"Follow Me, Men!"

One Brain Cell Fantasy Wargame Rules

Version 1.1 January 2005

These are rules for playing a wargame with toy soldiers. It is intended for several players - say 4 or more. Players control heroes (and, of course, heroines), who in turn have contingents of fighters under them.

The setting for fantasy games is one of a sort of mixed dark ages/medieval European environment. Recommended reading for this are the Conan books, Tolkein's Middle Earth books and Terry Pratchet's Diskworld books. There are thousands of heroic fantasy books, of course, but if you've read these you will at least know where the author of the rules is coming from.

Why 'One Brain Cell'? Well, many sets of wargame rules these days are horrendously complicated, with big thick rule books to read, dozens of additional books to get (at unreasonable expense) and exceptionally complicated rule mechanisms that take ages to work out.

My brain is too simple for this, so I tend to write rules that one require a single brain cell to use and understand. This tends to make games easy to learn and play, and, amazingly, are just as much fun as the dense and complicated game rules for which you have to pay a King's ransom. Odd, isn't it?

So read on, and, hopefully, enjoy.

Setting up the game

To set up a game you need a reasonable sized playing area. A large table or floor area is ideal. Depending on the story you have in mind, this can be laid out with terrain. A green cloth makes suitable ground. Model trees, lichen etc makes woods, hedges and undergrowth. Cottages, hovels, even mansions an be easily made out of cardboard.

This is the playing area.

Next assemble the toy soldiers (sorry, I mean finely crafted military miniatures…).

The players should have at least one hero (or heroine) each. They can take control of more than one each - but this might make the play more difficult in some ways.

Each hero has a contingent of fighters that are their followers in the battle.

The way these followers are used is described in the rules below. I suggest groups of followers should be between 6 and 20 figures strong depending on type. So a group of armoured knights would be about 6 figures and a group of Orc Grunts would be around 20 figures. Big things like Giants or Dragons tend to be solitary and difficult to control. This all depends on what is in your collection of figures and your personal preferences.

Note on Scales: These rules have been written with 25mm / 28mm toy soldiers in mind. If you plan to use 15mm figures, the halve the distances quoted, if you plan to use 54mm figures then double the distances shown. If you would rather use metric measurements, then 1" = 2.54cm (you'll have to do the sums yourself, sorry). If you are using 10mm figures, then you can use metric - just read centimetres for inches throughout the rules.

Actions

In each game turn everyone gets to perform Actions.

All actions are assumed to happen simultaneously.

The Sequence of working things out each turn goes like this:

1. Players declare what ACTION they are doing (see below)
2. Players can move their personal hero and any followers under their command in accordance with the ACTION they said they were going to do.
3. Mages (magic users) can work out the effect of any spells they might cast (See Magic Users below)
4. If movement brings groups of followers into weapon range then work out who killed who. Work out archers and long range effects first. Then work out melee.
5. At the end of the turn, all groups of followers that have been fighting have to take a test to see how they are feeling (called the Morale Test)

These are the actions you can do:

Hit someone (usually another specific named Hero/Player). If you choose this you cannot move your followers around that turn because you are too busy concentrating on your immediate enemy to tell them what to do.

Shout "Follow Me, Men!". Lead your followers towards the enemy (assuming that's where you're heading). All your followers within 8" of your figure will follow you by the most direct route to the limit of their movement distance (See Movement below)

Inspire Your Followers. Sometimes they might get a bit downhearted (especially if they've been taking casualties and their morale is low). You can make them happier by stopping and giving them a stirring speech, or hurling insults at your enemies (See below for Morale Test).

Send or Receive a message. Sometimes you need to tell someone something, or send a message. If you are not within 5" of that person you can't talk to them, you must write a note. This is an action. The note is then transported using a messenger from your followers to the person its meant for. Reading the note is an action too, so they might not have time to read it when it gets there!

Shout "Attack them!" This is where you can send your followers to attack a specific, named, enemy group. You don't have to accompany the attack. All your followers move towards the enemy you point at as fast as they can move until they get within weapon range - then they fight. If you are not with them they might not fight as well though (see Morale Test).

Shout Instructions to a Big Thing.  There might be occasions when a Giant or a Dragon feature in the fighting. They tend to be in groups of one. You need to be within 5" to shout an instruction to them, and this will be one of the following:

• Attack them! - direct the creature to attack a specific named enemy group. The group must be in sight of the creature when you issue the instruction. Roll 1d6 for the number of turns before they start to do what you say.
• Follow Me! - the creature will follow you after a delay of 1 turn. Every turn after than roll 1d6, and on a roll of 1 they will decide they don;t want to follow you any more and stop.
• Defend this place - the creature will remain where it is, and attack any enemy that come within 8".
• Attack at Will - the creature will move towards the nearest enemy unit and fight it. If it wins it will go after the next nearest unit and so on until it dies, runs away or runs out of enemies.

Movement

Each individual figures move as directed by their leader, up to the following maximum distance each turn:
 

Type	Distance (inches)
Lightly armoured soldiers, Archers, Crossbowmen, Orc Grunts, Ogre	6
Armoured Men at Arms, Orc Chief, Undead Pirate, Troll	5
Horseman, Wolf rider, Dragon	14
Armoured Knight, Giant	10
Carts, engines, other slow stuff.	3

Obstacles can't be easily crossed. If crossing a low wall or hedge, take one move delay. Wading though a ford or shallow stream, lose half the movement distance. Dragons can ignore obstacles because they can fly. Giants ignore obstacles smaller than a house.

Shooting

In order to shoot, archers and crossbowmen may not move in the same turn.

Archers. Roll 1d6 per figure shooting
 

Vs target	Range:	10"	15 "	20"
Peasants / Soldiers / Orc Grunts / Fighters / Undead pirates / Goblins		4,5,6	5,6	6
Man at Arms, Orc Chief		5,6	6	6
Horseman, Ogre		4,5,6	5,6	5,6
Mounted Knight, Troll		6	6	-

Crossbows. Roll 1d6 per figure shooting
 

Vs target	Range:	10"	15"	30"
Peasants / Soldiers / Orc Grunts / Fighters / Undead pirates / Goblins		4,5,6	5,6	6
Man at Arms, Orc Chief		4,5,6	5,6	6
Horseman, Ogre		4,5,6	5,6	5,6
Mounted Knight, Troll		5,6	5,6	-

Dragon Breath. 1d5 per dragon breathing fire.

Vs target	Range:	5 "	10 "	15 "
Peasants / Soldiers / Orc Grunts / Fighters / Undead pirates / Goblins / Man at Arms / Orc Chief		4,5,6	5,6	6
Horseman, Ogre, Mounted Knight		4,5,6	5,6	5,6
Troll		4,5,6	6	6

The score in the table is the chance of a hit. One hit kills most people.

EXCEPT : It takes 4 hits to kill a hero, a Dragon, or a Giant.

Morale test

Things can make your followers less keen to fight.

The entire contingent is affected by the morale rules, whatever their type.

Roll 1d6 when:

• The contingent takes a casualty.
• The contingent is surprised.
• If the player in command wants the group to take a test

Add or subtract the following factors:
-1 for each commoner casualty this turn
-1 if fighting undead people and you're alive.
-2 for each Noble casualty this turn
-1 for each Noble casualty in game
-1 visibly outnumbered.
+2 having a stirring speech from a friendly hero this turn
-1 having been directly and specifically insulted by an enemy hero within 8" this turn.
-1 if the group's leader is not present
-2 non-Heroes fighting Dragons or Giants

The check the result in this table:

The figure representing the hero / player leading the contingent is not bound by these results and may fight or run away as desired.

STEP ONE: Break the combat up into 'fights'. A fight is one fighter vs one or more enemies.

STEP TWO: For each 'fight' roll 1d6 per side, add the factors below and compare the scores

Factors in Melee :

Archer	-1
Soldier/Grunt	0
Man At Arms/Chief/Ogre	+2
Knight or Troll	+4
Hero	+4
Outnumbered 2-1 by unengaged enemies	-2
Outnumbered 3-1 by unengaged enemies	-3
Outnumbered 4-1 or more by unengaged enemies	-4

The highest score wins

If they win by 1 or more means the loser is pushed back 2"

If fighting Soldiers/Grunts/Archers a win by 2 or more is a kill

If fighting Men At Arms a win by 3 or more is a kill

If fighting Knights a win by 4 or more is a kill

If fighting a Hero a win by 4 or more is a HIT (it takes 4 hits to kill a hero)

If the outnumbered side wins, it can kill/hit only one of its enemies that turn. Winner chooses which one.

This seems complicated, but is, in fact, very simple.

EXAMPLE OF MELEE

4 Orc Grunts fight 2 mounted knights. So, this breaks down into two fights, each of 2 grunts fighting one knight. We'll ignore morale for this example.

FIRST TURN
Fight One Knight rolls 2 +4 for being a knight -2 for being outnumbered total score = 4 Orcs roll 6 No additions, total score = 6 Result is +2 win for the orcs, which against a knight is a 'push back result.	Fight Two Knight rolls 1  +4 for being a knight -2 for being outnumbered Total score = 3 Orcs roll 5 No additions, total score = 5 Result is +2 win for the orcs, which against a knight is a 'push back result.
TURN 2
Fight One Knight rolls 5 +4 for being a knight -2 for being outnumbered total score = 7 Orcs roll 5 No additions, total score = 5 Result is +2 win for the knight, which against orcs is a kill result. One orc falls.	Fight Two Knight rolls 6  +4 for being a knight -2 for being outnumbered Total score = 8 Orcs roll 1 No additions, total score = 1 Result is +7 win for the knight, which against orcs is a kill result. One orc falls.
TURN 3 The knights are no longer outnumbered, so it becomes two one to one fights.
Fight One Knight rolls 6 +4 for being a knight total score = 10 Orc roll 1 No additions, total score = 1 Result is +9 win for the knight, which against orcs is a kill result. The remaining orc falls.	Fight Two Knight rolls 5  +4 for being a knight Total score = 9 Orc roll 6 No additions, total score = 6 Result is +3 win for the knight, which against orcs is a kill result. The remaining orc falls.
Combat over and all the orcs are dead, and the knights have won. Not surprisingly.

Heroic Combat

Heroes are special cases (nutcases, some might say - though not within earshot).

If they fight just the followers of other heroes, then use the rules above.

If they fight other heroes, Dragons or Giants then these rules apply.

Heroes never outnumber other heroes. In the event of a multiple fight between heroes, those not involved will watch and cheer from the sidelines until their turn comes.

Each game turn of combat is three rounds of paper - stone - scissors.

The player with the best of three inflicts one hit on their enemy.

Heroes may break off combat and try and run away - but then that wouldn't be very heroic would it? Whatever would their followers think?

MAGIC USERS (Optional rule)

Some heroes are magic users These are called Mages. If you choose a magic user as a hero then the combat abilities are reduced. It still takes 4 hits to kill a Mage, but in melee with followers etc a Mage counts as the same as a soldier.

Using magic is complicated and hard, and only the most intelligent should attempt it.

Each magic user has a stock of magic power points at the start (typically 12). Every time they cast a spell, they use up one or more magic power points

Mages have the following additional ACTIONS

CAST A SPELL. They must be stationary, and doing nothing else. The spell list is below.

MEDITATE. Must be stationary and doing nothing else. If shot at or attacked whilst meditating then the meditation doesn't work. This allows the mage to regain ONE magical power point. This is the only way to recharge magic in battle.

Mages can only remember a limited number of spells.

Each mage should select 6 spells from the list below at the start of the battle and write them down (they do not have to show them to their enemies).

These are then the only spells they may use during the whole battle. They can use each one of their list as often as they like, so long as they have enough magical power points.

SPELLS (Optional rule)

This list is not exhaustive. To cast a spell, the Mage says out loud the name of the spell, and the target (if that is appropriate). Unless otherwise stated, the mage must be able to see the target to cast the spell on it.
 

Name of the Spell	Cost in Magical Power Points	What it does
BEGONE!	3	Range 5". Teleports any single figure to any point on the map. This counts as movement.
BLINDER	4	Range 15". Target can be any archer or crossbow contingent. Roll 1d6, score 2 or more to hit. If hit, the target unit cannot see to shoot for 1d6 turns. If engaged in melee they have a -1 on each combat.
DEATH AND DECAY	6	Range unlimited. Creates a local rain of decaying rot 8" across over target. Roll for everyone under it. 1d6 for each figure: Knights/Heroes - score 1 to be hit Others - score 1 or 2 to be hit. Undead monsters are immune.
FEAR AND TREMBLING	4	Range 15". Target can be any contingent. Roll 1d6, score 2 or more to hit. If hit, the target group must immediately test their morale with -3 from its die roll.
FIRE IN THE SKY	1	Launches a harmless coloured magic fire into the sky, for all to see. Useful for signalling. Choose the colour and announce it.
FLASH!	2	Range 5". Double movement speed of a single figure for duration of spell. Roll 1d6 each turn after the first, score 1 for the spell to wear off.
FOGGER BANK	2	Range unlimited. Creates a fog 8" across. This lasts for 5 turns. Can be moved through but not seen through.
FREEZE!	1	Range 20" Roll 1d6, score 2 or more to hit. Immobilises target for 1d6 turns. Target cannot move, shoot or communicate during that time.
Go Slow	2	Range 15". Works on any group of followers (including their leader, if present). Reduces their movement to half speed for the duration of the spell. Roll 1d6 each turn after the first, score 1 for the spell to wear off.
GONE FROM SIGHT	4	Range 5". Makes one figure invisible for the duration of spell. Roll 1d6 each turn after the first, score 1 for the spell to wear off.
GREAT STORM	5	Range unlimited. Creates a local thunderstorm 8" across over target. Roll for hurricane effects on everyone under the storm. 1d6 for each figure: Knights/Heroes - score 1 to be hit Others - score 1 or 2 to be hit.
HARM THEM NOT	4	Range 5". Makes one figure invulnerable to harm for the duration of spell. Roll 1d6 each turn after the first, score 1 for the spell to wear off.
Heal	2	Range 5". Heals one hit on a hero.
Lightning Bolt	1	Range 12". Roll 1d6, score 2 or more to hit. Kills what it hits (except heroes who take one hit).
Magic Shield	4	Range 20". Protects a single group of followers from magic spells for the duration of the spell until it fails. Roll 1d6 each time they are attacked by magic, score 1 for the protection to fail.
MIGHTY WARRIOR	3	Range 5". Turns one follower figure into a hero class fighter for the duration of the spell. Roll 1d6 each turn after the first, score 1 for the spell to wear off.
Phoenix Down	6	Range 5". Raises one figure from the dead.
You are Mine	2	Range 5". Converts any non-hero figure to your side, Roll 1d6, score 2 or better to take them over.