So I have managed to press-gang a non-miniatures gaming friend of mine to try out some 25/28mm skirmish. I've long thought that the Mordheim rules might provide a good template for gaming Reivers, and I'm in the process of kitbashing the rules together, in addition to the figs to play with.
One of the appeals of this game format is a cheap buy-in; using a box of Empire Militia and a box of Pistoliers, both by Games Workshop, I expect to be able to outfit the better part of two Reiver warbands. Overall, the gear and sculpts suit the period, some bitz excepted, and neither of is is a stickler. We can always buy some legit Border Reiver miniatures from Vendel if we keep on going.
One of the most significant components of the Mordheim rules that I want to change is the income generation. I plan to parachute a composite from the Necromunda rules in, representing the Reivers' various connections and business interests; blackmail, small-time farm raids, and even honest farming will be represented much better by the Necro territories than by the Mordheim wyrdstone or Empire in Flames treasure system. I anticipate that some playtesting will be necessary to establish an even baseline, but I really think it should be a good fit.
Below is my first section of rules edit, the armoury:
Weaponry:
Melee Weapons
Requiring honest, face-to-face contact, a man's life depends on his melee weapons.
Fist
The truly desperate, disarmed Reivers or peasants who don’t even own a knife, have to fight with their bare hands. Needless to say, their chances of survival are low!
Note: The following rule only apply to warriors who have lost their weapons or unarmed civilians. Animals, etc, ignore these rules. Warriors using their fists can only ever make 1 attack.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user -1; Special Rule: +1 Enemy armour save
SPECIAL RULE
+1 Enemy armour save: An enemy wounded by a fist gains a +1 bonus to his armour save, and a 6+ armour save if he normally has none.
Dagger
Daggers and knives are extremely common, and men are allowed to carry them in enclaves where weapons are otherwise forbidden. Every Reiver worth his salt carries a dirk or dagger for close in work.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user; Special Rule: +1 Enemy armour save
SPECIAL RULE
+1 Enemy armour save: Daggers are not the best weapons to use for penetrating an enemy model’s armour. An enemy wounded by a dagger gains a +1 bonus to his armour save, and a 6+ armour save if he has none normally.
Staff, Club, or Improvised Weapon
It takes little imagination to turn a piece of lumber, a broom handle, or a chair leg into a ready weapon. Though lacking the flair of more military weaponry, woe betide the Reiver who turns his back on a broom wielding farmwife!
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user; Special Rule: None
Hammer, Mace
Perhaps the simplest type of weapon, these brutal, bludgeoning instruments range from farm tools to cavalry hammers made from the finest steel. A blow from a mace can easily crush a skull or knock a man unconscious.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user; Special Rule: Concussion
SPECIAL RULE
Concussion: Hammers and other bludgeoning weapons are excellent to use for striking your enemy senseless. When using a hammer, club or mace, a roll of 2-4 is treated as stunned when rolling to see the extent of a model’s injuries.
Axe
The axe is the traditional weapon of woodsmen, and is also used as a weapon in poorer rural areas. Axes have a heavy blade and, if swung by a strong man, can cause a lot of damage. The blade of an axe can easily cut through armour, though it requires considerable strength from the wielder.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user; Special Rule: Cutting edge
SPECIAL RULE
Cutting edge: An axe has an extra save modifier of -1, so a model with Strength 4 using an axe has a -2 save modifier when he hits an opponent in hand-to-hand combat.
Sword
The sword is often referred to as the ‘king of weapons’. Swords come in a wide variety of type, from plain hilted longswords to Irish basket hilted broadswords. Most provide the wielder with four full feet of gleaming steel, double-edged and razor-sharp.
Swords are much more effective weapons than crude clubs and axes, though learning to use a sword is a long and difficult process.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user; Special Rule: Parry
SPECIAL RULE
Parry: Swords offer an excellent balance of defence and offence. A model armed with a sword may parry blows. When his opponent rolls to hit, the model armed with a sword may roll a D6. If the score is greater than the highest to hit score of his opponent, the model has parried the blow, and that attack is discarded. A model may not parry attacks made with double or more its own Strength – they are simply too powerful to be stopped.
Halberd, Bill
The halberd’s heavy blade is mounted upon a sturdy shaft of oak or steel and has a point like a spear and a cutting edge like an axe. Since it can be used to chop as well as thrust, it is an adaptable weapon, but is difficult to use inside buildings. Some varieties also feature a hook to help dismount riders.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user +1; Special Rule: Two-handed
SPECIAL RULE
Two-handed: A model armed with a halberd may not use a shield, buckler or additional weapon in close combat. If the model has a shield he still gets a +1 bonus to his armour save against shooting.
Spear
Spears range from sharpened sticks to the fine “lang spear”, used from horseback or on foot.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user; Special Rules: Strike first, Unwieldy, Cavalry bonus
SPECIAL RULES
Strike first: A warrior with a spear strikes first in the first turn of hand-to-hand combat.
Unwieldy: A warrior with a spear may only use a shield or a buckler in his other hand. He may not use a second weapon.
Cavalry bonus: If using the rules for mounted models, a mounted warrior armed with a spear receives a +1 Strength bonus when he charges. This bonus only applies for that turn.
Double-handed sword, hammer, axe, etc
A blow from a double-handed axe or sword can cut a foe in half and break armour apart. It takes a long time to learn how to use these weapons and even then only extremely strong men are able to wield them effectively. Not common on the Borders, the occasional claymore does turn up, hearkening back to William Wallace and his frenzied Highlanders.
Range: Close Combat; Strength: As user +2; Special Rules: Two-handed, Strike last
SPECIAL RULES
Two-handed: A model armed with a double-handed weapon may not use a shield, buckler or additional weapon in close combat. If the model is equipped with a shield he will still get a +1 bonus to his armour save against shooting.
Strike last: Double-handed weapons are so heavy that the model using them always strikes last, even when charging.
Keen forging
The product of expert smiths, this weapon has an extra -1 save modifier, and costs four times the price of a normal weapon of its kind. You may choose which type of hand-to-hand weapon is offered to you as explained in the Trading section.
Finesse forging
Following a delicate process, the top swordsmiths produce weapons of excellent balance and grace. Finesse forging produces a weapon that gives its user +1 Initiative in hand-to-hand combat, and costs three times the price of a normal weapon of its kind. You may choose which hand-to-hand weapon is offered to you as explained in the Trading section.
Missile Weapons
Often, it is preferred to attack the enemy from a distance, preferably from the top of a crenelated wall. Missile weapons, with some exceptions, are difficult to fire from horseback. All shots suffer a -1 to hit.
Short bow
Short bows are small, short-ranged bows that are cheap and require little strength to use. Some cavalry carry a shortened bow which is easier to shoot from horseback than a larger bow.
SPECIAL RULE
Cavalry Weapon: May be used on horseback without penalty.
Bow
The bow is carried by most races and used extensively in warfare. It is a compact yet powerful weapon, that is cheap to make and easy to maintain.
Long bow
A long bow is made of alternating layers of either yew or elm. A skilled archer can hit a chosen leaf on a tree from three hundred paces with this weapon.
The long bow is favoured by experienced archers due to its great reach and accuracy.
SPECIAL RULE
Infantry Weapon: The Longbow may not be used from horseback.
Heritage Longbow
These bows are the finest missile weapons of their kind, often handed down through generations of Englishmen. Constructed from carefully chosen yew, and strings woven according to a secret method passed down through generations of bowyers, Heritage Longbows are far superior to any missile weapons made by other races. In the hands of an English Yeoman, the Heritage longbow is a truly potent weapon, its long range and penetrating power making it far superior to any other bow.
SPECIAL RULE
Save modifier: A heritage longbow has a -1 save modifier on armour saves against it.
Infantry Weapon: The Longbow may not be used from horseback.
Crossbow
A crossbow consists of a short, strong bowstave mounted on a wooden or steel stock. The crossbows of the Warden’s men are made of steel and often include a winding mechanism to draw back the string. It takes a long time to prepare a crossbow, but a bolt fired from one has a tremendous range and can penetrate armour easily.
Crossbows take much longer than other bows to make, so they are expensive and relatively rare weapons. Still, they are the preferred weapon of many in because of their power and long range.
SPECIAL RULE
Move or fire: You may not move and fire a crossbow on the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or to stand up.
Latch (Light Crossbow)
A smaller, lighter crossbow, the latch is favoured by Reivers because of its ease of use from horseback. Though lacking the stopping power of the larger crossbow, its bolts can still prove deadly.
SPECIAL RULE
Move or fire: You may not move and fire a crossbow on the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or to stand up.
Cavalry Weapon: May be used on horseback without penalty.
Gonnes
Dag (Pistol)
A pistol is a small, simple blackpowder weapon fired by a wheellock mechanism. Most pistols are expensive, unreliable, and poorly constructed.
SPECIAL RULES
Prepare shot: A pistol takes a whole turn to reload, so you may only fire every other turn. If you have a brace of pistols (ie, two) you may fire every turn, but you must sacrifice your movement. You may elect not to reload, and move freely.
Save modifier: Pistols are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength value of 4 suggests. A model wounded by a pistol must take its armour save with a -2 modifier.
Hand-to-hand: Pistols can be used in hand-to-hand combat as well as for shooting. A model armed with a pistol and another close combat weapon gains +1 Attack, which is resolved at Strength 4 with a -2 save modifier. This bonus attack can be used only once per combat. If you are firing a brace of pistols, your model can fight with 2 Attacks in the first turn of close combat. These attacks are resolved with a model’s Weapon Skill like any normal close combat attack and likewise may be parried. Successful hits are resolved at Strength 4 and with a -2 save modifier, regardless of the firer’s Strength.
Cavalry Weapon: May be used on horseback without penalty.
Duelling pistol
A duelling pistol is a work of art, and a gunsmith labours long and hard to produce a single example. They are often carried by nobles to solve disputes over love and honour, and many a noble has died at dawn in a duel over some grievance.
Duelling pistols are prohibitively expensive weapons and common warriors rarely have them. Even if they do manage to steal or buy one, the ammunition is prohibitively expensive.
Some of the wealthiest Reivers carry duelling pistols as status symbols, commanding great respect, admiration and envy.
SPECIAL RULES
Accuracy: A duelling pistol is built for accuracy as a skilled duellist is able to hit a coin from twenty paces. All shots and close combat attacks from a duelling pistol have a +1 bonus to hit.
Prepare shot: A duelling pistol takes a complete turn to reload, so your model may only fire every other turn. If he has a brace of dueling pistols he may fire every turn, but you must sacrifice your movement. You may elect not to reload, and move freely.
Save modifier: Duelling pistols are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a duelling pistol must make his armour save with a -2 modifier.
Hand-to-hand: Duelling pistols can be used in hand-to-hand combat as well as for shooting. A model armed with a dueling pistol and another close combat weapon gains +1 Attack, which is resolved at Strength 4 with a -2 save modifier. This bonus attack can be used only once per combat. If you are firing a brace of duelling pistols, your model can fight with 2 Attacks in the first turn of close combat. These attacks are resolved with a model’s Weapon Skill like any normal close combat attack and likewise may be parried. Successful hits are resolved at Strength 4 and with a -2 save modifier, regardless of the firer’s Strength.
Cavalry Weapon: May be used on horseback without penalty.
Hackbut/Arqubus/Caliver (Handgun)
A handgun is a simple firearm. The quality of construction varies ranging from the crude military Hackbuts to the Calivers commissioned by the wealthy. They often have levers and springs which hold the burning match, and triggers which release the firing mechanism and fire the gun.
Handguns are not terribly reliable weapons: the gun barrel occasionally tends to explode violently or the powder fails to ignite. But the weapon has a great range and tremendous penetrating power, making a mockery of even the thickest armour at close range.
In the Borders, handguns are rare and expensive, but a warband which can boast such a weapon will command respect from all its rivals.
SPECIAL RULES
Prepare shot: A handgun takes a complete turn to reload, so you may only fire it every other turn.
Move or fire: You may not move and fire a handgun in the same turn, other than to pivot on the spot to face your target or stand up.
Save Modifier. Handguns are even better at penetrating armour than their Strength 4 suggests. A warrior wounded by a handgun must take its armour save with a -2 modifier. This bonus only applies at close range.
Armour
When fighting in close combat, a good suit of armour may mean the difference between life and death. The finest armour in the world is made in German forges, where the secrets of steel and fire are well understood. Hardened leather jackets are often worn by hunters while nobles and Headmen will sport steel breastplates. The jack of plates is the ubiquitous reiver armour.
Light armour
Light armour encompasses a wide variety of materials from hardened leather tunics to the jack of plates. It does not offer complete protection against arrows or swords, but it is a good compromise between weight and protection.
ARMOUR SAVING THROW
A warrior who is wearing light armour has a basic D6 saving throw of 6.
Heavy armour
Typical heavy armour is the back and breast plate. Though this armour provides excellent protection, it can be quite expensive. More elaborate suits may include protection for the thighs.
ARMOUR SAVING THROW
A warrior that is wearing heavy armour has a basic D6 saving throw of 5+.
Movement: A warrior that is armed with both heavy armour and a shield suffers a -1 Movement penalty.
Shield
There is one main type of shield on the borders: a round target shield, usually made of wood covered in leather.
ARMOUR SAVING THROW
A model with a shield has a basic save of 6 on a D6.
Buckler
Bucklers are small, round shields designed for parrying or deflecting blows. They are usually made of steel for they need to be tremendously durable to survive the brutal blows of hand-to-hand combat. Using a buckler requires great skill, but a nimble warrior can protect himself from blows which would otherwise cripple him. Though not common, these small shields do turn up occasionally.
SPECIAL RULE
Parry: A model equipped with a buckler may parry the first blow in each round of hand-to-hand combat. When his opponent scores a hit, a model with a buckler may roll 1D6. If the score is greater than the highest to hit score of his opponent, the model has parried the blow, and that attack is discarded. A model may not parry attacks made with double or more its own Strength – they are simply too powerful to be stopped.
Helmet
The main helmets of choice are the burgonet and the morion, though the occasional plain skull cap or Cabasset does appear. Most sensible Reivers try to protect the most vulnerable part of their body – their head. Helmets come in varying shapes and sizes, but their basic function remains the same.
SPECIAL RULE
Avoid stun: A model that is equipped with a helmet has a special 4+ save on a D6 against being stunned. If the save is made, treat the stunned result as knocked down instead. This save is not modified by the opponent’s Strength.
Masterwork armour
Occasionally, an armoursmith will hit on a perfect combination of alloy and design, creating an armour of superior protection and weight distribution. Prized by their owners, such suits often become an important inheritance.
ARMOUR SAVING THROW
Masterwork armour gives the wearer a 5+ basic save, and does not slow him down if he is also armed with a shield.
German Reiter Armour
The German Ritteren boast some of the finest armour in the world. Well crafted and distributed, the armour combines excellent protection with excellent mobility. Often encountered as bothe adversaries and allies in the continental wars, Borderers could occasionally trade or loot such a fine suit of armour.
ARMOUR SAVING THROW
German Cavalry armour gives the wearer a 4+ basic save, and does not slow him down if he is also armed with a shield.
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