age of blood ver 3.0 · bestiary 77773 monster traits 73 warriors 74 heroes 75 horses 76 canines 77...

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age

age of blood wargaming in the Viking age 1

Initiative phase


Written by

Tom Hinshelwood

Thanks to

Neil Fawcett Alain Padfield Steven Roads John Platt

Paul Heywood Ian Murphy

Paul Matthews

Produced by

www.wargamesjournal.com

Copyright Tom Hinshelwood 2005

Foreward


Working on Age of Blood has been a long journey but one far from arduous. The first set of

rules was released on Wargames Journal almost two years ago now and this new edition has been something that I’ve wanted to complete for some time. What started as a simple revision of the original rules quickly grew into a major overhaul as I tried to add every conceivable thing I could think of to make the game more fun to play, in both the battle and campaign rules.

One of the reasons for originally writing the game was because I wanted to play skirmish games in

which heroes can be truly heroic and battles can be fast and unpredictable affairs - where you can never really know what might happen next. Being able to customise heroes and watch them progress and develop satisfyingly was something I’ve worked very hard to get right. Not only in allowing heroes to gain injuries, improve characteristics and gain special abilities, but also in a way that does not make them invincible. Even the hardest hero possible in these rules can still be defeated, and not just by similarly tough heroes. Even unarmoured peasants can be dangerous if there are enough of them.

The campaign system in these rules is somewhat of a resource management game in itself. Different

commodities (loot) can be acquired (stolen) and then traded (fenced) in different locations around Europe for varying amounts of profit. One of the keys to a successful warband is shrewd trading. Knowing what to sell where to sell it can be the difference in scraping by and making a fortune. Not everyone will want to try their hand at the campaign elements of the game and that’s fine - the rules can still be played as a typical skirmish wargame, either a purely historical or quasi-fantasy one.

The game, though very detailed, is simple in its mechanics and easy to pick up, but with its many

layers of depth one that’s difficult to master – at least that’s the intent.

Tom Hinshelwood, July 2005 email: [email protected]

contents


Introduction 6 The campaign 6 What you need 6 Game mechanics 7 Types of Model 7 Characteristics 8 The turn 9 Actions 9

Initiative 10 Fate 10 Order of play 10 Bravery 10 Retreating 11

Movement 12 Movement Actions 12 Line of Sight 12 Reach 12 Turning 13 Move 13 Run 13 Shieldwall 13 Flee 14 Charge 14 Hide 14 Terrain 15 Climbing 15 Falling 16 Jumping 16 Swimming 16 Withdrawing 17

Ranged 18 Ranged Actions 18 Ranged Categories 18 Cover 18 Shoot 19 Throw 19 Aim 19 Melee Combat 20

hand-to-hand 21 Hand to Hand Actions 21 Attack 21 Duel 22 Defensive Fighting 22 Multiple Attack 22 Swap Weapon 22 Shieldwall 23 Charges 23 Prone 23 No Actions Left 23 Flank Attacks 24 Critical Hits 24 Free Attacks 24 Fumbles 24 Supporting 24 Two Hands 25

Steeds 26

terrifying foes 27777

Injury 28 Wounded 28 Injuries 28 War wounds 29

Weapons 31 Knife 31 Sword 31 Spear 31 Maul 31 Axe 32 Broad axe 32 Bow 32

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Armour 33 Shield 33 Leather Jerkin 33 Chain Hauberk 33 Helmet 33 Limb Guards 33

The warband 34 Hersir 34 Birthrights 34 Renown 36 Champions 36 Berserkers 37 Huscarls 38 Carls 38 Nationality 38 Equipment 39 Ships 40 Sample Warbands 41 Name Generator 42

Pre battle 43 Scenarios 43 Getting there 43 The Viking world 44 Storms 46

Post battle 47777

Renown 48

Experience 49 Traits 50 Physical 51 Combat 52 Wits 53 Reputation 54 Sailing 55 Supernatural 56

Trading 57777 Loot 57 Trading list 58

Special characters 59 Sorcerer 59 Skald 60 Duelist 60 Shield maiden 61 Godi 62 Ulfhednar 62

Sorcery 63 Spell List 64

Scenarios 65 Destinations 65 The Raid 67 The Battle 70 The Quest 72

bestiary 77773 Monster Traits 73 Warriors 74 Heroes 75 Horses 76 Canines 77 Bears 77 Trolls 78 Giants 79 Dragon 79 Draugr 80 Maahiset 80 Werewolves 80

introduction


Age of Blood is a skirmish-level battle game

in which players take control of bands of Vikings and lead them on bloody adventures in search of loot and glory. These rules contain all the information you will need to know in order to play either one off games or complete campaigns.

The game is designed for use with 25mm or

28mm miniatures, though any individual based model from 15mm to 40mm can be used. Play is possible with any scale but distances and measurements would need to be proportionately reworked.

Age of Blood’s focus is on the fantastical

aspects of Viking history and as such is more concerned with the legends and heroic sagas then trying to depict a realist view of the era. These rules are loosely set in the 9th Century, though the supernatural is prevalent in many aspects of the game including fate, magic and monsters.

If desired though the supernatural elements to

the rules can easily be ignored so that the game can be played as a purely historical wargame.

The campaign

Incorporated into the game is a campaign

system whereby the abilities and wealth of a raiding party can rise and fall depending on its successes and failures on the battlefield. A warband will typically begin with around 20 Vikings (enough to crew a small ship), but over the course of a campaign this amount can rise and fall. Potentially a warband could have upwards of 100 models.

In a campaign you can purchase better

weapons and armour for your warriors and hire special characters to accompany you. The heroes of your raiding party gather experience every time they fight which enables them to improve their abilities and gain new traits (special talents).

With enough skill and luck you can take

your warband from its humble beginnings and transform it into a legendary fighting brotherhood whose very name inspires terror.

What you need

You’ll need the typical wargaming

paraphernalia to play this game including tape measures, counters, dice, terrain and models. The most important requirement is having enough models for your both warband and its enemies.

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Game mechanics

All tests made in Age of Blood are

attempted by rolling ten-sided dice (D10’s). No other dice is used. To attempt a task a characteristic test for the warrior is made by rolling a D10 and adding the appropriate characteristic to the result.

For example: The mighty champion Fafnir is

attempting to slay Halfdan, a hated foe. To try and hack his enemy down Fafnir rolls a D10 and adds his Strength 5 to the roll of 8, resulting in a total of 13.

To determine whether the task attempted is

successful the enemy player also makes a roll. This system is known as making an opposed roll. Whoever gets the highest number wins the opposed roll and succeeds in the attempted task or in stopping it.

For example: Halfdan makes a Fortitude test to

oppose Fafnir’s Strength test. Halfdan rolls 11 in total and so Fafnir wins the opposed roll and kills Halfdan.

At other times the player does not make an

opposed roll but rolls against a static difficulty number to determine whether the task is successful.

For example: After killing Halfdan, Fafnir must

leap across a fast flowing stream to engage more enemies. To jump across he must get 10 or higher by rolling a D10 and adding his Agility.

For most tests made it is possible to either get

a spectacularly bad failure, known as a fumble, or an amazingly good success, known as a critical success or just critical for short. To achieve a fumble the test attempt must fail and a 1 must be rolled on the dice. For a critical, the test must be passed as well as a 10 rolled on the dice.

For example: In an attempt to pursue Fafnir, an

enemy warrior tries to jump the stream as well. Unfortunately a 1 is roll, and with only Agility 1, the total of 2 is nowhere near the 10 required. Not only does the warrior fail to jump the stream but he also wounds himself in the process, falling on the sharp rocks.

Types of model

A raiding party is made up of two distinct

types of combatants, warriors and heroes. Warrior is the universal term for all standard troops in the game and will make up the bulk of a party of Vikings.

Heroes, however, are the great fighters of the

raiding party, capable of performing incredible deeds worthy of song. Heroes are far more potent then warriors and unique special rules are assigned to them which are unavailable to normal warriors.

During battles heroes amass experience

depending on how well they perform. When enough experience has been gained the hero increases an honour level, or just level. This then allows them to improve their characteristics and hence their potency in battle.

Heroes begin at honour 1 and can potentially

rise as high as level 5. A Viking who achieves such a feat is truly a hero of legendary proportions and all enemies would do well to avoid him at all costs.

When the term warrior or model is used in

this rulebook it refers to all types of combatants, whether they are warriors or heroes. If a rule only applies to a hero it will be explicitly stated.

introduction


Characteristics

The fighting abilities of both warriors and

heroes are defined by seven characteristic scores, each representing different aspects of the warrior’s capabilities on the battlefield. In each case the higher the characteristic’s value, the more potent the warrior is at that particular aspect of battle. Some characteristics can be affected by what weapons and armour a warrior uses, as should after a “/” in the profile

Fafnir

Agi Bra Def For Pro Str Val 3/2 5 2 5/9 6 5/7 4

AAAAgility represents how swift on his feet a

model is, how quick his reactions are and his overall nimbleness. His Agility determines is ability to run, jump and climb and also helps him avoid being hit by missile weapons. Models wearing heavy armour suffer penalties to their Agility.

BBBBravery is a measure of how courageous a

warrior is. It determines how easily he will cower from combat when the tide of the battle turns against him. Bravery is also a model’s defence against the fear induced by the supernatural.

DDDDeftness is a model’s ability to use ranged

weapons, whether they are bows or thrown weapons. Vikings favour melee combat and typically do not often have high Deftness scores.

FFFFortitude represents the hardiness and

endurance of the model. The higher the warrior’s Fortitude the more difficult he will be to kill. A Viking who wears armour receives bonuses to his Fortitude.

PPPProwess is a measure of the model’s fighting

ability with melee weapons and is used whenever a model fights in hand-to-hand combat. For most warriors and heroes this is perhaps the most important characteristic.

SSSStrength represents the model’s muscularity,

power and physical stature. The higher a model’s strength the easier it is for him to injure and kill his enemies. Most weaponry gives a bonus to a warrior’s Strength.

VVVValour is a measure of a model’s heroic

nature, fate and just pure luck. Only heroes have this characteristic, and uniquely it is never used as the modifier to a test or action. A hero’s Valour score is the number of times he is able to re-roll a D10 during the course of a battle in order to get a higher number.

UUUUnless otherwise stated Valour can be used

to re-roll any D10 roll at any point during the battle, so long as it is for the hero’s own use. A hero cannot use Valour to affect another warrior’s test, only his own. No single roll can have more than one point of Valour used on it, though Valour can be used to re-roll a dice that has already been re-rolled due to some other special circumstance.

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Characteristic Examples 0 Feeble a child’s Prowess 1 Weak a huscarl’s Defntess 2 Typical a man’s Agility 3 Able a champion’s Strength 4 Superior a berserker’s Bravery 5 Gifted a Varangian’s Fortitude 6 Exceptional a Jomsviking’s Prowess 7 Heroic Erik the Red’s Bravery 8 Legendary Beowulf’s Strength 9+ Supernatural a troll’s Fortitude

The Turn

In AAAAge of BBBBlood each game is played

through a number of turns, with each turn sub-divided into four phases, Initiative, Movement, Ranged and Hand-to-Hand. In each phase both sides are allowed to perform actions for all of their models before moving on to the next phase.

Actions

In a battle all the various things a warrior can

do are broken down into individual tasks, known as actions. In each phase warriors perform specific actions related to that phase, moving in the movement phase, fighting in the combat phase etc.

DDDDuring the course of a turn no model may

make more then two actions. These two actions can both be taken in the same phase or in different phases, but the same action cannot be taken twice.

Taking certain actions means that a model is

not allowed to perform another action either before or afterwards. Such actions are known as special actions.

For example: Fafnir is allowed to take two

actions during the turn. He could take one move action in the Movement phase followed by a throw action in the Ranged phase or any other of the many combinations. Alternatively he could take a special action, such as the run action in the Movement phase.

initiative


This is the first phase of the turn, during

which several distinct things take place, such as establishing the order of play between players and making Bravery tests.

Fate

At the start of each Initiative phase both

players draw cards from the Fate Deck. Fate cards are special bonuses and hindrances that may be given to models on both forces during the turn. Each card equates to a different fate and can be played whenever the player chooses, as long as the requirements for the card’s use are met.

The Fate Deck must be shuffled thoroughly

each time before cards are drawn and is comprised of 34 individual fates and 2 dummy cards. The fate cards are arranged so that they can be printed directly onto labels, which can then be stuck to normal playing cards. Alternatively a normal pack of cards can be used with different cards representing different fates. The former option makes the fate cards faster and more fun to use.

Fate cards must be played in the subsequent

phases of the turn they are drawn. If they aren’t played or cannot be played during the turn they are returned to the Fate Deck unused.

The only limitation on using fate cards is that

no more then one card may be used on a single model in a single phase by one player. Both players can play a different fate on the same model in the same phase however Once the effects of a fate card have been established the card is returned to the deck.

To determine how many cards are drawn,

each player rolls a D10 and refers to the following table.

D10 Roll Fate Cards 1-4 0 5-7 1 8-9 2 10 3 Fate cards are designed to be printed onto commercial labels, 46.6 mm x 53.5 mm in size. 18 of these labels fit onto a sheet of A4 paper

Order of play

To determine who has the initiative for the

turn both players make opposed rolls using the Bravery of their sides commander, known as the hersar (plural: hersir).

Whoever gets the highest result has the

initiative for the rest of the turn. If the results are tied, re-roll until a winner is decided. A hersar may spend a point of Valour to re-roll the result of the Bravery test as normal.

If a hersar has been removed from play, either

because he is dead or wounded, then the highest honour level hero makes the opposed roll, but his opponent receives a +1 Bravery bonus to account for the hero’s inexperience in command.

Having the initiative means that the player

may select whether his force or his opponents takes actions first in following phases. Once it has been decided who goes first this cannot be changed at a later point in the turn.

Bravery

During the Initiative phase it may be

necessary for certain models to make Bravery tests. The circumstances for having to make a Bravery test vary but for the majority of these tests the there is a static difficulty of 6.

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A model who fails to get this number is

forced to take the flee action in the Movement phase. Equalling the difficulty means the model is shaken, and all tests and opposed rolls made for that turn are subject to a +1 penalty. If the Bravery test is a success then the model may act as normal.

Below are listed a number of conditions that

force a model to make a Bravery test, but these conditions only become necessary when the raiding party has had 25% of its models removed as casualties. Up until this point the below conditions can be ignored.

Once a quarter of the force have been lost the

warband’s courage starts to waver and any model that meets any of the below conditions must test for Bravery in the subsequent Initiative phase, but they do not have to test again in subsequent Initiative phases for the same condition.

Out-Numbered Models that have more enemies around them then friendly models have to test. If a model has two or more enemies within 6”, but no friendly models it needs to make a Bravery test.

Hero Death If a warrior (but not a hero) is within 6” of a friendly hero when he is killed they must make a Bravery test at having witnessed one of their champions cut down.

Leaderless Should the raiding party’s hersar be slain all models must test for Bravery. Similarly, this is the case if the hersar flees.

TTTTo make things easier on the battlefield it’s

fine to make one Bravery test for multiple warriors. This can only be done with models that have the same Bravery and who are of the same type. It’s up to the player whether or not to make individual Bravery tests, but one test for a group of models is recommended to save time. No more than 5 models may be tested with one roll.

retreating

Once 50% of party has been removed as

casualties then a Bravery test must be made for the entire raiding party each turn. This is made using the hersar’s Bravery.

If the test is failed the force retreats and the

battle is over. If the hersar is already fleeing or removed from play then the rest of the warband will automatically withdraw. Depending on the scenario the difficulty for this type of Bravery test may vary.

movement


In this phase models on both sides are

allowed to take movement related actions. Below are listed a number of actions that a model may select during this phase according to the rules described under the action headings.

Movement Actions

Move Charge Run Hide Shieldwall Flee

Line of Sight

A model can see any other model that it has

an unobstructed line of sight to. That is, if a theoretical line can be drawn from the warrior in question to his foe then he can see him automatically. It is said that the warrior has a line of sight.

If the warrior does not have a line of sight to

an enemy he cannot move into base contact with him or attack him with ranged weapons. A warrior can move no closer than 2” to a model that he did not have a line of sight to at the start of the turn.

No line of sight

Being able to draw a line of sight to an

otherwise concealed model’s weapon, base, helmet or similar periphery does not count as a true line of sight and for all purposes that model is considered to be unseen. A warrior must be able to see at least 25% of the model to have a line of sight.

For example: A hut is in between Fafnir and his

foe, a Saxon huscarl. Because Fafnir cannot see at least 25% of the model he cannot move into base contact with him, even though he has enough movement to do so. Fafnir moves around the building but has to stop 2” away from his enemy and can go no closer. Now that he has a line of sight Fafnir will be able to engage his enemy next turn.

reach

A warrior cannot move through space

occupied by another model, whether friendly or foe.. In addition, models that move too close to their enemies subject themselves to possible attacks, especially if they try to move past them.

All warriors have a reach distance, up to

which they threatened their enemies, for most normal weapons this is 2” inches, but for small weapons this is just 1” inch and for longer weapons like spears this is 3”. This reach extends all the way around the model so they threaten any enemy that comes within their weapon’s reach.

Enemy warriors can move into this

threatened area to base contact as long as they have a weapon of equal reach themselves, but they cannot move through it (ie into it and then out) without exposing themselves. A warrior who moves through an enemy’s reach is subject to a free attack.

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For example: Fafnir’s target, a Saxon thegn,

stands behind a loose line of fyrdmen. If Fafnir wants to attack the thegn he must charge between the fyrdmen and in doing so he will be subject to two free attacks, one for each warrior he moves past.

If the warrior starts within an enemy’s reach

he is allowed to move out of the reach without suffering a free attack. Models who are already in base contact with enemy models cannot threaten other warriors, so their reach is ignored.

turning

A model is allowed to turn on its own axis

freely during the movement phase – it doesn’t cost an action or any part of an action to do so, unless explicitly stated elsewhere.

f

move

Taking this action allows a model to move 6

inches across even terrain. This basic distance can be modified by the type of terrain the model is moving over as described previously.

Run (special)

Run is a special action, so if a model takes it,

it can take no other action during the turn. A model who runs moves 6 inches just like with a move action but also gets to add his Agility to this amount for the total distance he is allowed to move.

Shieldwall

The shieldwall was the dominant battle tactic

of the period and consisted of a line of men each with their shields overlapping to create a wall of shields to fight over. Though primarily a defensive formation, the tactic was so effective in attack as well as defensive that it was hardly ever not used when circumstance allowed it.

To form a shieldwall the models must move

into base contact with each other first to form a straight line.

A shieldwall can be formed with as little as

two models, but the disadvantages will outweigh the advantages with only a few warriors as a shieldwall with exposed flanks is very vulnerable. See the Hand-to-Hand section for details of the shieldwall action in combat.

movement


Flee

This action is not selected but is forced upon

a model who has failed a Bravery test in the Initiative phase. The model is now doing his best to avoid the fighting. He moves as per the run action, but must take the most direct path away from the enemy and move the maximum distance he can.

A model who is fleeing is unable to take any

other action in this phase or subsequent phases. However, if he is attacked in the Hand-to-Hand phase he may make the opposed Prowess test, but his opponent receives +2 to his Prowess score. Additionally, if the fleeing model wins the opposed roll he may not roll to wound.

Charge

A charging model smashes into his opponent

as fast as he can, using pure aggression and momentum to gain an advantage. The charge allows the model to move further than is normally possible. A model cannot charge if he has either run or charged on the previous turn, due to the exertion required.

The warrior moves just like if he’d used the

run special action, that is 6” plus his Agility. To charge an enemy the warrior must charge in more or less a straight line. He is allowed to go over difficult terrain and move around obstacles, but he must be able to charge in a straight line for the last 4” to his enemy. If not he cannot take this action.

Similarly a warrior cannot charge an enemy if

he is less than 4” away. In addition, because of the exertion a charge causes a warrior cannot take this action if he took it the turn before. See the Hand to Hand section for details of the benefits of charging.

Hide (special)

A model who takes this action tries to

conceal himself from the enemy, maybe for an ambush or perhaps just to save his skin. The model can only hide if he at least partially obscured (25% or more) from his enemies.

A hidden model cannot be charged or

targeted in anyway because the enemy does not have a line of sight and therefore can move no closer than 2” from the hiding model. If an enemy model does come to 2” away then the hiding warrior has been spotted and is no longer hidden. The enemy model, though, cannot continue its move or take any other actions this turn as normal.

The hiding model, however, can be moved

up to 3” away from its original hiding position, representing the fact that the enemy could not see what he was doing. The new position, however, and the warrior’s route to it must provide at least 25% cover to keep him hidden from the enemy model who moved up to him. A model can be moved to a new position a number of times equal to his Agility each turn.

For example: Surrounding by enemies, Fafnir

hides in a copse of trees. An enemy model is moved to 2” from where Fafnir is positioned, which would normally cause him to be spotted. But Fafnir is able to move 3” further into the trees away from the enemy because his route and his new position will keep him obscured. He stays hidden.

If the warrior is spotted then enemies within

6” of the model that spotted him also count as having spotted the hiding warrior too. These models can act normally against him as though he wasn’t hidden.

For example: Another warrior hunting Fafnir

now moves to 2” away of Fafnir’s new hiding place, and Fafnir again moves 3” away. However, now Fafnir is visible to enemy leader and all enemies within 6” of the leader.

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terrain

The distance a model is able to move,

regardless of the action, is subject to what type of terrain they are moving across. Models may move their full moves over terrain that is level and passable. This includes paths, fields, grasslands etc.

Moving over other types of terrain will

impede a model’s movement to a greater or lesser degree depending on how “difficult” that terrain is classed as. Refer to the table below for examples of terrain and what level of difficulty that terrain is classed as and the effect that terrain has on the distance moved through it.

Normal Grassland, path, field, plain

(x 1”)

Uneven Light woodland, moderate

(x ¾”) slope

Rough Dense woodland, shallow

(x ½”) water, rocky ground, ruins, deep snow

Difficult Steep slope, deep water, bog

(x ¼”)

For example: During the Movement phase

Fafnir passes through a copse of trees and over a stream. He is using a move action and so moves 6” over normal terrain. The copse classes as normal terrain so he moves through it at full speed, or 1” for every 1” of his movement rate. The stream, however, is rough terrain so he moves through it at ½“ for each 1” of movement. The stream is 2” wide so it costs Fafnir 4” to cross it.

climbing

Trees, walls, cliffs, buildings are all terrain

objects that warriors may wish to climb during a battle. Such features cannot be traversed in the same way as other types of terrain as the model must use his hands as well as his feet. A warrior cannot climb as quickly as he can run so climbing an obstacle is always a slow process and can also be a dangerous one.

Only terrain with adequate hand holds and

foot holds can be climbed, sheer surfaces are impassable unless they are no more than 2” in height, in which case it’s assumed the warrior can jump up and hoist himself over.

When climbing the model has to traverse

the total height of the terrain feature at a ¼ normal rate, or 1½” for a full move action. In addition to this the warrior must first make a successful Strength test to be able to climb in the first place. Below are listed example obstacles and their relevant difficulties.

Obstacle Difficulty Tree 6 Cliff, evergreen tree 8 Wooden palisade, wall 10

For example: Fafnir needs to climb a cliff in

order to reach an enemy’s hall. The cliff is 6” in height, which will take Fafnir a total of 4 whole turns to climb. Each movement phase Fafnir must make a Strength test at difficulty 8 to make any progress.

If the warrior achieves a success he may climb

the full distance allowed and continue with his move if he has any remaining. A critical success means that he climbs at ½” pace instead of the normal 1/4” pace.

movement


If a model cannot reach the top of the obstacle,

or a point where he no longer has to climb, then the model has to hang on, mid climb, until next turn when he can continue. A warrior cannot fight whilst climbing and if hit in any way he falls

If a warrior fails to meet the difficulty when

climbing then he either cannot find a grip and wastes the action or if he is in mid-climb he has to remain where he is and cannot continue. If this happens a second time the model falls. A model who fumbles, falls instantly.

jumping

A warrior is able to jump as part of a move

or run action. For a model to make a jump first measure the distance of the gap, for every ½” (round fractions down) that the model has to jump it equates to a cumulative 2 difficulty Agility test to pass.

The distance jumped counts towards the

warrior’s movement allowance, and if the gap is further than what’s left of the model’s remaining movement then he cannot make the jump.

For example: Whilst sailing across the North Sea

Fafnir’s longship is attacked by a group of Danish pirates. When the enemy ship pulls up alongside Fafnir’s ship, Fafnir leaps across to engage his foes. The gap is measured to be 1 ¾”, rounded to 1 ½”, and so becomes an Agility test with a difficulty of 6.

Should the warrior achieves a success then he

makes the jump and can continue moving if he has any movement allowance remaining. If he achieves a critical success then the distance jumped is halved for the purposes of working out any remaining moved.

A warrior that fails to make the jump then

falls. If appropriate the distance he managed to jump before falling can be worked out (in ½”) by dividing the total Agility result by two.

The jumping rules above assume that the

warrior in question has at least a 1” run up before he attempts the jump. If he is forced to make a standing jump, that is he cannot at least make a 1” run up, then the difficulty of the jump doubles (4 for each ½” of the gap).

Falling

A fall of 1” is not dangerous for a warrior, it

may hurt but it’s not life threatening, but a model that that falls more than a couple of inches is in real trouble. For each 1” that a model falls after the first he takes a cumulative Strength 1 hit against his base Fortitude, that is without any bonuses for armour. If a warrior is falling into deep water then he takes a cumulative Strength 1 hit for every 2” fallen.

For example: Whilst fighting on top of the cliff

Fafnir is pushed back over the edge and falls into the sea below. The drop is 6” in height which would equate to a Strength 5 hit (5” after the first), but because Fafnir is landing in the sea this is actually a Strength 3 hit instead.

swimming

Water that is too deep to wade across can be

swam if warriors are so willing. A model who elects to swim moves at ½ pace as though he were moving across difficult terrain, but like climbing and jumping the warrior is not automatically successful and he must make a Strength test. The difficulty of the test is dependant on what kind of water he is trying to swim. Refer to the table below.

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Water Difficulty Still/calm 6 Rough/fast flowing 8 Very rough/very fast flowing 10

For example: Having survived the fall from the

cliff top Fafnir must swim to shore. Unfortunately the sea at the bottom of the cliff is very rough and requires a Strength test at difficulty 10 to pass.

If a warrior achieves a partial success then he

can only manage ¼ pace whilst swimming, whereas with a complete success he makes ½ pace. A model who fails is unable to make any progress and loses the rest of his actions this turn. If on their subsequent action, they are unable to achieve at least a partial success then they take a Strength 4 hit against their base Fortitude each turn as they start to drown.

Warriors are able to carry a single weapon

whilst swimming without penalty as they are assumed to scabbard it or strap it across their backs. For each additional weapon or shield they carry the difficulty is increased by 1. This is increased by 2 for wearing light armour or 4 for a chain hauberk. Before a warrior attempts to swim he can opt to discard weapons and armour automatically but does not get them back unless he later returns to the exact point where he left them.

Withdrawing

If a warrior is in base contact with an enemy

model he is allowed to withdraw from his enemy by taking a normal move action. If he does so he cannot then take another action after he has withdrawn.

Therefore its necessary to time your models

withdraw else it will be pointless as the enemy model will just be able to charge back into base contact if you went first. In addition the enemy model may make a free attack against the withdrawing warrior. Free attacks are described in the Hand-to-Hand section.

ranged


In this phase models armed with missile

weapons may use them to attack their enemies. Models armed with bows use the shoot action, while models armed with spears or throwing axes use the throw action. A model who is in base contact with an enemy model cannot select actions in this phase.

Ranged Actions

Shoot Aim Throw

Range categories

Regardless of the action used all ranged

attacks are affected by distance – the further away the target, the more difficult they are to it. Measure the range between the models and compare the number to the range categories of the weapon used (close, medium, long and extreme) found in the Arms and Armour section. The attacker’s Deftness and the target’s Agility roll is then subject to possible modifiers.

Range Agility Deftness Close - +2 Medium - - Long +2 - Extreme +4 -

For example: A Saxon bowman fires at Fafnir,

who is 19” away. This distance is medium range for a bow as it is over 12” but less then 24”. When the opposed roll is made Fafnir receives a +2 bonus to his Agility test.

Weapon Cls Med Lon Ext Axe 2” 4” 6” 8” Spear 3” 6” 12” 18” Bow 6” 12” 24” 36”

cover

To accurately attack an enemy model the

attacked must have a clear line of sight from the front of the model. If this is blocked by other models or scenery then the target’s opposed roll is subject to a modifier. If the target is more then 25% obscured he counts as being partially obscured with more then 50% being heavily obscured. A model who is 75% or more obscured cannot be attacked.

Obscured Agility

Partially +2 Heavily +4

Partially obscured

Heavily Obscured

Age of blood


If the target model does not have a line of

sight to the attacker then the target does not add his Agility to the opposed roll as he is not aware of the attack.

Shoot

For a bow-armed model to hit another he

must make a successful Deftness test against the target’s Agility roll. This number is subject to any modifier from the range or cover. If the attacking model wins the opposed roll the target warrior has been hit and might be killed. Refer to the Injury section for details.

If a model is charged from the front it can

release a snap shot at its enemy, assuming it has an action left to do so. The enemy receives +1 Agility to the opposed roll.

Throw

This action is performed exactly like the shoot

action except it used by models armed with thrown weapons. Unless he is armed with multiple throwing weapons a warrior may only perform one throw action per battle.

Aim

A model who takes this action carefully

prepares his arrow before firing or his axe before throwing. By taking this action the warriors gives himself a +1 bonus when making the Deftness test in his subsequent shoot or throw action.

Melee combat

Employing ranged attacks against enemies in

close combat is a dangerous affair and is usually avoided at all costs. However, reckless or desperate warriors are allowed to do so, but not without risk to friendly warriors fighting.

When firing or throwing a ranged weapon

at an enemy in base contact with a friendly model there is a 50/50 chance of hitting either. Roll a D10, on a 1-5 the friendly model is targeted, on a roll of 6-10 the target is the intended one. Then roll to hit as normal with all appropriate modifiers.

If there is more than 1 friendly model in base

contact then no attack is possible because the odds are just too great of striking a friendly. Any warrior attempting such a thing is regarded as insane or a traitor and can be punished by the whole warband.

ranged


Should a friendly model be struck by his

companion then a dangerous incident (for the whole warband) could erupt. Roll a D10 and consult the reaction table to determine what happens.

A hersar who strikes one of his own warband

will be looked upon with scorn and disrespect. Though no one in the warband takes any immediate actions some warriors will be so disgusted with their lord’s behaviour that they simply leave. The hersar loses 1 Renown to represent this and if he accidentally killed one of his own men then he loses 2 Renown.

D10 Reaction

1-2 “Not in my warband.” The warrior is regarded as too reckless and dangerous to be in the warband and is set upon by his companions at the first available opportunity. If any warriors are able, they target the model with ranged weapons in the current phase until he is dead. If he is alive at the start of the next turn he is charged by any available warriors (up to 4) within 6” who fight him until he, or all of them are dead. If the perpetrator isn’t attacked or somehow survives, “We’ll settle this later.” comes into play.

3-4 “He’s mine.” The model struck by his companion’s idiocy makes it his mission to take revenge. As soon as he is not in base contact with an enemy he has to do everything he can to kill the warrior who attacked him. He has to take the most direct path to his victim at all speed and will continue to do so until he is dead. The intended victim will fight back, but won’t use ranged weapons in fear of retribution from his other companions. If the warrior struck was killed then no event takes place.

5-7777 “We’ll settle this later.” Any vengeance takes place after the battle and does not affect the overall makeup of the warband. If either the guilty model or the victim is a hero then a duel between them must be fought out. If the hero is removed from play he is automatically killed and must be deleted from the roster as normal.

8-10 “Who did that?” Nobody notices who perpetrated the attack and so no vengeance is sought. The guilty party breathes a sigh of relief.

Hand to hand


In this phase models that are in base contact

with one another are able to take actions from the below lists. Unlike the Movement and Ranged phases in the Hand-to-Hand phase models are considered to be acting at the same time. Therefore each fight is handled individually with both side’s models taking actions simultaneously, instead of each side taking their actions separately. In each of these separate fights whoever has been going first this turn selects his actions first. The opposing player then selects his, if applicable.

Hand to Hand Actions

Attack Duel Swap Wpn Multiple

Defensive …Fighting

Attack Dodge

Attack

To decide who wins between fighting

models each player makes an opposed Prowess test for their respective models. Whoever scores the highest number wins the fight and is allowed to roll to wound (see Injury section). If the scores are tied both combatants fail to get the edge of their opponent and neither may roll to wound.

For example: Fafnir has moved into base contact

with an enemy huscarl in the Movement phase and attacks him in the Hand to Hand phase. Fafnir has Prowess 7 and his enemy, Prowess 3. They make opposed rolls, Fafnir gets 11 in total and the huscarl 8 so that Fafnir wins and can now roll to wound his opponent.

If a model is in base contact with more then

one enemy model he makes his Prowess test as normal and the opposing player makes a Prowess test for each of the enemy models in base contact. The side who out-numbers the single warrior receives a Prowess bonus for each model as shown on the table below.

Warriors Prowess Bonus 2 +1 3 +2 4+ +3

The singular model is allowed to roll to

wound any of the enemies whom he beat in the opposed roll and similarly any enemy who beat him in the opposed roll is also allowed to try and wound him.

For example: Fafnir has been attacked by three

Saxon swordsmen. He makes a single Prowess roll, scoring 8 (D10 roll of 3 plus Prowess 5), and his opponents roll 6, 8 and 11 respectively. Fafnir has beaten just one Saxon and must roll to wound him. The Saxon who scored 11 can also roll to wound Fafnir.

It’s only possible for a maximum of four

models to attack a single enemy. If more models are in base contact then it is necessary to decide which four fight. Any others do not. However, up to six models may all attack a mounted warior.

Warriors always respond to the most

immediate threat posed to them, so if there is an enemy in base contact they must fight them. The exception is if that enemy is himself in base contact with another friendly model.

If a model wins an opposed Prowess roll by 2

or more then the winning player may knock back his enemy 1” backwards in a 90-degree arc. The model must always be pushed back where there is room if possible. In a situation where multiple warriors are fighting a single model, then the single warrior can only push his opponents back if he beats all of them in the opposed roll. If he is beaten just once, then it is he who is pushed back.

For example. Fafnir would normally be able to

push back the Saxon who he beat in the prior example, but because Fafnir himself was also beaten by another enemy, Fafnir is pushed back instead due to weight of numbers.

Hand to hand


Duel

Honour and glory are very important to

Vikings, and no greater glory is there then that gained from defeating a worthy opponent in single combat. Only heroes may select this action and against enemy heroes in base contact. It is up to the opposing player whether their hero accepts the challenge.

If the challenge is accepted no other models,

on either side, may intervene in any way, until one hero or the other has been removed from play. Once the duel has been agreed neither hero may withdraw from it and will continue to fight every turn until one hero has fallen. If the battle ends before this happens, continue fighting out the duel in isolation until a winner has been decided.

A hero who wins a duel receives 4 additional

experience from defeating his foe. A hero who declines a duel loses 2 experiences points. If the same hero challenges him again the model does not incur the penalty again.

Defensive Fighting

A model who fights in this manner is using

every ounce of his skills and abilities to defend himself, staying alive being his only concern. Perhaps he is out-numbered and awaits the arrival of friends to aid him, or maybe he is just trying to hold on until nightfall when he can slip away.

In either case the model receives a +2 bonus to

his Prowess, but if he wins any opposed

Multiple Attack

(special)

A hero who multiple attack uses his superior

skills to attack several enemies in the phase instead of just one. Only heroes are allowed to take this action as only they possess the necessary skill. As this is a special action, the hero can only take this if he has taken no other actions in prior phases.

Instead of making just one opposed Prowess

test as would happen with the attack action, the hero makes one separate test for each opponent in base contact. For each opposed roll he wins he is able to roll to wound that enemy model.

For example: Fafnir is locked in combat with

three enemy Saxons. He makes an opposed roll against each of the Saxons in the hope of slaying all three. Fafnir manages to win all three opposed rolls and so can roll to wound each of his enemies.

swap weapon

Many warriors go into battle with more than

one weapon, sometimes many weapons. At the start of the Hand to Hand phase a warrior can be wielding any of the weapons in his possession as decided by the player. However, unless the model finds himself without any enemies in base contact, he can only swap weapons again by taking this action.

To swap a weapon the warrior must make an

opposed Agility test against his enemy’s Prowess. If unsuccessful the warrior must continue to use his original weapon but a partial success or higher means the warrior has successfully changed to another weapon in his equipment list.

Age of blood


Shieldwall

A warrior in a shieldwall is incredibly well

protected as he has not only the benefit of his own shield but also that of the warrior on his right. Warriors in a shieldwall double their shield’s effectiveness, so rather than having +2 Fortitude on account of their large shields, they would have +4. The downside is, is that their attacking effectiveness is reduced and so their attackers receive a +1 Prowess bonus against them.

In addition, the warrior at the very right hand

flank of the shieldwall does not receive the Fortitude bonus, and in fact suffers a penalty because his shield is being employed to partially shield the model on his right and not himself. Therefore the effectiveness of the shield is halved, from +2 to +1 Fortitude. Historically only the very best warriors occupy the right flank of a shieldwall for this very reason.

charges

A warrior who charges an enemy gains a

significant advantage over his foe. The charging warrior receives a +1 Prowess bonus to the opposed attack roll and also a +1 Strength bonus to his roll to injure should he win the initial roll.

prone

For several reasons it’s possible for a warrior

to be on the ground, either from having fallen, tripped or by being knocked over. Such warriors are referred to as prone and any attacks made against them are at a +2 Prowess modifier.

No actions left

A warrior who has no actions left but who is

in base contact with an enemy model can defend himself in this phase but cannot attack back. If attacked, opposed rolls are made as normal except that if the warrior without any actions wins the opposed roll he cannot then roll for any injuries.

Hand to hand


Flank attacks

Each model has a front and rear and two

flanks, left and right. As mentioned earlier it’s only possible for four models to attack a single enemy at one time. There just isn’t room for more to attack, even though there might be the physical room to place those models in base contact.

A warrior at an enemy’s flank receives a +1

Prowess bonus when making an opposed roll. Attacks at the enemy’s rear receive a +2 bonus.

Critical hits

When a natural 10 occurs, as part of the

opposed Prowess roll in combat, it is referred to as a critical hit. A critical hit is an attack that lands in the perfect spot or is especially powerful, and is likely to have a devastating effect on the enemy who receives it.

A critical hit only occurs if both a 10 is rolled

and also the warrior in question wins the opposed roll. Otherwise, spectacular as the attack may be, it fails to hit the mark.

A warrior who scores a critical hit doubles

his Strength bonus (including that of his weapon) on the subsequent roll to wound.

free attacks

During the course of a battle it is possible

that a warrior receives a free attack against an enemy model, most likely for that enemy passing through the warrior’s reach. A normal opposed roll is made for the free attack, but only the warrior awarded the free attack is able to roll to wound if he wins.

For example: In an effort to slay a Saxon warlord

Fafnir makes a heroic charge through a gap in the enemy shieldwall. Doing so means he moves through the reaches of two enemy warriors, who both then get free attacks against Fafnir. Two opposed rolls are made, one for each Saxon. In the first roll, Fafnir scores 12 in total and his enemy 9. Fafnir wins but cannot then roll to wound. In the second opposed roll Fafnir only scores 4 in total and his enemy 7. The warrior can now roll to injure Fafnir.

fumbles

If a warrior fumbles in combat, that is if a

natural 1 is rolled which also loses the opposed roll, then he is in severe trouble. He blunders so badly that he leaves himself incredibly exposed. Any enemy who participated in the opposed roll gains +1 Strength when rolling to injure.

supporting

A model armed with a long weapon, such as

spear, can use its length to aid friendly models in combat. If the spear armed model is not in base contact with an enemy warrior, he can support a friendly model who is in base contact.

Warriors who are supported this way

receive +1 Prowess in opposed rolls thanks to the benefit of their companions spear.

For example: Fafmir is in a fight with an enemy

Warlord. An ally is armed with a spear and is behind Fafnir. Because the model is in base contact he can aid Fafnir in the fight, giving him a +1 Prowess bonus.

Age of blood


Two hands

The broad axe is the most common two

handed weapon found in Viking warbands, though other two handed weapons are used by other cultures. Two handed weapons, by there very nature, require two hands to wield and so a shield cannot be used at the same time.

Most weapons can be used in two hands,

even if two hands are not required. If a warrior uses a weapon in two hands he can employ more power to his blow. As such the warrior receives +1 Strength when rolling to wound. This bonus applies to two handed as well as one handed weapons.

For example: Fafnir has Strength 5 and uses a

sword, giving him Strength 7 in combat. If he uses his sword in two has he has Strength 8 instead when rolling to injure.

steeds


Vikings always preferred to fight in on foot,

especially in shieldwalls, but did use horses for transport. In battle warriors mounted on horses receive several bonus and hindrances. Horses and their abilities are described in the Bestiary chapter.

Movement

In this phase a mounted warrior takes

advantage of a horses speed, using its attributes when taking Movement actions. Mounted warriors cannot use the shieldwall or hide actions. When taking the move action mounted warriors are able to move up to 8” instead of the normal 6”. When taking the run special action, models on horses add their steed’s Agility to the 8”, not their own. As horses are such fast sprinters, they add double their Agility.

For example: Fafnir, mounted on a warhorse,

moves 8” when taking a move action. When taking a run special action he adds double the warhorse’s Agility 5, moving 18” in total.

Though fast over open ground, horses

struggle with uneven terrain. Horses count uneven terrain as rough, and rough terrain as difficult. They cannot negotiate difficult terrain.

Warriors can get on and off steeds as part of

normal movement, but doing so requires an Agility test at difficulty 4. Failure means that it either takes them the rest of the phase to scramble into the saddle, or upon dismounting they fall and can take no further move.

A success means that the model mounts or

dismounts, costing 1” of movement to do so. If the warrior gets a critical success it costs no movement. A fumble means that the warrior hurts himself in the process, potentially seriously, taking a Strength 1 hit.

Because a mounted model is higher up than

his opponents (assuming that they are not also mounted), the warrior has his reach increased by 1”.

A mounted warrior cannot climb or swim,

though when jumping he uses his mount’s Agility (doubled) when making the test.

ranged

A mounted model is easier to hit than one on

foot and so any Ranged attacks against him are made with a +1 Deftness bonus. However, this bonus is lost if the rider was using the run or charge action.

If a mounted warrior attempts to use a missile

weapon from the back of his steed he confers a +1 Agility bonus to his target for each 1” of movement taken in the Movement phase.

Hand-to-hand

The horse of the Dark Ages were not the

battle winning destriers of the medieval world, but could still be deadly on the charge. A model taking the charge action doubles the charge bonuses, gaining +2 Prowess and +2 Strength. Up to 6 models can attack one mounted on a horse.

Models in base contact are able to attack the

horse instead of the rider, using the horse’s Prowess and Fortitude. If the horse is wounded the rider must make an opposed Agility test with the horse or be dismounted, taking a Strength 1 hit if failed. A horse that is killed automatically dismounts its rider. A rider who has been dismounted counts as being prone until his next Movement phase.

terror


Terrifying foes

Some enemies can bring fear to even the

stoutest of hearts, whether a snarling warhound, frenzied berserker or horrific troll. Such models have what’s known as Terror, which is a value typically between 4 and 10. The higher that number is, the more terrifying the foe.

Terror is used in two main instances, when a

terrifying foe is a attacking another model or when a model wishes to attack the creature causing Terror. When a model causing Terror moves into base contact with a warrior, that warrior must make an opposed Bravery test against the model’s Terror.

If the warrior loses he immediately takes the

flee action when it’s his side’s go this turn. If the warrior has already used his actions then he does not move but suffers the other affects of fleeing. A draw means the warrior is shaken with regards to the Terror inducing model and a successful opposed roll means the warrior has controlled his fear and suffers no ill effects.

Should a warrior wish to move into base

contact with a Terror causing foe that warrior must succeed in an opposed roll as outlined above. A draw means that the warrior can engage the foe, but is shaken, and a fail means that the model will take the flee action if the terrifying foe comes within 6” of him.

Models who have failed their Bravery tests

against terrifying enemies can recover their nerve if they succeed in the opposed roll next turn. If so they are then shaken for the rest of the battle with regards to the Terror inducing model. A model that passes the first Bravery test is then immune to the Terror for the rest of the battle.

injury


Any model that has hit an opponent in the

Ranged phase, or won an opposed Prowess test in the Hand-to-Hand phase is able to roll to wound the enemy model. To do this the both models make an opposed roll, the attacker using his Strength against his opponent’s Fortitude, both of which are subject to any appropriate modifiers, such as those from weapons and armour.

For example: Fafnir, having been struck by the

Saxon warrior must make a Fortitude test against the Saxon’s Strength test. The Saxon has Strength 2 and is using a sword (+2 Strength) so rolls a D10 +4 in total. Fafnir, with Fortitude 4 in a chain hauberk (+2 Fortitude) and using a shield (+2 Fortitude) rolls a D10 +8 in total. Fafnir rolls 13 in total and the Saxon 10. The Saxon fails to injure Fafnir, who charges on to fight the warlord.

wounded

If the opposed roll is equalled (partial success)

the enemy has been wounded, suffering a severe, but not fatal injury. He is not removed from play but he is considered wounded for the rest of the battle.

A wounded model suffers a -1 penalty to all

of his characteristics. A model can be wounded multiple times, and with each wound he suffers an additional -1 penalty to all characteristics. If any of the model’s characteristics are reduced to -1 he is removed from play.

Removed from play

If the attacker wins the Strength test with a

complete success the enemy model has suffered a serious, possibly fatal injury and is unable to continue the battle. He is removed as a casualty or alternatively the model should be lain down to show his state of injury.

Heroes may spend a point of Valour to

reduce this status to simply being wounded instead.

If the battle being played is a one off it can be

assumed that any warrior removed from play has been killed. In a campaign it is necessary to determine the exact state of the model removed from play. This test is only necessary for your heroes, as will become apparent later on.

At the end of the battle roll a D10 for each

hero and consult the below table to find out their fate. Heroes are able to spend a point of Valour to re-roll the result so long as they have at least 1 point left over from the battle.

D10 Injury

1-5 Killed

The hero is either killed instantly or

dies at a later date. If he fought bravely then the Valkaries take his soul to Valhalla, if not the forever chill of Nilfheim awaits. He should be immediately deleted from the warband’s roster along with his weapons and equipment, which go with him on his journey to the afterlife.

6-8 Injured

The hero survives but has been

sorely wounded and will take some time to heal. He must miss the next battle and cannot trade. Roll another D10 and refer to the War Wounds table for any lasting effects.

9-10 Recovered

The hero makes a full recovery from

his wounds. He may participate in the next battle as normal.

Age of blood


D10 War Wounds

1-3 Physical The hero’s wound never fully heals

and he suffers from it until the end of his days. Roll a further D10 to find out where the wound is located and its permanent effect.

1-2 Leg -1 Agility

3-4 Torso -1 Fortitude

5-6 Arm -1 Strength

7777-8 Hand -1 Prowess

9-10 Head -1 Deftness

4 Psychological The body heals but the mind is not

quite the same again. Roll a further D10 to determine what happens to the hero.

1-2 Shaken So traumatised by his ordeal the

hero’s courage takes a severe knock: -1 Bravery.

3-5 Mild Insanity He occasionally freaks out his

companions with his wacky behaviour. This has no adverse effect on the battlefield but if this befalls a hersar, he loses 1 Renown. A hero with mild insanity can never become a hersar.

6-7777 Enraged The real problem with being half

dead was the fact that the hero couldn’t carry on fighting. He won’t let that happen again. From now on the hero ignores the effects of the first time he is wounded each battle.

8-10 Painless If no one had told him not to the hero

would have fought on with his guts hanging out – he hadn’t felt a thing. From now on he cares nothing about getting injured: +1 Bravery.

5 Left for dead The hero’s companions leave his

unconscious body on the battlefield believing him to be slain. Roll a D10 for the fate of the hero and a further D10 on the War Wounds table, counting another 5 as No Effect.

1-5 Captured His enemies find him and take him

as their captive. Word reaches the warband about his fate and as the next scenario a rescue can be attempted. Alternatively a ransom can be paid dependant on the hero’s level. Roll a D10 for each level and multiply the total by 10 (20 for the hersar) to determine how many silver pieces his ransom is. His equipment is kept by his captors. If the warband does not or will not rescue him or doesn’t pay the ransom immediately then there will not be another chance. Whatever fate the hero suffers it is bound to be unpleasant.

6-8 Crawls Back Amazingly, despite his horrific

injuries, the hero manages to crawl back to the ship before it sets off, much to the surprise of his companions. When he’s recovered he throws a few swift punches at those who left him behind. No lasting effect.

injury


The Long Journey Waking up hours after the battle’s

end the hero drags himself to shelter where he slowly recovers enough to travel. Eventually, by begging, stealing, lying and killing he makes the long trip back to his homeland where he rejoins with his warband. For his epic journey he receives 3 experience points. Hersir also receive +1 Renown.

6 Scarred Once the wound is healed the hero is

left with severe scarring. If a hersar is scarred his scars can either serve to inspire awe or disgust in those who view them. Roll a further D10 to find out the nature of the scarring.

1-5 Horrific Scars With such disgusting scars marking him, the hersar finds it difficult to recruit new men. He ignores his next Renown increase.

6-10 Inspiring Scars The hersar’s scars show him as a prince of battle who leads from the front. He is therefore a good lord to serve. He gains 1 Renown.

7777-9 No Effect After several weeks of rest the

wound heals and the hero suffers no other long term effects.

10 Special Something perculiar has befallen the

hero… Roll a further D10 to find out what.

1-2 Cursed The wound was so horrific that the

hero’s funeral pyre had already been built by the time he suspiciously recovered. Though no one says it to his face it is believed that he must have been saved by evil spirits and this stigma can never be shaken off. The hero may never become the warband’s hersar and his companions never benefit from his heroic status. Neither do they suffer from the effects of Hero Death if he is removed from play (because they’re secretly glad). Hersir lose 1 Renown.

3-8 Amazing Recovery Whereas most men are lucky to

heal to their old strength, the hero actually recovers to a healthier state than he was before he was injured. With this new lease of life the hero gains a new trait, rolled for as normal.

9 Immortality No one has ever heard of so much

blood flowing from a man who didn’t die. The only explanation to rationalise this is that the hero is nothing less than immortal, at least in battle. The hero gains the title “the Deathless” and Terror 3 to all enemy models (but not monsters) because who wants to fight a man who can’t be killed?

10 Blessed

if the arrow hadn’t ricocheted off the

hero’s cloak pin it would have gone straight through his heart… Whatever unlikely incident happened to save the hero’s life it was so lucky that he must have been saved by none less than Odin himself. The hero receives +1 Valour.

weapons


Below are listed weapons of the 8th to 11th

Century, some of which are available to Vikings and others to their enemies.

knife

The knife is a tool more than it is a weapon,

but it still can be used as one if nothing else can be found.

+0 Strength

Special: Because it is such a short weapon enemy

warriors receive a +1 Prowess bonus in opposed rolls against a model armed with a knife. In addition, the knife wielder only has a reach of ½” and cannot be used in two hands.

sax

The sax is a short sword anywhere between

1’ and 2’ in length. Carried mainly as a secondary weapon by wealthy warriors in case their primary weapon is lost.

+1 Strength

Special: Because it is shorter than a full sword the

wielder has only a 1” reach and cannot use the sax in two hands.

Maul

Mauls are crude weapons used by large

creatures such as Trolls. Often little more than tree branches, mauls are nevertheless dangerous because of their great weight.

+3 Strength

Special: A model armed with a maul is only capable

of a limited amounts of attacks and few defensive manoeuvres. In an opposed roll, if the test is a draw, the model armed with the maul loses.

sword

To carry a sword was a mark of status due to

their extremely high cost. Most warriors simply could not afford a sword, and those who carried them were considered both wealthy and dangerous men. The sword is the all round weapon of choice, able to cut and thrust from a variety of different angles

+2 Strength

spear

A spear was the most common weapon of

the era thanks to its low cost. Between 7’ and 10’ in length the spear’s main advantage was being able to attack an enemy from a distance. However, if the enemy was to get past the spear’s point the wielder became vulnerable. Any warrior who could not afford a sword, which was most, took a spear to battle instead and many who could afford a sword took spears as well.

+1 Strength

Special: The spear offers several specific bonuses to

its wielder. The first is that it can be used to support another model in base contact, as described in the Hand to Hand section. Though not its primary use the spear can be employed as a thrown weapon.

weapons


due to its reach the wielder gains +1 Prowess

in the first opposed roll with an enemy representing the spear’s superior reach. After the first opposed roll the bonus is lost. If both warrior’s are fighting with spears then they cancel each other out and no bonuses are applied.

Lastly, when used from horseback in a charge

the spear can be used to particularly good effect. Instead of using the rider’s Strength when rolling to injure, the Strength of the horse is used instead. Also, this is the case if a model armed with a spear is charged by a mounted warrior.

axe

An axe could be a highly lethal weapon,

capable of inflicting horrific damage to a warrior’s enemies. The Viking axe was a well-balanced one handed weapon made specifically for battle with a short 6” cutting edge. Though powerful, they could be clumsy in combat.

+2 Strength

Special: A warrior armed with an axe is restricted in

the range of parries and attacks he can perform. A warrior using an axe fumbles on a roll of 1 or 2, instead of the normal 1.

bow

Bows of the era were typically 60” to 80” in

height with arrows around 30” in length and were hunting bows with around 80lb draw weight. Though capable of killing with a single arrow, the broad head arrows of the era were ineffective against armoured warriors.

+1 Strength

Special: Because the arrows of the era had such

difficulty penetrating armour the target receives additional Fortitude bonuses depending on how well armoured he is. Warriors using shields gain +1 Fortitude and those in chain hauberks receive +1 Fortitude as well.

Due to the fact that fired arrows often can’t

be recovered, a warrior armed with a bow requires 1 sp extra upkeep. Also, a warrior cannot employ the use of a shield if he uses a bow.

Broad axe

With a cutting edge between 9” and 18” and

a haft 60” in length the broad axe was a devastating weapon. Used in both hands the broad axe could deliver a blow of such force that even mail armour offered little protection against it. But being unwieldy because of its size and without the protection of a shield, a warrior armed with a broad axe suffered in defence.

+3 Strength

Special: As a two handed weapon a warrior armed

with a broad axe cannot use a shield at the same time. In addition, because of the broad axe’s limited attacks and awkwardness the warrior’s fumbles on a roll of 1 or 2.

armour


Below is a list of the available armour types

and their Fortitude bonuses as well as any special rules that might apply. Most warriors of the era went to battle with little or no armour, but nearly every fighting man made use of a shield. The best protection a warrior could have consisted of a chain hauberk and helmet, both of which were so expensive that they were beyond the means of most men.

shield

The shield was carried by almost all warriors

and offered a great degree of protection. Viking shields were round and up to 36” in diameter. Made of wood, they were sometimes rimmed with leather to help protect the edges from splitting.

+2 Fortitude

Leather Jerkin

For most common warriors this was the most

sophisticated armour they could afford. It consisted of a padded woollen undershirt covered with toughened leather. Though unlikely to stop a sword blow, a leather jerkin was still a much needed level of protection.

+1 Fortitude

helmet

A helmet was either a solid piece of iron

hammered into shape or several pieces riveted together. Like a chain hauberk only wealthy warriors could afford them.

+1 Fortitude

chain hauberk

mail was the best armour available to

Vikings of the time and was a T-shaped garment that hung down to mid-thigh. Typically a chain hauberk could have as many as 30,000 individual rings and took weeks to make. Only the very wealthiest warriors could afford such a level of protection.

+2 Fortitude

Special: A chain hauberk’s weight means that a

warrior so armoured cannot move as fast as normal. As such the warrior loses 1 Agility.

helmet

A helmet was either a solid piece of iron

hammered into shape or several pieces riveted together. Like a chain hauberk only wealthy warriors could afford them.

+1 Fortitude

limb guards

Even a Viking in a chain hauberk and

wearing a helmet still had his forearms, hands, lower legs and feet unprotected, and as such the wealthiest of fighters wore limb guards. These were generally made of splint of iron, steel or bone strapped along the exposed forearms and shins.

+1 Fortitude

Special: Only models with Agility 3 or more can wear

limb guards due to the extra weight in combat.

The warband


Before you can begin a campaign of terror

and pillage across Europe you first need to create your warband. In this chapter are the rules for creating a Viking raiding party for use in a campaign. For one-off battles or custom games these rules can be modified to better allow for the creation of appropriate forces.

For a standard campaign each player receives

1,000 silver pennies (sp) with which to recruit and equip his raiding party. It is assumed that the leader of the warband (the hersar) is a minor Scandinavian nobleman with his own hall and retainers (huscarl). All warriors are considered to have a knife as backup weapon.

When the hersar goes raiding he takes his

huscarl with him as well as any heroes in his hall. Friends and neighbours, though not part of the hall, may also accompany him on such voyages for a share of the plunder. These are known as carls – freemen in Viking society.

The main aim of raiding is to gather wealth

for those participating but a successful hersar will find his fame spreading and with it more and more warriors will seek to accompany him. The more successful the raiding party is the more warriors and special characters the player will have access to.

Aside from carls, the other members of the

warband have both a cost and an upkeep. The first is the initial amount out of the starting 1,000 sp that must be spent to have them in the warband. Upkeep is a fee that must be paid after each and every scenario in order to maintain the services of the particular warrior.

At the end of this rulebook is a roster sheet

on which you can record all the appropriate information about your warband.

hersir

Cost na sp Upkeep 8 sp

The most important member of the warband

is the hersar. He is a respected landed man or maybe simply a charismatic Viking who others will trust and follow. All warbands receive one hersar for free and cannot have more. All beginning hersir have a single Birthright from the below table.

D10 Birthright

1 Godsborn If a Viking god descends from Aesgard to visit the realm of men he may take to the affections of a mortal A child born of such a union is truly blessed from his godly heritage. The hersar receives +1 to his Valour characteristic.

2-3 Wealthy

The hersar’s chests are unusually full of silver and as such he begins the campaign with 1,100 sp.

4-5 Renowned The hersar’s name is more widely known than is common. He begins the campaign with 11 Renown.

6-7777 Experienced This hersar’s experience of war is more than most. He receives 5 experience.

8-9 Talented Few are possessing of as much natural skill as this hersar. He gains 1 additional random trait.

10 Choose Select one of the above for the hersar, excluding Godsborn.

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Hersir also have Renown, which perhaps the

most important attribute they possess. It is a measure of the hersar’s achievements and how widespread his fame is. The more Renown he has the more warriors and heroes he can recruit. Also, certain scenarios are only available once hersir reach certain Renown scores.

All hersar begin the campaign with 10

Renown, allowing them to recruit a maximum of 2 heroes and 20 huscarls and allows him to take up to 10 carls with him on a single voyage.

As the hersar wins battles and gains personal

experience his Renown will increase accordingly. However, certain events, such as losing battles, means that the hersar’s Renown decreases, and with it his heroes and huscarl will begin to leave his service in seek of a new lord.

Over time it’s possible for the warband to

grow to immense size and power, becoming a small army in itself. But the largest warbands consumes a huge amount of resources and therefore require continual success at high risk targets to maintain their size.

If at any point the hersar is killed the highest

level champion becomes the hersar and takes on whatever Renown his predecessor had gained.

Hersir begin as level 1 heroes and receive 1

random trait. Every time they advance a level their Upkeep rises by 1 sp.

Agi Bra Def For Pro Str Val 2 4 1 3 4 3 1

hersir

The warband


Renown Champions Berserkers Huscarls Carls 1-2 0 0 12 5 3-4 1 1 14 5 5-6 1 1 16 5 7-8 2 2 18 10 9-11 2 2 20 10 12-13 3 3 24 10 14-15 3 4 28 15 16-17 4 5 32 15 18-19 4 6 36 15 20-21 5 7 40 20 22-23 5 8 44 20 24-25 6 9 48 20 26-27 6 9 52 25 28-29 6 10 56 25 30-31 7 10 60 25 32-33 7 11 64 30 34-35 7 11 68 30 36-37 38-39 40-41 42-43 44-45 46-47 48-49 50+

7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10

12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15

72 76 80 84 88 92 96 100

30 35 35 35 40 40 40 45

champions

Cost 80 sp Upkeep 6 sp

raiding parties begin the campaign being

able to recruit a maximum of two champions, though over time they can acquire more. Champions are the greatest Vikings who reside at the hersar’s hall, though any Berserkers aren’t likely to agree.

Champions begin as level 1 heroes and

receive 1 random trait. Every time they advance a level their Upkeep rises by 1 sp.


a

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champions

berserkers


the battlefields of Viking legend are full of

accounts of half-mad warriors who shun armour and go into an insatiable killing frenzy in combat. Before battle berserkers would consume intoxicants, such as Bog Myrtle, to fuel their battle frenzy. When not in battle berserkers spend their time doing their best to drain the hersar’s hall of mead.

A beginning raiding party may include a

maximum of three berserkers, but as the hersar increases in Renown the maximum amount of berserkers also rises.

Berserk: Berserkers fight in an almost

unnatural frenzy that few can resist. They are allowed to take the multiple attack special action.

Equipment: Berserkers often enter battle

stripped to the waist, wearing bearskins or sometimes even completely nude. They are never allowed to use any armour other than a shield and are not allowed to use bows but can throw axes or spears.

Wounding: Famed for being able to shrug

off all but the most severe injury, Berserkers ignore the effects of being wounded, even if they are wounded multiple times. They can be removed from play as normal.

Terror: Because in battle they resemble

creatures that are barely human they rightly inspire fear in their foes. Berserkers have Terror 2 against enemy warriors (not heroes or monsters).


The warband


huscarls


Huscarls are those warriors who have a

permanent residence at the hersar’s hall. They serve him with unquestionable loyalty and are highly proficient fighters, more capable then most other warriors of the time.


carls

Cost 25 sp

Carls are freemen in Viking society, who are

not permanent residents of a hersar’s hall but are neighbouring farmers or personal friends.

As they are not permanent retainers to the

hersar they do not have an Upkeep cost like huscarls and are not recruited. Instead hersir may pay to employ 5 of them for the duration of a single battle. Historically locals would have participated in raids for a share of the treasure, but a one off cost is easier to implement.


Carls participating in a battle bring their own

weapons and armour. Roll a D10 to determine what weapons and armour each group of carls is equipped with.

D10 Carl Equipment 1 Sax and shield 2-6 Spear and shield 7-8 Axe and shield 9 Sax and bow 10 Sword and shield

nationality

A Viking warband can either be Norse

(from Norway), Danish (from Denmark) or Svear (From Sweden). Each of these three tribes have different advantages over the others, as shown below.

Norse Natural Sailors The Norse were the best seafarers of all the Viking peoples and as such when making Navigation rolls, a Norse warband adds +1 to the result.

Bondir A Norse hersir is never short of neighbours who want to take part in a voyage. All carls cost 20 sp to hire instead of 25 sp.

Expert Carpenters Ships made by the Norse are truly magnificent, outclassing those of other Vikings. Norse Ships can carry 10% more Crew and Cargo.

Trait Speciality: Sailing

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Danes Warrior Race

The Danes were the most prolific fighters of the Vikings and even Danish farmers and craftspeople are adept in battle. Danish Carls have Bravery 3.

Trait Speciality: Combat

Svear Traders Svear merchants were well versed in buying and selling and were the most skilled of Viking traders. When rolling for the value of loot, Svear warbands add +1 to the result.

Bog Myrtle

In Sweden Bog Myrtle is more commonly found than in other parts of Scandinavia and as such berserkers are more common. Svear berserkers cost 50 sp and have an upkeep of 6 sp.

Trait Speciality: Wits

equipment

Your raiding party won’t be much use if it

goes into battle unarmed and so you must purchase both weapons and armour for each model. Both of which must be paid for from the starting 1,000 sp.

As your warband progresses and its wealth

increases you will be able to buy replacement or additional weapons and pieces of armour for your models. Though not essential, it’s recommended that you make sure your hersar and champions are the best armed and armoured.

Weapon Cost Knife free Sax 2 sp Sword 10 sp Spear 1 sp Axe 2 sp Broad Axe 5 sp Bow 4 sp

The warband


Armour Cost Shield 2 sp Leather Jerkin 10 sp Chain Hauberk 50 sp Helmet 15 sp Limb Guards 20 sp

Ships

Without a ship the warband wouldn’t get

very far. Each raiding party begins with a single ship as its vessel. This might be recently built by the hersar specifically to begin his raiding career, or it could be inherited or loaned to him.

There are two types of Viking ship, the

drakkar and the knarr. The drakkar is the famous longship, made for war. It is a narrow, fast boat and can carry large numbers of warriors. The knar is a wider, slower boat built for trading, and so can carry far more cargo than a comparably sized drakkar, but has less room for crew.

For your raiding party, select either a light

drakkar or a small knar as its ship.

Ship Light Drakkar Drakkar Mighty Drakkar Small Knarr Knarr Large Knarr

Cost 500sp 1,000sp 2,000sp 300sp 600sp 1,200sp

Crew 30 60 120 15 30 60

Cargo 30 60 120 75 150 300

A ship can only carry a maximum number of

warriors as shown under the crew heading. A ship that doesn’t have at least half this number is considered under-manned and as such journeys will be more costly. If there is less than a quarter of this number there aren’t enough crew to man the ship and it cannot sail.

As the warband grows it will become

necessary to purchase another ship, either as a replacement for the original, which can be sold for half it’s normal cost, or as an extra vessel. Warbands are allowed as many ships as can be afforded.

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Sample Warbands

Below are listed two pre-made raiding

parties designed with the above rules. The first is a good sized warband that includes 23 warriors with a range of capabilities and armaments. The second consists of just 12 models, but all are extremely well armoured. Hersar 74 sp Sword, axe, shield, chain hauberk and helmet Champion 157 sp Sword, shield, chain hauberk and helmet Champion 151 sp Spear, axe, shield, chain hauberk and helmet 2x Berserkers 136 sp Broad axe, axe and shield 5x Huscarls 170 sp Axe, shield and leather jerkin. 6x Huscarls 210 sp Spear, sax, shield and leather jerkin 2x Huscarls 52 sp Sax and bow 5x Carls 25 sp Total Cost 975 sp Upkeep 62 sp

Both have some of the starting 1,000 sp left

over, which could have been easily spent, but having some silver left provides a useful cushion if things don’t go particularly well at the start of the campaign. Hersar 74 sp Sword, axe, shield, chain hauberk and helmet Champion 158 sp Sword, spear, shield, chain hauberk and helmet Champion 161 sp Sword, broad axe, shield, chain hauberkand helmet Berserker 65 sp Axe, sax and shield Berserker 72 sp Sword and shield 2x Huscarls 194 sp Sword, shield, chain hauberk and helmet 3x Huscarls 144 sp Spear, shield, leather jerkin and helmet 2x Huscarls 98 sp Axe, shield, leather jerkin and helmet Total Cost 966 sp Upkeep 50 sp

The warband


Name generator

To enable you to name your warband’s

heroes, below is a list of one hundred Viking names. You can either pick names from the list or roll them randomly. The table uses a D100, so two dice are rolled, the first representing the 10’s the second the units. If you don’t like the name you roll, re-roll until you do.

01 Adils 26 Eyfura 51 Hemming 76 Olaf

02 Agder 27 Fafnir 52 Heoroweard 77 Oleg

03 Agne 28 Frodi 53 Hervarard 78 Olof

04 Alrik 29 Gard 54 Hjalmar 79 Onund

05 Angantyr 30 Gardar 55 Hjorvard 80 Osten

06 Anund 31 Gautar 56 Hlod 81 Orvar

07 Arngrim 32 Gauti 57 Hogni 82 Ottar

08 Askold 33 Gautrek 58 Hrani 83 Ragnar

09 Aun 34 Glammad 59 Hothbrodd 84 Ragnvald

10 Birger 35 Gizur 60 Hrothgar 85 Randver

11 Bjarni 36 Gorm 61 Hugleik 86 Rollo

12 Bjorn 37 Granmar 62 Hvitserk 87 Rorek

13 Bui 38 Guthrith 63 Hysing 88 Rurik

14 Canute 39 Guthrum 64 Ingaild 89 Schek

15 Dag 40 Gylfi 65 Ingjald 90 Sigar

16 Dir 41 Haakon 66 Ingvar 91 Siggeir

17 Domarr 42 Haddings 67 Ivar 92 Signy

18 Edda 43 Halfdan 68 Jakob 93 Sigurd

19 Egil 44 Hagbard 69 Jorund 94 Snorri

20 Eilifr 45 Hake 70 Khoriv 95 Stakard

21 Eirik 46 Haki 71 Kjotve 96 Svafrlamir

22 Eorund 47 Harald 72 Krakiv 97 Svend

23 Erik 48 Havad 73 Kyi 98 Thrand

24 Estrid 49 Helgi 74 Leif 99 Vikar

25 Ethelred 50 Heidrek 75 Magnus 00 Wulfgar

Pre=battle


scenarios

The first thing that needs to be done is to

decide which scenario will be played and where it will take place. There are four types of scenario that can be chosen: Raids, Battles, Quests, and Epic Voyages.

Raids are the typical Viking hit and run

affairs to grab loot. Battles are just that, pitched battles where the objective is the destruction of the warband’s enemies. Quests are usually hero only affairs and represent more personal adventures, often involving the supernatural. Epic Voyages are a series of linked scenarios that represent a long and epic journey of discovery.

The destination for the scenario can be

anywhere in the known world, as shown on the map. Once the destination and type of scenario has been decided the specific of the scenario, such as the enemies, rewards and special rules can be established. See the Scenarios chapter for more details.

It’s recommended for the warband’s first

outing that a Raid takes place against a poorly defended target in the British Isles. Unless anything goes drastically wrong the warband is likely to prevail and return home with enough experience and loot to have made the venture worthwhile.

Some scenarios require pre-requisites before

they can be selected, the more potentially rewarding the scenario is, the more difficult the pre-requisites are to obtain.

For example: Fafnir’s warband plans to take an

Epic Voyage to Vinland, but before they can go Fafnir must have Renown 20, a drakkar or knarr and must have previously been to Greenland. Because Fafnir’s raiding party meets these pre-requesites the Epic Voyage to Vinland can be selected. .

Getting There

Once it has been determined where the

scenario is taking place the warband must first reach there safely. The opposite map shows the world according to Viking knowledge, with scenarios possible at any named location.

Warbands can only travel to the locations

shown, and do complete the journey they must be able to find their way and be able to afford the costs of the journey. In the accompanying table each location has a navigation number (ie 3+) that must be met in order for the warband to reach it.

Should the navigation roll be unsuccessful

the ship becomes lost for a time, delayed by rapids, fog or any number of things. Keep rolling again until the navigation roll is successful, but for each failed roll the cost of the journey will increase.

The cost shown in the table represents the

supplies needed for each man making the journey. So, for a warband of 20 men, the cost of journeying to England will be 20 sp. This represents food and water as well as covering general wear to the ship.

If the navigation roll is unsuccessful the cost

of the supplies increases by 1 sp per man for each roll required after the first.

For example: Fafnir’s is travelling to Vinland,

which requires an 8+ navigation roll in order to reach. Unfortunately the first roll fails, and it takes another two navigation rolls in order to succeed. Normally Vinland costs 9 sp per man for supplies, but because of the two failed rolls the total cost is 11 sp per man.

Pre-battle


The Viking world

Location Navigation Cost Location Navigation Cost

Vinland 8+ 9 sp Lapland 4+ 3 sp Greenland 7+ 6 sp Finland 3+ 1 sp Iceland 6+ 4 sp Karelia 3+ 1 sp

Scotland 4+ 1 sp Gardikie 4+ 1 sp

Ireland 4+ 2 sp Vendland 2+ 1 sp

England 3+ 1 sp Saxland 2+ 1 sp Norway 2+ 1 sp Frisland 2+ 1 sp Sweden 2+ 1 sp Franker Riket 3+ 2 sp

Denmark 2+ 1 sp Spanland 4+ 3 sp Gotland 2+ 1 sp

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If the warband cannot afford to pay the cost

then the men on board begin to starve and fall ill. For every five units of supplies (original cost) that cannot be paid for, two warrior start the next battle automatically removed from play. For every ten units of supplies that cannot be paid for, a hero also begins removed from play.

When rolling for injury after the battle,

count injured as full recovery. The player can chose which models are removed from play but must select 1 huscarl or berserker for every 2 carls.

For example: Fafnir’s kitty is 40 sp short of the

total cost of the voyage. This equates to 13 units of supplies, so 1 hero, 1 huscarl and 3 carls are unable to fight in the next battle.

Each food unit that the warband has in its

possession can be used as one unit of supplies if necessary. Dogs and horses can also be used should it be necessary, with dogs counting as two units of supplies each and horses five units.

A raiding party’s very first voyage does not

have to be paid for. It is assumed the hersar and any backers have amassed the supplies needed for the journey. The only condition though, is that the destination can cost no more than 1sp in supplies per man. A hersar might want to travel further and pay for the rest himself, but as this is the first time out his men would be unwilling to make an unnecessarily dangerous trip.

However, if the cost of the journey increases

at all, either from getting lost or as a result of a storm, then the money must come from the warband’s kitty as normal. Therefore it’s worth not spending every last silver penny when creating the warband, just in case the ship runs into problems.

A ship must also be properly crewed in order

to journey safely and efficiently. A ship that is undermanned will take longer to reach its destination and the cost of supplies is therefore increased. A ship that is considered under-manned adds 1 sp to the cost of supplies per man.

When making a navigation roll, if a 10 is

rolled then the route becomes well known to the warband and any future navigation roll along the same route gets a +1 bonus. This bonus can be taken multiple times. Make a note of any such bonuses.

Pre-battle


Storms

As well as hunger and thirst sea travel is not

without even greater dangers. For every natural 1 rolled on the navigation roll the ship is subjected to a storm as well as suffering from being lost. Roll a D10 and consult the storm chart for the effect of the storm. The cost increases of the storm represent things such as sail and mast damage, supplies being lost, men swept overboard etc.

D10 Storm Effect

1-2 Catastrophic The ship is badly mauled by the storm and suffers severe damage. The Vikings on board are also badly effected, with a high number of deaths likely. The cost of the supplies needed to complete the journey increases by 3 sp.

3-4 Severe The warband suffers a terrible storm that causes large amounts of damage to the ship and crew. The cost of the journey’s supplies increases by 2 sp.

5-6 Rough The storm that afflicts the ship causes some damage but the crew are lucky it was not worse. The supplies cost increases by 1 sp per man

7777-9 Mild

Though not pleasant to sit through the storm causes only minor damage and does not affect the cost of the voyage.

10 Beneficial The storm blows the ship towards its destination, negating the 1 sp increase in supplies cost caused from getting lost.

Ship Storm Modifier

Mighty Drakkar +1 Drakkar 0 Light Drakkar -1 Huge Knarr +1 Knarr +1 Small Knarr 0

Post battle


After a battle a number of things need to be

resolved, each of which is broken down into stages and worked out in a specific order.

Post Battle Sequence

Injuries Renown

Experience Loot Trading Recruitment

Injuries

The first of these is fate of all injured heroes

needs to be determined. How to do this is described in the Injury section. Heroes who have been killed are removed from the raiding party along with all their equipment. Viking burials always included the deceased’s personal effects.

Huscarls and carls that have been killed don’t

affect the overall makeup of the warband. This is described further in the Renown section of this chapter.

renown

Depending no the success or failure of the

scenario and his personal achievements within it, the Renown of the hersar can rise or fall. Gaining Renown allows for more champions, berserkers and huscarls to join the warband and more carls and special characters to be hired. If Renown drops it’s possible that members of the warband will leave.

experience

All heroes gain experience from each

scenario they participate in. The amount of experience gained is dependant on how they performed in the fight, the more enemies they defeated the more experience they will gain. Once enough experience has been collected heroes advance in level, gaining new traits and improving their abilities.

loot

Next, any loot gained should be rolled for

and noted, as described in the scenario played. The upkeep cost of the raiding party (including the dead heroes – funerals are expensive) needs to be immediately deducted.

If there is not enough silver in the warband’s

hoard to pay the upkeep cost then all the silver that is there is deleted and the hersar loses 1 Renown.

trading

After the loot has been determined the

warband is able to trade it for silver at a number of different locations. The more loot that has been collected, the more potential silver that can be earned, though certain types of loot are more profitable to trade at certain locations.

recruitment

tfhe last thing that needs to be worked out

after a battle is what new warriors and heroes are recruited. This is done in exactly the same way as when the warband is created.

renown


Each scenario lists possible circumstances

that cause hersir to gain or lose renown, but there are universal incidents that apply to all scenarios. These are listed below.

Battle Shy: A hersar who doesn’t fight isn’t

respected and loses 1 Renown for each duel that is turned down.

Cowardice: Watching their lord run from a

battle is never a pleasant sight. A hersar loses 1 Renown if he either flees from the board, or is already fleeing when the warband withdraws.

Generous Upkeep: A generous hersar is an

attractive lord to prospective warriors and heroes. If the total upkeep of the warband is increased by 50% the hersar receives 1 Renown. As soon as the generous upkeep stops, however, the Renown is lost.

Extravagant Upkeep: A hersar who can

afford to lavish large quantities of wealth on his followers is, to most, the perfect lord to serve. If the total upkeep of the warband is increased by 100% the hersar receives 2 Renown. As soon as the extravagant upkeep stops, however, the Renown is lost.

Foolhardy: Warriors who feel their lord cares

little about whether they live or die are likely to leave. For each battle where the warband suffers 50% or more models removed from play the hersar loses 1 Renown. If the warband suffers 75% or more casualties the hersar loses 2 Renown.

Might: Fall men wish to serve under a

powerful lord. The hersar gains 1 Renown for each level increased.

Skill: Warriors respect a man of courage and

honour. For defeating an enemy commander in a duel the hersar gains 1 Renown.

Exploration: A hersar who leads his men to

far away places gains the respect and acclaim he deserves. The first time that a hersar journeys to any of the below locations he receives a Renown bonus.

Destination Renown Bonus Iceland +1 Greenland +2 Vinland +4

For Example: Fafnir’s warband returns from

Vinland loaded with loot but having lost several battles to the vicious skraelings. As a result Fafnir’s Renown is reduced by 2. However, in order to prevent valuable men leaving his service he pays extravagant upkeep to increase his Renown by 2, bringing it back to normal. This takes a large chunk out of the warbands wealth, Fafnir only intends to pay it to keep men leaving until he has restored his lost Renown.

As Renown increases new members must

still be paid for as with the starting warriors, and equipped accordingly. When Renown decreases and members are lost they are gone for good. Having lost respect for the party’s hersar they go to seek their fortunes elsewhere, taking their equipment with them.

It’s up to the player which members are lost

and as such the lowest level heroes and poorest equipped huscarls are usually the first to go. Those that have profited the most are the ones who will stay the longest if things go badly.

experience


the heroes of the raiding party amass

experience during a battle which, when they have gained enough, will allow them to increase alevel. As all heroes start off at level 1 there next level will be level 2.

Like with Renown, experience awards differ

between scenarios but there are universal awards that heroes can receive. These are listed below.

Survived: Any battle will teach the hero

something, even if they ended up being carried away from it. A surviving hero receives 1 experience

Killer: For each enemy killed the hero

receives experience related to how powerful that opponent had been. The exact experience an opponent is worth is shown in the Bestiary chapter.

Duelist: For each duel against an enemy hero

that is successful, the winning hero receives 1½ times the normal experience reward.

Assassin: If the hero defeats the enemy

leader in hand to hand combat he receives 4 experience.

The below table lists the experience required

to achieve the various honour levels. Each time a hero gains a level his Valour is automatically increased by 1 and they receive a random trait.

Level Experience Points 2 15 4 3 30 4 4 60 4 5 120 4

Each time a hero goes up an honour level he

is awarded 4 points that are used to improve his characteristics.

It’s up to the player how the points are spent

but no characteristic can be increased more than once each level. Also, each time a characteristic is increased the amount of points needed to increase it again next level also increases.

Heroes are allowed to increase any

characteristic except Valour and no characteristic can be increased more than 3 times. The below table lists the various points needed to increase a hero’s characteristics.

Increase Points Cost First 1 Second 2 Third 4

For example: When Fafnir had just achieved

honour level 2 he had 4 points to spend increasing his characteristics. He increased his Agility, Fortitude, Prowess and Strength all by 1. When he rose to level 3 he had another 4 points to spend. He increased his Prowess a second time for 2 points and with his remaining 2 points increased his Bravery and Deftness for the first time. Upon reaching honour level 4 Fafnir again had 4 points to spend. Fafnir spent those points increasing his Strength and Fortitude for the second time.

Experience


traits are special abilities that heroes gain as

they advance in levels. Upon reaching a new level the hero gains 1 random trait. Traits are special abilities, talents and skills that benefit a hero either on or off the battlefield. Some traits are more potent or useful than others and as such are assigned randomly.

There are six types of trait available to

Vikings – Physical, Reputation, Combat, Wits, Sailing and Supernatural. In addition, each of the three Viking nations, Norway, Denmark and Sweden has its own speciality traits, Norse, Dane and Svear respectively.

Country Speciality TTTTraits Norway Sailing Denmark Combat Sweden Wits

Each time a hero goes up a level roll a D10 on

the trait table to see what trait type is available. Unless a hero receives a trait from some other source the maximum number of traits a hero can have is four – one at levels 2, 3, 4, and 5.

D10 Roll Trait Type

1 Physical 2 Reputation

3 Combat 4 Wits

5 Sailing 6-8 Speciality

9 Choose any non supernatural

10 Supernatural

Once the trait type has been determined roll a

further D10 on the appropriate table to determine what trait the hero gains. If the trait rolled is unwanted then it can be re-rolled for the cost of 50 sp. Traits can be re-rolled any number of times, but each time the cost doubles (50 sp, 100 sp, 200 sp etc).

If the hero already has the trait that is rolled, it

can be re-rolled without cost. The result of a re-roll stands, if it is less desirable the player cannot go back to the original roll.

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D10 physical Traits

1 Huge Stature Having matured to an immense size, this hero dwarfs his peers with his massive build. The hero gains +1 Strength but loses 1 Agility.

2 Fat

The hero’s love of food is legendary and his huge appetite has given him a truly monstrous girth. The hero loses 1 Agility but gains +1 Fortitude.

3 Ambidextrous

Few men even know they are blessed with this gift but this hero has developed his to such an extent that he can fight with a one handed weapon in his off hand as well as his main hand. This allows him to make a free attack against an enemy in base contact. It has to be the same enemy the initial attack action was targeted at, and that enemy gains a Prowess bonus in the opposed roll depending on what off hand weapon is being used.

Weapon Prowess Bonus

Knife +0 Sax +1 Axe +2 Sword +3

4 Resilient The hero is so tough that even the most vicious of wounds tends to heal. When rolling on the Injury table the hero adds +1 to the result.

5 Keen Eye Few have this hero’s hand eye co-ordination. If the hero takes the aim action in the Ranged phase he gains +2 Deftness instead of the normal +1.

6 Swift The hero is amazingly fast on his feet, even able to out run some four legged creatures. When taking the run special action the hero doubles his Agility.

7777 Frightening Appearance

A combination of bizarre clothes, tattoos, grisly trinkets and a wild stare make the hero a truly unnerving opponent. He gains Terror 1 against warriors (not heroes or monsters).

8 Beauty Broken hearts are left by the dozen in this hero’s wake and his legendary success with the opposite sex is an inspiration to all. A hersar with this trait gains +1 Renown.

9 Lightning Reflexes This hero is incredibly fast in combat, dodging out of harms way when others would be killed. If wounded or removed from play he can make an opposed Agility test against his opponents Prowess. If he wins, he dodged the attack and negates its affects. He can only do this once per battle.

10 Choose Select any of the above traits for the hero.

Experience


D10 Combat Traits

1 Frenzy Few men can handle fighting multiple opponents, but this hero thrives on it. When in base contact with more than one enemy, the enemy models do not receive Prowess bonuses for out-numbering the hero.

2 Precision Through hard work and natural skill the hero rarely, if ever makes a mistake in combat. If the hero fumbles, his enemy does not gain +1 Strength when rolling to injure.

3 Devious This hero has a long list of dirty tricks he uses in battle to gain an edge over his enemies. By making an opposed Agility test against his opponent’s Bravery the hero gains a free attack. If the enemy model wins he makes the free attack instead.

5 Fast Draw The hero is highly practiced in changing weapons in the heat of combat. He can swap between his weapons for free when in combat without having to take the action.

4 shield Mastery

Special training has given this hero an ability with a shield that few can equal. When in shieldwall opponents do not receive +1 Prowess against him.

6 Axeman

Whether through practiced skill or natural affinity this hero excels when using an axe, whether one or two handed. When using an axe the hero only fumbles on a 1.

7777 Armour Proficiency The hero is so used to the extra weight of wearing heavy armour that he can move just as well with it as without. The hero does not lose 1 Agility for wearing a chain hauberk.

8 Expert Fighter With a combination of skill and audacity this hero can gain an advantage in combat when there is usually is none. When a draw occurs in an opposed hand-to-hand roll the hero wins instead. However, any other special rule regarding draws takes precedence over this trait.

9 Opportunist This hero is always quick to take advantage of a foe’s mistakes, often to lethal effect. If an opponent fumbles in combat, the hero adds +2 Strength to the roll to injure instead of +1.


Age of blood


D10 Wits Traits

1 Merchant

The hero always get the best available bargains. When working out the value of loot in trading, the hero can use his skills to re-roll the result, taking the highest price.

2 skald The hero is an accomplished story teller, poem and singer. On the battlefield he can use his skills to inspire his companions. Any hero or warrior within 6” of the hero receives +1 Bravery.

3 Gambler The hero is a master of gambling, in all its form. If the hero gambles as part of the post battle sequence, he can re-roll the dice and take the best result.

4 Armourer

This hero specialises in making armour. If the hero does nothing else as part of the post battle sequence he can create 1D10x3 sp worth of armour. The amount rolled can then be spent on armour as desired or can be put towards a piece if it cannot be created outright. The hero can then continue making the armour during other trading sessions until complete.

5 Searcher Able to find exactly where a settlement keeps its treasure, this hero always finds the hidden silver. When rolling for what loot is found in a Raid, re-roll the dice for a single loot type, keeping the best result.

6 Healer This hero is skilled in the healing arts and can use his talent to help his wounded companions. If the hero has not been removed from play himself, he can help a single other hero by re-rolling the result of the Injury roll, taking the preferred result.

7777 Blacksmith As well as a fighter the hero is a proficient blacksmith. Instead of trading the hero can create 1D10x3 sp in weapons.

8 Hunter This hero’s time spent stalking prey through the wilderness has given him an uncanny ability to avoid detection. When taking the hide action the hero can be moved to a new hiding position even if the route to it does not keep him in cover. In addition, hide only counts as a normal action, not a special action, but the hero can only take the move action before hiding or the throw or shoot action after hiding.

9 Animal Companion Pet dogs are not uncommon but this hero‘s wardog displays an unusual level of loyalty and intelligence. The hero receives a warhound for free which has +1 Agility, Bravery and Strength. The warhound is considered to be another member of the raiding party and requires 1 sp upkeep.


Experience


D10 Reputation Traits

1 Charismatic Charming and personable, this hero is extremely well liked by his allies and a natural leader. The range of hero death for the hero is increased to 9” as is the leadership range of a hersar.

2 proud The hero suffers no insult and relishes in challenges. The hero can never refuse a duel and when duelling receives 1 free point of Valour to be used only for the duration of the duel.

3 generous This hero is known for his generous and charitable nature. A hersar with this trait must always take the generous upkeep option when possible. He also receives +1 Renown in addition to that given by the aforementioned generous upkeep.

4 Blood Thirsty The hero’s delight in killing borders on the unnatural and makes his companions uncomfortable. A hersar loses 1 Renown but any future leadership challenges can be re-rolled as the would-be usurper has doubts about taking on such a lunatic.

q

5 Glib Not typically a Viking speciality, but this hero’s quick tongue is highly adept at throwing choice insults to his enemies. Enemy heroes cannot refuse to duel as he mercilessly taunts them into fighting him.

6 Iron Willed This hero knows that fear profits no man whether natural or supernatural. The hero is immune to Terror in all its forms.

7777 lucky Few men ever willingly play dice with this hero. A hero with this trait can add +1 to any dice roll, once during a battle.

8 Selfless The hero only ever takes what he needs and never squanders what he receives. His upkeep is 3 sp, 4sp for a hersar (half the usual amount). Hersir also receive +1 Renown.

9 Scout This hero is a master of observing without being observed. When raiding the hero can spy on the settlement to find out its strength before the warband commits itself. In a Raid, once the defenders have been rolled for, the numbers can be re-rolled, abiding by the second result.


Age of blood


D10 Sailing Traits

1 Shipmaster * The hero is unequalled in his captaincy of the longship, with the uncanny ability to read the skies and seas behaviour as if they were written down. With this knowledge the hero always makes sure the journey is as efficient as possible. When working out the cost of the voyage, the cost of supplies is reduced by ½ sp per man.

2 Navigator * With a keen memory and analytical mind this hero is a master navigator of the seas. When making navigation tests add +1 to the result.

3 Storm CCCCaller * Storms are the bane of all sea travel and even a sturdy ship can be undone by nature’s power. This hero, however, has an affinity with storms and can predict their sway. When a storm occurs on a sea voyage you can re-roll the severity of the storm, but must abide by the second result.

4 Ship Builder The hero is an accomplished ship builder who’s skills have peaked to high acclaim. Instead of buying a ship this hero can make one, utilising his own skills and his companion’s muscles. If the hero misses a voyage to oversee the ship building, the cost of the ship is 10% less than it would be normally.

* Only 1 hero with this skill can affect a single voyage.

5 Fisherman This hero is a skilled fisherman who’s regular large catches of fish are always welcome. If he does nothing else in the post battle sequence he can take his fishing boat out. He catches fish equalling 3 units of food.

6 Sea Legs The hero has learnt to stay standing in all but the most violent storms and he can but this skill to use on land just as easily. He receives +1 Agility, but only if he doesn’t wear a chain hauberk.

7777 Quartermaster This hero knows just how to make use of every inch of the ship. The ship can either carry 10% more crew or 10% more cargo, but not both, depending on what’s required.

8 Affable

The hero is able to mingle with other societies and cultures with relative ease, allowing him to locate people that others might not. The hero adds +2 to the D10 roll for recruiting special characters.

9 Thrifty This hero’s knowledge of how to handle supplies in an emergency is unequalled. Ignore the additional supplies cost of the first failed navigation roll.


Experience


D10 Supernatural Traits

1 Sorcery This hero embraces his innate talent and learns minor magic. The hero knows a single spell chosen from the sorcery list, which he can cast once per battle by spending a point of Valour. This trait can be taken multiple times. A hersar loses 1 Renown.

2 Second Sight Blessed with a limited ability to see the future a hero with this gift is both respected and feared. Once per battle the hero can make use of his premonitions and add +2 to any dice roll in order to get a better result

3 Chosen The Viking gods sometimes grant favour to a particular hero. Roll a D10 to find out which god has chosen the hero. From now on once per battle, the hero may draw that god’s specific fate card. The card is selected before the rest of the fate cards are drawn and can only be used by the hero. Because the hero has been chosen by a specific god he cannot accept favour from certain other gods without angering the god who chose him. Therefore, if the hero uses any of the other god specific fate cards noted he loses this trait.

D10 God

1-2 Hel

3-4 Sif

5-6 Tyr

7777-8 Thor

9-10 Odin

4 Dwarf Ancestry

The hero’s toughness can only be explained by dwarven lineage: +1 Fortitude.

5 Berserk The hero embraces the cult of the berserker and develops the abilities of that kind. The hero gains the berserker special rules regarding armour, wounding and terror.

6 Elf Heritage As the hero matures he inherits the grace of the elves. He receives +1 Agility.

7777 Protected The Norns have given this hero protection from death in order that he might achieve some later greatness. On the Injury table the hero is only killed on a roll of 1-3, count 4-8 as injured.

8 Troll Blood The blood of the troll-kind flows through the heroes veins. He gains +1 Strength.

9 Gifted This hero’s legendary his list of heroic feats and accomplishments knows no bounds. The hero receives +1 Valour.


trading


the Vikings not only raided the length and

breadth of Europe but also traded far and wide across the continent and sometimes even further. After a battle the player can decided where the raiding party goes to trade. Only one location can be visited in between scenarios and the cost and difficulty of the journey must be worked out as normal.

Certain trading areas allow better prices to be

fetched for specific items, enable the warband to recruit special characters and also give the raiding party the opportunity to purchase exotic items.

Each hero (including the hersar) in the

warband is able to do a single task during this period. Typically he can gamble his silver in the hope of earning more. If the hero gambles roll a D10, on an even number he wins that number of silver pennies. On an odd number he loses that amount.

Weapons, armour and miscellaneous items

can all be purchased at this point, though it is not necessary to determine which heroes buy what.

Unwanted armour and weaponry can be

sold off when trading, but because the items are used and battle worn they can only be sold for half their original cost.

loot

Loot is the reason why Vikings went raiding

and in this game comes in four types, food, slaves, miscellaneous goods and valuables. Exacter differentiations as these categories cover all the various items that might be looted.

Different types of loot are more valuable than

others and this value can vary from country to country depending on rarity, demand and ability to pay. For example, there is little demand for slaves in England, but at Hedeby in Denmark there is a flourishing slave market.

Each type of loot is measured in generic

units, which roughly equate to the weight of a single man. So, 1 unit of valuables is about the same weight as 1 unit of livestock, slaves or miscellaneous goods. 10 units of food, for example, might be a cow or a ton of grain.

The amount of loot a warband can trade is

dependant on how much they can physically bring back from their voyages. This will depend on the result of the scenario and the cargo capacity of the ship the warband is using. The warband cannot bring back more loot than the ship can carry.

Each type of loot has three prices that it can

be sold for, low, medium and high price, as shown on the below table.

Loot Value per Unit

Low Med. High Food 2 3 4 Slaves 10 15 20 Misc. Goods 4 6 8 Valuables 20 30 40

The warband does not have to trade all of its

loot, it can keep as much or as little as desired to be traded at a later date. However, whatever loot is held back in this way still counts towards the cargo capacity of the warband’s ship.

trading


When the warband is trading, refer to the

Trading table and roll a D10 for each type of loot, to see whether it is selling for a low, medium or high price. So, in Lapland, slaves are sold at a low price if a 1+ is rolled, at a medium price if 3+ is rolled and a high price is 9+ is rolled.

Once the roll has been made the result has to

be abided by – the loot has to be sold for that price and cannot be kept. Though, before the roll takes place a proportion can be traded, though only one trade can be made for each loot type.

Location

Food L/m/D

Slaves L/m/D

Misc. Goods L/m/D

Valuables L/m/D

Vinland 6/-/- -/-/- 7/-/- 10/-/-

Greenland 5/7/9 5/9/- 6/10/- 7/-/-

Iceland 4/6/8 4/8/- 5/9/- 6/10/-

Norway 2/4/10 2/4/10 2/4/10 2/4/10

Sweden 2/4/10 2/4/10 2/4/10 2/4/10

Denmark 2/4/10 2/4/10 2/4/10 2/4/10

Gotland 1/2/9 -/1/9 -/1/9 1/2/10

Lapland 1/2/9 1/3/9 2/5/10 2/5/10

Finland 2/4/- 2/4/10 2/4/- 2/4/10

Karelia 2/4/- 1/2/9 2/4/- 1/2/10

Scotland 2/4/9 1/6/- 1/2/10 1/2/9

Ireland 2/4/9 7/10/- 2/4/9 2/4/10

England 1/4/- 1/6/- 1/2/10 1/2/9

Franker Riket 3/5/10 -/1/9 2/4/10 2/4/9

Frisland 2/4/- 2/4/10 2/4/- 2/4/10

Saxland 1/3/- 3/5/10 3/5/10 3/5/10

Vendland 2/4/- 2/4/10 2/4/- 2/4/10

Gardarikie 3/5/10 4/6/10 3/5/10 1/3/9

Spanland 1/3/9 2/4/9 1/3/9 2/4/10

Special characters


Special characters

A hero can seek out a special character as

part of the post battle sequence as long as he does nothing else. Each special character has a list of the locations that the warband has to be trading at in order to recruit them. There is also the number required on a D10 for the hero to find them and convince them to accompany the warband.

Recruiting special characters is similar to

recruiting carls, in that a one off cost is paid for the character’s accompaniment on a single voyage. Special characters are heroes who offer unique abilities not usually available to a warband.

Certain characters may be particularly useful

in certain scenarios or might be taken to bolster a warband’s strength if no proper champions can be recruited. Not all special characters can be hired all of the time and some can only be hired from certain locations. Special character’s are always paid for before the scenario takes place.

For example: Fafnir’s warband is almost ready to

go on the epic voyage to Vinland, but before they set off Fafnir wants to hire a sorcerer. As such Fafnir takes his warband to Karelia, where after the scenario he tries to recruit a sorcerer, requiring a roll of 6+.

By their very nature special characters are

rare and as such a warband can only ever include one of each type. In addition a warband can only have a maximum number of special characters equal to the number of heroes it is allowed, as based on the hersar’s Renown.

Special characters are just like normal heroes

in regard to levels and experience, only they sometimes start off at higher levels than champions and hersir. As they amass experience they will increase in level normally, gaining characteristic increases and acquiring new traits. If a speciality trait is rolled, re-roll the result.

With each level increase the cost of a special

character rises by 50%. So, a level 4 sorcerer would cost 75 sp to recruit, at level 5 the sorcerer would cost 100 sp. To recruit a particular special character at another time the difficulty is increased by 1, representing the problems locating the character.

sorcerer

Level 3 Value 20 Cost 50 sp Renown 21

Lapland (8+), Finland (7+), Karelia (6+)

Sorcerer’s are powerful and feared men and

women who have mastered the dark arts. Using arcane rituals they can cast spells to aid a warband’s fortunes in battle or hinder its enemies.

Sorcery: Weak and vulnerable in combat, a

sorcerer’s true strength lies in his magic. By spending Valour the sorcerer can cast spells from the sorcery list. Roll a D10 to determine how many spells the sorcerer knows and then select them as normal from the Sorcery chapter.

Special characters


D10 Roll Sorcery Spells 1 2 2-8 3 9-10 4

terror: Sorcerer’s cause Terror 3.


Equipment: Sax.

Traits Sorcery (x3).

skald

Level 1 Value 11 Cost 16 sp Renown 8 Norway (3+), Sweden (3+), Denmark (3+)

The skald is the bard of the Viking world.

They are the poem writers, story tellers, and historians of the era who entertain bands of warriors and record their deeds in song.

Skald: A hersar who has a skald

accompanying him on his adventures will see his fame spreading fast. If a skald accompanies a warband doing a Quest or Battle scenario then the hersar receives an extra 1 Renown for a successful outcome.

Agi Bra Def For Pro Str Val 2 4 1 3/6 3 3/5 1

Equipment Sword, shield and leather

jerkin.

Traits Skald

Duelist


Norway (4+), Sweden (5+), Denmark (3+)

Duelists are disreputable warriors who make

their living by picking duels with wealthy men over the slightest wrong. They then, by killing the man, claim their wealth and property else a high proportion of it. Such men are highly unpopular and tend not to reach old age.

Age of blood


If the duelist gains too much of a reputation

he will accompany a warband to earn his silver until it is once again safe to return to his hated trade.

Despised: A hersar who is willing to recruit a

duelist puts his reputation at risk by his association with such a dishonourable man. Roll a D10 after each battle in which a duelist has participated. On a roll of 1 the hersar loses 1 Renown.


Equipment Sword, shield, helmet and

leather jerkin.

Traits Glib and Opportunist.

Shield maiden


Norway (7+), Denmark (8+), Sweden (9+)

Shield Maiden’s are ferocious warrior women

who have cast aside the bonds of female tradition to and die live by the sword. Such women are deadly combatants

Maiden: Most male warriors find it

disconcerting to fight a member of the opposite sex and as such Shield Maidens are considered to have Terror 2 against all models except monsters and other Shield Maidens. Those that fail their Bravery tests are only ever shaken – they do not flee.


Equipment Sword, spear, shield and

chain hauberk.

Traits Expert Fighter, Armour

Proficiency and Shield Master.

Special characters


godi



Vikings did not have a particularly organised

religion, with each individual’s faith typically a personal affair. However, Godi were respected men who led sacrifices and rituals at certain key dates.

Bravery: Warriors who are accompanied by a

Godi spend far greater time considering the afterlife than they would normally. Grim tales of Nilfheim and fabulous descriptions of Valhalla inspire them on the battlefield to almost faultless courage. All models within 12” of the Godi receive +1 Bravery.

terror: Godi cause Terror 1.

Agi Bra Def For Pro Str Val 2 6 1 3 3 3/7 2

Equipment Broad axe and leather jerkin

Traits Second Sight and Iron Willed.

Ulfhednar



These are a crazed breed of berserkers who’s

ties with Odin and lust for battle are even more fierce than that of their more numerous brethren.

Berserker: The Ulfednar obeys all of the

special rules of the berserker: berserk, equipment, wounding and terror.


Equipment Broad axe, sword and shield

Traits Resilient and frenzy.

sorcery


Certain models in Age of Blood are able to

cast magic spells either during a battle or in the pre or post battle phases. In this game sorcery is relatively low key and involves curses, charms, rituals and incantations. Even powerful magic users are incapable of such things as hurling balls of fire across the battlefield.

Casting spells

The circumstances by which sorcery spells

can be used are described under the individual spell headings. To cast a spell the model must spend Valour, typically 1 point of Valour though the most powerful spells require 2 points of Valour to cast. Once the spell has been cast it cannot be used again in the same battle, whether spell succeeded or not.

Unless otherwise stated it requires a model

to use an action to cast a spell, and no spell can be cast if the sorcerer is in base contact with an enemy model. Spells are cast in the shooting phase

It’s possible that a model may know more

sorcery spells than it has Valour to cast, in which case it cannot cast all of the spells and the player must decided which spells are used and which are not.

selecting spells

Unless otherwise stated all models capable

of sorcery roll for spells from the sorcery spell list. The number of spells a model can have is determined by how powerful at sorcerer that model is. Before each battle roll to determine the spells that the sorcerer will be able to cast, re-rolling any duplicates.

combating spells

Heroes are not as vulnerable to sorcery as

normal warriors and their Valour offers them some, albeit it limited, protection. When a hero is targeted by a spell he can spend a point of Valour to have a chance at countering the spell. The hero makes an opposed Bravery test with the sorcerer. If the hero wins the spell is countered and has to effect. Re-roll any ties.

sorcery


D10 Spell

1 Writhing

This spell causes the target model to

be afflicted with all the pain and distress of being wounded, yet no mark appears on his body. Select a model within 12” of the sorcerer, for the rest of the battle the enemy counts as being wounded.

3 Madness

The model is afflicted with a terrible

uncontrollable madness which belies thought and reason. A single enemy model within 12” (who isn’t in base contact with an enemy) can do nothing else this turn and must take the flee action in the next Movement phase.

4 Possession

An enemy’s spirit is stolen from him

and his body becomes the pawn of the sorcerer. An enemy model within 6” now becomes under the sorcerer’s control for the rest of the battle. A successful Bravery test in subsequent Initiative phases will allow the possessed model to negate the spell.

5 terrifying Aura

The spell caster is surrounded by

evil spirits that cause the weak of will to quake in fear. The model gains Terror 3.

6 Dread

The sorcerer summons dark clouds

that block out the sun, plunging the battlefield into a morale sapping gloom. All Bravery tests made by enemy models increase by +1 difficulty.

7777 Sickness

Without warning a horrible nausea

afflicts a group of enemy warriors making them retch uncontrollably. Pick a single enemy model within 12”, all enemies within 2” of that model can only take a single action each turn for the rest of the battle until they pass a Bravery test in subsequent Initiative phases. Models who have already taken actions can take no more this turn.

8 Agony

An awful pain wracks the warrior’s

body in a thousand places, so horrendous is the agony that it can be fatal. A single enemy model within 12” takes a Strength 2 hit against their base Fortitude.

9 Healing

Using bizarre incantations the

sorcerer is able to repair a friendly warrior as a blacksmith would a broken sword. If the sorcerer moves into base contact with a model removed from play he can restore him to just being wounded so they can then act as normal next turn.

10 Choose

Select any of the above spells.

Scenarios


In this chapter a selection of different

scenarios are described. These represent the various kinds of adventures that a Viking raiding party might embark on.

The standard scenario for the warband is The

Raid, which is the typical Viking activity of attacking a settlement and taking all its valuables before a proper resistance can be formed. It’s strongly recommended that this is the first scenario.

Before the scenario can be played, however,

the destination of the voyage must first be determined.

Destinations

The Vikings were excellent sailors, possibly

the best of the era. As such there are a host of possible destinations where a warband can set off to, each of which provides its own unique rewards and enemies.

Apply the following special rules to enemy

forces in Raids, Battles and Quests if a Viking raiding party chooses to adventure in one of these locations.

Anglo-Saxons (England)

Bowmen Militia exchange their

normal equipment for bows on a roll of 5+.

Huscarls Noble warriors are equipped

with chain hauberks on a roll of 6+.

Nobles Heroes are mounted on

horses on a roll of 5+.

Picts/Scots (Scotland)

Thanes Noble warriors are mounted

on horses on a roll of 5+.

Horsemen Fighters are mounted on

horses on a roll of 6+ and are equipped with spears and shields.

Armour Fighters do not wear leather

jerkins.

Fanatics Any noble warrior who isn’t

mounted is a fanatic on a roll of 9+.

Nobles Heroes are mounted on a

horse on a roll of 4+

Irish (Ireland)

Armour Noble warriors and fighters

do not have leather jerkins. Minor heroes have leather jerkins, not chain hauberks.

Fianna Noble fighters are mounted

on horses on a roll of 7+.

Warhounds Noble warriors who are not

mounted are replaced with warhounds on a roll of 5+

scenarios


Franks (Franker Riket/Frisland)

Nobles Heroes are mounted on

warhorses on a roll of 2+ and have limb guards.

Milites Noble warriors are mounted

on a warhorses on a roll of 3+.

Armoured Noble warriors wear chain

hauberks and have limb guards on a 4+

Chainmail Chain limb guards do not

require Agility 3.

Light Cavalry Fighters are mounted on

horses on a roll of 5+.

Poor Infantry Fighters who are not

mounted do not have leather jerkins. Militia do not have shields.

Bowmen Fighters who are not

mounted exchange light armour and shield for bow on a roll of 6+.

Saami (Lapland, Finland, Karelia)

Sorcerers Minor and lesser heroes are

replaced with sorcerers on a roll of 7+.


jerkins.

Bowmen Militia replace their spears

and shields with bows on a roll of 8+.

Skraelings (Vinland)

Armour All Skraelings do not wear

any armour.

Weapons Skraeling militia and fighters

use native weapons (counting as a sax) only.

Fanatics Noble warriors are fanatics

armed with axes.

Heroes All heroes are equipped with

axes.

Bowmen Any Skraeling is equipped

with a bow on a roll of 6+.

Shamans Minor and lesser heroes are

replaced with sorcerers on a roll of 7+.

Moors (Spanland)


jerkins. Heroes wear leather jerkins instead of chain hauberks.

Jinettes Fighters are Jinettes on a roll

of 5+, equipped with bow and sword and mounted on horses.

Cavalry Noble warriors are mounted

on warhorses on a roll of 5+

Bowmen Fighters who are not Jinettes

exchange their shields for bows on a roll of 7+.

The raid


This is the quintessential Viking adventure.

The raiding party sets off to foreign lands to strike quickly, grab as much loot as possible and escape before adequate resistance can be formed.

settlements

The player controlling the Viking must first

decide what kind of settlement is being targeted. The larger the settlement the more resistance the warband will encounter, but the more loot they will be able to gather.

Hamlet

A single isolated community with a handful of families of farmers and craftspeople. There will be little, if any, real resistance, mainly untrained labourers, with the farmer and his sons as capable warriors.

Resistance D10

1-4 5-8 9-10 Peasants 4 6 8 Militia 6 8 12 Fighters 1 3 5 Noble Warriors 0 1 3

Loot D10

1-2 3-8 9-10 Food 15 20 30 Slaves 1 3 5 Miscellaneous 4 6 8 Valuables 0 1 2 47 90 178 354 156 318 606 1215

Village

This is a small, self sufficient settlement that is a prime target for a raiding party looking for loot. The resistance will be numerous but without many true warriors.

Resistance D10

1-4 5-8 9-10 Peasants 6 8 12 Militia 9 12 18 Fighters 4 6 8 Noble Warriors Minor Heroes

1 0

2 1

4 2

Loot D10

1-2 3-8 9-10 Food 30 40 50 Slaves 2 4 6 Miscellaneous 6 8 10 Valuables 1 3 5

Small Town

This is a substantial settlement that offers large rewards if it can be raided successfully. Resistance will be strong, with a large number of both untrained and trained warriors, including several heroes.

Resistance D10

1-4 5-8 9-10 Peasants 8 12 16 Militia 12 16 20 Fighters 8 12 16 Noble Warriors Minor Heroes Lesser Heroes

2 1 0

4 2 1

8 4 2

Loot D10


The raid


The spoils of war

Town

This is the largest target a single warband can realistically hope to raid. Here the potential rewards are vast and enough to make any hersar wealthy. But the danger is great. A town not only has a huge numbers of capable warriors and heroes defending it.

Resistance D10

1-4 5-8 9-10 Peasants 12 16 20 Militia 16 20 24 Fighters 12 16 24 Noble Warriors Minor Heroes Lesser Heroes Greater Heroes

4 2 1 0

8 4 3 1

16 6 5 2

Loot D10


The Battlefield

The exact nature of the battlefield is left up to

the discretion of the players, but the scenery should be as close to representing the location as possible. With the larger settlements this is going to be difficult, but buildings can be placed along one edge or in one corner of the board, representing the start of the settlement.

The defenders should be able to use the

terrain to their advantage, offering them cover and places they can defend. Raids on hamlets and villages should be played ideally on a 4’x4’ board, with raids on villages and small town’s on 6’x4’ and 8’x4’ respectively.

Setup

The defenders place models on the board

first, and all should start within the borders of the settlement in question. The raiding party is then deployed and should do so along the opposite table edge from the settlement.

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Victory conditions

To be able to take off with the settlement’s

loot, the Viking attackers must force the defenders to retreat or wipe them out. The former is more likely and much easier to achieve, and is decided by the normal Bravery rules as described in the Initiative chapter. Likewise, if the Vikings are forced to withdraw they have lost and receive no loot.

if things are going badly the Viking hersar

may call a voluntary withdraw at the start of the Initiative phase, resulting in a loss.

Renown

The raiding party’s hersar receives 1 Renown

for a victory, and loses 1 for a loss.

Special rules

Defending: The defenders are fighting for

their homes and loved ones and as a result their courage and resolve is strengthened. All defending models receive +1 Bravery.

Initiative: Because a Viking raid is a

frighteningly fast attack with little or no warning, the defenders are unprepared and reactive. Therefore the hersar of the raiding party receives +1 Bravery when making Initiative tests.

The battle


Vikings did not always fight by raiding,

when there was no other option they would form a shieldwall and battle it out in the open. In this scenario the warband is fighting a pitched battle against another force, possibly another warband, tribe or battle group.

Possible reasons for the Battle are endless and

could be as simple as a raid gone wrong and the warband forced to fight an organised resistance, or it could be part of some larger conquest. The exact intricacies of the battle are left for the players to decide, but it is not necessary to have justification for the fight.

It’s even possible for each player to use their

own raiding party in this scenario, perhaps to settle a blood feud, or to fight over territory, or just for honour. If such a fight is taking place the likelihood of casualties is very high on both sides.

The Battlefield

Pitched battles are fought where there is

room to accommodate both forces, fields being the typical location. Both players should agree on what type of terrain they want to include and then set up the battlefield appropriately.

Whichever side is least powerful, in terms

of numbers or experience, counts as the defender and the terrain should be biased to all that side to exploit.

The size of the board should be

representative of the size of the forces involved. Smaller conflicts should be fought on a 4’x4’ area, with the larger battles on a 6’x4’ table.

The enemy

In this scenario the raiding party’s enemies

are determined randomly but their exact numbers depend on how powerful the Viking raiding party is. Work out the warband rating for your Vikings and roll on the below table to see what the rating of the enemy force is compared to the raiding party.

D10 Roll Enemy Strength 1 Powerful (150%) 2-3 Strong (125%) 4-7 Even (100%) 8-9 Weak (75%) 10 Pitiful (50%)

Enemy troops are then selected according to

the following ratios. The total warband rating (the sum of the model’s experience values) cannot be more than the pre-determined amount.

Troop Ratios 25% on peasants and militia 50% on fighters and noble warriors 25% on heroes

Setup

The larger of the two sides sets up first his

raiding party first as the attacker and afterwards the more inexperienced side is then allowed to set up.

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loot

The victorious army is able to loot the dead

for anything valuable. The raiding party receives silver pennies equal to the enemy’s rating dividing by 2.

Ending the battle

The scenario is played until one of the

following conditions are met. If one side has half its number killed or routing then the opposing side is declared victorious. Alternatively either side may declare a retreat at the start of the turn, ending the battle that way.

Otherwise a specific victory condition, or

conditions, can be decided by the players, upon the completion of which the game ends.

Renown

The raiding party’s hersar receives Renown

depending on the strength of the enemy force.

Enemy Strength Renown Powerful +5 Strong +4 Even +3 Weak +2 Pitiful +1

experience

All raiding party’s heroes receive 2

experience for surviving this scenario, instead of the normal 1.

The quest


In this scenario a raiding party’s heroes set off

into the wilderness on a heroic venture. This could be as adventurous as travelling to a distant land to defend an old king’s hall against seemingly monstrous foes, beating them off, sneaking into their lair to slay their queen before the final showdown in the rain. Or, it could just be hiking off into the hills to kill a few trolls.

To get the most out of this scenario its worth

spending time trying to set a worthwhile goal. Plunder your favourite books and films for ideas – the more cinematic the better.

The Battlefield

The requirements of the battlefield will vary

wildly depending on the nature of the scenario. A simple scenario might require no more of a battlefield as a place to fight some monsters. The battlefield need not be especially large and could even be set in an underground area representing the monster’s lair itself. Though the latter is likely to increase the dangers to the raiding party.

Setup

The enemies of the heroes set up first,

followed by the heroes themselves. The raiding party can only consist of heroes, that is the hersar, champions and any special characters.

The enemy

Fnor the enemies the heroes face use the

strength table in the Battle scenario to determine the relative power of those the heroes must face.

Ending the battle

The game is played until one of the following

conditions are met. If the enemies are killed or forced to retreat the raiding party is victorious. Because the warband consists only of heroes they will fight to the death if necessary, only using the normal Bravery rules. If they don’t manage to defeat their foes, either from all being killed or routing, they lose.

Alternatively the raiding party may retreat if

the battle is not going their way. This is left up to the discretion of the player.

loot

Monsters have loot depending on how

powerful they are, with the most dangerous monsters having the most treasure. Divide the experience value of the monsters involved by 5 and then multiply the result by however many units are rolled on the below table.

Loot D10 Roll (Units)

Miscellaneous 1-5 (5) 6-8 (10) 9-10 (20) Valuables 1-2 (3) 1-8 (5) 9-10 (7)

Renown

The raiding party’s hersar receives Renown

depending on the might of the monster’s fought. Divide the total monster experience by 50 (rounded up) to work out the Renown bonus the hersar receives. Hersir do no lose Renown for being defeated in this scenario.

bestiary


In this chapter are listed statistic for a range of

enemies that raiding parties might encounter, including both humans, animals and supernatural enemies.

The statistics for humans are not nation

specific, but given under generic types. In this way national characteristic can then be added without the need of long lists of similar troops for each nation.

Monsters Traits

Large Due to their size, large creatures have a reach

of 3”. In addition, warriors who are not armed with a spear will suffer a free attack when they move into base contact because of the creature’s reach.

The stature of a large creature also means

that they move faster 8” when taking the move action. Their size also makes them easier to hit with ranged weapons, so any Deftness test against them is made with a +2 bonus.

Huge These creatures dwarf even large monsters

and as such have more extreme bonuses and penalties related to their stature. Huge creatures have a reach of 4” and even warriors armed with spears will suffer a free attack when they move into base contact.

Huge creatures can move faster than men,

but their size makes them clumsy and so they move at 8” like large creatures. When targeted by ranged attacks any Deftness tests against them are made with a +4 bonus.

terror This is described in the Bravery section of the

Initiative Phase chapter. Creatures that cause Terror ignore the Terror of other creatures that have a lower difficulty than their own. They are affected by ones with a higher Terror as normal.

Four Legged Creatures with four legs are naturally able to

move much faster than two legged animals. Therefore, when taking the move action they are able to move a greater number of inches than the 6” than humans can move. Typically, creatures with this trait move 7”, 8” or 9” with the move action.

Natural Weaponry

Creatures that have sharp claws or fangs or

both are more dangerous in combat than creatures without and receive a bonus to their Strength when rolling to injure. Typically creatures that have claws or fangs receive +1 Strength and those that have both receive +2 Strength.

Those particularly adept at using their

natural weapons can use the multiple attack special action. A monster cannot receive both the benefits of natural weaponry and that or using an actual weapon at the same time.

bestiary


Peasant Exp. Value 1

These statistics represent people who have

no combat training. Examples include craftspeople, farmers and slaves.

Agl Bra Def For Pro Str Val 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

Equipment: Improvised weapons (count as

sax).

Militia Exp. Value 3

Militia are for individuals who have some

familiarity with weapons and combat, but who are not professional fighters. Examples include tough farmers, hunters, guardsmen and fyrdmen.


Equipment: Spear or axe and shield.

fighter Exp. Value 4

These individuals are capable and trained

warriors who may not be as potent as Viking huscarls, but who are still dangerous. Examples include retainers, mercenaries, pirates and professional soldiers.


Equipment: Spear or axe, leather jerkin and

shield.

Noble warrior Exp. Value 5

These are skilled or experienced warriors

who are practiced in the arts of war and a match for Viking huscarls. Examples include Saxon huscarls, veteran soldiers and noblemen.


Equipment: Sword, spear, leather jerkin,

helmet and shield.

fanatic Exp. Value 10

Fanatics are other culture’s equivalents to

Berserkers and share the same identifying features such as not wearing armour and crazed battle lust. Examples Ghazi warriors and Pictish and Celtish naked fanatics.


Equipment: Axe and shield or broad axe.

Berserk: Fanatics can take the multiple attack

special action.

Wounding: Fanatics ignore the effects of

being wounded,

Terror: Fanatics have Terror 1 against enemy

warriors (not heroes or monsters).

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Minor hero Exp. Value 12

Minor Heroes are highly trained and skilled

combatants who few can match in battle. Examples include thegns, hirdmen, Varangian Guard and petty warlords.


EEEEquipment: Sword, spear and axe or sword

and broad axe, chain hauberk, helmet and shield.

TTTTraits: Roll 1 random trait.

lesser hero Exp. Value 26

Lesser Heroes are individuals who are very

experienced and possessing of high natural talent. Examples include captains, warlords and famed mercenaries.



and broad axe, chain hauberk, helmet, and shield.

TTTTraits: Roll 2 random traits.

great hero Exp. Value 42

Great Heroes are few and far between as

individuals with the luck, skill and raw ability to survive are very rare. Example includes powerful warlords and great adventurers.



and broad axe, chain hauberk, helmet, limb guards and shield.


mighty hero Exp. Value 61

Mighty Heroes are truly deadly individuals

of immense skill. They are frighteningly efficient in the art of killing and can single-handedly take on large amounts of enemies and triumph. Examples include king’s champions, great warlords and powerful adventurers.





bestiary


legendary hero Exp. Value 82

Legendary Heroes represent the pinnacle of

human abilities. They possess unrivalled skill and natural talent and few ever reach such heights of greatness. They are the bane of all other warriors and their effectiveness in battle cannot be underestimated. Examples include Beowulf, Erik the Red and Harald Hardrada.




TTTTraits Roll 5 random traits.

wizard Exp. Value 82

Wizards are sorcerers of terrible power,

those who have mastered the black arts. They typically hold powerful positions due to their skills and are both feared and respected on and off the battlefield. Examples Karelian kings, elder shamans and Moorish Viziers.

Sorcery: Weak and vulnerable in combat, a

wizard’s true strength lies in his magic. By spending Valour the sorcerer can cast spells from the sorcery list. Roll a D10 to determine how many spells the sorcerer knows and then select them as normal from the Sorcery chapter.

D10 Roll Sorcery Spells 1 4 2-8 5 9-10 6

terror: Wizard’s cause Terror 5.


EEEEquipment: Sax.

Traits: Sorcery (x5).

horses

Four Legged: Horses are able to move 8”

when taking the move action.

Large: Horses are large sized.

Swift: This is the same as the trait of the same

name.

pony Exp. Value 2

The most common type of steed in the Dark

Ages was the pony, able to carry a man but useless in battle.


horse Exp. Value 3

Horses were so expensive only wealthy men

could afford them, faster than ponies yet not trained for battle.


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warhorse Exp. Value 4

Warhorses are the largest and most

powerful of their kind, trained to be able to handle the stress of battle.


canines

In Norse mythology there are numerous types

of giants, the most powerful of these, the Joten, are stronger enough to be a threat to the Viking gods themselves.

Natural Weaponry: Canines receive +1

Strength when rolling to wound.

Four Legged: Canines are able to move 7”


wolf Exp. Value 3

Wolves were a common sight in the Viking

ages and could be found across the breadth of Europe.

Agi Bra Def For Pro Str Val 6 0 0 2 2 2 0 .

Terror: Wolves cause Terror 2 against

warriors only.

dog Exp. Value 3

Many people kept dogs. These statistics

present a medium sized breed without special training.


Terror: Dogs cause Terror 1 against warriors

only.

warhound Exp. Value 5

Warhounds are big, ferocious and bred for

killing.


Terror: Warhound cause Terror 3 against

warriors only.

bears

Bears are the most dangerous creatures most

Vikings encounter and can easily defeat even skilled warriors.

Natural Weaponry: Bears receive +2

Strength when rolling to wound and are allowed to take the multiple attack special action.

Four Legged: Bears are able to move 8”


Large: Bears are large sized.

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Terror: Bears cause Terror 6.

Swift: This is the same as the trait of the same

name.

bear Exp. Value 12

Bears inhabit all woodland regions and are a

dangerous hazard to unwary travellers.


Great bear Exp. Value 20

Great Bears are the largest and most

dangerous of their kind who often have a taste for human flesh.


Trolls

Trolls are hulking creatures similar to

humans in appearance only far bigger and uglier. They are rightly feared for their great strength and murderous temperament.

Large: Trolls are large sized.

Terror: Trolls cause Terror 3.

Troll warrior Exp. Value 14

Troll Warriors are the most common trolls

and are dangerous, but clumsy foes.


Equipment: Maul.

Troll chief Exp. Value 22

Troll Chiefs are the biggest and most

dangerous of their kind and rule small groups of around 6 other Trolls.


Equipment: Maul.

Troll Shaman Exp. Value 27

Troll Shamans are the most cunning of trolls

who are skilled in the black arts.


Equipment: Maul.

Spells: Troll Shamans have 2 spells from the

Sorcery list, rolled for randomly.

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Giants

In Norse mythology there are numerous types

of giants, the most powerful of these, the Joten, are stronger enough to be a threat to the Viking gods themselves.

Huge: Giant’s are huge sized.

Terror: Giant’s cause Terror 4

mountain giant Exp. Value 26

Mountain Giants are the least of the giant

kind, but they are still immensely strong and powerful foes who are to be feared by all.


Equipment: Huge maul (as maul with +1 Str)

and Rocks (as thrown axes).

frost giant Exp. Value 45

Frost Giants live in the coldest parts of the

Viking world and are the bane of those who adventure on icy tundras and glaciers. Far from the borders of the mortal world there is a huge stone walled city where hundreds of Frost Giants live like Vikings.


Equipment: Huge maul (as maul with +1 Str)

and rocks.

Dragon Exp. Value 141

The most awe-inspiring and powerful of all

the monsters heroes might face is the fire breathing dragon. The great drakes of Norse mythology do not have wings but this does not detract from their lethality. So deadly are dragons that only the mightiest group of heroes could hope to slay such a beast.


Equipment: None

Huge: Dragon’s are huge sized.

Natural Weaponry: Claws, teeth and tail –

dragons have many lethal weapons at their disposal which they can use against their foes. These give the Dragon +2 Strength in combat and when faced with multiple enemies, those enemies receive no bonuses for out numbering.

Fiery Breath: A dragon may use this in the

Ranged phase, but doing so counts as a special action and so they may take no other action in the turn. Roll to hit as per a shoot action. Any enemy model within 2” of the target model can also be rolled to hit. Use the dragons Strength 9 when rolling to wound. Fiery Breath has 24” range and no range categories.

Terror: Dragon’s cause Terror 6.

bestiary


Draugr Exp. Value 3

Sometimes the dead do not rest easy. The

Draugr are hellish undead creatures that resemble the deceased only with swollen, misshapen features.


Equipment: None

Undead: Draugr ignore the effects of being

wounded and are immune to Bravery tests.

Terror: Draugr cause Terror 2.

Maahiset Exp. Value 2

These are short, stocky, bearded folk who

live under the earth. They are suspicious of other races and can be aggressive and dangerous.


Equipment: Axe and light armour.

werewolves

Werewolves are massively strongly, utterly

evil and thoroughly deadly. They are demonic 7’ tall wolf-men who delight in slaughter and carnage.

Large: Werewolves are large sized.

Terror: Werewolves cause Terror 3.

Natural Weaponry: Werewolves receive

+2 Strength when rolling to wound and are allowed to take the multiple attack special action.

werewolf Exp. Value 16

These make up the bulk of the Werewolf

population and, despite their size, are exceptionally fast and agile.


Equipment: None.

Elder werewolf Exp. Value 31

Elder Werewolves are the alpha males of the

pack, those that have risen to the position by being the fiercest and strongest of their breed.


Equipment: None.

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