Download - Broken Empire
Broken Empire: A Tabletop Wargame
Author’s NoteWelcome to Broken Empire: A Tabletop Wargame. This wargame was created by me in an effort to
create a wargame that would offer a wide variety of troops and units but still be relatively affordable
to play and one that allowed for great strategic potential but not require large capacities to play.
What follows will be the main rule book outlining the factions, armies, units and lore that makes up
the world of Broken Empire and I hope you have as much playing this, as I did making it.
ContentAuthor’s Note 1
Introduction 6
Principles of Combat 7
Getting Started 7
What you will need 7
The Unit 7
Centre of the Unit 7
Unit Modelling 7
Unit Facing 7
Anatomy of a Unit 8
The Game Sequence 9
Recovery and Resolution 9
Movement 9
Missiles and Magic 9
Melee 9
Resolve 9
Recovery and Resolution 10
Critical Success and Critical Failure 10
Taking a Check 10
Movement Phase 11
Types of Orders 11
Advance 11
Rapid Advance 11
Charge 13
Charging and Multiple Units 14
Missiles and Magic 15
War Machines 15
General Rules for War Machines 15
Morale 15
Movement 15
Missile and Magic Phase 16
Melee 16
Catapults 16
Trebuchets 16
Cannons 17
Missiles 18
Components of a Range Weapon 18
Who can Fire? 19
Valid Targets 19
Firing with the Unit 19
Dealing Damage 19
Magic 20
Spell Book 21
Prayers 21
Spells 21
Nature 23
Melee 24
Composition of a Melee 24
Attacking 24
Roll to Hit 24
Damage 25
Critical Hit 25
Resolving a Melee 25
Multiple Unit Melees 25
Morale Conditions and Effects 25
Armoury of the Empire 27
Melee Weapons (General) 27
Spear 27
Short Sword 28
Long Sword 28
Cavalry Spear 28
Lance 28
Greatsword 28
Halberd 28
Pike 28
Runesword 29
Holy Staff 29
Druidic Lance 29
Wizard Blade 29
Griffon Claws 30
Ranged Weapons 30
Shortbow 30
Bow 30
Crossbow 30
Musket 30
Armour 31
Shield [Light] 31
Light Armour [Light] 32
Light Armour and Shield [Light] 32
Heavy Armour [Heavy] 32
Heavy Armour and Shield [Heavy] 32
Breastplate [Light] 32
Feathered Hide [Light] 32
Ranger Cloak [Light] 32
Minor Ward [Light] 32
Nature’s Cloak [Heavy] 33
Holy Vestments [Light] 33
Relic Armour [Heavy] 33
Special Rules 33
CumbersomeWeapons 33
Deft Horsemanship 33
Fearsome 33
Flammable 34
Formation 34
Icon of Hope 34
Master Archers 34
Pike Wall 34
Scout 34
Siege Weapon 34
Stealth 35
Unruly Mob 35
Charge 35
Unit List 35
Militiaman 37
Footman 38
Swordsman 38
Halberdier 39
Pikeman 39
Greatswordsman 40
Raider 41
Light Cavalry 41
Mounted Bowman 42
Knight 42
Griffon Knight 43
Archer 44
Crossbowman 45
Musketeer 45
Ranger 46
Shaman 46
Druid 47
Wizard 47
Priest 48
Hero 49
Unit Types 49
Formation: 49
Skirmisher: 49
Cavalry: 49
Flier: 50
War Machine: 50
Hero 50
Army Composition 50
Army Building 51
Army Setup 51
Victory Conditions 52
Terrain 52
Normal Terrain 52
Difficult Terrain 52
DefensiveTerrain 52
Fortifications 52
Mercenaries 53
Using Mercenaries 53
Basing Template 54
Acknowledgements 54
IntroductionIt is the year 2017. By the blessed grace of the Goddess Diacta, the Bastonne Empire has flourished
for a 1000 years. Presiding over vast armies, the Emperors of Bastonne have gradually and brutally
come to lay claim to all nations in the land of Alena. The previous Emperor Julius Cato, has passed on,
the first Emperor to ever die peacefully in his sleep. His successor and grandnephew, Markus
Sagacious Remus, has come to the throne amidst great turmoil amongst the subjects of the Empire.
Increasingly, the various subjected lands are calling for independence and the young Emperor is
struggling to assert Imperial authority. Tensions finally reached boiling point when the Conclave of
Nations, a peaceful assembly meant to mediate relations, breaks down when unknown assassins
failed to kill Emperor Remus. Almost overnight, all the old loyalties fell away as each of the realms
declared independence and broke away from Imperial rule. It is the year 2017 and the 1000 year
Empire is finally shattered.
Principles of Combat
Getting Started
What you will needTo play this game, you will require a number of things. Firstly, you will need a flat playing surface of a
size appropriate to the typeof battle you will play. Secondly, you will require a number of dice of
various kinds ranging from d3 up to d10. You will also need measuring implements like rulers or tape
measures to measure distances in inches. Lastly you will need the units that will make up your army
but that will be discussed in detail later. It is also recommended, but not necessary, to make use of
small tokens as markers or counters for special events that will be explained later.
The UnitA unit is the most basic denomination of fighting force in this game. All units will have a base. This
base refers to a square flat tile that the models that make up the unit are placed on. All units,
regardless of type, all have the same base. This base is a square with the dimensions 8cm by 8cm.
The soldiers that make up the unit can be arranged however you wish on this base.
Centre of the UnitThe unit centre is a point taken from 4 cm from one edge and 4 cm from the adjacent edge. That is, if
you were to start at half of one edge and rule a perpendicular line to that edge and then repeat the
process from either of the two adjacent edges, you would get the unit centre.
Unit ModellingUnits are ostensibly made up of a number of soldiers. Realistically, force sizes would normally
depend on a variety of conditions however for the purposes of this game, we use a single set of
standard conventions.
· Infantry (Formation/Skirmisher)units are made up of 10 models
· Cavalry units are made up of 5 models
· Hero units (Demarcated as such) are made up of 1 model
Unit FacingThere are four sides to the unit and its base. One side, clearly indicated by the owning player, is the
unit front. The side opposite it is the unit rear. That leaves the two remaining sides as flanks.
Anatomy of a Unit
Front
FlankFlank
Rear
There are various components that define a unit beyond just the physical model. These
characteristics will be explained below.
Health:This is an unstated characteristic but no less vital. All units, regardless of type, have 10 Hit Points. All
units start with 10 and this number may be reduced as a result of battle damage. When a unit
reaches 0 HP, it dies and is removed from the table. Here, you can use counters or d10 dice to
indicate how much damage a unit has taken. Alternatively, you can removea single model from the
appropriate unit for every 1 damagepoint taken. In the case of cavalry models, 1 model equals 2
damage points.
Cost:Cost defines how expensive in Gold Coins a unit is. It represents a combination of the cost of training,
equipping and upkeeping soldiers in the field. A lowly militiaman will cost a mere 50 Gold Coin or GC
to field with his simple spear and shield but a powerful knight costs 300 GC, 6 times that amount.
Movement:Movement is a measure of how nimble a unit can be on the field. It is not a measure of how fast the
individual soldier can move but rather a group of soldiers who are trying to keep some semblance of
order and cohesion as they move. The value indicated is in number of inches
Type:Type refers to what particular designation a unit might have. Different types of troops have different
rules which will be explained later on.
Hit:Hit refers to the skill of the unit in melee in terms of landing and coordinating attacks against other
units. Successfully coordinating attacks is a skill that takes great degrees of training to be effective in
any significant capacity. Anyonecan take a sword and swing it but a true soldier can land a blow and
return the weapon to guard position before his foe’s corpse has fallen. It is this distinction that
separates the dead from the living.
When rolling to hit, a hit is scored when the roll is a value that is greater than or equal to the value
listed here.
Defence ():Defence is an indication of how well armoured a unit is and how sturdy and tough the soldiers are
when taking damage. You will notice that there are two values listed here: one normal value and
another value in brackets. The value listed in brackets refers to a separate defence value that the
unit has when taking damage from ranged attacks. The first value refers to the unit’s defence when
taking damagefrom melee damage.
Resolve:Resolve is a measure of how determined and spirited a unit it. It is used to determine how a unit will
react to the realities of battle and whether or not it can resist the temptations to flee or retreat in
the face of danger.
Abilities:The Abilities section refers to special rules that a unit might have because of its training or equipment
. Please refer to the Special Rule list later in the book for explanation of each individual’s abilities.
Gear:Gear is a list of what weapons and armour a unit might be equipped with. Any bonuses or special
rules have already been accounted for by the other characteristics and this gear list is simply a
shortcut to knowing what a unit might be equipped with.
The Game SequenceThere are a number of components to a player turn. Normally, there are two players who each get a
turn per round. A number of rounds makeup a single game but depending on the number of players,
this can change. What remains constant, however, is the structure of a player turn.
Recovery and Resolution1. Take any Resolve Checks on units with broken, disrupted morale or any other condition
2. Resolve any status effects
Movement1. State move types of all units
2. Charges must be declared first and no measuring beforehand is allowed.
3. Resolve all moves
Missiles and Magic1. Attempt to fire any war machines
2. Attempt to fire with any missile troops
3. Attempt to cast any magic
Melee1. Resolve any melee combats
Resolve1. Take Resolve Checks on any units that suffered Morale Damage.
The player turns are largely self-contained in that a player will take almost all of his actions
independently of the other player in terms of attempting his own Resolve Checks, moving all of his
units and attempting magic and ranged attacks without the other player’s response. However, in the
melee phase, the units that are attacked by the player with the current turn will have a chance to
respond with attacks of their own if they are not destroyed.
After all attacks, from both players during the turn, have been resolved, the melee phase ends and
the resolve phase, takes place. After that, the process restarts for the other player. This continues
until one player is defeated or some other victory condition occurs.
Recovery and ResolutionIn this phase, units that were under somestatus effect or morale damage take their checks to see if
they overcome the effect and regain order.
Critical Success and Critical FailureOn a Resolve Check, rolling double 1s results in an automatic success and this means that regardless
of what modifiers a unit is facing, it passes the Resolve Check. In this case, we assume the unit has
shown impossible, if not insane, courage and will stand against the foe heedless of danger.
Similarly, rolling double 6s on the Resolve check results in automatic failure and this means that
regardless of what modifiers a unit is facing and resolve it has, it fails the Resolve Check. In this case,
we assume the unit has shown boundless, if not spineless, cowardice and will rather fleet against the
foe.
Taking a CheckThe phrase take a check refers to a process whereby the player taking the check rolls 2 d6 dice and
adds the result together. They then comparethis result to whatever value is stipulated by the check.
If their dice roll is less than the result, the check is passed and the status effect ends. In the case of a
Resolve Check, the unit will lose whatever morale condition they had and gain the Normal condition.
In this phase, every unit under a status effect or morale condition must take their Resolve Checks.
You may pick the order in which to take the checks.
If any of the checks are failed, take the required response.
Movement PhaseIn this phase, you will move your units around the battlefield and take actions that may later bring
them into melee with other enemy units.
There are two components to a Movement Phase: Issuing Orders and Resolving Orders. Issuing
Orders happens before Resolving Orders.
In the Issuing Orders component, you may issue Movement Orders to any unit in your army that is
not currently under some morale condition or in melee.
Once all units in the army have been issued orders, you may then resolve the orders in any order that
you wish by performing the attack required by the type of order.
Types of Orders
AdvanceAn Advance is the most basic type of move that exists. It consists of all the soldiers in the unit moving
as cohesively as possible in a direction at a normal pace.
Advances can only use up to the value listed in the Movement Characteristic.
An Advance can consist of the following types of actions:
1) Moving in a straight line forward from the unit Front
2) Turn 45 degrees per inch of Movement either left or right. You measure the degrees from
the centre of the unit
3) Moving in a straight line backwards from the unit Rear
An Advance can be comprised of any combination of these actions provided the inches moved is less
than or equal to the total Movement of the unit.
If a unit ends its advance in base contact with another enemy unit, the two units are then engaged in
melee.
Rapid AdvanceA Rapid Advance is more difficult manoeuvre to perform under battlefield conditions because it
requires all the soldiers in the regiment to rapidly move forward and still maintain their formations
or cohesion. Generally speaking, a Rapid Advance is used to cover ground quickly and not for assaults
because the goal is to cover ground and not prepare for an ensuing melee.
A Rapid Advance can usedouble the Movement Character of the unit and can consist of the following
types of actions:
1) Moving in a straight line forward from the unit Front
2) Turn 45 degrees per inch of Movement either left or right. You measure the degrees from
the centre of the unit.
An Advance can be comprised of a move forward in a straight line. A single rotation of the unit is
permitted but only before the actual unit moves forward.
A Rapid Advance may not end 2 inches before any enemy and may never be used to bring one unit
into base contact with another for the purposes of melee.
Charge
A Charge is a special kind move that is explicitly used to engage the enemy with some additional
momentum and shock so as to break the enemy in the ensuing melee. Although infantry charges are
fearsome in their own right, it is cavalry who are best suited for charges.
To that end, there are two separate types of charges: infantry and cavalry charges. When ordering a
charge, use the one appropriate to the type
Infantry ChargeWhen issuing an Infantry Charge to a unit, you must nominate one enemy unit to receive the charge.
Then you may move in a straight line towards that unit. The maximum distanceyou are allowed to
move is equal to 1.5 times the movement, rounding down. You are allowed a single rotation of 45
degrees in either direction at the start of your charge. However, you must have had the enemy unit
in the front facing arc of your unit before declaring the charge.
If you do not reach the enemy unit, your charge is considered to have failed and you must move your
unit as close to the enemy as you are able. Furthermore because your unit prepared itself for a
melee that it never fought, your unit counts as Disrupted.
If the charge is successful, the two units, yours and the enemy, are now considered to be engaged in
melee.
Cavalry ChargeWhen issuing a Cavalry Charge to a unit, you must nominate one enemy unit to receive the charge.
Then you may move in a straight line towards that unit. The maximum distanceyou are allowed to
move is equal to 2 times the movement. You are allowed a single rotation of 45 degrees in either
direction at the start of your charge. However, you must havehad the enemy unit in the front facing
arc of your unit before declaring the charge.
If you do not reach the enemy unit, your charge is considered to have failed and you must move your
unit as close to the enemy as you are able. Furthermore because your unit prepared itself for a
melee that it never fought, your unit counts as Disrupted.
If the charge is successful, the two units, yours and the enemy, are now considered to be engaged in
melee.
Charging and Multiple UnitsIt is possible that you may want to elect multiple units to charge against a single target so as to
maximise the amount of damage that enemy might face. If multiple units area able to charge against
a unit successfully, you must spread the contact that each unit has with the enemy base to maximise
the contact the units have with their enemy. Only a maximum of two units may declare a charge
against the same target.
Advances follow this rule when multiple units advance into the same enemy.
It is possible to charge at the flanks, or even rear, of an enemy unit and in that case, you treat the
side as the front for the purposes of resolving charges. The benefits of such a charge will be given
later in the Melee Section.
Missiles and Magic
There are a number of missile weapons in the world of Broken Empire, from the simple shortbows of
the Derov horse archers to the complex and powerful longbows used by the Rangers of Yslomir and
even the deadly muskets found in elite units in the armies of Valenheim. Adding to this, are
numerous spells that can be performed by fell mages or noble priests.
To this end, this section details the various kinds of ranged weapons, what their rules are and as well
as how to cast magic.
War Machine s
There are 3 types of war machines that armies can use: Catapult, Trebuchet and Cannon.
Each weapon works differently and will be explained in their sections.
General Rules for War MachinesA number of general rules apply to war machines.
MoraleUnless otherwise stated by a specific rule, war machines are never subject to Resolve Checks like
normal units.
MovementWar Machines are only able to receive Advance Orders in the movement phase.
Missile and Magic Phase
War Machines can be targeted by other war machines and missile troops. Also, unless otherwise
stated, war machines can be targeted by spells and magic. War Machines are all Move or Fire
weapons.
MeleeWar Machines never fight in melee and never retaliate when attacked. War Machines are valid
targets for charges however and a war machine may not fire if it is successfully charged by an enemy
until such a time as the engaging enemy unit is driven off.
In melee, war machines suffer melee damage as per normal.
CatapultsCatapults are the most common typeof Warmachine amongst the nations of the Empire. Considered
a powerful weapon against masses of infantry and cavalry to a lesser extent, the humble catapult
sees service in armies across the Empire though the design may reflect the builders to a great degree.
Catapults vary in design, from the sturdy and robust frames used in Harlievia to the primitive and
ramshackle ones made in Kynmach. Regardless of their origin, all catapults launch large masses of
rocks towards the enemy with somedegree of accuracy.
FiringTo fire this weapon, nominate any point within line of sight, 360 degrees, that is at least 6 inches
away but no farther than 25. This point is the blast origin.
Next, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, the machine has malfunctioned and does not fire, instead taking 1 point
of damage directly to its HP. On a 2+, the weapon fires properly.
If the weapon fired properly, roll another d6. This value is the weapon spread and refers to how
widely the distribution of the rocks thrown reached.
You must then roll to hit the enemy unit units. Enemy units less than 3 inches away from the blast
origin are hit on a 3+. Units that are greater than 3 inches away are hit on a 5+. Units that are
successfully hit take a d4 damagedie. If a 6 is rolled, this is a critical damage roll and the unit hit by it
takes a d4 damage die that ignores 1 point of defence.
Once the damage dice havebeen rolled, see the applying damage chart below to determine the
effect.
TrebuchetsA trebuchet is essentially one massive torsion arm that makes use of a counterweight and gravity to
fling a single large object, usually a boulder but also a diseased corpse in times of siege, a large
distance. Trebuchets are significantly more powerful than a catapult but only damagea single target.
For this reason, they are usually employed to besiege castle walls. However, they do see use on
normal battlefields as counters to other war machines or particularly potent and fearsome
formations.
FiringTo fire this weapon, nominate any point within line of sight, 360 degrees, that is at least 8 inches
away but no farther than 30. This point is the blast origin and it is 4 inches in diameter.
Next, roll a d6. On a roll of 1, the machine has malfunctioned and does not fire, instead taking 1 point
of damage directly to its HP. On a 2+, the weapon fires properly.
If the weapon fired properly, roll another d6. This value is a measure of how accurate the shot was.
On a roll between 1 and 2, the shot flies widely off course and is discarded. Otherwise, the shot
landed on the blast origin.
Roll a d6 for every unit in the blast radius from the blast origin. The unit is hit on a 4+ and takes a d6
damage die. If a 6 is rolled, then the d6 damage die ignores the defence value of the enemy unit.
Once the damage dice havebeen rolled, see the applying damage chart below to determine the
effect.
CannonsCannons are a very rare war machine in the lands of Broken Empire. Only specialised engineers in
Valenheim are known to possess the knowledge and tools needed to produce these mighty weapons
that usea strangeblack powder to fire hugeiron balls great distances. Ordinarily, one might assume
that the presence of these weapons would make Valenheim a super power but that is far from the
truth. Cannons are extremely expensive and rare weapons with one costing almost entire company
of troops. Added to this is the fact that while advanced in relation to other siege weapons, cannons
are still extremely primitive devices that disastrously prone to misfire and catastrophic failure. It
comes as no surprise then that the men who man these weapons tend to be extremely superstitious
and fearful of their weapons.
FiringTo fire this weapon, nominate any point within line of sight and within the 180 degree front facing
arc that is at least 8 inches away but no farther than 35. This point is the blast origin.
Next, roll a d6. On a roll of less than 4, the machine has malfunctioned and does not fire, instead
taking 1 point of damage directly to its HP. On a 4+, the weapon fires properly.
If the weapon fired properly, roll another d6. This value is a measure of how far the cannonball
bounced. Extend a straight line from the blast origin the number of inches you haverolled. If the roll
is a 1, the cannon ball has become embedded in the ground and does not bounce.
The first unit hit by the cannon that was not hit by the bounce, takes a d6 damagedie that ignores
the armour of the enemy unit.
The first enemy unit hit by the bounce takes a d4 damage die that treats the enemy armour as half
its original value. Any units hit after that take a d3 damage die that has no effect on the enemy
armour.
Once the damage dice havebeen rolled, see the applying damage chart below to determine the
effect.
Bear in mind that any unit hit by the bounce, regardless of side, will take damage. So if the bounce
takes the cannonball into an allied unit, it will take damage as per normal.
GrapeshotA special type of attack only applicable to cannons, grapeshot is so called because instead of firing a
large iron ball, the cannon fires dozens of smaller, grape-sized ones. Though nowhere near as
destructive against fortifications or buildings and very short ranged, grapeshot will cut through all but
the very best armoured units with ease. Cannon may not fire grapeshot and a cannonball in the same
turn. You must choose which one to fire before electing a target.
Firing
To fire grapeshot, extend two lines from both edges of the Front side of the cannon. These lines are
equal in length, in inches, to a d6 roll. This forms a cone shape in front of the cannon. Any units
caught in the blast cone take d8 damage if they have Heavy Armour and d6 if they haveLight Armour.
Armour is ignored from the damage done by Grapeshot.
This attack can be done in melee.
Grapeshot fouls the barrel of the cannon and it cannot fire for 1 turn afterwards while the crew clean
the barrel.
Missiles
Components of a Range WeaponA ranged weapon will have a number of facets to it.
Range:Range indicates the maximum firing distance in inches that a unit may fire their weapon at. The
minimum distance given is 0 but any unit in base contact with a unit with ranged weapons counts as
engaged in melee.
Type:Type refers to whether or not a weapon can be fired after the unit has moved. A Move and Fire
weapon allows the unit to perform any kind of Movement Order and still fire their weapons. A Move
or Fire weapon means that the unit must not have moved in the Movement Phase, or fled, to fire
their weapons.
Damage [Light]:This damage value refers to the damage done by the weapon against enemy units in light armour.
For what constitutes light armour, see the Armour and Weapons Section.
Damage [Heavy]:This damage value refers to the damage done by the weapon against enemy units in heavy armour.
For what constitutes heavy armour, see the Armour and Weapons Section.
Who can Fire?At the start of the Missiles and Magic Phase, after all war machines have fired, you may have any of
your units with missile weapons fire at the enemy.
To be eligible, a unit must meet the following criteria:
· Possess a ranged weapon
· Meet the specific requirement of the weapon type
· Not be Disrupted, Shocked, Panicked or Fleeing
· Must not be currently engaged in melee
Valid TargetsA valid enemy target meets the following criteria:
· Not engaged in melee
· In range of the weapon being fired
Firing with the UnitTo fire with a unit, declare that the unit is going to be firing and then nominate onetarget in range of
the unit’s weapons.
Then, roll a d6 for that unit. Apply any modifiers listed in the table below to your result and then if
the value is greater than or equal to 4, a hit is scored.
Modifier Condition EffectShort Range: The enemy unit is at a distanceless than or equalto half the maximum range of the weapon
+1 to result
Long Range: The enemy unit is at a distance greater than halfthe maximum range of the weapon
-1 to result
Entrenched: The enemy unit is in terrain classified asFortifications
-2 to result
Standardised Damage DiceAll units, unless otherwise stated, will use a d4 dice for damage.
Dealing DamageOnce a hit has been scored, roll a damagedie. Once the damagedie has been rolled, you compare
the result to the Defence value in brackets listed on the enemy unit. If your value is less than the
Defence value or equal to, then no damage is done to the enemy unit. We consider a combination of
effective armour and poor aim to be the reason that the enemy survived. If the value is greater than
the Defence value then some damage was done. Apply the difference between Defence value and
damage result as damage to the enemy.
If the enemy is reduced to 0 HP from the attack, they are considered destroyed and are removed
from the table.
If the enemy unit is not destroyed, consult the chart below for the effect
Damage Condition(Health Remaining)
Effect
1-4 Take a Resolve Check with a -1 penalty.If the Check is failed, the unit gains theMorale Condition: Panicked. If the checkis passed, the unit is unaffected.
5-7 Take A Resolve Check. If the unit fails,gains the Morale Condition: Shocked. Theunit is unaffected if it passes.
7-9 The unit is unaffected.
Magic
The practice of magic is something that is a recent introduction to the armies of the nations in the
Bastonne Empire. Only 300 years ago, Emperor Cestus the Wise met with a secret order of sages
from Hessia and bade them go into the world to find gifted children that may be taught how to
harness the magical energies that lay imperceptible to their fellow men. His successors all built upon
the tradition until sorcery was commonplace enough for schools to be established for the study of
magic. However, Emperor Justinian the Rash grew wary of the power wielded by mages and sought
to break their power and outlawed the practice of magic and set up inquisitions to root out the
mages. His Proclamation of Heresy, a law outlawing magic and its practice, were passed in all nations
except for Kynmach, where Imperial control was tenuous at best, and Hessia where the people
stubbornly refused to abandon their heritage. So these two nations are the only ones left that can
field war mages of any significant ability.
That is not to say that magical energy is dead in the land. The Goddess Diacta, the Glorious One, is
said to bestowgreat powers on her favoured priests. These priests can manifest great powers of
healing and divine wrath in the midst of battle. Across the length of the Empire, various deities that
are worshipped in great numbers are said to bestow similar powers to their extremely faithful and as
such, members of many priesthoods carry their holy staves and vestments into battle against their
nation’s foes as proudly as any soldier.
Finally, though “proper”magic began in Hessia under sages and arcane tutelage, by far, the nation
with the most gifted practitioners is Kynmach. Unlike the other civilised realms, Kynmach still has a
powerful druidic and shamanistic culture with the members of those orders able to manifest
fearsome powers unlike any other seen in the world.
Spell BookBelow is list of the various kinds of spells that can be cast. They are so subdivided because each
category has different casting processes and rules.
PrayersPrayers are not spells in the traditional sense in that they do not require the caster to wrestle with
the natural magical currents to gain enough power to cast. Rather, they rely on the caster
maintaining his or her focus while chanting a specific set of words.
Although there are various kinds of prayers, the 3 below are representative of the 3 most common
types of divine appeals
Casting ProcessTo “cast”a prayer, simply select the appropriate unit and cast the prayer that you wish. Prayers are
cast automatically and do not require any additional effort but only a single prayer may be cast a turn
and the same prayer cannot be cast consecutively.
Name Description EffectHeal the Faithful Calling upon the favour of
their divine patron, the priestsummons forth healing spiritsto heal and revive fallensoldiers and restore hope
Select a unit with 12 inches. This unitgains either 2HP or instantly pass aResolve Check.
Shield the Righteous Invoking the name of theirdeity, the priest summonsprotective blessings to bolsterthe defences of the faithfulwarriors
Select a unit within 12 inches. This unitgains 1 extra point of Defence againstattacks of any kind. This lasts until theprayer is cast again. It may not be cast onthe same unit twice consecutively.
Retribution for theFallen
Uttering the ancient rites ofretribution, the priest calls fordivine wrath to flow through
Select a unit within 12 inches.This unit gains the Vengefulspecial rule.the faithful so that they maysmite the wicked
SpellsUnlike prayers which are divinely sanctioned, the magic used by mages is instead forced into being
by virtue of the caster’s will. It takes immense effort and practice to even summon the most basic of
flames or spirits but the few mages that exist in the world are well versed in their ancient lore. Of
note is the fact that Hessia still maintains a single arcane academy where novice mages are taught by
the few remaining master wizards. The academy accepts all students from across the Empire so it is
not uncommon for fearful nobles to send children with potential for magic to the academy to avoid
the scrutiny of Imperial Witch Finders.
Casting ProcessCasting a spell involves trying to bend the magical currents around the caster to a purpose. Each spell
listed has a casting difficulty in terms of the number of successes needed to cast. Unlike prayers, the
same spell may be casted consecutively and a mage may cast as many spells in a turn as he is able.
At the start of every Missile and Magic Phase, roll a d6 for any mages or wizards that you wish to cast
spells. This result represents how much magical energy they were able to siphon into themselves and
is represented by a d6 dice pool.
To cast a spell, subtract the number of dice needed from the caster’s pool and roll them. Every 4+
counts as a success and if the number of successes rolled is equal to or greater than the needed
value, the spell is cast otherwise the spell has failed. The wizard is still able to cast again if he has any
casting dice left. Regardless of whether the spell is successful or not, the dice used to cast are spent
and removed from the casting pool. If a 6 is rolled on any casting rolls, that dice is not used up and
instead gets added back to the casting pool in addition to counting as a success.
Name Description Casting Value EffectFireball The wizard focuses,
channelling magical energyinto his palms until a brighthot blaze erupts. With a singlegesture, he throws themagical ball of fire towardsand enemy.
1 Nominate an enemy unit within18 inches. This unit immediatelytakes d4 damage and, regardlessof health, must take a ResolveCheck after damagehas beenresolved. The unit will bePanicked if the check is failed.This is a Fire attack and affectsunits with the Flammable Rule
Ice Field The wizard reaches out withboth hands and beckons thespirits of ice to shower his foeswith ice.
2 Nominate a single enemy unitwithin 16 inches. This unit has itsMovement characteristic halvedfor 2 turns. It also takes d3
damage.Lightning Storm Tapping into a powerful
current of magic, the wizard 3draws forth a massive well ofenergy to supercharge theskies and summon lightning toblast his foes.
Roll a d6. On a roll of 1-2, select1 enemy unit anywhere on thetable. On a roll of 2-5, select two.On a roll of 6, select 3 enemyunits.
Each enemy unit selected takesd4 damage.
Blood Pact Drawing upon some of his lifeforce, the wizard taps into theprimal power of life energyand either siphons somefroma nearby ally or gives some ofhis own to heal the wounded.
Blood magic not only heals butlends great fury to thoseinvolved.
2 Nominate a friendly unit within 8inches. This unit either gains 2points of health and your wizardloses 2 points of health or thewizard gains 2 points of healthand the unit loses 2 points ofhealth.
Regardless of the transfer, boththe unit and the wizard gain theVengeful rule for 2 turns.
NatureNature magic is not so much magic in the sense that it is forcibly constructed by drawing upon
magical currents nor is it like Divine magic which is channelled from a divine source. Nature magic
rather comes from a connection between the caster and the natural world around them. The secrets
of such magic are not known to anyone outside of the forests of Kynmach however and despite
attempts, the inner workings behind the transformation of man into beast and summoning raw fury
of nature are still as mysterious as the rare few able to use them.
Casting ProcessNature magic operates differently to the other kinds of magic in that the caster draws upon their
own energies to cast the magic.
There are two disciplines of nature magic: Druidism and Shamanism.
Druidism focuses on the bond between man and nature and connecting man to nature. As such,
Druids are able to useShapeshifting to morph their forms into powerful animal ones.
Shamanism focuses on reconciling the earth with man and strengthening the bonds between the
natural and spiritual world. To this end, Shamans are able to cast Spirit Shroud.
Either caster may cast their spell without additional effort. Shamans are able to cast Spirit Shroud
every turn. Druids start with the ability to cast Shapeshift but must wait 1 turn between successive
castings.
Name Description EffectShapeshift Drawing upon a powerful connection
with the naturalworld, the Druidmorphs his form into an animal form.
· Bear· Stag· Eagle
Consult the profiles below for furtherinformation.Bolstered by magic, these spiritanimals are potent forces on abattlefield and not to be Select oneof the following forms. A form maybe taken in consecutive castings.underestimated.
Attacks made are still made with the DruidicLance’s damage die
Spirit Shroud Drawing upon the spirit world andthose of his ancestors, the Shamanasks for either fury to emboldenfriendly warriors or despair toenfeeble enemy ones
Select either a friendly unit within 10 inchesor an enemy unit within 8 inches.
If the selected unit is an enemy, they are nowunder the Morale Condition: Despair
If the selected unit is a friendly unit, they arenow under the Morale Condition: Vigour
Both effects last 3 turns.A shaman can cast this spell on multiple unitswithout the effect fading.
Name Type Movement Resolve DefenceBear Skirmisher 6 10 4(4)Stag Skirmisher 9 8 3(3)Eagle Flier 12 7 2(3)
Melee
The melee phase is where the large part of most battles are won or lost. Despite magic and missile
weapons, a large part of battles are still won or lost with men fighting in close quarters with a
number of hand weapons. This section will detail how to conduct those very same fights.
Composition of a MeleeAt the very lowest level, a melee consists of two units that fighting at extremely close quarters. In
this game, a melee occurs when two units from opposing armies are in base contact with one
another. A unit can get into melee either through charging or advancing but the effect remains the
same.
There may be several melees currently in progress at the start of your Melee Phase. In this case, the
player whose turn it is chooses the order in which the melees are resolved.
Attacking
Roll to HitTo make an attack, roll a d6 die that is linked to the weapon possessed by the unit. If this value is
greater than or equal to the value listed in the Hit characteristic of the unit, then a hit is scored.
DamageNow roll the damage die listed for the unit. Compare this result to the Defence Value of the enemy
unit that is not in brackets. If your result is less than or equal to the defence value, your attacks do no
damage. If your result is greater than the enemy defence value, the difference between the two is
the damage dealt to the enemy unit.
Critical HitA critical hit is a specific type of hit that occurs when the roll to hit results in a 6. When this occurs,
the attack will treat the enemy armour as being half its original value.
If, for whatever reason, the unit normally needs a 6 to hit the enemy, then a critical hit will not be
scored if a 6 is rolled.
Once your unit has attacked, the enemy unit will attack in their turn. We assume that the enemy unit
is too busy defending itself to mount a serious counterattack.
Resolving a MeleeAfter your unit has made its attack, and presuming one side was not destroyed, the combat must be
resolved.
To resolve the combat, use the chart below to determine your next action.
Health (of Enemy Unit) Effect1-2 The unit must take a Resolve Check with a -1
penalty.
The unit suffers the Morale Condition: Broken ifthe Check is failed.
3-5 The unit takes a Resolve Check
If the test is failed, the unit suffers the MoraleCondition: Broken.
6-7 The unit takes a Resolve Check
If the test is failed, the unit suffers the MoraleCondition: Shaken.
8-10 The unit takes a Resolve Check
If the test is failed, the unit suffers the MoraleCondition: Despair. This Despair lasts for 1 turn.
If the test is passed, the unit gains the MoraleCondition: Vigour. This Vigour lasts for 1 turn.
Neither of these effects stacks with any spellsand if it occurs on a unit that was alreadyaffected by either of those effects, then ignorethis check then. The unit has the MoraleCondition: Normal.
Multiple Unit MeleesA multiple unit melee occurs when there are more than 2 units engaged in a melee. This can take
many shapes and forms but the two common ones would be when 2 units fight against 1 or when
several units battle against each other because several charges/advances brought them all into base
contact.
A number of rules apply in this case.
· A unit may only make 1 attack in its turn against an enemy unit.
· A unit may counter attack that is respond to an attack by an enemy, as many times as it is
attacked.
· When working out resolution, all units on the same side count as one unit and all units in
that single collection must abide by the results of the chart. Morale: Conditions and Effects
Morale Conditions and EffectsMorale is a crucial component of fighting battles and many battles are won not when the enemy is
utterly destroyed but rather when they have lost the will to continue fighting.
Condition Description EffectNormal This is the normal state for soldiers to be
in.No special effects. This is considered to bethe default condition for all units unlessotherwise stated.
Shocked Soldiers in this state are either on theverge of collapse or tending there. Usuallythe charge of heavy cavalry is enough to A
any charges or advances that would resultin melee with the enemy.
unit with this condition functions in thesame way as a unit with the NormalCondition except that it cannot declareshock even veteran soldiers but severeenemy fire may do so as well.Regardless, unless something is done, theunit will be limited in combateffectiveness.
Shaken Soldiers with this condition have recentlyseen or experienced somekind of traumaor stress but not quite enough to get Aunit with the Shaken Condition functionslike a unit with the Normal Conditionexcept that it will do 1 less damage pointthem to waver. They will fight on, atreduced effectiveness, but it is wise toprevent them from continuing along whatmight be a lethal spiral.
in its next attack.
Shaken ends automatically in the nextRecovery and Resolution Phase.
Panicked The condition Panicked is as close to theedge of routing that soldiers can getwithout actually trying to flee the field.
Soldiers in this state will not think ofanything but self-preservation and will tryto avoid combat, though will respond ifattacked, until they either regain theirnerve or are driven from the field.
A unit with this condition is unable todeclare charges, advances, or otherwiseseek out the enemy. If it is charged orotherwise engaged in melee, it will onlyrespond and never attack.
Outside of combat, it will only move usingadvances.
Vengeful In war, many might break down under thestress of combat. Some, however,become enraged at the thought of theenemy and will fight all the harder to killthem, empowered by the loss ofcomrades around them.
For every friendly unit that is killed within6 inches of this unit, it gains a permanent+1 bonus to its damage rolls.
Despair War often contains very horrific andtraumatic events. Even veteran soldiershave been known to become afraidduring intense combat.
Soldiers that despair are less effective atfighting as they feel their willpower, andbloodlust, fade.
The unit under the effect of Despairsuffers a -1 penalty to their roll to hit.
This penalty increases by 1 for every turnthat Despair affects the units.
The minimum that a roll to hit can bemade by this is 6.
Winning a melee cancels the effect.Vigour By working the strangemagic of the
Kynmach, the shamans are able infusetheir soldiers with otherworldly fury thatenables simple tribesmen to fight, andbest, armoured knights.
The unit under the effect of Despair gains+1 bonus to their roll to hit.
This bonus increases by 1 for every turnthat Vigour affects the units.
The maximum that a roll to hit can bemade by this is 2.
Losing a melee cancels the effect.Broken By the time a unit is broke, almost all of
the will to fight has been beaten of theunit and its soldiers, the few that remain,will do their best to flee the field as soonas possible.
This unit is unable to do anything exceptmake a Rapid Advance towards thenearest table edge, avoiding the enemy tothe greatest degree possible.
They will not attack if engaged in meleeand will automatically lose the meleeshould they survive to the resolutionphase.
Disrupted For whatever reason, this unit is disruptedand as such, cannot perform its more Theunit cannot shoot or cast magic but canotherwise act normally.advanced duties. For infantrymen, adisruption is not so great that theirfighting prowess is affected but for magesor missile troops that require great focus,a disruption halts their ability to function.
Armoury of the Empire
This section contains a list and description of all the arms and armour that are found on the forces of
the Empire militaries. More specialised equipment will go under the nation specific armoury.
Melee Weapons (General)
SpearThe spear is perhaps the oldest and most commonplace weapon to be found. From veteran
mercenaries to newly raised peasant militia, the humble spear find service all throughout the land as
a cheap and effective weapon, especially in large numbers. Despite being just a wooden pole with a
sharp piece of metal at one end, the spear is a vital weapon for any force to resist cavalry and even
other infantry.
Short SwordThe short sword is another ubiquitous weapon in the militaries of the Empire. All the nations tend to
have short swords that reflect their landscape and proclivities in war. The short sword used in Derov
is more like a large curved dagger ideal for quick slashes on horseback whereas the short sword in
Bastonne is a simple weapon with two straight edges and a simple iron crossguard. Regardless of
their origins, the short sword is a potent, if underestimated weapon that is ideal for fighting in
confined spaces like castle corridors or sapping tunnels.
Long SwordA larger version of the common short sword, the long sword is the typical weapon of nobles and
professional soldiers alike. Several feet in length and forged from strong steel, these weapons are
both deadly and expensive, ensuring that only the skilled or wealthy enough can wield them.
Cavalry SpearThe cavalry spear is slightly different to the infantry equivalent. It is longer and sturdier, meant to
withstand being plunged into an enemy at high speed. It is also less wieldy without the momentum
of a horse. Still, light to medium horse companies will make useof the cavalry spear as an effective
weapon of shock. The horsemen of Derov are renowned for their barbed cavalry spears that leave
especially vicious wounds.
LanceThe lance is a significant improvement the cavalry spear. It is much larger and much stronger, able to
deliver a killing blow on a galloping horse. Unfortunately, it takes more skill to use one effectively in
addition to requiring a truly powerful warhorse that can bear the rider at the speeds needed for the
lance to be devastating.
GreatswordThe greatsword is aptly named for it easily stands the height of a fully grown man. Greatswords are w
eapons that extremely useful in open combat for few can withstand the destructivepower of these
weapons for long, provided the user can have enough space to swing them. It is said that a trained
greatswordsman can cut a charging knight in twain, something which goes a long way towards
explaining their high cost.
HalberdUnlike the spear from which it is descended, the halberd is a very versatile and lethal weapon. It is
essentially a spear but instead of a single point for a head, it possesses a combination of axe, spear
and hook as a head. The combination is lethally effective against armoured and unarmoured foes
with the halberd being a good replacement for the spear where available.
PikeThe pike is the ultimate extension of the anti-cavalry effect seen with the spear. Much, much longer,
the pike must be wielded with two hands and sturdy arms to be of any use. Its length means that it
gives its user a decisive advantage in the early stages of a melee by allowing them the freedom to
strike from a much farther distance. Although clumsy at short ranges, the pike is the ultimate
deterrent for cavalry.
RuneswordThe Runesword is a product of ancient magic wrought in the days when the Bastonne Empire was
still young. Each nation in the Empire is said to possess a handful of these incredibly potent weapons
and entrusts them only to the most able of swordsmen and only in the direst need for they cannot be
replaced.
Centuries ago, a strangewizard came to the court of Emperor Heracles Juno and said that he could
forge for him unstoppable weapons in exchange for some trifling possession, a mirror from the
Imperial Vault. The Emperor, as bellicose as they come, agreed thinking that the wizard gained little
in the bargain. For 1 year, the wizard toiled in the Imperial Forge, requesting strange minerals and
ingredients to forge these weapons. After 1 year, he emerged with a golden platter upon which lay
24 magnificent blades. The Emperor and his 24 most trusted followers, including his sons, each lined
up to take a sword. When the last blade was claimed, the wizard suddenly leapt up onto the platter
and smashed the mirror that he had taken a year ago. A purple smoke erupted from the shards and
all the swords burned with intense heat. Too late to see the treachery, Emperor Juno died along with
his 24 followers. The wizard took somecrest from Juno’s body and disappeared. When the royal
guard burst into the chamber, they found 24 statues of the fallen men each presenting their sword.
The swords kept in the Imperial Armoury until one by one; they were gifted to nobles and leaders
across the Empire.
Today, the Runeswords are incredibly powerful weapons that are enchanted to never break and cut
through even the thickest armour with ease. It is said that a portion of the warrior who once died
with the weapon remains in the blade, infusing their bearer with a measure of the hero’s skills.
Holy StaffThough the various priesthoods of the land are different in many ways, they all espouse the use of
staves as a symbol of office for their priests. In battle, these staves are imbued with a portion of the
same divine might that the priest wields so they enable an otherwise ordinary person to fight like a
veteran soldier.
Druidic LanceThese strange staves glow with an otherworldly light in the hands of their even more enigmatic
bearers. Somehow what appears to be a large spear or glaive is able to deliver massive bone
breaking cuts or jabs and even pierce the platemail of a knight. Weapons taken from fallen druids,
not a small feat itself, haveproven wholly inert even under magical impelling. Whatever magic
makes these weapons so potent is a secret known only to the Druids.
Wizard BladeA wizard is not likely to want to engage in the close quarters fighting that other lowly mortals must
stoop to. Ideally, a wizard will stay away from the battle and use their spells to cause mayhem and
carnage but there are times when even a wizard must be forced to sully his hands in melee. When
such an event happens, wizards will often conjure up eldritch weapons that glow with baleful fire.
Amazingly, these swords move and float about on their own accord, parrying and slashing at the
wizard’s foes while he remains free to cast spells. There is a legend of a wizard that was once able to
summon 50 of the blades and best a small army by himself.
Griffon ClawsThe claws of a griffon are razor sharp and incredibly lethal when swung by so muscular a beast.
Combine this with the naturalpredatory instincts of the griffon and these claws are easily able to
rend apart plate armour and destroy men with ease.
Ranged Weapons
ShortbowA shortbow is type of bow that is small enough to maintain a large degree of mobility with and still
fire. As such, it lacks a lot of the penetrative power of its larger versions that would haveallowed it to
pierce armour. Still, such a weapon is still deadly against lightly armoured foes and is especially
potent when combined with the great mobility that it enables.
BowBow is a generic term that refers to a variety of different kind of projectile weapons found across the
Empire. Almost all the nations of the Empire, at one point, employed a bow in oneform or another in
warfare. Bows are considered the weapons of peasants due to their lowly origins most likely users.
Still, massed archery can be a potent weapon especially given that it can be bought relatively cheaply.
CrossbowThe crossbow is an evolution of the bow. It features a wooden or steel stock on which a horizontal
bow stave is placed. This enables it to be aimed and fired from a proneposition and means that it
takes much less effort to fire well. A crossbow is more expensive to build than a normal bow but the
costs and time required to train a soldier to use one effectively are much less. In addition, crossbows
are much better against heavier armour than normal bows.
MusketThe Musket is a curious weapon to see in the Empire. Only the secretive gunsmiths of Valenheim
know how to make these strange tube-like weapons that are able to cause death at great ranges.
Unlike the both and crossbow, the training cost and manufacture cost keep this weapon to only the
very elite of Valenheim’s military units. Still weapon is remarkably consistent against all armour types
and its range is not to be underestimated.
Chosen WeaponChosen Weapon refers to a wide assortment of hand weapons that are used by the various leaders
and nobles amongst the nations of the Empire. Typically much better quality than any conventional
infantry arms, these weapons reflect the rich histories of their owners’lands and are as deadly as
they are prestigious.
Name Range Type Ability
Shortbow 0—10 Move and Fire
Long Bow 0—20 More or Fire
Crossbow 0—18 Move or Fire
Musket 0—16 Move or FireArmourPiercing
ArmourThere are various kinds and styles of armour used by the nations of the Empire. Broadly speaking,
there are two categories: Light and Heavy armour. What armour is under what classification is
indicated in the square brackets.
Shield [Light]A shield is the very basic level of personalprotection to be found. It is merely a shaped piece of wood,
metal or hides with somekind of handle hold. A poor warrior will often only have a shield to protect
himself but a shield is not to be underestimated for its ability to protect against ranged attacks like
arrows.
Light Armour [Light]For many warriors and militia, the only armour they will have will be light armour. It will either be
stiffened leather, leather studded with iron or crude rings. In any event, the armour can occasionally
turn aside a sword or spear thrust and is often the most protection a soldier may receive for free.
Light Armour and Shield [Light]This armour combines the protectiveness of a shield with the basic protection of a shield to greatly
enhance the survivability of the soldier bearing them.
Heavy Armour [Heavy]Heavy armour is a catchall term for a number of more protective, and expensive, types of armour.
These range from full suits of chain mail to partial or even full suits of articulated plate armour.
Furthermore, this can also refer to several layers of armour all worn together like chain, leather and
scale, which are able to achieve the sameeffect as plate or chainmail by virtue of quantity.
Heavy Armour and Shield [Heavy]That a warrior can afford to wear heavy armour does not mean he is invulnerable. Armour may still
be pierced and a number of weapons like halberds are able to penetrate even thick plate mail.
Adding a shield helps the warrior avoid damagebeing done to his body at the cost of losing the
ability to wield more cumbersome weapons.
Breastplate [Light]
A breastplate is an intermediate form of armour. It consists of a single, strong piece of metal armour
worn around the torso, with tassets for thigh protection and sometimes a helmet. While it certainly
would protect a soldier better than light armour, it still leaves much of the soldier vulnerable to
ranged weapons.
Feathered Hide [Light]The natural hide of the griffon is a tough one. Griffon hides are several times stronger than leather
and in somecases chain armour. The griffons seem to know this and they will wade into melee
combat never quite as fearful for being hurt as animals like horses would.
Ranger Cloak [Light]To be a ranger is to walk silently in the day and unseen at night. To help them achieve the feats of
stealth for which they are renowned, rangers wear cloaks that have been made to look like the forest
greenery and conceal their wearer. It does provide a measure of protection like light armour but it is
most valuable for the concealment it enables.
Minor Ward [Light]Wizards cannot wear armour in the same way as warriors would. The metal would only serve to
burden them and hinder their ability to cast magic. Instead, wizards place upon themselves arcane
wards that will negate a portion of the damage they would normally get. While not immuneto harm,
the wards keep the wizard well protected and are well suited to stopping bolts and arrows from the
enemy. Unfortunately, the wards do not work at the close range of melee and as such wizards are
seldom seen so close to the front. More potent wards would unfortunately sap a wizard of much of
his energy and leave him unable to cast his more potent spells.
Nature’s Cloak [Heavy]The Druids of Kynmach wear a curious mixture of leather and furs. Despite being clad in what
amounts to ordinary vestments, soldiers report that when struck, the cloaks were as hard as steel
and protected as such. Whatever magic works upon these cloaks, the Druids keep it a secret.
Holy Vestments [Light]A priest will not march into war clad in the armour of the material world. Instead, they will armour
themselves in holy and blessed vestments given to them by their order as a sign of their faith and
piety. Indeed, these vestments are given a small portion of the holy power that powers the priests
and will protect the priest in the way chain might without any of the encumbrance.
Relic Armour [Heavy]Almost as old as the scared Runeswords, the Relic Armours are a remnant of a greater time in the
Empire. Each is a masterwork, crafted by the finest Imperial smiths and artisans of ages past and
blessed by both powerful magic and prayer to guard the wearer against all harm. There are only 2
dozen of these suits left in the world and they are worn only by the most powerful heroes from each
of the nations in the Empire. Each suit is individually suited to the land to which it belongs to. Suits
belonging to Valenheim are shining gold and inlaid with gems, intended to be worn with only the
finest silks, a symbol of that land’s great wealth. The suits that belong to the Derov horselords are
mighty ensembles of scale and glittering chain and are proudly adorned with the clan markings of
their owner.
Special RulesBelow is a list of all the special rules used in the game.
Cumbersome WeaponsSome weapons are so great that they can never be used with any speed but when they hit, they
destroy
Ability: When in combat with enemy units, on a roll of 1 during the roll to hit, this unit has become
overcome with exhaustion from the great exertions of the weapons. To this end, it will skip the next
turn of combat if the combat continues.
If the combat does not continue, and it was not broken or otherwise destroyed, then it cannot make
a rapid advance for one turn while it recovers.
Deft HorsemanshipTo claim to have been born in the saddle is a boast few could easily make
Ability: A unit with this ability may fire twice per turn but not at the same target twice.
Slayer of HeroesEven the mightiest heroes fear death from afar
Ability: A unit with this ability can reroll its damage die against enemy units with the Hero Type.
Furthermore, against enemy units with the Hero Type, it ignores 2 Defence and not just 1 as per
Armour Piercing.
FearsomeSometimes, no one can fault you for fleeing from a griffon
Ability: Any enemy unit wishing to attack a unit with this rule in melee must first pass a Resolve
Check. If the Check is failed, the attacking enemy unit fails its attack and cannot attack for the rest of
that turn. Enemy units must test every time they wish to attack this unit. Ranged and magical attacks
are not affected by this rule.
FlammableThere is good reason for keeping cooking pots far away from siege engines
Ability: If this unit is hit with an attack that has the special rule: Flaming it immediately takes D6
points of damage.
FormationIt is neither strength nor speed but discipline a soldier makes
Ability: Formation takes effect when 2 or more units with the rule Formation are within 5 inches of
each other. A unit with this rule in effect gains a +1 bonus to its Def value. This does not stack
cumulatively.
Icon of Hope
“And he raised his standard high, high enough to bring hope to failing hearts and strength to
weakened arms”
Ability: All units within 12 inches of this unit may reroll any failed Resolve Checks.
Master ArchersThere are tales of archers so masterful, even the eagles are jealous of their keen eyes
Ability: Units with this ability may elect to fire after moving.
Ensorcelle d WeaponsFew can resist the awesome power of the ancient runecraft made manifest
Ability: Units with this ability have Magical attacks. They also replace their d4 damage die with a d6
damage die.
Pike WallWith stern discipline and stout courage, a wall of pikemen is the rock no ocean of cavalry can wash
away
Ability: If a unit with this rule does not attack for a turn, it enters a Pike Wall stance. Pike Wall ends
when it makes an attack, either a response to an enemy attack or an attack of its own. Furthermore,
when Pike Wall is active, this unit can reroll its damage die against any cavalry unit that attacked it,
Hero unit included, and take the higher of the two results.
Furthermore, against cavalry units, Pikemen havea Hit characteristic of 3+.
ScoutThe ability to know the enemy before they know you should never be taken for granted
Ability: A unit with this ability may be redeployed before the start of the game anywhere within a
valid deployment zone but after both players have deployed all units without this ability.
Siege WeaponSome weapons are best deployed against targets that unable to move.
Ability: Units with this ability do extra 4 damage to Fortifications.
Mighty HeftSome weapons are so mighty that to be struck by them is to be sundered apart. Such blows are
seldom struck but when they are, few live to tell the tale.
Ability: When rolling to attack, if this unit rolls a 6 on the roll to hit, it ignores half of the enemy unit’s
armour, rounding down.
Armour PiercingWhether by design or enchantment, these weapons are crafted to prove lethal to armour and those
that depend on it
Ability: Attacks made by this unit ignore 1 point of defence on enemy units.
StealthThe worst blow is most of the time, the onewe never see coming
Ability: When a unit with this ability enters terrain classified as forested, this unit may opt to "hide".
Hiding only takes effect in forested terrain and will end the moment the unit with this rule leaves the
aforementioned forested terrain. While hidden, this unit cannot be attacked in melee or targeted by
ranged attacks as it has concealed itself from conventional spotting techniques. However, any
magical attacks or artillery-based attacks can still affect a unit that is hiding. Furthermore, if this unit
is hiding, it cannot attack enemy units but can contest objectives. If this unit does get damaged,
either through magic or artillery or is otherwise attacked, then the Stealth ability is deactivated and it
is targetable again.
Unruly MobQuantity is a quality all of its own.
Ability: Unruly Mob takes effect when 2 or more units with the rule Unruly Mob are within 5 inches
of each other. A unit with this rule in effect gains a +1 bonus to its Resolve Checks for every unit,
excluding this one, with the Unruly Mob rule within 3 inches of it up to a maximum of 3.
ChargeFor centuries, the thunder of cavalry has long been the beating drum of war
Ability: Units with this ability are specialised for the attack of charging enemy units. To this end,
when they land a successful charge against an enemy unit, which is not pikemen, they attack with a
d6 damage die for the first turn of the combat.
Unit ListBelow, you will find a list of all the units in the game.
Name Cost Movement Hit Type Resolve Def(Ranged) Abilities Gear
Militiaman 50 65+
Skirmisher 7 1(1) Untrained RabbleShield
Spear
Footman 75 6 4+ Formation 8 1(1) Formation
Light Armour andShield
Spear
Swordsman 125 6
4+
Formation 8 2(2) Formation
Heavy Armour andShield
Long Sword
Halberdier 125 64+
Formation 8 1(1)FormationArmour Piercing
Light Armour
Halberd
Pikeman 150 6
4+
Formation 8 2(0)
Formation Pike
Pike wall Breastplate
Greatswordsman
150 6
3+
Formation 8 2(1)
FormationCumbersomeWeaponsMighty Heft
GreatswordHeavy Armour
Raider 100 85+
Skirmisher 7 1(1) Short Sword Shield
Light Cavalry 200 8
4+
Cavalry 8 2(1) ChargeLight Armour andShieldCavalry Spear
MountedBowman
250 85+
Cavalry 7 1(1) ScoutsLight ArmourShortbow
Knight 300 8
3+
Cavalry 9 3(2) ChargeHeavy Armour andShieldLance
GriffonKnight(*)
400 10
3+
Flyer, Hero 9 2(3)ChargeFearsomeCreature
Feathered HideGriffon Claws
Archer 100 6
5+
Skirmisher 7 0(1)BowShort SwordClothing
Crossbowman
125 6
5+
Formation 7 0(2) FormationCrossbowShort SwordClothing
Musketeer 175 6
5+
Formation 7 0(1) FormationMusketShort SwordClothing
Ranger 200 6
4+
Skirmisher 8 2(2)StealthMaster Archers
ShortbowLong SwordRanger Cloak
Catapult 300 4- War
Machine0 0(2) Flammable Rock
Trebuchet 300 4- War
Machine0 0(2) Flammable Boulder
Cannon 400 4- War
Machine0 0(2) Siege Weapon
GrapeshotCannonball
Shaman 200 64+ Skirmisher,
Hero7 2(1) Spirit Shroud
Nature's CloakSpear
Priest 300 6
5+
Skirmisher,Hero
8 2(2)
FormationPrayer: Heal theFaithfulPrayer: Shield theRighteousPrayer:Retribution forthe Fallen
Holy VestmentsHoly Staff
Wizard(*) 500 6
4+
Flier, Hero 9 0(3)
Magic: Fire BallMagic: Ice FieldMagic: LightingStorm
Minor WardWizard Blade
Druid 300 63+ Skirmisher,
Hero9 2(2) Shapeshift
Nature's CloakDruidic Lance
Militiaman
Broadly speaking, all nations in the Empire use militia in one form or another. From the semi-
professional forces used by Bastonne to the ad-hoc peasantry used in Valenheim, all nations have a
need and a capacity to field basic men armed with basic weapons and armour in times of war.
Footman
A footman is a step up from the basic militiaman. He will often be a semi-professional soldier who
has at least some training in how to usehis shield and spear to someeffect, keep formation with his
fellows and even be given a basic set of leather armour. Footmen are a fairly basic component of
infantry armies and only Kynmach, Valenheim and Derov choose not to trust in their prowess.
Swordsman
A swordsman is a true military professional. Armed with chainmail or plate and sword and shield,
these troops are a significant degree better than other basic soldiers and are drilled to a much higher
standard. For the nations that field them, swordsmen are a worthwhile addition to any infantry army.
Halberdier
A halberdier is a type of soldier whose chief abilities lie in engaging and fighting the heavier elements
of an enemy army. The reach of the halberd allows him to fight against cavalry of all kinds and the
penetrative power of the halberd makes him a suitable threat for heavily armoured foes. The only
downside is the lack of protection on halberdiers themselves.
Pikeman
Pikemen reflect the ultimate anti-cavalry option. Rows upon rows of men armed with massive pikes
presents an almost impenetrable wall that no cavalry can easily assail. As such, in nations that often
fight against cavalry or bereft of their own, pikemen are the apex of cavalry defence and armies tend
to be built around large cores of these soldiers supported with ranged weaponry.
Greatswordsman
To be a greatswordsman is not only to be a master of the impressive weapon from which you derive
your name, it is also to be the most formidable assault troops in the Empire. Greatswordsmen are
clad in heavy plate armour that protects them well enough to let them swing their giant weapons
without worry of injury. Drilled to the highest standards, these troops usually die to the last man
than flee in the face of the enemy. It is also said that Greatswordsmen are the only soldiers that can
hope to match the destructive power of a Runesword or the fearsome array of pikes presented by a
pike block.
Raider
Raiders are by and large, troops meant to scout ahead of the rest of the army and never really
engage in heavy combat. Only lightly armed and lacking much armour, Raiders excel at moving
quickly through the field to capture and assail targets that are otherwise beyond the reach of normal
forces like war machines or archers who make tempting targets for the vicious raiders.
Light Cavalry
Light Cavalry are the first major investment a nation will have in fielding a serious cavalry wing. These
soldiers ride strong horsethat are taught to not be afraid of the sounds of warfare and will wear half
plate or scale armour. Though they lack the true élan of knights, Light Cavalry are nevertheless useful
in helping to break infantry lines.
Mounted Bowman
To use a bow on horseback takes supreme precision and skill; to do so repeatedly in the heat of
battle takes dedication and mastery well beyond the ordinary archer. Horse archers or Mounted
Bowmen are extremely powerful troops that combine the fast mobility of horses and the ranged
lethality of archers into a single fearsome military unit.
Knight
Mounted on a powerful warhorse, clad in ornateand gilded armour and wielding the finest weapons
available, Knights are the kings of the battlefield. Usually hailing from noble houses or other upper
class sources, Knights are a major force of destruction on the battlefield when used properly to
smash infantry lines and break through defences. When used incorrectly, they are a costly pile of
noble corpses that no commander wants to be held responsible for.
Griffon Knight
Hailing from the Golden City of Hessia, the Order of the Griffon is a knightly brotherhood that
exclusively trains to fly and fight atop the backs of the noble Griffons that call the mountains of
Hessia home. These knights look almost as if taken from legends of old as they soar through the skies
slaying all beneath them with beak and claw.
Though not nearly as regal, there are a number of wild griffons that live in the craggy peaks found in
Kynmach. Exceedingly rare, a few tribesmen every generation will manage to tame one of these
beasts as a steed for war. These lucky few are able to rise far above their fellows and become heroes
of legend amongst their people, something almost unheard of for someone not belonging to the
Druidic Order.
Archer
An archer is a man given a basic bow of somekind and enough training to land an arrow with some
accuracy on a target. Though somenations like Yslomir revere archery as a whole, others like Tirovin
despise it, leading to a rather variable collection of archers throughout the Empire.
Crossbowman
A crossbowman is a professionalsoldier, trained and equipped at someexpense to a lord or noble.
Armed with his potent weapon, crossbowmen are most often seen atop castle walls where their
weapons allow them to attack from afar and unhorse even an armoured knight.
In battle, crossbowmen will often carry large shields called pavises to protect themselves against any
fire.
Musketeer
The most elite of all soldiers in the Valenheim army, Musketeers all belong to an ancient fraternity of
guards meant to protect and serve the interests of the resident Marquise. Armed with their
incredible muskets and given a level of training and privilege not seen for normalsoldiers,
musketeers are fiercely loyal to their leaders.
Ranger
To be a ranger is to be a man capable of legendary stealth, swiftness and archery. In truth, Rangers
are only partially as good as their legends make them out to be for they are still mortals after all.
However, they are still as finely drilled and trained in the art of archery, stealth and forestry as any
unit can be and are even said to be a match for the finest trackers in the Kynmach.
Shaman
A shaman is part leader, part soldier and part priest in Kynmach culture. They will often commune
with the spirits of a tribe to see to its spiritual needs and if fit of body will be seen at the forefront of
the war parties to protect the tribe against invaders. It is not currently known how the magic used by
these shamans to stir the hearts of warriors, or sap the will to fight of enemies, works but soldiers
who have survived postings to the Kynmach advise great caution.
Druid
Druids belong to a secret ruling caste that governs the Kynmach and all of its tribes. Ordinarily, these
elusive figures will stay out of mundane affairs in their land but should invaders come, they will stir
up their people with an unprecedented ferocity and lead entire armies of tribesmen to drive out the
invaders. Like Shamans, Druids possess mystical powers of unknown origins that haveeasily proven
the equal to many of the finest soldiers across the Empire.
Wizard
The wizards today are a far cry from the world changing Magister Lords that once walked the Empire.
Religious persecution and fear haveall but driven their ways into extinction. The last bastion of magic
in the Empire is in an academy built when the Empire was young in the Golden City of Hessia. There,
the last great mages labour to pass on their traditions and knowledge to a new generation of gifted
youngsters. In the days of turmoil, these wizards will bear their magic against foes as ably as any
soldier. Additionally, much of the mage tradition has survived, albeit in a different form, in Kynmach
where hedge mages practice their cruder but no less deadly form of magic free of oppression.
Priest
The various clergies across the Empire typically advocate peace but recently, there has been a strong
surge across the various faiths for calls of crusades against none-believers. Though religious freedom
is practiced throughout the Empire, the coming civil war gives many faiths reasons to wage war on
each other. To show their commitment, the faiths will dispatch chosen disciplines or priests that have
the rare gift to summon divine power. The sight of a priest in flowing vestments, eyes alight with
divine power smiting heretics or healing the wounded has no doubt resulted in battlefield
conversions in more than 1 soldier.
Hero
To bear the title of Hero, a soldier must accomplish feats of bravery and martial skill well beyond his
peers. He must have faced down death dozens of times and emerged victorious and prove his loyalty
and dedication to his noble lords beyond doubt. Only then will he be allowed to don a venerable suit
of Relic Armour and wield the might of a Runesword in his lord’s name. Only then shall a true Hero
emerge.
Heroes run the gamut in terms of arms and armour, skills and talents. Many imagine a stern noble
wearing glimmering plate mail with magical weapons but many heroes are hard pressed soldiers in
scavenged armour fighting for home and country.
Building the HeroA Hero unit is a special kind of unit that is unique in that it has a number of options that can be
purchased for it.
A Hero unit starts with the following profile.
Name Cost Movement Hit Type Resolve Def(Ranged) Abilities Gear
Hero 50 6 3+ Skirmisher 9 1(1) Icon of HopeChosen Weapon
Clothing
Options
· Warhorse 75 GC ->Change Type to Cavalry and Movement to 8.
· Replace Clothing with Light Armour 20 GC -> Change Defence to 2(1)
· Replace Clothing with Heavy Armour 30 GC-> Change Defence to 2(2)
· Replace Clothing with Relic Armour 100 GC-> Change Defence to 3(3)
· Replace Chosen Weapon with Runesword 150GC -> Gain Special Rule: Ensorcelled Weapons
Furthermore, a Hero unit may take 1 item from the Treasured Relics and Heirlooms list of the nation
that he specifically represents.
Additionally, he may purchase 1 item from the Mysterious and Arcane Artefacts Bizarre, following
any additionalrestrictions stipulated by the items.
Treasured Relics and HeirloomsIn the many centuries of warfare the nations of the Empire have all amassed countless relics and
vaunted heirlooms that have served their scions and leaders throughout their darkest hours and
brightest triumphs.
Kept within secretive vaults and guarded keeps, these historic items are reserved for only the
greatest need and direst hour. When such an hour has come for a nation, with ever growing
frequency in these past decades, a hero will petition the relevant custodian for use of a single item
for a battle but also infrequently an entire campaign. This is not something undertaken lightly for
should the hero fall and the item be unrecoverable or, worse, stolen by the enemy, a great shame
will fall upon the hero’s house and family until either reparations are made or the item can be
recovered.
The soldier’s life is one filled with superstition, few soldiers will ever go into battle without at least a
single token or charm to help protect them in battle and keep them safe. Many of these charms and
tokens are purchased from travelling vendors and salesmen and are admittedly of dubious and
spurious origin. A rare few, perhaps purchased from a hedge wizard or witch, might be empowered
with real albeit weak magic and save their wearer’s life once or twice.
When the fate of nations hangs in the balance and the future of a country rests upon the shoulders
of its greatest general, few heroes can afford to easily go into the devastating warfare of the modern
age without a charm to protect themselves or someother esoteric item for an equally esoteric
purpose. Such heroes would never deign to purchase the gaudy trinkets and baubles sold by the
wayside. Instead these heroes to a secretive mystical market, secreted deep within the bowls of the
nation’s capital Kardia in the land of Bastonne. In disguise, agents of the heroes or the heroes
themselves will travel to this bizarre to locate rare and expensive artefacts plundered from exotic
tombs or fabricated by hidden sages.
Although a hero might look silly bedecked in all manner of strange and peculiar charms and talismans,
the very real power that they can provide easily outweighs whatever laughter may follow.
Tirovin
Favoured TokenAspiring knights will often beseech a lady of the court for a favoured item or token of affection to
wear into battle. Usually taking the form of a locket or brooch, these tokens are blessed by the
Sisterhood of Diacta and grant a degree of blessed protection to their wearers.
Effect: This unit gains +1 Defence against ranged damage. This does stack with other effects.
Cost: 50 GC
Blessed LanceIn ages past, knights would often try to prove their valour by questing against the various evils that
beset their realm. Though the knights would more than not fight mere bandits, they would ask a
priest to bless their weapons to slay evil.
Effect: This unit gains the Charge Special Rule. It can also reroll the first attack it makes against an
enemy unit each turn. This cannot be taken if the Runesword is taken. It replaces the Chosen
Weapon.
Cost: 60 GC
Reliquary ShieldIt is custom for great knights to be buried with their shields if at all possible. In most cases, little will
be left of the shield but a few fragments. However, in the rare cases where the shield outlives the
user, it is buried with great honours and ceremony in the Hallowed Reliquaries dotted across the
land. In times of great need, the shields can be taken and given to living heroes to gift the living a
measure of their divine grace rather than a means of protection.
Effect: Increase the Icon of Hope range to 18 inches and Resolve to 10.
Cost: 100 GC
Kynmach
Bloody FetishThese strange and macabre fetishes are made of a disgusting mix of human hair and bone. Somehow,
Kynmach Shamans are able imbue these bloody charms with vengeful spirits and this passes onto
their wearers.
Effect: The unit that has this gains the Special Rule: Vengeful.
Cost: 30 GC
Curious ConcoctionNo one knows what exactly goes into these foul smelling brews but their efficacy cannot be denied.
When consumed, the drinker experiences extreme vitality and rage, often displaying feats of
strength beyond what might have been humanly possible. Unfortunately for the drinker, the drink
fades quickly from the system and wrecks a terrible toll on the body of anyone unlucky enough to
survive the experience.
Effect: Once per game, this unit can drink the Curious Concoction during the start of the Recovery
phase. Until the next recovery phase, it gains +5 to its damagerolls. At the next Recovery Phase, it
takes 3 points of damage.
Cost: 120 GC
Karnack’s KillerKarnack was a mighty druid whose unearthly weapon was said to have slain over 100 men. Although
empowered beyond usual means, Karnack himself was not made immuneto death. During a
particularly large invasion by an ambitious Valenheim nobleman looking for a rare plant said to grant
eternal youth, Karnack was shot by a marksman and bleed out on the battlefield, his weapon never
bloodied and its rage undiminished.
Effect: This unit it gains +2 to its damage rolls. This unit’s Resolve is lowered to 7. This cannot be
taken if the Runesword is taken. It replaces the Chosen Weapon.
Cost: 150 GC
Hessia
Griffon LordGreat knights in the service of the Golden City will often earn the right to ride a griffon to war even if
they were not borneinto a particular house that would typically allow them to. These great lords are
even greater upon their noble steeds.
Effect: The unit that has this gains the Special Rule: Charge, Fearsome. Add Flier to its type. You
cannot take the Runesword, Relic Armour or Warhorseoptions. Replace Chosen Weapon with
Griffon Claws and gain Defence 3(3).
Cost: 500 GC
Relic HelmThe ancient lords of Hessia wore elaborate great helms with brilliant plumes of griffon feathers.
These venerable helms shinebrightly in the golden sun and inspire soldiers around them to greater
heights.
Effect: This unit gains +1 to its Resolve and gains 3 inches to its Icon of Hope range.
Cost: 25 GC
Sicilia’s EyeSicilia was a Seer in ancient Hessia. Blessed with the incredibly rare gift of foresight, Sicilia was kept
in a tower prison where the lords of the city used her powers to predict the plans of their enemies.
Sicilia grew tired of the constant questioning and torture by her masters and one day delivered false
prophecy leading to her execution. Only her eyes survived, kept by a torturer who had crystallised
them as was fashion. The Eye retains a portion of Sicilia’s gift, giving its wearer great insight.
Effect: Once per turn, the owning player of this unit can measure their charge distance of one unit
before deciding to charge. They must declare that they are doing so before using the skill.
Cost: 60 GC
Bastonne
Imperial StandardEvery division of the Imperial Army has a Battle Standard. These impressive banners are housed in
the Imperial Armoury awaiting noble and worthy heroes to bear them aloft in pursuit of Imperial
Glory.
Effect: Warhorseand Runesword cannot be taken. Increase the range of Icon of Hope to 18 inches.
Cost: 200 GC
Braga’s DrumsIn the Imperial Army, musicians earn great rewards for standing alongsideother soldiers during
battle and playing not only inspiration and morale-boosting music but also the specific battle tunes
sergeants use to coordinate their unit’s actions. To be a bearer of the drums of Braga who defended
his unit’s colours from enemy assaults whilst still playing his drums is to hold the instrument of a true
Imperial Hero.
Effect: No unit within 8 inches of this one can suffer from the Morale Condition: Shaken.
Cost: 60 GC
Sanctified LaurelsThe practice of wearing laurel wreaths in victory is an ancient one in Bastonne. To be granted the
right to wear these holy laurels is to have shown that you can stand against any foe and retain your
nerve.
Effect: This unit can never suffer the Morale Condition: Broken.
Cost: 40 GC
Yslomir
Poisoned WeaponsA great many curious and wondrous plants grow on the isle of Yslomir. The natives are well versed in
herbalism and there are many heroes that swear by the baleful brews to fell the hardiest of foes.
Effect: The unit that has gains +1 damage to its attack rolls.
Cost: 30 GC
Finn’s LongbowFinn the Huntsman is a legendary figure in Yslomir culture for it was he that slew the invading Tirovin
lord Duke Macrath the Savage. Duke Macrath had already managed to land his armies on the isle, a
feat that surely spelt doom for any defenders, when Finn, a local huntsman, had left his hut in the
woods for his daily hunt. When he had returned, scouts of the invaders had razed the tiny hut and
those of his neighbours without cause. Enraged, Finn vowed to slay Macrath then and there. To this
end, he marched to the cliffs that overlooked the landing beach and leapt from their heights. It was
said he fired a single arrow that had pierced Macrath’s heart before dying from the fall.
Effect: You cannot take the Runesword,Relic Armour or Warhorseoptions. Replace Chosen Weapon
with Finn’s Longbow. It has a range of 30 inches. Any Cavalry units hit, regardless of damage done,
must immediately take a Resolve Check at a -2 penalty.
Cost: 150 GC
Oak BroachThis small, unassuming silver broach is shaped like the leaves of an oak tree. To the untrained eye, it
is a simple piece of jewellery. Only a few know that the broach is a prize awarded to the finest
archers in the land. The bearers of these prizes attract the finest archers to them, hoping to gain a
measure of their skill.
Effect: Archer units within 8 inches of this unit can reroll failed to hit rolls.
Cost: 80 GC
Derov
Kuban’s SabreKuban was a mighty Horse Lord in the lands of the Derov. He slew many warriors before he was
finally felled. Mysteriously, the strangeblade with the large ruby in the hilt that he carried was never
recovered from his body.
Effect: The unit that has gains +2 damage to its attack rolls. You cannot take the Runesword option.
Replace Chosen Weapons with Kuban’s Sabre.
Cost: 90 GC
Gilded ArmourThe armourers of the Derov are masters of laying precious gems and gold onto armour. While it is
not perhaps the most practical way of protecting oneself, it certain would do wonders for anyone’s
ego.
Effect: You cannot take Relic Armour options. Replace Clothing with Gilded Armour. You gain a
Defence of 2(2) if not on a Warhorse and 3(3) if on a Warhorse. You also gain +1 Resolve.
Cost: 30 GC
Purebred HorseTo the horsemen of the Derov, the horse is sacred animal. Centuries of care and skill havebred the
finest warhorses to be found amongst the lands of the Empire. These mighty and swift beasts bear
their riders with an élan and skill few others could hope to match.
Effect: You cannot take the Warhorseoption. Change Type to Cavalry, add the Special Rule: Charge
and Movement to 10.
Cost: 85 GC
Valenheim
Vison’s RapierVison was an impoverished nobleman at the court of the Marquis of Valenheim’s estate. Though his
fortunes were much diminished, his skills with a rapier were beyond compareand it was he who
served as the official duellist for the Marquis. Unfortunately his skills with a sword far exceeded his
skills at court and he was slain, poisoned, by a jealous courtier who he had embarrassed. His sword
outlived him and remained in the official armoury awaiting a worthy swordsman.
Effect: The unit that has gains +1 damage to its attack rolls. You cannot take the Runesword option.
Replace Chosen Weapons with Vison’s Rapier. You can reroll your damage roll and take the higher of
the two rolls.
Cost: 60 GC
Jacque’s CuirassJacque du Valais was a mercenary general of great repute in the state of Valenheim. Obsessively
paranoid, even for a mercenary, Jacquecommissioned a custom cuirass of polished silver to be
blessed by no less than a dozen priests. This cuirass is reputed to have protected Jacquefrom even a
direct shot by a musket during a siege. Ironically, it was a poisoned chalice that ended the mercenary’
s life
Effect: You cannot take Relic Armour options. Replace Clothing with Jacque’s Cuirass. You gain a
Defence of 2(3).
Cost: 40 GC
Experimental RifleWithin the existing order of Musketeers, there exists a rare group of marksmen that are entrusted to
wield the exceedingly rare Hunting Rifles. These rifles are leagues ahead of the crude weapons
wielded by the other Musketeers and take teams of craftsmen years to construct even one of these
guns. They are large and sophisticated devices but the supreme accuracy and power offered by these
weapons more than makes up for it. Ostensibly still experimental, these weapons are given to
talented marksmen who are tasked with slaying the enemy leaders.
Effect: You cannot take the Runesword,Relic Armour and Warhorse option. Replace Chosen
Weapons with Experimental Rifle. This unit now gains a ranged attack with the following profile.
Name Range Type Ability
ExperimentalHunting Rifle
0—30 Move or Fire
ArmourPiercing
Slayer ofHeroes
Cost: 145 GC
Unit TypesThere are various kinds of unit types. Descriptions for each type will follow below.
Formation:This refers to troops that are used to fighting in formation or at least somesemblance of a formation.
· Formation troops cannot perform a Rapid Advance over difficult terrain
Skirmisher:This refers to troops that are either trained to operate in a loose, flexible formation or lack the trainin
g to form more complex formations
· Skirmish troops are unaffected by terrain type
Feigned FlightUnits with the typeSkirmisher are more adept at moving than conventional infantry. Couple their
looser formations with greater mobility and skirmisher units are better able to withdraw from fights
they would otherwise lose and still retain good order.
To reflect this, units with this type can perform a Feigned Flight action when charged.
When a charged is declared, a unit with this type can elect to suffer the Morale Condition: Broken
and immediately flee. The charging unit must still perform its charge move.
In the following Recovery and Resolution phase, the owning player of the unit that has performed a
Feigned Flight action gains a +2 bonus that is you subtract 2 from their result on their Resolve Check,
on the check to restore order.
If the check is passed, they may make a free 90 degree rotation before their normal move action.
Cavalry:This refers to all cavalry units in terms of being troops mounted on some manner of creature, usually
a horse.
· Cavalry are unable to charge over difficult terrain, cannot perform a Rapid Advance over
difficult terrain and derive no benefit from Fortifications.
Flier:This refers to specific troops that are capable of flight.
· Flier troops are unaffected by terrain type but derive no benefit from any terrain.
War Machine :See the section on War Machines
HeroUnits marked Hero are only one model and behaveaccording to the other type listed.
Army CompositionNot every unit can be found in every army. Centuries of warfare haveled to each of the nations in
the Empire forming their own unique preferences for warfare and army composition. As such, please
consult the table below to learn about what units are available for use in your army.
Unit AllowancesBastonne Harlievia Hessia Yslomir Kynmach Tirovin Valenheim Derov
MilitiamanYes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
FootmanYes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
SwordsmanYes Yes No Yes No Yes No No
HalberdierYes Yes No No No Yes Yes No
PikemanNo Yes Yes No No No Yes No
Greatswordsman Yes Yes Yes Yes
Raider No No No No No No No Yes
Light CavalryYes No No Yes No No No Yes
MountedBowman No No No No No No No Yes
Knight Yes No No Yes No Yes No Yes
Griffon Knight(*)No No Yes No Yes No No No
Hero(*) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Archer Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes
CrossbowmanYes Yes No No No No No No
MusketeerNo No No No No No Yes No
Ranger No No No Yes No No No No
Catapult Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
TrebuchetYes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Cannon No No No No No No Yes No
Shaman No No No No Yes No No No
Priest Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Wizard(*)No No Yes No Yes No No No
Druid No No No No Yes No No No
Army BuildingWhen playing a game, a system is used to ensure that both sides have an equal strength force: the
War Chest. Both players must agree to the size of the War Chest in Gold Coins. The War Chest
represents all the funds that you, the general, have to recruit soldiers for your army. You are allowed
to spend the chest however you wish but bear in mind that more balanced forces will typically be
better suited than extreme ones. The only restriction on your choices for each of the armies is the (*).
This indicates that only one of those units may be bought for every 500 GC in the War Chest at the
start. For example, if I had 6000 GC in my War Chest at the start, I could afford to buy up to 6 wizards
if I so wanted. Note that you cannot mix and match armies. If you want to play a force from Harlievia,
you cannot field the units that are exclusive to Kynmach for instance.
Army SetupUnless otherwise given in the rules specific to that battle, setting up for a battle works in the
following way.
1) Both players roll a d6. The highest roll decides who must deploy first at which table side. In
the event of a tie, reroll until the tie is broken.
2) Once sides are selected, both players must deploy as much of their armies as possible in the
deployment zone. The deployment zone is a rectangular zoneextended from the edges of
the table side being used to deploy, 10 inches forward. Any units that do not fit must be
deployed in this zone in the second. If they are not, they are considered destroyed.
3) Once deployed, both players follow the same process used for deciding deployment order
for determining turn order. That is the turn order used throughout the rest of the game
4) The players both take turns until they have each played 6 turns or a number they both
agreed to
Victory ConditionsA standard way to calculate victory is to sum up the GC cost of the units destroyed by each of the
players with the winner being the one with the most GC in slain enemy units.
TerrainUnless otherwise stated, the table surface counts as normal terrain.
Normal TerrainThis is terrain that would not present any kind of challenge to any force moving across it but also
presents no defensive means as well. This includes grassy plains and roads.
Difficult TerrainThis is terrain that would pose a challenge for any kind of troop movement and would severely limit
the capacity of units like cavalry to operate. These include rocky hills, small rivers and heavily
forested areas.
Defensive TerrainThis is terrain that is not terribly difficult to navigate through but offers more than negligible
defensive opportunities for soldiers moving through them. These include fences, small walls,
hedgerows and improvised defences.
FortificationsThis kind of terrain refers explicitly to terrain that is designed to provide maximum defensive
opportunities to its defenders and limit the ability of attackers to attack. These include castle walls,
keeps, towers and fortified manor houses.
Fortifications have 10HP just like normal units and can take damage from siege engines only. If a
siege weapon lands a blow against a fortification, resolve the damageas per normal. If the
fortification is reduced to 0HP, it is destroyed and you may place any units that were on it 1 inch
away from the location of the site in any direction. They have the Morale Condition: Disrupted.
For a unit to be considered “entrenched”in a fortification the terrain piece must be at least 4 cm
wide.
Mercenaries
While nearly all generals fighting wars in the lands of the Empire prefer to use troops loyal to their
state, the realities of war often demand that generals supplement their forces using soldiers
motivated exclusively by money rather than duty or obligation. Such soldiers are called mercenaries.
Mercenaries usually see to themselves for provisioning of arms and armour and can run the gamut
with styles and levels of quality. Some mercenaries are little more than bandits paid to turn their
crude weapons on an invading army whereas others are registered members of large, organised
guilds. Whatever their origin, all mercenaries fight out of a love of wealth and have gained a
reputation of being unreliable.
All nations will usually depend on mercenaries in one form or another for certain duties. In
Valenheim, large companies of cavalry will usually be hired out to support the armies as Valenheim’s
own cavalry are known to be exceedingly poor. Even Kynmach make use of mercenaries in the form
of allowing captured enemy prisoners to earn their freedom by fighting against enemies of a tribe.
For most cases, this just means a few different tribesmen fighting another but there have been
stories of exotic soldiers like Greatswordsmen or even Knights charging alongside woad painted
warriors.
Using MercenariesIf the player so chooses, and with consent of his opponent, he may choose to include mercenary
forces in his army. These units can be bought from the roster of any faction but still follow allocation
rules in the case of units like Wizards or Heroes.
Only a percentage of the army may be made of mercenaries however and the greater the reliance on
mercenaries, the more unreliable the army becomes.
Percentage Included Effect1-25 All mercenary units are at -1 Resolve to their normal Resolve value26-50 All mercenary units are at -1 Movement to their normal Movement Value.51-75 All mercenary units must reroll the lowest die during all Resolve Checks. The
second result must be accepted.
Basing TemplateBelow is a template used for constructing bases.
AcknowledgementsThe siege -http://digital-fantasy.deviantart.com/
8cm
8cm
Small Siege-http://www.deviantart.com/art/small-Siege-243802867
Battle of Kutna Hora- http://www.deviantart.com/art/Battle-of-Kutna-Hora-319268907
Battle of Grandson -http://www.deviantart.com/art/Battle-of-Grandson-513016062
Mongol vs -http://www.deviantart.com/art/Mongol-vs-Khwarezmid-307110790
Battle of Platae -http://www.deviantart.com/art/Battle-of-Platae-414138480
The charge-http://www.deviantart.com/art/The-Charge-49806919
Hastings -http://www.deviantart.com/art/Hastings-58786404
Art of War-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Machiavellis-Art-Of-War-331207579
Sicilian Archers-http://wraithdt.deviantart.com/art/Sicilian-Saracen-Archers-278946095
Wise Wizard-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Medieval-Fair-The-Wise-Wizard-414786398
Good knight-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Medieval-Fair-The-Good-Knight-414785139
Battle of Blackheath-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Battle-of-Blackheath-416207912
Urban Militia- http://rufus-jr.deviantart.com/art/Urban-Militia-54132477
Heavy Spearman-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Heavy-Spearman-278759865
Halberdiers -http://robbiemcsweeney.deviantart.com/art/Halberdiers-499805917
Pikemen-http://robbiemcsweeney.deviantart.com/art/Valdaurian-Pikemen-446880020
Swordsman-http://robbiemcsweeney.deviantart.com/art/Knight-330490465
Greatswordsman-http://www.deviantart.com/art/old-veteran-167750054
raider-http://syarul.deviantart.com/art/Scarlet-Cross-Mamluk-324630472
Light Cavalry-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Visigoth-Warriors-279129524
Mounted Bowman-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Mongol-Horseman-29507917
Griffon Knight-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Griffon-Knight-375068005
Crossbowman-https://www.pinterest.com/pin/340936634263687736/
Musketeer-https://www.pinterest.com/pin/340936634263687736/
Ranger-https://www.pinterest.com/pin/340936634263687736/
The Ranger-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Falconer-349601676
Shaman-http://www.deviantart.com/art/The-Druid-311813802
Druid-http://peterprime.deviantart.com/art/Druid-concept-370026553
The Shaman-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Druid-Concept-Art-286571970
The Wizard-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Wizard-324235889
Priest-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Priest-268778204
Hero-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Medieval-Knight-115723617
Weapons-http://www.deviantart.com/art/Weapons-I-294443450