Changes in WAB 2.0 Here a summery of the changes made to WAB from version 1 to version 2. Although there are no major changes to the construction of the game, there are a lot of minor changes that will have great impact on the game. Some of the most important changes are marked red. ·         General changes o   All infantry bases: 20mmx20mm cav 25mm, Char 40mm, elef&Hvy Char 60mm. o   Light Inf&cav choose: Skirmish or formed up formation. Can’t be changed during game. ·         Movement o   1” rule: enemy may not approach within 1”. o   Not turn of 90 degrees possible (except drilled troops). o   Open order: no penalty for 180 degrees turn. (not when marching) o   Open order: no penalty for 2 ranks change. (not when marching) o   Reform needs musician + LD test, and within 8”of enemy: -1LD. o   Open order: No penalty through difficult terrain/obstacles, but no marching. o   Open order: Half speed through very difficult terrain, but no marching. o   Marching §  You need a musician to march. §  Cavalry & chariots may march within 8” of enemy infantry. §  Chariots may triple march when in 1 wide by 2 deep formation. §  Fast march only when no enemy within 8” (even fleeing enemy). o   Charge §  When 3 models wide, you may not declare (counter)charge. §  Overlong charge may results in LD test. §  You must bring as many models on both sides into contact. §  Flank charge only if partially behind enemy frontline. o   Counter charge §  Counter charge only if further than half charge distance. §  Counter charger moves half (normal) distance towards charger and wheels. 1” if failed charge. §  Counter charge may result that not all original targets come into contact. o   Disengage §  Only if fighting to the front. §  Not after contact from a pursue from previous turn. o   Fleeing §  Fleeing and pursuing troops: no penalty for terrain. §  Fleeing unit at half strength: -1LD for rally. §  Fleeing unit within 8” of enemy: -1LD for rally. §  Flank charge may only if partly behind frontage of the enemy. o   Revealed target (after original target flees) §  No extra wheel to come in contact. §  No alignment or maximizing contact. §  May only flee or hold. ·         Shooting o   No dividing shots. ·         Combat o   The to-hit chart is slightly different o   Defended obstacles: §  No cavalry can defend obstacles. §  No charge bonus. §  -1 to hit. §  No  close order or rank bonus. o   Casualties and breaktest §  Excess wounds are not counted towards combat result. §  Breaktest general first. §  Characters autobreak after loosing a combat. o   Combat result §  Momentum ·         If gained ground. ·         If won previous combat round. ·         If drawn combat but wins musician roll-of. ·         Not if cavalry/chariots in difficult terrain. §  Flank bonus: only if more units than enemy in flanks. §  Close order /rank bonus (count at begin of combat) ·         Difficult terrain: still rank bonus for open order troops. ·         You can not regain rank bonus during a combat, even if the cause is removed. §  Overrun: if skirmishers flee and destroyed: +D6 extra move. Only after first combat. o   Fleeing from combat §  No gap within 8” available: move trough friendly troops §  No gap within 8” available: destroyed if forced to move through enemy troops. §  Flee diagonally from a unit in front and flank. §  Flee to rear if units in both flanks. §  Destroyed if fleeing from combat in front and rear. o   Pursue §  Choose to pursue before enemy has thrown dice to flee. §  You can’t pursue if fighting to the flank or rear. §  Pursuing into fresh enemy: They can only hold but panic test is possible. Align to the site where most models are. §  Pursue into fleeing enemy unit: destroyed if fleeing started this turn, otherwise flee further. §  Pursue off table ·         LD to return (2 tries) within 12” of point of leaving. ·         May move and shoot normal. o   Redress §  Flank models in combat are not removed as casualties. §  Expand frontage with maximum of 2 columns on both sides. No lapping round. ·         Give ground (FBIGO) o   Give ground is  1D6 (normal movement<=6”) or 2D6 (>6”). o   Not from rear or flank with <5 models. o   Not when in skirmish formation (unless other are also skirmish). o   Must follow up with normal move distance (except when defending obstacle). o   Is not a new charge. o   Unit giving ground may not charge next move (except due to warband rule). o   Cavalry may even give ground if passed breaktest (except skirmish cavalry).   ·         Panic tests o   Ld-1 if at half strength. o   Direction of flee is changed. Broken from combat; always flee directly away from combat. o   Destruction of unit by missile fire does not cause panic test. o   If unit won the battle, but has to do a panic test (for breaking units) it may reroll test. o   May not pursuit a unit that panics if you have no momentum. o   Charging in flank/rear causes panic test (even if not in combat).   ·         Skirmishers o   Max 2”apart. Can’t be seen though or charged through. o   Move normal movement over very difficult terrain. Cavalry suffer move penalties if over normal rate in (very) difficult terrain. o   If LD<=7:  fear formed troops. o   Form up after a charge or being charged (models within 1”). Can be attacked in flank or rear. o   Must see with majority the enemy they want to charge. Charge individually exactly like formed units. o   Unengaged models in a combat can not shoot. o   Not standard or musician. ·         Characters o   Can not charge on their own,  or leave a unit to do so. Don’t join a unit already in combat. Flee is lost combat (but may rally even though single model). o   Triple march, but according to rules. o   On foot can’t join cavalry, elephants or chariots. o   On horse may dismount to join infantry. o   Only half of front line may be characters in a unit (rounded down). o   Move like rest of unit. o   Subject to psychology rules of unit except hatred. o   On elephant hits are randomized. o   On chariot shooting hits are randomized (in close combat enemy can choose target). o   Challenge §  When in chariot/elephant only challenge a character on same mount. o   ABS: only one reroll per case. ·         Weapons and armour o   Sling rapidfire with S2 within half maximum range. o   Stones are for killing Pyrrhus   ;-) o   Mixed weapons may reroll first to hit and count as javelin. o   Staffsling: 24”, S4 at short range only. May not fire and lfee. o   Longbow: -1 armour save at short range only. o   Throwing spear, kontos, thrusting spear , lance: cavalry in difficult terrain: no bonuses. o   Pike fights in two ranks only to the front (even when charging). o   Pike, kontos, lance  are not first on flank or rear. o   >S5 impossible for humans. o   Max Armour save for infantry and cavalry is 3+ and 2+ if barded cavalry. ·         Psychology rules (summery and changes) o   Fear §  Charge: LD fail: stay put. §  Charched: Outnumbered and LD failed: Flee, otherwise 6’s to hit. §  Autobreak if lost combat and outnumbered. o   Terror §  Within 8” at begin turn; Terror test. §  When charged or charging: infantry tests once, cavalry always. Flee if test failed. o   Hatred §  LD 10. Reroll hits in first round of combat. §  Must always pursue. o   Frenzy §  Must charge if able. §  +1 attack. §  Must pursue even when defending obstacle must follow give ground. §  Can’t flee as charge reaction. §  No panic tests. Can not be stubborn, no hatred. §  Looses frenzy after being broken. o   Stubborn §  No panic from fleeing troops within 4”. §  Give ground instead of breaking once during game. §  Break from (warband/Fear) autobreak rule on 1,2,3 on a D6. ·         Formation rules (summery and changes) o   Unreliable §  Allies and mercenaries are unreliable. §  No LD from general. No ABS reroll or combat bonus. §  Only start joining the game after a D6 of 2,3,4,5,6. o   Ambush §  Secret deploy outside deployment zone of enemy. §  Can move, shoot fight normal after deployment. §  Are revealed when in sight or within 8” of enemy. §  Not effected by psychology rules. Effected by formation rules when hidden. o   Massed cavalry §  Close order (but no close order bonus). §  Half movement penalty when wheeling. §  May counter charge. §  2 rank bonus max if charged that turn. o   Cataphract §  Close order (but no close order bonus). §  Half movement penalty when wheeling. §  No counter charge. §  Kontos can fight with two ranks (not on turn that they charged). §  2 rank bonus max if they charged into combat that turn. o   Chariot runners §  May move through gaps between chariots. §  May be charged through by chariots. o   Combined formation §  Close order prevails if some models are close order. §  LD and psychology rules of majority of troops. §  Massed archery: first archer rank shoots with all models, even behind first rank. §  Stand & shoot with massed archery. §  From missile fire alternate the wounds. §  Use majority for the armour save when shot at. §  Wounds in Close combat against models actually fighting (command group may be killed). o   Drilled §  May do 90 degrees turn for quarter of movement. Twice for free if in open order. §   Begin movement: about face, 2 ranks change (once) for free. §  May march and change ranks. §  No LD for reform (if no enemy within 8”). §  May choose not to pursue without LD test. §  Disengage if enemy not faster without LD test. §  Give ground voluntarily when passing their breaktest. §  Open ranks for scythed chariots (on LD test) when not shooting at chariots. o   Expert horsemen §  No -1 to hit when moving. o   Finest horse §  +1” movement. o   Feigned flight §  Only when charged to the front. §  Feared/terror enemy: LD test first. o   Ferocious charge §  Autobreak enemy on first charge if combat won (but 2:1 give ground applies). §  On skirmishers the rule always apply and is not expended yet. §  Enemy breaks auto for another reason; the rule is not expended yet. Against stubborn troops: Roll dice to decide. o   Levies §  Fear enemy not outnumbered 2:1, except skirmishers & fleeing troops. §  Can only wheel with half movement. §  No close order combat bonus. §  No testing on general LD. §  Nearby (not levy) units reroll panic test after levies break. o   Phalanx §  Must apply formation at start of game §  Must have 2 ranks, 12 models, frontage deeper than depth. §  May reform at -1 LD test. §  Wheel cost half movement. §  As long as has rank bonus (when fighting elephant rules stay in order). ·         2 ranks fight even on charge. ·         -1 to hit to front with missile. ·         -2 to hit in close combat by cavalry/Light chariot. ·         Cavalry loose all charge bonus rules, all attackers loose strength bonus. ·         -1 to hit for infantry/Heavy chariot. §  Trained ·         May turn 180 degrees. §  Macedonian ·         May turn 180 degrees and change formation. §  Drilled ·         May be no phalanx formation at start of game. ·         No penalty for wheel during march or charge. May turn 90 degrees. o   Shield wall §  Instead of move, until beaten, -1 to hit to front. o   Veteran §  Once reroll ALL to hit dice in game. o   Warband §  On a 1 on a D6: Compulsory move is normal move towards visible enemy or charge visible enemy if they can. Even if they gave ground previous turn. §  Push through skirmishers if enemy was already visible. §  If wins combat: enemy is broken if outnumbered. Must Pursue. §  In close order: half movement while not moving straight forward and not charging or compulsory move. §  LD counts ranks (close and open order). ·         Chariots o   Cause fear in infantry units. o   Units strength counts a crew on the chariots. o   They are cavalry, so also their weapon bonuses apply and counter charge. o   Heavy chariots must form up into a unit and light chariots may. o   Movement: §  No difficult terrain. When forced 1,2,3 on D6: destroyed, 6 when light chariots. §  May march and triple march (if 1 wide and 2 deep). §  Scythed add +D6” to move and are half speed if wheeling. o   Combat §  Wounds fall on squadron as a whole. §  Align to fight as skirmishers, but count as formed. §  Impact hits added to combat result, but phalanx fight first. §  Hvy: D3 impact hits, Scythed: D6+2 (on a 1 scythed is not destroyed and counts a casualty). o   Crew shoot twice. But movement penalties apply. o   Light chariot -1 to hit if moved previous turn. o   Armour save +2 for crew. o   Fleeing light chariot 2D6” on first turn around difficult terrain. ·         Elephants o   No Psychology. o   Mahout can not fight, dies last. o   Weapon bonus as cavalry. o   No marching, pivot costs half movement. o   No rank/close order bonus on both sides. (special phalanx rules stay) o   No breaktest, stampede instead. 2D6”direct away from lost combat. Otherwise use scatter dice. o   Stampede test if wounded from missile fire or mahout dead. o   Crew shoot twice. But movement penalties apply. o   African panics from Indian elephant. o   Cav/Chariots may not charge elephant, must flee (and shoot) if charged by elephant. o   Armour save 4+ to front (3+ if barding). ·         Artillery o   Battery within 5” of each other. o   After wounds: D6 score higher than total wounds suffered on machine plus crew. o   Stone thrower §  Shoots before other missile fire. §  Centre point of model must be under template to roll to hit. ·         Victory points o   Units at half strength result in half victory points. o   Army breakpoint exceeded: 500 pts bonus. ·         Buildings o   Additional rules for fighting from buildings. ·         Break points o   2pts: Formed units, elephants. o   3pts: if unit >300 points. o   1pts: skirmish. o   2pts: skirmish with >15 models. o   0pts: Characters, artillery, scythed chariots. o   25% lost: army breaks. §  Units destroyed or ran of table: count pts. §  Units at half strength: half pts (round down). §  General killed or of table: 2 pts. §  ABS killed or of table: 1 pts.   WAB 2.0 Besides the expected trouble learning the new rules by heart, we are very enthusiastic about the new rules. Lots of rules that allowed sneaky tricks are cleared. Movement is much more difficult, thus much more interesting. The new break points makes you lead your army more carefully. Modifiers in LD tests result into more realistic situations. For example; reforming within charge range of the enemy is something only the bravest and coolheaded troops would dare and succeed in. The rules we had the most trouble with were the following: Cavalry marching next to infantry. No 90 degrees turn or free reform. Reaching the flanks due to the new flanking rules. Not being able to charge when in 3 rows depth. Skirmishers fearing formed troops. How dangerous drilled troops have become. Keeping track of troops that are below half strength for the army breakpoint and -1 on LD tests. Modifiers and rerolls for LD tests. The Momentum rule adds a combat bonus to the next combat round if you won the previous. This means that if you throw unlucky once, you will still feel that the next round. We decided to put a small shield behind every unit that won a combat showing the momentum. And every unit under half strength had a dead soldier added behind their formation. These dead soldiers are easily made. Just lay some of these metal soldiers you never found the time painting on the ground, put your boot on them a few times and, 'voila', there's your dead soldier model.           To the Index page