Age of Blood 2nd Edition

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

1
Initiative phase
Written by
Tom Hinshelwood
Thanks to
Neil Fawcett
Alain Padfield
Steven Roads
John Platt
Paul Heywood
Ian Murphy
Paul Matthews
Produced by
www.wargamesjournal.com
Copyright Tom Hinshelwood 2005

2
Foreward
Working on Age of Blood has been a long journey but one far from arduous. The first set of
rules was released on Wargames Journal almost two years ago now and this new edition has been
something that Ive wanted to complete for some time. What started as a simple revision of the
original rules quickly grew into a major overhaul as I tried to add every conceivable thing I could
think of to make the game more fun to play, in both the battle and campaign rules.
One of the reasons for originally writing the game was because I wanted to play skirmish games in
which heroes can be truly heroic and battles can be fast and unpredictable affairs - where you can
never really know what might happen next. Being able to customise heroes and watch them progress
and develop satisfyingly was something Ive worked very hard to get right. Not only in allowing
heroes to gain injuries, improve characteristics and gain special abilities, but also in a way that does
not make them invincible. Even the hardest hero possible in these rules can still be defeated, and not
just by similarly tough heroes. Even unarmoured peasants can be dangerous if there are enough of
them.
The campaign system in these rules is somewhat of a resource management game in itself. Different
commodities (loot) can be acquired (stolen) and then traded (fenced) in different locations around
Europe for varying amounts of profit. One of the keys to a successful warband is shrewd trading.
Knowing what to sell where to sell it can be the difference in scraping by and making a fortune. Not
everyone will want to try their hand at the campaign elements of the game and thats fine - the rules
can still be played as a typical skirmish wargame, either a purely historical or quasi-fantasy one.
The game, though very detailed, is simple in its mechanics and easy to pick up, but with its many
layers of depth one thats difficult to master at least thats the intent.
Tom Hinshelwood, July 2005
email: tom@rebelpublishing.net

3
contents
Introduction
hand-to-hand
21
The campaign
What you need
Game mechanics
Types of Model
Characteristics
The turn
Actions
6
6
7
7
8
9
9
Initiative
10
Fate
Order of play
Bravery
Retreating
10
10
10
11
Hand to Hand Actions

Attack
Duel
Defensive Fighting
Multiple Attack
Swap Weapon
Shieldwall
Charges
Prone
No Actions Left
Flank Attacks
Critical Hits
Free Attacks
Fumbles
Supporting
Two Hands
21
21
22
22
22
22
23
23
23
23
24
24
24
24
24
25
Movement
12
Steeds
26
Movement Actions
Line of Sight
Reach
Turning
Move
Run
Shieldwall
Flee
Charge
Hide
Terrain
Climbing
Falling
Jumping
Swimming
Withdrawing
12
12
12
13
13
13
13
14
14
14
15
15
16
16
16
17
Ranged
18
Ranged Actions
Ranged Categories
Cover
Shoot
Throw
Aim
Melee Combat
18
18
18
19
19
19
20
terrifying foes 27
7
Injury
28
Wounded
Injuries
War wounds
28
28
29
Weapons
31
Knife
Sword
Spear
Maul
Axe
Broad axe
Bow
31
31
31
31
32
32
32

4
Age of blood
Armour
33
Trading
57
7
Shield
Leather Jerkin
Chain Hauberk
Helmet
Limb Guards
33
33
33
33
33
Loot
Trading list
57
58
Special
characters
59
Sorcerer
Skald
Duelist
Shield maiden
Godi
Ulfhednar
59
60
60
61
62
62
Sorcery
63
Spell List
64
Scenarios
65
Destinations
The Raid
The Battle
The Quest
65
67
70
72
bestiary
73
Monster Traits
Warriors
Heroes
Horses
Canines
Bears
Trolls
Giants
Dragon
Draugr
Maahiset
Werewolves
73
74
75
76
77
77
78
79
79
80
80
80
The warband
34
Hersir
Birthrights
Renown
Champions
Berserkers
Huscarls
Carls
Nationality
Equipment
Ships
Sample Warbands
Name Generator
34
34
36
36
37
38
38
38
39
40
41
42
Pre battle
43
Scenarios
Getting there
The Viking world
Storms
43
43
44
46
Post battle
47
7
Renown
48
Experience
49
Traits
50
Physical
Combat
Wits
Reputation
Sailing
Supernatural
51
52
53
54
55
56

5
introduction
Age of Blood is a skirmish-level battle game
In
in which players take control of bands of

Vikings and lead them on bloody adventures
in search of loot and glory. These rules contain
all the information you will need to know in
order to play either one off games or complete
campaigns.
a campaign you can purchase better

weapons and armour for your warriors and
hire special characters to accompany you. The
heroes of your raiding party gather experience
every time they fight which enables them to
improve their abilities and gain new traits
(special talents).
The game is designed for use with 25mm or
With
28mm miniatures, though any individual

based model from 15mm to 40mm can be
used. Play is possible with any scale but
distances and measurements would need to be
proportionately reworked.
Age
of Bloods focus is on the fantastical

aspects of Viking history and as such is more
concerned with the legends and heroic sagas
then trying to depict a realist view of the era.
These rules are loosely set in the 9th Century,
though the supernatural is prevalent in many
aspects of the game including fate, magic and
monsters.
enough skill and luck you can take

your warband from its humble beginnings and
transform it into a legendary fighting
brotherhood whose very name inspires terror.
What you need

Youll
need the typical wargaming

paraphernalia to play this game including tape
measures, counters, dice, terrain and models.
The most important requirement is having
enough models for your both warband and its
enemies.
If desired though the supernatural elements to

the rules can easily be ignored so that the
game can be played as a purely historical
wargame.
The campaign
Incorporated
into the game is a campaign

system whereby the abilities and wealth of a
raiding party can rise and fall depending on
its successes and failures on the battlefield. A
warband will typically begin with around 20
Vikings (enough to crew a small ship), but
over the course of a campaign this amount can
rise and fall. Potentially a warband could have
upwards of 100 models.

6
Age of blood
Game mechanics
All
tests made in Age of Blood are

attempted by rolling ten-sided dice (D10s).
No other dice is used. To attempt a task a
characteristic test for the warrior is made by
rolling a D10 and adding the appropriate
characteristic to the result.
For example: In an attempt to pursue Fafnir, an

enemy warrior tries to jump the stream as well.
Unfortunately a 1 is roll, and with only Agility 1,
the total of 2 is nowhere near the 10 required. Not
only does the warrior fail to jump the stream but he
also wounds himself in the process, falling on the
sharp rocks.
Types of model
For
example: The mighty champion Fafnir is

attempting to slay Halfdan, a hated foe. To try and
hack his enemy down Fafnir rolls a D10 and adds
his Strength 5 to the roll of 8, resulting in a total of
13.
To determine whether the task attempted is

successful the enemy player also makes a roll.
This system is known as making an opposed
roll. Whoever gets the highest number wins
the opposed roll and succeeds in the
attempted task or in stopping it.
For example: Halfdan makes a Fortitude test to

oppose Fafnirs Strength test. Halfdan rolls 11 in
total and so Fafnir wins the opposed roll and kills
Halfdan.
At other times the player does not make an

opposed roll but rolls against a static difficulty
number to determine whether the task is
successful.
For example: After killing Halfdan, Fafnir must

leap across a fast flowing stream to engage more
enemies. To jump across he must get 10 or higher
by rolling a D10 and adding his Agility.
For most tests made it is possible to either get

a spectacularly bad failure, known as a
fumble, or an amazingly good success, known
as a critical success or just critical for short. To
achieve a fumble the test attempt must fail and
a 1 must be rolled on the dice. For a critical,
the test must be passed as well as a 10 rolled
on the dice.
raiding party is made up of two distinct

types of combatants, warriors and heroes.
Warrior is the universal term for all standard
troops in the game and will make up the bulk
of a party of Vikings.
Heroes, however, are the great fighters of the

raiding party, capable of performing
incredible deeds worthy of song. Heroes are
far more potent then warriors and unique
special rules are assigned to them which are
unavailable to normal warriors.
During
battles heroes amass experience

depending on how well they perform. When
enough experience has been gained the hero
increases an honour level, or just level. This
then allows them to improve their
characteristics and hence their potency in
battle.
Heroes begin at honour 1 and can potentially

rise as high as level 5. A Viking who achieves
such a feat is truly a hero of legendary
proportions and all enemies would do well to
avoid him at all costs.
When the term warrior or model is used in

this rulebook it refers to all types of
combatants, whether they are warriors or
heroes. If a rule only applies to a hero it will be
explicitly stated.

7
introduction
Characteristics
Bravery
The
fighting abilities of both warriors and

heroes are defined by seven characteristic
scores, each representing different aspects of
the warriors capabilities on the battlefield. In
each case the higher the characteristics value,
the more potent the warrior is at that
particular aspect of battle. Some characteristics
can be affected by what weapons and armour
a warrior uses, as should after a / in the
profile
is a measure of how courageous a

warrior is. It determines how easily he will
cower from combat when the tide of the battle
turns against him. Bravery is also a models
defence against the fear induced by the
supernatural.
Deftness
is a models ability to use ranged

weapons, whether they are bows or thrown
weapons. Vikings favour melee combat and
typically do not often have high Deftness
scores.
Fortitude
represents the hardiness and

endurance of the model. The higher the
warriors Fortitude the more difficult he will
be to kill. A Viking who wears armour
receives bonuses to his Fortitude.
Fafnir
Prowess is a measure of the models fighting

ability with melee weapons and is used
whenever a model fights in hand-to-hand
combat. For most warriors and heroes this is
perhaps the most important characteristic.
Strength represents the models muscularity,

power and physical stature. The higher a
models strength the easier it is for him to
injure and kill his enemies. Most weaponry
gives a bonus to a warriors Strength.
Valour
Agi Bra Def For Pro Str

3/2
Agility
5/9
5/7
Val
4
represents how swift on his feet a

model is, how quick his reactions are and his
overall nimbleness. His Agility determines is
ability to run, jump and climb and also helps
him avoid being hit by missile weapons.
Models wearing heavy armour suffer penalties
to their Agility.
is a measure of a models heroic

nature, fate and just pure luck. Only heroes
have this characteristic, and uniquely it is
never used as the modifier to a test or action.
A heros Valour score is the number of times
he is able to re-roll a D10 during the course of
a battle in order to get a higher number.
Unless otherwise stated Valour can be used

to re-roll any D10 roll at any point during the
battle, so long as it is for the heros own use. A
hero cannot use Valour to affect another
warriors test, only his own. No single roll can
have more than one point of Valour used on it,
though Valour can be used to re-roll a dice
that has already been re-rolled due to some
other special circumstance.

8
Age of blood
Characteristic Examples
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9+
Feeble
Weak
Typical
Able
Superior
Gifted
Exceptional
Heroic
Legendary
Supernatural
a childs Prowess
a huscarls Defntess
a mans Agility
a champions Strength
a berserkers Bravery
a Varangians Fortitude
a Jomsvikings Prowess
Erik the Reds Bravery
Beowulfs Strength
a trolls Fortitude
Taking certain actions means that a model is

not allowed to perform another action either
before or afterwards. Such actions are known
as special actions.
For
example: Fafnir is allowed to take two

actions during the turn. He could take one move
action in the Movement phase followed by a throw
action in the Ranged phase or any other of the
many combinations. Alternatively he could take a
special action, such as the run action in the
Movement phase.
The Turn
In Age of Blood each game is played
through a number of turns, with each turn
sub-divided into four phases, Initiative,
Movement, Ranged and Hand-to-Hand. In
each phase both sides are allowed to perform
actions for all of their models before moving
on to the next phase.
Actions
In a battle all the various things a warrior can
do are broken down into individual tasks,
known as actions. In each phase warriors
perform specific actions related to that phase,
moving in the movement phase, fighting in
the combat phase etc.
During
the course of a turn no model may

make more then two actions. These two
actions can both be taken in the same phase or
in different phases, but the same action cannot
be taken twice.

9
initiative
This
is the first phase of the turn, during

which several distinct things take place, such
as establishing the order of play between
players and making Bravery tests.
Fate
At
the start of each Initiative phase both

players draw cards from the Fate Deck. Fate
cards are special bonuses and hindrances that
may be given to models on both forces during
the turn. Each card equates to a different fate
and can be played whenever the player
chooses, as long as the requirements for the
cards use are met.
The Fate Deck must be shuffled thoroughly

each time before cards are drawn and is
comprised of 34 individual fates and 2 dummy
cards. The fate cards are arranged so that they
can be printed directly onto labels, which can
then be stuck to normal playing cards.
Alternatively a normal pack of cards can be
used with different cards representing
different fates. The former option makes the
fate cards faster and more fun to use.
Fate cards must be played in the subsequent

phases of the turn they are drawn. If they
arent played or cannot be played during the
turn they are returned to the Fate Deck
unused.
The only limitation on using fate cards is that

no more then one card may be used on a
single model in a single phase by one player.
Both players can play a different fate on the
same model in the same phase however Once
the effects of a fate card have been established
the card is returned to the deck.
To
determine how many cards are drawn,

each player rolls a D10 and refers to the
following table.
D10 Roll
Fate Cards
1-4
5-7
8-9
10
0
1
2
3
Fate cards are designed to be printed onto

commercial labels, 46.6 mm x 53.5 mm in size. 18
of these labels fit onto a sheet of A4 paper
Order of play
To
determine who has the initiative for the

turn both players make opposed rolls using
the Bravery of their sides commander, known
as the hersar (plural: hersir).
Whoever
gets the highest result has the

initiative for the rest of the turn. If the results
are tied, re-roll until a winner is decided. A
hersar may spend a point of Valour to re-roll
the result of the Bravery test as normal.
If a hersar has been removed from play, either

because he is dead or wounded, then the
highest honour level hero makes the opposed
roll, but his opponent receives a +1 Bravery
bonus to account for the heros inexperience in
command.
Having
the initiative means that the player

may select whether his force or his opponents
takes actions first in following phases. Once it
has been decided who goes first this cannot be
changed at a later point in the turn.
Bravery
During
the Initiative phase it may be

necessary for certain models to make Bravery
tests. The circumstances for having to make a
Bravery test vary but for the majority of these
tests the there is a static difficulty of 6.

10
Age of blood
A model who fails to get this number is
forced to take the flee action in the Movement
phase. Equalling the difficulty means the
model is shaken, and all tests and opposed
rolls made for that turn are subject to a +1
penalty. If the Bravery test is a success then the
model may act as normal.
Below are listed a number of conditions that
force a model to make a Bravery test, but these
conditions only become necessary when the
raiding party has had 25% of its models
removed as casualties. Up until this point the
below conditions can be ignored.
Once a quarter of the force have been lost the

warbands courage starts to waver and any
model that meets any of the below conditions
must test for Bravery in the subsequent
Initiative phase, but they do not have to test
again in subsequent Initiative phases for the
same condition.
Out-Numbered
Models that have more enemies around them
then friendly models have to test. If a model
has two or more enemies within 6, but no
friendly models it needs to make a Bravery
test.
To make things easier on the battlefield its

fine to make one Bravery test for multiple
warriors. This can only be done with models
that have the same Bravery and who are of the
same type. Its up to the player whether or not
to make individual Bravery tests, but one test
for a group of models is recommended to save
time. No more than 5 models may be tested
with one roll.
retreating
Once
50% of party has been removed as

casualties then a Bravery test must be made
for the entire raiding party each turn. This is
made using the hersars Bravery.
If
the test is failed the force retreats and the

battle is over. If the hersar is already fleeing or
removed from play then the rest of the
warband will automatically withdraw.
Depending on the scenario the difficulty for
this type of Bravery test may vary.
Hero Death
If a warrior (but not a hero) is within 6 of a
friendly hero when he is killed they must
make a Bravery test at having witnessed one
of their champions cut down.
Leaderless
Should the raiding partys hersar be slain all
models must test for Bravery. Similarly, this is
the case if the hersar flees.

11
movement
In
this phase models on both sides are

allowed to take movement related actions.
Below are listed a number of actions that a
model may select during this phase according
to the rules described under the action
headings.
Movement Actions
Move
Run
Shieldwall
Charge
Hide
Flee
Line of Sight
A model can see any other model that it has
an unobstructed line of sight to. That is, if a
theoretical line can be drawn from the warrior
in question to his foe then he can see him
automatically. It is said that the warrior has a
line of sight.
If the warrior does not have a line of sight to

an enemy he cannot move into base contact
with him or attack him with ranged weapons.
A warrior can move no closer than 2 to a
model that he did not have a line of sight to at
the start of the turn.
Being able to draw a line of sight to an

otherwise concealed models weapon, base,
helmet or similar periphery does not count as
a true line of sight and for all purposes that
model is considered to be unseen. A warrior
must be able to see at least 25% of the model to
have a line of sight.
For example: A hut is in between Fafnir and his
foe, a Saxon huscarl. Because Fafnir cannot see at
least 25% of the model he cannot move into base
contact with him, even though he has enough
movement to do so. Fafnir moves around the
building but has to stop 2 away from his enemy
and can go no closer. Now that he has a line of
sight Fafnir will be able to engage his enemy next
turn.
reach
A
warrior cannot move through space

occupied by another model, whether friendly
or foe.. In addition, models that move too
close to their enemies subject themselves to
possible attacks, especially if they try to move
past them.
All
warriors have a reach distance, up to

which they threatened their enemies, for most
normal weapons this is 2 inches, but for small
weapons this is just 1 inch and for longer
weapons like spears this is 3. This reach
extends all the way around the model so they
threaten any enemy that comes within their
weapons reach.
Enemy
warriors can move into this

threatened area to base contact as long as they
have a weapon of equal reach themselves, but
they cannot move through it (ie into it and then
out) without exposing themselves. A warrior
who moves through an enemys reach is
subject to a free attack.
No line of sight

12
Age of blood
For
example: Fafnirs target, a Saxon thegn,

stands behind a loose line of fyrdmen. If Fafnir
wants to attack the thegn he must charge between
the fyrdmen and in doing so he will be subject to
two free attacks, one for each warrior he moves
past.
move
Taking this action allows a model to move 6
inches across even terrain. This basic distance
can be modified by the type of terrain the
model is moving over as described previously.
Run (special)
Run is a special action, so if a model takes it,
If the warrior starts within an enemys reach
he is allowed to move out of the reach without
suffering a free attack. Models who are
already in base contact with enemy models
cannot threaten other warriors, so their reach
is ignored.
it can take no other action during the turn. A

model who runs moves 6 inches just like with
a move action but also gets to add his Agility
to this amount for the total distance he is
allowed to move.
Shieldwall
turning
The shieldwall was the dominant battle tactic
A
model is allowed to turn on its own axis

freely during the movement phase it doesnt
cost an action or any part of an action to do so,
unless explicitly stated elsewhere.
of the period and consisted of a line of men

each with their shields overlapping to create a
wall of shields to fight over. Though primarily
a defensive formation, the tactic was so
effective in attack as well as defensive that it
was hardly ever not used when circumstance
allowed it.
To form a shieldwall the models must move

into base contact with each other first to form
a straight line.
A shieldwall can be formed with as little as

two models, but the disadvantages will
outweigh the advantages with only a few
warriors as a shieldwall with exposed flanks is
very vulnerable. See the Hand-to-Hand
section for details of the shieldwall action in
combat.

13
movement
Flee
Hide (special)
This action is not selected but is forced upon
a model who has failed a Bravery test in the

Initiative phase. The model is now doing his
best to avoid the fighting. He moves as per the
run action, but must take the most direct path
away from the enemy and move the
maximum distance he can.
A model who is fleeing is unable to take any

other action in this phase or subsequent
phases. However, if he is attacked in the
Hand-to-Hand phase he may make the
opposed Prowess test, but his opponent
receives +2 to his Prowess score. Additionally,
if the fleeing model wins the opposed roll he
may not roll to wound.
model who takes this action tries to

conceal himself from the enemy, maybe for an
ambush or perhaps just to save his skin. The
model can only hide if he at least partially
obscured (25% or more) from his enemies.
hidden model cannot be charged or

targeted in anyway because the enemy does
not have a line of sight and therefore can move
no closer than 2 from the hiding model. If an
enemy model does come to 2 away then the
hiding warrior has been spotted and is no
longer hidden. The enemy model, though,
cannot continue its move or take any other
actions this turn as normal.
The
Charge
A charging model smashes into his opponent
as fast as he can, using pure aggression and
momentum to gain an advantage. The charge
allows the model to move further than is
normally possible. A model cannot charge if
he has either run or charged on the previous
turn, due to the exertion required.
The warrior moves just like if hed used the

run special action, that is 6 plus his Agility.
To charge an enemy the warrior must charge
in more or less a straight line. He is allowed to
go over difficult terrain and move around
obstacles, but he must be able to charge in a
straight line for the last 4 to his enemy. If not
he cannot take this action.
Similarly a warrior cannot charge an enemy if

he is less than 4 away. In addition, because of
the exertion a charge causes a warrior cannot
take this action if he took it the turn before. See
the Hand to Hand section for details of the
benefits of charging.
hiding model, however, can be moved

up to 3 away from its original hiding
position, representing the fact that the enemy
could not see what he was doing. The new
position, however, and the warriors route to it
must provide at least 25% cover to keep him
hidden from the enemy model who moved up
to him. A model can be moved to a new
position a number of times equal to his Agility
each turn.
For example: Surrounding by enemies, Fafnir

hides in a copse of trees. An enemy model is moved
to 2 from where Fafnir is positioned, which would
normally cause him to be spotted. But Fafnir is able
to move 3 further into the trees away from the
enemy because his route and his new position will
keep him obscured. He stays hidden.
If the warrior is spotted then enemies within
6 of the model that spotted him also count as
having spotted the hiding warrior too. These
models can act normally against him as
though he wasnt hidden.
For example: Another warrior hunting Fafnir

now moves to 2 away of Fafnirs new hiding
place, and Fafnir again moves 3 away.
However, now Fafnir is visible to enemy
leader and all enemies within 6 of the leader.

14
Age of blood
terrain
climbing
The
distance a model is able to move,

regardless of the action, is subject to what type
of terrain they are moving across. Models may
move their full moves over terrain that is level
and passable. This includes paths, fields,
grasslands etc.
Moving
over other types of terrain will

impede a models movement to a greater or
lesser degree depending on how difficult
that terrain is classed as. Refer to the table
below for examples of terrain and what level
of difficulty that terrain is classed as and the
effect that terrain has on the distance moved
through it.
Normal
Grassland, path, field, plain
(x 1)
Uneven
(x )
Rough
Light
slope
woodland,
moderate
Trees,
walls, cliffs, buildings are all terrain

objects that warriors may wish to climb during
a battle. Such features cannot be traversed in
the same way as other types of terrain as the
model must use his hands as well as his feet. A
warrior cannot climb as quickly as he can run
so climbing an obstacle is always a slow
process and can also be a dangerous one.
Only
terrain with adequate hand holds and

foot holds can be climbed, sheer surfaces are
impassable unless they are no more than 2 in
height, in which case its assumed the warrior
can jump up and hoist himself over.
When
climbing the model has to traverse

the total height of the terrain feature at a
normal rate, or 1 for a full move action. In
addition to this the warrior must first make a
successful Strength test to be able to climb in
the first place. Below are listed example
obstacles and their relevant difficulties.
(x )
Dense woodland, shallow

water, rocky ground, ruins,
deep snow
Obstacle
Difficulty
Difficult
Steep slope, deep water, bog
(x )
Tree
Cliff, evergreen tree
Wooden palisade, wall
6
8
10
For
For
example: During the Movement phase

Fafnir passes through a copse of trees and over a
stream. He is using a move action and so moves 6
over normal terrain. The copse classes as normal
terrain so he moves through it at full speed, or 1
for every 1 of his movement rate. The stream,
however, is rough terrain so he moves through it at
for each 1 of movement. The stream is 2 wide
so it costs Fafnir 4 to cross it.
example: Fafnir needs to climb a cliff in

order to reach an enemys hall. The cliff is 6 in
height, which will take Fafnir a total of 4 whole
turns to climb. Each movement phase Fafnir must
make a Strength test at difficulty 8 to make any
progress.
If the warrior achieves a success he may climb

the full distance allowed and continue with his
move if he has any remaining. A critical
success means that he climbs at pace
instead of the normal 1/4 pace.

15
movement
If a model cannot reach the top of the obstacle,
or a point where he no longer has to climb,
then the model has to hang on, mid climb,
until next turn when he can continue. A
warrior cannot fight whilst climbing and if hit
in any way he falls
If
a warrior fails to meet the difficulty when

climbing then he either cannot find a grip and
wastes the action or if he is in mid-climb he
has to remain where he is and cannot
continue. If this happens a second time the
model falls. A model who fumbles, falls
instantly.
jumping
warrior that fails to make the jump then

falls. If appropriate the distance he managed
to jump before falling can be worked out (in
) by dividing the total Agility result by two.
The
jumping rules above assume that the

warrior in question has at least a 1 run up
before he attempts the jump. If he is forced to
make a standing jump, that is he cannot at
least make a 1 run up, then the difficulty of
the jump doubles (4 for each of the gap).
Falling
A fall of 1 is not dangerous for a warrior, it
or run action. For a model to make a jump first

measure the distance of the gap, for every
(round fractions down) that the model has to
jump it equates to a cumulative 2 difficulty
Agility test to pass.
may hurt but its not life threatening, but a

model that that falls more than a couple of
inches is in real trouble. For each 1 that a
model falls after the first he takes a cumulative
Strength 1 hit against his base Fortitude, that is
without any bonuses for armour. If a warrior
is falling into deep water then he takes a
cumulative Strength 1 hit for every 2 fallen.
The
For example: Whilst fighting on top of the cliff
A warrior is able to jump as part of a move
distance jumped counts towards the

warriors movement allowance, and if the gap
is further than whats left of the models
remaining movement then he cannot make the
jump.
For example: Whilst sailing across the North Sea

Fafnirs longship is attacked by a group of Danish
pirates. When the enemy ship pulls up alongside
Fafnirs ship, Fafnir leaps across to engage his foes.
The gap is measured to be 1 , rounded to 1 ,
and so becomes an Agility test with a difficulty of
6.
Should the warrior achieves a success then he

makes the jump and can continue moving if he
has any movement allowance remaining. If he
achieves a critical success then the distance
jumped is halved for the purposes of working
out any remaining moved.
Fafnir is pushed back over the edge and falls into

the sea below. The drop is 6 in height which
would equate to a Strength 5 hit (5 after the first),
but because Fafnir is landing in the sea this is
actually a Strength 3 hit instead.
swimming
Water that is too deep to wade across can be
swam if warriors are so willing. A model who
elects to swim moves at pace as though he
were moving across difficult terrain, but like
climbing and jumping the warrior is not
automatically successful and he must make a
Strength test. The difficulty of the test is
dependant on what kind of water he is trying
to swim. Refer to the table below.

16
Age of blood
Water
Difficulty
Still/calm
Rough/fast flowing
Very rough/very fast flowing
6
8
10
For example: Having survived the fall from the
Therefore its necessary to time your models

withdraw else it will be pointless as the enemy
model will just be able to charge back into
base contact if you went first. In addition the
enemy model may make a free attack against
the withdrawing warrior. Free attacks are
described in the Hand-to-Hand section.
cliff top Fafnir must swim to shore. Unfortunately

the sea at the bottom of the cliff is very rough and
requires a Strength test at difficulty 10 to pass.
If a warrior achieves a partial success then he

can only manage pace whilst swimming,
whereas with a complete success he makes
pace. A model who fails is unable to make any
progress and loses the rest of his actions this
turn. If on their subsequent action, they are
unable to achieve at least a partial success then
they take a Strength 4 hit against their base
Fortitude each turn as they start to drown.
Warriors are able to carry a single weapon

whilst swimming without penalty as they are
assumed to scabbard it or strap it across their
backs. For each additional weapon or shield
they carry the difficulty is increased by 1. This
is increased by 2 for wearing light armour or 4
for a chain hauberk. Before a warrior attempts
to swim he can opt to discard weapons and
armour automatically but does not get them
back unless he later returns to the exact point
where he left them.
Withdrawing
If a warrior is in base contact with an enemy
model he is allowed to withdraw from his
enemy by taking a normal move action. If he
does so he cannot then take another action
after he has withdrawn.

17
ranged
In
this phase models armed with missile

weapons may use them to attack their
enemies. Models armed with bows use the
shoot action, while models armed with spears
or throwing axes use the throw action. A
model who is in base contact with an enemy
model cannot select actions in this phase.
Ranged Actions
Shoot
Throw
Aim
Range categories
cover
To
accurately attack an enemy model the

attacked must have a clear line of sight from
the front of the model. If this is blocked by
other models or scenery then the targets
opposed roll is subject to a modifier. If the
target is more then 25% obscured he counts as
being partially obscured with more then 50%
being heavily obscured. A model who is 75%
or more obscured cannot be attacked.
Obscured
Agility
Partially
Heavily
+2
+4
Regardless
of the action used all ranged

attacks are affected by distance the further
away the target, the more difficult they are to
it. Measure the range between the models and
compare the number to the range categories of
the weapon used (close, medium, long and
extreme) found in the Arms and Armour
section. The attackers Deftness and the
targets Agility roll is then subject to possible
modifiers.
Range
Agility
Deftness
Close
Medium
Long
Extreme
+2
+4
+2
-
Partially obscured
For
example: A Saxon bowman fires at Fafnir,

who is 19 away. This distance is medium range
for a bow as it is over 12 but less then 24. When
the opposed roll is made Fafnir receives a +2 bonus
to his Agility test.
Weapon
Cls
Med Lon
Ext
Axe
Spear
Bow
2
3
6
4
6
12
8
18
36
6
12
24
Heavily Obscured

18
Age of blood
If
the target model does not have a line of

sight to the attacker then the target does not
add his Agility to the opposed roll as he is not
aware of the attack.
Shoot
Throw
This action is performed exactly like the shoot
action except it used by models armed with
thrown weapons. Unless he is armed with
multiple throwing weapons a warrior may
only perform one throw action per battle.
For
a bow-armed model to hit another he

must make a successful Deftness test against
the targets Agility roll. This number is subject
to any modifier from the range or cover. If the
attacking model wins the opposed roll the
target warrior has been hit and might be
killed. Refer to the Injury section for details.
If
a model is charged from the front it can

release a snap shot at its enemy, assuming it
has an action left to do so. The enemy receives
+1 Agility to the opposed roll.
Aim
A
model who takes this action carefully

prepares his arrow before firing or his axe
before throwing. By taking this action the
warriors gives himself a +1 bonus when
making the Deftness test in his subsequent
shoot or throw action.
Melee combat
Employing ranged attacks against enemies in
close combat is a dangerous affair and is
usually avoided at all costs. However, reckless
or desperate warriors are allowed to do so, but
not without risk to friendly warriors fighting.
When firing or throwing a ranged weapon

at an enemy in base contact with a friendly
model there is a 50/50 chance of hitting either.
Roll a D10, on a 1-5 the friendly model is
targeted, on a roll of 6-10 the target is the
intended one. Then roll to hit as normal with
all appropriate modifiers.
If there is more than 1 friendly model in base

contact then no attack is possible because the
odds are just too great of striking a friendly.
Any warrior attempting such a thing is
regarded as insane or a traitor and can be
punished by the whole warband.

19
ranged
Should
a friendly model be struck by his

companion then a dangerous incident (for the
whole warband) could erupt. Roll a D10 and
consult the reaction table to determine what
happens.
D10 Reaction
1-2
Not in my warband.
The warrior is regarded as too reckless
and dangerous to be in the warband
and is set upon by his companions at
the first available opportunity. If any
warriors are able, they target the
model with ranged weapons in the
current phase until he is dead. If he is
alive at the start of the next turn he is
charged by any available warriors (up
to 4) within 6 who fight him until he,
or all of them are dead. If the
perpetrator isnt attacked or somehow
survives, Well settle this later. comes
into play.
3-4
Hes mine.
The model struck by his companions
idiocy makes it his mission to take
revenge. As soon as he is not in base
contact with an enemy he has to do
everything he can to kill the warrior
who attacked him. He has to take the
most direct path to his victim at all
speed and will continue to do so until
he is dead. The intended victim will
fight back, but wont use ranged
weapons in fear of retribution from
his other companions. If the warrior
struck was killed then no event takes
place.
5-7
7
Well settle this later.

Any vengeance takes place after the
battle and does not affect the overall
makeup of the warband. If either the
guilty model or the victim is a hero
then a duel between them must be
fought out. If the hero is removed
from play he is automatically killed
and must be deleted from the roster as
normal.
8-10
Who did that?

Nobody notices who perpetrated the
attack and so no vengeance is sought.
The guilty party breathes a sigh of
relief.
A hersar who strikes one of his own warband

will be looked upon with scorn and disrespect.
Though no one in the warband takes any
immediate actions some warriors will be so
disgusted with their lords behaviour that they
simply leave. The hersar loses 1 Renown to
represent this and if he accidentally killed one
of his own men then he loses 2 Renown.

20
Hand to hand
In this phase models that are in base contact
with one another are able to take actions from
the below lists. Unlike the Movement and
Ranged phases in the Hand-to-Hand phase
models are considered to be acting at the same
time. Therefore each fight is handled
individually with both sides models taking
actions simultaneously, instead of each side
taking their actions separately. In each of these
separate fights whoever has been going first
this turn selects his actions first. The opposing
player then selects his, if applicable.
Hand to Hand Actions

Attack
Swap Wpn
Multiple
Attack
Duel
Defensive
Fighting
Dodge
Warriors
Prowess Bonus
2
3
4+
+1
+2
+3
The
singular model is allowed to roll to

wound any of the enemies whom he beat in
the opposed roll and similarly any enemy who
beat him in the opposed roll is also allowed to
try and wound him.
For example: Fafnir has been attacked by three

Saxon swordsmen. He makes a single Prowess roll,
scoring 8 (D10 roll of 3 plus Prowess 5), and his
opponents roll 6, 8 and 11 respectively. Fafnir has
beaten just one Saxon and must roll to wound him.
The Saxon who scored 11 can also roll to wound
Fafnir.
Its
Attack
To
decide who wins between fighting

models each player makes an opposed
Prowess test for their respective models.
Whoever scores the highest number wins the
fight and is allowed to roll to wound (see
Injury section). If the scores are tied both
combatants fail to get the edge of their
opponent and neither may roll to wound.
For example: Fafnir has moved into base contact

with an enemy huscarl in the Movement phase and
attacks him in the Hand to Hand phase. Fafnir has
Prowess 7 and his enemy, Prowess 3. They make
opposed rolls, Fafnir gets 11 in total and the
huscarl 8 so that Fafnir wins and can now roll to
wound his opponent.
If a model is in base contact with more then

one enemy model he makes his Prowess test
as normal and the opposing player makes a
Prowess test for each of the enemy models in
base contact. The side who out-numbers the
single warrior receives a Prowess bonus for
each model as shown on the table below.
only possible for a maximum of four

models to attack a single enemy. If more
models are in base contact then it is necessary
to decide which four fight. Any others do not.
However, up to six models may all attack a
mounted warior.
Warriors
always respond to the most

immediate threat posed to them, so if there is
an enemy in base contact they must fight
them. The exception is if that enemy is himself
in base contact with another friendly model.
If a model wins an opposed Prowess roll by 2

or more then the winning player may knock
back his enemy 1 backwards in a 90-degree
arc. The model must always be pushed back
where there is room if possible. In a situation
where multiple warriors are fighting a single
model, then the single warrior can only push
his opponents back if he beats all of them in
the opposed roll. If he is beaten just once, then
it is he who is pushed back.
For
example. Fafnir would normally be able to

push back the Saxon who he beat in the prior
example, but because Fafnir himself was also beaten
by another enemy, Fafnir is pushed back instead
due to weight of numbers.

21
Hand to hand
Duel
Multiple Attack
(special)
Honour
and glory are very important to

Vikings, and no greater glory is there then that
gained from defeating a worthy opponent in
single combat. Only heroes may select this
action and against enemy heroes in base
contact. It is up to the opposing player
whether their hero accepts the challenge.
A hero who multiple attack uses his superior
If the challenge is accepted no other models,
Instead of making just one opposed Prowess
on either side, may intervene in any way, until

one hero or the other has been removed from
play. Once the duel has been agreed neither
hero may withdraw from it and will continue
to fight every turn until one hero has fallen. If
the battle ends before this happens, continue
fighting out the duel in isolation until a
winner has been decided.
test as would happen with the attack action,

the hero makes one separate test for each
opponent in base contact. For each opposed
roll he wins he is able to roll to wound that
enemy model.
A hero who wins a duel receives 4 additional

experience from defeating his foe. A hero who
declines a duel loses 2 experiences points. If
the same hero challenges him again the model
does not incur the penalty again.
skills to attack several enemies in the phase

instead of just one. Only heroes are allowed to
take this action as only they possess the
necessary skill. As this is a special action, the
hero can only take this if he has taken no other
actions in prior phases.
For
example: Fafnir is locked in combat with

three enemy Saxons. He makes an opposed roll
against each of the Saxons in the hope of slaying all
three. Fafnir manages to win all three opposed rolls
and so can roll to wound each of his enemies.
swap weapon
Defensive Fighting
A model who fights in this manner is using
every ounce of his skills and abilities to defend
himself, staying alive being his only concern.
Perhaps he is out-numbered and awaits the
arrival of friends to aid him, or maybe he is
just trying to hold on until nightfall when he
can slip away.
In either case the model receives a +2 bonus to

his Prowess, but if he wins any opposed
Many warriors go into battle with more than

one weapon, sometimes many weapons. At
the start of the Hand to Hand phase a warrior
can be wielding any of the weapons in his
possession as decided by the player. However,
unless the model finds himself without any
enemies in base contact, he can only swap
weapons again by taking this action.
To swap a weapon the warrior must make an

opposed Agility test against his enemys
Prowess. If unsuccessful the warrior must
continue to use his original weapon but a
partial success or higher means the warrior
has successfully changed to another weapon
in his equipment list.

22
Age of blood
Shieldwall
charges
A warrior
A warrior who charges an enemy gains a

significant advantage over his foe. The
charging warrior receives a +1 Prowess bonus
to the opposed attack roll and also a +1
Strength bonus to his roll to injure should he
win the initial roll.
in a shieldwall is incredibly well

protected as he has not only the benefit of his
own shield but also that of the warrior on his
right. Warriors in a shieldwall double their
shields effectiveness, so rather than having +2
Fortitude on account of their large shields,
they would have +4. The downside is, is that
their attacking effectiveness is reduced and so
their attackers receive a +1 Prowess bonus
against them.
In addition, the warrior at the very right hand

flank of the shieldwall does not receive the
Fortitude bonus, and in fact suffers a penalty
because his shield is being employed to
partially shield the model on his right and not
himself. Therefore the effectiveness of the
shield is halved, from +2 to +1 Fortitude.
Historically only the very best warriors
occupy the right flank of a shieldwall for this
very reason.
prone
For several reasons its possible for a warrior
to be on the ground, either from having fallen,
tripped or by being knocked over. Such
warriors are referred to as prone and any
attacks made against them are at a +2 Prowess
modifier.
No actions left
A warrior who has no actions left but who is
in base contact with an enemy model can
defend himself in this phase but cannot attack
back. If attacked, opposed rolls are made as
normal except that if the warrior without any
actions wins the opposed roll he cannot then
roll for any injuries.

23
Hand to hand
Flank attacks
Each
model has a front and rear and two

flanks, left and right. As mentioned earlier its
only possible for four models to attack a single
enemy at one time. There just isnt room for
more to attack, even though there might be the
physical room to place those models in base
contact.
A warrior at an enemys flank receives a +1

Prowess bonus when making an opposed roll.
Attacks at the enemys rear receive a +2 bonus.
Critical hits
When
a natural 10 occurs, as part of the

opposed Prowess roll in combat, it is referred
to as a critical hit. A critical hit is an attack that
lands in the perfect spot or is especially
powerful, and is likely to have a devastating
effect on the enemy who receives it.
A critical hit only occurs if both a 10 is rolled

and also the warrior in question wins the
opposed roll. Otherwise, spectacular as the
attack may be, it fails to hit the mark.
warrior who scores a critical hit doubles

his Strength bonus (including that of his
weapon) on the subsequent roll to wound.
free attacks
During
the course of a battle it is possible

that a warrior receives a free attack against an
enemy model, most likely for that enemy
passing through the warriors reach. A normal
opposed roll is made for the free attack, but
only the warrior awarded the free attack is
able to roll to wound if he wins.
For example: In an effort to slay a Saxon warlord

Fafnir makes a heroic charge through a gap in the
enemy shieldwall. Doing so means he moves
through the reaches of two enemy warriors, who
both then get free attacks against Fafnir. Two
opposed rolls are made, one for each Saxon. In the
first roll, Fafnir scores 12 in total and his enemy 9.
Fafnir wins but cannot then roll to wound. In the
second opposed roll Fafnir only scores 4 in total
and his enemy 7. The warrior can now roll to
injure Fafnir.
fumbles
If
a warrior fumbles in combat, that is if a

natural 1 is rolled which also loses the
opposed roll, then he is in severe trouble. He
blunders so badly that he leaves himself
incredibly exposed. Any enemy who
participated in the opposed roll gains +1
Strength when rolling to injure.
supporting
A model armed with a long weapon, such as
spear, can use its length to aid friendly models
in combat. If the spear armed model is not in
base contact with an enemy warrior, he can
support a friendly model who is in base
contact.
Warriors
who are supported this way

receive +1 Prowess in opposed rolls thanks to
the benefit of their companions spear.
For example: Fafmir is in a fight with an enemy

Warlord. An ally is armed with a spear and is
behind Fafnir. Because the model is in base contact
he can aid Fafnir in the fight, giving him a +1
Prowess bonus.

24
Age of blood
Two hands
The
broad axe is the most common two

handed weapon found in Viking warbands,
though other two handed weapons are used
by other cultures. Two handed weapons, by
there very nature, require two hands to wield
and so a shield cannot be used at the same
time.
Most
weapons can be used in two hands,

even if two hands are not required. If a
warrior uses a weapon in two hands he can
employ more power to his blow. As such the
warrior receives +1 Strength when rolling to
wound. This bonus applies to two handed as
well as one handed weapons.
For example: Fafnir has Strength 5 and uses a

sword, giving him Strength 7 in combat. If he uses
his sword in two has he has Strength 8 instead
when rolling to injure.

25
steeds
Vikings always preferred to fight in on foot,
Because a mounted model is higher up than
especially in shieldwalls, but did use horses

for transport. In battle warriors mounted on
horses receive several bonus and hindrances.
Horses and their abilities are described in the
Bestiary chapter.
his opponents (assuming that they are not also

mounted), the warrior has his reach increased
by 1.
Movement
In
this phase a mounted warrior takes

advantage of a horses speed, using its
attributes when taking Movement actions.
Mounted warriors cannot use the shieldwall
or hide actions. When taking the move action
mounted warriors are able to move up to 8
instead of the normal 6. When taking the run
special action, models on horses add their
steeds Agility to the 8, not their own. As
horses are such fast sprinters, they add double
their Agility.
For
example: Fafnir, mounted on a warhorse,

moves 8 when taking a move action. When taking
a run special action he adds double the warhorses
Agility 5, moving 18 in total.
Though
fast over open ground, horses

struggle with uneven terrain. Horses count
uneven terrain as rough, and rough terrain as
difficult. They cannot negotiate difficult
terrain.
Warriors can get on and off steeds as part of

normal movement, but doing so requires an
Agility test at difficulty 4. Failure means that it
either takes them the rest of the phase to
scramble into the saddle, or upon dismounting
they fall and can take no further move.
success means that the model mounts or

dismounts, costing 1 of movement to do so. If
the warrior gets a critical success it costs no
movement. A fumble means that the warrior
hurts himself in the process, potentially
seriously, taking a Strength 1 hit.
mounted warrior cannot climb or swim,

though when jumping he uses his mounts
Agility (doubled) when making the test.
ranged
A mounted model is easier to hit than one on
foot and so any Ranged attacks against him
are made with a +1 Deftness bonus. However,
this bonus is lost if the rider was using the run
or charge action.
If a mounted warrior attempts to use a missile

weapon from the back of his steed he confers a
+1 Agility bonus to his target for each 1 of
movement taken in the Movement phase.
Hand-to-hand
The
horse of the Dark Ages were not the

battle winning destriers of the medieval
world, but could still be deadly on the charge.
A model taking the charge action doubles the
charge bonuses, gaining +2 Prowess and +2
Strength. Up to 6 models can attack one
mounted on a horse.
Models in base contact are able to attack the

horse instead of the rider, using the horses
Prowess and Fortitude. If the horse is
wounded the rider must make an opposed
Agility test with the horse or be dismounted,
taking a Strength 1 hit if failed. A horse that is
killed automatically dismounts its rider. A
rider who has been dismounted counts as
being prone until his next Movement phase.

26
terror
Should
a warrior wish to move into base

contact with a Terror causing foe that warrior
must succeed in an opposed roll as outlined
above. A draw means that the warrior can
engage the foe, but is shaken, and a fail means
that the model will take the flee action if the
terrifying foe comes within 6 of him.
Models who have failed their Bravery tests

against terrifying enemies can recover their
nerve if they succeed in the opposed roll next
turn. If so they are then shaken for the rest of
the battle with regards to the Terror inducing
model. A model that passes the first Bravery
test is then immune to the Terror for the rest of
the battle.
Terrifying foes
Some
enemies can bring fear to even the

stoutest of hearts, whether a snarling
warhound, frenzied berserker or horrific troll.
Such models have whats known as Terror,
which is a value typically between 4 and 10.
The higher that number is, the more terrifying
the foe.
Terror is used in two main instances, when a

terrifying foe is a attacking another model or
when a model wishes to attack the creature
causing Terror. When a model causing Terror
moves into base contact with a warrior, that
warrior must make an opposed Bravery test
against the models Terror.
If the warrior loses he immediately takes the

flee action when its his sides go this turn. If
the warrior has already used his actions then
he does not move but suffers the other affects
of fleeing. A draw means the warrior is shaken
with regards to the Terror inducing model and
a successful opposed roll means the warrior
has controlled his fear and suffers no ill
effects.

27
injury
Any
model that has hit an opponent in the

Ranged phase, or won an opposed Prowess
test in the Hand-to-Hand phase is able to roll
to wound the enemy model. To do this the
both models make an opposed roll, the
attacker using his Strength against his
opponents Fortitude, both of which are
subject to any appropriate modifiers, such as
those from weapons and armour.
For example: Fafnir, having been struck by the

Saxon warrior must make a Fortitude test against
the Saxons Strength test. The Saxon has Strength
2 and is using a sword (+2 Strength) so rolls a D10
+4 in total. Fafnir, with Fortitude 4 in a chain
hauberk (+2 Fortitude) and using a shield (+2
Fortitude) rolls a D10 +8 in total. Fafnir rolls 13 in
total and the Saxon 10. The Saxon fails to injure
Fafnir, who charges on to fight the warlord.
wounded
Heroes
may spend a point of Valour to

reduce this status to simply being wounded
instead.
If the battle being played is a one off it can be

assumed that any warrior removed from play
has been killed. In a campaign it is necessary
to determine the exact state of the model
removed from play. This test is only necessary
for your heroes, as will become apparent later
on.
At the end
of the battle roll a D10 for each

hero and consult the below table to find out
their fate. Heroes are able to spend a point of
Valour to re-roll the result so long as they have
at least 1 point left over from the battle.
D10 Injury
1-5
The hero is either killed instantly or
If the opposed roll is equalled (partial success)
dies at a later date. If he fought

bravely then the Valkaries take his
soul to Valhalla, if not the forever chill
of Nilfheim awaits. He should be
immediately
deleted
from
the
warbands roster along with his
weapons and equipment, which go
with him on his journey to the
afterlife.
the enemy has been wounded, suffering a

severe, but not fatal injury. He is not removed
from play but he is considered wounded for
the rest of the battle.
A wounded model suffers a -1 penalty to all

of his characteristics. A model can be
wounded multiple times, and with each
wound he suffers an additional -1 penalty to
all characteristics. If any of the models
characteristics are reduced to -1 he is removed
from play.
6-8
the attacker wins the Strength test with a

complete success the enemy model has
suffered a serious, possibly fatal injury and is
unable to continue the battle. He is removed as
a casualty or alternatively the model should be
lain down to show his state of injury.
Injured
The
hero survives but has been

sorely wounded and will take some
time to heal. He must miss the next
battle and cannot trade. Roll another
D10 and refer to the War Wounds
table for any lasting effects.
Removed from play
If
Killed
9-10
Recovered
The hero makes a full recovery from
his wounds. He may participate in the
next battle as normal.

28
Age of blood
D10 War Wounds
8-10
If no one had told him not to the hero
1-3 Physical
The heros wound
never fully heals

and he suffers from it until the end of
his days. Roll a further D10 to find out
where the wound is located and its
permanent effect.
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
Leg
Torso
Arm
Hand
Head
-1 Agility
-1 Fortitude
-1 Strength
-1 Prowess
-1 Deftness
Psychological
The body heals but the mind
is not
quite the same again. Roll a further
D10 to determine what happens to the
hero.
1-2
Shaken
So
traumatised by his ordeal the

heros courage takes a severe knock: -1
Bravery.
3-5
Mild Insanity
He
occasionally freaks out his

companions
with
his
wacky
behaviour. This has no adverse effect
on the battlefield but if this befalls a
hersar, he loses 1 Renown. A hero
with mild insanity can never become a
hersar.
6-7
7
The
Painless
Enraged
real problem with being half

dead was the fact that the hero
couldnt carry on fighting. He wont
let that happen again. From now on
the hero ignores the effects of the first
time he is wounded each battle.
would have fought on with his guts

hanging out he hadnt felt a thing.
From now on he cares nothing about
getting injured: +1 Bravery.
Left for dead

The heros companions
leave his
unconscious body on the battlefield
believing him to be slain. Roll a D10
for the fate of the hero and a further
D10 on the War Wounds table,
counting another 5 as No Effect.
1-5
Captured
His
enemies find him and take him

as their captive. Word reaches the
warband about his fate and as the next
scenario a rescue can be attempted.
Alternatively a ransom can be paid
dependant on the heros level. Roll a
D10 for each level and multiply the
total by 10 (20 for the hersar) to
determine how many silver pieces his
ransom is. His equipment is kept by
his captors. If the warband does not or
will not rescue him or doesnt pay the
ransom immediately then there will
not be another chance. Whatever fate
the hero suffers it is bound to be
unpleasant.
6-8
Crawls Back
Amazingly,
despite his horrific

injuries, the hero manages to crawl
back to the ship before it sets off,
much to the surprise of his
companions. When hes recovered he
throws a few swift punches at those
who left him behind. No lasting effect.

29
injury
The Long Journey
Waking up hours after
the battles
end the hero drags himself to shelter
where he slowly recovers enough to
travel. Eventually, by begging,
stealing, lying and killing he makes
the long trip back to his homeland
where he rejoins with his warband.
For his epic journey he receives 3
experience points. Hersir also receive
+1 Renown.
Scarred
Once the wound is healed the hero is
left with severe scarring. If a hersar is
scarred his scars can either serve to
inspire awe or disgust in those who
view them. Roll a further D10 to find
out the nature of the scarring.
1-5
Horrific Scars
With such disgusting scars
marking him, the hersar finds
it difficult to recruit new men.
He ignores his next Renown
increase.
6-10
Inspiring Scars
The hersars scars show him
as a prince of battle who leads
from the front. He is therefore
a good lord to serve. He gains
1 Renown.
7-9 No Effect
After several
weeks of rest the

wound heals and the hero suffers no
other long term effects.
10
Special
Something perculiar has befallen the
hero Roll a further D10 to find out
what.
1-2
Cursed
The wound
was so horrific that the

heros funeral pyre had already been
built by the time he suspiciously
recovered. Though no one says it to
his face it is believed that he must
have been saved by evil spirits and
this stigma can never be shaken off.
The hero may never become the
warbands hersar and his companions
never benefit from his heroic status.
Neither do they suffer from the effects
of Hero Death if he is removed from
play (because theyre secretly glad).
Hersir lose 1 Renown.
3-8
Amazing Recovery
Whereas
most men are lucky to

heal to their old strength, the hero
actually recovers to a healthier state
than he was before he was injured.
With this new lease of life the hero
gains a new trait, rolled for as normal.
9
Immortality
No
one has ever heard of so much

blood flowing from a man who didnt
die. The only explanation to
rationalise this is that the hero is
nothing less than immortal, at least in
battle. The hero gains the title the
Deathless and Terror 3 to all enemy
models (but not monsters) because
who wants to fight a man who cant
be killed?
10
Blessed
if the arrow hadnt ricocheted off the

heros cloak pin it would have gone
straight through his heart Whatever
unlikely incident happened to save
the heros life it was so lucky that he
must have been saved by none less
than Odin himself. The hero receives
+1 Valour.

30
weapons
+3 Strength
Below
are listed weapons of the 8th to 11th

Century, some of which are available to
Vikings and others to their enemies.
Special:
A model armed with a maul is only capable
knife
The knife is a tool more than it is a weapon,
but it still can be used as one if nothing else
can be found.
of a limited amounts of attacks and few

defensive manoeuvres. In an opposed roll, if
the test is a draw, the model armed with the
maul loses.
sword
+0 Strength
Special:
Because
it is such a short weapon enemy

warriors receive a +1 Prowess bonus in
opposed rolls against a model armed with a
knife. In addition, the knife wielder only has a
reach of and cannot be used in two hands.
To carry a sword was a mark of status due to

their extremely high cost. Most warriors
simply could not afford a sword, and those
who carried them were considered both
wealthy and dangerous men. The sword is the
all round weapon of choice, able to cut and
thrust from a variety of different angles
+2 Strength
sax
spear
The sax is a short sword anywhere between

1 and 2 in length. Carried mainly as a
secondary weapon by wealthy warriors in case
their primary weapon is lost.
+1 Strength
Special:
Because
it is shorter than a full sword the

wielder has only a 1 reach and cannot use the
sax in two hands.
spear was the most common weapon of

the era thanks to its low cost. Between 7 and
10 in length the spears main advantage was
being able to attack an enemy from a distance.
However, if the enemy was to get past the
spears point the wielder became vulnerable.
Any warrior who could not afford a sword,
which was most, took a spear to battle instead
and many who could afford a sword took
spears as well.
+1 Strength
Maul
Special:
The spear
Mauls
are crude weapons used by large

creatures such as Trolls. Often little more than
tree branches, mauls are nevertheless
dangerous because of their great weight.
offers several specific bonuses to

its wielder. The first is that it can be used to
support another model in base contact, as
described in the Hand to Hand section.
Though not its primary use the spear can be
employed as a thrown weapon.

31
weapons
due to its reach the wielder gains +1 Prowess
in the first opposed roll with an enemy
representing the spears superior reach. After
the first opposed roll the bonus is lost. If both
warriors are fighting with spears then they
cancel each other out and no bonuses are
applied.
Lastly, when used from horseback in a charge

the spear can be used to particularly good
effect. Instead of using the riders Strength
when rolling to injure, the Strength of the
horse is used instead. Also, this is the case if a
model armed with a spear is charged by a
mounted warrior.
Special:
Because
the arrows of the era had such

difficulty penetrating armour the target
receives
additional
Fortitude
bonuses
depending on how well armoured he is.
Warriors using shields gain +1 Fortitude and
those in chain hauberks receive +1 Fortitude
as well.
Due to the fact that fired arrows often cant

be recovered, a warrior armed with a bow
requires 1 sp extra upkeep. Also, a warrior
cannot employ the use of a shield if he uses a
bow.
axe
Broad axe
An
With a cutting edge between 9 and 18 and
axe could be a highly lethal weapon,

capable of inflicting horrific damage to a
warriors enemies. The Viking axe was a wellbalanced one handed weapon made
specifically for battle with a short 6 cutting
edge. Though powerful, they could be clumsy
in combat.
+2 Strength
a haft 60 in length the broad axe was a

devastating weapon. Used in both hands the
broad axe could deliver a blow of such force
that even mail armour offered little protection
against it. But being unwieldy because of its
size and without the protection of a shield, a
warrior armed with a broad axe suffered in
defence.
+3 Strength
Special:
A warrior armed with an axe is restricted in
the range of parries and attacks he can
perform. A warrior using an axe fumbles on a
roll of 1 or 2, instead of the normal 1.
bow
Special:
As
a two handed weapon a warrior armed

with a broad axe cannot use a shield at the
same time. In addition, because of the broad
axes limited attacks and awkwardness the
warriors fumbles on a roll of 1 or 2.
Bows of the era were typically 60 to 80 in

height with arrows around 30 in length and
were hunting bows with around 80lb draw
weight. Though capable of killing with a
single arrow, the broad head arrows of the era
were ineffective against armoured warriors.
+1 Strength

32
armour
Below is a list of the available armour types
and their Fortitude bonuses as well as any
special rules that might apply. Most warriors
of the era went to battle with little or no
armour, but nearly every fighting man made
use of a shield. The best protection a warrior
could have consisted of a chain hauberk and
helmet, both of which were so expensive that
they were beyond the means of most men.
chain hauberk
mail
was the best armour available to

Vikings of the time and was a T-shaped
garment that hung down to mid-thigh.
Typically a chain hauberk could have as many
as 30,000 individual rings and took weeks to
make. Only the very wealthiest warriors could
afford such a level of protection.
shield
+2 Fortitude
The shield was carried by almost all warriors

and offered a great degree of protection.
Viking shields were round and up to 36 in
diameter. Made of wood, they were
sometimes rimmed with leather to help
protect the edges from splitting.
+2 Fortitude
Leather Jerkin
Special:
A
chain hauberks weight means that a

warrior so armoured cannot move as fast as
normal. As such the warrior loses 1 Agility.
helmet
A
helmet was either a solid piece of iron

hammered into shape or several pieces riveted
together. Like a chain hauberk only wealthy
warriors could afford them.
For most common warriors this was the most

sophisticated armour they could afford. It
consisted of a padded woollen undershirt
covered with toughened leather. Though
unlikely to stop a sword blow, a leather jerkin
was still a much needed level of protection.
+1 Fortitude
helmet
A
helmet was either a solid piece of iron

hammered into shape or several pieces riveted
together. Like a chain hauberk only wealthy
warriors could afford them.
+1 Fortitude
+1 Fortitude
limb guards
Even
a Viking in a chain hauberk and

wearing a helmet still had his forearms, hands,
lower legs and feet unprotected, and as such
the wealthiest of fighters wore limb guards.
These were generally made of splint of iron,
steel or bone strapped along the exposed
forearms and shins.
+1 Fortitude
Special:
Only models with Agility 3 or more can wear
limb guards due to the extra weight in combat.

33
The warband
Before
you can begin a campaign of terror

and pillage across Europe you first need to
create your warband. In this chapter are the
rules for creating a Viking raiding party for
use in a campaign. For one-off battles or
custom games these rules can be modified to
better allow for the creation of appropriate
forces.
For a standard campaign each player receives

1,000 silver pennies (sp) with which to recruit
and equip his raiding party. It is assumed that
the leader of the warband (the hersar) is a
minor Scandinavian nobleman with his own
hall and retainers (huscarl). All warriors are
considered to have a knife as backup weapon.
When the hersar
hersir
Cost na sp Upkeep 8 sp
The most important member of the warband
is the hersar. He is a respected landed man or
maybe simply a charismatic Viking who
others will trust and follow. All warbands
receive one hersar for free and cannot have
more. All beginning hersir have a single
Birthright from the below table.
D10 Birthright
1
goes raiding he takes his

huscarl with him as well as any heroes in his
hall. Friends and neighbours, though not part
of the hall, may also accompany him on such
voyages for a share of the plunder. These are
known as carls freemen in Viking society.
The main aim of raiding is to gather wealth

for those participating but a successful hersar
will find his fame spreading and with it more
and more warriors will seek to accompany
him. The more successful the raiding party is
the more warriors and special characters the
player will have access to.
If a Viking god descends from

Aesgard to visit the realm of men he
may take to the affections of a mortal
A child born of such a union is truly
blessed from his godly heritage. The
hersar receives +1 to his Valour
characteristic.
2-3
At the end of this rulebook is a roster sheet

on which you can record all the appropriate
information about your warband.
Wealthy
The hersars chests are unusually full
of silver and as such he begins the
campaign with 1,100 sp.
4-5
Renowned
The hersars name is more widely
known than is common. He begins the
campaign with 11 Renown.
Aside
from carls, the other members of the

warband have both a cost and an upkeep. The
first is the initial amount out of the starting
1,000 sp that must be spent to have them in the
warband. Upkeep is a fee that must be paid
after each and every scenario in order to
maintain the services of the particular warrior.
Godsborn
6-7
7
Experienced
This hersars experience of war is
more than most. He receives 5
experience.
8-9
Talented
Few are possessing of as much natural
skill as this hersar. He gains 1
additional random trait.
10
Choose
Select one of the above for the hersar,
excluding Godsborn.

34
Age of blood
Hersir also have Renown, which perhaps the
If at any point the hersar is killed the highest
most important attribute they possess. It is a

measure of the hersars achievements and how
widespread his fame is. The more Renown he
has the more warriors and heroes he can
recruit. Also, certain scenarios are only
available once hersir reach certain Renown
scores.
level champion becomes the hersar and takes

on whatever Renown his predecessor had
gained.
All
hersar begin the campaign with 10

Renown, allowing them to recruit a maximum
of 2 heroes and 20 huscarls and allows him to
take up to 10 carls with him on a single
voyage.
Hersir begin as level 1 heroes and receive 1

random trait. Every time they advance a level
their Upkeep rises by 1 sp.

2
Val
1
As the hersar wins battles and gains personal

experience his Renown will increase
accordingly. However, certain events, such as
losing battles, means that the hersars Renown
decreases, and with it his heroes and huscarl
will begin to leave his service in seek of a new
lord.
Over
time its possible for the warband to

grow to immense size and power, becoming a
small army in itself. But the largest warbands
consumes a huge amount of resources and
therefore require continual success at high risk
targets to maintain their size.
hersir

35
The warband
Renown
Champions
Berserkers
Huscarls
Carls
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40-41
42-43
44-45
46-47
48-49
50+
0
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
9
9
9
10
0
1
1
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
12
14
16
18
20
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
52
56
60
64
68
72
76
80
84
88
92
96
100
5
5
5
10
10
10
15
15
15
20
20
20
25
25
25
30
30
30
35
35
35
40
40
40
45
champions
Cost 80 sp Upkeep 6 sp
raiding
parties begin the campaign being

able to recruit a maximum of two champions,
though over time they can acquire more.
Champions are the greatest Vikings who
reside at the hersars hall, though any
Berserkers arent likely to agree.
Champions
begin as level 1 heroes and

receive 1 random trait. Every time they
advance a level their Upkeep rises by 1 sp.

2
Val
1

36
Age of blood
champions
berserkers
the battlefields of Viking legend
are full of
accounts of half-mad warriors who shun
armour and go into an insatiable killing frenzy
in combat. Before battle berserkers would
consume intoxicants, such as Bog Myrtle, to
fuel their battle frenzy. When not in battle
berserkers spend their time doing their best to
drain the hersars hall of mead.
beginning raiding party may include a

maximum of three berserkers, but as the
hersar increases in Renown the maximum
amount of berserkers also rises.
Wounding: Famed for being able to shrug

off all but the most severe injury, Berserkers
ignore the effects of being wounded, even if
they are wounded multiple times. They can be
removed from play as normal.
Terror:
Because in battle they resemble

creatures that are barely human they rightly
inspire fear in their foes. Berserkers have
Terror 2 against enemy warriors (not heroes or
monsters).

3
Val
0
Berserk:
Berserkers fight in an almost

unnatural frenzy that few can resist. They are
allowed to take the multiple attack special
action.
Equipment:
Berserkers often enter battle

stripped to the waist, wearing bearskins or
sometimes even completely nude. They are
never allowed to use any armour other than a
shield and are not allowed to use bows but can
throw axes or spears.

37
The warband
huscarls

2
are those warriors who have a
permanent residence at the hersars hall. They
serve him with unquestionable loyalty and are
highly proficient fighters, more capable then
most other warriors of the time.
Val
0
Carls participating in a battle bring their own
Huscarls
Val
0
weapons and armour. Roll a D10 to determine

what weapons and armour each group of carls
is equipped with.
D10
Carl Equipment
1
2-6
7-8
9
10
Sax and shield

Spear and shield
Axe and shield
Sax and bow
Sword and shield
nationality
carls
Cost 25 sp
Carls are freemen in Viking society, who are
not permanent residents of a hersars hall but
are neighbouring farmers or personal friends.
As
they are not permanent retainers to the

hersar they do not have an Upkeep cost like
huscarls and are not recruited. Instead hersir
may pay to employ 5 of them for the duration
of a single battle. Historically locals would
have participated in raids for a share of the
treasure, but a one off cost is easier to
implement.
A Viking warband can either be Norse

(from Norway), Danish (from Denmark) or
Svear (From Sweden). Each of these three
tribes have different advantages over the
others, as shown below.
Norse Natural Sailors
The Norse were the best seafarers of
all the Viking peoples and as such
when making Navigation rolls, a
Norse warband adds +1 to the result.
Bondir
A Norse hersir is never short of
neighbours who want to take part in a
voyage. All carls cost 20 sp to hire
instead of 25 sp.
Expert Carpenters
Ships made by the Norse are truly
magnificent, outclassing those of other
Vikings. Norse Ships can carry 10%
more Crew and Cargo.
Trait Speciality: Sailing

38
Age of blood
Danes Warrior Race

The Danes were the most prolific
fighters of the Vikings and even
Danish farmers and craftspeople are
adept in battle. Danish Carls have
Bravery 3.
Trait Speciality: Combat

Svear Traders
Svear merchants were well versed in
buying and selling and were the most
skilled of Viking traders. When rolling
for the value of loot, Svear warbands
add +1 to the result.
Bog Myrtle
In Sweden Bog Myrtle is more
commonly found than in other parts
of Scandinavia and as such berserkers
are more common. Svear berserkers
cost 50 sp and have an upkeep of 6 sp.
Trait Speciality: Wits
equipment
Your
raiding party wont be much use if it

goes into battle unarmed and so you must
purchase both weapons and armour for each
model. Both of which must be paid for from
the starting 1,000 sp.
As your warband progresses and its wealth

increases you will be able to buy replacement
or additional weapons and pieces of armour
for your models. Though not essential, its
recommended that you make sure your hersar
and champions are the best armed and
armoured.
Weapon
Cost
Knife
Sax
Sword
Spear
Axe
Broad Axe
Bow
free
2 sp
10 sp
1 sp
2 sp
5 sp
4 sp

39
The warband
Armour
Cost
Shield
Leather Jerkin
Chain Hauberk
Helmet
Limb Guards
2 sp
10 sp
50 sp
15 sp
20 sp
There
are two types of Viking ship, the

drakkar and the knarr. The drakkar is the
famous longship, made for war. It is a narrow,
fast boat and can carry large numbers of
warriors. The knar is a wider, slower boat
built for trading, and so can carry far more
cargo than a comparably sized drakkar, but
has less room for crew.
For
your raiding party, select either a light

drakkar or a small knar as its ship.
Ship
Cost
Crew
Cargo
Light Drakkar
Drakkar
Mighty Drakkar
500sp
1,000sp
2,000sp
30
60
120
30
60
120
Small Knarr
Knarr
Large Knarr
300sp
600sp
1,200sp
15
30
60
75
150
300
A ship can only carry a maximum number of
Ships
Without
a ship the warband wouldnt get

very far. Each raiding party begins with a
single ship as its vessel. This might be recently
built by the hersar specifically to begin his
raiding career, or it could be inherited or
loaned to him.
warriors as shown under the crew heading. A

ship that doesnt have at least half this number
is considered under-manned and as such
journeys will be more costly. If there is less
than a quarter of this number there arent
enough crew to man the ship and it cannot
sail.
As
the warband grows it will become

necessary to purchase another ship, either as a
replacement for the original, which can be sold
for half its normal cost, or as an extra vessel.
Warbands are allowed as many ships as can be
afforded.

40
Age of blood
Sample Warbands
Below
are listed two pre-made raiding

parties designed with the above rules. The first
is a good sized warband that includes 23
warriors with a range of capabilities and
armaments. The second consists of just 12
models, but all are extremely well armoured.
Both have some of
the starting 1,000 sp left

over, which could have been easily spent, but
having some silver left provides a useful
cushion if things dont go particularly well at
the start of the campaign.
Hersar
Sword, axe, shield, chain
hauberk and helmet
74 sp
Hersar
Sword, axe, shield, chain
hauberk and helmet
74 sp
Champion
Sword, shield, chain hauberk
and helmet
157 sp
Champion
Sword, spear, shield, chain
hauberk and helmet
158 sp
Champion
151 sp
Spear, axe, shield, chain hauberk
and helmet
Champion
161 sp
Sword, broad axe, shield, chain
hauberkand helmet
2x Berserkers
Broad axe, axe and shield
136 sp
Berserker
Axe, sax and shield
65 sp
5x Huscarls
Axe, shield and leather jerkin.
170 sp
Berserker
Sword and shield
72 sp
6x Huscarls
Spear, sax, shield and leather
jerkin
210 sp
2x Huscarls
Sword, shield, chain hauberk
and helmet
194 sp
2x Huscarls
Sax and bow
52 sp
3x Huscarls
Spear, shield, leather jerkin
and helmet
144 sp
5x Carls
25 sp
2x Huscarls
Axe, shield, leather jerkin and
helmet
98 sp
Total Cost
Upkeep
966 sp
50 sp
Total Cost
Upkeep
975 sp
62 sp

41
The warband
Name generator
To
enable you to name your warbands

heroes, below is a list of one hundred Viking
names. You can either pick names from the list
or roll them randomly. The table uses a D100,
so two dice are rolled, the first representing
the 10s the second the units. If you dont like
the name you roll, re-roll until you do.
01
Adils
26
Eyfura
51
Hemming
76
Olaf
02
Agder
27
Fafnir
52
Heoroweard
77
Oleg
03
Agne
28
Frodi
53
Hervarard
78
Olof
04
Alrik
29
Gard
54
Hjalmar
79
Onund
05
Angantyr
30
Gardar
55
Hjorvard
80
Osten
06
Anund
31
Gautar
56
Hlod
81
Orvar
07
Arngrim
32
Gauti
57
Hogni
82
Ottar
08
Askold
33
Gautrek
58
Hrani
83
Ragnar
09
Aun
34
Glammad
59
Hothbrodd
84
Ragnvald
10
Birger
35
Gizur
60
Hrothgar
85
Randver
11
Bjarni
36
Gorm
61
Hugleik
86
Rollo
12
Bjorn
37
Granmar
62
Hvitserk
87
Rorek
13
Bui
38
Guthrith
63
Hysing
88
Rurik
14
Canute
39
Guthrum
64
Ingaild
89
Schek
15
Dag
40
Gylfi
65
Ingjald
90
Sigar
16
Dir
41
Haakon
66
Ingvar
91
Siggeir
17
Domarr
42
Haddings
67
Ivar
92
Signy
18
Edda
43
Halfdan
68
Jakob
93
Sigurd
19
Egil
44
Hagbard
69
Jorund
94
Snorri
20
Eilifr
45
Hake
70
Khoriv
95
Stakard
21
Eirik
46
Haki
71
Kjotve
96
Svafrlamir
22
Eorund
47
Harald
72
Krakiv
97
Svend
23
Erik
48
Havad
73
Kyi
98
Thrand
24
Estrid
49
Helgi
74
Leif
99
Vikar
25
Ethelred
50
Heidrek
75
Magnus
00
Wulfgar

42
Pre=battle
scenarios
Getting There
The
Once
Raids
Warbands
first thing that needs to be done is to

decide which scenario will be played and
where it will take place. There are four types
of scenario that can be chosen: Raids, Battles,
Quests, and Epic Voyages.
are the typical Viking hit and run
affairs to grab loot. Battles are just that,
pitched battles where the objective is the
destruction of the warbands enemies. Quests
are usually hero only affairs and represent
more personal adventures, often involving the
supernatural. Epic Voyages are a series of
linked scenarios that represent a long and epic
journey of discovery.
The
destination for the scenario can be

anywhere in the known world, as shown on
the map. Once the destination and type of
scenario has been decided the specific of the
scenario, such as the enemies, rewards and
special rules can be established. See the
Scenarios chapter for more details.
Its
recommended for the warbands first

outing that a Raid takes place against a poorly
defended target in the British Isles. Unless
anything goes drastically wrong the warband
is likely to prevail and return home with
enough experience and loot to have made the
venture worthwhile.
Some
scenarios require pre-requisites before

they can be selected, the more potentially
rewarding the scenario is, the more difficult
the pre-requisites are to obtain.
For example: Fafnirs warband plans to take an

Epic Voyage to Vinland, but before they can go
Fafnir must have Renown 20, a drakkar or knarr
and must have previously been to Greenland.
Because Fafnirs raiding party meets these prerequesites the Epic Voyage to Vinland can be
selected. .
it has been determined where the

scenario is taking place the warband must first
reach there safely. The opposite map shows
the world according to Viking knowledge,
with scenarios possible at any named location.
can only travel to the locations
shown, and do complete the journey they
must be able to find their way and be able to
afford the costs of the journey. In the
accompanying table each location has a
navigation number (ie 3+) that must be met in
order for the warband to reach it.
Should
the navigation roll be unsuccessful

the ship becomes lost for a time, delayed by
rapids, fog or any number of things. Keep
rolling again until the navigation roll is
successful, but for each failed roll the cost of
the journey will increase.
The
cost shown in the table represents the

supplies needed for each man making the
journey. So, for a warband of 20 men, the cost
of journeying to England will be 20 sp. This
represents food and water as well as covering
general wear to the ship.
If the navigation roll is unsuccessful the cost

of the supplies increases by 1 sp per man for
each roll required after the first.
For
example: Fafnirs is travelling to Vinland,

which requires an 8+ navigation roll in order to
reach. Unfortunately the first roll fails, and it takes
another two navigation rolls in order to succeed.
Normally Vinland costs 9 sp per man for supplies,
but because of the two failed rolls the total cost is
11 sp per man.

43
Pre-battle
The Viking world
Location
Navigation Cost
Location
Navigation Cost
Vinland
Greenland
Iceland
Scotland
Ireland
England
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
Gotland
8+
7+
6+
4+
4+
3+
2+
2+
2+
2+
Lapland
Finland
Karelia
Gardikie
Vendland
Saxland
Frisland
Franker Riket
Spanland
4+
3+
3+
4+
2+
2+
2+
3+
4+
9 sp
6 sp
4 sp
1 sp
2 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
3 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
1 sp
2 sp
3 sp

44
Age of blood
Each
food unit that the warband has in its

possession can be used as one unit of supplies
if necessary. Dogs and horses can also be used
should it be necessary, with dogs counting as
two units of supplies each and horses five
units.
A raiding partys very first voyage does not

have to be paid for. It is assumed the hersar
and any backers have amassed the supplies
needed for the journey. The only condition
though, is that the destination can cost no
more than 1sp in supplies per man. A hersar
might want to travel further and pay for the
rest himself, but as this is the first time out his
men would be unwilling to make an
unnecessarily dangerous trip.
However, if the cost of the journey increases

at all, either from getting lost or as a result of a
storm, then the money must come from the
warbands kitty as normal. Therefore its
worth not spending every last silver penny
when creating the warband, just in case the
ship runs into problems.
If the warband cannot afford to pay the cost
A ship must also be properly crewed in order
then the men on board begin to starve and fall

ill. For every five units of supplies (original
cost) that cannot be paid for, two warrior start
the next battle automatically removed from
play. For every ten units of supplies that
cannot be paid for, a hero also begins removed
from play.
to journey safely and efficiently. A ship that is

undermanned will take longer to reach its
destination and the cost of supplies is
therefore increased. A ship that is considered
under-manned adds 1 sp to the cost of
supplies per man.
When
rolling for injury after the battle,

count injured as full recovery. The player can
chose which models are removed from play
but must select 1 huscarl or berserker for every
2 carls.
When
making a navigation roll, if a 10 is

rolled then the route becomes well known to
the warband and any future navigation roll
along the same route gets a +1 bonus. This
bonus can be taken multiple times. Make a
note of any such bonuses.
For example: Fafnirs kitty is 40 sp short of the

total cost of the voyage. This equates to 13 units of
supplies, so 1 hero, 1 huscarl and 3 carls are unable
to fight in the next battle.

45
Pre-battle
Storms
As well as hunger and thirst sea travel is not
without even greater dangers. For every
natural 1 rolled on the navigation roll the ship
is subjected to a storm as well as suffering
from being lost. Roll a D10 and consult the
storm chart for the effect of the storm. The cost
increases of the storm represent things such as
sail and mast damage, supplies being lost,
men swept overboard etc.
Ship
Storm Modifier
Mighty Drakkar
Drakkar
Light Drakkar
+1
0
-1
Huge Knarr
Knarr
Small Knarr
+1
+1
0
D10 Storm Effect

1-2 Catastrophic
The ship is badly mauled by the storm
and suffers severe damage. The
Vikings on board are also badly
effected, with a high number of deaths
likely. The cost of the supplies needed
to complete the journey increases by 3
sp.
3-4 Severe
The warband suffers a terrible storm
that causes large amounts of damage
to the ship and crew. The cost of the
journeys supplies increases by 2 sp.
5-6 Rough
The storm that afflicts the ship causes
some damage but the crew are lucky it
was not worse. The supplies cost
increases by 1 sp per man
7-9 Mild
Though not pleasant to sit through the
storm causes only minor damage and
does not affect the cost of the voyage.
10
Beneficial
The storm blows the ship towards its
destination, negating the 1 sp increase
in supplies cost caused from getting
lost.

46
Post battle
After a battle a number of things need to be
experience
resolved, each of which is broken down into

stages and worked out in a specific order.
All
Post Battle Sequence
Injuries
Renown
Experience
Loot
Trading
Recruitment
Injuries
The first of these is fate of all injured heroes
heroes gain experience from each

scenario they participate in. The amount of
experience gained is dependant on how they
performed in the fight, the more enemies they
defeated the more experience they will gain.
Once enough experience has been collected
heroes advance in level, gaining new traits
and improving their abilities.
loot
Next,
any loot gained should be rolled for

and noted, as described in the scenario played.
The upkeep cost of the raiding party
(including the dead heroes funerals are
expensive) needs to be immediately deducted.
needs to be determined. How to do this is

described in the Injury section. Heroes who
have been killed are removed from the raiding
party along with all their equipment. Viking
burials always included the deceaseds
personal effects.
If there is not enough silver in the warbands
Huscarls and carls that have been killed dont
trading
affect the overall makeup of the warband. This

is described further in the Renown section of
this chapter.
After
renown
Depending
no the success or failure of the

scenario and his personal achievements within
it, the Renown of the hersar can rise or fall.
Gaining Renown allows for more champions,
berserkers and huscarls to join the warband
and more carls and special characters to be
hired. If Renown drops its possible that
members of the warband will leave.
hoard to pay the upkeep cost then all the silver

that is there is deleted and the hersar loses 1
Renown.
the loot has been determined the

warband is able to trade it for silver at a
number of different locations. The more loot
that has been collected, the more potential
silver that can be earned, though certain types
of loot are more profitable to trade at certain
locations.
recruitment
tfhe last thing that needs to be worked out
after a battle is what new warriors and heroes
are recruited. This is done in exactly the same
way as when the warband is created.

47
renown
Each
scenario lists possible circumstances

that cause hersir to gain or lose renown, but
there are universal incidents that apply to all
scenarios. These are listed below.
Might:
Fall men wish to serve under a

powerful lord. The hersar gains 1 Renown for
each level increased.
Battle Shy: A hersar who doesnt fight isnt
Skill: Warriors respect a man of courage and
respected and loses 1 Renown for each duel

that is turned down.
honour. For defeating an enemy commander

in a duel the hersar gains 1 Renown.
Cowardice: Watching their lord run from a

battle is never a pleasant sight. A hersar loses
1 Renown if he either flees from the board, or
is already fleeing when the warband
withdraws.
Exploration: A hersar who leads his men to

far away places gains the respect and acclaim
he deserves. The first time that a hersar
journeys to any of the below locations he
receives a Renown bonus.
Generous Upkeep: A generous hersar is an

attractive lord to prospective warriors and
heroes. If the total upkeep of the warband is
increased by 50% the hersar receives 1
Renown. As soon as the generous upkeep
stops, however, the Renown is lost.
Destination
Renown Bonus
Iceland
Greenland
Vinland
+1
+2
+4
Extravagant Upkeep:
A hersar who can

afford to lavish large quantities of wealth on
his followers is, to most, the perfect lord to
serve. If the total upkeep of the warband is
increased by 100% the hersar receives 2
Renown. As soon as the extravagant upkeep
stops, however, the Renown is lost.
Foolhardy: Warriors who feel their lord cares

little about whether they live or die are likely
to leave. For each battle where the warband
suffers 50% or more models removed from
play the hersar loses 1 Renown. If the warband
suffers 75% or more casualties the hersar loses
2 Renown.
For
Example: Fafnirs warband returns from

Vinland loaded with loot but having lost several
battles to the vicious skraelings. As a result
Fafnirs Renown is reduced by 2. However, in
order to prevent valuable men leaving his service he
pays extravagant upkeep to increase his Renown by
2, bringing it back to normal. This takes a large
chunk out of the warbands wealth, Fafnir only
intends to pay it to keep men leaving until he has
restored his lost Renown.
As
Renown increases new members must

still be paid for as with the starting warriors,
and equipped accordingly. When Renown
decreases and members are lost they are gone
for good. Having lost respect for the partys
hersar they go to seek their fortunes
elsewhere, taking their equipment with them.
Its up to the player which members are lost

and as such the lowest level heroes and
poorest equipped huscarls are usually the first
to go. Those that have profited the most are
the ones who will stay the longest if things go
badly.

48
experience
the
heroes of the raiding party amass

experience during a battle which, when they
have gained enough, will allow them to
increase alevel. As all heroes start off at level 1
there next level will be level 2.
Each time a hero goes up an honour level he

is awarded 4 points that are used to improve
his characteristics.
Its up to the player how the points are spent
between scenarios but there are universal

awards that heroes can receive. These are
listed below.
but no characteristic can be increased more

than once each level. Also, each time a
characteristic is increased the amount of points
needed to increase it again next level also
increases.
Survived:
Heroes
Like with Renown, experience awards differ
Any battle will teach the hero

something, even if they ended up being
carried away from it. A surviving hero
receives 1 experience
Killer:
For each enemy killed the hero

receives experience related to how powerful
that opponent had been. The exact experience
an opponent is worth is shown in the Bestiary
chapter.
are allowed to increase any

characteristic
except
Valour
and
no
characteristic can be increased more than 3
times. The below table lists the various points
needed to increase a heros characteristics.
Increase
Points Cost
First
Second
Third
1
2
4
Duelist: For each duel against an enemy hero

that is successful, the winning hero receives
1 times the normal experience reward.
Assassin:
If the hero defeats the enemy

leader in hand to hand combat he receives 4
experience.
The below table lists the experience required

to achieve the various honour levels. Each
time a hero gains a level his Valour is
automatically increased by 1 and they receive
a random trait.
Level
Experience
Points
2
3
4
5
15
30
60
120
4
4
4
4
For
example: When Fafnir had just achieved

honour level 2 he had 4 points to spend increasing
his characteristics. He increased his Agility,
Fortitude, Prowess and Strength all by 1.
When he rose to level 3 he had another 4 points to
spend. He increased his Prowess a second time for 2
points and with his remaining 2 points increased
his Bravery and Deftness for the first time.
Upon reaching honour level 4 Fafnir again had 4
points to spend. Fafnir spent those points
increasing his Strength and Fortitude for the
second time.

49
Experience
traits are special abilities that heroes gain as
Each time a hero goes up a level roll a D10 on
they advance in levels. Upon reaching a new

level the hero gains 1 random trait. Traits are
special abilities, talents and skills that benefit a
hero either on or off the battlefield. Some traits
are more potent or useful than others and as
such are assigned randomly.
the trait table to see what trait type is

available. Unless a hero receives a trait from
some other source the maximum number of
traits a hero can have is four one at levels 2,
3, 4, and 5.
D10 Roll
Trait Type
1
2
3
4
5
6-8
9
10
Physical
Reputation
Combat
Wits
Sailing
Speciality
Choose any non supernatural
Supernatural
Once the trait type has been determined roll a

further D10 on the appropriate table to
determine what trait the hero gains. If the trait
rolled is unwanted then it can be re-rolled for
the cost of 50 sp. Traits can be re-rolled any
number of times, but each time the cost
doubles (50 sp, 100 sp, 200 sp etc).
There
are six types of trait available to

Vikings Physical, Reputation, Combat, Wits,
Sailing and Supernatural. In addition, each of
the three Viking nations, Norway, Denmark
and Sweden has its own speciality traits,
Norse, Dane and Svear respectively.
Country
Speciality Traits
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
Sailing
Combat
Wits
If the hero already has the trait that is rolled, it

can be re-rolled without cost. The result of a
re-roll stands, if it is less desirable the player
cannot go back to the original roll.

50
Age of blood
D10 physical Traits
1
Weapon
Prowess Bonus
Knife
Sax
Axe
Sword
+0
+1
+2
+3
Frightening Appearance
A combination of bizarre clothes,
tattoos, grisly trinkets and a wild stare
make the hero a truly unnerving
opponent. He gains Terror 1 against
warriors (not heroes or monsters).
Beauty
Broken hearts are left by the dozen in
this heros wake and his legendary
success with the opposite sex is an
inspiration to all. A hersar with this
trait gains +1 Renown.
Lightning Reflexes
This hero is incredibly fast in combat,
dodging out of harms way when
others would be killed. If wounded or
removed from play he can make an
opposed Agility test against his
opponents Prowess. If he wins, he
dodged the attack and negates its
affects. He can only do this once per
battle.
Resilient
The hero is so tough that even the
most vicious of wounds tends to heal.
When rolling on the Injury table the
hero adds +1 to the result.
Swift
The hero is amazingly fast on his feet,
even able to out run some four legged
creatures. When taking the run special
action the hero doubles his Agility.
Ambidextrous
Few men even know they are blessed
with this gift but this hero has
developed his to such an extent that
he can fight with a one handed
weapon in his off hand as well as his
main hand. This allows him to make a
free attack against an enemy in base
contact. It has to be the same enemy
the initial attack action was targeted
at, and that enemy gains a Prowess
bonus in the opposed roll depending
on what off hand weapon is being
used.
Fat
The heros love of food is legendary
and his huge appetite has given him a
truly monstrous girth. The hero loses 1
Agility but gains +1 Fortitude.
Keen Eye
Few have this heros hand eye coordination. If the hero takes the aim
action in the Ranged phase he gains
+2 Deftness instead of the normal +1.
Huge Stature
Having matured to an immense size,
this hero dwarfs his peers with his
massive build. The hero gains +1
Strength but loses 1 Agility.
10
Choose
Select any of the above traits for the
hero.

51
Experience
D10 Combat Traits
1
Frenzy
Few men can handle fighting multiple
opponents, but this hero thrives on it.
When in base contact with more than
one enemy, the enemy models do not
receive Prowess bonuses for outnumbering the hero.
shield Mastery
Special training has given this hero an
ability with a shield that few can
equal. When in shieldwall opponents
do not receive +1 Prowess against
him.
Armour Proficiency
The hero is so used to the extra weight
of wearing heavy armour that he can
move just as well with it as without.
The hero does not lose 1 Agility for
wearing a chain hauberk.
Expert Fighter
With a combination of skill and
audacity this hero can gain an
advantage in combat when there is
usually is none. When a draw occurs
in an opposed hand-to-hand roll the
hero wins instead. However, any
other special rule regarding draws
takes precedence over this trait.
Opportunist
This hero is always quick to take
advantage of a foes mistakes, often to
lethal effect. If an opponent fumbles in
combat, the hero adds +2 Strength to
the roll to injure instead of +1.
Fast Draw
The hero is highly practiced in
changing weapons in the heat of
combat. He can swap between his
weapons for free when in combat
without having to take the action.
Devious
This hero has a long list of dirty tricks
he uses in battle to gain an edge over
his enemies. By making an opposed
Agility test against his opponents
Bravery the hero gains a free attack. If
the enemy model wins he makes the
free attack instead.
Axeman
Whether through practiced skill or
natural affinity this hero excels when
using an axe, whether one or two
handed. When using an axe the hero
only fumbles on a 1.
Precision
Through hard work and natural skill
the hero rarely, if ever makes a
mistake in combat. If the hero
fumbles, his enemy does not gain +1
Strength when rolling to injure.
10
Choose
hero.

52
Age of blood
D10 Wits Traits
1
This hero is skilled in the healing arts

and can use his talent to help his
wounded companions. If the hero has
not been removed from play himself,
he can help a single other hero by rerolling the result of the Injury roll,
taking the preferred result.
Merchant
The hero always get the best available
bargains. When working out the value
of loot in trading, the hero can use his
skills to re-roll the result, taking the
highest price.
skald
The hero is an accomplished story
teller, poem and singer. On the
battlefield he can use his skills to
inspire his companions. Any hero or
warrior within 6 of the hero receives
+1 Bravery.
Gambler
Armourer
This hero specialises in making
armour. If the hero does nothing else
as part of the post battle sequence he
can create 1D10x3 sp worth of armour.
The amount rolled can then be spent
on armour as desired or can be put
towards a piece if it cannot be created
outright. The hero can then continue
making the armour during other
trading sessions until complete.
Animal Companion
Pet dogs are not uncommon but this
heros wardog displays an unusual
level of loyalty and intelligence. The
hero receives a warhound for free
which has +1 Agility, Bravery and
Strength. The warhound is considered
to be another member of the raiding
party and requires 1 sp upkeep.
Searcher
Able to find exactly where a
settlement keeps its treasure, this hero
always finds the hidden silver. When
rolling for what loot is found in a
Raid, re-roll the dice for a single loot
type, keeping the best result.
Hunter
This heros time spent stalking prey
through the wilderness has given him
an uncanny ability to avoid detection.
When taking the hide action the hero
can be moved to a new hiding
position even if the route to it does not
keep him in cover. In addition, hide
only counts as a normal action, not a
special action, but the hero can only
take the move action before hiding or
the throw or shoot action after hiding.
The hero is a master of gambling, in

all its form. If the hero gambles as part
of the post battle sequence, he can reroll the dice and take the best result.
Blacksmith
As well as a fighter the hero is a
proficient blacksmith. Instead of
trading the hero can create 1D10x3 sp
in weapons.
8
3
Healer
10
Choose
hero.

53
Experience
D10 Reputation Traits
1
Not typically a Viking speciality, but

this heros quick tongue is highly
adept at throwing choice insults to his
enemies. Enemy heroes cannot refuse
to duel as he mercilessly taunts them
into fighting him.
Charismatic
Charming and personable, this hero is
extremely well liked by his allies and a
natural leader. The range of hero
death for the hero is increased to 9 as
is the leadership range of a hersar.
6
2
proud
The hero suffers no insult and relishes
in challenges. The hero can never
refuse a duel and when duelling
receives 1 free point of Valour to be
used only for the duration of the duel.
lucky
Few men ever willingly play dice with
this hero. A hero with this trait can
add +1 to any dice roll, once during a
battle.
Selfless
The hero only ever takes what he
needs and never squanders what he
receives. His upkeep is 3 sp, 4sp for a
hersar (half the usual amount). Hersir
also receive +1 Renown.
Blood Thirsty
The heros delight in killing borders
on the unnatural and makes his
companions uncomfortable. A hersar
loses 1 Renown but any future
leadership challenges can be re-rolled
as the would-be usurper has doubts
about taking on such a lunatic.
Iron Willed
This hero knows that fear profits no
man whether natural or supernatural.
The hero is immune to Terror in all its
forms.
generous
This hero is known for his generous
and charitable nature. A hersar with
this trait must always take the
generous upkeep option when
possible. He also receives +1 Renown
in addition to that given by the
aforementioned generous upkeep.
Glib
Scout
This hero is a master of observing
without being observed. When raiding
the hero can spy on the settlement to
find out its strength before the
warband commits itself. In a Raid,
once the defenders have been rolled
for, the numbers can be re-rolled,
abiding by the second result.
10
Choose
hero.

54
Age of blood
D10 Sailing Traits
1
With a keen memory and analytical

mind this hero is a master navigator of
the seas. When making navigation
tests add +1 to the result.
Storm Caller *
Storms are the bane of all sea travel
and even a sturdy ship can be undone
by natures power. This hero,
however, has an affinity with storms
and can predict their sway. When a
storm occurs on a sea voyage you can
re-roll the severity of the storm, but
must abide by the second result.
Quartermaster
This hero knows just how to make use
of every inch of the ship. The ship can
either carry 10% more crew or 10%
more cargo, but not both, depending
on whats required.
Affable
The hero is able to mingle with other
societies and cultures with relative
ease, allowing him to locate people
that others might not. The hero adds
+2 to the D10 roll for recruiting special
characters.
Ship Builder
* Only 1 hero with this skill can affect

a single voyage.
Sea Legs
The hero has learnt to stay standing in
all but the most violent storms and he
can but this skill to use on land just as
easily. He receives +1 Agility, but only
if he doesnt wear a chain hauberk.
Navigator *
The hero is an accomplished ship

builder whos skills have peaked to
high acclaim. Instead of buying a ship
this hero can make one, utilising his
own skills and his companions
muscles. If the hero misses a voyage to
oversee the ship building, the cost of
the ship is 10% less than it would be
normally.
Fisherman
This hero is a skilled fisherman whos
regular large catches of fish are always
welcome. If he does nothing else in the
post battle sequence he can take his
fishing boat out. He catches fish
equalling 3 units of food.
Shipmaster *
The hero is unequalled in his
captaincy of the longship, with the
uncanny ability to read the skies and
seas behaviour as if they were written
down. With this knowledge the hero
always makes sure the journey is as
efficient as possible. When working
out the cost of the voyage, the cost of
supplies is reduced by sp per man.
Thrifty
This heros knowledge of how to
handle supplies in an emergency is
unequalled. Ignore the additional
supplies cost of the first failed
navigation roll.
10
Choose
hero.

55
Experience
4
D10 Supernatural Traits

1
The Viking gods sometimes grant

favour to a particular hero. Roll a D10
to find out which god has chosen the
hero. From now on once per battle, the
hero may draw that gods specific fate
card. The card is selected before the
rest of the fate cards are drawn and
can only be used by the hero. Because
the hero has been chosen by a specific
god he cannot accept favour from
certain other gods without angering
the god who chose him. Therefore, if
the hero uses any of the other god
specific fate cards noted he loses this
trait.
D10
God
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
Hel
Sif
Tyr
Thor
Odin
Elf Heritage
As the hero matures he inherits the
grace of the elves. He receives +1
Agility.
Chosen
Berserk
The hero embraces the cult of the
berserker and develops the abilities of
that kind. The hero gains the berserker
special rules regarding armour,
wounding and terror.
Second Sight
Blessed with a limited ability to see
the future a hero with this gift is both
respected and feared. Once per battle
the hero can make use of his
premonitions and add +2 to any dice
roll in order to get a better result
The heros toughness can only be

explained by dwarven lineage: +1
Fortitude.
Sorcery
This hero embraces his innate talent
and learns minor magic. The hero
knows a single spell chosen from the
sorcery list, which he can cast once per
battle by spending a point of Valour.
This trait can be taken multiple times.
A hersar loses 1 Renown.
Dwarf Ancestry
Protected
The Norns have given this hero
protection from death in order that he
might achieve some later greatness.
On the Injury table the hero is only
killed on a roll of 1-3, count 4-8 as
injured.
Troll Blood
The blood of the troll-kind flows
through the heroes veins. He gains +1
Strength.
Gifted
This heros legendary his list of heroic
feats and accomplishments knows no
bounds. The hero receives +1 Valour.
10
Choose
hero.

56
trading
the Vikings not only raided the length and
Different types of loot are more valuable than
breadth of Europe but also traded far and

wide across the continent and sometimes even
further. After a battle the player can decided
where the raiding party goes to trade. Only
one location can be visited in between
scenarios and the cost and difficulty of the
journey must be worked out as normal.
others and this value can vary from country to

country depending on rarity, demand and
ability to pay. For example, there is little
demand for slaves in England, but at Hedeby
in Denmark there is a flourishing slave
market.
Each
fetched for specific items, enable the warband

to recruit special characters and also give the
raiding party the opportunity to purchase
exotic items.
type of loot is measured in generic

units, which roughly equate to the weight of a
single man. So, 1 unit of valuables is about the
same weight as 1 unit of livestock, slaves or
miscellaneous goods. 10 units of food, for
example, might be a cow or a ton of grain.
Each
The amount of
Weapons, armour and miscellaneous items
Each type of loot has three prices that it can
can all be purchased at this point, though it is

not necessary to determine which heroes buy
what.
be sold for, low, medium and high price, as

shown on the below table.
Unwanted
Loot
Value per Unit

Low
Med. High
Food
Slaves
Misc. Goods
Valuables
2
10
4
20
Certain trading areas allow better prices to be
hero (including the hersar) in the

warband is able to do a single task during this
period. Typically he can gamble his silver in
the hope of earning more. If the hero gambles
roll a D10, on an even number he wins that
number of silver pennies. On an odd number
he loses that amount.
armour and weaponry can be

sold off when trading, but because the items
are used and battle worn they can only be sold
for half their original cost.
loot
loot a warband can trade is

dependant on how much they can physically
bring back from their voyages. This will
depend on the result of the scenario and the
cargo capacity of the ship the warband is
using. The warband cannot bring back more
loot than the ship can carry.
3
15
6
30
4
20
8
40
Loot is the reason why Vikings went raiding
The warband does not have to trade all of its
and in this game comes in four types, food,

slaves, miscellaneous goods and valuables.
Exacter differentiations as these categories
cover all the various items that might be
looted.
loot, it can keep as much or as little as desired

to be traded at a later date. However,
whatever loot is held back in this way still
counts towards the cargo capacity of the
warbands ship.

57
trading
When
Once the roll has been made the result has to
the warband is trading, refer to the

Trading table and roll a D10 for each type of
loot, to see whether it is selling for a low,
medium or high price. So, in Lapland, slaves
are sold at a low price if a 1+ is rolled, at a
medium price if 3+ is rolled and a high price is
9+ is rolled.
Location
Vinland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
Gotland
Lapland
Finland
Karelia
Scotland
Ireland
England
Franker Riket
Frisland
Saxland
Vendland
Gardarikie
Spanland
be abided by the loot has to be sold for that

price and cannot be kept. Though, before the
roll takes place a proportion can be traded,
though only one trade can be made for each
loot type.
Food
L/m/D
Slaves
L/m/D
Misc. Goods
Valuables
L/m/D
L/m/D
6/-/-
-/-/-
7/-/-
10/-/-
5/7/9
5/9/-
6/10/-
7/-/-
4/6/8
4/8/-
5/9/-
6/10/-
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
2/4/10
1/2/9
-/1/9
-/1/9
1/2/10
1/2/9
1/3/9
2/5/10
2/5/10
2/4/-
2/4/10
2/4/-
2/4/10
2/4/-
1/2/9
2/4/-
1/2/10
2/4/9
1/6/-
1/2/10
1/2/9
2/4/9
7/10/-
2/4/9
2/4/10
1/4/-
1/6/-
1/2/10
1/2/9
3/5/10
-/1/9
2/4/10
2/4/9
2/4/-
2/4/10
2/4/-
2/4/10
1/3/-
3/5/10
3/5/10
3/5/10
2/4/-
2/4/10
2/4/-
2/4/10
3/5/10
4/6/10
3/5/10
1/3/9
1/3/9
2/4/9
1/3/9
2/4/10

58
Special characters
Special characters
A
hero can seek out a special character as

part of the post battle sequence as long as he
does nothing else. Each special character has a
list of the locations that the warband has to be
trading at in order to recruit them. There is
also the number required on a D10 for the
hero to find them and convince them to
accompany the warband.
Recruiting
special characters is similar to

recruiting carls, in that a one off cost is paid
for the characters accompaniment on a single
voyage. Special characters are heroes who
offer unique abilities not usually available to a
warband.
Certain characters may be particularly useful

in certain scenarios or might be taken to
bolster a warbands strength if no proper
champions can be recruited. Not all special
characters can be hired all of the time and
some can only be hired from certain locations.
Special characters are always paid for before
the scenario takes place.
For example: Fafnirs warband is almost ready to

go on the epic voyage to Vinland, but before they
set off Fafnir wants to hire a sorcerer. As such
Fafnir takes his warband to Karelia, where after the
scenario he tries to recruit a sorcerer, requiring a
roll of 6+.
By
their very nature special characters are

rare and as such a warband can only ever
include one of each type. In addition a
warband can only have a maximum number
of special characters equal to the number of
heroes it is allowed, as based on the hersars
Renown.
Special characters are just like normal heroes

in regard to levels and experience, only they
sometimes start off at higher levels than
champions and hersir. As they amass
experience they will increase in level normally,
gaining characteristic increases and acquiring
new traits. If a speciality trait is rolled, re-roll
the result.
With each level increase the cost of a special

character rises by 50%. So, a level 4 sorcerer
would cost 75 sp to recruit, at level 5 the
sorcerer would cost 100 sp. To recruit a
particular special character at another time the
difficulty is increased by 1, representing the
problems locating the character.
sorcerer
Level 3 Value 20 Cost 50 sp Renown 21
Lapland (8+), Finland (7+), Karelia (6+)
Sorcerers are powerful and feared men and

women who have mastered the dark arts.
Using arcane rituals they can cast spells to aid
a warbands fortunes in battle or hinder its
enemies.
Sorcery:
Weak and vulnerable in combat, a

sorcerers true strength lies in his magic. By
spending Valour the sorcerer can cast spells
from the sorcery list. Roll a D10 to determine
how many spells the sorcerer knows and then
select them as normal from the Sorcery
chapter.

59
Special characters
Skald:
A hersar who has a skald

accompanying him on his adventures will see
his fame spreading fast. If a skald accompanies
a warband doing a Quest or Battle scenario
then the hersar receives an extra 1 Renown for
a successful outcome.

2
Equipment
D10 Roll
Sorcery Spells
1
2-8
9-10
2
3
4
Traits
3/6
Sword, shield
jerkin.
Val
3/5
and
leather
Skald
terror: Sorcerers cause Terror 3.

2
Equipment:
Sax.
Traits
Sorcery (x3).
Val
skald
Norway (3+), Sweden (3+), Denmark (3+)
The
skald is the bard of the Viking world.

They are the poem writers, story tellers, and
historians of the era who entertain bands of
warriors and record their deeds in song.
Duelist
Norway (4+), Sweden (5+), Denmark (3+)
Duelists are disreputable warriors who make

their living by picking duels with wealthy
men over the slightest wrong. They then, by
killing the man, claim their wealth and
property else a high proportion of it. Such men
are highly unpopular and tend not to reach
old age.

60
Age of blood
If the duelist gains too much of a reputation
he will accompany a warband to earn his
silver until it is once again safe to return to his
hated trade.
Shield maiden
Norway (7+), Denmark (8+), Sweden (9+)
Shield Maidens are ferocious warrior women

who have cast aside the bonds of female
tradition to and die live by the sword. Such
women are deadly combatants
Maiden: Most male warriors find it

disconcerting to fight a member of the
opposite sex and as such Shield Maidens are
considered to have Terror 2 against all models
except monsters and other Shield Maidens.
Those that fail their Bravery tests are only ever
shaken they do not flee.
4
Equipment
Despised: A hersar who is willing to recruit a
duelist puts his reputation at risk by his
association with such a dishonourable man.
Roll a D10 after each battle in which a duelist
has participated. On a roll of 1 the hersar loses
1 Renown.

3
Equipment
Traits
4/9
4/6
Traits
2/6
Sword, spear,
chain hauberk.
2/4
shield
Val
3
and
Expert
Fighter,
Armour
Proficiency and Shield Master.
Val
2
Sword, shield, helmet and

leather jerkin.
Glib and Opportunist.

61
Special characters
godi
Vikings did not have a particularly organised

religion, with each individuals faith typically
a personal affair. However, Godi were
respected men who led sacrifices and rituals at
certain key dates.
Bravery: Warriors who are accompanied by a

Godi spend far greater time considering the
afterlife than they would normally. Grim tales
of Nilfheim and fabulous descriptions of
Valhalla inspire them on the battlefield to
almost faultless courage. All models within
12 of the Godi receive +1 Bravery.
Ulfhednar
terror: Godi cause Terror 1.

2
Val
3/7

Equipment
Broad axe and leather jerkin
Traits
Second Sight and Iron Willed.
These are a crazed breed of berserkers whos

ties with Odin and lust for battle are even
more fierce than that of their more numerous
brethren.
Berserker:
The Ulfednar obeys all of the

special rules of the berserker: berserk,
equipment, wounding and terror.

4
5/7
Val
5/7
Equipment
Broad axe, sword and shield
Traits
Resilient and frenzy.

62
sorcery
Certain models in Age of Blood are able to
cast magic spells either during a battle or in
the pre or post battle phases. In this game
sorcery is relatively low key and involves
curses, charms, rituals and incantations. Even
powerful magic users are incapable of such
things as hurling balls of fire across the
battlefield.
Casting spells
combating spells
Heroes
are not as vulnerable to sorcery as

normal warriors and their Valour offers them
some, albeit it limited, protection. When a hero
is targeted by a spell he can spend a point of
Valour to have a chance at countering the
spell. The hero makes an opposed Bravery test
with the sorcerer. If the hero wins the spell is
countered and has to effect. Re-roll any ties.
The
circumstances by which sorcery spells

can be used are described under the
individual spell headings. To cast a spell the
model must spend Valour, typically 1 point of
Valour though the most powerful spells
require 2 points of Valour to cast. Once the
spell has been cast it cannot be used again in
the same battle, whether spell succeeded or
not.
Unless otherwise stated
it requires a model
to use an action to cast a spell, and no spell can
be cast if the sorcerer is in base contact with an
enemy model. Spells are cast in the shooting
phase
Its
possible that a model may know more

sorcery spells than it has Valour to cast, in
which case it cannot cast all of the spells and
the player must decided which spells are used
and which are not.
selecting spells
Unless
otherwise stated all models capable

of sorcery roll for spells from the sorcery spell
list. The number of spells a model can have is
determined by how powerful at sorcerer that
model is. Before each battle roll to determine
the spells that the sorcerer will be able to cast,
re-rolling any duplicates.

63
sorcery
D10 Spell
1
The
Writhing
sorcerer summons dark clouds

that block out the sun, plunging the
battlefield into a morale sapping
gloom. All Bravery tests made by
enemy models increase by +1
difficulty.
This spell causes the target model to

be afflicted with all the pain and
distress of being wounded, yet no
mark appears on his body. Select a
model within 12 of the sorcerer, for
the rest of the battle the enemy counts
as being wounded.
afflicts a group of enemy warriors

making them retch uncontrollably.
Pick a single enemy model within 12,
all enemies within 2 of that model
can only take a single action each turn
for the rest of the battle until they pass
a Bravery test in subsequent Initiative
phases. Models who have already
taken actions can take no more this
turn.
uncontrollable madness which belies

thought and reason. A single enemy
model within 12 (who isnt in base
contact with an enemy) can do
nothing else this turn and must take
the flee action in the next Movement
phase.
Possession
Agony
An awful pain wracks the warriors
An enemys spirit is stolen from him

and his body becomes the pawn of the
sorcerer. An enemy model within 6
now becomes under the sorcerers
control for the rest of the battle. A
successful Bravery test in subsequent
Initiative phases will allow the
possessed model to negate the spell.
Sickness
Without warning a horrible nausea
Madness
The model is afflicted with a terrible
Dread
body in a thousand places, so

horrendous is the agony that it can be
fatal. A single enemy model within
12 takes a Strength 2 hit against their
base Fortitude.
Healing
Using
terrifying Aura
bizarre incantations the

sorcerer is able to repair a friendly
warrior as a blacksmith would a
broken sword. If the sorcerer moves
into base contact with a model
removed from play he can restore him
to just being wounded so they can
then act as normal next turn.
The
spell caster is surrounded by

evil spirits that cause the weak of will
to quake in fear. The model gains
Terror 3.
10
Choose
Select any of the above spells.

64
Scenarios
In
this chapter a selection of different

scenarios are described. These represent the
various kinds of adventures that a Viking
raiding party might embark on.
Picts/Scots (Scotland)
Thanes
on horses on a roll of 5+.
The standard scenario for the warband is The

Raid, which is the typical Viking activity of
attacking a settlement and taking all its
valuables before a proper resistance can be
formed. Its strongly recommended that this is
the first scenario.
Before the scenario can be played, however,

the destination of the voyage must first be
determined.
Noble warriors are mounted
Horsemen
Fighters
Armour
Fighters do not
are mounted on
horses on a roll of 6+ and are
equipped with spears and
shields.
wear leather
jerkins.
Fanatics
Any noble warrior who isnt

mounted is a fanatic on a roll
of 9+.
Destinations
Nobles
The Vikings
were excellent sailors, possibly

the best of the era. As such there are a host of
possible destinations where a warband can set
off to, each of which provides its own unique
rewards and enemies.
Apply
the following special rules to enemy

forces in Raids, Battles and Quests if a Viking
raiding party chooses to adventure in one of
these locations.
Anglo-Saxons (England)
Heroes
are mounted on a
horse on a roll of 4+
Irish (Ireland)
Armour
Noble
Fianna
Noble
warriors and fighters

do not have leather jerkins.
Minor heroes have leather
jerkins, not chain hauberks.
fighters are mounted
on horses on a roll of 7+.
Warhounds Noble
Bowmen
Militia
Huscarls
Noble warriors are equipped
exchange
their
normal equipment for bows
on a roll of 5+.
warriors who are not

mounted are replaced with
warhounds on a roll of 5+
with chain hauberks on a roll

of 6+.
Nobles
Heroes
are mounted
horses on a roll of 5+.
on

65
scenarios
Franks (Franker Riket/Frisland)
Skraelings (Vinland)
Nobles
Heroes
Armour
All
Milites
Weapons
Skraeling militia and fighters
are mounted on
warhorses on a roll of 2+ and
have limb guards.
use native weapons (counting

as a sax) only.
on a warhorses on a roll of 3+.
Armoured
Noble
Chainmail
Chain
warriors wear chain

hauberks and have limb
guards on a 4+
Fanatics
Noble
Heroes
All heroes are equipped with
limb guards do not

require Agility 3.
Light Cavalry Fighters
are mounted
horses on a roll of 5+.
Bowmen
Any
Shamans
Minor and lesser heroes are
who
are
not
mounted do not have leather
jerkins. Militia do not have
shields.
Bowmen
Fighters
who
are
not
mounted
exchange
light
armour and shield for bow on
a roll of 6+.
Saami (Lapland, Finland, Karelia)

Sorcerers
Armour
Fighters do not
Moors (Spanland)
Armour
Jinettes
Militia
Fighters do not
wear leather
jerkins. Heroes wear leather
jerkins instead of chain
hauberks.
Fighters are Jinettes on a roll

of 5+, equipped with bow and
sword and mounted on
horses.
Cavalry

on warhorses on a roll of 5+
wear leather
jerkins.
Bowmen
Skraeling is equipped
with a bow on a roll of 6+.
replaced with sorcerers on a

roll of 7+.
Minor and lesser heroes are

replaced with sorcerers on a
roll of 7+.
warriors are fanatics

armed with axes.
axes.
on
Poor Infantry Fighters
Skraelings do not wear

any armour.
replace their spears

and shields with bows on a
roll of 8+.
Bowmen
Fighters who are not Jinettes

exchange their shields
bows on a roll of 7+.
for

66
The raid
This
is the quintessential Viking adventure.

The raiding party sets off to foreign lands to
strike quickly, grab as much loot as possible
and escape before adequate resistance can be
formed.
The player controlling the Viking must first

decide what kind of settlement is being
targeted. The larger the settlement the more
resistance the warband will encounter, but the
more loot they will be able to gather.
Peasants
Militia
Fighters
Noble Warriors
Minor Heroes
D10
1-4
5-8
9-10
6
9
4
1
0
8
12
6
2
1
12
18
8
4
2
Loot
Hamlet
A single isolated community with a handful of
families of farmers and craftspeople. There
will be little, if any, real resistance, mainly
untrained labourers, with the farmer and his
sons as capable warriors.
Resistance
1-4
5-8
9-10
4
6
1
0
6
8
3
1
8
12
5
3
Loot
D10
Food
Slaves
Miscellaneous
Valuables
178
606
1-2
3-8
9-10
15
1
4
0
20
3
6
1
30
5
8
2
354
1215
Food
Slaves
Miscellaneous
Valuables
D10
1-2
3-8
9-10
30
2
6
1
40
4
8
3
50
6
10
5
Small Town
D10
Peasants
Militia
Fighters
Noble Warriors
90
318
This is a small, self sufficient settlement that is

a prime target for a raiding party looking for
loot. The resistance will be numerous but
without many true warriors.
Resistance
settlements
47
156
Village
This is a substantial settlement that offers large

rewards if it can be raided successfully.
Resistance will be strong, with a large number
of both untrained and trained warriors,
including several heroes.
Resistance
Peasants
Militia
Fighters
Noble Warriors
Minor Heroes
Lesser Heroes
D10
1-4
5-8
9-10
8
12
8
2
1
0
12
16
12
4
2
1
16
20
16
8
4
2
Loot
Food
Slaves
Miscellaneous
Valuables
D10
1-2
3-8
9-10
60
4
12
4
80
6
16
6
100
8
20
8

67
The raid
The spoils of war
Town
The Battlefield
This is the largest target a single warband can

realistically hope to raid. Here the potential
rewards are vast and enough to make any
hersar wealthy. But the danger is great. A
town not only has a huge numbers of capable
warriors and heroes defending it.
The exact nature of the battlefield is left up to
Resistance
Peasants
Militia
Fighters
Noble Warriors
Minor Heroes
Lesser Heroes
Greater Heroes
D10
1-4
5-8
9-10
12
16
12
4
2
1
0
16
20
16
8
4
3
1
20
24
24
16
6
5
2
the discretion of the players, but the scenery

should be as close to representing the location
as possible. With the larger settlements this is
going to be difficult, but buildings can be
placed along one edge or in one corner of the
board, representing the start of the settlement.
The
defenders should be able to use the

terrain to their advantage, offering them cover
and places they can defend. Raids on hamlets
and villages should be played ideally on a
4x4 board, with raids on villages and small
towns on 6x4 and 8x4 respectively.
Setup
Loot
Food
Slaves
Miscellaneous
Valuables
D10
1-2
3-8
9-10
160
6
16
8
200
9
20
12
240
12
24
16
The
defenders place models on the board

first, and all should start within the borders of
the settlement in question. The raiding party is
then deployed and should do so along the
opposite table edge from the settlement.

68
Age of blood
Victory conditions
Special rules
To
Defending:
be able to take off with the settlements

loot, the Viking attackers must force the
defenders to retreat or wipe them out. The
former is more likely and much easier to
achieve, and is decided by the normal Bravery
rules as described in the Initiative chapter.
Likewise, if the Vikings are forced to
withdraw they have lost and receive no loot.
if
things are going badly the Viking hersar

may call a voluntary withdraw at the start of
the Initiative phase, resulting in a loss.
The defenders are fighting for

their homes and loved ones and as a result
their courage and resolve is strengthened. All
defending models receive +1 Bravery.
Initiative:
Because a Viking raid is a

frighteningly fast attack with little or no
warning, the defenders are unprepared and
reactive. Therefore the hersar of the raiding
party receives +1 Bravery when making
Initiative tests.
Renown
The raiding partys hersar receives 1 Renown
for a victory, and loses 1 for a loss.

69
The battle
Vikings
did not always fight by raiding,

when there was no other option they would
form a shieldwall and battle it out in the open.
In this scenario the warband is fighting a
pitched battle against another force, possibly
another warband, tribe or battle group.
Possible reasons for the Battle are endless and

could be as simple as a raid gone wrong and
the warband forced to fight an organised
resistance, or it could be part of some larger
conquest. The exact intricacies of the battle are
left for the players to decide, but it is not
necessary to have justification for the fight.
Its even possible for each player to use their

own raiding party in this scenario, perhaps to
settle a blood feud, or to fight over territory, or
just for honour. If such a fight is taking place
the likelihood of casualties is very high on
both sides.
The enemy
In
this scenario the raiding partys enemies

are determined randomly but their exact
numbers depend on how powerful the Viking
raiding party is. Work out the warband rating
for your Vikings and roll on the below table to
see what the rating of the enemy force is
compared to the raiding party.
D10 Roll
Enemy Strength
1
2-3
4-7
8-9
10
Powerful (150%)
Strong (125%)
Even (100%)
Weak (75%)
Pitiful (50%)
Enemy troops are then selected according to

The Battlefield
the following ratios. The total warband rating

(the sum of the models experience values)
cannot be more than the pre-determined
amount.
Pitched
battles are fought where there is

room to accommodate both forces, fields being
the typical location. Both players should agree
on what type of terrain they want to include
and then set up the battlefield appropriately.
Whichever
side is least powerful, in terms

of numbers or experience, counts as the
defender and the terrain should be biased to
all that side to exploit.
Troop Ratios
25% on peasants and militia
50% on fighters and noble warriors
25% on heroes
Setup
The
size of the board should be

representative of the size of the forces
involved. Smaller conflicts should be fought
on a 4x4 area, with the larger battles on a
6x4 table.
The larger of the two sides sets up first his

raiding party first as the attacker and
afterwards the more inexperienced side is then
allowed to set up.

70
Age of blood
loot
The victorious army is able to loot the dead
for anything valuable. The raiding party
receives silver pennies equal to the enemys
rating dividing by 2.
Ending the battle
Renown
The raiding partys hersar
receives Renown
depending on the strength of the enemy force.
Enemy Strength
Renown
Powerful
Strong
Even
Weak
Pitiful
+5
+4
+3
+2
+1
The
scenario is played until one of the

following conditions are met. If one side has
half its number killed or routing then the
opposing side is declared victorious.
Alternatively either side may declare a retreat
at the start of the turn, ending the battle that
way.
experience
All
raiding partys heroes receive 2

experience for surviving this scenario, instead
of the normal 1.
Otherwise
a specific victory condition, or

conditions, can be decided by the players,
upon the completion of which the game ends.

71
The quest
In this scenario a raiding partys heroes set off
into the wilderness on a heroic venture. This
could be as adventurous as travelling to a
distant land to defend an old kings hall
against seemingly monstrous foes, beating
them off, sneaking into their lair to slay their
queen before the final showdown in the rain.
Or, it could just be hiking off into the hills to
kill a few trolls.
To get the most out of this scenario its worth

spending time trying to set a worthwhile goal.
Plunder your favourite books and films for
ideas the more cinematic the better.
Ending the battle

The game is played until one of the following
conditions are met. If the enemies are killed or
forced to retreat the raiding party is victorious.
Because the warband consists only of heroes
they will fight to the death if necessary, only
using the normal Bravery rules. If they dont
manage to defeat their foes, either from all
being killed or routing, they lose.
Alternatively the raiding party may retreat if

the battle is not going their way. This is left up
to the discretion of the player.
The Battlefield
loot
The requirements of the battlefield will vary
wildly depending on the nature of the
scenario. A simple scenario might require no
more of a battlefield as a place to fight some
monsters. The battlefield need not be
especially large and could even be set in an
underground area representing the monsters
lair itself. Though the latter is likely to increase
the dangers to the raiding party.
Setup
The
enemies of the heroes set up first,

followed by the heroes themselves. The
raiding party can only consist of heroes, that is
the hersar, champions and any special
characters.
The enemy
Fnor
Monsters
have loot depending on how

powerful they are, with the most dangerous
monsters having the most treasure. Divide the
experience value of the monsters involved by
5 and then multiply the result by however
many units are rolled on the below table.
Loot
D10 Roll (Units)
Miscellaneous 1-5 (5) 6-8 (10) 9-10 (20)

Valuables
1-2 (3) 1-8 (5) 9-10 (7)
Renown
The raiding partys hersar
receives Renown
depending on the might of the monsters
fought. Divide the total monster experience by
50 (rounded up) to work out the Renown
bonus the hersar receives. Hersir do no lose
Renown for being defeated in this scenario.
the enemies the heroes face use the

strength table in the Battle scenario to
determine the relative power of those the
heroes must face.

72
bestiary
In this chapter are listed statistic for a range of
enemies that raiding parties might encounter,
including both humans, animals and
supernatural enemies.
The
statistics for humans are not nation

specific, but given under generic types. In this
way national characteristic can then be added
without the need of long lists of similar troops
for each nation.
Monsters Traits
Large
Due to their size, large creatures have a reach
of 3. In addition, warriors who are not armed
with a spear will suffer a free attack when they
move into base contact because of the
creatures reach.
The
stature of a large creature also means

that they move faster 8 when taking the move
action. Their size also makes them easier to hit
with ranged weapons, so any Deftness test
against them is made with a +2 bonus.
Huge
These
creatures dwarf even large monsters

and as such have more extreme bonuses and
penalties related to their stature. Huge
creatures have a reach of 4 and even warriors
armed with spears will suffer a free attack
when they move into base contact.
terror
This is described in the Bravery section of the
Initiative Phase chapter. Creatures that cause
Terror ignore the Terror of other creatures that
have a lower difficulty than their own. They
are affected by ones with a higher Terror as
normal.
Four Legged
Creatures with four legs are naturally able to
move much faster than two legged animals.
Therefore, when taking the move action they
are able to move a greater number of inches
than the 6 than humans can move. Typically,
creatures with this trait move 7, 8 or 9 with
the move action.
Natural Weaponry
Creatures that have sharp claws or fangs or
both are more dangerous in combat than
creatures without and receive a bonus to their
Strength when rolling to injure. Typically
creatures that have claws or fangs receive +1
Strength and those that have both receive +2
Strength.
Those
particularly adept at using their

natural weapons can use the multiple attack
special action. A monster cannot receive both
the benefits of natural weaponry and that or
using an actual weapon at the same time.
Huge
creatures can move faster than men,

but their size makes them clumsy and so they
move at 8 like large creatures. When targeted
by ranged attacks any Deftness tests against
them are made with a +4 bonus.

73
bestiary
Peasant
Exp. Value 1
These
statistics represent people who have

no combat training. Examples include
craftspeople, farmers and slaves.
Agl Bra Def For Pro Str

1
Val
Equipment: Improvised weapons (count as
Noble warrior
Exp. Value 5
These
are skilled or experienced warriors

who are practiced in the arts of war and a
match for Viking huscarls. Examples include
Saxon huscarls, veteran soldiers and
noblemen.

2
sax).
Exp. Value 3
fanatic
Exp. Value 10
Militia
are for individuals who have some

familiarity with weapons and combat, but
who are not professional fighters. Examples
include tough farmers, hunters, guardsmen
and fyrdmen.

2
Equipment: Sword, spear, leather jerkin,

helmet and shield.
Militia
Val
Val
0
Equipment: Spear or axe and shield.
Fanatics
are other cultures equivalents to

Berserkers and share the same identifying
features such as not wearing armour and
crazed battle lust. Examples Ghazi warriors
and Pictish and Celtish naked fanatics.

3
Val
0
Equipment: Axe and shield or broad axe.
fighter
Exp. Value 4
These
individuals are capable and trained

warriors who may not be as potent as Viking
huscarls, but who are still dangerous.
Examples include retainers, mercenaries,
pirates and professional soldiers.
Berserk: Fanatics can take the multiple attack

special action.
Wounding:
Fanatics ignore the effects of

being wounded,
Terror: Fanatics have Terror 1 against enemy

warriors (not heroes or monsters).

2
Val
0
Equipment: Spear or axe, leather jerkin and

shield.

74
Age of blood
Minor hero
Exp. Value 12
Minor Heroes are highly trained and skilled
combatants who few can match in battle.
Examples include thegns, hirdmen, Varangian
Guard and petty warlords.

2
Traits: Roll 1 random trait.

lesser hero
Exp. Value 26
and broad axe, chain hauberk, helmet, limb

guards and shield.
Traits: Roll 3 random traits.

mighty hero
Exp. Value 61
Mighty Heroes are truly deadly individuals
of immense skill. They are frighteningly
efficient in the art of killing and can singlehandedly take on large amounts of enemies
and triumph. Examples include kings
champions, great warlords and powerful
adventurers.
Lesser
Heroes are individuals who are very

experienced and possessing of high natural
talent. Examples include captains, warlords
and famed mercenaries.
Val
and broad axe, chain hauberk, helmet and

shield.
Val
Equipment: Sword, spear and axe or sword
Val
2
Val
4

guards and shield.

and broad axe, chain hauberk, helmet, and
shield.

great hero
Exp. Value 42
Great
Heroes are few and far between as

individuals with the luck, skill and raw ability
to survive are very rare. Example includes
powerful warlords and great adventurers.

75
bestiary
legendary hero
Exp. Value 82
Legendary
Heroes represent the pinnacle of

human abilities. They possess unrivalled skill
and natural talent and few ever reach such
heights of greatness. They are the bane of all
other warriors and their effectiveness in battle
cannot be underestimated. Examples include
Beowulf, Erik the Red and Harald Hardrada.

3
Val
5

guards and shield.

2
Val
5
Equipment: Sax.
Traits: Sorcery (x5).
horses
Four Legged:
Horses are able to move 8

when taking the move action.
Large: Horses are large sized.

Swift: This is the same as the trait of the same
name.
Traits Roll 5 random traits.

pony
wizard
Exp. Value 2
Exp. Value 82
Wizards
are sorcerers of terrible power,

those who have mastered the black arts. They
typically hold powerful positions due to their
skills and are both feared and respected on
and off the battlefield. Examples Karelian
kings, elder shamans and Moorish Viziers.
Sorcery:
Weak and vulnerable in combat, a

wizards true strength lies in his magic. By
spending Valour the sorcerer can cast spells
from the sorcery list. Roll a D10 to determine
how many spells the sorcerer knows and then
select them as normal from the Sorcery
chapter.
D10 Roll
Sorcery Spells
The most common type of steed in the Dark

Ages was the pony, able to carry a man but
useless in battle.

3
Val
0
horse
Exp. Value 3
Horses were so expensive only wealthy men
could afford them, faster than ponies yet not
trained for battle.

4
1
2-8
9-10
Val
0
4
5
6
terror: Wizards cause Terror 5.

76
Age of blood
warhorse
dog
Exp. Value 4
Warhorses
are the largest and most

powerful of their kind, trained to be able to
handle the stress of battle.

5
Val
0
Exp. Value 3
Many
people kept dogs. These statistics

present a medium sized breed without special
training.

5
Val
0
Terror: Dogs cause Terror 1 against warriors
canines
only.
In Norse mythology there are numerous types

of giants, the most powerful of these, the
Joten, are stronger enough to be a threat to the
Viking gods themselves.
Natural Weaponry:
Canines receive +1
Strength when rolling to wound.
Four Legged:
Canines are able to move 7

warhound
Exp. Value 5
Warhounds are big, ferocious and bred for
killing.

5
Val
0
Terror:
Warhound cause Terror 3 against

warriors only.
wolf
Exp. Value 3
bears
Wolves were a common sight in the Viking

ages and could be found across the breadth of
Europe.

6
Val
0
Terror:
Wolves cause Terror 2 against

warriors only.
Bears are the most dangerous creatures most

Vikings encounter and can easily defeat even
skilled warriors.
Natural Weaponry:
Bears receive +2
Strength when rolling to wound and are
action.
Four Legged:
Bears are able to move 8

Large: Bears are large sized.

77
bestiary
Terror: Bears cause Terror 6.
Swift: This is the same as the trait of the same
Troll warrior
Exp. Value 14
Troll
name.
Warriors are the most common trolls

and are dangerous, but clumsy foes.
bear
Exp. Value 12
Bears inhabit all woodland regions and are a

2
Val
0
Equipment: Maul.
dangerous hazard to unwary travellers.

4
Val
Exp. Value 20
Great
Bears are the largest and most

dangerous of their kind who often have a taste
for human flesh.

2
Exp. Value 22
Troll
Great bear
Troll chief
Val

2
are hulking creatures similar to

humans in appearance only far bigger and
uglier. They are rightly feared for their great
strength and murderous temperament.
Terror: Trolls cause Terror 3.
10
Equipment: Maul.
Troll Shaman
Exp. Value 27
Troll Shamans are the most cunning of trolls
who are skilled in the black arts.

2
Large: Trolls are large sized.
Val
Trolls
Trolls
Chiefs are the biggest and most

dangerous of their kind and rule small groups
of around 6 other Trolls.
Val
2
Equipment: Maul.
Spells: Troll Shamans have 2 spells from the
Sorcery list, rolled for randomly.

78
Age of blood
Giants
Dragon
Exp. Value 141
In Norse mythology there are numerous types

of giants, the most powerful of these, the
Joten, are stronger enough to be a threat to the
Viking gods themselves.
Huge: Giants are huge sized.

Terror: Giants cause Terror 4
The most awe-inspiring and powerful of all

the monsters heroes might face is the fire
breathing dragon. The great drakes of Norse
mythology do not have wings but this does
not detract from their lethality. So deadly are
dragons that only the mightiest group of
heroes could hope to slay such a beast.

5
mountain giant
Exp. Value 26
Giants are the least of the giant
kind, but they are still immensely strong and
powerful foes who are to be feared by all.

2
12
10
Val
0
Equipment: Huge maul (as maul with +1 Str)

and Rocks (as thrown axes).
frost giant
Exp. Value 45
Frost
Giants live in the coldest parts of the

Viking world and are the bane of those who
adventure on icy tundras and glaciers. Far
from the borders of the mortal world there is a
huge stone walled city where hundreds of
Frost Giants live like Vikings.

0
20
Val
3
Equipment: None
Huge: Dragons are huge sized.
Mountain
14
12
Natural Weaponry: Claws, teeth and tail

dragons have many lethal weapons at their
disposal which they can use against their foes.
These give the Dragon +2 Strength in combat
and when faced with multiple enemies, those
enemies receive no bonuses for out
numbering.
Fiery Breath: A dragon may use this in the

Ranged phase, but doing so counts as a special
action and so they may take no other action in
the turn. Roll to hit as per a shoot action. Any
enemy model within 2 of the target model
can also be rolled to hit. Use the dragons
Strength 9 when rolling to wound. Fiery
Breath has 24 range and no range categories.
Terror: Dragons cause Terror 6.
Val
1
Equipment: Huge maul (as maul with +1 Str)

and rocks.

79
bestiary
Draugr
Natural Weaponry:
Exp. Value 3
Sometimes
the dead do not rest easy. The

Draugr are hellish undead creatures that
resemble the deceased only with swollen,
misshapen features.

0
Val
0
Equipment: None
Undead:
Draugr ignore the effects of being

wounded and are immune to Bravery tests.
Werewolves receive
+2 Strength when rolling to wound and are
action.
werewolf
Exp. Value 16
These
make up the bulk of the Werewolf

population and, despite their size, are
exceptionally fast and agile.

6
Val
0
Terror: Draugr cause Terror 2.
Equipment: None.
Maahiset
Elder werewolf
Exp. Value 31
Exp. Value 2
These
are short, stocky, bearded folk who

live under the earth. They are suspicious of
other races and can be aggressive and
dangerous.

1
Val
0
Elder Werewolves are the alpha males of the

pack, those that have risen to the position by
being the fiercest and strongest of their breed.

7
Val
1
Equipment: None.
Equipment: Axe and light armour.

werewolves
Werewolves are massively strongly, utterly
evil and thoroughly deadly. They are demonic
7 tall wolf-men who delight in slaughter and
carnage.
Large: Werewolves are large sized.

Terror: Werewolves cause Terror 3.

80
Age of blood

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age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

Hand to Hand Actions

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

in which players take control of bands of

a campaign you can purchase better

The game is designed for use with 25mm or

28mm miniatures, though any individual

of Bloods focus is on the fantastical

enough skill and luck you can take

What you need

need the typical wargaming

If desired though the supernatural elements to

into the game is a campaign

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

tests made in Age of Blood are

For example: In an attempt to pursue Fafnir, an

example: The mighty champion Fafnir is

To determine whether the task attempted is

For example: Halfdan makes a Fortitude test to

At other times the player does not make an

For example: After killing Halfdan, Fafnir must

For most tests made it is possible to either get

raiding party is made up of two distinct

Heroes, however, are the great fighters of the

battles heroes amass experience

Heroes begin at honour 1 and can potentially

When the term warrior or model is used in

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

fighting abilities of both warriors and

is a measure of how courageous a

is a models ability to use ranged

represents the hardiness and

Prowess is a measure of the models fighting

Strength represents the models muscularity,

Agi Bra Def For Pro Str

represents how swift on his feet a

is a measure of a models heroic

Unless otherwise stated Valour can be used

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

Taking certain actions means that a model is

example: Fafnir is allowed to take two

the course of a turn no model may

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

is the first phase of the turn, during

the start of each Initiative phase both

The Fate Deck must be shuffled thoroughly

Fate cards must be played in the subsequent

The only limitation on using fate cards is that

determine how many cards are drawn,

Fate cards are designed to be printed onto

determine who has the initiative for the

gets the highest result has the

If a hersar has been removed from play, either

the initiative means that the player

the Initiative phase it may be

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

Once a quarter of the force have been lost the

To make things easier on the battlefield its

50% of party has been removed as

the test is failed the force retreats and the