Warhammer Ancient Battles Playsheet

by Tony Kerstan

The Game Turn

 

TURN SEQUENCE
1. START OF TURN 3. SHOOTING
2. MOVEMENT 4. CLOSE COMBAT

START OF TURN

  1. Panic Tests due to friendly units fleeing within 4" of the unit unless it outnumbers the fleeing unit. Flee during compulsory movement if failed
  2. Terror tests due to terror-causing models within 8". Flee during compulsory movement if failed
  3. Stupidity test. Move during compulsory movement if failed.
  4. Warband over-confidence
  5. Other compulsory tests. Take them in any order.
  6. Note war-machines recovering from misfires or loss of crew.
  7. Optional declarations. Make them in any order.

 

MOVEMENT

Declare Charges

  1. Declare all charges.
  2. Declare all charge reactions. Charge Reactions are Stand and Shoot, Hold, Flee, Fire ad Flee and Cavalry Counter-charge
  3. Chargers take a terror or fear test if defenders cause terror or fear. If the test is failed and the chargers must flee, move during the Compulsory Movement phase.
  4. Defenders take a terror or fear test if chargers cause terror or fear and are within charge range. Measure but do not move chargers to see if they can complete the charge. Defenders that fail a terror test, or that fail a fear test and are outnumbered, must flee. Move the defenders immediately.
  5. Defenders take a panic test if already engaged in combat and charged in the flank or rear by a unit of 5+ models. Measure but do not move chargers to see if they can complete the charge. Defenders that fail a panic test must flee. Move the defenders immediately. If opposing units in base contact won the previous round of combat the units may pursue. Work out the pursuit moves immediately.
  6. Resolve ‘stand and shoot’ and ‘fire and flee’ missile fire. Remove casualties. If the charging unit panics, move during the Compulsory Movement phase.
  7. Move units that declared Flee as the charge reaction. If the unit that is fleeing is engaged in combat, enemy units may pursue if they won the previous round of combat. Work out the pursuit immediately.
  8. Chargers may redirect the charge to another unit if the enemy flees. Repeat all the above steps for a redirected charge. Enemy units that become chargeable because the fleeing unit moved out of the way cannot choose Stand and Shoot as the charge reaction.

Rally Fleeing Troops

  • Only units with 5 or more models may attempt to rally. Units that panicked during this turn may not attempt to rally.
  • Associated characters do not count towards the unit's original size of 5 models.
  • A player may rally troops in any order he wishes - once a fleeing general is rallied, other fleeing troops might attempt to rally on his leadership if within 12 inches.

Compulsory Movement

All fleeing units are moved now. Units with compulsory movement rules are also moved now. Move the units in any order you wish.

Move Chargers

  • Measure and move charging units. Note that units moved during the Compulsory Movement phase may interfere with a charge, causing it to fail.
  • If a charging unit touches any model in a fleeing unit, the entire fleeing unit is destroyed. Charging units are moved their full movement through fleeing units.

Remaining Movement

Move remaining units.

MANOEUVRES
  • Wheel – A unit may wheel as many times as you wish except in a charge, where the unit may wheel once to line itself up with the enemy. The distance moved is the longest distance by the model on the outer edge of the wheel.
  • Turn – All the models remain in place but turn either 90 degrees to their left or right, or 180 degrees to face the rear. Costs a quarter of movement.
  • Change Formation – A unit may add or reduce the number of ranks by 1. This costs half of its movement. The unit may add or reduce its ranks by 2 costing all of its movement.
  • Reform – A unit can face in any direction and redress the ranks. Reforming troops cannot move or shoot.

TERRAIN AND OBSTACLES

  • Troops cross difficult ground at half rate. This includes woods and steep hills but not ordinary hills, which may be moved over at normal rate
  • Troops move across very difficult ground at quarter of their movement rate and over obstacles at half their movement rate.

MARCHING

  • Troops move at double their normal pace. A unit may not march if there are enemy within 8" at the start of the turn. A marching unit may not turn, change its formation or reform but it may wheel. Marching troops may not shoot. War Engines and chariots may not march.

FAST CAVALRY

  • Fast Cavalry are allowed to do any numbers of turns and can even change their formation once while moving or marching

FLEEING TROOPS

  • Troops fleeing from combat move directly away from the enemy. Otherwise they always move towards their own table edge during compulsory movement if at all possible.

 

SHOOTING

  1. Announce all units that are going to shoot and their targets.
  2. Guess ranges for war machines.
  3. Conduct shooting and implement results. Mark units that suffered 25% casualties by turning a model around in the back rank.
  4. Conduct panic tests and flee movement

Shooting To Hit Chart

Bow Skill

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0
D6

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

-1

-2

-3

-1 for the following:

  • shooting at a charging enemy
  • shooting at over half range
  • while moving
  • at a single model or skirmishers
  • target in soft cover
  • shooting at small target
  • -2 if the target is in hard cover
  • +1 if shooting at a large target

SHOOTING CHART

WEAPON

R

S

NOTES
Short Bow

16"

3
Crossbow

30"

4

 No move and shoot
Long Bow

30"

3
Javelin

8"

*

 Strength of model
Composite Bow

24"

3
Repeating Crossbow

24"

3

 May shoot twice at -1 to hit

 

CLOSE COMBAT

Fight Combats

  • Issue challenges.
  • Determine attacking order: first strike, charging, initiative, double-handed weapons.
  • Declare targets for all of a model's attacks before rolling attacks. Need 6’s to hit troops defending an obstacle
  • Roll attacks and remove casualties. Note number of wounds inflicted.
  • If the General is slain all friendly units must immediately take a Panic Test.
  • Mark units completely destroyed in combat by leaving a single model on its side.

 

To Hit Chart (‘0’ = 10)

Defender’s Weapon Skill
A
t
t
a
c
k
e
r
’
s
W
e
a
p
o
n
S
k
i
l
l

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

1

4

4

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

2

3

4

4

4

5

5

5

5

5

5

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

5

5

5

5

4

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

5

5

5

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

4

6

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

4

7

3

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

4

8

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

4

9

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

4

4

0

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

4

To Wound Chart (‘0’ = 10)

Defender’s Toughness
A
t
t
a
c
k
e
r
’
s

S
t
r
e
n
g
t
h

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

1

4

5

6

6

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

3

4

5

6

6

-

-

-

-

-

3

2

3

4

5

6

6

-

-

-

-

4

2

2

3

4

5

6

6

-

-

-

5

2

2

2

3

4

5

6

6

-

-

6

2

2

2

2

3

4

5

6

6

-

7

2

2

2

2

2

3

4

5

6

6

8

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

4

5

6

9

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

4

5

0

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

4

 

Saving Throw Chart
No Armour none
Shield only or Light Armour only or Mounted

6+
Light Armour + shield or Heavy Armour or Mounted with Barding

5+
Heavy Armour + shield or Light Armour + Shield + Mount or Heavy Armour + mount or Light Armour + Mount + Barding or Shield + Mount + Barding

4+
Light Armour + Shield + Mount + Barding or Heavy Armour + Mount + Barding 3+
Heavy Armour + Shield + Mount + Barding

2+
  • +1 if a large shield
  • Bucklers count as shields in HTH combat only

 

Strength Modifiers
STR

4

5

6

7

8

9

0
MOD -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7

 

Results

Compute combat resolution for each melee.

BONUS POINTS TABLE
+1 for each infantry rank behind the first up to +3 (The maximum rank bonus for Light infantry is +2) As long as ranks contains 4 models. If you have several units involved in the same combat count the rank bonuses from your deepest unit. Rank bonuses are lost if the unit is charged in the flank or rear
+1 for a standard or the Battle Standard. If you have a standard and Battle Standard in one unit you count both
+1 for High Ground
+1 for Flank Attack. The unit attacking the flank must be at least 5 models. The unit also loses its rank bonus unless the flankers are skirmishing cavalry or infantry (see AoA)
+2 Rear Attack this is cumulative with a flank attack, so if you’re attacking from the flank and rear you can add +3
+1/+2 for each destroyed chariot +1 for each light/scythed chariot and +2 for each heavy chariot

 

Break Tests

  • Each unit that loses a combat must take a break test.
  • If failed, turn a model about to show the unit is fleeing, but do not move yet.
  • A friendly unit that is defeated in hand-to-hand combat by an enemy that it fears is automatically broken without a break test if it is outnumbered.
  • If a unit of drilled troops, skirmishers or cavalry that lose a combat but pass a break test may fall back in good order (see below)

Panic Tests

  • Friendly units that have not taken a break test must take a single panic test if within 12 inches of a friendly unit that is broken or destroyed. If the test is failed, turn a model around to show the unit is fleeing.
  • Remove destroyed unit markers and award 'captured standard' victory points if the destroyed unit had a banner.

Falling Back in Good Order (see AoA)

  • Units that have failed their break test can fall back in good order if they outnumber their opponent by MORE than 2 to 1.
  • The fall back move is made at the same time as flee movement. The owner decides the order of movement. The falling back in good order is made in the same way as when a unit flees except:
    -Do not cause friends in 12" to take a panic test
    -The unit rallies automatically at the end of the move any may immediately reform
    -They may be pursued, and if caught the pursuers count as charging in the next combat phase
    -Units that fell back in good order may not charge in their next turn

Flee!

  • Roll flee movement for each unit marked as fleeing and account for any terrain penalties. Pursuing units then roll and also account for terrain penalties. If a pursuing unit moves further than a fleeing unit, then the fleeing unit is destroyed.
  • Fleeing Friends who are destroyed by Chargers within 4" must take a Panic Test unless it outnumbers the fleeing unit.
  • Units will flee towards their friendly table edge if possible.
  • Pursuit of the Table – A unit that pursues its fleeing enemy of the table returns to the same point in its following movement phase. It may not move other than to position itself on the table edge, although it may shoot an otherwise participate in the game.

Re-dress Ranks

  • Units that are engaged on the flank or rear and have passed any break test may reform to face the enemy unless they are engaged on more than one side (ie. Front and flank). (see AoA)
  • Victorious units may lap around enemy units that have not broken.
  • Characters that declined a challenge are automatically moved back into a fighting rank.
  • Characters may also be re-positioned in the fighting ranks

 

PSYCHOLOGY

Panic

  • Panic tests are noted in the Turn Sequence

Fear

  • Fear tests are noted in the Turn Sequence

Terror

  • Troops that fail their terror tests will flee immediately.

Stupidity

  • If troops fail their test:
  • If in hand-to-hand combat the troops stop fighting.
  • If not in hand-to-hand combat then roll d6:
    1-3 move toward the enemy at half speed
    4-6 stand inactive or lie down for a bit

Frenzy

  • Frenzied troops must:
  • Always charge enemy within charge reach
  • Fight with double their number of attacks
  • Always pursue
  • While in charge range they are immune to psychology
  • If defeated in combat the troops are no longer frenzied for the remainder of the game.

Hatred

  • Troops that hate the enemy take all break tests against an unmodified leadership of 10. During the first turn of hand-to-hand combat they may re-roll any misses when they attack. Troops must pursue hated enemies who flee – they cannot test to avoid pursuit.

Stubborn

  • Stubborn troops do not have to take a Break test the first time if they lose a round of combat.
  • If stubborn troops lose a round of combat against an opponent that automatically breaks them (ie. ferocious charge, charging warband) then roll a d6; on 1-3 the stubborn troops are broken and on a 4-6 they hold.

Warbands

  • Warbands add their close combat rank bonus to their leadership score up to a Leadership of 10. If Warbands are fleeing or skirmishing then they receive no rank or leadership bonus
  • If a Warband charges and wins the then the enemy unit is automatically broken if it is outnumbered.

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

Shooting at an Elephant

D6 SHOOTING
1-4 Elephant
5-6 Crew Member

Shooting at War Machines

D6 HIT
1-4 The Machine
5-6 Crew Member

Cannon and Stone Thrower Misfires

D6 RESULT
1-2 The war machine and crew are destroyed
3-4 The war machine does not shoot this turn and also misses the next turn
5-6 The war machine cannot shoot this turn

 

 

NOTES

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