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Kings of War Fantasy Battles with the Mantic Warhost

NIGHTSWORD

4/13/2010

*Disclaimer, this is in no way, shape or form relating to anything Mantic will put out. I mean, not even the slightest, not a little incy wincy bit, it’s me having a bit of fun with the figures my company

produces*

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FANTASY BATTLES WITH THE MANTIC WARHOST

The armies of the most powerful races go to war in great bands known as Warhosts. These formations each have a specific role in the army, and they are often engaged in skirmishes along country borders, or banding together with heroes of legend. Most recently, Elven Warhosts have been hard pressed and increasingly under pressure fighting back the legions of Undead. Mhorgoth, greatest of the necromancers, drives his forces into sacred lands, enraged with a bitter hatred of life and seeking cold revenge… A fate worse than death now awaits the Elves should they fail in driving off the Undead, and which side you choose will ultimately shape the future of the known universe. Pick up your swords, ready your shields; the time of war is upon us.

THE ARMIES This set of rules is designed to allow a gamer to fight a battle with the figures found in a Warhost. It is a tabletop combat game first and foremost, fun and quick, whilst furious and bloodthirsty, with added emphasis on fighting your opponent tooth and nail the entire game, all the while being engaging and absorbing with an innovative combat system. A Warhost contains all of the figures you need to start playing out epic battles, with a tape measure, dice, an opponent and a table the only additional components required. Each Warhost includes: ELVEN WARHOST UNDEAD WARHOST 20 Spearmen 20 Skeletons 20 Archers 20 Revenants 10 Scouts 10 Ghouls 1 Bolt Thrower 1 Balefire Catapult

KINGS OF WAR It is an age of battles, of mighty heroes, foul creatures and darkest sorcery. The heavens resound to the clash of swords and the screams of the dying, and the ground shakes as epic armies march to war. The world is caught in endless struggle between the many different armies and the Kings who lead them... On whose side will you stand?

THE ELVES The Elves are peerless warriors, skilled with bow, sword and spear, and their mastery of magic is beyond compare. Few can stand against the Elves when their armies march to war, and none who threaten their ancestral homelands can expect any clemency or mercy.

THE UNDEAD Necromancy is the most abhorrent of sorcery, and all who practise it are hated and feared in equal measure. In violation of natural law, Necromancers are able to use their power to defy death itself, extending their own lives virtually indefinitely.

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UNITS A Warhost contains different types of units that have various uses on the tabletop. The three types are:

- Ranked Infantry - Skirmishers - Warmachines

Ranked Infantry: Elf Spearmen and Bowmen as well as Undead Skeletons and Revenants all count as ranked infantry. These troops have the greatest staying power, able to absorb many casualties and still keep pushing the enemy back, whilst defending their battle-brothers to the end. These troops line up in ranks; they move, shoot and fight in close formation as one solid unit.

20 Elf Spearmen; Command and Troop Ranked infantry units are found in two types; Command and Troop. Command troop are made up of the units leader, standard bearer and musician, along with 7 additional warriors. A Troop contains 10 warriors. There may only be one Command troop in a unit, but as many troops as you like. A Command is placed at the very front, but a Troop may be attached either behind, forming a unit with four ranks, or either side of the Command troop, forming a unit with 2 ranks, ten figures wide.

S S S S S

S S S S S

S S S S S

S S S S S

SKIRMISHERS Elf Scouts and Undead Ghouls count as Skirmishers, either hiding amongst the shadows, or too bestial to stay in organised groups for too long, these troops are agile and quick across the battlefield. These warriors fight in a loose formation, giving them greater manoeuvrability. Their bases do not need to touch but the unit must stay together, within an inch of each other. When charged, these units rank up as per ranked infantry.

WARMACHINES Warmachines include the Elf Bolt Thrower and Undead Balefire Catapult, each a powerful weapon in their own right. Two crewmen man each weapon, loading, aiming and firing against the enemy, decimating ranks of troops with heated shot or deadly bolts. A Warmachine consists of the weapon and two crew members. The crew must remain within an inch of the machine in order for it to fire. When charged, the crew are ranked up in front of the warmachine.

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UNIT PROFILE CARD Units in a Warhost have differing fighting styles and carry a wide assortment of weaponry; many are of a different skill level and units often function differently on a battlefield to each other as a result. Whereas Elf Spearmen confront their enemy face on in ranks of glittering armour, there shadowkin brothers scout ahead, hiding in the shadows, carefully choosing their targets. In order to represent this on the battlefield, each unit is listed in the Appendices (Elf Page 7, Undead Page 11) with a profile card - a list of statistics that details a model’s characteristics. A card contains the statistics for the Command, Troop and Individual models abilities, as well as weaponry, armour, morale and additional rules. Each characteristic is explained below. An example Spearman Troop profile:

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Troop 6 10 10 20

Morale: Elite Armour: Elven Plate Weapon: Spear (Melee) Equipment: Shield

Move; How far a unit can move in inches. Attack; Number of D6 that a model can roll for its attacks. Defend; Number of D6 that a model can roll to counter an attack.

HIT POINTS (HP) Hit Points represents a models health. A unit will have a number of Hit Points equal to the sum of the HP of every model in a unit.

CASUALTIES A units health is reduced the more hit points the unit loses. Put simply, no models are removed until the units Hit Points equals 0. If a unit reaches 50% of their hit points, then the amount of Attack Dice they generate is reduced by half, odd numbers rounded down. A unit is destroyed when HP reaches 0.

RECORDING DAMAGE Hit points can be recorded by using a D100 system placing the dice next to the casualty markers included on the sprue. Two D10s; the first representing the first digit and the second D10 representing the second digit, can be counted down the lower the hit points get. Alternatively, a units Hit Points is recorded using three dice. The first dice represents the first digit. Since it’s impossible to make 7, 8, 9, or 10 on one die, a second and third can be used to represent the second digit. In this case, any two dice that add up to 10 also equal 0.

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FIGHTING A BATTLE - THE TURN The turn is broken up into sequenced Phases. Both players participate in all Phases before moving onto the next. The turn is broken down into the following Phases:

Movement

Shooting

Combat

Players roll off against each other on a single D6 at the start of each turn to decide who goes first. The next turn begins at the end of the Combat phase. Victory is achieved when the opponent’s army is wiped out. MOVEMENT Units cross the battlefield in inches, represented by their “Move” value. All units can move in any direction, forwards, sideways, diagonally and backwards, without penalty. Units only move in straight lines – no wheeling or turning can be made mid-movement except in notable cases such as when charging. A unit must face the direction it is moving in. A player may pivot the unit to face the correct direction in order to turn a unit left, right, diagonally or backwards. All measurements are made from the corner of the base of the miniature in the front rank furthest away to the point they are moving too.

SPECIAL RULE: RUNNING In the Movement phase, a player may make a unit Run. Ranked infantry and skirmishers (but not warmachines and their crew) may add +D6” to their movement.

SPECIAL RULE: CHARGING Charging with a unit allows them to get into close combat. A Player must declare which unit they are charging before moving any other unit. Once all charges are declared, these units may move twice their normal movement rate, which is measured in inches. If the enemy unit is within this range, the players unit is moved into base contact and is successful. Normally units may only move in straight lines – a charging unit however may shift and align a unit when in base to base contact, bringing the maximum number of models to bear. If the enemy unit is not within range, then the player has to move their unit D6” towards the target unit.

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SHOOTING Only Models in the front two ranks of a unit can shoot provided a target is in Range and in Line of Sight.

Range; is calculated in inches and is indicated by the Range value in the weapons’ profile. Line of Sight; Skirmishers and single models like warmachine crew have a 360 degree line of sight.

Line of sight for Ranked Infantry is calculated by drawing an imaginary line parallel with the front rank of the unit. Anything in front of this line can be seen by the unit, with the restrictions of terrain and units blocking line of sight.

Line of Sight

B B B B B

B B B B B

Shooting is calculated through the following process: Attack Roll; add any Weapon Values to a units Attack. Defend Roll; total each models Defend value. Strike; players roll their dice before totalling the result. Compare; both players compare their dice rolls. Results; if the defending unit’s roll is higher they have held off the attack, sweeping aside the attackers weapons. If the Attackers roll is higher, then the enemy is wounded and the Defender must take an Armour Save.

WEAPON VALUE An item’s Weapon Value contributes to a unit’s base statistic. For example, a unit of 10 models each carrying a weapon with Value 1, will gain an additional 10 Attack dice.

ARMOUR SAVES The number of armour saves is equal to the amount that the Attacker’s roll was higher than the defenders roll. The defender rolls the indicated number of dice, comparing each to the Armour value and discarding any result that is higher. Any result that is lower causes Hit Point damage, and is multiplied by the weapon’s Damage Rating.

DAMAGE RATING An item’s Damage rating multiplies any unsaved wounds by that value. A unit causing one wound with a weapon of Damage 2 will actually cause two wounds. The Defending unit’s total hit points are then reduced accordingly.

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CLOSE COMBAT Units that successfully charged in the movement phase are engaged in close combat. Only the front two ranks fight in close combat, and only their Combat and Defend values are accounted for - except if circumstances dictate otherwise, such as if the unit carried spears.

Close combat is calculated through the following process: Attack Roll; add any Weapon Values to a units Attack. Defend Roll; total each models Defend value. Strike; players roll their dice before totalling the result. Compare; both players compare their dice rolls. Results; if the defending unit’s roll is higher they have held off the attack, sweeping aside the attackers weapons. If the Attackers roll is higher, then the enemy is wounded and the Defender must take an Armour Save (See Shooting, Page 5). Counter Attack; if the Defender still has Hit Points remaining, the roles are reversed and the Defender becomes the Attacker and the combat is replayed. Once both combats have played, both players must decide who has won the combat. The player that wins the combat is the player who has dealt the most Hit Point damage. The play taking the most amount of Hit Point damage has lost the combat and must take a Morale check. This ends the turn.

FLANKING A unit charging an enemy in the side rather than the front is said to have Flanked the enemy. Combat is performed as normal, except only the one rank in base contact with the charger may make a Combat or Defend rolls, rather than the normal two.

WEAPON VALUE An item’s Weapon Value contributes to a unit’s base statistic. For example, a unit of 10 models each carrying a weapon with Value 1, will gain an additional 10 Attack dice.

DAMAGE RATING An item’s Damage rating multiplies any unsaved wounds by that value. A unit causing one wound with a weapon of Damage 2 will actually cause two wounds.

MORALE CHECK Morale checks are taken by rolling 3D6, subtracting the units Morale Value and comparing against the units HP. If the roll is above the number of remaining Hit Points, then the unit has failed and flees. A fleeing unit moves directly away from the unit causing the morale check double its full movement value.

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APPENDIX 1:

ELF ARMY LIST

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THE ELVEN KINGDOMS Elf Warrior

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Command (10) 6 12 10 20

Troop (10) 6 10 10 20

Spearman 6 1 1 2

Morale: Elite Armour: Elven Plate (AV4) Weapon: A unit of Elf Warriors may be armed either

with Spears (Melee) or Bows (Ranged). Rules: Standard, Musician, Shield Elves Scouts

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Troop (10) 6 10 10 20

Scout 6 1 1 2

Morale: Elite Armour: Elven Plate (AV4) Weapon: Bow (Ranged), Extra hand weapon (Melee) Rules: Skirmishers

MORALE ELITE Morale Value: 4

ARMOUR ELVEN PLATE Armour value: 4

ELVEN SHIELD +1 to a Defend roll and +1 to an Armour Value.

WEAPONS EXTRA HAND WEAPON Weapon Value: 1 Damage: 1

ELVEN BOW Range: 18” Ranged Value: 1 Damage: 1

ELVEN SPEAR Weapon Value: 1 Damage: 2 Special: The third rank may add their attacks to the Combat Roll.

EQUIPMENT STANDARD A unit’s standard counts as +1 wound when calculating the winner of a combat.

MUSICIAN Musicians add +1 to a unit’s morale value.

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THE ELVEN KINGDOMS Elves Bolt Thrower

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Bolt Thrower x 50

Crew 6 1 1 2

Morale: Elite Armour: Elven Plate (AV4) Weapon: Hand Weapons (Melee) Rules: Warmachine: Bolt Thrower

WARMACHINES ELVEN BOLT THROWER Range: 18” Weapon Value: x Damage: Special Special: Bolt Thrower Elven Bolt Throwers shoot large harpoon like missiles, designed to penetrate ranks and pierce armour. The weapon value of a bolt thrower is equal to the number of ranks the target unit has. No armour saves allowed.

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APPENDIX 2: UNDEAD ARMY LIST

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UNDEAD HORDES Undead Skeletons

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Command 4 12 10 10

Troop 4 10 10 10

Skeletons 4 1 1 1

Morale: Undead Armour: Light Armour (AV5) Weapon: A unit of Skeletons may be armed either with

Spears (Melee) or Hand Weapons (Melee). Rules: Champion, Standard, Musician, Shields Undead Revenants

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Command (10) 4 22 20 40

Troop (10) 4 20 20 40

Revenants 4 2 2 4

Morale: Undead Armour: Heavy Armour (AV4) Weapon: Cursed Blades (Melee) Rules: Champion, Standard, Musician, Shields

MORALE UNDEAD Morale Value: 6

ARMOUR HEAVY ARMOUR Armour value: 4

LIGHT ARMOUR Armour value: 5

WEAPONS CURSED BLADES Weapon Value: 1 Damage: 2 Special: No armour saves allowed

HAND WEAPON Weapon Value: x Damage: 1 Special: Parry A model may make an attempt to parry if wounded, made before armour saves are taken. Player rolls a D6: any 6s are discarded and do not count as wounds.

SPEAR Weapon Value: 1 Damage: 1 Special: The third rank may add their attacks to the Combat Roll.

EQUIPMENT STANDARD A unit’s standard counts as +1 wound when calculating the winner of a combat.

MUSICIAN Musicians add +1 to a unit’s morale value.

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UNDEAD HORDES Undead Ghouls

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Troop (10) 4 10 10 20

Troop (10) 4 1 1 2

Morale: Undead Armour: None Weapon: Teeth and Claws (Melee) Rules: Skirmish Undead Balefire Catapult

MOVE ATTACK DEFEND HP

Catapult x 75

Skeleton Crew 6 1 1 2

Morale: Undead Armour: None Weapon: Hand Weapons (Melee) Rules: Warmachine: Balefire Catapult

WEAPONS TEETH AND CLAWS Weapon Value: x Damage: 1 Special: Poison If a unit is wounded by a Ghoul troop, at the end of the phase both players roll a D6. The elf player suffers causalities for every point the ghoul player’s roll is higher, with no armour saves allowed. Nothing happens if the Elf player rolls higher.

WARMACHINES BALEFIRE CATAPULT Range: 24” Weapon Value: x Damage: Special Special: Balefire Catapult Undead Balefire Catapults hurl enchanted skulls that explode into rings of magical energy, killing those unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast. To fire the Catapult, mark a target that is in line of sight and within 24”. The player must roll a D6 (2D6 if this is the first turn firing it) and move the point directly forwards this distance in inches. This represents the unpredictable forward force on the catapult. Place a large circular template the size of a CD, with the central hole at the target point. Everything under this template is hit and must take an armour save, even friendly troops.