RAVENFEAST
ONE PAGE FANTASY SKIRMISH
MODIFIED FOR NORSE SAGAS
 

Things that Work for Me

Basing - Infantry on 1" squares, cavalry on 1" x 2" bases, with bigger monsters on 2" squares. Really big figures can be mounted on any size base as long as it's rectangular and all its sides are measured in full inches. A 1" square is also big enough to accommodate most of the bizarrely posed or heroically sculpted 28mm human infantry scale fantasy figures. You know: the guys who look like they're surfing with their leg spread impossibly or uncomfortably apart.

Facing - Square and rectangular bases make it easier to determine facing. Pick one of the four sides as FRONT. Ideally the figure should be facing that way, have its weapon pointed in that direction, walking that direction or have some other visual cue. In the case of bizarrely posed or heroically sculpted 28mm human infantry scale fantasy figures: paint the front edge of the base some distinguishing color. The side opposite of it is the REAR. Done. Look at the diagram below.

The any figure that is in the red part may be attacked by the figure in the middle - be it Melee or Shooting or casting Magic Spells. However, it may not attack any figures to its rear.  

Ranges - All ranges are measured from the edge of the base of the attacker to the edge of the base of the defender.

Rules Interpretation

2. Movement

All the player's figures may move through each other. This is called "friendly interpenetration". Allied and enemy figures must be moved around.

Once a figure is in base-to-base contact with an opponent's figure: both figures are considered to be in Melee (step 5 of the turn sequence) and they immediately forfeit any Movement they may have had left and may not perform Shooting attacks or cast Magic Spells. If one figure has multiple attackers in base-to-base contact, the defender gets to decide which figure it is facing. If a figure has at least one attacker on each of its four sides - or in the case of larger bases, at least 50% of each side of its base in contact with enemy bases - it may not withdraw from Melee.

If a figure willingly withdraws from melee, all attacking figures get a free attack against it. Figures that are Teleported out of melee or flee due to a morale check do not count as withdrawn, so the attackers do not get a free attack.

3. Magic

A Wizard may move up to half its Movement and still cast its spell(s), or  make a Shooting attack. A Wizard may either perform a Melee attack, or a Shooting attack or cast a spell during the same turn. Even though each happens in a different part of the turn, a figure cannot do more than one of these in the same turn.

Teleport - teleporting an enemy figure off the table edge counts as a kill, and is removed from play.

4. Shooting

Any figure will block Line of Sight. Heroes, Wizards and Leaders may only be shot at if they are the closest target.

5. Melee

~ Optional Rules ~

Melee Modifiers

-1 to Melee to attack uphill (never below a "1"), but Shooting up hill as normal

No modifier for Attacking down hill, but Shooting down hill is +1 (never over a "5").

Death Worthy of a Song

If attacker hits in either Melee or Shooting with a "1" and defender fails his armor save with w "6", then the defender has been split asunder, decapitated or otherwise killed in a truly horrifying manner. All figures of the defender’s army within 3" must make a Morale check.

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Shieldwall

At least 3 Infantry figures with shields may form a shieldwall. Move the figures next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, and all facing the same way. Declaring them a shield wall ends their movement for that turn. All members of the shield wall get +2 to their Armour (up to a maximum of 5) against any attacks from the front.

Figures in a shieldwall can only move at half their Movement, and only straight forward or straight back (no turning or wheeling), and never through rough terrain or over any obstacles, though it may reverse it’s facing if it does not make any other movement. Members of a shield wall may not perform any Shooting attacks or cast spells. Flyers may not form a shield wall.

Figures in the front rank of a shieldwall must attack the enemy figure directly in front of it. If it has a second or third attack it may target another figure within range after the one in front of it was attacked. 

Infantry armed with spears in the second row of a shieldwall may attack the enemy’s front rank. They count as in melee, so archers cannot shoot at them, but do not get attacked nor free hacked by the first rank of the enemey’s shieldwall. Figures in the second row of a shield wall that are not attacking with spears may be shot at if the archers have line of sight. Any shooting or melee attack tageting a shieldwall's rear does not get the +2 Armour bonus.

A shield wall is broken when there are less than 3 figures contiguous to each other. If a figure was killed and removed from play from the front rank, then a new figure - if available - may move in and fill the gap during that player's Movement. A player may voluntarily dissolve a shield wall at the beginning of his Movement phase, with all figures behaving normally after, but cannot use those figures to form another shield wall in the same turn. Keep in mind that a shield wall is a tempting target for Wizards, as spells like Fireball or Paranoia could cause all sorts of mayhem.

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Alternate Shooting Values
Based on Range

Idea: if a Shooting Skill of 3 at a maximum range of 18” costs 9 points, then shouldn’t a Shooting Skill of 3 at a maximum range of 1/3 of that cost 1/3 as much?

This is another completely optional variation that hopefully will allow for better representation of how you think your little painted people on the tabletop should behave and permits a bit more flexibility in troop design without thoroughly upsetting the balance.

6” range for throwing weapons used by most human-sized warriors: javelins, darts, chakram, throwing knives or axes.

12” range for atlatl or light bows.

18” range is standard for all missile weapons in this game.

Keep in mind that these are just suggestions and they ain’t canon. Stat ‘em as you see fit within the framework of the rules. By the way: all of the troop lists shown in the OPFS section are for the standard (18" maximum range) Shooting.

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Morale Rules

This is a game of heroic fantasy; every warrior will fight to his last breath. If you are playing a campaign, then you know (roughly) how much of your force you are willing to let fall upon the field of battle before withdrawing. But what if you want something a bit more "traditional" in your one-off games? These optional rules may work for you.

Keep in mind this will increase the paperwork a bit. You will need to generate an additional stat for each figure on the table. You will have figures react in an involuntary and often undesirable way. Dice rolls will have to made when certain figures or a portion of your force are removed from play.

- New stat: the Morale Value -

First thing we need is a number. These games always have numbers associated with figures - how far can it move, how well does it shoot, how good is it in melee, etc. So, let's give each figure a Morale Value. Do we make it something else to purchase when generating stats for the figure? Nay, for that will just muddy the waters. Let's make it based on the various values the figure already has. How about taking the average of the figure's Melee Value and Armour Value? This bases the new number on the ability of the figure to fight toe-to-toe and its chance to survive a successful hit against it. Seems simple enough.

Figure's Morale Value = (Figure's Melee Value + Figure's Armour Value) / 2

Add the figure's Melee Value and Armour Value together, then divide that number by two. Round up to the next whole number if necessary. Having multiple attacks has no bearing on this, so just use the use the Attack Value. Eek. Math.

- Whose Morale Value do you use? -

Answer: the highest Morale Value in the group. Keeping with the heroic theme, the lesser warriors will continue to fight as long as the toughest guy in the mob says so. When he runs away, they all run away. You will naturally want to gather your troops around the figure with the highest Morale Value.

- Who's in the group? -

Answer: Measure from the figure with the highest Morale Value out to that figure's Morale value in inches. Any friendly figures within that range are in his group.

Example: Ungar the Ungainly has a Morale Value of 4. Every friendly figure within 4" of him may be in his group and gets to use his Morale Value.

You many have more that one group on the table at one time, and the groups may overlap, but just keep track of which are grouped with what. Individual figures use their own Morale Value if they are not a member of a group. Flyers may only be grouped with other flyers. Groups may be formed or dissolved at any time during the Movement phase.

- The Morale Roll -

As both Shooting and Melee are simultaneous, all morale checks are done at the end of the current phase, with the effects being instantaneous and completed before the next phase begins.  

Roll a single six-sided die, with a roll of the Morale Value or less being a success and a roll higher than the Morale Value being a failure. A roll of "1" is an automatic success no matter what their actual Morale Value is, while a roll of "6" is an automatic failure.

Success - Nothing happens. They knew the job was dangerous when they took it. They behave as normal.

Failure - The individual figure or the entire group turns around and runs directly away from the enemy at its maximum move. Any figures that run off the table are out of the fight. Figures fleeing from melee do not suffer a free hack from its opponents.

- Rally -

At the beginning of the next turn - after Initiative is rolled but before Movement - a group of figures that failed their Morale roll but are still on the table may try to rally by rolling the Morale Value or less of the individual or highest one in the group. If they pass this roll, they may act as normal starting immediately. They are back in the battle! If they fail they are removed from the game. If a Leader or Hero is removed from play, then a new Morale Check for the effected figures must be made immediately, but do not get to do a rally check until after Initiative next turn.

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