9266 Advanced Dungeons

Miniatures Rules

Sample file

An all-new g Rules for playing tabletop battles with miniature figures Sample file BATTLESYSTEM Miniatures Rules

Sample file Table of Contents

Introduction 3 Forced March 57 Basic Rules Summary 6 Heroes 57 Chapter I: Reviewing the Troops 7 Commanders 58 Common Troop Types 8 Firearms 61 Standard Base Sizes 11 Dismounted Cavalry 61 Unit Rosters 12 Optional Combat Rules 62 Chapter 2: Sequence of Play 13 Intermediate Scenarios 63 Chapter 7: Advanced Rules 71 Chapter 3: Morale 15 Making Morale Checks 16 Flying Creatures 72 Undead Units 75 Morale Scale 17 Animal Packs or Herds 76 Chapter 4: Movement 19 Fortifications and Fortresses 77 Formation 20 War Machines 83 How to Move 23 Fire Attacks ...86 Movement and Enemy Units 28 Movement and Missile Fire 31 Chapter 8: Magic 87 Charging 31 Special Magical Abilities 88 Rout Movement 33 Spell Abilities 89 Terrain Effects on Movement 34 Wizard Spell List 90 Priest Spell List 93 Chapter 5: Combat 37 Advanced Scenarios 95 Attack Procedure 38 Melee Combat 40 Appendices 103 Missile Combat 42 I: Converting AD&D® Game Statistics 104 II: Troop Type List 108 Basic Scenarios 46 III: Scenario Construction and Point Costs 116 Chapter 6: Intermediate Rules 53 IV: The Art of Miniatures Gaming 119 Skirmishers 54 Battle Platforms 56 Unit Roster Forms 127 Special Formations 56 Reference Card 128 Credits Design: Douglas Niles Author, "The Art of Miniatures Gaming": Steve Winter Editing and Development: Kim Mohan, Jon PickensSample, Playtestersfile : Dave Sutherland Zeb Cook, Scott Haring, Jon Pickens, James Ward Play test Coordination: Jon Pickens David Nalepinski, Warren Brewer, Patrick Daniels, Photography, Battle Scenes: Michael Weaver, Ral Partha Joe Wedige Enterprises, Inc. Mark Middleton, Eric Adamaszek, Ed Isaac, Photography, Rules Diagrams: Dick Kahn Studio, Inc. Kip Romaine, Tim Sluss Figure Painting, Rules Diagrams: Dave Sutherland Jason Saylor, Mike Cook, Ed Hupp, Brian Jordan, Kim 3-D Construction, Rules Diagrams: Dennis Kauth Moser, Joshua Saylor, Rick Schulte Cover Art: Glen Tarnowski Dave Bethke, Chris Clark, Gamemasters Guild Interior Art: Jeff Easley (pages 1, 7,19, 37, 53, 71,103); Tim of Waukegan Truman (page 13); Keith Parkinson (pages 15, 19, 87) Jeff Morrison, Steve Bell, Bill Bowman, Dave Cuneo, Graphic Design and Keylining: Stephanie Tabat, Dave Ted Delairs, Roland Gebner, Chris Steihl Sutherland Wayne Rasmussen, Bill Weaver Typography: Gaye O'Keefe Our special thanks ... to Chuck Crane and the folks at Ral Partha En- TSR, Inc. I | TSR Ltd. terprises, Inc., for their help and enthusiasm. All POB 756 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton of the figures shown in this book are available Lake Geneva Cambridge CBl 3LB from Ral Partha, 5938 Carthage Court, Cincin- WI 53147 USA TSR, Inc. United Kingdom nati OH 45212; for more information, write to mraoucrs or vdun NMOINMION" that address or phone 1-800-543-0272.

Distributed to the book trade by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. This work is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork presented herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, BATTLESYSTEM, PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. 0-88038-770-X Copyright ®1989 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Introduction

The playing surface usually repre- ditions (including how to achieve For the scenarios given in this book, sents something other than flat, fea- victory) that apply only to that sce- general setup locations are specified. tureless terrain; the battlefield (whether nario. However, you will often get to select for a predesigned scenario or one of Each of the nine scenarios in this book the exact placement of each unit, the di- your own creation) is likely to have contains all of the information described rection faced by your miniatures, and hills, rivers, buildings, forests, and above, enabling you and your friends to so on. Sometimes a scenario will spec- other kinds of physical features that recreate the situations and play out the ify that one side or another is set up will have an effect on how the battle battles as commanders of the opposing first. plays out. forces. If you're new to miniatures gam- Rosters for the scenarios in this book These terrain pieces can be simple or ing or have just started to become famil- are included with each scenario. You elaborate. Cut-out strips of construc- iar with the BATTLESYSTEM rules, you may want to copy the information onto tion paper can mark a river. A few large should start by setting up and playing a separate sheet of paper (especially if books can be scattered around to repre- the basic scenarios on pages 47-52. you want to refer to other parts of the sent low hills, while a book on a flat When you've gone through each of rule book during play), but this is not game box represents a high hill. those at least once, you can try your necessary. If you are using a self- Of course, a whole host of products hand at designing some more scenarios designed scenario, you will have to is available to make your battlefield using only the basic rules, or you can draw up your own rosters. look like a grand diorama. Many play- progress to the intermediate and Once your rosters are in hand, the ers enjoy placing styrofoam cut-outs, advanced rules and try out the scenarios terrain and miniatures are arrayed detailed miniature trees, and models of provided on the pages following those across the table, and dice, rulers, and buildings and other features on the bat- sections. By the time you've absorbed all the rule book are close at hand, you're tlefield. Appendix IV contains some ba- the rules in this book, you'll be able to ready to start the game! sic information on how to construct play large battles involving heroic lead- Follow the BATTLESYSTEM se- and use realistic-looking three- ers, hordes of monsters, powerful siege quence of play (see page 14) for each dimensional terrain features. artillery—even flying dragons and tow- turn of the game. Play through a suc- ering castles! cession of turns until one side or an- MEASURING STICK. Several rulers other achieves victory. Though the and measuring tapes are handy at the The complexity and playing time of a victor is always defined by certain sce- gaming table, since every player will scenario relate directly to the size of the nario conditions, such definitions are probably need to make a few measure- playing area and the number of minia- often unnecessary. If your victory was a ments during a turn. The best tools for tures involved. While miniatures gam- solid one, you (and your opponent) will this purpose are those metal tape mea- ing lends itself readily to team play, Sample file know it! sures that remain rigid when extended. getting more players involved will not You can get along with rulers or yard- necessarily decrease the playing time of sticks most of the time, but a flexible a game. Experience will soon show you Questions? tape will come in handy at times for the right type of scenario for a given group of players and time limit. If you're unsure measuring along arcs. If not every how to interpret a rule or how to deal Self-designed scenarios are easy to do player has access to a ruler, you can with a special situation that comes up and lots of fun. A particular advantage make temporary measuring sticks by during the play of a scenario, we may of the home-grown scenario is that you marking off half-inches and inches on a be able to help. Send a note containing can tailor the forces in the battle to the strip of cardboard. your question or comment, along with kinds of minatures you have on hand. a self-addressed, stamped envelope, to Appendix III provides a point system BATTLESYSTEM™ Game Question, and other tips for creating balanced TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva Playing a Scenario armies in home-grown scenarios. WI53147. Be sure to give us as much in- Once you have formation as we'll need to give you an learned the basic rules of the BATTLE- accurate and complete answer, and if SYSTEM™ game, you will be able to set Starting to Play possible, phrase your question so that it up and fight an enormous number of can be answered in just a few words. battles, skirmishes, and engagements Once your sce- on your tabletop playing area. Each nario is chosen or planned, you simply scenario—actually a "game" in itself— need to set up the necessary terrain fea- consists of at least three sections of in- tures, make a roster of all of your units formation: the situation map and (for an original scenario), put the min- background; a list of the forces in- iatures in place on the battlefield, and volved in the scenario; and special con- start to play. Introduction

About this book

This new book of BATTLESYSTEM™ rules gives you all the information you need to create and fight tabletop battles with miniature figures. The rules progress through stages, allowing you to select the level of complexity and detail you desire. The basic rules (Chapters 1 through 5) are the fundamentals: how units of miniature figures are described, and what they represent; the sequence of events that makes up a turn; how to de- termine morale; how to move units across the battlefield; and how to con- duct combat. By the time you master this section of the book, you will be a full-fledged miniatures player. The intermediate rules (Chapter 6) go a few steps farther, introducing special historical units such as skirmishers (hit- and-run specialists) and arquebusiers (wielders of the first primitive fire- arms). In this section you'll also meet the exceptional individuals known as heroes and commanders and learn about the many ways in which their presence on the battlefield can change the outcome of a conflict. Rounding out this section are optional rules for move- Sample file ment and combat that add detail and re- alism. The advanced rules (Chapters 7 and 8) add the element of fantasy, with guidelines for using flying creatures, magical effects, and magic spells, plus rules for undead creatures and artillery. Finally, you'll learn how to conduct combat in and around fortresses, tow- ers, and other structures: breaking through barriers, scaling walls, using siege machines, and defending against a foe who's trying to do those things to your troops. All of the optional rules (intermedi- ate and advanced) are modular, so that you can use only some of them if you so desire. The system has been carefully designed so that the omission of some of the optional parts will not have a bad effect on the overall balance of the game. However, we strongly encourage you to work through all the rules in this The irregular peasant unit approaching the castle suddenly halts, thrown into book—try everything before deciding further disarray by the thunderous charge of heavy cavalry. Introduction not to use something, so that you can BATTLESYSTEM Fantasy Combat Other Materials get as much enjoyment as possible out Supplement, published in 1985—but a of the BATTLESYSTEM™ miniatures lot of details have been improved. Needed for Play gaming experience. Some of the differences between the old DICE. An assort- Following each section of game rules, system and the new one are these: ment of dice are used in playing the you will find three scenarios— The new combat system requires less BATTLESYSTEM game, primarily for predesigned battles that you can set up record-keeping and uses more dice and resolving attacks and checking the mo- and fight. The first group of scenarios less mathematics. A time-consuming rale status of your units, but also for uses just the basic rules, and the later part of the original game, the Combat other purposes. groups add the intermediate and Results Table, has been completely re- For best results you should have at advanced rules—creating scenarios vamped. least six dice of each of the following that are more complex but also more Instead of a quarter-page unit roster, types: 4-sided, 6-sided, 8-sided, 10- exciting because of their complexity. each unit can be represented by as little sided, and 12-sided. Dice are referred to The appendices at the back of this as one line of information. Page 127 is a in the rules by abbreviations: d6 for a book take you even farther into the sheet of blank forms, used to display in- six-sided die, dlO for a 10-sided die, and hobby of miniatures gaming. You'll find formation for units in any easily read- so on. out how to convert character types and able fashion. If you don't have all of these types of creatures from the ADVANCED The base size for BATTLESYSTEM dice, the absolute minimum require- DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game units has been converted to a more uni- ment is two 6-sided dice and two 10- into figures and units that can be used in versal standard. Individually mounted sided dice. To simulate the rolling of a a BATTLESYSTEM scenario. To save figures that have been used with the d4 or a d8, roll the next largest die and you some work, we've provided a long original game can be easily remounted, disregard (reroll) any results higher list of statistics for typical troop types since the new standard base sizes are than the desired range. To simulate a and many of the fantastic creatures slightly larger than the older ones. dl2 roll, roll Id6 and ldlO. If the dlO from the AD&D® game worlds. You'll The number of magic spells described learn how to design your own sce- comes up 1-5, read the d6 normally. If in these rules, although still substantial, the dlO comes up 6-10, add +6 to the narios, using a point system to be sure is much smaller than the number of that the forces on each side are evenly d6 roll to get a number from 7 through spell choices in the original game, and 12. (As you can see, getting along with- balanced. And lest you thought we for- each spell is specifically described in got about the most important aspect of out all the proper types of dice is possi- BATTLESYSTEM game terms. ble but troublesome.) miniatures gaming—the figures them- These rules are fully compatible with selves—we've also included a section the AD&SampleD game (origina filel or 2nd Edi- FIGURES. Miniature figures, cast on painting attractive and realistic- tion), but do not depend on that game from metal or plastic, make the best looking figures as well as creating the in order to be playable. You don't need troops for your army. The game is de- three-dimensional features for your ta- any of the AD&D game reference mate- signed to be played with 25mm (1 inch bletop battlefield. These rules would rials, or even any knowledge of that = 6 feet) scale figures. Chapter 1 con- work just as well with cardboard game, to stage miniatures battles with tains information on preparing figures squares for troops, and penciled-in out- the new BATTLESYSTEM rules. for play, and Appendix IV includes a lines of rivers and trees . . . but it One result of these changes, and the short course on painting miniatures and wouldn't be quite the same. many others that players of the original attaching them to bases. BATTLESYSTEM game will find in this PLAYING SURFACE. A miniatures The Rules Summary book, is that any miniatures battles you game requires a large, flat surface. You want to set up using these rules can be A summary of can use a section of floor, but for sev- played without the participation of a eral reasons (especially in a household the major BATTLESYSTEM rules is in- referee. The Dungeon Master of your cluded at the end of the Introduction with animals or small children) a table- AD&D game campaign is welcome to top is much better. The table should be (page 6). Players with some experience oversee the battle, of course, and he in miniatures gaming will be able to ab- large enough to allow room for maneu- may be useful in resolving issues that vering, but small enough so that any sorb the basics of this game with a quick arise if your game play goes beyond the look at the rules summary. part of the table can be reached from at scope of these rules. But this version of least one edge. The scenarios given in the BATTLESYSTEM game has been this book are designed to be played on a Changes in the System designed so that two players can con- battlefield that is twice as long as it is test against one another without the wide. A 4' x 8' surface is ideal; 3' x 6' need for a third party to moderate. This set of rules is large enough for small scenarios. bears some resemblance to the original Basic Rules Summary

When reading this summary, you will specific attack. A negative modifier to All units begin the game in good or- need to refer to a BATTLESYSTEM™ AR is an improvement, increasing the der. When a unit in good order reaches unit roster (see the example on page 12), target's chance of avoiding hits, while a a situation that calls for a morale check and the Reference Card attached to the positive modifier makes the defender (see the Reference Card), the unit must back cover. more vulnerable. In some cases, more either make a morale check or retreat than one of the modifiers to a target's 4" (player's choice). If the check is made The ground scale is 1 inch = 10 AR (see the Reference Card) will apply and failed, the unit goes to shaken order yards. Figures are at a 10:1 ratio, so that at the same time. and must retreat 4". each figure in a unit represents 10 indi- vidual combatants of that figure type. Hits represents the number of hits re- When a shaken unit readies a situa- The game is designed for use with quired to remove one figure from the tion that calls for a morale check, the 25mm figures. unit. Figures can be removed from any- check is mandatory. If the check is where in the unit. Partial damage to a failed, the unit must retreat 4" and Units are described by the wods and figure can be recorded by placing a d6 make another check. A failure on this statistics on the unit roster: Type, next to the unit. For example, if it takes second check causes the unit to rout. Weapon(s) Used, Attack Dice, Armor 4 hits to remove a figure from a unit and A unit that has been routed will at- Rating, Hits, Morale, and Movement. that unit suffers 3 hits, then a d6 with tempt to retreat from the battlefield as Attack Dice (AD) specifies a size of the "3" facing up is placed next to the quickly as possible. die (d4, d6, d8, dlO, or dl2). On rare unit to keep track of the hits it has suf- A unit that is shaken or routed and is occasions, an AD notation will be given fered. As soon as the unit takes 1 more not in contact with enemy forces can be as the total of two dice, such as 10 + 8 or hit, then a figure must be removed. rallied (improved to good or shaken or- 2dlO; otherwise, only a single numeral der) if it makes a successful morale appears, indicating a single die that has Example of combat procedure: Unit check. that many sides. Generally, a player A (8 figures, AD 8) engages in melee Any unit that fails a morale check by rolls one attack die for each figure in an (hand-to-hand) combat with Unit B (6 7 or more is routed immediately. For a attacking unit. The result of each roll is figures, AR 7, Hits 2). For the attack, unit with ML 12, for instance, this oc- compared to the table on the top of the Player A rolls 8d8, getting results of 2, curs if the 2dlO roll is 19 or 20. Reference Card to find out how many 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, and 8. The three lowest It is important to remember that a hits were scored on the defending unit rolls score no hits; the next three highest high ML is good, but a high roll on a by that roll. The attacker adds up the rolls score 1 hit each; and the two high- morale check is bad, since a check is hits scored by all of his AD rolls to de- est rolls score 2 hits each, for a total of 7 failed whenever the roll exceeds the termine how many hits were scored by hits. unit's ML. the entire attack. PlayeSampler B rolls 7dlO tofile see how many In certain circumstances, a unit's ML of the hits are cancelled out by armor, Occasionally (such as during a is modified before a check is made; see getting results of 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9. charge or when missile weapons are the Reference Card. The two highest rolls are greater than fired; see the Reference Card), the num- For scenarios that use the intermedi- Unit B's armor rating of 7, meaning that ber of attack dice allowed for a unit is ate rules concerning individual units only 5 of the hits actually did damage. increased or decreased. In all such (heroes and commanders), the heading Since each figure in Unit B can take 2 cases, round fractions up. For example, on this column of the unit roster is given hits before having to be removed, this a unit with 5 figures that is allowed a as ML/CD, and the number for an indi- means that Player B must take 2 figures bonus of x li/ AD gets to roll 3 extra vidual, expressed in inches, represents 2 off the tabletop and then note (with a attack dice; the same unit attacking at that figure's command diameter (see the d6, as described above, or some other x V2 AD must roll only 3 attack dice in- intermediate rules). Heroes and com- marker) that the unit has suffered 1 ad- stead of 5. manders do not have morale ratings (in ditional hit of damage. effect, their ML is considered to be so Armor Rating (AR) represents a unit's high that it need never be checked). ability to withstand hits—the lower a Morale (ML) refers to the morale rat- unit's AR number, the harder it is to de- ing of the unit. When a unit makes a Movement (MV) is the number of feat. When the attacker has finished morale check, the player must roll inches a unit can move across clear, flat rolling his attack dice and has totaled 2dlO. A result equal to or less than the terrain. A unit conducting a charge can all of the hits scored, the defender rolls unit's ML means that the check is move farther than its normal MV. Spe- ldlO for each hit. Each result higher passed, and the unit does not suffer any cial terrain—anything other than clear, than the defending unit's AR means one penalties. A result greater than the flat ground—has an effect on move- of the hits is cancelled by armor. unit's ML means that the check is failed, ment (see the Reference Card); some- which has varying effects, depending Circumstances often affect a unit's times a unit is slowed, and certain types on the status of the unit when the check of units are not allowed to move into armor rating, modifying it for the pur- is made. pose of determining hits scored by a some types of terrain.