FAST PLAY RULES FOR SATANICALLY LARGE FANTASY BATTLES

 

 

 

ZAPP! - Thou Art Slain!

FAST PLAY RULES FOR LARGE FANTASY BATTLES

All units are made up of a number of bases representing troop formations.

Units have a single number allocated to them, representing training & morale. This number is referred to as the Universal Value (UV).

The UV is reached by adding up the total bases in the unit and modifying as below. As hits are taken the number is reduced accordingly. Humans, and other similarly ‘civilised’ races use 4-figure bases, whilst tribal troops and less organised races such as Orcs and Goblins use 6-figure bases as do Undead. All cavalry use bases of 3 models. If you don’t use element bases, then simply total up the models in a unit, divide by the relevant number, disregarding any partial numbers. Undead infantry are always 6 figure bases.

Units smaller than humans reduce this number by1,
Units larger than humans (up to 10 feet tall) add 1 to this number.
Undead units add two to this number.
Large monsters such as Dragons or Giants add 6.
Units with shields add 1
Units with armour other than plate add 1
Units with plate armour add 2
Cavalry add 1
Units with naturally tough skin, (such as lizardmen) add 1

The final total is the starting UV for the unit. Record the staring UV and make a note of both 50% of the UV 20% of UV (rounding up in both cases).

When a unit reaches the 50% figure, it becomes ‘shaken’.  

When a unit reaches the 20% figure it is removed from play.

Undead units never become ‘shaken’ but upon reaching 30% of UV (rounding up) are removed as the bonds to the material plane weaken.

Shaken Units may not charge other units and may not advance closer than 6 inches to an enemy unit. They roll half as many dice (rounded up) when calculating missile fire or if they engaged.


HEROES


Champions are exceptional fighters but not of legendary status. They  must be attached to a unit and grant it +2 to it’s UV

Mighty Heroes are legendary warriors and fight alone. They have a UV of 6.

Wizards are equally legendary characters, famed for their mystic powers. They are considered to be ‘tooled up’ but are not warriors. They to must stand alone and have a UV of 3.

Clerics are again, individuals of legendary stature. They are more martial than Wizards, but have less combat oriented spells. They too are treated as individuals and have a UV of 4.


'I THINK NOT' COUNTERS

Each player rolls 1D6+4 and sets aside a pool of ‘I Think Not’ counters equal to that roll.  Think of these as an abstract form of command and control or nullifying magics, which can be used to interrupt the flow of the battle.

They may be used to reverse the initiative result at the beginning of a turn.

They may be used to prevent the loss of UV from shooting or melee.

They may negate a spell.

They may allow or force the re-rolling of any die.

They may be used to counter another ITN.

They may be used to stop a unit moving into base to base combat and initiating melee.



TURN SEQUENCE

Roll 2D6 per side to establish initiative - highest roll is ‘Active’ player for the turn.

At this point the ‘I Think Not’ counters may be played to reverse the result, starting with the loser of the initiative roll. You may use I.T.N counters to counter I.T.N until one player concedes or they are used up. Use them wisely because once used, they are out of the game.

Active player casts any spells
Passive player casts any spells
Active player moves
Active Player shoots and calculates casualties
Passive player shoots and calculates casualties
Active Player calculates melees and casualties are applied
Passive player calculates melees and casualties are applied
Establish if any units are routed on either side
Both players move routed troops and rally previously routed troops if possible



MOVEMENT

Infantry 2D6
Cavalry and large monsters 3D6
Flying units move 3D6 but only 2D6 if they take off or land that turn and may fly over any vertical obstacle.
Artillery may not be moved once placed, with the exception that it may pivot by 45 degrees, but does not fire during the turn it does so.

Shaken units must re-roll the highest die

Undead units must re-roll the highest die

Skirmishing units may re-roll the lowest die (Light troops must be announced at the start of battle and may not use armour other than a shield)

Heavy infantry, heavy cavalry and large monsters must re-roll the highest die

Linear obstacles take a full turn to cross. A unit must stop when it contacts a linear obstacle, and will take the next full movement face to cross and reform on the other side. Fordable rivers are treated as linear obstacles.

Woods may only be entered by infantry (except those armed with pike) and movement is reduced to 1D6.

Bogs and marshes reduce movement of all units by 1D. So for example, infantry will only move 1D6  whilst in a marsh with no re-rolls from ITN tokens. Units must move in a single direction once in a marsh or bog.

Units consisting of more than 6 bases or large monsters may ‘drift’ left or right by up by 2 per move phase. They are large and cumbersome, being essentially ‘point and fire’ units.

Units of 6 bases or less may wheel up to 45 degrees before moving.

Light infantry cavalry may wheel up to 90 degrees at any point during their move as long as they do not exceed 6 bases

Bodies of friendly troops may interpenetrate each other unless either body is large monster. BOTH bodies lose one 1UV in doing so.



SHOOTING

Bow armed troops may move and fire , crossbows may not fire if they have moved in the same turn. Large monsters with breath weapons may move and ’shoot’.

The active player may fire with any missile troops by rolling a number of D6 equal to the UV of the unit, modified as follows:

Long range -2D
Target in light cover -1D
Target in hard cover -2D
Target is 3 or more bases deep +1D
Firer moved -1D
Light artillery 3D per model
Medium artillery or breath weapon 4D per model
Heavy Artillery 6D per model
Firers using crossbows +1D

Pavise armed troops count as in light cover in the open  and as heavy armoured for the purposes of hit allocation.

A hit is scored for every result of 5 or 6, unless the target is heavily armoured in which case only rolls of 6 are counted.

Every hit reduces the UV of the target Unit

Any unit armed with missile weapons, including artillery which rolls more 1s than hits, is deemed to be low on ammunition, and all future firing uses half the number of dice. You only halve the number of dice once, so successive misses do not further deplete the dice roll.

Any artillery piece or creature with a breath weapon which rolls all ‘1s’ has had a major mishap and is removed from play.

An artillery piece or creature with a breath weapon which throws entirely ‘6s’ wipes out the target unit entirely.


Ranges

Light artillery and breath weapons: S 0-12 L 13-24
Medium artillery: S 0-18 L 17-36
Heavy artillery: S 0-24  L 25-48
Bows: S 0-18 L 17 - 36
Crossbows: S 0-16  L 17-32
Firearms: S 0-16  L 17-32



MELEE

Melee is initiated when a unit moves into base to base contact with an enemy unit. The moving player must clearly announce his intention to move into contact, and the opposing player may decide to use an ‘I Think Not’ counter, forcing the attacker to stop 6 inches from the target unit. Both sides fight during the melee phase.

Roll a D6 equal to the rating of the unit, modified as follows:

Attacker is pike armed +2D
Attacker is in close order +1D
Attacker is swordsmen Versus pike +2D
Attacker is swordsmen versus other pole arms -1D
Fighting over linear obstacle - 1D
Attacker is lance armed cavalry in first turn of combat +3D
Attacker has bill or similar heavy cutting pole arm +1D
Attacker is in skirmish formation -1D
Target is in skirmish formation -1D
Targets are carrying shields -1D
Target is large monster +1D
Target is skirmishers -1D


Pavise armed troops count as being behind a linear obstacle in the open  and as heavy armoured for the purposes of hit allocation.

A hit is scored for every result of 5 or 6, unless the target is heavily armoured in which case only rolls of 6 are counted.

Every hit reduces the UV of the target unit.

Large Monsters and units led by heroes may re-roll any rolls of 1 or 2 once per melee round.

Artillery contacted in melee, is considered to have been overrun and abandoned and plays no further pat in the game. Simply turn the models around.



ROUTS

If a Unit suffers hits of more than 50% (rounded up) than an opponent in a round of melee it routs in the rout phase. A routing unit moves directly away from it’s opponent, re-rolling the lowest movement dice. In addition it’s UV is reduced to the 50% value and it becomes shaken.

If a unit suffers 4 or more hits in a single round of missile fire, it routs. A routing unit moves directly away from it’s opponent, re-rolling the lowest movement dice. In addition it’s UV is reduced to the 50% value and it becomes shaken.

Routed units will spend the following turn rallying before being able to return to the fight.

Bodies of routing troops may interpenetrate friendly units. The interpenetrated body reduces its UV by 2 as a result.



ROUSING SPEECHES

An army general or a passing Hero (this does not include Champions) , may seek to inspire units, and in doing so increase their UV (never above the starting value). A general within 6 inches may attempt a rousing speech by rolling 1D6:

1 - WHOOPS! The speech flops, and instead of inspiring the troops, they are further demoralised and lose 1UV
2 - No effect
3 - No effect
4 - Recover 1 UV
5 - Recover 1 UV
6+ - Recover 2 UV

If the speech giver is the army general, add 1 to the roll.



MAGIC

There are two types of spell caster, namely Wizards and Clerics, each with their own spells

Wizards have a wide range of destructive spells but are less able in combat than Clerics. Clerics are a little more capable ‘close up and dirty’ but tend to have spells which are protective or preventive.


Wizards have 2D6 spells and may choose freely from the the Wizard Spells list. They may not take the same spell more than three times

Clerics Have 1D6+1 Spells



WIZARD SPELLS:


Mystic Barrage

Range 24

The Wizard unleashes 1D6+2 magically created missiles which cause a hit on a roll of 6 with no modification to the roll. If all hit successfully, the wizard retains the spell in his head and it may be cast again, later in the game.


Flight

The Wizard gains the ability to fly and retains this ability until the owning player ceases to be the ‘Active player’ or until the Wizard casts a new spell.


Teleport

The caster immediately teleports anywhere on the battlefield, but may not appear closer than 6 inches from any unit (friend or foe) or table edge. Roll 1D6 and if the result is a 1, the spell has gone horribly wrong and the caster is removed from play.


Mystic Wall

Range 30

The caster creates a shimmering wall of magic around a target unit, not engaged in combat. That unit cannot be shot at or engaged in combat for this turn. The target unit may not move, shoot or fight.


Mystic Gale

Range 36

The caster creates a tremendous blast of air which prevents one target unit from using missile weapons during this turn.


Ring Of Fire

Range 18

The caster summons a ring of fire around a target unit. For the remainder of the turn the unit may move and may use missile weapons, but cannot engage with or be engaged by enemy units.


Create Bog

Range 24

The caster creates a bog, between 6x6 and 12x12 in area. It may only be cast on a visible point and may not be cast so that any unit is within it’s area.


Drain Swamp

Range 24

The caster may magically dry out an area of marsh or bog up to 12x12.


Animate Forest

Range 18

The caster animates the trees of a wooded area within, creating a single large monster made of logs, branches and foliage. The player rolls 1d6 and if a the result is 2-6 he must nominate an enemy character or unit to be the single-minded focus of the tree creature, which must move towards and attempt to attack that target. On a roll of 1, the spell has gone awry and the creature focuses it’s wrath upon it’s creator, the opposing player taking control of it. Once the target unit or character is either destroyed or leaves the table, the creature is removed and a 4x4 inch wooded area replaces it.


Animate Weapon

The caster enchants his weapon which leaps from their hand and floats protectively close to it’s owner, darting towards any unit of character which tries to engage the caster in melee. It has a UV of 4 and may not move, but is placed in front of the caster and remains active until destroyed or until the wizard casts a new spell. It never becomes shaken, nor will it rout.



 Wall Of Thorns

Range 12

The caster creates a wall of black and shining thorns, 12 inches in length, which remains in play and is classed as a light cover for the rest of the game, and is impassable save by flyers.



Thunder Clap

Range 36

The caster targets any opposing unit within range and creates a thunderous noise in the minds of those it affects, stunning and disorientating them. That unit may do nothing for the rest of the turn, and on the roll of a 6 on 1D6 loses 1 point of UV



Spirit Duel

Range 12

The caster selects an enemy Hero, Wizard or Cleric and engages them in spirit combat on the ethereal plane. To observers, both those engaged appear to shimmer with energy, and they may not be targeted or engaged, nor may they do anything themselves during the combat. Treat the characters as in melee, and both are locked in a struggle, which will be worked out during every melee phase until one is destroyed. Neither is subject to the rules for routing, but will become shaken as they weaken. The final winner will gain 1UV (but not more than their UV at the start of the game) and may carry on as normal in the next turn.


Living Nightmare

Range 18

The wizard targets an enemy unit which takes no damage, but will count as shaken for the rest of the game as the members of that unit are mentally bombarded with horrific visions, memories of traumatic times in their live and an unshakeable sense of their own mortality.


Call To The Dead

Range 12

The caster summons a unit of Undead infantry with a UV of 1D6+2 (1-6 bases plus the +2 Undead bonus). They are unarmoured. When casting, the player rolls 1D6 and if a ‘1’ is rolled, the wizard is removed from play as the ground opens beneath their feet and a thousand clawing, undead hands, drag them to the underworld.


Remove Barrier

Range 24

The caster causes a a breach in any vertical linear obstacle, wide enough for two bases of any troop type to move through, unhindered.



CLERIC SPELLS:


Part Water

Range 24

The caster causes a river or stream to part, wide enough for two bases of any troop type to move through unhindered. The water remains parted until the cleric casts another spell.


Healing Hands

Range 0

The caster must be in base to base contact with a unit or individual to use this spell. The unit regains 1D3 UV up to it’s initial UV.


Voice Of God

Range 18

A booming voice sounds from the sky, encouraging the target unit to greater glory. Treat the effect as a ‘Rousing Speech’ with a +1 modifier


So Perish All Witches

Range 18

The cleric targets an enemy wizard, who may not cast any spells until the cleric casts a new spell or is removed from play.


Get Thee To Hell

Range 12

The cleric dispels (removes from play) one undead unit. Upon casting he rolls 1D6 and on a 1 he is drawn into the netherworld with the unit.


Blessed Aura

Range 18

A golden aura surrounds the target, radiating life and hope. No undead units may attack the target in any way. A unit with Blessed Aura which moves into combat with an undead unit, instead causes it to immediately retreat 6 inches. If the target unit does attempt to move into combat in this way, the aura is dispelled after the undead unit is moved backwards.


God Speed

Range 18

A gigantic hand scoops up a friendly unit and immediately moves it up to 18 inches forwards ignoring all terrain. The unit may not however move closer than 6 inches from an enemy unit.


Finger Of God

Range 36

A gigantic hand, finger pointing speeds across the battlefield towards an enemy character. The caster rolls 3D6 with each 5 roll of 5+ reducing the target UV by 1. On a roll of three 6s, the target is killed outright.


Windmill Of The Gods

Range 24

A giant hand appears and sweeps the target unit 12 inches left or right. If this causes the unit to interpenetrate another unit,  unless either body is large monster, BOTH bodies lose one 1UV as they struggle free of each other. The unit stops if this happens and is placed 1 inch away from the unit it collided with.


Halt

Range 18

A gigantic hand appears in front of a friendly unit, palm outwards in warning. No enemy unit may advance closer than 6 inches from this unit this turn. Units already within 6 inches may not move at all this turn.


Take Heart

Range 18

This spell will remove the ‘shaken’ status from a target unit. No UV is regained, but the unit simply disregards the shaken result. It will however be removed if it reaches the 20%/30% threshold as normal. This spell does not counter the effects of the Living Nightmare spell.


Blessing

Range 0

The caster must be in base to base contact with the target. This spell lifts the effects of the Living Nightmare spell.


Copyright: Mark Hides 2022 -2023