This is a supplement for the Old Grumbler's rules designed to help the GM set up a game in a systematic way avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes along with providing creative ideas along the way. It includes a location chart, seasonal charts, weather charts, night time and moon phase charts as well as the old baggage train rules. We greatly appreciate comments and feedback.
This is a supplement for the Old Grumbler's rules designed to help the GM set up a game in a systematic way avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes along with providing creative ideas along the way. It includes a location chart, seasonal charts, weather charts, night time and moon phase charts as well as the old baggage train rules. We greatly appreciate comments and feedback.
This is a supplement for the Old Grumbler's rules designed to help the GM set up a game in a systematic way avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes along with providing creative ideas along the way. It includes a location chart, seasonal charts, weather charts, night time and moon phase charts as well as the old baggage train rules. We greatly appreciate comments and feedback.
Generating the Scenario ............................................................................... 3
1. Select Teams/races ........................................................................... 3 2. Location Chart dictates terrain (must be a place that the races overlap on) ................................................................................................ 3 3. Season Chart .................................................................................... 4 4. Select Army Lists .............................................................................. 4 5. Weather Chart (seasons and location provide modifier) ................. 4 6. Weather effects ............................................................................... 5 7. Time of day/night fighting ................................................................ 6 8. Magic and its influence on game setting .......................................... 6 9. Establish Each players victory conditions ...................................... 6 10. Deployment .................................................................................. 6 11. Who goes first? ............................................................................ 7 12. Game length ................................................................................ 7 Other helpful tidbits ...................................................................................... 7 Terrain ideas ............................................................................................. 7 The Coast of Lustria ............................................................................... 7 Jungle of Lustria .................................................................................... 7 Ulthuan ................................................................................................. 7 Naggaroth ............................................................................................. 7 Chaos Wastes ........................................................................................ 7 Araby ..................................................................................................... 7 Albion .................................................................................................... 7 Norsca ................................................................................................... 8 The Dark Lands ...................................................................................... 8 Worlds Edge Mountains ........................................................................ 8 Border Princes/Solland .......................................................................... 8 Kislev ..................................................................................................... 8 The Moot ............................................................................................... 8 The Grey Mountains .............................................................................. 8 Estalia/Tilea .......................................................................................... 8 Forest of Loren ...................................................................................... 8 Sylvania ................................................................................................. 8 Southlands ............................................................................................ 8 Khemri ................................................................................................... 8 Black Gulf and Tilean Sea ...................................................................... 9 Marshes of SkavenBlight ....................................................................... 9 The Realm of Bretonnia......................................................................... 9 Underground ......................................................................................... 9 Baggage Train ........................................................................................... 9 Deployment ........................................................................................... 9 Raiding the baggage ............................................................................. 9
Generating the Scenario Unless you have a creative Gm or a Mutual understanding/agreement on the scenario, it is recommended that one consults the following process. 1. Select Teams/races
Both Players Select a team they wish to play from the following Beasts of Chaos Bretonnia Chaos Dwarves Dark Elves Dwarves Empire High Elves
Hordes of Chaos Lizardmen Ogre Kingdoms Orcs and Goblins Skaven Tomb Kings Vampire Counts Wood Elves
2. Location Chart dictates terrain (must be a place that the races overlap on) C o a s t
o f
L u s t r i a
J u n g l e
o f
L u s t r i a
U l t h u a n
N a g g a r o t h
C h a o s
W a s t e s
A r a b y
A l b i o n
N o r s c a
T h e
D a r k
L a n d s
W o r l d
E d g e
M o u n t a i n s
B o r d e r
P r i n c e s /
S o l l a n d
K i s l e v
T h e
M o o t
G r e y
M o u n t a i n s
E s t a l i a /
T i l e a
F o r e s t
o f
L o r e n
S y l v a n i a
S o u t h l a n d s
K h e m r i
B l a c k
G u l f /
T i l e a n
S e a
M a r s h e s
o f
S k a v e n
B l i g h t
R e a l m
o f
B r e t o n n i a
U n d e r
G r o u n d
Albionites
Beasts of Chaos
Bretonnia
Chaos Dwarves
Dark Elves
Dwarves
Empire
High Elves
Hordes of Chaos
Lizardmen
Ogre Kingdoms
Orcs & Goblins
Skaven
Tomb Kings
Vampire Counts
Wood Elves
Halflings
Gnomes
Estalians/Tilean s
Kislevites
Pygmy Allies
Norse
Nippon
When determining the location, First randomize between common blue locations. If no common blue location exists, randomize between all blue and red locations, if no blue and red locations exist, randomize between two red locations. If no such location exists, a plot device will need to be invented by the players/gm.
3. Season Chart Roll a D10 to determine the Season 1-3 Spring 4-7 Summer 8,9 Fall 10 Winter
4. Select Army Lists -Making your army list 1
At most 25% of your army can be heroes At least 25% of your army must be core At most 25% of your army can be allies and mercenaries 2
At most 25% of your army can be special units At most 20% of your army can be rare units Have players determine their magic users spells while you determine the weather
5. Weather Chart (seasons and location provide modifier) To determine Whether consult the following Chart of modifiers and roll 10D6 to determine the weather.
S p r i n g
S u m m e r
F a l l
W i n t e r
S p r i n g
S u m m e r
F a l l
W i n t e r
Albion +10 +5 +10 +20
Kislev +14 0 +20 +27 Araby -15 -20 -15 -5
Marshes of Skaven Blight -5 -7 +5 +5 Black Gulf/ Tilean Sea -5 -10 0 0
The Dark Lands -10 -15 -10 +20 Grey Mountains +10 0 +10 +20
The fields of the Moot 0 0 +10 +10 Jungle of Lustria +4 +4 +4 +4
Ulthuan 0 0 0 0 Khemri -20 -20 -20 -15
World Edge Mountains +10 +10 +15 +20
1 This borrows from a combination of 3 rd , 4 th and 8 th ed Warhammer, though many army lists contain their own variation, use this where no other army organization is provided 2 Any ally contingent must also fit these parameters in its microcosmic way, that is, allied/mercenary contingents must, at the bare minimum, have a general and core units. Though there is some leniency with this should the Gm determine that the scenario calls for a small allied contingent of special or rare troops or what have you. 10D6 -30-5 Ember Gales 6,7, Infernal Ash winds 8,9,Drought 10,11,12,Scorching Sun 13-18 Sweltering heat 19-27, Sunny Day 28-40 Warm Day, with mild wind 41-45 Overcast 46 Fog 47-49 Rain 50,51 Windy Rain 52, Torrential Downpour/deluge 53 Lightning Storm 54 Hail 55 Slush and slippery mud 56-64 Snowed 65-67 Snowing 68,69 Blizzard 70+ Frigidly Cold
6. Weather effects Ember Gales All Black powder weapons misfire on a +1 due to the random hot embers Order and Good models have -1Ld All Shots over half range suffer an additional -1 to hit See Noxious Gas Clouds Generals compendium (p105) Night: the glow of the embers extends LOS an additional 6 Infernal Ash Winds All shots over half range suffer an additional -1 to hit due to the ash in the air. Drought All models have the dying of thirst rule and desperate measures (generals compendium p. 102) Flammable targets catch fire on a +1 Night: during night time conditions, models take a S1 hit instead of S2 for thirst Scorching Sun Any unit that marches (moves a distance greater than M) suffers from heat stroke, each model takes a S1 hit no armor save. Large Monsters take a S3 hit. Any model/unit that suffers a casualty/wound must take a stupidity test the next turn. Night: ignore the above rule Sweltering Heat Everyone is sweaty and irritable, every unit suffers from -1 Ld, and -1 Cl for all non-panic/rout tests. Night: ignore the above rule Bright Sunny Day Evil and Chaotic models lose 1 Ld, Cl. Night: ignore the above rule Warm Day, mild wind No Effect Overcast No effect Night: there is no moonlight
Fog Starts on the D3rd turn lasts D4 turns. If the Fog starts on the first turn both armies deploy 12 apart. While in effect, all units are able to see 4d4 recalculated each turn. Night: whilst there is fog there is no moonlight Rain Starts on the D3rd Turn lasts D4 turns All ranged attacks get -1 to hit (black powder weapons suffer this penalty for the remainder of the game, though harquebuses no longer misfire) Warmachines may only fire on a 4+ each turn while it rains Night: Whilst it rains there is no moonlight Windy/Torrential Rain Starts on the D3rd Turn, Lasts D3 Turns Flyers fly at rate All ranged attacks get -1 to hit Warmachines may only fire on a 4+ each turn All troops get a -1 to rally Rivers turn to fast rivers, models in fast rivers move down stream 2D6 during compulsory phase. Night: no moonlight whilst it rains Lightning Storm Starts on the D3rd Turn lasts D3 Turns During the magic Phase the GM Throws D3 lighting bolts. Roll a DX and a DY Where x equals the length of the board and y equals the width of the board. Do this for each lightning bolt and have them hit targets as per the lightning bolt spell. Night: No moonlight whilst there is lightning, models may see any model that is within 6 of a lightning strike. Hail Starts on D3rd Turn lasts D2 Turns Flyers may not fly All missile fire at -1 -1 to rally Night: no moon light whilst it is hailing Slush and/or Slippery mud Any unit moving farther than m must take an i test. If they fail the unit counts as unformed; warmachines crew must pass a S test if they wish to move or rotate a warmachine. This rule does not apply in forests, hills or other terrain features. Snowed Place random snow drifts on the map, large difficult terrain splotches. Snowing Starts on D3rd turn, lasts D4 turns Los reduced to 4D10 for all models Flyers move at half rate Once over, counts as snowed Night: No moon light whilst it is snowing Blizzard Starts D3rd turn lasts D2 turns. Then becomes Snowing for D3-1 turns, then snowed. LOS reduced to 4 any unit that cannot see any significant terrain feature or unit for reference must pass an Ld test or move in a random direction if ordered to move. Flyers may not Fly. Night: no moonlight whilst the blizzard continues Frigidly Cold Counts as Snowed Such is the cold that any idle (eg a model that does not move at least 1/4M or fight in hand to hand) exposed model (a model on an outside of a formation, baggage area, or building) without flaming attacks (or a flaming brasier) takes a 1S hit, no armor save. This can cause panic.
7. Time of day/night fighting Roll a D6, on a 6+ the fight takes place at night. (1 is always day time) Roll another D6 and consult the next chart
During night time conditions LOS is restricted to 12 Moon Phase Roll D20
8. Magic and its influence on game setting White mages add or subtract equal to their magic level toward the weather result of Warm day, mild wind, Black mages add or subtract equal to their magic level toward the weather result of drought or may alternatively influence whether the fight takes place at night by the same amount. Blue Mages add or subtract equal to their magic level toward the weather result of Rain Green mages, add or subtract their level toward Fog Red Mages subtract their level from the weather roll. 9. Establish Each players victory conditions It is best if two separate victory condition sheets or sets are created, one for each player. These should be kept secret from the opposing player. Victory conditions should be creative and involved, perhaps following or suggesting an underlying plot to the battle. Strictly speaking all victory conditions in this section are suggestions. Though creating conflicting or similar victory conditions may yield fun results in the battle. One might imagine an empire force with an object of great power that must be flighted to safety at all cost, in such a situation, losses of troops may not factor significantly against them because only the item truly matters. Be creative and have fun with them. Fairly standard/common Victory points +50pts for each 2x2 sector in which you outnumber an opponent by at least 3 to 1 +100pts if the enemy never enters your deployment zone +pts value of every model you killed/fled/ or is fleeing when the game ends +50pts for each standard captured +100 for the enemy standard +100 pts for slaying the opposing general +100pts for owning unlooted baggage train +50 for being in the process of looting +100 for fully looting Ideas First blood (first team to kill a model or whichever team kills the most models on the first turn) Offense!/gaining ground (units in opp. Deployment zone) Defense (preventing enemy from entering deployment zone) Holding Bridges (control of bridges) Pillage (Destroying buildings) No Treewives (extra Vps for killing particular units due to irreplaceability) Settling grudges (extra VPs for killing particular models with particular models) Holding some location
10. Deployment 1. Scenery 3
a. Each player divides the board into 2X2 sectors after deciding which side each player is on. b. Each player writes 0-4 in each sector in secret c. The GM averages the numbers out in each sector. d. The GM then randomly determines and places the scenery in the sectors. e. OR alternatively, the GM sets up the entire board in accordance with the scenario. f. The Gm will determine the deployment zones 2. Designate advanced forces (maximum of 2 units) 3. Initiate a pre-battle magic phase for spells intended to be cast before the battle (See Magic rule supplement) 4. Determine which army has the slowest advanced force. Eg where one side has two units, one of M 6 and the other of M 9 and their opponent has a single advanced force of M7, the first side would be the slower advanced force. Where there is a tie for slowness both are deployed as normal.
3 Remember that players get a pre-battle magic phase, and if one of them has illusion magic, this would influence scenery set up. Deployment taken from Warhammer 3 rd ed. though with aspects removed. Alternatively, the GM may arrange the playing field as she/he sees fit. Though really every edition seems to have its own take on scenery deployment, take your pick. It is highly advisable to have the GM set up if there is a particular scenario in mind. 5. Deploy both armies in Movement speed order, slowest first. Eg. All units are deployed in order of movement value, Slowest units to fastest. Where there is a tie for speed, the Gm will randomly determine which tying unit to deploy next. Including the slower advanced force. 6. Deploy the fastest advanced force 7. Deploy scouts anywhere on the map outside of line of sight of the enemy and outside the enemy deployment zone, or within a friendly deployment zone. Fastest scouts are deployed first 8. Both players get to make a scouting move. Units with the scout special rule get to make an additional move. This is only one move up to the units maximum movement value. The team with the highest lowest movement value for their advance force may have their advance force also move in this scouting movement phase. In the event of a tie for highest lowest, both tying units cannot move in the scout turn. 1,2 Nightfall comes on the D3rd turn and lasts the rest of the game
3,4 The night lasts the entire fight
5,6 Dawn comes on the D3rd turn and day time conditions prevail for the remainder of the game
1-4 New Moon +0 LOS
5-14 First or last quart moon +4 LOS 15+ Full moon +8 LOS
11. Who goes first?
The GM may elect any of the following methods for determining who goes first The attacking player goes first The players roll off adding modifiers o +1 to player who deployed the last unit Or whichever turn order suits the needs of the scenario
12. Game length
GM establishes the game length, determining the number of turns the game will last.
Other helpful tidbits Terrain ideas This section is a list of ideas for what kind of terrain one might expect in each different location and tries to avoid things that would appear in massive cities. The Coast of Lustria Coast line, sandy beaches, precipitous cliffs River estuaries/deltas (monsters lurking in the water?) Marshes (Malaria and yellow fever?) Lizardmen Ruins overlooking the Ocean Empire/Estalian/Tilean trading post/ruins (buried Sartosian pirate treasure?) Sand Bar Jungle/dense rain forest inland Jungle of Lustria Dense Jungle/rain forest (wandering predators?) Monuments to the Old Ones Ruins (gold?) High elevations/mountains Broad Rivers Fountain of Youth (actually poison?) Lakes and swamps Ulthuan Shore or Inland Towering Cliffs Way stones (magical?) Ruins Elven settlement/city (soon to be ruins? Hidden wealth? Land in cultivation?) Watch tower Forests hills Fjords and jagged isles Rivers
Naggaroth Shore or inland Few hills Jagged cliffs Watch towers Shrines to Khaine Harpy dens in mountainous areas Dark forests, dead forests Dark lakes Black granite quarry Tainted rivers Dark elf cities are described as few, but massive and fortified, seems it would be best to avoid dark elf cities in a battle for modeling reasons Chaos Wastes Standing stones and monoliths Chaos mutated ground and features Rare portals to the realm of chaos Swamps (with burning methane? Or faces in the water? Sentient swamps?) Barren ground Chaos warrior settlements Mass graves Twisted forests Snow, tundra, mud Chasm Infernal fortress/outpost Rivers of blood, magic, ice, fire, lava Hovering islands 4
Alters to the chaos gods Temples, platforms and the like to the gods Barbed nettles and other thorny malovent plants and scrub Araby Coast or inland Coastal trading post Desert Oasis Dunes (hill and difficult terrain) Sand (difficult terrain) Ruins (buried in sand) Mirage (gm cast illusion) Areas around cities or significant settlements may have a well, or olive tree groves or date trees Albion Shore or inland Small and primitive human settlement o Land in cultivation/livestock Lots of hills, lakes/ponds/bogs Forests Rare hill forts
4 Warhammer armies Chaos features a picture of paths and islands floating in the air
Burial mounds (haunted?) Standing stones and monoliths (druid ritual area?) Isolated monasteries Occasional large rocks and outcroppings Streams Norsca Shore or inland Fjords High cliffs Hills Caves (trolls?) Settlement (temple? Land in cultivation? Fort? Fishing community?) Ponds Forests River The Dark Lands Common Barren earth of ash, dust and bones Sparse Burnt forests Rare Mines Rare Craggy spires of stone Rare Chaos dwarf outpost/watch tower Rare Hob goblin dwelling (yurts) Rare Orc and goblin slave camp Rare cliffs Rare Chaos dwarf industry spewing soot into the air Worlds Edge Mountains Mountains, cliffs, passes, caves Rivers, mountain lakes, falls Chasms Rare dwarf keep Orc and goblin settlement/fort Rare dwarf watch tower/midway house Rare gnome hide/hold Dwarf Ruins (gyrocopter landing pad, Tower, Ranger outpost, aqueducts, Miles stones, Highway, bridges, mine) Skaven post Rare nest (wyvern, chimera, spiders) Border Princes/Solland Empire/Tilean/border prince/Dwarf settlement/ruins (land in cultivation, Inn, Palisade/hill fort, Trading post, Granary, Brewery) Rivers Sparse forests Hills Blackfire Pass Orc and goblin settlement (idle of Gork or Mork) Kislev Ice, snow, tundra Rivers Sparse forests In summer lots of land in cultivation Rare Lone farmstead Fortified settlement Rare hill The Moot Halfling settlement (brewery, Inn, mill, granary, hobbit holes, bakery) Hills Lots of land in cultivation, small hedges and fences Forests Small rivers Lots of paths and bridges Large happy grassy fields The Grey Mountains Mountains, passes, caves rivers Dwarf settlement (ranger station, brewery, mine, tower, etc) Forest Foothills Bretonnian Settlement (keep/tower, village, shepherd, no land in cultivation) Wood elf listening post Skaven lair Rare Nests (Hippogriffs, eagles, warhawks, griffons, Pegasus) Estalia/Tilea Villa, settlement, village, tower, mill, lots of land in cultivation, fences and hedges Trading post/way station Rolling hills Rivers Sparse forests Foothills Forest of Loren Lots of Forest Elven way stones of varying quality Lumber mill (Dwarves, empire, Bretonnia, Skaven, Orcs) Encampment (Orcs and goblins, Skaven) Glades River Elven watch towers, listening posts, and lone houses Sylvania Dark forests Mausoleums, graveyards, abandoned churches Ghost towns Burial mounds, mass graves, heaps of bones Rare swamps Sparse rivers Rare Hills Rare foot hills Creepy towers Abandoned farmsteads Southlands Rare Temple (Tomb Kings or Lizardmen) Rare Pygmy tribe Dense jungle and forest Mountains Rivers Sparse Spiders and snakes Rare Volcanoes Savage and primordial landscape Rare Lizardmen ruins Khemri Rare Oasis (springs of strange water) Rare Mirages Ruins (tomb kings or Arabian) Rare mortis river (Nile like) Shifting sands (difficult terrain, cause stupidity?) Quicksand Dunes (hill difficult terrain) Foothills Arabian trading post Rare Pyramid Black Gulf and Tilean Sea Shore/inland Sparse Fishing/trading village/pirate hide Land in cultivation, olives, wheat, wine Rare Steep coastal towns/settlements/bays Foothills and forests Rivers Marshes of SkavenBlight Rare Slave barracks/camp Black Corn Marshes and bogs, mazelike (stupidity? Leaches?) Sparse Foothills Rivers/wetlands/bayou/docks for skaven slave barges Ruins that have been retrofitted, esp. mills Tunnel entrances Rare blighted forests Shrine to the horned rat The Realm of Bretonnia Spares Village (houses, land in cultivation, hedges, fences) Tower Hills Forests Fields/commons Foothills Underground Fungal Forests, Giant toadstools Caverns Mines Underground highway, road Rivers, streams and Lakes Water falls Heaps of bone Rocks, Scree or boulders Stalagmites Chasm Ruins, pillars, side passage or chamber, abandoned mine Natural rock wall Skaven nests Goblin dung heaps and dwellings Dwarf listening posts/stations Tunnels
Baggage Train Some armies are large and require supplies and provisions beyond what the soldiers can carry themselves. To represent this, some players may opt to have baggage trains (or the GM may utilize these rules for a scenario.) An unraided baggage train is worth 100 victory points. In order to have a baggage train an army must be at least 1000 points. To determine the size of a baggage train consult the chart below.
Civilians are models of the preponderant race in an army, they are armed with improvised weapons and their characteristics mirror those of the most common model. Civilians do not adopt a unit formation, they are free to wander within the confines of the baggage area and may defend it, if the train comes under attack. Deployment Baggage trains are deployed with their longest dimension touching the players side of the table. Baggage trains are deployed very first, even before war machines. The baggage area is delineated by wagons and constructed barricades/fences/hedges (defendable obstacles and light cover) Other units may be deployed within the baggage area and may leave or enter during the game. Raiding the baggage If a unit finds itself within 2M it must pass a Ld test or charge either the baggage train or an interposing unit. Troops charging the baggage train gain frenzy and must take the requisite Cl test. Civilians in the baggage train are formed up along the side that is being attacked (alternatively a friendly unit that happens to be in the train.) If the Civilians are pushed back they rout instead. Raiders do not pursue. Instead they begin looting. A unit that is looting is placed in the baggage area (or at least as many models as can fit. The models maintain no formation and counts as unformed, like the civilians. A unit will continue to loot until it passes a Ld test at the beginning of its turn. When this is passed the unit will exit the baggage area, leaving 5 models behind to claim the baggage. So long as the baggage remains in that players possession it is worth 100 Victory Points. Friendly units suffer animosity toward any unit that is looting as they too want to get in on the looting. If fighting breaks out over the possession of a baggage train (due to animosity,) both units count as looting. If a baggage train is still being looted when the game ends it is only worth 50 victory points. Once it has been looted a baggage train is worth nothing to its original owner. She/he may still attempt to recapture it to deprive her/his opponent of the Victory points