model in much the same way as a mount and rider. A chariot has characteristics in the same fashion as other models. Some typical examples are shown here, but as chariots varied widely in design the list is by no means complete. Specific details of chariots used by those armies that had them are included in the army list. When an individual warrior can fight on foot or in a chariot, two sets of characteristics are included, one for the warrior riding in the chariot, and one for the warrior on foot.
Chariots are split into three broad types: light, heavy and scythed. Light chariots are fast and manoeuvrable, but not all that effective for charging the enemy, so tend to be used as mobile missile platforms. Heavy chariots are designed to engage the enemy directly and generally have a larger crew with which to fight in close combat. Their sturdy construction limits their manoeuvrability. Scythed chariots are much like heavy chariots, but are primarily designed to smash at full pelt into the enemy, causing considerable damage as they do so, both to their opponents and themselves.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Chariot | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Heavy Chariot | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Scythed Chariot | 7 |
Number of Models
Chariots are considered to be equal to the number of crew for the purposes of any rules specifying a certain number of models, i.e. a unit charged in the flank has to take a Panic test if it is charged by five or more enemy models. In the case of chariots this would mean that the unit would have to take a Panic test if charged by a unit of chariots with five or more crew in total.
Fear
Any type of chariot causes fear in enemy infantry, as described in the Psychology section.
Combat Result Bonus
Each light or scythed chariot destroyed in a combat adds +1 to the opponent's combat result, in addition to the points for any wounds inflicted. Each heavy chariot destroyed in combat adds +2 to the opponent's combat result in addition to the points for any wounds inflicted.
Armour Saves
Chariots have a saving throw based on the armour worn by their crew in the same way as cavalry models. This saving throw is increased to represent the extra protection offered by the chariot, and in the case of chariots this adds +2 to the save. If the crew are completely unprotected the chariot has a save of 5+. For example, if a chariot crew carries shields, the chariot has a save of 4+. If they carry shields and light armour the save is 3+. If some warriors in a chariot have armour and/or shields, and some do not, then use the best protected individual to work out the chariot's armour save.
Chariot Squadrons
All chariots are organised into special units called squadrons, each consisting of three or more models. Chariots always operate in a loose formation forming a rough line or clump with each chariot within 2" of another chariot in the same group. Chariots cannot fight in a tight formation of ranks and files, as ordinary troops such as infantry can, and cannot derive any bonuses for additional ranks.
Each model is moved individually, and the model is free to turn or pivot as it moves with no penalty to the distance moved. However, models must end their move facing in the direction they have travelled, with all the models in the squadron facing roughly the same direction or forming a column moving along the same path. Models in the same squadron cannot be turned to face different directions once they have moved. (Chariots are not skirmishers: skirmishing units can arrange models to face different directions at the end of their move, effectively seeing all round and able to charge through 360 degrees in their following turn; chariots cannot.)
Moving Chariots
Light chariots are allowed to march at double speed, representing the chariots breaking into a high speed gallop. Heavy and scythed chariots are too big and bulky to move at march speed, although they can charge at double rate normally. In addition, heavy and scythed chariots are less manoeuvrable, and the distance moved by a model is halved if it does not move directly forward in a straight line.
Chariots cannot move over obstacles or difficult terrain, except to cross a river at a bridge or a ford. A chariot compelled for some reason to move over terrain it cannot normally cross is likely to be damaged. If forced by circumstance into difficult terrain or over an obstacle (for example if they are forced to flee from close combat), a heavy or scythed chariot will be destroyed on a D6 roll of 1-3, a light chariot on a roll of 1.
Chariot models must always be placed slightly apart so that they are not touching. If a chariot ends its move so that it is touching another chariot, whether friend or foe, there is a chance of them colliding (see Chariot Collisions).
Transporting Troops
In many armies chariots were used to transport troops quickly round the battlefield, the warriors dismounting when the time came to fight. To represent these tactics some chariots are also allowed to carry additional warriors as well as their own crew. Where this is permitted it is noted in the army list. Models carried in this way are represented by free-standing models rather than models glued to the chariot itself, as they may need to move away from the chariot during the battle. Place any transported models to the rear of the chariot's base.
Models carried by a chariot squadron may dismount from their chariots at any point as the unit moves. As each model dismounts from a chariot it is simply left behind at a point along the chariot's path. Dismounting warriors must form into a single unit, and must be dismounted close together to facilitate this. Dismount the unit's leader into a suitable position, and form up the rest of the unit around him.
Models may move on the turn they dismount, but their move is reduced by the proportion of the distance the chariot had gone when they dismounted. For example, if the chariot uses up half its movement before its rider dismounts, then he counts as having used up half his movement as well. Warriors are allowed to dismount and charge in the same turn, but only against a target the unit could see when charges were declared. Once models are dismounted they form a separate unit, allowing the chariots to move off on their own.
Attacking Chariots
A chariot model including its superstructure, the horses pulling it, and all on board are treated as a single target for the purposes of missile fire and hand-to-hand combat, in much the same way that a horse and its rider are treated as a single cavalryman. A chariot can sustain a number of wounds, and once these have gone the entire chariot model is removed from play. In most cases a chariot's number of wounds is actually less than the number of crew, because it is easy to disable a chariot by killing a single horse, or by reducing the crew to a single man who would not be able to do anything other than drive the chariot.
Although they fight in a dispersed or loose formation, chariots are not judged to be difficult to hit with bow shots in the way that skirmishers are. On the other hand they do not constitute large targets either. Light chariots especially are quite small and can move very quickly making them difficult to hit when on the move. To reflect this, troops firing at light chariots that moved in the previous turn must subtract -1 from their to hit roll.
Chariots in Hand-to-Hand Combat
Chariots fight against enemy in contact with the chariot whether to the front, sides or rear. They strike blows in normal initiative order, and attack first during a charge. Additional warriors transported by a chariot which becomes involved in hand-to-hand combat must fight from the chariot using their own attacks and weapon skill. Opponents fight against the chariot itself; they cannot attack any additional warriors it is carrying. Warriors carried in this way cannot be used to satisfy any damage suffered by the chariot and are automatically lost if their chariot is destroyed. For example, if a Hittite chariot carrying a chariot runner suffers a wound then both are lost. You cannot choose to lose the runner rather than the chariot.
Heavy and Scythed Chariots
Heavy chariots are large and strong enough to cause considerable damage as they charge. Scythed chariots were capable of inflicting even greater damage, mainly because they were meant to smash at full speed into the enemy, although this would almost invariably lead to the destruction of the chariot as well.
Heavy and scythed chariots cause a number of automatic hits when they charge their enemy. A charging heavy chariot inflicts D3 automatic hits (i.e. half the score of a D6) in the first round of combat as well as any hits inflicted by the crew. No roll to hit is required, these hits are automatic, but are only caused if the chariot charges that turn. Roll to wound using the chariot's Strength characteristic.
A charging scythed chariot causes D6+2 automatic hits. However the chariot itself is destroyed if the D6 roll is 2 or more. On a roll of 1 the scythed chariot survives the collision, and the crew fight as normal from then on.
Chariot Collisions
If a chariot ends its movement in base contact with another chariot there is a chance they will collide. This always happens when a chariot charges into an enemy chariot, but it can also happen when chariots from the same side are touching. Players should be careful to leave a small gap between chariots once they have moved.
Where chariots are touching other chariots in this fashion roll a D6 on behalf of each chariot. If both scores are the same then the chariots crash and are destroyed. If a chariot touches two or more other chariots roll a D6 for each. If any of the dice rolls match, then touching chariots with matching scores are removed. If all the dice rolls are the same, then they all collide and are destroyed in a multiple pile-up.
Character models with two or more wounds that are mounted in a chariot can survive a crash. The character automatically suffers a wound, and is placed on foot in the position where the collision took place. If you do not have an appropriate foot model to represent the character, he is assumed to have been killed in the collision. Characters that survive a crash cannot attack or be attacked in the combat phase when the collision took place. They may move and fight normally from the following turn.
Drilled Troops
In the army lists some troops are described as drilled. These troops are especially well trained or experienced, and are more manoeuvrable than ordinary warriors. Drilled troops are allowed to open their ranks if a scythed chariot attempts to smash into its front. They take advantage of the fact that chariot horses will try to avoid a solid block of troops if they can, heading for any gaps and hurtling out the other side.
To allow a scythed chariot to pass through its ranks a unit must first take a Leadership test. Take one test, no matter how many chariots are attacking the unit. If the test is failed then the unit must fight any chariots that smash into it. If the test is passed then place the chariots on the other side of the unit, even if this would exceed its normal movement. No combat is fought against chariots that pass through a unit in this way. This tactic may not be used against chariots attacking a unit from its flank or rear.
Flee and Pursuit (Chariots)
Heavy and scythed chariots flee and pursue 2D6". Light chariots pursue 3D6", but flee 2D6" when they break and 3D6" as they flee in subsequent turns. The reduced move for light chariots as they turn and flee simply represents the fact that it is difficult to turn a chariot round quickly in order to run away.
Weapons Used from Chariots
On the whole weapons used by warriors fighting from chariots are treated in the same way as weapons used by cavalry. The exception is that chariot warriors armed with bows or javelins are allowed to fire twice in the shooting phase rather than once. These warriors are able to concentrate all their attentions on shooting allowing them to achieve a higher rate of fire than would normally be possible.
Where the crew of a chariot are armed with a variety of hand-to-hand combat weapons, use the weapon carried by the majority of the unit when working out which special rules apply to the chariot's attacks. If there is still a choice the player may choose which weapon to use.
Elephants
War elephants were used by Alexander's successors, by Hannibal, and (rarely) by the Romans, and were revived by the Sassanid Persians. Elephants were at their most effective against troops meeting them for the first time, particularly if the enemy were not well trained. Against well drilled armies elephants had a lot less success. Two different breeds were used in the ancient world: the Indian elephant and the African forest elephant, which was smaller and considered rather less effective in direct combat.
Elephants in Combat
Elephants are controlled by a driver called a mahout, who rides on the elephant's back just behind its head. In addition to the mahout the elephant carries a crew of two or more warriors armed with long spears, javelins or bows. The warriors either ride sitting on the elephant's back or inside a howdah.
Elephants are always treated as individuals. They do not form into units as such. Elephants cannot march although they double their move when charging in the same way as other models. When you move an elephant model simply measure the distance and make your move. There is no need to turn or wheel, as the elephant is able to turn freely as it moves to face any direction you wish. However, if the elephant turns at all its movement is halved.
Elephants are tall creatures, and can be seen and fired upon over the heads of intervening troops. They can also be seen over intervening hedges or low obstacles, but trees and buildings block the line of sight.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| African Elephant | 6 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Indian Elephant | 6 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Mahout | 4 |
Elephant Leadership
So long as he is alive any tests against Leadership are always worked out using the Leadership value of the Mahout rather than the elephant. If the Mahout is dead then any tests are made against the elephant's own Leadership value.
Elephant Armour Saves
Elephants have an armour saving throw of 4 or more on 1D6 against attacks from the creature's front. This represents the fact that the elephant's thick skull makes it invulnerable to all but the heaviest form of attack from the front. For elephants protected by barding add +1 to their armour save, giving them an armour saving throw of 3+ to the front and 6+ from any other direction.
Riders may save for their armour, but they do not receive the additional +1 as do cavalry riding smaller creatures. However, riders inside a howdah (as opposed to riders on the elephant's back) are treated as being protected by a large shield (+2 armour save). If some members of the crew have armour or shield, always use the most heavily armoured to work out any armour saving throws.
Shooting at an Elephant
When shooting at an elephant roll to hit as normal, adding +1 because the elephant is a large target. Once you have established how many hits have been scored you must apportion them between the riders and the elephant. For each hit scored roll a D6:
| D6 score | What is hit |
|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3, 4 | The elephant. Roll to wound the elephant as normal. |
| 5, 6 | The riders. Roll to wound as normal. The mahout is always assumed to be the last member of the crew to be slain. |
Work out wounds separately on the riders or the elephant. Take any saving throws as normal.
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Elephants)
In hand-to-hand combat the enemy is faced with an elephant and its crew, and so is subject to two lots of attacks. The elephant attacks using its own characteristics, and the riders attack separately using their own characteristics. As the elephant and riders are likely to have different Initiative values they may strike their blows at different times. These attacks are worked out in the usual fashion, as if the riders and elephant were two different models.
When it comes to attacking back, the enemy fights against the WS of the elephant. The score required to hit depends upon the relative values of the elephant's weapon skill as with all hand-to-hand fighting. Once any hits have been worked out they are randomly divided between the elephant and its crew in the same way as hits from shooting.
Combat Results (Elephants)
If an elephant is fighting in a combat then no units from either side may add rank bonuses to their combat score. The confusion caused by the elephant breaks up the cohesion of all the units, negating the usual benefit of extra ranks.
An elephant that loses a round of combat will automatically stampede as described below. No Break test is taken.
Stampeding Elephants
An elephant has one major disadvantage as a weapon of war: though difficult to kill, many pin-prick wounds or the loss of its mahout could cause it to become uncontrollably wild and as great a danger to its own side as to the enemy. Because of this, under certain circumstances elephants must make a test to see how they react. Apart from these circumstances, elephants and their crew are considered to be immune to all the rules for panic and psychology and will never flee from combat.
- If an elephant takes one or more wounds from enemy missile fire it might stampede. Take a Leadership test at the end of the shooting phase, using the mahout's Leadership value if he is still alive, or the elephant's Leadership if the mahout is dead. If the test is passed the elephant remains under control. If the test is failed then the elephant stampedes. Only one Leadership test is made, no matter how many wounds the elephant suffered in the shooting phase.
- If an elephant's mahout is slain then the elephant must immediately make a Leadership test to see if it stampedes, even if it does not suffer any wounds itself.
- If an elephant loses a round of combat it does not flee but will automatically stampede instead. No Break test is taken.
Stampede movement. A stampeding elephant moves 2D6" immediately. Thereafter the elephant moves a further 2D6" in the compulsory movement phase of its own side's turn. Once it has started to stampede it continues stampeding for the rest of the game or until it leaves the table.
When the elephant stampedes roll a D6 and refer to the Stampede template to determine the direction the elephant moves in: the template is a fan of five lines radiating from the elephant's front at 30 degrees to each other, numbered from left to right 1, 2, 3-4 (straight ahead), 5 and 6. If stampeding out of close combat it first turns 180 degrees so that it is facing directly away from its foes and then you roll a dice and move the elephant as shown on the Stampede template. The elephant continues to stampede in this same direction unless it is forced to change direction as described below.
Elephants that stampede from close combat are not considered to be fleeing and their enemy cannot pursue, even though they may have won the combat. Stampeding elephants cannot rally.
A stampeding elephant always moves in a straight line directly ahead. It only deviates if it encounters impassable terrain, in which case it heads off in a random direction determined by the roll of a Scatter dice.
If any troops belonging to either side get in the elephant's way it will stop and attack them, although its riders do not have to join in unless they want to. If a stampeding elephant breaks an opponent it will pursue 2D6", and then continue to stampede in the same direction in its next movement phase. If a stampeding elephant attacks a unit and loses the combat, then turn it away from the enemy and roll again on the Stampede template.
Stampeding elephants that leave the battlefield do not return.
Weapons from Elephants
On the whole weapons used by models who are riding an elephant are treated in the same way as weapons used by models riding cavalry. The only exception is that any elephant crew member who is armed with either bows or javelins is allowed to fire twice each shooting phase rather than once, as they are able to concentrate all their attentions on shooting.
Number of Models (Elephants)
For purposes of any rules that specify a certain number of models, elephants are considered to be equivalent to their initial Wounds value. For example an African elephant counts as the equivalent of five models for the purposes of Panic tests, Break tests etc.
Terror (Elephants)
Elephants are huge creatures and terrifying opponents. They cause fear in infantry and terror in cavalry. Elephants cause fear and terror to all such troops, including those on their own side. In addition cavalry and chariots are not allowed to charge elephants, and if charged by an elephant must choose to either flee or fire & flee as their charge reaction.
"Used To" Elephants
In some armies prolonged contact or special training allowed troops to get used to elephants. The types of troops that are considered to be used to elephants are noted in their army list. Infantry that are used to elephants do not fear them, while cavalry fear them instead of being terrified of them. However, even cavalry that are used to elephants are not allowed to charge them, and must still flee or fire & flee if charged.
Troops described in their army list as drilled as well as used to elephants are allowed to open up their ranks if an elephant charges towards their front so that it has an opportunity to pass through them. This includes when an elephant stampedes into the unit as described in the Stampede rules.
In order to allow elephants to pass through its formation, a unit must first take a Leadership test. Only take one test, no matter how many elephants are attacking the unit. If the Leadership test is failed the unit must fight any elephants as normal. If the test is passed then place the elephant on the opposite side of the unit in the same way as you would for chariots passing through. No combat is fought against elephants that pass through the ranks of a unit in this way. This tactic may not be used against elephants attacking a unit from its flank or rear.
War Machines
The two most common types of war engine were stone throwers and bolt throwers. Stone throwers were used to lob boulders high into the air to come crashing down upon enemy formations or behind city walls. Bolt throwers were powerful torsion devices that could send a spear-sized bolt clean through several ranks. More specialised war machines are described in the special rules section of the army book for armies that use them.
Models
A war machine model comprises the machine itself plus a crew usually of two or three models. The crew figures are based separately, unlike with a chariot or elephant, because a war machine's crew can be forced to flee from their machine, either because they are broken in combat or because they panic.
Batteries
Each war machine can fight as a single unit of one model, like a chariot or an elephant. This is the usual way in which war machines are deployed. If an army includes several war machines of the same type these can be organised into units called batteries. Machines of the same type are automatically assumed to be formed into a battery when deployed within 5" of each other. When fighting in a battery each machine must remain within 5" of another machine in the same battery forming a rough line or clump. The models are still moved individually but must remain together for the duration of the game.
Characters (War Machines)
A character model may join a unit of machines in the same way as he might join a unit of troops. The unit benefits from the associated character's Leadership value. In the case of batteries, the character must be positioned with a specific machine for purposes of allocating damage from shooting hits. However, only a crewman can operate a machine; a character cannot operate a war machine. Characters do not become crew when they join a machine, and are never hurt should a machine malfunction.
War Machines in Combat
The crews of the machines described here all fight in the same way.
Shooting. When shooting at a war machine shots are worked out against the entire model and any hits scored are randomised against the crew and machine. This is essentially the same as for shots at elephants. Machines and their crews constitute a large target (more than 10' high or broad in real terms) and so the shooter benefits from a +1 to hit bonus. Once hits have been established randomise where they strike:
| D6 score | Hit |
|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3, 4 | The machine: roll to wound the machine. |
| 5 or 6 | A crewman: roll to wound a crewman. |
Once all crew are slain, or flee, or once the machine is destroyed, further hits do not need to be randomised but strike a crewman or the machine as appropriate.
Hits from templates. Any shots from stone throwers, or any weapons that use a template, are worked out as described later: if a crewman lies under the template he is hit, if the machine lies under the template it is hit.
Hits on crew/characters. Usually a machine's crew are identical, so it is not necessary to determine which is hit. However if a character is with a machine he may be hit by shots directed at it. In this case, randomise any crew hits to determine if the character is hit. For example where there are two crew and a character roll a D6: 1-2 crewman A, 3-4 crewman B, 5-6 character.
Effects of Damage or Crew Loss
If a war machine is damaged or loses any crew then there is a chance it will not work properly. If you wish to fire a war machine that has suffered any damage or lost any crew then you must first roll a D6. In order to fire you must roll a score greater than the total of the damage it has suffered plus any crew losses. For example, a war machine that lost one of its crew and had taken 1 point of damage must roll a 3 to fire.
A war machine that is destroyed may not fire, even if it has crew remaining. A war machine requires at least one crewman to work, and should all be slain the machine is useless.
Charge Responses (War Machines)
If charged, a war machine's crew can either hold or flee but cannot stand & shoot as machines are too cumbersome to allow this. Where machines fight in a battery the entire battery must declare the same response, and must either hold or flee from the charge.
Hold. In hand-to-hand combat crew that defend their machines are automatically repositioned so that they can fight enemy in contact with the machine. If several machines are organised into a battery all the crew from the machines plus any characters with them can group together to fight. Individual crewmen and characters cannot move further than their normal move distance to reach an enemy. Enemy models can divide attacks between crew, characters or machines that they are touching. The machine itself does not fight.
Flee. If a machine's crew flees from a charge then the chargers can either continue to charge past the machine in order to destroy its crew or, if the player prefers, they can stop when they reach the machine and attack it. The machine itself does not flee as such, but is abandoned by its crew and any associated characters.
Fleeing Crew
If crew flee from hand-to-hand fighting their machine is abandoned. The victors must ignore it in order to pursue unless the player elects to restrain pursuit and passes the required Leadership test to do so.
Once separated from their machines crewmen become individual models. Consequently, the number of crewmen fleeing is used as the basis for Panic tests on friendly troops nearby. For purposes of rallying the original number of crewmen is considered to be the original size of the unit. Thus six crewmen fleeing from a battery of machines would cause a Panic test in friends nearby (as there are five or more) even though they may have abandoned only three machines.
Attacking a Machine
A machine attacked in hand-to-hand fighting is assumed to have a WS of 0 and is therefore hit automatically. An enemy attacking an abandoned war machine is not considered to be engaged in combat. No combat results are worked out and the attackers are free to move away from the machine as they wish.
Abandoned Machines
An abandoned machine can be re-crewed by crew members from any other war machine from the same side if their own machine has been destroyed or abandoned. Crew may deliberately abandon a war machine in order to crew another. Crew models will not fight away from a machine and if they are charged whilst not serving as crew they will always flee.
Stone Throwers
Stone throwers are powerful and destructive weapons that lob large boulders high into the air, sending them crashing through enemy ranks crushing limbs and armour alike. Some used a massive counterweight to catapult their missile into the air while others used torsion power like a giant crossbow. The bigger the engine, the larger the rock it could throw and the more damage it could do.
Firing the stone thrower. Work out the results of stone throwing in the shooting phase. You need a round 3" diameter missile template that has a 1" hole in the centre, made from card or plasticard. The template represents the area of impact itself, plus the surrounding radius over which shards of sharp stone can strike nearby troops.
Pivot the stone thrower model on the spot so that it is pointing in the direction you wish to shoot. Now, without measuring the distance to your target, declare how far you wish to fire. You must guess the range as accurately as you can. Once you have made your guess place the template directly in front of the stone thrower the distance you have guessed. For example: you declare that you are firing 28" directly towards the centre of the spearmen. Having made your guess measure 28" towards your target. If you have made a good guess the template lies over your intended target. If not, there is still a chance the stone may veer off course and hit something.
To decide if the missile lands where you have aimed it roll both the Scatter dice and the Artillery dice. The Scatter dice is a dice marked with arrows on four sides and the word HIT on two sides. If you roll a HIT then the missile lands exactly where you have aimed it. If you roll an arrow then the missile veers in the direction shown by the arrow. The Artillery dice is marked 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and MISFIRE. If you roll a misfire then something has gone wrong: roll a D6 and consult the Misfire table. A misfire roll automatically cancels out the whole shot regardless of the Scatter dice result.
If you roll a number on the Artillery dice then this is the distance in inches the missile veers off target as shown by the arrow on the Scatter dice. Move the template the distance indicated in the direction shown by the arrow. If you roll a HIT then the numbers are ignored; a number simply indicates that the shot has not misfired.
For example: you guessed exactly right and the template lies directly in the middle of your chosen target. You roll both dice. The Scatter dice shows a HIT, so you have landed bang on target. The Artillery dice score is 4; the number indicates that nothing is amiss and the shot lands exactly where you aimed it. If the Artillery dice had been a misfire then the whole shot would have been messed up as indicated on the Misfire table.
Misfire table for stone throwers (roll a D6):
- 1-2 Destroyed! The engine cannot stand the strain placed upon it and breaks under tension as it is fired. The engine is destroyed and its crew slain or injured. Remove the engine and its crew.
- 3-4 Disabled! The normal smooth running of the machine and its crew is disrupted by some accident or freak occurrence. The engine does not shoot this turn and cannot fire next turn either while the damage is repaired. To help you remember it is a good idea to turn the machine round to face away from the enemy. In addition, one of the crew is slain.
- 5-6 May not shoot! A minor fault prevents the machine shooting this turn. The machine is unharmed and may shoot as normal next turn.
Damage. Once you have established where the stone lands, damage is worked out. Models that lie directly under the hole are hit automatically; only one model can lie under the hole and if there is any doubt it is the model that is under the exact centre. Models whose bases lie under the rest of the template are hit on a D6 roll of 4+. Use your judgement to decide exactly which models lie under the template. As a rule of thumb a model can be considered as a potential hit if at least half of its base area lies under the template, while models whose bases are only touched or grazed are ignored.
Once you have worked out which models are struck by your missile work out damage in the usual way. Roll for each target to see if you wound. Stone throwers have a high strength and usually wound on the roll of a 2+ against most human or similarly sized targets.
A hit from a stone thrower causes either D3 (i.e. half the score of a D6) or D6 wounds depending on its size, but as most targets have only 1 wound it is not necessary to take this dice roll. It is, however, useful when attacking characters, elephants, chariots and buildings. No saving throw is allowed for armour.
Profiles. Stone throwers are divided into three types: ordinary sized ones, big ones, and huge ones.
| Maximum range (you may guess) | Strength | Wounds | Save | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Thrower | 48" | 6 | D3 | None |
| Big Stone Thrower | 48" | 7 | D6 | None |
| Huge Stone Thrower | 48" | 8 | D6 | None |
Attacking stone throwers. Being large, solid devices stone throwers are difficult to destroy. However, it is possible for them to be the target of other machines or warriors armed with double-handed axes who can chop them apart. Stone throwers therefore have a profile with a Toughness value and a number of wounds they can sustain before being destroyed. A typical stone thrower has the following values.
| Move | Toughness | Wounds |
|---|---|---|
| As crew | 7 | 3 |
The move rate is the speed the stone thrower moves with its full crew; if any crew are slain its speed is reduced proportionally. A machine cannot move and shoot in the same turn except to turn to face its target.
Stone thrower summary.
- Declare target and guess range.
- Position template and roll Scatter and Artillery dice.
- If the Artillery dice shows a MISFIRE refer to the Misfire table, otherwise:
- If the Scatter dice shows a HIT the stone has struck home.
- If the Scatter dice shows an arrow the stone has landed 2", 4", 6", 8" or 10" in the direction away from the aiming point as shown on the Artillery dice.
- The single model in the exact centre is hit. Remaining models under the template are hit on the D6 score of a 4+.
- Work out hits as normal. Models are allowed no saving throw from a stone thrower.
Bolt Throwers
Bolt or dart throwers are large crossbows that shoot a missile like a heavy arrow. They are mounted on their own stand, often with wheels so that they can be pivoted easily. A crew of two or more is required to wind back the powerful torsion arms and position the huge bolt ready for firing.
Firing bolt throwers. Bolt throwers are fired in the shooting phase along with other missile weapons. To shoot your bolt thrower first turn it on the spot so that it points towards your intended victim (no penalty to hit is applied for this). The bolt travels straight forward and hopefully hits the first target in its path. To determine if the bolt strikes its target roll a D6 to hit using the crew's BS in the same way as bow shots, crossbows, and other missile weapons. All the usual modifiers apply other than that the machine can pivot without penalty. If you score a hit work out damage as described below. If you miss then the bolt hits the ground or sails into the air and comes down harmlessly somewhere else.
Working out damage from hits. A bolt thrower can hurl its bolt through several ranks of troops, piercing each warrior in turn. If you hit then resolve damage against the target using the bolt thrower's full Strength of 5. If the model is slain then the bolt hits the trooper in the second rank directly behind: resolve damage on the second model with a Strength of 4. If the second rank trooper is slain then a model in the third rank is hit: resolve damage with a Strength of 3. Continue to work out damage as the bolt pierces and slays a model in each rank, deducting -1 from the Strength for each rank pierced.
A model damaged by a bolt thrower sustains not 1 but D4 wounds (use a 4-sided dice or roll a D6 and roll again if you get a 5 or a 6), which means that even an elephant or another war machine can be hurt or even slain by a hit from a bolt thrower. Armour saves are not allowed for hits from a bolt thrower; the missiles are so fast and deadly that any type of armour can be pierced along with its wearer. Because saves are not taken a target with only 1 wound will be slain if it takes damage, so there is no need to roll the D4 to decide the number of wounds.
Profile.
| Range | Strength | Damage | Wounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48" | 5, -1 per rank | D4 | No save allowed |
Attacking bolt throwers. Bolt throwers are difficult to destroy, but it is possible for them to become the target of other machines or warriors armed with double-handed axes who can chop them apart. A typical bolt thrower has the values shown here.
| Move | Toughness | Wounds |
|---|---|---|
| As crew | 7 | 3 |
The move rate is the speed the bolt thrower can move at with its full complement of crew; if any crew are slain its speed is then reduced proportionally. A machine cannot move and shoot in the same turn except to turn to face its target.
Summary of bolt throwers.
- Align bolt thrower on target and roll to hit.
- Resolve damage at Strength 5. No save is allowed for a bolt thrower.
- If the target is slain roll damage against the second rank at Strength 4.
- Continue rolling for damage until you fail to slay the target or run out of ranks. Deduct -1 from the Strength for each rank that the bolt thrower has already pierced.
Buildings and Fortifications
The following section provides rules for using buildings on the battlefield, either isolated farmsteads, villages, towers and watch posts, or something else along these lines. Buildings are important from a tactical point of view. Towers may overlook a wide part of the battlefield and provide an excellent vantage point for archers. Any troops deployed inside a building are hard to winkle out, and so may be able to defend it against far larger numbers of enemy.
Moving into and around Buildings
Rigid formations of troops cannot move around a building, and so only troops that are in skirmish formation may enter such terrain (see the Light Troops section). Although only specified types of troops can skirmish on the battlefield, any troops can skirmish in or around buildings.
Models may enter a building in their movement phase by moving through an unguarded doorway or window. A unit may be positioned so that some models are inside a building, while the rest of the unit is outside. Models can leave a building through any unguarded doorway or window, but are not allowed to enter and exit a building on the same turn.
The number of models you can get into your buildings depends on the building's size. As a guide, allow as many models into the building as can fit into its ground area. If the building has several storeys then it will be able to hold more models. You can decide exactly how many models a building can hold before the game begins. Cavalry, chariots, and other large models cannot enter buildings that are too small for them. An elephant is too big to get into a peasant hut.
You may find it easiest to simply remove models from the table as they enter buildings and place them somewhere out of the way. Note down on a scrap of paper how many models are in the building if you wish.
Unless your buildings are really huge you will not need to move troops about inside. Models in the building can be assumed to be wherever you wish, and can shoot from windows or move out through doors as convenient. However, if your buildings are really huge, i.e. bigger than 6" along any edge, then you will have to record movement inside them, noting down where troops are on a piece of paper each turn (it would be silly to allow a model to move into a 48" long building at one end and then out the other side in one turn).
Shooting from Buildings
Models inside buildings can shoot missiles from arrow-slits, windows or doors. Up to two models may shoot from each opening. Models on flat roofs, parapets, balconies, or such-like can also shoot as normal. Troops in buildings do not all have to shoot at the same target; instead they may shoot as individuals, shooting from a particular window at targets they can see.
Models that have shot missiles from windows can be seen and may be shot at by enemy in their turn. Models inside buildings benefit from being behind hard cover (-2 to hit) as well as being in skirmish formation (a further -1 to hit).
Fighting inside Buildings
An attacking unit has to be in skirmish formation to assault a building, so that they can move through doors and windows more easily to get inside. Attacking models can enter the building through unguarded doors and windows, but must stop if a defender guards the entrance.
Up to two models per side may fight through each window or door. The defenders count as fighting behind an obstacle, and the attackers therefore require a 6 to hit regardless of their weapon skill until they have won a round of combat (see the combat rules).
When both sides have models inside the same building it is necessary to have a floor plan, as you need to be able to tell where the models are in order to establish who can fight who. Floor plans can be quickly drawn up on a piece of scrap paper, and do not have to be too accurate so long as they are about the right size and show the approximate position of important features like doors, windows and interior walls. Keep the floor plan on a suitable flat surface near the battlefield, and simply transfer models to it as they enter the building. If you have a model building with a removable roof you will not need floor plans.
When deciding which side has won a combat in a building, count up casualties, but ignore the usual bonus for fighting in ranks, standards, flank attacks, and so forth.
Destroying Buildings
Elephants and war machines may be capable of destroying buildings. Buildings therefore have a Toughness value and can sustain a number of wounds before they are destroyed. We call them damage points instead; wounds and damage points are exactly the same thing. If a building is very large it may not be appropriate to destroy it all at once. You could divide up large buildings into several smaller sections each with its own damage points (for example a manor house with a main section and two separate wings could be divided into three parts for recording damage points and for moving troops within it).
The following chart lists types of building and suggests values for Toughness and damage points. As most gamers make their own buildings you may prefer to tailor each building's values to its appearance.
| Type of building | Toughness | Damage points |
|---|---|---|
| Mud or straw huts, light wooden shacks, outhouses | 7 | 2 |
| Timber, brick or log house | 8 | 5 |
| A heavily reinforced door | 6 | 1 |
| A fortress gate | 8 | 5 |
| Stone house | 9 | 5 |
| Stone tower or fortification | 10 | 10 |
| Mud-brick huts or houses | 7 | 5 |
If a building sustains its full quota of damage points it collapses. Any models inside must make their basic armour saving roll or they are trapped inside and slain. Models that pass may be formed up outside the building.
Values are included for heavy doors and fortress gates, as you may wish to fight games that involve defenders locking shut the doors of their tower or castle while the attackers attempt to batter down their defences. Domestic doors are not sufficiently substantial to withstand a determined defender and so offer no resistance to attack.
Special Rules (Buildings)
You can invent your own special rules to incorporate unusual buildings into your games. For example, a winding stairway might take half a turn to climb, or a full turn if it is very long. A narrow passage might allow room for only four models per turn, a treacherous ledge might reduce movement to half rate with a 1 in 6 chance of falling if you move faster, and so forth.
Collecting an Ancient Battles Army
The original includes extensive hobby guidance on model scales, painting, basing and storing an army; that material is not rules and is omitted here. The army-organisation guidance is summarised from the text below.
Mustering Your Forces
A good start for any army is to assemble a couple of units of core troops (solid fighting troops such as Roman legionaries or Celtic tribesmen). To this solid core you can add one or two units of cavalry or light troops and a general to create a small army. Aim to have at least 1,000 points complete as soon as possible; a core unit of, say, 24 Roman legionaries provides about 400 points. You will need about 100 models before you have a force that can be fielded in battle. Typically, a unit of front line infantry numbers 20 to 30, skirmishers or light troops might fight in units of 10 to 20, and cavalry can usefully be fielded as units of between 5 and 10.
Organising an Army
Each unit of troops, characters, and war machines is recorded on a standard file card: the troops' profile, the points value per model, and the total points value of the unit. If the unit has a standard, musician and leader this is noted as well. Options not bound to the appearance of models (such as whether to field a unit with or without martiobarbuli) can be noted on the card.
The file cards can be used during the game to check characteristic values, but it is better to copy the details over onto a single sheet of paper or roster sheet, because you might want to field the unit without its leader, standard bearer or musician, or reduce the size of the unit to meet your permitted points total. Copy over the unit's profile and any other details you need onto the roster sheet. Copy over all the units required to form the army and add up the total to make sure you are within the agreed points limit. If you have gone over the permitted total then removing the odd model from your larger units, or sacrificing a musician or standard in favour of an ordinary trooper, will usually bring you back within your limit. The roster sheet can also be used to make notes and summarise special rules which apply to your army, and to note down wounds suffered by characters in pencil.
Movement Trays
A move tray is a sheet of reasonably stiff plasticard, card or board cut to a size so that an infantry or cavalry unit will stand upon it when arrayed in its usual fighting formation. For example, a unit of 40 Gauls arrayed 4 ranks deep measures 10 x 4 models; as the figures are 20mm square the entire unit fits upon a 200 x 80mm tray. Models can be blue-tacked to the move tray or secured with double sided tape so they can still be removed as casualties occur. A large unit can be split onto several trays. Whether to use trays is entirely up to you.
Scenarios
Battles are fought between two opposing armies. For purposes of explanation the rules assume that each army is represented by one player, but several players may play on the same side, perhaps with one acting as overall commander while the others are allotted portions of the army to control.
Before the battle begins players must select their forces. Players new to wargaming will probably want to use their entire army against their opponent's, in which case players can either field everything they have or agree to use two armies of roughly equal size. It is useful to have a means of choosing evenly matched armies: by allotting a strict points value to each kind of warrior, character and war engine and by choosing armies to a fixed points total, it is possible to ensure armies are as equally matched as possible.
The game rules can be employed to enact many kinds of conflict from chance encounters and skirmishes to full-bloodied battles. Either pick a scenario to play or randomly select a scenario by rolling a dice. The scenarios use the points values of the troops as the basis for working out the opposing forces. Of these the most straightforward is the Pitched Battle.
- Pitched Battle
- Meeting Engagement
- Surprise Attack
- Flank Attack
- Breakthrough
- Ambush
- Last Stand
- Skirmish
Standard deployment. On a standard 8' x 4' wargames table the two armies deploy no closer than 12" to the side edges, and no closer than 24" to each other (player 1 and player 2 edges at the two short ends). If your table is smaller, then the space available to deploy is less, but the indicated distances remain the same.
1. Pitched Battle
In a Pitched Battle armies deploy one unit at a time and the opposing generals can decide how to react to their enemy's dispositions as they go along. This is the quickest way to set up a game.
- Scenery. Players set up the scenery in any mutually agreeable manner.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to an equal points value agreed before the game.
- Deployment. Armies are deployed no closer than 24" to each other and no closer than 12" to the side edges. Players take it in turns to choose and deploy one unit at a time starting with the side which has the most units. All characters are deployed last as a single choice. Once both sides have completed deployment, all skirmishers including light infantry and light cavalry deployed in skirmish formation may be moved 4" further onto the table.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play. A score of 1-2 = 4 turns, 3-4 = 5 turns, 5-6 = 6 turns. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or until one player concedes.
- Who goes first. Both players roll a dice. The first player to complete his deployment adds +1 to his dice roll. The highest scoring player chooses whether to go first or second.
- Victory. Unless one player concedes beforehand, the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. See the separate Victory Points schedule.
Secret dispositions. Some players prefer to deploy their armies secretly using a map rather than simply placing their units one after the other. Each player makes a rough sketch of the battlefield upon which he indicates where his various units will be deployed. Once both players have completed their maps they are revealed to their opponent and the armies are set out as indicated on the map. Another way of deploying in secret is to erect some kind of barrier across the table so that troops can be arranged unseen by the opponent.
2. Meeting Engagement
In a Meeting Engagement rival armies meet whilst they are still in a column of march. The armies begin to deploy into battle lines and fight immediately. Troops already weary from their long march must attempt to deploy into the best positions as rapidly as possible.
- Scenery. The players set up the scenery in any mutually agreeable manner.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to an equal points value agreed before the game.
- Deployment. Before the game begins both players make a list of all the units in their army. Each player's list represents his marching order, with the units at the top of the list at the front of the column and units at the bottom of the list at the back. Character models are always listed together as one entry and must be placed last in the column of march (i.e. at the bottom of the list). Once players have completed their marching order the player with the most units places the first unit from his list, then his opponent places the first unit from his list. The players continue to alternate placing units from their list until they reach the last entry which will always be the characters. Units can be placed anywhere on the player's own half of the table but not within 6" of the centre line or within 18" of an enemy unit that has already been placed. When it comes to placing characters these are all placed at once, but models can be positioned in different locations as required.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play. A score of 1-2 = 4 turns, 3-4 = 5 turns, 5-6 = 6 turns. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or until one player concedes.
- Who goes first. The player who completes his deployment first takes the first turn.
- Victory. Unless one player concedes beforehand, the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. See the separate Victory Points schedule.
3. Surprise Attack
A Surprise Attack is a variant of the straightforward Pitched Battle. It differs in that the commander who completes his deployment first is allowed to move troops onto the battlefield whilst his opponent continues to deploy. This enables him to occupy tactically advantageous ground or to set up a devastating attack in the first turn.
- Scenery. The players set up the scenery in any mutually agreeable manner.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to an equal points value agreed before the game.
- Deployment. Armies are deployed no closer than 24" to each other and no closer than 12" to the side edges as shown on the standard deployment map. Each side chooses and deploys a single unit at a time, as described for a Pitched Battle, but starting with the player who rolls the highest score on a D6. The first side to complete its deployment gains the advantage of surprise and is allowed to advance onto the battlefield whilst the enemy is still deploying. When it is his turn to place troops the player who has completed his deployment can move any one unit a further 4" onto the battlefield. The unit moves 4" regardless of its own movement rate, but must take into account obstructive terrain and obstacles. Each time it is his turn to deploy the player can move any one unit in this way. He can move different units or he can move the same unit several times if he wants, but no advancing units may be moved within 8" of enemy troops.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns. Alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play: 1-2 = 4 turns, 3-4 = 5 turns, 5-6 = 6 turns. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or until one player concedes.
- Who goes first. The player who completes his deployment first takes the first turn.
- Victory. Unless one player concedes beforehand the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. See the separate Victory Points schedule.
4. Flank Attack
In a Flank Attack one of the armies comes from two different directions, some deploying to the front as usual whilst others attack from one side. This represents two separate forces converging upon an enemy from different directions, possibly by means of a side valley, pass, bridge, or other route.
- Scenery. The players set up the scenery they have in a mutually agreeable manner. However, no scenery may be placed within 12" of the short sides of the table edge except for a river that may run off the edge.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to an equal points value agreed before the game.
- Deployment. The flanking player divides his army into two separate forces: a frontal force and a flanking force. Each force must contain at least a third of his total points; for example in a 3,000 point army each force must contain at least 1,000 points. The flanking player deploys only his frontal force onto the table at the start of the game. Armies are deployed no closer than 24" to each other and no closer than 12" to the side edges (see the standard deployment map). Both armies are deployed one unit at a time as described for a Pitched Battle. Once both sides have completed deployment, all skirmishers including light infantry and light cavalry deployed in skirmish formation may be moved 4" further onto the table.
- Flankers. Flanking units are placed on the battlefield in the movement phase of the player's turn three. He can place as many units as he can along one side edge, but no closer than 12" to either player's table edge. Unit formations must not be so deeply arrayed that they intrude more than the depth of two ranks of cavalry onto the table (i.e. no more than 100mm or roughly 4"). If there is not enough room to deploy the entire flanking force in one turn, then further units may be brought onto the same flank in the movement phases of subsequent turns once there is room for them to deploy. Units deploying onto the battlefield at the start of the movement phase may take a normal turn but may not charge as they will have missed the opportunity to declare charges that turn.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play. A score of 1-2 = 4 turns, 3-4 = 5 turns, 5-6 = 6 turns. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or until one player concedes. In a Flank Attack the number of turns played makes a big difference to the outcome, with a short game favouring the smaller force and a longer game favouring the flanking player.
5. Breakthrough
In the Breakthrough one army attempts to break through the opposing lines whilst the enemy tries to stop them, either to prevent them reaching a vital objective or to contain and destroy them. The defending army sets up as the enemy approaches and braces itself for the attack.
- Scenery. Players set up the scenery in any mutually agreeable manner.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to an equal points value agreed before the game.
- Deployment. Armies are deployed no closer than 24" to each other and no closer than 12" to the side edges in the same way as in Pitched Battle. The side that is attempting to stop the break out deploys its entire army first. The side attempting the break out then deploys its entire army. Once both sides have completed deployment, all skirmishers including light infantry and light cavalry deployed in skirmish formation may be moved 4" further onto the table.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play. A score of 1-3 = 5 turns, 4-6 = 6 turns. This is longer than most scenarios to give sufficient time for the army attempting the Breakthrough to reach the opposing table edge. If your table is very wide (more than 4') you may allow longer. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or one player concedes, or until the player attempting the breakthrough has successfully moved three units of at least five models, or two units plus the general, off the opposing table edge.
- Who goes first. Both players roll a dice. The player with the highest score may choose to go first or second.
- Victory. The game automatically ends and the player attempting the breakthrough wins if he gets three units of at least five models off the opposing player's table edge or two such units plus the general. A unit which reaches the opposing table edge and which is not engaged in combat is automatically removed and is deemed to have successfully broken through. Otherwise, unless one player concedes beforehand, the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. The Victory Points schedule explains how these are worked out, but no victory points are awarded for possessing table quarters in a Breakthrough game. In addition, the player attempting the breakthrough receives +30 extra Victory Points for each unit of five troops or more which breaks through before the game ends.
6. Ambush
In an Ambush one army is arrayed in column whilst his enemy attacks unexpectedly from prepared positions.
- Scenery. The players set up the scenery in a mutually agreeable manner leaving a clear path 12" wide extending right across the edge of the defender's side of the table. This is the path along which the ambushed army is travelling.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to a points value agreed before the game. The ambushed side is allowed half as many points again as the ambusher; for example ambusher 2,000 points, ambushed 3,000 points.
- Deployment. The ambushed army is deployed along the clear path along the edge of the table no further than 12" from the edge and no closer than 12" to the side edges. The ambushed player deploys his entire army first. His units must be formed into columns no more than three models wide, facing in the direction of travel (either to the left or right; roll a dice to determine which). Once the ambushed player has finished his deployment the ambusher deploys his army no closer than 18" to the defender's set-up area and no closer than 12" to the side edges.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play. A score of 1-2 = 4 turns, 3-4 = 5 turns, 5-6 = 6 turns. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or until one player concedes.
- Who goes first. The ambusher takes the first turn.
- Victory. Unless one player concedes beforehand the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. See the separate Victory Points schedule.
7. Last Stand
In the Last Stand one player is occupying an encampment, small township, fortified hill or similar chosen position which he must defend against overwhelming odds.
- Scenery. The players set up the scenery in a mutually agreeable manner, except that the defending player can set up scenery as he likes inside his own deployment area. No scenery at all can be placed within a band that extends 6" beyond the defender's deployment area.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to a points value agreed by the players before the game begins. The attacker is allowed twice as many points as the defender; for example attacker 3,000 points, defender 1,500 points.
- Deployment. The defender sets up his entire army within an 18" x 18" square that is centred upon the middle of the table. This is the defender's set-up area and all defenders are deployed within it at the beginning of the game. Once the defender has deployed his forces, the attacker deploys his army anywhere on the table that is not within 8" of the defender's set-up area.
- Special rules. All models in the defending army increase their Leadership score by +1 up to a maximum of 10. This represents their dogged determination to fight to the end.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, roll a D6 to decide how many turns to play. A score of 1-2 = 4 turns, 3-4 = 5 turns, 5-6 = 6 turns. The game continues until each side has taken the number of turns indicated, or until one player concedes.
- Who goes first. The defender takes the first turn.
- Victory. Unless one player concedes the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. The defender has 50 automatic victory points so long as he has at least one unit of troops still fighting at the end of the game. Otherwise the Victory Points schedule is used as normal.
8. Skirmish
A Skirmish is basically a small action, usually between lightly equipped troops: two scouting forces meeting unexpectedly, troops clashing as they forage or search for water, or a patrol encountering bandits, raiders or renegade barbarians.
- Scenery. Players set up the scenery in any mutually agreeable manner. In a Skirmish it is often more satisfying to set the game up around a farm house or ruin, so that the troops can take full advantage of the cover it affords.
- Armies. Armies are chosen from the army lists to an equal points value agreed before the game and up to a maximum value of 1,000 points.
- Deployment. Armies are deployed no closer than 24" to each other and no closer than 12" to the side edges as shown on the standard deployment map. To introduce a random element each player rolls a dice and the side with the highest score places one unit, both players roll again and the highest roll places a unit, and so on until one player has placed all of its troops. The other player can then place any remaining units.
- Turns. The players elect to play for an agreed number of turns or, alternatively, play until one player concedes or until all of his units are destroyed or fleeing. Because a skirmish is quite small it is quite feasible to play to the death.
- Who goes first. The first player to complete his deployment goes first.
- Skirmish. In a Skirmish all units involved are allowed to skirmish as described in the rulebook. Normally only troops specified as being able to skirmish can do so, but in this game all units can.
- Victory. Unless one player concedes beforehand, the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game or who annihilates his opponent. See the separate Victory Points schedule.
Scenery
There is no hard and fast rule about how players set up the battlefield; the scenery can be laid out in any way you find agreeable. A method which works well for Pitched Battles or Meeting Engagements is for one player to lay the scenery out while the other player chooses which side he will fight from. This ensures that scenery is laid out in as even-handed a manner as possible.
Many players find it convenient to use a scenery generator system when setting up the battlefield. If you generate terrain you do not have, just re-roll until you get a result you can use. Players can make use of the Scenery Generator table in any way they please. For example, you might decide how much scenery you want and then roll randomly to determine what it is, after which each player chooses and places one item alternately until the table is complete. Another method is for a player to choose a piece of scenery, then both players roll a dice and the highest scorer positions it, after which the lowest scorer chooses another item, then both roll to see who positions it, and so on.
Placing Scenery
The authors' favoured method is to firstly decide which table edge the armies will start from. Then each player rolls a D6 and the highest scorer starts to place scenery first. To generate a piece of scenery roll 2D6 and consult the Scenery Generator table. The player can either place that piece of scenery or pass and place no scenery at all if he prefers. Unless he passes the player places the scenery somewhere on his own side of the table. Scenery is not placed on the other player's side of the table unless it is a plain hill, in which case it can be placed straddling the dividing line.
Each player continues to lay down scenery one item at a time. Once there is one river or stream on the tabletop any further river/stream results are re-rolled. One type of scenery can be placed over another where appropriate to produce, say, wooded hills or hillsides with walls.
Once each player has placed at least one piece, either player may declare he is satisfied with the scenery as it is instead of generating and placing a further piece. The other player then has the option of generating and placing one more piece if he wishes. The battlefield is then complete. If both players are in agreement scenery can now be moved around or removed if it is felt a better battle will result.
Scenery Generator Table (Roll 2D6)
- 2. A Deep River or Lake. Choose either a deep river or a lake. A river must be placed so that it flows onto the battlefield from one side and out from either the same or another side. It cannot spring from nowhere and it cannot simply end. A river may not extend over more than half the length of the table unless your opponent agrees that it may do so. A deep river cannot be crossed anywhere along its length except at a ford or bridge. A river must always include at least one bridge or ford somewhere along its length. If it extends over more than half the length of the table it must include two crossing places, one of which is chosen and positioned by the opposing player. A lake is impossible to cross.
- 3. A Shallow River or Stream. Choose either a shallow river (which can be crossed at quarter speed) or a stream (which may be crossed at half speed). The river or stream must enter and leave at a table edge. Rivers cannot extend over more than half of the table length without your opponent's consent, but this does not apply to streams. If you place a river it must have at least one bridge or ford. If the river extends over more than half the table length it must include two crossing places, one of which is chosen and positioned by the opposing player. A stream may have a single crossing place along its length if you wish.
- 4. Difficult Ground. Choose an area of difficult terrain such as a marsh, area of scrub, soft sand, boulder strewn ground, debris, shallow pit or area of loose rocks. Troops move across difficult ground at half their normal speed.
- 5. A Steep Hill. A steep hill is difficult to move over (troops move at half speed), and may have cliffs on one or more sides. Cliffs are impossible to move over and act as a barrier to movement.
- 6. A Wood. Woods slow troops down (to half their normal speed) and they also act as a barrier to sight, preventing shooting.
- 7. Hill or Wood. Choose either a hill or a wood.
- 8. A Hill. Hills do not slow down troops but they provide excellent vantage points where you can position archers or stationary troops. Hills are useful defence points in hand-to-hand combat as it is easier to win a combat if you are uphill of your opponent.
The objective of setting up terrain is to provide an interesting and entertaining battle, not to impede movement to the extent where armies are unable to get anywhere. If neither player is satisfied with the terrain once it has been generated then start again. The size of hills or woods is not defined, as players are assumed to use scenery they have made themselves. As a general rule no terrain feature may be bigger than 12" across.
Rivers can be particularly problematic if one side is determined to play a wholly static, defensive game, so a river is never placed over more than half the length of the table unless both players agree. Should the river extend over more than half the table length then the opposing player can place a bridge or ford as described on the chart. Deep rivers do not make for entertaining fast moving games and players might prefer to avoid using them altogether in favour of either shallow rivers or a lake.
Victory
Either agree beforehand for how long you will play or roll a dice as described in the scenarios. The dice rolls are designed to give a battle anywhere between four and six turns. The number of turns affects the way the game plays, and for this reason it is suggested that players fix the number of turns before the game begins.
Unless one player concedes before the allotted time, determine which side has won at the end of the final turn. The usual method of deciding who has won is to calculate victory points for each side. The Victory Points schedule below is used for most games including the scenarios described above. However, an invented or historic scenario might introduce new victory conditions, or sudden death objectives where the game ends as soon as an objective is met (as in the Breakthrough scenario).
Once the battle is over both players calculate their victory points to decide who has won. The side which has the most victory points has won. The difference in victory points is a good indicator of how decisive the victory has been. In a 3,000 point battle a difference of 50 points or less is a marginal win; a victory of 500 or more points is a resounding thrashing for your enemy. If both sides score the same points the result is a draw.
Victory Points Schedule
- Each enemy unit or character either destroyed, fleeing or having fled from the table: victory points equal to the points value of the unit or character. For example, a unit which costs 325 points is worth 325 victory points to your enemy. Characters are accounted separately for victory points even if they join with units of troops during a battle.
- Each full table quarter wholly occupied by your own side: 100 victory points. Divide the table into four equal quarters through its middle. If a quarter is occupied by at least one of your units of troops and no enemy then you can claim 100 extra victory points per quarter. A character model, war machine or elephant cannot occupy a quarter; only a unit of troops or chariots may do so.
- Enemy General slain, fleeing, or having fled the table: 100 victory points in addition to any points already gained for the General as a destroyed, fleeing or fled unit.
- Each unit standard captured: 100 victory points.
- Army standard captured: 200 victory points.
Fighting Campaigns
For many players the challenge is to recreate the events of an entire campaign with its particular circumstances and actual characters. A historic campaign is fought as a series of battles, each fought one at a time in chronological order. The results of the preliminary conflicts are judged to affect the mix, type and number of troops available to both sides in the final decisive battle (for example, a general who bettered his historical performance in a battle may recruit more or better troops for the final battle). When refighting a real battle you will probably have to scale down the number of troops involved; it is important to scale down both sides, so that a game between a few hundred models can represent a battle between many thousands (for example each legion represented by a single unit of 20 to 30 models).
Starting a Campaign
The rules that follow describe a campaign which lets players use armies from any period of ancient history, fought over a fictional or imaginary land. Players can play each other as and when they wish, without any obligation to play a set number of games or against any particular opponents. Players can drop in or out of the campaign at any time, or even start afresh.
Conquer and Explore
The campaign may be thought of as taking place on a newly discovered but suitably large island or in some sparsely populated and unexplored land. Each player's goal is to build an empire, defeating his enemies in order to expand his own dominions.
No map is used to fight the campaign; instead players discover, defend, and annex towns, cities and other strategically important features called territories. To begin the campaign, each player generates three random territories from the Territory chart. These territories represent settlements, geographical features and resources which constitute the player's empire. Once the campaign is underway new players can join at any time simply by generating three new random territories from the chart.
Each player must keep a record of his territories on a sheet of paper or in a notebook which serves as his campaign diary. The more territories a player controls the bigger and better armies he can field, and the more varied are the types of troops he is allowed to recruit.
Armies (Campaign)
Before the campaign begins the participating players agree a suitable points value to start with. This is the base or starter value of all the armies involved. A player may only field larger armies by conquering more territories. A reasonable starting value is 1,500 points, although you might wish to start with armies of 1,000 points if players do not have large established armies already. Each time two players fight a game they choose an army of the agreed value. Forces are chosen afresh for each battle, although a player must stick to the same army (Imperial Romans, Persians, Greeks, etc.). Armies are chosen from the player's Ancient Battles army list with the additional restrictions described below. The players may agree further restrictions amongst themselves for each battle as they wish.
Army Restrictions
The number and type of troops that a player can field is restricted by the territories he controls. To begin with each player is restricted in his choice as follows:
- Characters/Leaders. An army must be led by a General chosen from the army list. Otherwise the army may not include characters or unit leaders unless the player controls villages, towns, ports or fortresses.
- Cavalry. An army can include no more than one unit of no more than ten cavalry, excluding a mounted General or characters, and cannot include more unless the player controls plains from which to draw more horses.
- Chariotry. An army can include no more than five chariots, excluding any chariots driven by a permitted General or characters, and cannot include more unless the player controls fortresses.
- Standards. An army may not include either a Battle Standard or unit standards unless the player's territory includes shrines or a temple.
- Skirmishers. An army may not include skirmishers unless the player's territory includes mountains or forests. An army may include light infantry or light cavalry regardless of whether the player's territory includes mountains or forests.
- War machines. An army cannot include war machines unless the player controls forests to provide materials to build machines and fuel furnaces.
- Strategic features. Armies are chosen to 1,500 points (or whatever size you have agreed) and larger standing armies can only be assembled by taking control of bridges, roads and passes.
- Mineral resources. Mines produce occasional points value bonuses, allowing you to increase the size of your army next time you fight.
Names and Places
When you generate a town, port or fortress you should give it a name. Villages and other territories do not demand the same degree of emotional attachment, but you can name these too if you like.
Territory Chart (D66)
Each player keeps a record of his territory from the beginning of the campaign. To generate a territory roll two ordinary D6 one after the other. The first dice roll represents tens and the second units to give you a score of between 11 and 66. This method of rolling two dice is referred to as a D66 roll.
Each player generates three initial territories, and his dice rolls must be witnessed by at least one other player. Any further dice rolls required must also be witnessed by another player. As additional rolls are needed after each game, players can conveniently make all their rolls in the presence of their opponent after the game is finished.
- 11-13 Shrine. For each Shrine you control your army can include D3 unit standards (i.e. 1-2 = 1, 3-4 = 2 and 5-6 = 3). Roll when you generate the Shrine to determine how many standards it entitles you to have. If you win a game and capture one or more enemy standards, then add +1 to the number of standards your Shrine allows. Your empire can include several Shrines, but the bonus for captured standards can only be earned by one Shrine at a time.
- 14-15 Temple. Your empire can only include one Temple; if you generate a second either count it as a Shrine or roll again. A Temple entitles you to include a Battle Standard Bearer in your army.
- 16-24 Village. For each Village under your control your army can include D3 unit leaders. Roll when the Village is generated to determine how many leaders it entitles you to. Your empire can include several Villages, entitling you to numerous leaders.
- 25 Town. If you have a Town under your control your army can include a single heroic character, but not other leaders (for which a Village is needed) or a Battle Standard bearer (for which a Temple is required). The more Towns you have the more characters your army can include.
- 26 Fortress. A Fortress is a fortified town and entitles you to include a character in the army in the same way as a Town. Also, fortified towns permit armies entitled to them to include more chariots than the basic five already allowed. A Fortress entitles an army to include a further 10 + D6 chariots (i.e. 11-16). Roll to determine how many chariots are allowed when you generate the Fortress. The more Fortresses your empire includes the more characters and chariots you can field.
- 31-35 Road. If your empire includes a Road you can move troops more quickly to meet the enemy. To represent this add +D6x10 points to the permitted points total of your army for each Road you have. Roll when the Road is generated to fix its value. If you stake it as a territory in a battle and win, then its value increases by a further D6x10 points to represent your expanding control.
- If you control a Bridge you are able to move troops rapidly into strategic areas. To represent this add +2D6x10 points to the points total of your army for each Bridge under your control. Roll when the Bridge is generated to fix its value.
Events (2D6)
Events introduce the unexpected into your campaign. You cannot roll an event when generating your initial three territories, but subsequently an event can be generated on the appropriate roll after each battle. If you roll an event which does not apply (for example, you do not have the territory affected), then you have escaped its effects. To generate an event roll 2D6 and consult the chart below.
- 2. Plague. The plague has stricken your people, decimating the population and laying waste to your empire. Roll a D6 for each settlement territory in your empire. Villages are destroyed on the D6 roll of a 4 or more. Towns, Ports and Fortresses are reduced to Villages on the D6 roll of a 6. In addition you must abandon D3 territories of your choice. These territories are permanently lost. If the destruction leaves you with less than three territories, then you must abandon any remaining territories and roll three new ones: your people migrate far away from the plague and take up residence in a new land.
- 3. Pirates. Pirates attack shipping and raid your ports. If you have Ports then roll a D6 for each. On the score of 4 or 5 the Port is reduced permanently to Village status. On the score of a 6 it is destroyed completely and remains an abandoned ruin for the rest of time. On a 1, 2 or 3 the port's activities are temporarily disrupted, and you cannot count it as part of your empire the next time your army fights; this penalty applies only for one game.
- 4. Raiders. Brigands, hill tribesmen or nomad raiders run riot through your empire. Roll a D6 for each Village in your empire. On the roll of a 6 it is destroyed and is lost to your empire. Also, roll for each Plains territory in your empire. On the roll of a 4 or more the territory is plundered and turned into a barren wilderness; the territory is lost to your empire.
- 5. Fire! Fire breaks out in one of your Towns or Fortresses. If you have more than one such settlement randomly determine which is affected. The settlement is burnt to the ground. Until it is rebuilt you cannot count that Town/Fortress as part of your empire. Meanwhile it does not entitle you to include the usual characters or chariots in your army. Test after each game you play to see whether the Town/Fortress is rebuilt. Roll a D6 and add +1 if you won the game. On the score of 6 or more the settlement is rebuilt and is returned to your empire once more.
- 6. Revolt. The population of one of your Towns, Fortresses or Ports is up in arms. The settlement is now in the hands of a rival dynasty, rebellious lord, republicans, anarchists, or religious zealots. Randomly determine which Town, Fortress or Port has been affected. Because the town is in revolt you cannot count it as part of your empire when choosing your army. The revolt can spread: if you lose your next campaign battle the revolt spreads to another randomly determined settlement (Town/Port/Fortress/Village). Each time you lose a game the revolt spreads to one further settlement. However, next time you win a game the revolt is crushed, and all revolting settlements are brought back under your control.
Spies (D6)
Spies represent agents and sympathisers in the enemy's ranks or amongst his people. A player can only ever have one spy network at a time. Should he acquire a second it is ignored. If you have a spy network then you can use it to conduct acts of sneaky espionage before a battle. If you wish you can determine the effect of your spies at the start of a game. Roll a dice before the first turn.
- 1. Spy Uncovered. Your spy is intercepted and slain, but not until he has revealed details of your entire spy network. Your spy network is uncovered and destroyed.
- 2. Steals Maps. A treacherous servant in the enemy's camp steals maps belonging to the enemy general including plans of troop movements and supply lines. If you win the battle you are able to exploit this knowledge by annexing a valuable part of his empire. To represent this the enemy must change the territory he has staked to one of your own choosing.
- 3. Assassin. A conspirator in the enemy's ranks attempts to slay an enemy character on the eve of battle. Pick any enemy character as the target. Roll a D6 to see whether your assassin gets past his bodyguard: 1-2 the assassin is discovered and killed, no effect; 3-6 you reach the target. If the target is the General deduct 1 from your dice roll because he is better protected. The assassin strikes D3 automatic hits against the victim at Strength D6. If slain the character is removed from the enemy's army; if wounded he starts the game with the number of wounds inflicted by the assassin.
- 4. Sabotage. A saboteur in the enemy's camp hamstrings the horses and sets fire to the baggage. Roll a D6 for each cavalry model or chariot in the enemy's army. On a roll of 6 remove the model. For each model removed in this way the enemy can add one infantry model of no greater value to an existing infantry regiment. Also, roll a D6 for each war machine in the enemy army; on a roll of 6 it is destroyed.
- 5. Bribery. You have bribed an enemy officer who has a grudge against his General, paying him to hold back from the fight. Nominate one enemy unit as being under the command of the bribed officer. At the start of each turn the enemy must roll a D6, and on the roll of a 1 that unit will do nothing that turn unless it is already engaged in hand-to-hand combat in which case it will fight normally. If the unit is skirmishers or allies it will do nothing on a roll of 1 or 2.
- 6. Poisons Wells. Your agents have poisoned the wells in the vicinity of the enemy camp. At the start of his first turn the enemy rolls a D6 for each of his units. A unit which rolls a 1 is suffering from the effect of poisoned water and cannot move or shoot in the first turn. Otherwise it is unaffected.
Fighting Campaign Battles
Players are free to fight each other as they wish, representing encounters along their common borders, intrusions into their rival's territory, invasions of his empire, and outright wars of conquest. As players win games they gain more territories as described below. The number of territories held by each player indicates the size and power of his empire.
Before the battle both players must choose one of their territories to stake. Spies cannot be staked in this way; only territories. Each player nominates the territory to be staked before the game begins.
Each player uses his entire army for the battle, even though their points values may be different because the players hold different territories. If playing one of the battle scenarios which is not evenly matched to begin with, it is suggested that each player's army be reduced in proportion to the points values normally allowed. For example, in a Last Stand the proportions are 2:1 so the attacker uses all his army and the defender uses half his army.
Battlefield. The territories staked by the players can be used as the basis for working out the terrain on the battlefield if players wish. For example, if one player stakes a Bridge and his enemy stakes a Forest, then the table might include a river and could reasonably be assumed to be heavily wooded. If using the Scenery Generator table to set up the table, you might allow each player to set up one item that represents his territory rather than rolling randomly.
Winning Territory
After the game is over an extra territory is generated from the chart. There are now three territories in the melting pot: the two staked by the players at the start of the game and the new random territory. The player who wins the game retains his original territory and selects either of the two remaining territories to add to his own. This can be his rival's territory or the new one. Once the winner has selected his extra territory the loser takes the territory that is left. If the winner takes his rival's territory the loser is assumed to have been forced back into the newly generated territory. If the winner takes the new territory then the battle has determined which side will possess this new land.
In the event of a draw both sides retain their staked territories and the player with the least territory gains the new one. If both players have the same amount of territory roll a dice to decide who gets the new territory.
The Player's Empire
It is entirely up to the players to set a limit on the number of territories an empire can include, depending on how long you want the campaign to last and how large you want the forces to grow. A campaign can go on indefinitely, but often it is better to end the campaign once a player has established a dominant position. Twelve territories is a reasonable maximum for an empire. A player who wins more territories than the pre-set maximum must abandon excess territory, though he can choose which to keep and which to give up. A good way of ending a campaign is to allow the first two players who acquire twelve territories to play a deciding battle to establish the ultimate victor.
Special Characters
In a campaign it is a good idea to put special characters aside and let your own characters develop as the campaign progresses. It is suggested that players do not use the special characters described in the Ancient Armies supplements when playing a campaign; however, this is a matter of preference rather than a strict rule, and players can agree amongst themselves whether such characters will be allowed or not.
Steppe Nomad Armies
Ancient steppe nomad armies are based around cavalry, and such armies would find life very restrictive if they were permitted to field only one unit of cavalry. To get round this such armies begin the game with one special Steppe territory plus two randomly generated territories. The Steppe territory allows the army to include an unlimited number of cavalry models. It cannot be staked when the army fights a battle, it cannot be raided by underdogs as described below, and it is never affected by events.
Biblical Armies
Biblical armies are based around chariots, and have a very difficult time acquiring them from the territory chart. To compensate for this, all biblical armies start off with a fortress as part of their initial territories. The remaining two territories are generated randomly as normal.
Raids
If a player has twice as many territories as his opponent, then his enemy can raid his sprawling empire. In a raid the player with the fewer territories is assumed to be mounting a surprise raid upon the more powerful player's empire. To represent this incursion both players use armies with a total points cost of 1,500 points, or whatever your standard army size happens to be. Also, when choosing armies both sides are permitted to use only three territories. These represent the path of the raid as it penetrates through the enemy empire and retreats back into the raider's own land. No extra points can be added to either side, regardless of which territories are used to choose the armies. In a raid both players must stake one of the three territories used to choose their armies. They cannot stake another territory.
Running a Campaign
You do not need an umpire or controller to run a campaign as described, but most players would agree things go better if a person is nominated as overall umpire. The umpire can interpret the rules and improvise new ones, keep the players informed about forthcoming battles, and invent special events, spread rumours, and generally keep the campaign going. An umpire can be one of the players, or someone who devotes all his time to running the campaign, or different players can take it in turns to be umpire.
The umpire can publish a regular campaign newsletter which summarises the battles fought, and lists the players and the amount of territory they now control. The umpire might announce the discovery of a special territory (an ancient shrine, ruined city, shipwreck) with suitable rules invented for it. Players who want to investigate submit their names to the umpire who draws the players into random pairs, pairing off winners until a single victor emerges. Territories are staked and won in the normal manner. The ultimate winner receives the special territory instead of randomly generating a new territory as usual.
An umpire can also ensure that players do not deliberately avoid fighting enemies they fear will beat them, and can impose penalties on players who fail to show up for battles (perhaps removing territories to represent the unopposed rampaging and pillaging). The umpire can also draw the campaign to a close once the players start to lose interest or one player gains ascendancy, for example by waiting for two players to win a predetermined number of territories and then having them play a game to decide the overall winner. The campaign is not wholly fair or perfectly balanced, and is not supposed to be.
Veterans
The following rules allow victorious armies to earn bonuses in future games. All units start out as basic trained recruits, or warriors of limited experience, and gradually progress to become hardened veterans. The rules are ideally suited for incorporation into a campaign. Players should always agree before the game whether veterans are being used, particularly when playing a new opponent.
Veteran Units
If a unit of troops ends the game in possession of an enemy standard then it has proven its mettle in the heat of battle. To represent this the regiment gains an elite bonus together with an appropriate title ("Bashers from Britain", "Scourge of the Hittites", "Gaul Crusher" and so on).
If a unit has an elite bonus it can re-roll all of its to hit dice rolls once per battle either for hand-to-hand combat or for shooting. However, the unit must re-roll all of its dice (not just the failures) and must abide by the second result. To help keep track of whether or not you have used a bonus, note down that the unit has an elite bonus on your army roster and tick it off or draw a line through it when the bonus has been used.
For example, a veteran unit of six Norman Knights rolls 2, 2, 2, and 6 scoring only 1 hit. The player decides to use his elite bonus and re-rolls the dice scoring 2, 3, 4, 4, 5 and 6 which equals 5 hits. Of course, the player takes the chance of rolling an even worse set of scores, and so must use his bonus carefully.
Losing status. Once a unit becomes veteran it keeps its status from game to game against all players in your group until it is broken as a result of defeat in hand-to-hand combat or until it is destroyed. It then reverts to normal status automatically.
Building status. A veteran unit can capture more standards and become even more elite by gaining more bonuses. This allows the unit two, three or more to hit re-rolls per game. However, only one bonus can be used at a time; you cannot re-roll a re-roll. The most bonuses a unit can earn is three.
Casualties on veterans. Veteran units will suffer casualties during battle but this does not reduce their status unless they are broken or wiped out for whatever reason. The maximum size of any veteran unit is always the size it was fielded at when it earned its first veteran bonus. Thus, a cohort of 24 models might earn its veteran bonus and survive the game with 14 models intact. In the next game the veteran cohort can be fielded as a full 24 models once more, or fewer if the player wishes, but it can never be fielded at more than 24 models.
Veteran Characters
Characters can also gain renown in the eyes of their troops and develop heroic qualities. They become veteran characters, with their own bonuses. A character automatically gains a bonus each time he accomplishes a heroic feat. A heroic feat is one of the following:
- The character is with a unit of troops when it captures an enemy standard.
- The character kills the enemy Battle Standard Bearer in hand-to-hand combat.
- The character slays an enemy character of at least equal standing in a challenge (e.g. a General slays a General).
You must name your veteran character if he is not named already, and you might like to give him a suitable title to commemorate his feat of arms. A character who goes on to achieve further feats of arms may add to his veteran status as follows:
| Number of feats | Bonus gained |
|---|---|
| 1 | Elite |
| 2 | Leader |
| 3 | Attack |
| 4 | Strength |
| 5 | Toughness |
- Elite. The character becomes a fearsome fighter and can re-roll all of his hand-to-hand combat or shooting to hit dice once per game in the same way as a unit of veteran troops. For each extra feat the character gains a further re-roll per battle up to a maximum of three times in the same way as veteran troops.
- Leader. The character can add +1 to his Leadership on one test made during the game. The player must declare he is using this ability before rolling the dice.
- Attack. The character can add +1 to his Attacks characteristic once during the game. The player must declare that he is using this bonus before rolling the dice.
- Strength. The character can add +1 to his Strength characteristic for one turn during the game. The player must declare he is using this bonus before rolling the dice.
- Toughness. The character can add +1 to his Toughness characteristic for one turn during the game. The player must declare he is using this bonus before his opponent rolls to establish wounds.
For example, a character who has accomplished five heroic feats can re-roll his hits three times per battle, can add +1 to his Leadership once per battle, +1 to his Attacks once per battle, +1 to his Strength once per battle, and +1 to his Toughness once per battle.
Losing veteran characters. If a character is killed in battle then he might not necessarily be dead. If not dead he is assumed to be too badly wounded to fight any more. The veteran character must be retired from your army or deemed killed in battle and buried with all due honour, or, if you prefer, he recovers from his wounds, is heaped with riches by a grateful ruler and retires to live out his remaining days in peace.
Victorious Generals
Generals gain veteran status in the same way as other characters, but in addition they can earn an extra bonus when they win a battle. If you win a battle roll a D6 and consult the chart below. The chart gives a victory bonus which applies the next time the army fights. This bonus applies for the next battle against any player from your gaming group.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beloved Commander |
| 2 | Leadership Bonus |
| 3 | Mad Dog General |
| 4 | Inspiring Standard |
| 5 | Famous General |
| 6 | Victorious Troops |
- 1. Beloved Commander. Next time the army fights all units within 12" of the General may add a further +1 to their combat result. This special ability lasts until a combat within 12" of the General is lost, after which the troops' confidence is shaken and the bonus ceases to apply.
- 2. Leadership Bonus. Next time the army fights you can re-roll any one failed Leadership based test. This does not allow the unit to re-roll a failed re-roll from another source such as the army's Battle Standard; you can re-roll a failed test but not a failed re-roll.
- 3. Mad Dog General. Next time the army fights, the General can add +1 to his own to hit rolls in hand-to-hand combat. This applies until the General takes a wound or is forced to flee, after which the bonus is lost.
- 4. Inspiring Standard. Next time the army fights the Battle Standard will permit Leadership re-rolls for Break tests over a larger area than normal. Add D6" to the normal 12" effect range. Roll this dice at the start of the game to find out what your range bonus is for the duration of the battle.
- 5. Famous General. Once during the battle, one unit within 12" of the General will automatically pass a Leadership based test it is required to take. The player must use this ability before rolling the test; no actual dice are rolled and the player is not allowed to use the ability retrospectively once he has failed a test.
- 6. Victorious Troops. The army is fired up by its victories and inspired to greater success. Once in the battle add +1 to any combat result. You must commit your bonus before fighting the combat, not afterwards.
Ancient Battle Army Lists
There are two army lists: one for the Roman army and one which can be used to represent any army of their barbarian opponents. They are condensed from fuller army lists intended to be published separately. Historical background and uniform/organisation text is omitted here; the rules and profiles are transcribed.
Using the Army Lists
The army lists are designed so that you can choose an army to a previously agreed points total. There is no upper limit to the size of an army, but about 1,000 points is the minimum size needed for a battle-worthy force. The total value of a player's army may be less than the agreed total, but may never exceed it. The list specifies the proportion of points that may be spent on character models, cavalry, infantry, artillery and allies. This ensures that the armies are reasonably balanced and do not consist entirely of cataphracts or ballistae.
Units. All the cavalry and infantry in the army must be organised into units. Units must be at least five models strong unless indicated otherwise in the army list. All units may include a leader, standard bearer and a musician, and these each cost 5 points in addition to the points value of an ordinary trooper. Standard bearers and musicians are assumed to be equipped with the same weapons as the rest of the unit and fight just like ordinary troopers.
Characteristics. Characteristic profiles are given for each troop type and include any movement reductions due to armour. For cavalry, the rider's profile is often given with the Movement characteristic increased to account for the horse's higher movement.
Equipment. The usual equipment carried by each troop type is listed under its profile. This equipment is included in the model's points cost. Additional equipment may be taken from the options listed at the cost indicated. Unless the entry says otherwise all models in a unit must be equipped in the same way and you cannot take extra equipment for some models in a unit and not others. Troops' saving throws are not given on their profile because they vary depending on the armour worn.
Roman Army List
The Roman army list is designed to cover the armies of the Roman Empire from the time of Marius's reforms until just before the consolidation of power by Emperor Diocletian, i.e. from 100 BC through to 250 AD. The following special rules are required in order to use the Roman army lists.
Army standard. The army standard represents either an Eagle's standard or the Emperor's personal standard (called an imago), both of which had deep cultural and religious significance to the troops in the Roman army. To reflect the importance of the army standard, the following special rules apply. If the army standard bearer is captured by the enemy and still held by them at the end of the battle, they receive a 500 victory points bonus instead of the normal 200. However, there is a chance for the Romans to capture the standard back. Place the captured army standard bearer model at the back of the unit that captured it; all Roman units are subject to hatred against this unit for the rest of the battle, and can recapture the army standard by breaking the unit and pursuing (in the same way that standards are normally captured). A recaptured army standard is removed from play along with one model from the unit that recaptured it; this represents a soldier from the unit carefully carrying the battered standard back to the Roman camp.
Centurions. Legionary infantry units have centurions instead of unit leaders. They are treated in exactly the same way as a unit leader, except that as long as they are alive the unit may add +1 to its Leadership characteristic. Centurions cost 10 points in addition to the normal cost of a legionary for the unit they are leading, rather than the 5 points that is normally the case for a unit leader. This bonus only applies to the unit's basic Leadership value; it does not apply on top of a character's Leadership if he joins the unit, or to the General's Leadership if the unit is testing against the characteristic of the General. Although auxiliary units were led by centurions (called praefectus in the case of auxiliary cavalry), they do not receive the Leadership bonus and are counted as normal leaders.
The pilum. The pilum is represented by the rules described in the weapons category of Heavy Throwing Spear. See the Weapons section.
Drilled troops. Some troops in the Roman army list are described as drilled. These troops have received extensive and prolonged training which allows them to change formation quickly and efficiently. The following special rules apply to drilled troops.
- At the start of their movement drilled troops are allowed to turn or change formation by up to two ranks for free. Once they have taken their free turn or formation change they make their move exactly as they ordinarily would. Drilled troops that make a free turn or formation change can charge or make a march move in the same turn, although in the case of a charge their target must be visible to them at the start of the turn as usual.
- Drilled troops do not have to take a Leadership test to avoid pursuit of a defeated enemy. They may pursue or not as the player desires.
- Drilled troops are allowed to disengage from combat without taking a Leadership test, as long as they are not fighting enemies with a Move rate greater than theirs. If any of their enemies are faster than they are, test to disengage as normal.
- Drilled troops are allowed to open lanes to avoid charging scythed chariots or elephants, as described in the special rules for these troop types.
Testudo. Legionaries are allowed to use a unique special formation called the testudo (tortoise). It is a defensive formation designed to protect the legionaries against heavy missile fire, the shields forming a solid wall around them. To form a testudo, the unit must be at least two ranks deep and four models wide. Declare the unit is forming a testudo at the start of the turn. The unit may not charge or march that turn, but has a 2+ armour saving roll against missile attacks for as long as it stays in the testudo formation.
Praetorian Guard. Up to one Legionary unit or one Auxiliary Cavalry unit in the army may be upgraded to Praetorian status at a cost of +2 points per model in the unit. Once per battle a Praetorian unit is allowed to re-roll all of its to hit dice rolls for either hand-to-hand combat or shooting. However, the unit must re-roll all of its dice (not just the failures) and must abide by the second result. This is exactly the same as the veteran bonus described in the Veteran rules. (Historical note: players who want to field an army of Praetorian guardsmen should treat them as veteran or regular Roman legionaries, while Praetorian cavalry are treated as Auxiliary Cavalry.)
Army selection.
- Characters: up to a quarter of the points value of the army.
- Legionaries: at least a quarter of the points value of the army.
- Auxiliaries: up to three quarters of the points value of the army.
- Special units: up to a quarter of the points value of the army.
Roman Characters
Character models represent exceptional commanders, inspiring individuals, extraordinary fighters, tough veteran officers, and those with special skills or abilities. Character models can fight on their own or join units of troops and fight alongside them. Up to a quarter of the army's points value may be spent on characters.
0-1 Army General (135 points). The army may be led by an Army General, a very high-ranking Roman commander such as a consul or proconsul, who could even represent the Emperor himself. You do not have to have an army General if you do not wish to take one.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | n/a | n/a | 3 | 1 | n/a |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have light armour (+3 points) and/or ride a Warhorse (+3 points). Special rules: any unit within 12" of the General may use his Leadership value when it takes a Leadership test. The General is drilled and stubborn as described in the rules.
0-1 Army Standard Bearer (65 points). The army may have an Army Standard carried by a standard bearer. Depending on the size of battle being fought this could be the General's personal standard or eagle carried by an Aquilifer. If your General is the Emperor then the army standard should be his personal standard (imago) carried by an Imagifer.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Bearer | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | n/a | n/a | 3 | 1 | n/a |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have light armour (+3 points) and/or ride a Warhorse (+3 points). Special rules: any unit within 12" of the Army Standard may re-roll any failed Break tests. The standard bearer is drilled and stubborn as described in the game rules.
Senior Officer (Legate) (110 points). A Legate is a senior officer or official within the Empire. Each Legion is commanded by a Legate, but provincial governors in command of several legions might also be Legates. Senior officers can command any unit in the army.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legate | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | n/a | n/a | 3 | 1 | n/a |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have light armour (+3 points) and/or ride a Warhorse (+3 points). Special rules: the Legate is drilled and stubborn as described in the game rules.
Junior Officer (Tribune) (55 points). Tribunes were Romans of noble birth who acted as assistants or subordinate commanders to the General and Legates. They may be used to command any unit in the army.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Officer | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| Warhorse | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | n/a | n/a | 3 | 1 | n/a |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have light armour (+3 points) or ride a Warhorse (+3 points). Special rules: a Junior Officer is drilled and stubborn as described in the game rules.
Roman Legionaries
At least a quarter of the points in the army must be spent on legionaries. Legionaries must be organised into units of at least five models each. There is no limit on the maximum size of a unit. One model per unit may be upgraded to a standard bearer at a cost of +5 points, one model per unit may be upgraded to a musician at a cost of +5 points, and one model per unit may be upgraded to a Centurion at a cost of +10 points.
Veteran Legionaries (20 points per model). The Roman Legionary was arguably the best trained and professionally led heavy infantry of the ancient world.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legionary | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
Equipment: sword, pilum, large shield and light armour. Options: may have javelins (+2 points). May replace light armour with heavy armour (+1 point). Special rules: veteran legionaries are drilled troops and stubborn as described in the game rules.
Regular Legionaries (16 points per model). Such units, while being well-trained and well-led, did not achieve the peak of efficiency attained by veteran legionaries.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Legionary | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, pilum, large shield and light armour. Options: may have javelins (+1 point). May replace light armour with heavy armour (+1 point). Special rules: legionaries are drilled troops and stubborn as described in the game rules.
Legion Light Infantry (Lanciarii) (11 points per model). From about the 2nd century AD it would appear that some of each legion's soldiers were trained and armed as light skirmishing troops.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanciarii | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, javelins and shield. Options: may have light armour (+2 points), throwing spear (+1 point), slings (+1 point). Special rules: legion light infantry are light infantry. They are also drilled troops and stubborn as described in the game rules.
Raw Recruits (11 points per model). At times, usually during the civil wars, legions were raised and sent into battle very quickly. The troops in these newly raised legions tended to lack the training, motivation and esprit de corps of the veteran or regular Legionaries. This category can also represent poorly led or badly trained Legionaries, and the imitation Legionaries used by a number of non-Roman armies.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Recruit | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, pilum, large shield and light armour. Options: may have javelins (+1 point). Special rules: raw recruits are not drilled or stubborn.
Roman Auxiliaries
Up to three-quarters of the points in the army may be spent on auxiliaries. Auxiliary troops must be organised into units of at least five models each. There is no limit on the maximum size of a unit. One model per unit may be upgraded to a standard bearer at a cost of +5 points, one to a musician at +5 points, and one to a leader at +5 points.
0-1 Cataphracts (26 points per model). Cataphracts fight in heavy, fully enclosed armour made from mail or (sometimes) horn, and with half or fully barded horses.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cataphracts | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, kontos, light armour and riding a barded horse. Options: may have heavy armour (+2 points), buckler (+1 point), shield (+2 points), composite bow (+4 points), throwing darts (+2 points, count as javelins). Special rules: a maximum of one Cataphract unit is allowed in the army. Cataphract cavalry fought in a dense formation, and thus count their rank bonus in combat in the same way as light infantry (i.e. they have a maximum rank bonus of +2). However this comparatively dense formation also limited their manoeuvrability, and so Cataphracts halve their movement if they wheel more than 1" over the course of their move.
Auxiliary Cavalry (Equites Alares) (20 points per model). Auxiliary cavalry were not trained as shock cavalry. Instead they would pepper the enemy with javelins from a distance, and then charge in to finish off the foe once they were disorganised and demoralised.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Cavalry | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, throwing spear, javelins, light armour and shield. Options: may replace throwing spear and javelins with kontos (free). Special rules: a number of auxiliary cavalry units were extremely well trained. You may therefore treat any unit of auxiliary cavalry as drilled at a cost of +2 points per model in the unit. (Historical note: in the 2nd century AD the number of cavalry attached to a Legion was dramatically increased; these legionary cavalry can be represented as auxiliary cavalry.)
Auxiliary Light Cavalry (Illyrians) (14 points per model). In the 3rd century cavalry started to become an increasingly important part of the Roman army, and auxiliary light cavalry known collectively as Illyrians became common. Illyrian cavalry were used primarily to provide missile support or to scout and skirmish.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illyrian Cavalry | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: sword, javelins and shield. Options: may replace shield with large shield (2 points); may replace javelins and shield with short bow (free) or composite bow (+2 points); may have throwing spear (+1 point). Special rules: fast cavalry (see the Light Troops section of the game rules).
Auxiliary Infantry (Cohortes Pedites) (8 points per model). These troops represent the auxiliary infantry units used to provide vital support for the Legions. Most auxiliary units fought in a looser formation than that used by Legionaries, and were particularly suited to fighting in dense or rough terrain.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Infantry | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, throwing spear and shield. Options: may have javelins (+1 point), light armour (+2 points). May replace throwing spear with thrusting spear (free). Special rules: light infantry (see the Light Troops section of the game rules). A number of auxiliary infantry units were extremely well trained. You may therefore treat any unit of auxiliary infantry as drilled at a cost of +1 point per model.
Auxiliary Archers (7 points per model). Some units of auxiliary troops were armed with bows to provide missile support.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Archers | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: sword and composite bow. Options: may have light armour (+2 points), buckler (+1 point). Special rules: light infantry (see the Light Troops section of the game rules).
Roman Special Troops
Up to a quarter of the points in the army can be spent on special troops such as artillery, camels, elephants, or barbarian allies. In addition to this limit on the proportion of points available, an army may not have more units of special troops than it has units of legionaries and auxiliaries. For example, if your army has a single legionary unit and two auxiliary units, then it may not have more than three units of special troops.
Light Bolt-Thrower (Scorpio) (20 points + 8 points per crew). Light bolt-throwing war engines were frequently used by the Romans, generally to defend fixed positions such as marching camps or walled cities, or to attack such strong points during sieges.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Scorpio | - | - | - | - | 6 | 2 | - | - | - |
| Carroballista | 8 |
Crew: each machine has a two or three man crew. Equipment: the crew are armed with swords. Options: the crew may have light armour (+2 points). The Scorpio may be mounted in a cart pulled by two horses (+10 points), which was called a carroballista. A carroballista may be moved 8", but cannot fire on the turn it moves. A carroballista may not march or charge. Special rules: Bolt Thrower (see the game rules). Range = 36", Strength = 4/-1 per rank, no save, D3 wounds per hit. The crew are stubborn as described in the game rules.
Bolt-Thrower (Ballista) (30 points + 8 points per crew). This was simply a larger version of the Scorpio. It was less mobile, but had a longer range, which made it more useful in sieges than in open-field battles.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Ballista | - | - | - | - | 6 | 2 | - | - | - |
Crew: each machine has a two or three man crew. Equipment: the crew are armed with swords. Options: the crew may have light armour (+2 points). Special rules: Bolt Thrower (see the game rules). Range = 48", Strength = 5/-1 per rank, no save, D4 wounds per hit. The crew are stubborn as described in the game rules.
Small Stone Thrower (Tormenta) (40 points + 8 points per crew). This category covers the smaller and more mobile stone throwing catapults used by the Romans. They were most useful in sieges, but could be employed in open battle.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Infantry (crew) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Engine | - | - | - | - | 7 | 3 | - | - | - |
Crew: each machine has a three to four man crew. Equipment: the crew are armed with swords. Options: the crew may have light armour (+2 points). Special rules: Stone Thrower. Range = 48", Strength = 6, no save, D3 wounds per hit. The crew are stubborn as described in the game rules.
Heavy Stone Thrower (Onager) (50 points + 8 points per crew). Onager (which translates as Wild Ass) was one of the names given to the heavy catapults used by the Romans. Machines of this type were firmly fixed to the ground to stop the recoil moving them about and smashing them to pieces, and therefore they cannot be moved or even turned in place after they have been set up. This means that they can only fire straight ahead, which limits their usefulness in any type of battle apart from a siege.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Engine | - | - | - | - | 7 | 3 | - | - | - |
Crew: each machine has a five to eight man crew. Equipment: the crew are armed with swords. Options: the crew may have light armour (+2 points). Special rules: range = 60", Strength = 7, no save, D4 wounds per hit. The crew are stubborn as described in the game rules.
Marines (8 points per model). Marines from the Roman navy sometimes fought on land alongside legionary or auxiliary troops.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword, javelins and shield. Options: may have light armour (+3 points), throwing spear (+1 point), sling (+1 point). Special rules: light infantry (see the Light Troops section of the game rules). Some Marines were recruited and based in Italy, and were as well-trained and led as the legionaries. You may therefore treat any unit of Marines as drilled troops and stubborn as described in the game rules, at a cost of +5 points per model in the unit.
0-1 Camelry (Dromedarii) (11 points per model). Camels were used by the Romans, but only in the most limited quantities.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camelry | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Equipment: sword and buckler. Options: may have thrusting spear (+2 points), kontos (+4 points), javelins (+2 points), composite bow (+4 points), light armour (+4 points), barding (+8 points). May replace buckler with shield (+2 points). Special rules: camels cause fear in horsed cavalry and chariots. A maximum of one Camel unit is allowed in the army.
Elephants (65 points for elephant and mahout, +8 per crew). Elephants were not an important part of the Imperial Roman army, although they were sometimes used.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahout | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Crew | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| African Elephant | 6 |
Crew: one mahout plus up to three additional fighting crew in howdah. Equipment: the fighting crew are armed with swords and javelins. The mahout is unarmed and may not fight in hand-to-hand combat while riding the elephant, although he can defend himself normally. Options: the fighting crew may have light armour (+2 points), long spears (+1 point), or composite bows (+2 points). Elephant: see the rules for Elephants.
Barbarian Allies. The Imperial Roman army made use of large numbers of barbarian allies and mercenary units that fought using their own weapons and traditional tactics (for example Moorish and Numidian light cavalry, British symmachiarii, Gallic and Germanic barbarian cavalry, and locally raised numeri). Barbarian allies may be purchased as allies from the Barbarian army list. When choosing allies there is no restriction on the categories of troops you can take. You could include 500 points of cavalry, or 500 points of supporting infantry, for example. In addition obligations regarding compulsory troops do not apply to allies (you do not need to choose an army commander for example). However all other restrictions in the allied list do apply, and all unit sizes must be correct.
Allied units were sometimes led by a Roman officer aided by native subordinates. Therefore Roman characters may join and lead units of Barbarian allies, and you may represent the leader of an allied Barbarian unit with a model of a Roman officer if you wish. The reverse is not true: barbarian characters may not lead units from the Roman army list.
Barbarian Army List
This army list can be used to recreate the barbarian armies that fought against the Greeks and Romans (and each other) from about 500 BC through to about 500 AD. It is best representing the Gallic, British and Germanic barbarian armies that fought against Rome from 100 BC through to 200 AD. However, it can easily be adapted to represent other barbarian armies. The following special rules apply to a barbarian army.
Mixed weapons. Barbarian units were not normally uniformly equipped with the same weapons. Depending on the individual warrior's wealth he might carry anything from a club, a couple of javelins, an axe or (if he was rich) a sword. Because of this players like to mix models in a unit so that some are armed with swords, others spears, a few have double-handed axes, and so on. However, whatever the models are carrying, barbarians armed with mixed weapons count as being armed with javelins and hand weapons for the purposes of the rules.
Chariots. Chariots were popular in the early period covered by this army list, but they were increasingly replaced by cavalry and had all but disappeared by the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. Chariots continued to be used in out of the way places like Britain and Ireland until considerably later. Barbarian chariots use the rules for light chariots as described in the special rules section. Although Caesar is recorded as saying that warriors dismounted to fight in hand-to-hand combat, we do not allow them to do this in these lists, because the tactics are well represented by the light chariot rules as they stand. Instead we assume that when a barbarian chariot charges the enemy, the warrior dismounts to fight on foot as Caesar described, but he stays so close to the chariot that it is not worth splitting the two models up.
Army selection.
- Characters: up to a third of the points value of the army.
- Warriors: at least a third of the points value of the army.
- Cavalry and chariots: up to a third of the points value of the army.
- Supporting infantry: up to a third of the points value of the army.
Barbarian Characters
Character models represent exceptional warlords and chieftains in the army. They include inspiring leaders, extraordinary fighters, tough veteran warriors, and those with special skills or abilities. Character models can fight on their own or join warbands and fight alongside them. Up to a third of the points value of the army may be spent on characters. You are free to choose as many or as few characters as you wish.
0-1 Warlord (140 points). The army may be led by a Warlord representing the leader of an important tribe or confederate chieftain.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warlord on foot | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Warlord in chariot | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 7 |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have thrusting or throwing spear (+2 points), javelins (+2 points), light armour (+3 points), shield (+2 points). May ride a horse (free, increases movement to 8), or ride in a light chariot with a driver (+10 points). Special rules: the warlord is the army's General. This means that any unit within 12" of the Warlord may use his Leadership value when it takes any test against Leadership. The Warlord is subject to the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
0-1 Battle Standard (50 points). The standard represents the Warlord's personal banner or the totem of his tribe. It is carried by one of his most trusted retainers.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Standard on foot | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Battle Standard in chariot | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have thrusting or throwing spear (+2 points), javelins (+2 points), light armour (+3 points), shield (+2 points). May ride a horse (free, increases movement to 8), or ride in a light chariot with a driver (+10 points). Special rules: any unit within 12" of the Battle Standard may re-roll the dice if it fails a Break test. The standard bearer is subject to the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
0-1 Shaman (75 points). Barbarians are notoriously superstitious, beholden to the gods, spirits and the priests of their pagan religions. The Druids of Gaul and Britain are a good example. These priests play a vital part in stirring up warriors and encouraging them to fight bravely.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaman | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
Equipment: a large and very sharp knife or sickle. Options: none. Special rules: the Shaman causes fear and is subject to hatred of the enemy, as described in the Psychology section. Any warband that includes the Shaman also becomes subject to hatred of the enemy. In addition the Shaman is subject to the rules for Warbands.
Chieftains (70 points). Chieftains represent the leaders of the different tribal contingents within the army. Chieftains are particularly fearsome or experienced warriors, noted for their ability in combat as well as for their leadership qualities.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chieftain on foot | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Chieftain in chariot | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
Equipment: sword. Options: may have thrusting or throwing spear (+2 points), javelins (+2 points), light armour (+3 points), shield (+2 points). May ride a horse (free, increases movement to 8), or ride in a light chariot with a driver (+10 points). Special rules: a Chieftain is subject to the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
Barbarian Warriors
The vast majority of troops in a barbarian army are lightly armed warriors who fight on foot. Warriors are likely to be armed with javelins or a simple spear and protected by a light shield, although the more wealthy or successful might own a sword or helmet. Only the nobility can afford the luxury of armour. Some barbarian armies include contingents that fight completely naked apart from their weapons and shield.
At least a third of the points in the army must be spent on warriors, and all of the army's points (with the exception of the cost of the Warlord) may be spent on warriors if you desire. Warriors are organised into units called warbands, which must consist of at least five models. There is no limit to the maximum size of a unit. Warbands may include a standard bearer, musician and/or a leader at a cost of +5 points per model, in addition to the normal cost of the model for the unit.
Warriors (5 points per model). Barbarian warriors were famed for the ferocity of their attack. However, if the initial charge did not quickly lead to victory then the warriors would often lose heart, although this was not always the case and on a number of occasions barbarian armies carried on fighting despite suffering terrible losses.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warriors | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: armed with shields and a mixture of weapons including swords, javelins and axes (see the mixed weapon rule above). Special rules: warriors are affected by the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
0-1 Fanatic Warriors (9 points per model). Although most barbarian warriors were held to be ferocious fighters, there were some who fought with an absolute fanaticism remarkable even amongst their blood-thirsty fellows. Examples include the Attecotti tribe and the soldurii bodyguards of Gaulish chieftains.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fanatic Warrior | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: armed with shields and a mixture of weapons including swords, javelins and axes (see the mixed weapon rule above). Special rules: fanatics are affected by the rules for Frenzy and Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
Barbarian Cavalry and Chariots
Although chariots and, later, cavalry were a powerful element of most barbarian armies, they were rarely fielded in very great numbers and most of the fighting was done by warriors on foot.
Up to a third of the army's points may be spent on cavalry or chariots. Cavalry must be organised into warbands of at least five models all of the same type. There is no limit on the maximum size of a cavalry warband. Cavalry warbands may include a standard bearer, musician and/or a leader at +5 points per model, in addition to the normal cost of a warrior for the unit.
Chariots must be organised into warbands of at least three models. There is no limit on the maximum size of a chariot warband. Chariot warbands may include a standard bearer and/or a leader at a cost of +5 points per model, in addition to the normal cost of a chariot for the unit.
Chariots (36 points per chariot). Many barbarian armies used light chariots in battle. These were not designed to charge into the enemy, but were used to carry warriors close to the enemy where they would either attack their opponents with missile weapons or dismount and fight on foot.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chariot | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Warrior on foot | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
Equipment: a chariot is pulled by two horses, and is crewed by a driver and a noble warrior. Both crew are armed with swords, and the warrior wears light armour and is armed with javelins. Options: the warrior may have a shield (+4 points) and a thrusting spear (+4 points) or throwing spear (+4 points). Special rules: light chariots (see the Chariot rules). Chariots are not subject to the Warband rules.
Barbarian Noble Cavalry (25 points per model). Normally the nobility of a tribe were the only warriors able to afford much in the way of armour and other war gear. Although the nobles were normally spread out in "penny packets" amongst the other warriors, they were sometimes brigaded together to form elite units.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Cavalry | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
Equipment: armed with light armour, shields, and a mixture of weapons including swords, javelins and spears (see the mixed weapon rule above). Options: throwing spears (+4 points), thrusting spears (+4 points). Special rules: noble cavalry are affected by the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
Barbarian Light Cavalry (12 points per model). Light cavalry were an important, if not numerous, part of many barbarian armies. Numidian and Moorish light cavalry from the barbarian tribes of North Africa were especially famous, and were highly regarded as mercenary troops.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Cavalry | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: armed with a buckler, and a mixture of weapons including swords, javelins and spears (see the mixed weapon rule above). Options: may have shields (+1 point). Special rules: barbarian light cavalry are fast cavalry, and are affected by the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
Barbarian Supporting Infantry
This section of the army list is used for specialised or uncommon barbarian troops that were used to provide support for the main attacking units of warriors. Up to a third of the army's points may be spent on supporting infantry.
With the exception of hunting dogs and their handlers, supporting infantry must be organised into warbands of at least five models all of the same type. There is no limit on the maximum size of a unit. Warbands may include a standard bearer, musician and/or a leader at a cost of 5 points per model in addition to the normal cost of a warrior for the unit. Hunting dogs are organised into units consisting of one packmaster and up to six hunting dogs.
Skirmishers (3 points per model). In many barbarian armies young warriors or poor tribesmen who had not yet proved themselves in battle or were not rich enough to own a sword and shield were used as skirmishers, fighting in open formation in battle and pelting the enemy with sling-shots or javelins.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skirmishers | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: armed with a mixture of weapons including daggers, clubs, javelins and slings (see the mixed weapon rule above). Options: may replace mixed weapons with slings (+1 point) or bows (+2 points). May have a buckler (+1 point). Special rules: rules for skirmishers are described in the Light Troops section of the game rules. They must deploy and remain in skirmish formation. Barbarian skirmishers are affected by the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
Mountain Tribesmen (5 points per model). Mountain tribesmen tended to fight in a looser formation than that normally adopted by barbarian warriors. They were less inclined to get to grips with their enemy and tended to wear them down first by skirmishing from a distance. Famous examples of mountain tribesmen include the Thracians that fought both for and against Alexander the Great, the Celtiberians who took the Romans many decades to fully conquer, and the Dacians who fought so valiantly against the emperor Trajan.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Tribesmen | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Equipment: armed with a buckler and a mixture of weapons including swords, javelins and axes (see the mixed weapon rule above). Options: may have double-handed weapons (+2 points). May replace buckler with a shield (+1 point). The double handed weapons represent weapons like the dreaded falx and rhomphaia, and are taken in addition to the mixed weapons normally carried. Special rules: mountain tribesmen are light infantry as described in the Light Troops section of the game rules. They are also affected by the rules for Warbands as described in the Psychology section.
Mountain tribe army variant. You can use this list to represent the army of a mountain tribe, such as the Dacians, rather than a conventional army of western European barbarians. If you do this then you may not take any chariots or warriors, but can spend any amount of points on mountain tribesmen.
Warhounds (8 points per Packmaster, 5 points per Warhound). Some barbarian armies are reputed to have gone into battle with trained packs of warhounds. Warhounds are organised in special units consisting of a packmaster and up to six warhounds. They move in open order in the same manner as skirmishers.
| M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Ld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packmaster | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| Warhound | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Equipment: the packmaster is armed with a sword. The warhounds must rely on their teeth. Options: the packmaster may have javelins (+1 point), light armour (+2 points). Special rules: packmasters and warhounds are skirmishers as described in the Light Troops section of the game rules. They are also affected by the Warbands rules as described in the Psychology section. Any hits inflicted by missile weapons should be randomly divided between the packmasters and the hounds.
Ancient Battles Summary
The book's summary sheet condenses the core procedures. Items not already covered above are noted here.
Turn Sequence
- Start of turn. 2. Movement. 3. Shooting. 4. Close combat.
Movement Summary
Declare charges; rally fleeing troops; compulsory moves; move chargers; remaining moves.
- Charge! Charge at double normal move rate. If unable to reach its target, the unit is moved its normal move. Once a charge has been declared the enemy declares his reaction. A charging unit may not manoeuvre except to make an initial wheel to bring it into line with its target.
- Stand and shoot. You may stand and shoot if the chargers come from more than half their charge move away. Work out casualties immediately.
- Hold. The unit stands and takes the charge.
- Flee! The unit turns tail and runs. It is immediately moved its standard flee distance (2D6" or 3D6") away from the chargers. Fleeing troops may not shoot.
- Fire and flee. Combines stand and shoot with flee. A unit can stand and shoot and then flee, reducing the distance fled to D6" / 2D6".
- Marching. Marching troops move at double pace with their weapons shouldered. A unit may not march if there are enemy within 8" at the start of the turn. A marching unit may not turn, change its formation, or reform, but it may wheel normally. A marching unit may not shoot with missile weapons. War engines, heavy chariots and other machines may not march.
Shooting Chart
| Weapon | Range | Str. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Bow | 16" | 3 | - |
| Crossbow | 30" | 4 | May not move and shoot |
| Long Bow | 30" | 3 | - |
| Javelin | 8" | S | Strength as model throwing it |
| Composite Bow | 24" | 3 | - |
| Repeating Crossbow | 24" | 3 | May shoot twice at -1 to hit |
To hit: BS 1 to 10 needs 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, -1, -2, -3 on a D6. Modifiers: -1 shooting at a charging enemy; -1 shooting at long range (over half range); -1 shooting while moving; -1 shooting at a single character; -1 target behind soft cover (such as a hedge or wood); -2 target behind hard cover (such as a wall or building); +1 shooting at a large target; -1 shooting at skirmishers; -1 shooting at a small target.
Saving Throw Chart
| Armour type | Without shield | With shield | Cavalry, no shield | Cavalry, with shield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | None | 6 | 6 | 5 or 6 |
| Light | 6 | 5 or 6 | 5 or 6 | 4, 5 or 6 |
| Heavy | 5 or 6 | 4, 5 or 6 | 4, 5 or 6 | 3, 4, 5 or 6 |
Large shield: +1. Buckler: as shield but only counts in hand-to-hand combat.
| Strength | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saving throw modifier | -1 | -2 | -3 | -4 | -5 | -6 | -7 |
Combat Summary
- Fleeing troops. Troops fleeing during their movement phase move towards the nearest table edge, avoiding obstructive terrain where possible. Troops with a movement rate of 6" or less move 2D6"; troops with a movement of more than 6" move 3D6". Fleeing units do not have to keep a strict formation; they are arranged into a rough mass of models and moved as a single confused and tangled body.
- Panic. Roll 2D6. If you score equal to or less than the unit's Leadership you have passed. A unit that fails a Panic test flees in the same way as a unit broken in hand-to-hand combat or a unit which flees when charged. Test (1) at start of your turn if there are fleeing friends within 4"; (2) if a friendly unit within 12" is broken in hand-to-hand combat; (3) if charged in the flank or rear whilst engaged in combat; (4) if fleeing friends are destroyed by charging enemy within 4"; (5) if the general is slain; (6) if you suffer 25% casualties from shooting in a single shooting phase.
- General and Battle Standard. Any unit within 12" of the General may test using his Leadership. Any unit within 12" of the battle standard may re-roll a failed Break test. This applies only to Break tests, not Panic or psychology tests.
- Hand-to-hand combat. All models whose base touches an enemy model's base may fight. A model may make as many attacks as shown on its profile. If the model carries a weapon in each hand, it may make +1 extra attack. Order of attack: models who charged that turn fight first; otherwise models attack in order of descending Initiative. Roll to hit using the To Hit Chart (roll a D6 for each attack, pick out the dice that scored hits); roll to wound using the Wound Chart; roll to save (if opposing troops have a saving throw this is taken before models are removed; roll a D6 for each wound suffered); resolve combat once all troops involved have fought.
- Combat results. Each side adds up the number of wounds it caused and adds any bonuses that apply: +1 per rank of infantry behind the first (maximum +3); +1 standard; +1 battle standard (if the army's standard is fighting); +1 high ground; +1 flank attack; +2 rear attack; +1/+2 destroyed chariot (+1 for each light or scythed chariot, +2 for each heavy chariot). The side with the highest score wins.