Gobstyk's Gaming Club

WHFB Campaign Rules

This section describes the play test campaign rules for WHFB that we are working on in the Club at the moment. This fantasy version is based on our 40K system and to fully understand the mechanics you'll probably need to take a look at the Galaxy of Damnation section. Please post comments and questions to the Forum.

Click here to download these rules as a Word file in self-extracting .exe format. Running the file whfbcamp.exe will unpack the word file onto your Windows desktop.

1 Introduction

The campaign is based on the very successful Galaxy of Damnation (GoD) campaign system for Warhammer 40K. The campaign is fought over the land of Gobstykia and has many locations for the players to explore. Some of the locations have been pre-determined by the game masters (Bob & Pete), the others will be generated by the first player to explore the area. Just as in the GoD campaign system the natives may accept your benevolent rule or reject your malevolent mastery, in which case you will have to battle for control of the land. As players explore the land they will build up empires, generate wealth, dispatch spies and diplomats, hire mercenaries and sail the seven (okay one) sea and generally have a good time. But a word of caution, the Gods of the land (the dashing debonair Bob, and the wretched foul Pete) have many tricks up their sleeves and things may not go just as you had planned. So welcome to our land of lamentation, peninsular of peril, continent of catastrophe (and any other alliteration you can think of) the Gods greet you with just one commandment. Win or loose, have fun!

2 The map and movement

The campaign is played out on a map representing a continent (or part of). Locations are represented by numbered circles which are connected to other locations by trails, roads or paths. Players may move from one location to another if it is connected by a route. This counts as one move. Each army may move 3 times during a campaign turn modified by terrain features listed below:

1. If the trail crosses or moves through a mountain range this takes up 3 moves. If you do not have enough movement you cannot make the journey and must wait for the next campaign turn to move.
2. Rivers cannot be crossed except where there is a bridge. If a trail crosses a river without a bridge you will have to pay the ferryman to cross. No gold, no passage!
3. If the trail moves through woods, jungles or swamps it uses 2 moves.
4. If you have the gold to hire a ship you may travel by sea. Travel between any coastal location counts as 3 moves.
5. If the path includes a junction it is possible you may take the wrong route. The path you take at a junction will be randomly determined.

If you do not wish to travel along the paths it is permitted to travel "cross country". This way you may travel between locations not connected by paths but be warned, the further you travel the more chance you will be "lost in the wilderness". For every X miles you travel roll a dice. If any of the dice comes up a 1 you are lost (the cross-country travel and lost rules are yet to be finalised). Lost armies will miss 1 campaign turn and may not raise taxes, engage in diplomacy, receive spies’ reports or hire mercenaries. When they have missed their turn lost armies will start again from the last location they were at.

Moving "cross country" counts as 3 moves (2 for dwarfs).

3 The location generation table

This table works as in Galaxy of Damnation

2D6 roll	Type of Location	Reaction			Campaign points	Army points penalty
		accept	Seek aid	Resist
3	City	-	1-2	3-6	5	10%
4	Mine	-	1-4	5-6	4	8%
5	Fort*	1-2	-	3-6	3	6%
6	Village	1-3	-	4-6	2	4%
7	Barren land	1-6	-	-	0	1%
8	Farmsteads	1-2	3-4	5-6	1	2%
9	Town	1	2-3	4-6	4	4%
10	Market Town	1-5	-	6	5	6%
11	Temple	-	1-5	6	4	7%
2 or12	Capital City*	-	-	1-6	6	12%

*Note: Forts and capital cities automatically come with fortifications.

Whenever a player wishes to find out what is at the location of their army, their movement for that turn ends unless the player has scouts. (Scouts are described later under the section of what you can spend your gold on.)

Whenever a player wishes to find out what is at the location of their army, their movement for that turn ends unless the player has scouts. (Scouts are described later under the section of what you can spend your gold on.)

Whenever a player wishes to find out what is at the location of their army, their movement for that turn ends unless the player has scouts. (Scouts are described later under the section of what you can spend your gold on.)

4 Gold, gold, gold!

In this campaign you will need money to buy things rather than using campaign points as currency as occurs in GoD.

Money in the form of gold can be raised at the start of any of your campaign turns. You do not have to raise money if you do not want to.

To raise gold you declare - at the start of your turn before any moving or battles - that you are going to tax the people. Each location you command generates 1 gold for each campaign point it is worth, this is yours to spend or save as you see fit. However nobody likes paying taxes and there is a chance that the people will rise up against you and your extortionate demands. Every time you raise taxes you must roll a d6 for each location you control (you cannot choose to tax some and not others it is an all or nothing affair), on a roll of a 1 they have rebelled against you and revert to independence. They are no longer in your empire and you gain no gold from them. Once all your money has been collected you will probably wish to spend some of it. The following is a list of things money can buy.

5 Fortifications

Cities, Towns, Temples and mines can be fortified (Capital cities and Forts already have fortifications built). The cost is 1 gold per campaign point.

Any location that has had fortifications built gives you the option to defend the location using siege rules and the FINAL ASSAULT scenario. This is very useful if you have built up large points penalties because the defender always fields 50% of the attackers force so unless you are at a 50% points penalty you will not be at a disadvantage defending fortified locations.

Fortified locations generate 1 less gold due to maintenance costs.

6 Garrisons

Any location can have a garrison deployed there. A garrison will reduce your points penalty by 10% when defending the location and prevents any armies from passing through without your permission.

Garrisons will capture spies on a d6 roll of 4-6, in which case the spy will blab and reveal information on any one location from the spies’ empire to the capturing player.

Garrisons cost 2 gold.

Garrisoned locations generate 1 less gold (cumulative with fortifications) due to the cost of maintaining the garrison.

7 Spies

Spies can be sent to any location on the map and will report back the type of location, who owns it, fortifications, garrisons etc. For each location you send a spy to roll a d6. If any of the dice rolls a 1 the spy has been caught and killed and no information is gained.

Spies cost 1 gold each time they are sent out.

8 Reinforcements

Any player may spend gold to increase the size of their army. It costs 1 gold per 100 points of extra troops. These can include allies but not characters or magic items. They will fight for only 1 battle.

9 Dogs of War and mercenaries

Watch out on the notice board for special "Dogs of war" regiments offering their services for sale. The price for each regiment will vary. The cost is for only 1 battle. These regiments will have their own special rules determined by the gods.

10 Diplomats and treaties

Players are allowed to form alliances, make deals and come to arrangements with other players. However these may only be made between armies that have encountered each other on the previous campaign turn. Alternatively you may send a Diplomat to do the deal for you. When sending a diplomat you must send him to the home location of the empire you wish to make a deal with (so you will have to guess at the location or know it). Once there you are free to make any deals with that empire at any time.

Diplomats cost 1 gold.

Note: alliances will only be allowed between races allowed as allies in the respective army books. So long as one of the books has the race as a possible ally alliances may be made. In order to fight on the same side in a battle a formal alliance must have been made. (Very important if you wish to gang up one someone)

Anytime players wish to make a formal deal this must be done in writing and signed by both generals. Administration costs for each and every deal is 1 gold

11 Guides

An army that wishes to move "cross country" may purchase a guide for 1 gold. A guide allows you to re-roll one dice when making your getting lost tests. You may hire as many guides as you wish and each will allow 1 re-roll. Guides will only work for 1 cross-country move and must be hired fresh each time.

A guide will also allow you to choose which direction you take at a junction.

12 Ferries

An army wishing to cross a river without a bridge must pay the ferryman. Ferrymen cost 1 gold

13 Ships & Captains

Any army wishing to travel by sea must hire or buy a ship. Ships can be hired for 2 gold per journey or they can be bought for 8 gold. Bought ships can be used over again until they sink!

Each time you make a sea voyage roll on the following table:

You may also hire a captain to help sail your ship. Captains allow you to re-roll the result of the sea voyage test.

14 Scouts

When an army arrives at a location evaluating its potential value takes a considerable time. This effectively ends the armies’ movement for that turn. There just is not the time to survey an area and move on to another. However if an army has hired scouts, these individuals range ahead of the main body of the army, scouring the land and determining its wealth and potential for conquest. This means an army with scouts will know what type of location they are at as soon as they arrive and so can choose to stop and attempt to conquer the land or move on for better pastures. Each time an army uses its scouts there is a chance they will be ambushed and killed by the local inhabitants. Whenever you use scouts roll a d6 and on a 1 the scouts are lost and no information of the area is gained.

Scouts cost 2 gold.

15 Race Characteristics

The following rules apply to the different races.

EMPIRE

The army of the Empire is a soldier’s army. Well trained and disciplined. When Empire armies establish a garrison it reduces their points penalty by 15% when defending a location

HIGH ELVES

High Elves are the greatest of sea fairer, traveling the world in their fast sleek ships. When traveling by sea High Elves may add 1 to the result of the sea travel test. Because of their skill at sea High elf armies count as being captains (so they never need to hire one).

WOOD ELVES

Wood Elves are masters of the forests. Wood elves move through woods, forests or jungle as if it is open terrain. (count as 1 move not 2). Any wood elf army that fights a battle in a wooded location may add 10% to their starting value (which can take them above 2000 points if they have a less than 10% army penalty). Garrisons will add to this bonus. Wood elf armies have scouts for free and never have to roll to see if they are killed.

DARK ELVES

Dark elves may use Assassins for 1gold. Assassins may be sent to a location where the Dark Elf player believes there to be an army. If there is roll a dice and on a 1-3 the assassin is caught and killed but on a 4-6 the assassin makes an assassination attempt on a randomly chosen character from the army. Roll a further d6. On a 1 the character fights off the assassin. On a 2-5 the character is wounded and must miss the current campaign turn. On a 6 he is killed!

Only 1 assassin may be used each turn.

Dark elves get scouts for free and never have to test to see if they are killed.

DWARFS

Dwarfs are stout, stocky and slow. Dwarfs may only move 2 times during each turn. However they count mountains as clear terrain.

Dwarfs are expert miners. If a dwarf owns a mine it generates DOUBLE gold.

Dwarfs are expert engineers. The quality of Dwarf workmanship is legendary. Dwarf fortifications require no maintenance and do not reduce the amount of gold a location will generate.

SKAVEN

Skaven live and travel the world in passages underground, popping up to attack and spread disease and then scuttling away to the safety of their warrens. Skaven may ignore fortifications (i.e. a Skaven player can choose not to fight a siege battle).

Skaven may move through the under-empire rather than above ground. A Skaven army can move 2 times in the under empire.

UNDEAD

An Undead army, Khemri or vampire counts, gains much strength and corpse power from magical ley lines Temples are built on. An Undead army that owns a temple gains DOUBLE gold when raising taxes. Also if an Undead army attacks of defends a temple it gains a +10% bonus to its army value.

CHAOS WARRIORS, BEASTMEN & DAEMONS

There are many foolish men who secretly worship the gods of chaos. These people start up cults and undermine the governments of realms in preparation for the coming of their gods. They are the enemy within. When rolling on the reaction tables Chaos armies may deduct 1 from the roll to see if the location accepts them.

ORCS & GOBLINS

Waaaagh! Greenskins are a very hardy race and can survive on seemingly nothing for long periods of time. Greenskin armies may make 4 moves each time as they march tirelessly to each location.

Greenskin armies are also allowed a special "forced march". If they do not have enough movement to reach the next location they are headed for (because it is through mountains or woods or the have already moved 4 times) they may make a forced march to get there. For this campaign turn (until they move again) the army will have an additional 10% army penalty due to the fatigue of the troops, Characters will have 1 less wound (down to a minimum of 1) and wizards will be 1 level lower than normal.

LIZARDMEN

Cold blooded, slimy and aquatic. Lizardmen may move across rivers with no penalty (and no fee) Lizardmen may also move up and down rivers as far as they want for only 1 move.

BRETONNIANS

Honorable, Noble, Valorous, defenders of the weak, slayers of the cruel and evil. A peasant loves a hero. Bretonnians suffer no army penalties for owning villages, farmsteads or barren land. However these locations will 1 less gold than normal, although any garrison placed there will not reduce the revenue any further (i.e. a village with a garrison in the hands of the Bretonnians will still generate 1 gold).

CHAOS DWARFS

Chaos dwarfs are constantly on the search for new sources of slaves to work in their factories and mines. Locations conquered by chaos dwarfs half their point penalties (round fractions down) but also generate 1 less gold each (down to a minimum of 1

16 Underground fighting

It may happen that 2 armies will encounter each other whilst in the underground network of tunnels and caverns. If such a meeting takes place or a battle is fought underground for any other reason the following rules will apply

1. No flying high. Flying moves restricted to 12 " maximum.
2. Shooting at long range is impossible (due to the low roof level)
3. Line of sight is a maximum of 12" except for Skaven, Dwarfs, Night goblins, Daemons, and Undead. These see normally.
4. Cavalry models are at a –2 to all leadership tests due to the skittishness the confined spaces have on their mounts. Also Calvary moves are restricted to a maximum of 12"

17 Fighting battles and the death of characters

Whenever you fight a battle for a location you have attacked, you may choose to use some, all, or none of your characters. Any character that is slain in battle, by shooting, hand to hand fighting or magic may be permanently killed. (Note characters that flee the table or who are "scattered " by fleeing from combat and being run down are NOT killed).

Make a note of slain characters during the game and before your next move roll a d6 to see if they are permanently killed or whether they survive. On a 1-2 the character is killed and must be replaced. His magic items are lost and the replacement cannot have the same magic items unless they are from the common item list. On a 3-6 the character survives his wounds and may battle on.

When you are defending a location that is part of your empire then any characters you use in the battle must suffer the affects of death as listed above.

If you are acting as defender of a location that is NOT part of your empire (i.e. a location that has resisted the occupation of another army) then any characters killed will automatically come back for the next game, after all they were not the real ones just charlatans and impostors.

Magic banners captured in a game WILL be lost and may be used by the capturing player if allowed. Lost banners may be replaced with normal non-magical ones. Banners may be sold to any army that the player may deal with (see diplomats) if he does not wish to use it himself.

18 Special locations

Gobstykopolis

Gobstykopolis is the largest city on the continent of Gobstykia. It is a Freeport where all races may come and trade, deal or gamble. Huge fortunes are won and lost within its walls. You can enter its walls a nobody and leave a hero (or a corpse). Woe betide any army who thinks they have the might to conquer Gobstykopolis. Only the foolish have tried, none have succeeded.

Things to do in Gobstykopolis:

a) The Arena of Doom.

One of the favourite pastimes of the populace of Gobstykopolis is to watch the "Arena of Doom" contests. Anyone may put up the entrance fee of 1 gold and be a contestant. Great rewards are to be one by the survivor but remember the 1st rule of the arena. "Two men enter, one man leaves!"

b) The Blood bowl games.

If you are particularly flush with gold you may purchase a team to enter the blood bowl games. Teams cost 1 campaign gold for each 100,000 Blood bowl gold. So a starting team will cost a whopping 10 gold (although you may spend more for a more experienced team of you can afford it.)

For every game they win you gain 1 gold.

For every game they win you may halve the cost of hiring Dogs of war (every one wants to be associated with a winner). 1 use only, i.e. you must win again to be able to hire another DoW for half price.

For every game you win you may re-roll a location reaction, or "tax revolt" roll. The people love to support a successful national team.

c) The market place

Everything and everyone is up for sale at sometime in Gobstykopolis. Any magic item not currently in circulation can be bought at the market. When visiting the market you must first roll on the market event table. Roll a d6:

If you discover something interesting you may roll to see if it is the magic item of your dreams. Roll 2d6 x10. If you score above its points value the item is the Real McCoy and you may purchase it. Items cost 1 gold per 10 points. However if you roll a double you have been ripped of and must pay out d6 gold for a useless piece of junk!

d) Diplomats in Gobstykopolis

Gobstykopolis is THE place where deals are made. Any army may send a diplomat to Gobstykia for the normal price. You may then deal with any other army that also has a diplomat at Gobstykia.

Diplomats may also be used to place bets on the various games held in the city. For example, if an Arena of Death contest is held and you have a diplomat in the city you may bet gold (at the odds determined by the Gods) on the outcome. You may also bet on Blood Bowl games and other event (such as Squig hopper races) that will be announced at various intervals.

e) Rules for the Arena of Death in Gobsykopolis

An army may send in any model to be their champion. The model may NOT have any armour, weapons or magic items other than a small dagger.

Spell casters must choose their spells from the appropriate Mordheim lists and will get the same number of spells they would receive during a battle.

Once your champion has been chosen you must roll a d6 to find the champion pitted against you.

1 Skaven assassin

Special skills: Acrobat, Jump Up, Dodge, Step Aside

2 Orc

Special skills: Pit Fighter, Resilient, Strongman

3 Dwarf slayer

Special skills: Mighty blow, Strike to injure, Web of steel, Unstoppable charge

4 Hobgoblin sneaky git

Special skills: Quick shot, Trick shooter, Knife Fighter, Sprint, Eagle eyes

5 Human

Special skills: Expert swordsman, Lightning reflexes

6 Human wizard

Special skills: Sorcery, Warrior wizard.

Presto knows 4 spells from the Lesser Magic list.

Hidden around the arena of death are numerous weapons, armour and other equipment for the gladiators to use. These are represented by tokens. Once a player moves on to a token he can stop his movement to pick up the item. If the player picks up an object roll on the following table to see what it is

* 50% chance of Black lotus or Dark venom

** Roll a d6

1. Potion of strength 4. Shield of Ptolos 1+ save vs missiles
2. Sword of leaping copper +1 attack 5. Sword of ensorcelled iron +1 to hit
3. Armour of fortune 5+/5+ ward 6. Sword of might +1 str

Other special locations

There are other special locations to discover and explore in Gobstykopolis. However, these are secret and only Bob and Pete know about them...you'll just have to find them for yourselves!