Friday, August 14, 2009

Warhammer Ancients Character Archetypes

With school starting up just around the corner and too many would be projects on the line I some how managed to put together some character archetypes for the Warbands Campaign that I run every Wednesday. To make access easy for every one in my group, I thought I'd just post it here. Feel free to print this out and bring it to game night. It's basically a revision of the Warband Archetypes from GW, but without magic and outrageous abilities.


Warhammer Ancient: Warband & Character Rules

Upon choosing an Archetype, the only skill that the character gains is the Starting Ability. Every three (3) games that a character survives he will be able to roll a D6 and refer to the table for his archetype, adding that ability to his list. Characters that are killed in battle will roll on the character injury chart to see how badly they are wounded.

Archetypes
Upon choosing an Archetype, the only skill that the character gains is the Starting Ability. Every three (3) games that a character survives he will be able to roll a D6 and refer to the table for his archetype, adding that ability to his list. Characters that are killed in battle will roll on the character injury chart to see how badly they are wounded.


Ruthless

STARTING ABILITY
Vicious Pursuit. The character and any unit he leads must always pursue a fleeing enemy. However, they may add D3" to their pursuit move each time they do so.

1 Executioner. After Combat Resolution has been calculated but before a Break Test has been made, this character may execute a number of models in the unit with which is associated up to his number of Attacks. Do not roll to hit or wound; simply remove the models as casualties. These casualties do not count toward Combat Resolution. For each model executed as punishment for failure in combat, subtract 1 from the result of the dice when rolling the Break Test to represent the renewed sense of resolve that the Ruthless' leadership has inspired.
2 Coward. When challenged: my accept a challenge as normal, but instead of fighting for him/herself the character forces one of his regular men to mimic himself and take his place in the challenge. This model does not gain any special abilities and fights as normal. If a character with the Coward ability issues a challenge, he/she must fight in the challenge as normal.
3 Hold Fast. Once per game, the character and any unit he is with may reroll one failed Break Test.
4 Reckless Charge. Once per game, the character and any unit he is with may add D3" to its charge move.
5 Rumors of Evil. The character and any unit he joins cause fear to the first unit that they charge or are charged by. After the fear test is taken, regardless of the result, the fear effect is removed from that character for the duration of the battle.
6 Choose. Choose one of the following abilities form above.


Tactician

STARTING ABILITY
Withdraw. Any unit/model in the Warband, even one with less than 25% of its starting numbers, will automatically Rally after choosing Flee as a charge reaction. Fast Cavalry may use this ability and still move thereafter.

1 Rigorous Training. Re-roll one miss-fire dice. If no warmachines are present at the beginning of the battle, a character with this archetype my opt to re-roll misses from the first unit to fire projectiles (bow, javelins, sling, etc).
2 Spy. Your opponent must reveal his Unknown Objective, following the Little War scenario, to a player who controls a Warband that includes a character with this Archetype Ability.
3 Flanking. One unit in the Warband with a Unit Strength no greater than 10 may be nominated as a flanking unit. The flanking unit will enter the board from any spot on any table edge (controlling player’s discretion) on a D6 roll of 6 on Turn 2, of 5+ on Turn 3, of 4+ on Turn 4, of 3+ on Turn 5, and of 2+ on Turn 6.
4 Scouting. +1 to Do Not Pass in the Night rolls. Also, a player who controls a Warband that includes a character with this Archetype Ability can choose whether to use Map A, B, C, or D in the Ongoing Little War scenario and may choose to be Player A or Player B.
5 Speedy Deployment. After deployment but before the game begins, one friendly unit or model within 12" of the character with this Archetype Ability may make a bonus move up to 2D6".
6 Choose. Choose one of the following abilities form above.


Guardian

STARTING ABILITY
Hold Your Ground. Once per game, the character and any unit he leads may choose to automatically pass any failed break test.

1 Impervious Armor. Once per game, the character and any unit he leads may reroll all their failed armor saves for one round of close combat.
2 The Whites of Their Eyes. Any unit in the character’s Warband that is armed with missile weapons may opt to stand and shoot at any charging opponent regardless of circumstances (i.e., the missile units may shoot at chargers that begin the charge within half their charge range, at chargers who are charging only because they are pursuing fleeing troops into a fresh enemy, and so on). In addition, missile units may ignore the –1 penalty for shooting at charging opponents.
3 Intimidation. Once per game, the character and the unit he leads may force his opponent to reroll all to hit rolls in close combat.
4 Take Cover! Once per game, at the beginning of combat the player controlling a character of this archetype may declare that he is "Taking Cover!" The character and any unit he leads may take -1 attack and add +2 to their armor save until the end of that round of combat. This bonus is has no effect to shooting.
5 Dig in. Before the character and any unit he leads moves, they may choose to dig in, and must spend their entire turn doing so allowing for no other actions to be taken by the unit or the character. This trench counts as hard cover. Units remain entrenched until the unit moves (by choice or via failing a panic test, moral check, etc). If the unit is charged while Dug in, attacks are taken in initiative order, negating the charger strikes first rule.
6 Choose. Choose one of the following abilities form above.


Aggressive

STARTING ABILITY
Raider. After randomly determining the Warband’s Unknown Objective, a player controlling a character with this Archetype Ability may replace the objective with 'Capture the Colors' instead.

1 Crazed. Once per game, the character and any unit he leads may burst into a Frenzy for the rest of the turn.
2 Mighty Blow. Once per game, the character may make give up all of his usual (base) Attacks to make a single Attack at +3S (no other Strength bonuses, such as the bonus bestowed by a halberd or great weapon, apply to this Attack).
3 Furious Assault. Once per game, the character and any unit he leads may reroll all to hit rolls for that turn.
4 Messenger. Once per game, after all break tests are taken, the character may send a messenger to request reinforcements. Remove one model from the unit to attempt to retrieve reinforcements. Roll 1D6, on a roll of 1 or 2 = the messenger looses his way and is permanently removed from the game, 3 = the messenger returns but found no reinforcements, 4 = the messenger returns with 1 extra troop, 5 = the messenger returns with 2 extra troops, 6 = the messenger returns with 3 extra troops.
Reinforcements for the unit can not exceed the initial unit strength. (eg, A unit started the game with a unit strength of 15 (15 models). They loose 2 men in combat, pass their break test, and send a messenger, leaving them with 3 missing men. The player rolls a 6 on his roll for reinforcements, giving him 4 additional men. But this would put him at a new unit strength of 16, hence he will only receive 3 replacements, returning his unit strength to 15).
5 Deadly Duelist. In every challenge that the character participates in he will be allowed to reroll one to Hit roll each round.
6 Choose. Choose one of the following abilities form above.


Charismatic

STARTING ABILITY
Iron Nerves. The character and any unit he leads automatically pass the first Panic test they are called upon to make.

1 Charm. Once per game, during the shooting phase of the characters turn, if not in close combat, the character may charm an enemy unit with in 10" of the Charismatic one, forcing them to loose their ability to move and shoot next turn.
2 Vocal Leader. The character with this Archetype Ability permanently gains +1 Leadership, but never exceeding a leadership of 10.
3 Hold Your Ground. Any fleeing friendly unit, even units with less than 25% of their original numbers, within 12" of a non-fleeing Charismatic character will automatically Rally.
4 Traitors. Once per game, the character and any unit he is with gain Hatred towards the first unit they encounter in close combat.
5 Rally Point. The Army Battle Standard costs 25% less points to field and has an increased range of 18".
6 Choose. Choose one of the following abilities form above.