Missile combat rules
Situation
BS mod
Firing at a large target
+10
Sharpshooting
Firing at a “group”
+5 per
member
Firing at a moving target
Target is behind soft cover
Firing at a small target
Targeteer moving at
cautious rate
Firing in poor conditions
Throwing an improvised
weapon
Firing at long range
Firing at an evading target*
-10
Description
Target bigger than 8 feet: roof, haystack, sail, barn door,
giant, ogre, troll, etc.
The targeteer spends an entire round concentrating on his
target and the shot (not cumulative)
A “group” exists when 2 or more targets are less than 4
yards apart. Thus 2 targets = +5 BS, 7 targets = +30 BS
Target is moving but not consciously evading the targeteer
Target is partially hidden by long grass, undergrowth, trees
or in a group of 3 or less (e.g. a small fight)
Target of 1 yard: window, bale, barrel, sack, water skin, etc.
E.g. creeping along, from a trotting mount, on gentle waters
E.g. light rain, sprawled in the dirt, dangling from rope, etc.
Any object that wasn’t crafted to be thrown: chairs, tables,
flasks, torches, etc.
-10, -1 ES See weapon’s Missile Table for relevant ranges
See below
Target is partially hidden by stone or brickwork, walls,
Target is behind hard cover
battlements or in a group of 4 or more (e.g. a full battle)
Firing at a very small target
Target of 1 foot: body part, lantern, keg, flask, faggot, etc.
Targeteer moving at
-20
E.g. walking along, from a cantering mount, from rattling
standard rate
coach/wagon/cart/chariot, from a vessel on rough waters
Firing at a specific location
Targeteer aims for a specific part of the victim’s body
Firing in difficult conditions
E.g. driving rain, strong winds, poor light, etc.
Firing “off” hand
Aiming and firing a weapon using the secondary hand
Rapid fire
-20, -1 ES Doubles weapon’s rate of fire but only if it’s Load/Fire is 1
Firing at extreme range
-20, -2 ES See weapon’s Missile Table for relevant ranges
Targeteer moving at
E.g. running, from a galloping mount, from thundering
-30
running rate
coach/wagon/cart/chariot, from a vessel on stormy waters
Firing at a tiny target
-30
Target of 1 inch: arrow slit, rope, handheld object, strap, etc.
Panic fire
-30, -2 ES Triples weapon’s rate of fire but only if it’s Load/Fire is 1
*Evading targets are those running at full speed but which is also take evasive action by zigzagging.
This only occurs with creatures smart enough to evade (Int test if GM is unsure). An evading target
only travels 75% of the distance of one running at full tilt. However, in all other respects (e.g. suffering
Risk tests, enforced slowing each round due to fatigue, etc.) evasion counts as full running speed.
Firing into melee combat
If a character fires at a specific target in a group and misses, the projectile might hit another target:
1. Add +5 Ballistic Skill for every extra member in the group (see above Firing at a group)
2. If the dice roll falls within this extra margin, then the missile has hit another member of the group
3. The victim is randomly determined by rolling an appropriate dice
Effective Strength



For missile weapons, this is calculated using the weapon’s Strength plus any modifiers, e.g. range, AP
For melee weapons, apply the skill of the attack, i.e. the tens dice of the to hit roll (WS) plus any
weapon modifiers (armour piercing), e.g. a roll of 32 = a blow with an Effective Strength of 3
For grappling or natural weapons (tooth & claw), simply use the attacker’s Strength
Common rules
Task
Modifier
Very hard
-40
Test
result
Narrative
31+
Horrific
Hard
-30
Challenging
-20
Failed by
21-30
11-20
Terrible
Awful
1% stat increase vs. Career
Range
+1 → +10%
+11 → +20%
+21 → +30%
+31 → +40%
Within
10 XP
20 XP
30 XP
40 XP
Outside
20 XP
40 XP
60 XP
80 XP
Surprised!


Tricky
-10
Standard
-
1-10
Unlucky
0-9
Lucky
Simple
+10
Easy
+20
Passed by
10-19
20-29
Definite Stunning
Very Easy
+30
30+
Incredible
Armour
Type
Armor Points* Hindrance*^
1
Padded: Jerkin, Aketon
Maille (Chainmail)
2
Scale / Lamellar
3
-5 I & Dex
Brigandine
4
-5 I & Dex
5
-10 I & Dex
Plate / Cuirass
* Cumulative but 3 layers max ^ Per pair of limbs or head
Take-up actions
Suspicious characters lose 2 D10
Effective Initiative for the first round.
Unsuspecting victims must test their
Initiative. If they succeed, they are
stunned. Fail and they’re witless (prone).
Weapon size & type
Daggers & pistols
Hand weapons
2-h arms, shields & switching
Bows
Penalty
-10 I to draw & attack
-20 I to draw & attack
1 attack to draw/strap
1 round draw & string
“Ulric’s fury”
“Ranald’s curse”
Any strike that hits on a roll of a double (11, 22, 33, etc.)
indicates that the blow is remarkably devastating, i.e.
 If parried, it ruins the parrying weapon (improvised)
 If not parried, wounds & also damages armour (-1AP)
 If unarmoured, inflicts damage but also a +1 critical!
Doubles (00, 99, 88, etc.) rolled on an
unsuccessful to-hit test indicate that the
aggressor has fumbled the attack.
Depending on the weapon employed,
consult the relevant Fumble Table.
Injury summaries
Damage to arms & armour
W
≥4
2-3
0-1
<0
Shock
Description
Lightly wounded
Heavily wounded
Severely wounded
Critically wounded
Pain
Sore
Hurting
Agony
Numb
Impact
-1 / -10
-2 / -20
Critical Table
A weapon, shield or piece of armour is
significantly damaged (-1 AP) if it:
 Receives a blow from Ulric’s fury
 Takes a blow of 10 damage or more
 Parries a blow with Ulric’s fury,
i.e. attacker’s weapon is damaged
 Whenever damage exceeds a victim’s Toughness, there’s a risk of shock...
 The level of shock is determined by testing the victim’s Toughness – damage and checking this table:
Location
Passed
Failed
Horrific failure
Stunned
Knocked out!
Head*
Headache
(-20 to all tests for a few moments)
(prone for a few minutes)
Dead arm
Paralysed arm
Arm
Dull pain
(no attacks or parries with that arm)
(drops anything in that hand)
Gasping
Winded (loose all attacks)
Body
Bruised
(looses next attack)
& knocked back 3 feet
Dead leg
Collapses (-20 I) + Dex test
Leg
Twinge
(-10 I & -1 Mov)
to avoid dropping handheld item(s)
* Attackers skilled in Strike to Stun halve the penalty for targeting the head, i.e. -10 WS (instead of -20)
* This skill also means that their blows are more effective at stunning (victims suffer -10 to their T test)
Close combat rules
Situation
WS mod
Target is “prone”
+40
Overwhelming
+20
Charging
Extra
location
at will
+1 dmg
Winning
+10
+10 I
Flanking
-
Height
advantage
-
Obstacle
-10
Poor conditions
-1 dmg
Stunned
Targeting
-20
Difficult
conditions
-2 dmg
Terrible
conditions
-30
½ dmg
Description
Unsuspecting or immobile targets are considered far easier
to hit than those actively dodging, weaving and retaliating
Attacking a foe who is outnumbered 3 to 1
 Charging requires running at the target
 Bonuses are applicable to first strike only
 A charging character can parry but cannot dodge
When a fighter inflicts more damage than his opponent, he
gains a precious edge provided he advances by a few feet
Attacking a foe who is outnumbered 2 to 1
Attacking an opponent who is significantly lower:
E.g. victim is knocked down, attacker is mounted/upon a
table/ atop a flight of stairs/ upon higher ground, etc.
Opponents behind a hedge, wall, pillar or similar obstacle,
are harder to hit. In some cases they will be impossible to hit,
but this penalty assumes that combat is possible.
Circumstances where combat is hampered:
E.g. light rain, high winds, mud, snow, shallow water, etc.
Victim is shocked due to surprise, fear or head trauma
Striking a specific part of victim’s body (Strike to Injure = -10 WS)
Circumstances where combat is severely hampered:
E.g. ground fighting, driving rain, deep mud/snow/water,
gloomy, icy ground, dangling from ropes, etc.
Circumstances where movement and vision are hampered:
E.g. tunnels, underwater, total darkness, etc.
Unarmed combat
Proficiency
Unskilled
Street Fighting
Wrestling
I
-20
-20
-20
WS
-10
-
Parry
-30
-20
-20
Effect
D2 damage
D3 damage
Victim “grappled” on failed Dex test
Grappling
1. Once in a hold, both combatants are considered “prone”
2. Each round, both combatants roll Strength tests & consult this table:
Attacker Victim
Effect
Passed
Passed
Spirited deadlock
Passed
Failed
Wrestler throws, locks (D3W) or chokes victim (if head)
Failed
Passed
Victim breaks the hold and escapes
Failed
Failed
Clumsy stalemate
Parrying






All can parry but takes 1 attack (Spec. Wep. Parrying = +10 WS to off-hand)
When rolling, don’t forget the parry modifiers of the defender’s weapon
A successful parry deflects damage equal to the defender’s weapon
damage plus his Strength
Only exception is shields which parry D8 damage and +1 per DoS
Multiple parries are possible in the same round but only 1 per blow
Parrying with the “off-hand” incurs no penalty to Weapon Skill
Units of time
An instant
A few moments
Half a minute
A minute
A few minutes
Quarter of an hour
Half an hour
An hour
A few hours
Morning/afternoon
A day
A few days
A week
A few weeks
A month
A few months
A season
Half a year
A year
A few years
A decade
A lifetime
Combat stances
All-Out!
Offensive
Neutral
Guarded
Defensive
Attack
+20 WS
+10 WS
-10 WS
No
Parry
No
-20 WS
+10 WS
+20 WS
Dodge
No
-20 I
+10 I
+20 I
Dodging blows & thrown missiles




Unskilled fighters can dodge but it requires great focus (1 Attack) and remains challenging (-20 I)
Skilled fighters can dodge once per round for “free” and at all full Initiative
They can also dodge again but its costly (1 Attack) and increasingly difficult (I halved each time)
A successful dodge avoids all damage but it leaves the dodger on the back foot! (-10 I)
Feinting
1. Fighter attacks (1A) and seems to miss but in fact he’s trying to expose his target (opposed WS test)
2. If successful, his victim is now exposed, i.e. attacker’s next blow can neither be dodged nor parried
Disarming
1. A tricky (-10 WS) parry (full WS if skilled) is required to “catch” the opponent’s weapon
2. Then a tricky (-10) Dex test (full WS if skilled) is necessary to “flick” the victim’s weapon
3. Unless the victim passes a Dex test, his weapon is flung several (2D6) feet away in a (D8) direction
Recovering weapons
1. Nearby (less than 10 feet away) weapons/items can be recovered but it requires 1 Attack
2. Other actions are possible in the same round provided the character posses further attacks
3. For every foot the character has to reach for the weapon/item they suffer -10 I Effective Initiative
Fighting with 2 weapons



Attacks with the “off-hand” are possible provided the weapon is smaller than the main (exc. shields)
Off-hand attacks are challenging (-20 WS) unless Ambidextrous and/or specially trained (-10 WS)
Fighters thus trained (Spec. Weapon Dual Wield) gain an extra parry per round with the off-hand
Pushing back or “Shield charge”

Blocking manoeuvre (parry) that drives a victim back by [damage parried] feet in a chosen direction
Knocking down


A tackle is a tricky (-10 WS) unarmed attack that floors a victim unless they pass a Str – damage test
A trip has the same aim but uses a weapon and so is challenging (-20 WS), unless hooked (-10 WS)
The “Coup de Grace”
Proficiency
Unskilled
Strike Mighty Blow
WS
-10
-
Strength
+1
+1
Initiative
-20
-10
Fumble
+2
+1
Can strike
Once per turn
[Str] times per turn
Disengaging


When disengaging characters can only dodge and parry incoming blows, i.e. they cannot attack
Characters fighting a withdrawal from close combat, retreat at their Cautious rate
Routing



Fleeing is faster (Running rate) than disengaging but it offers each opponent a “free attack”
Should the victim possess the Flee skill, opponents only gain a “free attack” on a successful I test
Fleeing characters are unable to parry or dodge any attacks