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Warhammer rules variant idea - feedback/ideas wanted!

Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:02 am
by Zlatan
I had an idea last night: What if there was some way of turning Warhammer into a more realistic and fluid game by avoiding the player-turn mechanic? I came up with this idea. I think it could add some extra tactical complexity and make for an interesting experiment.

I've tried to explain my ideas as clearly as possible, but please let me know if it's worded in a confusing way.

Quick disclaimer: I had this idea very late last night, after some wine. I've written this on the commute to work. It has not been rigorously play tested and I'm sure there are multiple unforeseen problems and need for clarification, which is one of the reasons I'm posting it here. I'm hoping to playtest it as soon as I can convince one of my opponents to give it a go. In the meantime, if anyone else wants to give it a try and offer feedback please do!

Here we go:

Warhammer rules idea.

Rules as warhammer 8th edition, but:

There are no player turns. There are now "game turns" and "unit turns". At the start of each game turn each player rolls a D6 and adds their general's leadership (add nothing if the general is dead). The player who wins the roll off gets the first unit turn that phase, or can decide to give the first unit turn to the opposing player.
Each unit takes a single "unit turn" per "game turn" - one unit for player 1 takes action, then 1 unit for player 2, then a second unit for player 1 etc., until all units have moved. Place a marker next to each unit to indicate which units have taken action in that game turn. Once all units on the table are marked, the game turn is over - remove all counters and start again. The same unit can't take any action again until all units have taken action.

Each unit has 2 action points per unit turn. When it is a unit's turn, it can use either 1 or 2 action points. If it chooses to only use one action point, it forfeits its second point until the next game turn. Units may not perform the same action in the same unit turn, but may perform 2 different single point actions.

1 point actions:

Move
Reform ranks (not facing)
Shoot with -1 penalty
Fight a round of combat
Persue fleeing enemy (from combat)
Flee (from combat)
Stand and shoot charge reaction
Hold charge reaction
Charge
Rally

2 point actions:

March
Shoot with +1 bonus
Flee
Flee charge reaction
Full reform (number of ranks and facing)

Magic:

At the start of each game turn roll 2D6 for winds of magic. Each army adds this amount of PD to their armies pool, and the result of the highest of the 2D6 to their dispel pool. Wizards cast their spells when it is their turn, following normal rules for magic in Warhammer 8th. Casting spells and dispelling costs no action points.

Other rules changes:

Units with musicians get +1 to rally, win drawn combats by 1 unless an enemy unit in the combat also has a musician, and rallying costs no action points.

Fast cav can rally for no action points.

Skirmishers can rally for no action points.

Quick to fire means firing with -1 penalty costs no action points, but they can only fire once per turn.

Re: Warhammer rules variant idea - feedback/ideas wanted!

Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:29 am
by Prince of Spires
not a bad idea. If you like this kind of mechanic you could have a look at how turns are handled in the "Lord of the Rings" ruleset from GW. They use something similar. I think there the mechanic is that at the start of each turn both players roll a dice, highest roller goes first that turn. For each phase he then performs his actions first and then the other player goes in that phase.

Rod

Re: Warhammer rules variant idea - feedback/ideas wanted!

Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:27 am
by Zlatan
Thanks Phierlihy that might be worth looking into. I'm not familiar with the LotR rules at all.

Someone on another forum just pointed out a big problem with the current rules - the fact that fighting a round of CC and a hold reaction costs action points leads to some ridiculous situations.

So, amendment #1:

These are "free" actions which cost no action points:

Hold charge reaction
Fight a round of CC