Town Cryer excerpt: intercepted letter

This letter was found near a bloody pulp:

Dear Hilda,

A most terrible occurance has happened. Anke, our guardian here in the common neighbourhood, was accused of witchcraft and put to the flames. Luckily a band of Sisters just arrived in time, because I warned them. They gave the Witch hunters a good smacking and freed poor Anke from a terrible death. Though Anke was freed, the Inquisition was aroused and made an accusation against Audilia, one of our beloved Matriarchs. I tell you the world is comming to an end; Sigmarites fighting Sigmarites here in Mordheim, where evil lurks in every corner. There are reports of orcs and dark elves at the south gate invading the city out of greed of this accursed stones. Why are they fighting amongst themselves, when those evil forces are so close?
I don't know what has become of Audilia and her band, they swiftly left the common neighbourhood after they freed Anke. But these are dark times for the Sisters indeed. Please, if you see Marice tell her to fetch her herbs. The ruins are no longer safe for the healers among the Sisters.
I heard one of the band members say they would go to the Rock to report and then cleanse the city from evil once and for all. I don't think this is the last we've seen of this zealot priest, nor of Audilia. Blood will fill the streets once more. I can feel it... But accusing Sisters of witchcraft goes one bridge to far!
Please publish some report in the Town Cryer (not under my name of course), for this isn't as it should be, I don't want to be the next one burning on a pyre...

Tamir of Tallow

Town cryer excerpt: Orks foil Elf plot?

(from a recent edition of the Town Cryer)

The presence of a band of Orcs within the walls of Mordheim has been well known, especially since they settled into the southern part of the city, claiming the poor quarter as their own. Small groups of goblins and squigs roam the streets, causing havoc wherever they go. Recently they made their way to the South Gate, where the Sisters of Sigmar met them to put a stop to their foul activities. The mother superior has been quoted as saying: "It was as if the hand of Sigmar himself led us to the greenskins."

From the sketchy reports we have of the battle that ensued, the Sisters were far outnumbered by the Orcs, who used trickery and underhandedness to lure them out into the open. The thick orc arrows found lodged in the brick walls of buildings are a reminder of the warlike nature of these creatures. The Sisters, who were not available for further comment, apparently suffered heavy losses and humiliation at the hands of the Orcs. But the story does not end there.

For amoungst the orc arrows where shafts of a more delicate nature. Our experts assure us that these arrows were made by none other than Elven smiths. A broken bow and what appears to be the skinned remains of a slender humanoid confirm our suspicions that in fact the orcs fought not only the Sisters of Redemption in these streets. Though their motives are unknown, a half-eaten cart suggest they may be in need of supplies. We advise anyone around the Market Place to remain on their guard for these green-skinned invaders.

Graffiti left on one of the walls, apparently in elven blood, give us a grim reminder of the brutality of these creatures:

"Rosez are red, violetz ar blu
Irontusk stomp yoo, wotcha gonna do?"

Rules: Action Rules

Overview of Actions

This is an overview of all the actions you can take and their (possible) effect:

1. Move: you move your warband to the mentioned part. Cost: 1 action. Note: when moving in known territory (you have been to that area before), you can travel 2 areas in 1 action (all areas must be known). You can move a maximum of 3 within claimed areas (all areas must be claimed).
2. Gather Info: you can learn of a new rumour, order, title, hired sword or whatnot. Cost: 1 action.
3. Search: you can choose a quick search or a thorough search. With the quick search many different things can happen. You could find stuff, hear new rumours, encounter interesting or dangerous people or places, but also nothing can happen. With a thorough search, you need to specify what (or who) you are looking for. Cost: 1 action.
4. Claim Area: when you stay undisturbed in this area, you will become the warband which “rules” this area. See also: Claimed Areas. Cost: 2 actions. Note: If you are claiming an area adjacent to an area already claimed by you, it only takes 1 action. To claim an area which is claimed by an enemy always takes 2 actions in total.
5. Rest: you remain in the same area. When you rest undisturbed all warriors miss 1 less battle as a result of serious injuries. Cost: 3 actions.
6. Unlock Special Feature: while following a lead, rumours or orders you can do something out of the ordinary. Cost: 0 to 10 actions.

When someone does not take action within an agreed upon time, he automatically takes the Rest action.

Claimed Areas

When you claim an area, you will automatically gain 1 Influence for that area. Furthermore if someone is claiming an area you are claiming already, you may try to protect your area if within 3 areas of that area. You must be within a claimed area and all intervening areas should be controlled by you as well. If so, your warband will rush to the area and will engage the other warband. Allies cannot claim each others areas.

Influence

To gain influence, you must first have claimed one or more areas. With influence you can find hired swords and even get discounts for them. Other uses include advantages in the area during battles or continuous (dis-)advantages. Some areas give more influence then others. As soon as you have claimed an area, you will get info on how to gain more influence (if any).

Rules: House rules and explanations v1.3

Huisregels:

Algemeen

• Iedereen heeft het recht om 1x per spelletje een fout te maken en dit te corrigeren. Deze fout moet in de persoon zijn laatste beurt gemaakt zijn.
• Alles wat op de speeltafel komt moet (naar behoren) geschilderd zijn.
• Rassen moeten kloppen (geen goblin-mini voor een orc gebruiken).
• Uiterlijke kenmerken moeten zo goed mogelijk benaderd worden.
• Uiterlijke kenmerken (wapens, armour, andere voorwerpen, cause fear, etc) mogen te allen tijde opgevraagd worden. Alle andere zaken mogen verborgen gehouden worden voor andere spelers (niet de ref!).
• De warband rosters die in het bezit zijn van de ref zijn leidend. Deze dienen daarom up-to-date te zijn. Gaarne aanleveren middels officiële sheet of alternative excel-sheet.
• Zaken waarbij een dobbelsteen (of andere manier van willekeur) gebruikt wordt ter afhandeling, dienen onder het toezicht van de ref te gebeuren (bv.: rare items zoeken, injuries verwerken). Het is ook mogelijk om dit via mail of telefoon af te handelen, hierbij werpt de ref de dobbelsteen.
• Als er een afronding plaats moet vinden, dan is het altijd ten nadele van de speler (Mordheim is a damned city!)
• De campaign-regels zoals in de (Living) Rulebook zijn variabel. Je kunt er dus niet standaard vanuit gaan dat er bijvoorbeeld Garlic te koop is, of dat het alleen de volgende beurt gebruikt kan worden. Na elk gevecht worden wel de mogelijkheden voorgeschoteld, zodat je duidelijk weet wat voor keuzes je hebt (je weet welke spullen/hired swords te koop/huur zijn, hoe duur ze zijn en hun precieze nut).

Aanpassingen

• De "free dagger" mag alleen gebruikt worden indien geen andere H2H wapens beschikbaar zijn.
• Het verminderen van de Armour Save d.m.v. hoge Strength begint bij 5 i.p.v. 4.
• Indien de leider van een warband out of action raakt, dienen alle friendly models (wiens leider neergaat) binnen 6" een All Alone test uit te voeren.
• Charges worden uitgevoerd in de volgorde van aankondiging.
• Als je tijdens je movement minimaal 2" hebt geklommen, kan je niet meer schieten.
• Als een warrior met parry geraakt wordt met een H2H wapen, wordt de worp van de aanvaller bij de WS opgeteld. Dan mag de verdediger een D6 gooien en zijn WS erbij optellen. Als dit resultaat het resultaat van de aanvaller overstijgt, dan is de aanval parried.
• Het staat niet duidelijk in de regels, maar spreuken hebben line of sight nodig om gedaan te worden, tenzij dit expliciet in de beschrijving staat dat dit niet hoeft.
• Wat ook niet duidelijk in regels staat: de 16" lijn van blunderbussen wordt gestopt door obstakels (muren, bomen, etc.)
• Lucky Charms gaan stuk als er een 6 wordt gegooid op het moment van gebruik.
• Cathayan Silk Clothes kunnen alleen door Mercs gebruikt worden.
• Light Armour kost 15 gc en Heavy Armour 40 gc.

Aanvullingen

• Zware objecten kunnen door 1 persoon gedragen worden, maar dit persoon heeft dan half movement. Er kan dan niet gevochten worden. 2 personen: ieder 1 hand nodig, maar kan normale movement gelopen worden (en gecharged). De personen dienen aan het begin van hun movement tegen het voorwerp aanstaan. Ladders en ramps kunnen geplaatst worden aan het einde van de movement fase en kunnen niet in dezelfde movement fase gebruikt worden, waarin ze geplaatst zijn. Per voorwerp kunnen deze regels gedeeltelijk of geheel afwijken.
• Indien het niet door daadwerkelijke scenery wordt weergegeven, hebben bomen in een bos de hoogte van 5” (denk aan dicht bos waar we alleen een soort van omgehakte bomen tonen, zodat je mini er wel doorheen kan lopen). Je zicht is dan beperkt tot je Initiative in inches.
• Indien je iets wilt doen wat niet in regels is vastgelegd, leg dit voor aan de ref, wellicht wordt het gehonoreerd.
• Indien iemand onder zijn beginkapitaal terecht komt, wordt het verschil aangevuld tot het startkapitaal. Hierbij wordt alles meegerekend (heroes, xp & equipment). Er kan niemand spullen weggooien of personen vrijwillig met retirement sturen om zo extra geld binnen te krijgen. Dit om te voorkomen dat er mensen hopeloos achterop geraken.

Verduidelijkingen:

• Wapens mogen niet verwisseld worden tijdens een H2H gevecht. Uitzonderingen hierop zijn de diverse "pistols" en de "lance". Je kunt dus niet je bijl wegstoppen om dan met je zwaard verder te vechten.
• Trolls, Ogres, Rat-ogres en Minotaurs zijn allen Large.
• De "first strike" regel van speren blijft zoals het in de Living Rulebook staat aangegeven.
• Je kunt "re-rolls" niet nogmaals re-rollen.
• LOS wordt bepaald vanaf het (gehele) hoofd van de mini.
• Blessed & Holy: de definitie van "undead" betreft wezens die gereanimeerd zijn door duistere magie, oftewel: vampires, zombies, dire wolves, skeletons, mummies, ghosts, wights, banshees, liches en skeleton steeds. De definitie van een "daemon" is een wezen dat daemonische krachten bezit (maar niet spreuken), oftewel: possessed, wezens met de mutatie Daemon Soul, elk wezen met een "daemonic save", bloodletters, bloodthirsters, nurglings, great unclean ones, flamer of tzeentch, lords of change, daemonettes, keepers of secrets, etc.
• Bugman's Ale gaat 1 gevecht mee.
• Er mag op iemand geschoten worden als er een deel van het lichaam te zien is. Dus niet als je alleen een wapen, een paardestaart of een ander voorwerp ziet. Op een helm kan natuurlijk wel geschoten worden, aangezien daar een lichaamsdeel onderzit (use common sense).

Optionele Regels:

• Blazing Saddles
• Blackpowder Weapons
• Empire in Flames
• Extended Critical Tables
• Insanity
• Er zijn meerdere optionele regels die gebruikt gaan worden, maar die zijn afhankelijk van de ontwikkelingen of specifieke plekken in de campaign.

Town Cryer excerpt: Executioner's Square purged of heretics

(From an old issue of the Town Cryer, dated some weeks ago:)

Yesterday a bloody battle was fought in the south of Mordheim between the Order of the Templars of Sigmar and a clan of Ostlanders. Executioner's Square, where criminals used to be executed in front of eager crowds in the days before the disaster, was the scene of the carnage. The Templars of Sigmar, known colloquially as 'witch hunters', led by the brothers Grimm entered the square shortly after an extended family of Ostlanders had arrived, eager for the wyrdstone that lay scattered there. Naturally the righteous fury of the witch hunters was ignited when encountering these inbred followers of a false god. Their charge was almost cut short however when a rain of arrows from the mountainfolk came down upon them. Ducking into the ruins to avoid the missile fire, the brothers Grimm sent their infamous warhounds ahead to attack the flank. All was nearly lost when these encountered a huge ogre-kin who stood ready to destroy them with his sword and axe (and possibly his alcohol-laden breath as well). But then the god Sigmar himself intervened and shone his light into the eyes of the foul giant. Again and again it swung its weapons at the trustworthy hounds, but all his blows fell short. The infidel-priest of Taal tried to call upon his dark Lord for aid but Sigmar denied him access to his devilish powers. Soon the Ostlander pater familias was forced to sound the retreat, leaving two clansmen who were his sons, uncles or possibly both dead on the field and his priest badly wounded. Rumours that the witch hunters burned the mark of Sigmar into the priest's forehead with the headsman's tools found in a nearby shed remain unconfirmed. For the moment, the brothers Grimm and there witch hunters rule Executioner's Square, and it looks like they'll be staying a while.

Town Cryer excerpt: Local eccentric finds employment

(From an old issue of the Town Cryer, dated some weeks ago:)

Most Mordheim residents will remember the lone shepherd Roelof van 't Schaep often encountered in the moors to the southwest of our once fair city. This strange man, recognizable by his scraggly beard and accompanied by one or more sheep and a penetrating body odour was usually avoided by most decent travelers. Since last week, however, Van 't Schaep has become a part of the witch hunting group of the brothers Grimm that has made its way into our city to cleanse the evil from its streets. We were able to exchange a few words with the shepherd-turned-zealot while his band was resting after a skirmish in Executioner's Square (see elsewhere in this paper). "These people have changed my life," claims Van 't Schaep, "they introduced me to new concepts such as devotion to Sigmar, bathing and shaving." This is indeed illustrated by the fact that Roelof is now without his former beard and actually smells better than the sheep which is still a constant companion. "When I saw these folks in the woods I just thought I'd wander up to them and babble incoherently 'till they'd give me food, like I always did. But when I got closer, I saw they were busy burying a big dog. Later they told me this doggie had been chopped up by some nasty midgets on a bridge. Since I really love animals, and they had lots of other doggies, I decided to help them. Father Arnold gave me a firm sermon about our great Lord Sigmar and that's when I saw the light and joined them for real. Luckily they allowed me to bring my favourite sheep along with me." At this, Van 't Schaep goes into a long monologue on the merits of his sheep which is not suitable for publication. "Anyway," he concludes, "I thought the brothers Grimm only wanted me as a bodyguard, but when I got a piece of wyrdstone for 'em and had this vision from Sigmar that showed me that secret passage, they immediately promoted me. Now I'm in charge of the inventory and supplies for the whole warband. Like this cheese for example...". Some folks may miss the rustic charm shepherd Van 't Schaep brought to the southwestern moors, but we can all be heartened by the fact that he is now putting himself to good use for the Templars of Sigmar.

Campaign update (after turn 5)

The Victory point and campaign point ratings thus far (supplied by our Game master on April 5, 2007). Warbands are shown starting with highest total of Campaign points, then highest total Victory points and finally least number of fights as a tie breaker:

Code	Warband	# of fights	VP won = +2 lost = -1	CP
FS	Fortune Seekers	2	4	2
BG	Brothers Grimm	2	1	2
SoR	Sisters of Redemption	1	2	1
GG	Gunther's Gravediggers	2	1	1
Ka	Kaledorians	2	1	1
SK	Shizz Kebabb	2	1	1
R&T	Rough 'n' Tumble	3	0	1
IL	Irontusk Ladz	1	-1	0
MEG	Malal’s Elite Guard	1	-1	0

The map of Mordheim (after turn 5)

Welcome, brave adventurers, to Mordheim, the city of the damned. After having wandered in darkness for the past weeks, the map of this cursed city has finally been revealed!

In the coming weeks and months, this campaign log will give you news and insights into the heroic and nefarious actions of the warbands that roam the streets of this once fair city.