Blood & Steel - Fantasy FMA - Alpha V0.4
Written by Brendan Robertson AKA 'Neath Southern Skies
Ground scale: 1" = 10 metres. 1 figure = 10 men.
Characters & monsters represent individuals.
NB: You'll need access to a copy of Stargrunt II for these rules.
INDEX:
Movement; Missile; Melee;
Characters; Magic; Monsters;
Points
MOVEMENT --------------
The same movement system is used, but non-skirmishers halve movement rates.
Massed units wishing to change it's facing must spend a reorganise action to do so, &
also have the option of changing the number of ranks in the unit.
If the number of ranks is greater than the unit's frontage, then that unit may make a
MARCH move. This means the unit automatically makes a maximum combat move, but get no rank
bonuses in melee combat & must make an immediate morale check at threat 3 if attacked.
Infantry: base 8, 6 if armoured.
Cavalry: base 12, 10 if armoured or barded warhorse, 8 if armoured & barded warhorse.
eg.: unarmoured skirmishers (8" base) - 8" march move or d8x2 combat move.
massed heavy cavalry with barding (8" base) - 4" standard or d8 combat move.
Cavalry is the powerarmour of the fantasy world & monsters are the vehicles. A unit with a standard applies a threat -1 modifier to melee morale checks.
MISSILE FIRE -----------
All missile range measurements are centre of unit to centre of unit.
Missile fire works the same as stargrunt, using FP & impact of various ranged weapons.
Targeting priority as per stargrunt.
FAILURE - no result.
MINOR result - Morale check at Threat +0.
MAJOR result - Casualties & morale check at +casualties.
Shortbow - FP:1, impact:d8;
Longbow - FP:2, impact:d8;
Composite Bow (Arabic) - FP:3, impact:d8;
Crossbow - FP: 2, impact:d10.
Siege engines & cannon are treated as sniper/pointfire weapons, removing any need for templates.
Ballistae/Bolt thrower - FP:d10, impact:d10;
Catapult - FP: d8, impact d12.
Greatcannon - FP:d6, impact:d12x2.
FAILURE - morale check threat +0,
MINOR result - normal result & morale check,
MAJOR result - double result & morale check.
MELEE ---------------------
All units must pass a confidence check to charge; CO:+0, ST:+1, SH:+2.
If a unit is BR or RO, then they cannot charge.
If the attacker successfully charges, the defender makes a confidence check as above.
Threat 0: front attack, threat 1: flank attack, threat 3: rear attack.
If the defender fails this check, then they inflict no casualties in the melee that turn.
If they fail by more than half, the unit also loses 1 confidence level.
If skirmishers fail their confidence check, they immediately lose 50% of remaining models
& become ROUTED.
Combat is resolved when ANY unit involved in the melee activates. After it is resolved, ALL units currently involved invert their counters as if they had activated themselves. If a new unit enters the melee, only those units directly in contact fight in the new melee.
Melee combat is worked out by using the quality die & a MELEE die.
Melee dice values: (Open Shift vs melee die.)
Unarmed: d4
Improvised (pitchforks etc): d6
Melee weapons (swords/maces): d8
Polearms/two handed weapons (includes lances on the first turn):d10
Units get a +1 die shift for being mounted (warhorses, pegasi etc).
The charging unit gets an additional +1 die shift.
A defending unit gets a +1 die shift if occupying higher ground.
The dice are read as opposed rolls.
A MINOR result gives both sides casualties equal to the dice total multiplied by the rank
bonus & then divided by the opponent's melee die type (as fire combat) & a MAJOR
results in only the defender taking casualties. If combat is DRAWN, then it counts as a
MINOR result.
Determine casualties by multiplying the melee die by the number of ranks (5 or more per rank) & dividing this number by the opponents MELEE die type. The rank multiplier bonus only counts against units attacking to the front, it does not apply against units attacking from the flank or rear.
Casualties are determined by rolling the melee die vs armour. If the roll exceeds the
armour, then that figure is removed as a casualty.
Armour types: Open shift vs Impact or Melee die.
Skirmishers (unarmoured): d4
light infantry: d6
heavy infantry: d8
cavalry: +1 type
barded cavalry: +2 type (ie. heavy cavalry rolls d12 armour).
To find if the unit leader (or character) is lost in combat, roll a number of die equal
to the casualties, using a die type appropriate to the units frontage (ie: 5 figure
frontage, roll a d6). If any of the dice result in a 1, then the unit leader has been
killed.
After morale has been tested, roll for a replacement leader the same as STARGRUNT; 1-2:
+1, 3-5:same, 6:-1.
After all the combats are worked out, each unit makes a morale check as follows:
Attacked in the flank: threat 1
Attacked in the rear: threat 3
Unit leader is a casualty: +1
For every casualty taken: + no. of casualties
If a unit scores a MAJOR result against EVERY unit it fights, then that unit regains 1
confidence level (before the morale check is made).
Melee continues each turn until one or both sides rout or is wiped out. If a unit routs
while involved in melee, half the unit (round up) is immediately removed as casualties
& the remainder of the unit flees their maximum combat move directly away from combat
(usually towards their own base line). Each activation after that, they flee using 2
combat moves every turn until rallied. If unable to do so without contacting an enemy
unit, the unit completely dissolves & is removed from the table.
If a unit successfully routs or wipes out an enemy unit, that unit immediately recovers 1
confidence level.
EXAMPLE: A unit of 5 veteran:2 CO heavy cavalry CHARGES a unit of 20 regular:1 ST swordsmen(heavy infantry) already engaged on it's flank by a second unit of 10 regular:3 ST heavy cavalry (see ASCII picture, the V are veterans, S for swordsmen & R for regular knights). The veteran heavy cavalry have successfully made a confidence check to charge & the swordsmen succeed in their confidence check.
.....VVVVV
RR SSSSS
RR SSSSS
RR SSSSS
RR SSSSS
RR
The results are worked out as follows:
The Veteran cavalry rolls a d10 for quality & a d12 for melee & reducing the
swordsmen by 1 die type(d10 for lance + 1 for mounted +1 for charging).
The regular cavalry rolls a d8 quality & a d10 melee (swords + mounted bonus, since
they were already engaged, they don't get to use thier lances or a charge bonus).
The swordsmen roll d8 for quality & d6 melee vs veteran cavalry (reduction due to open
shift). Against the regular cavalry, they roll d8 quality & d8 melee (no modifiers).
Since it is irrelevant which is resolved first (all melee is simultaneous), we'll work
out the veteran cavalry first: The cavalry roll d10:d12 resulting in 2 & 3 (a bad
result), the swordsmen roll d8:d6 for 5 & 6. Since both die exceed the cavalry, the
swordsmen have scored a MAJOR result.
The swordsmen take no casualties (the cavalry must have fallen in a pit) & the veteran
cavalry take: 11 (die total) times 4 (rank bonus) divided by 12 (cavalry die type) for 3.6
hits. The cavalry player rolls his melee dice, scoring a 2, which means 4 hits in total.
Next, casualties are resolved: d8 (swordmen melee type) is rolled against d12 (heavy cav
armour). The knights are having a bad day & take 3 casualties, one of which was the
unit leader.
Now we work out the second combat between the swordsmen & regular cavalry: The
cavalry get 2 & 9 and the swordsmen get 3 & 8. This result gives a MINOR victory
to the cavalry, meaning both sides take casualties.
The cavalry take 11/10 = 1.1 hits (only the base total is used as the regular cavalry are
attacking the side of the swordsmen) & the swordsmen take 22/8 = 3.75 hits.
The end result is the cavalry lose no-one & the halberdiers lose 2 men to failed
armour rolls.
After all results are finished, every unit takes a morale check:
The Veteran cavalry roll a d10 quality: 2 (leadership) +3 (casualties) + 1 (leader lost) =
6 target, a 2 is rolled so the veteran cavalry lose 2 confidence levels, becoming shaken.
The Swordsmen received a MAJOR result against the veterans, but only a MINOR result
against the regulars so don't regain any confidence: d8 quality vs 1 (leadership) + 1
(flank melee) +2 (casualties) = 4 target, a 5 is rolled so they stay at ST.
The Regular cavalry roll a d8 quality vs 3 (leadership) +0 (no casualties or other
modifiers), rolling a 3, so they drop 1 level to SH.
Next turn melee is again worked out as soon as ANY of the units in melee are activated.
CHARACTERS -------------
Characters are your general & his lieutenants, leading their troops. They are
represented by character figures.
There are several benefits of characters: they can spur their troops onto greater deeds,
rally a broken unit, add to a unit's assault or even cast spells.
If a character is within 6" of a unit under their command (chain of command applies!)
he can spend one of his own actions to activate them (as stargrunt).
If a character is personally leading a unit, the unit gets a second quality die in melee
(they roll 2 quality die + melee die) If mounted on a monster, they also get the monster's
melee attack die (Character's quality & melee + monster's melee).
The drawback is, if a character within 6" of a unit under their command dies, those
units must make an immediate morale check at threat 3 (don't let your commander die!).
Characters can attempt to rally a subordinate unit they command within 6" that is not
engaged in melee, or a unit they are directly leading even if engaged in melee, although
the highest a unit can be rallied to is ST.
MAGIC -----------
Spells: To successfully cast a spell, the wizard must roll their quality die higher
than the result of the range die to the target (as per missile fire).
Enemy wizards can attempt to counterspell this by rolling their own quality die in
addition to the range die, but the quality die is reduced by 1 for every range band to the
target. (ie. a veteran (d10) wizard is attempting to counterspell a fireball cast at a
unit 3 range bands away. An additional d6 is rolled with the range die.) This means that a
wizard needs to be close to any units they're attempting to protect.
Fireball Spell - FP:d10,Impact:d10. The firepower is added to the spellcasting attempt
(the wizard is "firing" at the target unit using missile fire)
Attack Spell - A unit has its melee die increased by 1 type until it's next activation.
Defence Spell - A unit has its Armour increased by 1 type until it's next activation.
Movement Spell - A unit is teleported (wizard quality die)" & may face any
direction, even into combat BUT doesn't cause a melee to be fought.
MONSTERS -----------
Pegasus - Melee: d6, Armour: d6, Movement: 12. 120pts.
Griffon - Melee: d10, Armour: d10, Movement: 12. 200pts.
Ogre - Melee: d10, Armour:d8, Movement: 8. 160pts
Giant - Melee: d12x2, Armour: d10, Movement: 8. 340 points.
Hydra - FP: d10(cc), Impact: d8, Melee: d8x2, Armour: d10x2. Movement: 10. Terror. 460pts.
Dragon - FP: d12(cc), Impact: d12, Melee: d12x3, Armour: d12x2, Movement: 12. Terror.
720pts.
If a monster is ridden by a character, then use the character's armour type for all hits. If the character is killed, then the monster immediately loses 2 levels of morale & will attempt to flee the battlefield if reduced to ROUTED.
Points system (v0.1): (loosely based on the WSWGA Stargrunt
tournament points system). -----------------------
Per figure cost: (FP + Melee die type + Armour type)*quality multiplier.
Multiply by 2 for cavalry, by 2 for standard bearer, by 5 for characters and by 10 for
Monsters & Wizards.
Melee & armour die types should include bonuses for being mounted.
Only pay for the highest Melee die used.
When costing warmachines, (FP + Impact die)*5*quality.
Monstrous mounts are costed separately & added to the characters cost.
Qualities: Untrained: 0.5; Green: 0.75; Regular: 1.0; Veteran: 1.5; Elite: 2.0.
EG 1: A regular knight in heavy armour mounted on a barded warhorse & armed with a
lance (free sword as a secondary melee weapon). [ 0 (FP) + 12 (lance+mounted) + 12 (d8
heavy armour + 1 mounted + 1 barded) ] * 1.0 (regular) * 2 (cavalry) = 48 pts/each.
EG 2: An elite general in light armour (d6) with sword & shortbow mounted on a
Griffon. [ 2 + 10 + 8 (mounted, no barding) ] * 2 (elite) * 5 (character) + 200 (griffon)
= 400 points.
EG 3: A Veteran cannon & crew in light armour with melee weapons. [6+24]*1.5*5 = 225
points.
EG 4: A Dragon. [ 12 (FP) + 36 (melee) + 24 (armour) ] * 10 (monster) = 720 points *
quality.
*****
'Neath Southern Skies