C&C: Battlelore - ORCS

Orcs finally visited the Battlelore world! All you need to try out this expansion is the base game of Battlelore 1st ed and a single Orc 1/72 miniatures box (which
costs around 15$) – first 2 scenarios require only those components. Scenarios 3-7 require an additional box of Orc cavalry. This way, despite Battlelore expansions
are scarce nowadays, anyone can create and use a whole new Orc expansion! I use F106 and F109 Orc 1/72 Caesar Miniatures for Infantry, Dark Alliance 1/72 Light
Warg Orcs and Heavy Warg Orcs for cavalry and Dark Alliance War Trolls for Trollkin (you get 8 in one box, you will not need more). First 2 scenarios require
a single box of Orc Infantry, Scenarios 3-7 require an additional box of Orc Heavy Cavalry. The scenarios below do not use all described units and are designed as
introductory scenarios for an Orc army with a low entry level cost for anyone to try out.

For specific units I suggest using the following miniatures:

• as Orc archers – use archer miniatures
• as Light infantry – use miniatures with a single hand weapon (and close to naked if possible),
• as Regular Infantry – use miniatures with a hand weapon and shield,
• as Spearmen – use spearmen (duh!),
• as Berserkers – use miniatures with TWO hand weapons,
• as Orc Heavy Axe – use miniatures with a two-handed weapon, preferably axe,
• as Orc Decurions – use the largest and heaviest armoured Orc minis,
• as Light Wargs – use ligthly armoured Orc Cavalry,
• as Medium Wargs – use Orc Cavalry with shields,
• as Heavy Wargs – use Orc Cavalry with two-handed weapons. Note that in the Dark Alliance orc cavalry boxes there are some drummers, musicians and
standards – use them as fillers in units where there are not enough minis of desired Sculpt.
• as Orc Chariot I use Caesar Mycenaenan chariots with spare Dark Alliance Wargs glued in instead of horses and a spare Orc miniature
instead of riders.
• HOWEVER – if you lack any miniatures, just use others as proxies. In 1/72 scale, especially if units are not painted, it will be hard to
notice a difference between a Heavy Warg and a Light Warg. So, you can just use colour tokens of any kind to mark Heavy Wargs (red
token/flag) from Medium and Light (blue and green token/flag).

I designed Orcs for Battlelore so that they would be compatible with my variant C&C: Battlelore – therefore you will find rules for Leaders and Evade in the attached
spreadsheet. Fear not, however – if you do not feel like trying Leaders and Evade in Battlelore, Orc units and scenarios are fully playable without these additional
rules. For those that would like to try it out, I am including rules for C&C: Battlelore below. For those that do not – skip to ORC UNITS TABLE. Just remember
to disregard Hero flags on maps – they are used only as leaders in C&C: Battlelore variant.

C&C: BATTLELORE
C&C: Battlelore is a Battlelore 1st ed. variant that allows to play scenarios heavily based on other C&C games scenarios, using part of C&C: Ancients ruleset. It is
a mix of the two games. Battlelore 1st edition and C&C: Ancients are remarkably similar games in many respects and mixing them for me is kind of an ultimate
C&C experience, as adding Evade and Leader rules to Battlelore gives the game additional depth. Game board is identical (13x9 hexes), terrain tiles are very similar
and there are only minor differences in the ruleset. Command card decks are very similar: there are only 3 types of cards available in Battlelore that are not present
in C&C: A (Forward; Scout Left, Centre, Right; Leadership) which accounts for 10 cards. There are 7 types of cards available in C&C:A that are not present in
Battlelore (Clash of Shields; First Strike; Leadership cards; Line command; Move-Fire-Move; Order Mounted; Rally) which accounts for 14 cards. Other command
cards are nearly identical, their numbers are also similar. This gives the games of Battlelore much more depth.

The C&C: Battlelore variant requires introduction of two important concepts to the game of Battlelore – Leaders and Evade action. Evade action in C&C: Battlelore
works as follows:

EVADE
A unit attacked in close combat may attempt to evade. An attacking unit may not evade if the defender battles back and evading units may never battle back. The
attacker rolls the correct number of dice, but only a banner scores a hit. An evade move is a 2 hex move towards the unit’s side of the battlefield. Green units may
always evade. Blue cavalry units may evade all foot units, red mounted units, and red Creatures. Red cavalry may evade all foot units. Blue infantry, Red infantry and
Creature units may never evade. A leader alone in a hex must evade. If a Mighty Bolt Thrower unit evades it is removed from the battlefield but does not count as a
Victory Banner.

LEADERS
As leaders are used heroes from the Heroes expansion. If you do not have enough leaders, use any figures that fit the grid or any other markers available. In Orc
boxes you will find miniatures that can look good as leaders (shamans and banner bearers) but a pebble is also perfectly fine.
Leaders and Units
A leader in the same hex as a friendly unit is attached to that unit. If the unit moves, the leader must move with it (this costs only one command). Attached leaders
may detach from a unit and move independently at a cost of one order each.
Leader Movement
When moving alone a leader may move, once per turn, up to 3 hexes, and may move through friendly units.
Only one leader may occupy a hex. When a leader moves into a hex with another unit, they may not move again with the unit he have just joined.
Leaders in Combat
A leader may not attack if alone in a hex. One hit is scored for each Lore symbol rolled in close combat, if a friendly leader is attached or adjacent to any friendly
non-creature unit battling or battling back (note: you also gain a lore token!). Leaders do not affect ranged combat. A unit can ignore 1 flag when a leader attached
to the unit survives any leader casualty check. Any foot unit to which a leader is attached may make a bonus close combat attack after a Gain Ground move (except
for Mighty Bolt Thrower units).
Leader Casualty Checks
A leader casualty check is made when a unit to which a leader is attached loses one or more figures due to ranged combat, close combat, evading, failure to complete
a retreat move, rampage, or blocking a Creature unit’s retreat.
Roll 2 dice: to hit the leader 2 Lore symbols are required.
If the unit to which a leader is attached is eliminated, roll 1 die: to hit the leader 1 Lore symbol is required. If the leader is not hit, they must evade. Flags rolled
against an eliminated unit have no effect on the leader.
The attacking unit may Gain Ground after close combat onto the vacated hex after the leader is eliminated or evades. If a leader alone in a hex is attacked by ranged
or close combat, the attacker rolls its normal number of dice and scores a hit by rolling one Lore symbol. If the leader is not hit, they must evade. Flags rolled
against a leader alone in a hex have no effect. Only one leader casualty check is made per combat dice roll. The attacking unit may not gain ground after close combat
onto the vacated hex after the lone leader is eliminated or evades.
Leader Evade
A leader’s evade move is up to 3 hexes towards his side of the battlefield. If a leader cannot evade a minimum of 1 hex they is eliminated. He may move through a
hex that contains a friendly unit or friendly leader but may not end his move in any hex containing a friendly leader, impassable terrain, or enemy leader or unit. If
the leader ends their move with a friendly unit, they attach to that unit. You may choose to evade your leader off your side of the battlefield, thus denying the Victory
Banner to your opponent.
Leader Escape
If enemy units occupy 1 or 2 hexes of a leader’s evade path, they must attempt to escape through those hexes.
Move the leader onto one of the enemy hexes and allow the enemy unit to battle the leader (who does not benefit from terrain). 1 Lore symbol must be rolled to
score a hit. If they are not hit, the leader continues with their evade move into the next hex, which may also be occupied, in which case the leader can be attacked
again.

STRATEGY CARDS
It is also possible to use strategy cards so that they include almost all C&C: A strategy cards. There is a good reason to do so – I find CC: A deck the best of all
C&C games as it gives an epic feel to battles. To do so, 4 categories of Battlelore strategy cards’ rules need to be converted, giving additional options of play:

Scout cards = either play Scout card as normal or play as a C&C: A Leadership card – Issue an order to units under one leader's command in the proper section
(leader's box and 4 adjacent linked hexes).

Battlelore= either play Battlelore card as normal or play as a C&C: A Rally card – Roll dice equal to command. For each unit type or leader symbol rolled, one unit
block, in a leader's hex or in an adjacent hex is rallied (place a lost figure back onto the hex with the unit). Rallied units are ordered and may move and battle.
Creatures units may not be rallied – or play as a C&C: A Clash of Shields card – Issue an order to all units adjacent to the enemy. Units will battle with 2 additional
dice in close combat. Units may not move before they close combat but may take a gain ground after a successful close combat and may battle again when eligible
with normal battle dice.

Forward and Leadership = either use cards as normal or play as C&C: A Line Command card – Issue an order to a block of foot units. The block must be formed
from foot units that are all in adjacent linked hexes. Units in the block may only move one hex. After movement, the ordered units may engage in either ranged fire
or close combat, if eligible. Ordered units may take a gain ground after a successful close combat and may battle again, where eligible.

On the march = either play On the March card as normal or play as a C&C: A Move-Fire-Move card – Order light foot and light mounted units equal to command.
Units may move, may then fire, and then may move again. All units moving first must do so before any fire. After all ranged fire, units may move again. No battle
is possible after the second move (whether taken or not). Light foot may move through a friendly unit.

The variant is easily played without abovementioned adjusting of strategy cards. This module is completely optional.
 ORC UNITS TABLE
ORCS
Ferocious: ALL orc units may reroll a single die in melee combat
Poor leadership: Unless otherwise specifically stated, all orc units retreat 2 hexes per flag, they DO NOT roll for panic losses
UNIT BANNER UNIT WEAPON MOVEMENT COMBAT Special ability/limitation
TYPE RANGED MELEE HIT ON
MaxDist Dice DICE SHIELD
Archer Ranged Common Bow Stand 4 2 2 no ---------------------
Infantry Move 2 1 1
Light Line Short Sword 2 2 yes 1 hit on shield is ignored against cavalry
Infantry Infantry
Regular Line Short Sword 1 3 yes 1 hit on shield is ignored against cavalry
Infantry Infantry 2 no no combat May not battle if moved 2 hexes
combat
Spearmen Line Spear 1 3 yes 1 hit on shield is ignored against cavalry; +1 die
Infantry when battling back
2 no no combat May not battle if moved 2 hexes;
combat
Berserkers Line Two hand weapons 2 3+1 yes Berserker charge: may move up to 2 hexes and
Infantry (like Longswords) battle
Fury: +1 dice and Bold when full unit; always
may make a Bonus Melee attack after gain
ground
Orc Line Battle Axe 1 4 yes 1 hit on shield is ignored against cavalry.
Heavy Infantry Note: Axe swing special ability is consumed
Axe (replaced) by Ferocious special ability.
Orc Line Short Sword 1 4+1 yes Always roll an additional die in combat.
Decurions Infantry 1 hit on shield is ignored against cavalry.
Elite Unit
Warg Cavalry Reflex Bow 4 3 2 2 no Cannot collect lore when rolled; Ignores
Archers from short sword infantry; Pursue
Light Cavalry Long sword 4 2 yes Ignores from short sword infantry; Pursue
Wargs
Medium Cavalry Long sword 3 3 yes Ignores from short sword infantry; Pursue
Wargs
Heavy Cavalry Long sword 2 4 yes Ignores from short sword infantry; Pursue
Wargs
Orc Cavalry Long Sword 2 4(3) yes Only 1 figure with 2 health tokens (removed
Chariot after 2 hits); Ignores all in any combat;
battles back with 3 dice; After combat possible
Gain Ground and Bonus Melee.
Trollkin Creature 2 as yes Only 2 figures; Ignores all in any combat;
infantry opponent Trollkin roll the same number of dice as
opponent except: 3 vs Trollkin, Creatures and 1
vs leaders; FRENZY - Trollkin reroll hits
for possible additional damage; Trollkin do not
get any benefits from leaders and support,
although they give support; Hit Cavalry must
retreat 1 extra hex when retreating; Unit ignores 1
hit and 1 from Cavalry; After combat
possible Gain Ground and Bonus Melee;
RAMPAGE – like ogres*; STAMPEDE*;
BOLD; May charge using „Mounted Charge”
card;
Orc Ranged Catapult 1 6 as 1 no Only 1 figure with 2 health tokens; May not
Catapult Infantry opponent battle on the move; If forced to retreat the unit is
destroyed; No line of sight needed.

Trollkin STAMPEDE – If the retreat path of this unit towards its side of the battlefield is occupied by friendly units, enemy units, or a lone enemy leader, this unit is not moved back and does
not lose any figures; rather, the units or enemy leader that occupy the hexes of the retreat path must each lose one block for each hex of its retreat that the Trollkin were unable to fulfil. A lone enemy
leader is removed without a leader casualty check and counts as a Victory Banner. (A lone friendly leader does not block Trollkin retreat. This unit would move onto the hex with the lone friendly leader
and cease further retreat. This is the only case where a leader can influence a Trollkin). *Earth Elemental Tremor and Earthquake triggers Rampage.
 Adventure 001 – Ambush at Hellfire Pass
Goblin attacks on the villages lying near the border of the Human Kingdom became unbearable for the peasant population of these lands. King
Casimir III the Great decided to send a response force in order to vanquish the Goblin threat. Despite all his wisdom he didn’t foresee however, that
the Goblin warlord Soresnik the Filthy prepared for such a scenario by asking another greenskin warlord, Orc Warlord Grohmak the Jawbreaker, for
aid with the human offensive. In effect, Grohmak sent a small force of Orc warriors to intercept the human army at Hellfire Pass, an area being a gate
to the Hellfire Mountains, where Goblin attacks took place. Greenskin army was commanded by Soresnik’s right hand, a cunning goblin named
Gotruk, a veteran of tens of raids in the human’s lands. Despite being outnumbered, greenskins had the advantage of surprise and high ground, with
orders to delay human’s army advance and hurt them as much as possible until retreat.
SETUP:

War Council
Army: Standard
5 Command Cards
Move First

Army: Pennant (Orcs)

5 Command Cards

Victory
5 Banners

Special Rules:
• If you do not have Goblin Hyena Riders, use Blue Cavalry Banner and Goblin Lizard Riders Miniatures as Goblin Blue Cavalry;
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• The Standard player gains 1 Victory banner for each unit that exits the battlefield from the Pennant baseline hex. To exit, the unit must
start its turn on an opponent’s baseline hex and must be ordered to exit off the battlefield;
• All cavalry is armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1);
• All the hills are considered rugged. When a unit or leader moves onto a rugged hill, the unit must stop, and it may move no further on
that turn.
 Adventure 002 – Raid on Eegle Village
Eegle Village is a human outpost that lies in the Hellfire Mountains. Ambush at the Hellfire Pass delayed King Casimir’s offensive enough to
enable Greenskin forces to lay a siege of Eegle Village in an effort to ransack it. Defenders hold ground valiantly until reinforcements arrived.
Setup:

War Council
Army: Standard
5 Command Cards

Army: Pennant (Orcs)

5 Command Cards
Move First

Victory
7 Banners

Special Rules
• Two Pennant Red Cavalry units are Goblin heavy cavalry. Use Red Pennant Cavalry Banners and Lizard Cavalry Miniatures. These units
have all goblinoid feats;
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• All cavalry units are armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1).
 Adventure 003 – Raid on the camp
King Casimir’s expeditionary force succeeded in expelling the Greenskin horde from the surroundings of Eegle Village. However, with scarce supplies,
king’s army had to set a camp in order to prepare for further clashes. Orc Warlord Grohmak, who so far did not engage in Human-Goblin war on a
larger scale, felt threatened with a large human presence. Therefore, Grohmak and Soresnik signed an alliance in order to defend against human
incursion. Greenskin warlords chose to attack human encampment in an effort to destroy remaining human supplies and force the King Casimir’s
army to retreat from the Hellfire Mountains.
Setup:

War Council
Army: Standard
4 Command Cards

Army: Pennant (Orcs)

5 Command Cards
Move First

Victory
6 Banners

Special Rules
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• Landmarks on Standard side are CAMPS – unit entering must stop , may only move 1 hex when exiting; close combat: max 3 dice
battling out of friendly camp, max 2 dice battling out of enemy camp, max 2 dice batting in, friendly defender ignores 1 flag;
• If a Pennant unit occupies a Standard camp hex at the start of the Pennant turn, the player may remove the camp hex and gain 1 Victory
banner before playing a Command Card;
• All cavalry units are armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1);
• The River is fordable.
 Adventure 004 – River of Death
In effect of human offensive Greenskin forces withdrew behind the River of Death. Human forces tried to push further in an effort to destroy Greenskins
altoghether. However, crossing a river with such a large enemy force nearby can be really challenging…
Setup:

War Council
Army: Standard
5 Command Cards
Move First

Army: Pennant (Orcs)

6 Command Cards

Victory
7 Banners

Special Rules
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• River is fordable;
• All cavalry units are armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1).
 Adventure 005 – Battle of Coruna Ridge
Bacause the war was beginning to drag, King Casimir ordered his forces to set up a fort at Coruna Ridge. Soresnik and Grohmak knew that allowing
humans to entrench in the Hellfire Mountains will tilt the balance in favour of Human Kingdom. In order to stop humans in their tracks Greenskins
gathered a large force at the Coruna Ridge. Battle ensued.

Setup:

War Council
Army: Standard
5 Command Cards
Move First
Army: Pennant (Orcs)
5 Command Cards
Victory
6 Banners

Special Rules
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• The Pennant player, after playing a “Scout” Command card, instead of drawing 2 Command cards at the end of his turn, may draw 1
Command card and take a Victory banner and 5 Lore tokens. Taking a Victory banner is not possible, if doing so would give the player
the final Victory banner to win the battle;
• All cavalry units are armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1)
• If You don’t own the blue spider, use the spider from the base game and the rules for the Blue spider from the excellent Battlelore Rules
Summary by Universal Head and the Esoteric Order of Gamers, available on BGG.
 Adventure 006 – Battle of Spider Hill
Human generals knew that allowing the Greenskins to field Monstrous Creatures will cause large lossess in their ranks. Therefore, humans came up
with a plan to destroy Giant Spiders’ nest. Orcs and Goblins did not want to let humans destroy their most effective unit. They gathered a force to
defend the nest.
Setup:

War Council
Army: Standard
5 Command Cards
Move First

Army: Pennant (Orcs)

5 Command Cards
Victory
6 Banners

Special Rules
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• The River is impassable;
• The group of six hill hexes is Giant Spiders’ Nest and is worth 1 Victory Banner. The banner is awarded at the start of a player’s turn
when at least one unit occupies any of these hexes and the opposition does not occupy any of these hexes. The Victory banner is held so
long as both of those conditions exist;
• All cavalry units are armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1);
• If You don’t own the blue spider, use the spider from the base game and the rules for the Blue spider from the excellent Battlelore Rules
Summary by Universal Head and the Esoteric Order of Gamers, available on BGG.
 Adventure 007 – Pursuit of the Green Horde
Human forces succeeded in expelling the Greenskins from the Hellfire Mountains. King Casimir knew however, that only complete destruction of
the Greenskin army can result in peace on the borderlands. Therefore, he ordered a pursuit of the remnants of the Greenskin forces in order to
completely vanquish them. He did not know however, that Greenskins managed to gather reinforcements which joined with the fleeing Greenskins.
One final battle was about to decide who will rule the borderlands of Hellfire Mountains.
Setup:

War Council
Army: Standard
5 Command Cards

Army: Pennant (Orcs)

4 Command Cards

Victory
5 Banners

Special Rules
• To determine the starting player, both players roll dice equal to their command. The player that rolls the most Lore symbols will move first;
• Medieval Lore Rules are in effect;
• All cavalry units are armed with reflex bows (rng 2, dice 2, no hit on shield, after movement dice 1);
• The River is impassable.
FINAL NOTES
Copyright – Dukeadam (BGG user)
A huge thank you to Jim Williamson (bgg user: smallrealities) for his help with graphics, icons, additional ideas and corrections!
A huge thank you to Błażej Kubacki (bgg user: irondeav) for his help with corrections and layout!
Concepts shown here are intended only for the personal use of existing owners of the game. Scenarios are heavily based on C&C: Medieval game by GMT. Refer to the original game rules for more
complete rule descriptions and examples of play. I make no claim whatsoever to the rights of the publisher and copyright holder, and I do not benefit financially from this content. Artwork from the original
game is copyrighted by the publisher and used without permission. This may not be re-posted online, sold, or used in any way except for personal use. All Rights Reserved to respective owners.

Some of the text in EVADE and LEADERS rules description was adapted from the great C&C: Ancients game aid created by Universal Head and the Esoteric Order of Gamers
(http://www.universalhead.com/; http://www.orderofgamers.com).