1st game, some queries?

[Carnyx]

Hello all, had my first game with three friends yesterday. Played 750 points, Orcs vs. Dwarves, using scenario 5, Pillage the Village. Great fun and a hard fought battle for the Orcs with the defending Dwarves winning the day, this in part to their great armour res. The Orcs did manage to loot one building and could have looted a second building but their force was broken, the Dwarves remained unbroken. We completed one additional turn after the Orcs broke.

Had a query on victory conditions and hoping someone can provide some insight. On page 113, victory conditions are either to follow the scenario conditions or the default conditions laid out on page 15. If I follow the scenario conditions does it mean I can ignore the broken army rules? A slightly more complicated query, if both sides are broken, and one side meets the scenario victory conditions but has taken more casualties(points lost), who is the winner? I believe we would decide the victory conditions before the game, but would be interested in any calcification.

Can a magic users who has not acted this turn use ranged magic attacks (Fiery Balls) in the exchange missiles phase if charged?

Cheers,

Carnyx

[Derek Dahmes]

Hey Carnyx,
Each scenario will specify what causes the game to end AND what determines the winner, which is why there is a separate paragraph for GAME DURATION and VICTORY in each scenario. It will often be a combination of the rules on p. 113 AND specific Scenario Victory Conditions.
In Scenario #1 (Upon the Field of Battle) the standard rules from p. 113 are used for both DURATION and VICTORY conditions.
In Scenario #4 (The Watchtower) the game ends AND the Attacker wins if the tower is destroyed at the end of ANY Turn. If the tower is NOT destroyed then the game ends according to the standard rules from p.113 and the Defender wins.
In Scenario #7 (The Rogue Beast) you use the rules from p.113 to determine the game’s Duration but then use Victory Points to determine the winner.
In the case of your game (Scenario #5): The game’s Duration is determined by the standard rules from p.113, but Victory (or Draw) is determined by the number of buildings looted or destroyed.
Hope that helps!

Can a Wizard use a Magic Missile Spell in the Exchange of Missiles when being charged? We will have to wait for an official ruling from Mr. Priestly, forum staff, or someone who spoken with with them on that matter. Our group allows it, but the spell’s casting number goes down by 1 AND the number of hits inflicted (fiery balls) or the strike value (lightning bolt) must be HALVED (rounding down)… for the same reason normal ranged weapon Accuracy is also reduced by 1 during an Exchange of missiles: being charged is rather disconcerting! It would seem other players allow it as well. I have a crawling feeling that you are NOT supposed to be able to do so, but Mr. Priestly has given his moral blessing on people house-ruling whatever they want, so have at!

Happy Gaming!

[Carnyx]

Thanks for your response Derek, it does clarify.

Yea, the magic user is open to interpretation, the -1 to cast makes good sense if you re going to allow it. Will talk it over with the guys and see how they want to do it.

Carnyx

[AbsoluteZero]

In the spell section it’s quite clear. Wizards can only cast after successfully completing an order action. If the wizard is being charged, there is no order action he is doing. Hence no casting during exchange of missiles.
HOWEVER, if you have the ‘Ambush’ order, then you may immediately take a order action in response to the enemy. That is an interrupt to the enemies order action.

[Derek Dahmes]

You’re right Zero! Amazing how you can read and reread something and not notice what is right before your eyes! Hehe. Yeah, it specifically states a Wizard CANNOT cast a spell as part of a charge either, so it would kinda go without saying that Wizards also could not cast spells as part of a counter-charge, that being the case.

I think we might actually keep doing it the way we have been though. It’s more cinematic. Plus, I see no reason why a Wizard would not be able to cast a spell as part of a charge or counter-charge when they ARE able to cast a spell after Sprinting! Either that or they shouldn’t be able to cast a spell during a Run move. Archers can’t fire on a Run after all. But, we have a number of other house-rules governing Wizards and Dispels anyway. Will see what the guys think.

[AbsoluteZero]

The problem with wizards casting on the charge or counter-charge is the range of spells available and how the rules are not set up for them. If you Lightning Bolt during a counter-charge and the charging unit fails the break test, where does your unit move and how far? If I Bamboozle Beastie that mammoth that’s going to charge me, and it goes ‘Down’, does that mean it can’t charge the Wizard now?
I apologize if this is coming off as a judgmental rant. I like house rules and if you and your group have fun(the only thing that matters)go for it. My group and I have found that if we house rule something major, new players we teach or play with may not play the game anymore if it deviates too much from the rulebook. If there is a problem with the system, either the system gets fixed or we just don’t play. Sorry I’m going off on too much of a tangent here. 😛

P.S. Ambush has the option for three order actions. Rally, Down, and Run-Charge. If you want to cast upon a unit charging your wizard just take the Rally order. It’s a decent strat. Clear aways pins and hit a unit in range(doesn’t have to target the unit charging you either).

[Carnyx]

So far we have not allowed it in the five games we’ve played, players are not very keen on it. We have house ruled Spears to make them a touch less deadly, must consolidate in place to retain them.

Our last game we intorduced Divine Intervention with the Knight army, very nasty ability from the priest, which can’t be dispelled. Would not want to face the Olympians with most units having this ability, seems broken.

Thanks for your comments.

[AbsoluteZero]

On the surface, Divine Intervention seems busted. But considering you have to be within 20 inches, make a command check, and the unit not being able to Divinely Intervene the rest of the game, that I think balances it out.

Play test it man and let us know.

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