Rules And Scenario Set Up For Toltecs Versus Vikings Game

What I really wanted to simulate was the equivalent of Cortes in Mexico but with Vikings instead of Spaniards.

So what Cortes had going for him was that the Spaniards lacked doubt in their ability; they didn't hesitate to attack armies ten times the size of their own army. They also were better armed and had armour. The Aztecs arrows were stone tipped and so would not penetrate their armour. Even padded cotton armour offered good defence with the Spaniards sometimes sprouting so many arrows they looked like porcupines.

The Aztecs and other tribes were scared of the newcomers and their loud gunpowder weapons were frightening. The noise was enough. Then there were the horses, giant 'stags' that could cause the Aztecs to flee their charge. The Vikings lacked these two last advantages.

SET UP

The set up included 4 Temples the largest facing the main Viking entry point and housing the king and his high priest where they would await arrival of the 'gods' or 'gods' messengers'. The priest was uncertain. I didn't have time to make ordinary  Toltec homes. Three of the temples (secretly designated by Mat) contained treasure.

VIKINGS

The Vikings had 7 units of  24 or more figures each. The units included a spear unit which would fight 3 ranks deep instead of  2. There were 2 units of 'Great Swords' (a Warhammer idea) and two handed swords. These had a plus 2 on inflicting wounds but, except when impacting an enemy would go second in combat. The other units had one handed swords and axes and shields. Armour is counted as heavy (chain mail tunic, helmet and shield). For convenience I counted all as the same armour.

Five units of Vikings and the leader began at the Eastern side of the battle field. Two other units would come on from reserve on the Southern flank. Starting with the second turn a 6 was required for them to come on, third move a 5 and so on. (Luckily for the Vikings they came on quite early).

Berserkers

For each Viking unit on a roll of a D12 it was made up of berserkers. This meant they had to attack the closest enemy unit if within 30 cm once fighting began and on an additional roll of one they would do so even if fighting had not started - not good for diplomatic efforts). They received an impact bonus of plus one and were classed as fearless.

Viking leadership: 9

TOLTECS

The Toltecs had 11 units, including three units of bowmen and two elite units. Bowmen were counted as having no armour and others as light with protection from shields, sometimes wooden helmets and padded clothing. Two units were in reserve. Leadership: Bowmen 5, Elites Ld 7 and others 6.

As the scenario called for the Toltecs to be hesitant to attack they had to roll a D12 die to enable this to happen. The game was to go for our usual 12 moves and each move the Toltecs rolled a D12, First move required a 12, second an 11 and so on. Conceivably they could never attack!

OBJECTIVES

The Viking objective was to find treasure and remove it - 10 points for each treasure uncovered and kept and 20 points if taken to the original Viking starting point.

The Toltecs received ten points for each Viking sacrificed atop a temple. Once the Toltecs could defeat a Viking unit in combat each Viking from that round then made a casualty would be rolled for - a 5 or 6 meant it was stunned and could be carried away by two appointed warriors.


LEADERS

The Viking leader had 4 attacks and four wounds.  The Toltec leader had 3 wounds and 3 attacks.
On loss of a wound an attack would be lost. Leaders had leadership 10.


RULES

Movement:
Aztecs 50 cm Vikings 45cm After a melee the Vikings were meant to have D12 inches loss of next move due to exhaustion from wearing armour in the heat. We forgot to do it.
Half moves over obstacles.

Melee:
To attack all units, unless fearless, the attackers had to roll a leadership test and roll less or the same as the number.
The unit which launched the attack goes first. The first two ranks fight and any overlapping  figures, one on each side and two deep (in other words, up to four extra figures or six if spear men).

Figures with higher initiative (unless it is first round of combat and the other side attacked first). The Vikings initiative is higher so they usually go fist (unless the have slower Great Weapons)

The Viking chance of wounding is greater than the Toltecs.
D12 dice were used with the Toltecs requiring, variously 8 plus (for elite) nine plus or 10 plus for bowmen. Vikings required 6 plus and 4 plus from two handed axe men. It was very stacked in favour of the Vikings unless the Toltecs could overwhelm the Vikings with multiple units, something they failed  to do.

In each round of combat the losing side gets pushed back 20cm. If it hits an obstacle like a wall it stops. If it hits another friendly unit that unit slows down the push back up to half (10cm). The winning unit can elect to not follow if it passes a leadership test. Berserkers have no choice. On occasion it is dangerous to push further into enemy held areas as additional enemy units might join the melee.

If a unit is attacked from the flank it gets only half numbers replying. If attacked in the rear it gets no reply first round of combat. If it is a preexisting melee we don't necessarily add those modifiers.

When a unit gets down to  less than 50% it tests for morale and if it fails it must retreat a full move (or, alternatively, is removed from the field). It then must try to rally each move or could completely leave the table. Winning units take a full move to organise unless they have a musician and then they rally facing any direction and in any formation and have a half move.

An additional rule, which we neglected to use, was that if a Toltec unit failed its melee leadership test any other Toltec unit within 30 cm would also have to rest and flee if failed.

If heroes are present their leadership may be used provided they are in the first rank.. If a general is within 30cm the leadership can have a bonus, usually plus one.

For each additional rank of at least four wide and after the first two ranks and up to four there is a plus one bonus to combat resolution. For a flag there is also a plus one.

Special figures/characters in a melee are diced for separately with the figures they face. and they usually go first unless the other side has just charged them.

SHOOTING

All bows were counted as short bows. Shooters could move a half move and still shoot. As the Toltec arrows were stone tipped I made their ability to wound harder. They need 12s at long and medium range and 11s or 12s at short range. In our rules if a target is shot at  by moving shooters it gets a 6+ save on a D6 (or plus one if added to a cover save). Hard cover gives a D6 4+ save and soft cover a 5+ save.

I'll add the ranges here when I have access to them as I am currently travelling and don;t have the rules sheet.

PROGRESS OF THE GAME

Thor and his men (and a couple of women) ascended the large pyramid and tired to capture King Matezuma. The king resisted and the Toltecs prepared to attack. Matezuma was beheaded by Thor and then his high priest was disembowelled by Henry Greentooth. A treasure of a golden idol was discovered inside the temple and the Vikings withdrew down the steps with it. Four men were assigned it..

Meanwhile the Vikings elsewhere were hard pressed by arrows and attacks. The berserker axe men were hard pressed, at one stage by two units but they fought them off.

No Vikings were taken captive.

CONCLUSION

Mat had elected to be the Toltecs. The army activation (for attack) roll, as agreed, was kept secret but he got it about five turns in and kept it secret to gain the best time to attack which happened around turn six.

We had agreed on 12 moves which was not really enough for the Vikings to get the treasure to the designated board edge although I got the ten points for obtaining one of the three treasures. The Vikings were too hard pressed by attacks to ascend the other pyramids. However, the Vikings were so tough the Toltecs did not win one melee.

Casualties, as would be expected, were more than twice the number for the Toltecs.

A common practice for Mat and I is to replay the games with switched armies so next game, with the same scenario and rules, I shall be the Toltecs. I have some plans for using Toltec numbers to advantage but I won't say here what they are in case Mat reads this!

ORIGIN OF RULES

These are the type of rules mat and I usually use for ancient, Medieval and early horse and musket. They are heavily influenced by the old Chainmail rules and also Warhammer. Them differences are the distances of movement and ranges reflect that we are playing 54mm or 60mm so they are around twice as much. We also combine to hit and to wound in the same dice roll which we can do when using D12 dice. When we play games with more creatures we tend to go back to Warhammer rules for melee with separate D6 to hit and to wound rolls..




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