Combat Rules

Combat

Much of the activity in Warband is done in combat encounters. Here, the members of the Warband fight their enemies on a battlefield. Fighting might not be the objective- the Warband may be trying to sneak away, find a certain object or many other sorts of things- but regardless, it is inevitable that the Warband will clash with foes and hopefully take them down before they themselves get removed.

At the start of combat, all combatants deploy their forces. Usually, all combatants deploy at the same time, their forces hidden from each other until revealed. The Initiative Order is then established: each character rolls a 1d10, and adds to that their Agility score. The characters are then sorted from top to bottom in order of highest initiative to lowest.

Sometimes, one force will gain an edge over the other before the start of combat. This is called Advantage, and often comes up as part of surprise attacks, ambushes or sudden betrayals. When one side has Advantage, they may deploy anywhere within 15 metres of the disadvantaged side's deployment zone. Furthermore, the disadvantaged side must deploy first and reveal its deployments, allowing the side with Advantage to see exactly where their enemies are before they deploy. They also reroll initiative and take the highest result.

Combat is divided into Turns. Each turn is furthermore divided into five phases: the Utility Phase, the Movement Phase, the Ranged Phase, the Melee Phase and the Aftermath. Each phase is performed in order, and at the end the combat ticks over into the next Turn and starts again at the Utility Phase.
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Utility Phase

The Utility Phase is at the start of each turn. The Utility Phase is most important to Spellcasters, who regain one spent Spell Die at the start of it. They can also cast as many Utility Spells as their Spell Dice permit during this phase, although no spell may be cast twice. Characters may act in any order during the Utility Phase.

Characters may also use the Utility Phase to change their Equipment around, use an item marked 'Utility' or perform the 'Brace' action.

A list of actions may be found here. There are no limits on the number of Utility actions which may be performed unless stated in the Description.
Name Description
Brace If you have a talent or item that lets you Brace, you can Brace. Bracing means you cannot move for the duration of this turn. However, any enemy who charges you this turn will gain no bonuses from charging.
Cast Utility Spell You cast a Spell marked 'Utility' on your spell list, following the usual rules for spellcasting. You may cast as many different spells as you like in this phase, so long as you have the Spell Dice to cast them and may cast no spell twice.
Channel Winds If you are a Spellcaster who did not cast any spells in the Utility phase, you can choose to channel the Winds of Magic instead. You regain an extra Spell Die, and may make a Spellcasting test; on a success, plus every 3 DoS, you regain one extra Spell Die.
Disengage If you are Engaged in Melee, you can leave Melee now, moving 1m away from any enemies adjacent to you. You lose a corresponding 1m off your max movement distance in the Movement Phase.
Dispel Spell in Play You may attempt to dispel a Spell that is already in play.
Encourage You may attempt to rally fleeing comrades and steel the nerves of those remaining. By passing a Fellowship test, all allies who can see or hear you take a +1 to any Morale tests made this turn, plus +1 per 3 DoS on your test.
Rally If you are Routing because you failed a Morale test, you may attempt to rally by passing another Morale test. On a success, you regain control of yourself. You take a -1 penalty to all tests for the rest of the turn, however. You may not rally if the closest other character to you is an enemy.
Rotate If you are Engaged in Melee, you can choose to rotate to face a different enemy (which affects Flanking modifiers).
Swap Equipment You can swap equipment around. Armour cannot be equipped (As it takes too long) but it can be removed.

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Movement Phase

In the Movement Phase, all characters may move. The order in which characters move depends on the Initiative Order.

Characters may perform one of the following actions in this Phase.
Name Description
Cast Movement Spell You cast a single Spell marked 'Utility' on your spell list, following the usual rules for spellcasting.
Charge You move a number of metres in a straight line towards the enemy equal to your Agility score. You have to move at least two metres. If you end your movement adjacent to the enemy, they are Engaged in Melee and may not move this turn. Furthermore, your Melee attacks this turn gain a +1 to hit and +1 to damage. Characters who charged go first in the Melee Phase.
Climb You climb a vertical surface, up to a number of metres equal to your Agility score halved. For ladders and other tools meant for climbing, this is an easy activity, but if it is a difficult surface to climb (eg. A cliff-face, a wall) you may have to pass a Strength or Agility test with possible penalties. Failing this test means you do not move at all, whilst failing it with 3+ DoF means you fell; you take Falling Damage based on how high you were when you fell.
Jump You jump across a gap, either horizontally or vertically. The distance covered can be no longer than your Agility score in metres. You make an Agility test. If you fail the test, you reduce the distance you moved by 1 metre for every 2 DoF (thus if you have an Agility of 6 and rolled an 8, you move only 5 metres), potentially resulting in Falling Damage.
Move Basic movement action. You move a number of metres in any direction equal to your Agility score.
Prone You throw yourself to the ground for the duration of the turn, rising automatically at the start of the next turn. You gain a +1 bonus to Defense tests against Ranged attacks, but you yourself may not make any Ranged attacks, and take a -2 penalty to Melee to-hit tests. You may not parry.
Sprint You move a number of metres in any direction equal to three times your Agility score. However, you may not make any Attacks this turn.

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Ranged Phase

In the Ranged Phase, any character who possesses a ranged weapon may make an attack with that weapon against any valid target. The order in which characters shoot depends on the Initiative Order. Characters who are Engaged in Melee may not make Ranged Phase actions, unless it is with a weapon or spell marked 'Melee-Safe'.

Characters may perform one of the following actions in this Phase.
Name Description
Cast Ranged Spell You cast a single Spell marked 'Ranged' on your spell list, following the usual rules for spellcasting.
Shoot You attack a target with your ranged weapon(s), making as many attacks as you wish up to the limit your weapons allow. Any attacks not used this Phase may be used to make melee attacks.
Stand and Shoot If you were charged in the Movement Phase before you had a chance to move, you may make a Stand and Shoot action, which works just like a normal Ranged Attack, except you can use non Melee-Safe weapons, and you possess a -1 penalty to the to-Hit test.

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Melee Phase

In the Melee Phase, any character who is in melee can make an attack against any valid target. The order in which characters attack depends on the Initiative Order. However, any characters who Charged have their turns pushed to the top of the order (unless they charged a Braced target).

Characters may perform one of the following actions in this Phase.
Name Description
Melee Attack You attack a target with a melee weapon, making as many attacks as your Attack Score will allow.
Cast Melee Spell You cast a single Spell marked 'Melee' on your spell list, following the usual rules for spellcasting.

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Aftermath

This phase is concerned with wrapping up the rest of the turn. Any ongoing effects (eg. Spells, environmental hazards, ailments) that have a duration measured in turns ticks down by one: if it ticks to 0, then it ends.

This phase is also when characters may have to make Morale tests. A Morale test is simply a Willpower test, but the results of failure can be catastrophic.

When a character fails a Morale test, they instantly Rout, moving up to twice their Agility score away from the nearest visible enemy. They keep doing this so long as they are Routing. Routing characters can make no attacks or perform any Utility actions except 'Rally'. If a Character was Engaged in Melee when they Routed, all enemy characters in Melee with them may make a single melee attack against them, which always counts as a Flanking Melee Attack.

When a Morale test is triggered depends on the nature of the character (Hero or Henchman), and when certain events occur. The list is below. Once exposed to a trigger, the character ignores that trigger for the rest of the encounter unless the trigger is explicitly marked as repeating.

Heroes have to make a Morale test if…

  • The Warband's Chief is incapacitated or Routing.
  • The Hero is being flanked and is on 0 wounds.
  • The Hero is the last Hero standing.
  • They have just been charged by an enemy with the "Terrifying" trait.

Henchmen have to make a Morale test if…

  • The Warband's Chief is incapacitated or Routing.
  • Each time a Hero is incapacitated.
  • There are no Heroes left (Repeating each turn).
  • They have just been charged by an enemy with the "Terrifying" trait.

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Attacks

This section deals with the rules on how to make attacks against enemies- a no doubt fundamental part of combat!

There are two types of attacks: Ranged Attacks and Melee Attacks. They both operate similarly, with a few key differences.

Melee Attacks

Melee attacks are made using a melee weapon against an enemy in range (which is almost always adjacent). It usually consists of three separate rolls: a to-Hit roll, a Damage roll and a Defense save; occasionally there might be a 4th roll, known as a Ward Save.

  • The to-Hit roll is first. The attacking character makes one Melee test for every attack they are making. Every test that passes is a confirmed hit. Rolls of 1 are Critical Hits (see 'Special Circumstances').
  • The Damage roll is next. The attacking character makes one Strength test for every confirmed hit. Every test that passes is a wound.
  • The Defense save is next; unlike the first two, it is performed by the target character(s). For each wound, the character makes a Defense test, which is usually testing against your Toughness score plus your Armour score. If the character has a weapon with the 'Parry' special, then they can test Melee+Armour instead (a 'Parry save'). Every test that passes negates a single wound.
  • Lastly is the Ward Save. Ward saves are just like a Defense save, except they use the character's Ward value. Every test that passes negates a single wound. Essentially, Ward gives you a 'second chance' to negate a hit, and are rarely penalised.
  • Any wounds left over that have not been saved against by the Defense and Ward rolls are confirmed wounds, and the character reduces their Wound count by that amount. If this pushes the character to 0, then they must make Injury rolls (see below).

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Ranged Attacks

Ranged Attacks are very similar to melee attacks. However, they're a lot more dependent on the weapon's values rather than that of the user.

Firstly: the ranged weapon a character uses will have two values worth noting: a Strength value and an Attack Limit. Strength value is used to determine if the weapon deals damage. Attack Limit says how many attacks can be made with this weapon as a maximum per turn; so if you have an Attack 2 weapon, but possess 3 Attacks, you may only perform 2 Attacks with the weapon per turn. However, if you have an Attack 2 weapon but possess 1 Attack, you can still only perform 1 Attack.

Ranged attacks are made using a ranged weapon against an enemy in range (noted on the weapon profile). It usually consists of three separate rolls: a to-Hit roll, a Damage roll and a Defense save; occasionally there might be a 4th roll, known as a Ward Save.

  • The to-Hit roll is first. The attacking character makes one Ranged test for every attack they are making. Every test that passes is a confirmed hit. Rolls of 1 are Critical Hits (see 'Special Circumstances').
  • The Damage roll is next. The attacking character makes one Strength test for every confirmed hit, using the Strength value of the weapon and not themselves. Every test that passes is a wound.
  • The Defense save is next; unlike the first two, it is performed by the target character(s). For each wound, the character makes a Defense test, which may be be Toughness+Armour or Melee+Armour. Every test that passes negates a single wound.
  • Lastly is the Ward Save. Ward saves are just like a Defense save, except they use the character's Ward value. Every test that passes negates a single wound. Essentially, Ward gives you a 'second chance' to negate a hit, and are rarely penalised.
  • Any wounds left over that have not been saved against by the Defense and Ward rolls are confirmed wounds, and the character reduces their Wound count by that amount. If this pushes the character to 0, then they must make Injury rolls (see below).

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Special Rules

Not all attacks act in the same way, and many have special rules. The most common are outlined here.

  • Wave Attacks. Some attacks emit a wave of attacks- for example a dragon's breath. Wave attacks are a Ranged Attack, but do not roll to-hit. Instead, they cover a 30 degree arc in the direction of fire, up to the range listed. Anything within that area of effect is immediately struck.
  • Blast Attacks. Blast attacks have an area of effect when they hit. Weapons marked as 'Blast x' affect everything within x metres of the attack as well.
  • Fire Attacks. Attacks that use fire to deal damage are not uncommon, whether they be burning arrows or the breath of dragons. Fire attacks deal an extra wound to Flammable targets, and characters hit with Fire attacks may not use the Regeneration trait to save against them.
  • Magical Attacks. Attacks that are magical can strike Ethereal enemies and usually have other benefits.
  • Poisoned Attacks. Attacks that are poisoned automatically wound on Critical Hits (rolled a 1 on a to-hit roll).

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Special Circumstances

There are some special circumstances for attacks that modify their tests or have special rules. These are listed below.

All Attacks:

  • High Ground. Attacks against enemies at a lower elevation gain a +1 to-Hit modifier.
  • Overkill. Certain attacks are so deadly that any hit by them is simply wiped out. If a character is hit and wounded with a weapon that has a Strength value higher than twice their Toughness, they are instantly incapacitated, no Defense roll allowed (although Ward saves are permitted).
  • Critical Hits. Characters who roll a 1 with an attack not only automatically hit, but deal an extra wound with that hit, which must be saved separately. If it reduces the target to 0 wounds, they add +2 to their Injury roll.

Melee Attacks:

  • Flanking. Characters do not usually have 'directions' in which they face, unless they are Engaged in Melee, in which case they are locked into facing the first enemy who engaged them (until they can Rotate in the Utility Phase). Attacks against these characters' backs are 'Flanking attacks' and carry these bonuses: the target cannot use Melee as part of their Defense roll against the attack, and they gain no bonuses from Shields.
  • Charging. Characters who charged into melee as part of their Movement Phase gain a +1 to-hit and damage modifier during that turn only.

Ranged Attacks:

  • Volley. Some ranged weapons, such as bows, allow for a volley attack, shooting over walls and other obstacles and letting the missile's arc carry it to their enemies. Volley attacks in this way can shoot over obstacles, but take a -2 to-hit modifier.
  • Shooting into Melee. Shooting at characters who are Engaged in Melee takes a -2 to-hit modifier.
  • Cover. Shooting at characters who are in some form of cover takes a -1 to-hit modifier.

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Injury Rolls

Heroes and Henchmen whose wounds drop to 0 during an encounter must immediately make an 'Injury roll'. This is a 1d10, with three outcomes.

  • 1-4: Knocked down. The character is knocked flat by the force of the blow. If the character is on an edge (eg. The very edge of a cliff, building) they must pass a subsequent agility test or fall off the edge. The character must expend their Movement action to rise in the next turn (and thus may not move). If they do not, they count as prone. Melee attacks against knocked down targets automatically hit. If the character suffers at least one wound whilst knocked down, they become stunned.
  • 5-7: Stunned. The character is stunned by the force of the blow, and knocked flat. They risk falling from edges, as above. The character may do nothing at all during their next turn, and may not make Parry saves. During the Aftermath of the next turn, the character stops being Stunned and becomes knocked down instead (but do not have to roll to fall off edges). Melee attacks against stunned enemies automatically hit and wound (defense saves permitted). If the character suffers at least one wound whilst stunned, they become incapacitated.
  • 8-10: Incapacitated. The character is out of action for the rest of the battle. They may be injured, unconscious or dead. They follow the rules for 'Incapacitated Incidents' below.

Incapacitated Incidents

In the aftermath of the battle, every character in the Warband who was incapacitated must work out any lasting effects from this. How this is treated depends on the type of character.

An incapacitated Henchman rolls a 1d10. On a roll of 1-8, the Henchman's injuries are not life threatening and they are ready to work at the start of the next Chapter. On a roll of 9-10, the injuries are severe enough that the Henchman is no longer able to fight. They may be dead or crippled, or so traumatised that they leave, but either way, they are no use to the Warband in a fight anymore.

Incapacitated Heroes roll a 1d10, and compare the result to the Incident Table below.

A character may choose to 'burn' a Fate Point. They skip this step (essentially, they take no lasting injuries or results) but their Fate Point pool is permanently reduced by one.

  • Incident Table
Roll Name Effect
1 Minor Injury The effects are minor- at worst the character was knocked unconscious. They suffer no ill effects and are ready to go next Chapter.
2 Weakened The character is weaker than normal. They reduce their Strength score by 1 until the end of the next Chapter.
3 Disorientated The character is experiencing a long period of disorientation and has trouble focusing. They reduce their Melee and Ranged scores by 1 until the end of the next Chapter.
4 Hobbled The character suffered a nasty leg injury. The damage isn't permanent but it still leaves them hobbling for the short term. They reduce their Agility score by 1 until the end of the next Chapter.
5 Frightened The character is physically fine, but the experience has left them traumatised. They reroll all Willpower tests next Chapter and take the worst result.
6 Fatigued The character is physically fatigued, and less able to take harm. They reduce their Toughness and Wound scores by 1 (to a minimum of 1) until the end of the next Chapter.
7 Confused The character has been knocked senseless, and whilst they'll recover eventually, in the short term they are erratic and unreliable. They reduce their Insight score by 1, and gain the Stupidity trait until the end of the next Chapter.
8 Humiliated The character has not been injured, at least physically, but the injury is humiliating. Perhaps it is embarrassing or somehow, tales of it have been spread and distorted in the telling. They reduce their Fellowship score by 1, and automatically reduce all DoS from Fellowship tests by 2 until the end of the next Chapter.
9 Long Term The character's injuries are extensive. They reroll on this chart, and on a result of 1-8, suffer that result for two Chapters instead of one.
10 Severe Incident The character has been permanently marked by the incident. Roll a 1d10 on the Severe Incident table and take that result.
  • Severe Incident Table
Roll Name Effect
1 From the Fires The character recovers… In fact they seem stronger than ever, as though some holy force has infused them with might- or their brush with death has refocused the mind. They gain a Fate Point.
2 Enmity The character is consumed with a bitter hatred for the one who hurt them. They gain the 'Hatred' trait, with the target being anyone belonging to the individual who hurt them, as well as their own personal Warband and/or Faction.
3 Hardened The character survives the harrowing journey… And are stronger for it. They gain the 'Fearless' trait.
4 Scarred The character is physically scarred, making them appear grisly and intimidating. They take a permanent -1 penalty to all non-combat Fellowship tests, but gain the 'Fear' trait.
5 Major Wound The character is severely injured, and cannot participate in combat for 1d5 Chapters.
6 Robbed The character is unharmed, but roll a 1d5; they lose this many random pieces of equipment.
7 Limb Injury The character suffers a severe injury to a leg or the arm. Roll a 1d10; on a 1-5, the leg is injured, resulting in a permanent -1 loss to Agility; on a 6-9, the arm is injured, resulting in a permanent -1 loss to Melee. On a roll of 10, an arm or hand must be amputated, inflicting the permanent -1 loss to Melee, but also giving the character a single hand to use from now on.
8 Blinded The character loses all sight in one of their eyes. This reduces their Ranged score by 1 permanently. A character who suffers this result twice is totally blind. Their Ranged score becomes 0, they take a -1 to Melee, and reroll all Agility tests and take the worst result.
9 Captured The character- and all of their gear- has been captured by the enemy. They are at their mercy now. Depending on their captors, the character can expect to be ransomed, tortured, or executed.
10 Dead The character dies. Their equipment may be salvaged if the Warband won, but otherwise it is lost with the dead.

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