Hillmen/Vikings, Berserkers, Mercenaries and Werewolves Special Rules
My Hillmen troops are scarcely concealed Vikings - well most of the figures are Viking figures, with also various barbarian and fantasy figures.
I envisage them as a Northern, Nordic people, fairly barbarous, ferocious raiding warriors and also potential mercenaries. In addition they come under varying degrees of influence from the sinister Chaos lands. They are fast and competent warriors so their initiative will be high meaning they usually go first in melee, unless they have two handed weapons. Their armour is generally shield, helmet, and chainmail tunic. I call this heavy infantry but some without the chainmail can be denoted as lights but probably counting them as heavy in close combat.
Favourite weapons include the two handed axe. I follow the Warhammer rule here that it strikes last unless the Hillmen unit has just assaulted so for that turn they go first. The strength of the weapon combined with the ferocity of the warrior gives a plus two on strength so they can even penetrate plate armour. I also extend the rule to two handed swords.
Other weapons are sword or one handed axe or club combined with shield. This involves normal intiative.
Spear units get, in melee, three ranks of attacks instead of two. they get an advantage against frontal cavalry charge.
MERCENARIES
So far the Hillmen have served, along with the Great Swords as mercenary units for Bogavania and Beerstein. My mercenary rule had a D6 rolled each move and a 1 meant a further roll was made on a table of possible results which included not doing anything for a given number of moves, leaving the board immediately attacking the nearest 'friendly' unit or changing sides. Changing sides occurred so frequently that I changed this to a D12 roll with a 1 leading to the table roll. it still occurred quite a lot as most games go for around 12 moves. This became questionable when the mercenaries were in the middle of their host army. How could they just toddle off to the enemy? Clearly I need to twig this. So instead, the loyalty roll will occur in certain circumstances, such as there are also Hillmen (or other troops equivalent to the particular mercenaries) on the other side, Chaos is the enemy, the army is loosing or, most importantly, they are surrounded by the enemy orcash is running out. The enemy could also try to buy them off if there are funds available.
So why buy mercenaries? They may have special skills and weapons lacking in one's army. Also, in my rules the mercenaries cost half the points. This might sound counter intuitive because, presumably, they are getting more money than the usual troops. But in a wargame campaign this reflects the risk one takes in employing them. The questionable loyalty is traded off with their cheapness and their special skills.
BERSERKERS
Vikings are not all berserkers and visa versa. Bererkers became that way either by natural inclination or by imbibing 'magic' mushrooms. One historical interpretation suggests that slaves were given the mushrooms and then gave their urine to Vikings to drink as this increased the effectiveness of the drug! Talk about being 'on the piss'!
Viking berserkers were described as biting their shields in wild anticipation of battle. In fact they were difficult to keep in check until the right moment. For this reason I say that berserkers (and other fanatics) MUST charge units within a move distance (usually around 40cm). A dice roll can be taken for them NOT to charge (the opposite of what happens for most other troops except for knights). I'd say a five or six on a D6 might delay their actions.
So why have such difficult to control troops? The reason is they are oblivious to pain and suffering (on the enemy and also on themselves). Of course this might mean they get wiped out pretty fast but it might also mean they destroy whatever they attack. So they get a shock bonus and they never roll for leadership if their numbers get down. (Obviously they would also not need to roll for loyalty - they are too busy craving battle. Actually, come to think on it I don't do this roll for troops in melee but if they lose morale they ight well switch sides. the bererkers will just keep fighting. if berserkers are not in combat then possibly the loyalty roll could occur except if the lose it they attack the nearest unit, friendly or enemy!)
Previously one paid a little extra in points for berserkers although they were frequently without amour, which meant they were more vulnerable to missile fire.
My new idea for Hillmen mercenaries is this; Rather than a special unit roll a dice and on a 5 or six they are berserkers for the game.
WEREWOLVES
I have used these slavering beasties in games before. Basically a given figure or figures are chosen and under certain circumstances an dice roll they turn into werewolves who are basically souped up versions of berserkers. The normal figure is then replaced with a werewolf model. Now, what I am going to do is that if a Hillman unit becomes berserkers another D6 dice roll is made and on a further 5-6 D3 of them are werewolves. I am going to assume the werewolves have enough sense left to distinguish friend from foe but obviously you could have a random attack possibility built in.
So for those particular individuals they get three attacks each with +1 strength (remembering they probably already have a bonus for their axes giving them a total of +3 attacks) and saves of 4+. That makes them pretty darned scary, as one would expect.
A HILLMAN ARMY
Asgard, the Hillman land, can launch its own raids into Beerstein or elsewhere. It could also launch full invasions. Asgard is a 'bystander nation' but n the requisite random campaign dice roll it might enter the conflict in its own right. In that case it can have special units like catapults, wooly mammoth and Valkyries on flying reptiles. Due to the number of models I currently have of these last it will be only one each of the last two. The Valkyrie will be a heroine with extra attacks and wounds. her mount will give her the ability to fly over terrain and units. The mount will have two attacks at strength 4. The mammoth can carry - however many Hillmen can fit in the howdah - probably 10). Most likely they will be armed with bows and spears. The mammoth will be a more powerful version of a war elephant with multiple attacks and wounds. It will have a nasty impact bonus. Like a war elephant it may go berserk when its wounds get down to half or the mahout dies. Warhammer has a nice set of rules based on this contingency for monstrous beasts - one of the results of the rider dying is the beast will defend the beast master's body and not move from that spot. Of course of the beast goes berserkwhen it can be as much a danger to its own side.
HEROES
Most units of Hillmen should have at least one hero who generally has a +1, two attacks and two wounds. This can be a randomly generated number of heroes or a set number. Naturally you can have 'super heroes' with +2 strength, higher initiative and three attacks and three wounds but naturally these would be atypical.
SHAMAN/WIZARD
On a roll of 5-6 D3 shamans are present. If the Hillmen are facing cannons, matchlocks and long bows they might well need that extra magic. I tend to use the Warhammer rules for magic. because my games are normally in 1/32. I double any ranges. The Beersteiner of Bogavanian army may have magic, or not but wizards will be in shorter supply so there are unlikely to be more than one present.
ARMY NUMBERS
As this army is probably not going to be commanded by a third player its size and composition will be random. However, the bulk can be expected to be foot warriors with spears, sword or axe with shield or two handed axe men. So at least some of these will be present numbers decided by D6 rolls. For the heavy support and unusual units a dice roll of 5-6 on a D6 make for each on is required for their presence. If siege weapons are present then I'll roll a dice to decide how many. The opposing player then takes over the roll of the 'third country, in this case Asgard.'
I envisage them as a Northern, Nordic people, fairly barbarous, ferocious raiding warriors and also potential mercenaries. In addition they come under varying degrees of influence from the sinister Chaos lands. They are fast and competent warriors so their initiative will be high meaning they usually go first in melee, unless they have two handed weapons. Their armour is generally shield, helmet, and chainmail tunic. I call this heavy infantry but some without the chainmail can be denoted as lights but probably counting them as heavy in close combat.
Favourite weapons include the two handed axe. I follow the Warhammer rule here that it strikes last unless the Hillmen unit has just assaulted so for that turn they go first. The strength of the weapon combined with the ferocity of the warrior gives a plus two on strength so they can even penetrate plate armour. I also extend the rule to two handed swords.
Other weapons are sword or one handed axe or club combined with shield. This involves normal intiative.
Spear units get, in melee, three ranks of attacks instead of two. they get an advantage against frontal cavalry charge.
MERCENARIES
So far the Hillmen have served, along with the Great Swords as mercenary units for Bogavania and Beerstein. My mercenary rule had a D6 rolled each move and a 1 meant a further roll was made on a table of possible results which included not doing anything for a given number of moves, leaving the board immediately attacking the nearest 'friendly' unit or changing sides. Changing sides occurred so frequently that I changed this to a D12 roll with a 1 leading to the table roll. it still occurred quite a lot as most games go for around 12 moves. This became questionable when the mercenaries were in the middle of their host army. How could they just toddle off to the enemy? Clearly I need to twig this. So instead, the loyalty roll will occur in certain circumstances, such as there are also Hillmen (or other troops equivalent to the particular mercenaries) on the other side, Chaos is the enemy, the army is loosing or, most importantly, they are surrounded by the enemy orcash is running out. The enemy could also try to buy them off if there are funds available.
So why buy mercenaries? They may have special skills and weapons lacking in one's army. Also, in my rules the mercenaries cost half the points. This might sound counter intuitive because, presumably, they are getting more money than the usual troops. But in a wargame campaign this reflects the risk one takes in employing them. The questionable loyalty is traded off with their cheapness and their special skills.
BERSERKERS
Vikings are not all berserkers and visa versa. Bererkers became that way either by natural inclination or by imbibing 'magic' mushrooms. One historical interpretation suggests that slaves were given the mushrooms and then gave their urine to Vikings to drink as this increased the effectiveness of the drug! Talk about being 'on the piss'!
Viking berserkers were described as biting their shields in wild anticipation of battle. In fact they were difficult to keep in check until the right moment. For this reason I say that berserkers (and other fanatics) MUST charge units within a move distance (usually around 40cm). A dice roll can be taken for them NOT to charge (the opposite of what happens for most other troops except for knights). I'd say a five or six on a D6 might delay their actions.
So why have such difficult to control troops? The reason is they are oblivious to pain and suffering (on the enemy and also on themselves). Of course this might mean they get wiped out pretty fast but it might also mean they destroy whatever they attack. So they get a shock bonus and they never roll for leadership if their numbers get down. (Obviously they would also not need to roll for loyalty - they are too busy craving battle. Actually, come to think on it I don't do this roll for troops in melee but if they lose morale they ight well switch sides. the bererkers will just keep fighting. if berserkers are not in combat then possibly the loyalty roll could occur except if the lose it they attack the nearest unit, friendly or enemy!)
Previously one paid a little extra in points for berserkers although they were frequently without amour, which meant they were more vulnerable to missile fire.
My new idea for Hillmen mercenaries is this; Rather than a special unit roll a dice and on a 5 or six they are berserkers for the game.
WEREWOLVES
I have used these slavering beasties in games before. Basically a given figure or figures are chosen and under certain circumstances an dice roll they turn into werewolves who are basically souped up versions of berserkers. The normal figure is then replaced with a werewolf model. Now, what I am going to do is that if a Hillman unit becomes berserkers another D6 dice roll is made and on a further 5-6 D3 of them are werewolves. I am going to assume the werewolves have enough sense left to distinguish friend from foe but obviously you could have a random attack possibility built in.
So for those particular individuals they get three attacks each with +1 strength (remembering they probably already have a bonus for their axes giving them a total of +3 attacks) and saves of 4+. That makes them pretty darned scary, as one would expect.
A HILLMAN ARMY
Asgard, the Hillman land, can launch its own raids into Beerstein or elsewhere. It could also launch full invasions. Asgard is a 'bystander nation' but n the requisite random campaign dice roll it might enter the conflict in its own right. In that case it can have special units like catapults, wooly mammoth and Valkyries on flying reptiles. Due to the number of models I currently have of these last it will be only one each of the last two. The Valkyrie will be a heroine with extra attacks and wounds. her mount will give her the ability to fly over terrain and units. The mount will have two attacks at strength 4. The mammoth can carry - however many Hillmen can fit in the howdah - probably 10). Most likely they will be armed with bows and spears. The mammoth will be a more powerful version of a war elephant with multiple attacks and wounds. It will have a nasty impact bonus. Like a war elephant it may go berserk when its wounds get down to half or the mahout dies. Warhammer has a nice set of rules based on this contingency for monstrous beasts - one of the results of the rider dying is the beast will defend the beast master's body and not move from that spot. Of course of the beast goes berserkwhen it can be as much a danger to its own side.
HEROES
Most units of Hillmen should have at least one hero who generally has a +1, two attacks and two wounds. This can be a randomly generated number of heroes or a set number. Naturally you can have 'super heroes' with +2 strength, higher initiative and three attacks and three wounds but naturally these would be atypical.
SHAMAN/WIZARD
On a roll of 5-6 D3 shamans are present. If the Hillmen are facing cannons, matchlocks and long bows they might well need that extra magic. I tend to use the Warhammer rules for magic. because my games are normally in 1/32. I double any ranges. The Beersteiner of Bogavanian army may have magic, or not but wizards will be in shorter supply so there are unlikely to be more than one present.
ARMY NUMBERS
As this army is probably not going to be commanded by a third player its size and composition will be random. However, the bulk can be expected to be foot warriors with spears, sword or axe with shield or two handed axe men. So at least some of these will be present numbers decided by D6 rolls. For the heavy support and unusual units a dice roll of 5-6 on a D6 make for each on is required for their presence. If siege weapons are present then I'll roll a dice to decide how many. The opposing player then takes over the roll of the 'third country, in this case Asgard.'
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