This is a combat example. If you see inaccuracies or have answers to my questions, fire away.
Continuing the earlier scenario , Roadwarden Birgitta Tageslicht has chased Cutpurse Jack into sewer only to be jumped by a Gutter Runner. She defeats the runner but is wounded and cornered by the now-emboldened thief.
Birgitta's companion, Diedrich Scheffler, a Grey Wizard arrives and together they bring Jack down. Birgitta's relief is short-lived as the Grey Wizard suddenly turns on her, hurling a bolt of magic energy....
---
The bolt slammed into the roadwarden, toppling her backward across the sodden corpse of the Runner.
The Grey Wizard bent over the cutpurse's body as the city bells echoed the length of the tunnel. He pried the axe out of the dead man's fingers and strode towards Birgitta.
The tolling drowned out his footfalls.
"Yes, too late... I am so very sorry."
---
Diedrich Scheffler
(Apprentice Wizard)
Strength 3 Intelligence 5
Toughness 3 Willpower 4
Agility 3 Fellowship 2
Grey Order Sword: DR 5 / CR3
Quarterstaff: DR 4/ CR 4
Defensive, Attuned 1
Grey Robes: Defense 1, Soak 0
Spells: Cantrip, Magic Dart, Pool of Shadows
Diedrich's Status:
0 wounds / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 1 / Power: 4
Recharging actions: None
------
Diedrich stood over the warden's body as the tower bells pounded into his skull.
Brrrnnnng!
He glanced back at the cutpurse who was choking on the sewer water - unable to rise. A fitting burial.
Brrrnnnng!
He looked at the roadwarden. Widening her wounds with the same axe would be easy enough, but he'd have to return with the pistol. The dwarf would demand a remembrance...
Brrrnnnng!
He groaned. My head... Sighing heavily, he braced his foot and swung his arm back. Such a waste...
Brrrnnnng! *splash*
What was that? He spun.
----
The dwarf made it to the water's edge between bells. Kurgi stared unbelieving at his friend's inert form Dead? He saw the wizard's raised arm and his eyes narrowed.
Murdered.
The bell tolled again, but his scream drowned it out. "Diedriiiiiich!"
----
Kurgi Balginson
(Troll Slayer)
Strength 5 Intelligence 3
Toughness 5 Willpower 2
Agility 3 Fellowship 2
M'Father's Axe: DR 5 / CR3
M'Father's Other Axe: DR 5 / CR3
Armor: None! A Slayer has no need for such things!
----
Rally phase
Diedrich moves one step closer to neutral. He's now in a neutral stance.
He has no recharging action cards, so he removes no recharge tokens.
He recovers 1 fatigue (he now has no fatigue).
His power does not adjust, since his current 4 power is equal to his Willpower.
For his optional Rally step, he will perform 1 maneuver.
He cursed and sheathed his sword. A cutpurse might fear his blade, but the dwarf would know better.
Q16 : There are two unconscious characters, Cutpurse Jack and Birgitta. Do unconscious characters participate in a rally phase? If so - Just the mandatory steps, then?
Diedrich's Status:
0 wounds / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 0 / Power: 4
Recharging actions: None
-----
Not sure how best to handle the timing, so I'd just have the two sides roll initiative. Having the winner go first simplifies a lot.
Initiative
Kurgi Balginson's Agility is 3 and he's in a reckless 1 stance. He spends a fortune point on the roll (+1 Fortune).
2 blue/ 1 red/ 1 white.
He rolls no successes, no challenges, no anything.
Diedrich's Agility is also 3 and he's in a neutral stance.
3 blue
He rolls 2 successes, he's first.
------------------
Diedrich's First Action
He's in no mood to fight the slayer, but there's no turning back now. He shifts 1 into reckless and casts Magic Dart.
His power was at 4. Magic Dart costs 3 power, so he's down to 1 power.
INT 5 and reckless 1 = 4 blue / 1 red
Spell difficulty = (+1 Misfortune)
Kurgi’s defense value = (+1 Misfortune) (Troll Slayer ability)
Kurgi will dodge = (+1 Misfortune)
He rolls 3 successes and 2 challenges, nothing else.
5 (Diedrich’s Intelligence)
+ 3 (Magic Dart’s DR)
8 Potential Damage
After damage is announced, Kurgi elects to use his Shrug it Off action, which increases his soak value to 2 (and puts 5 recharge tokens on the Shrug it Off action)
8 Potential Damage
- 5 (Kurgi’s Toughness)
- 3 (Kurgi’s soak value 1 + Shrug it Off 2)
0 wounds (which is converted to a minimum value of 1 wound)
Diedrich will then use his free maneuver to put more distance between himself and the dwarf, then suffer 1 fatigue for more movement so he can go from medium range to long range (two total movement maneuvers).
Finally, he will increase his power to 2 as he shifts closer to equilibrium.
Diedrich's Status:
0 wounds / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 1 / Power: 2
Recharging actions: None
-----
Kurgi's First Action:
Kurgi’s at long range from Diedrich, with both axes in hand (A slayer without a weapon in hand? Yeah, right.)
He shifts 1 step deeper into reckless, to reckless 2. Truth be told, he’d love to go to R3, but a Troll Slayer can’t afford the stress.
Fatigue is another matter entirely.
I cannot greet Bertrand as a failure.
Kurgi moves from Long to Medium (2 maneuvers), From Medium to Close (1 maneuver), and from Close to engagement range with Diedrich (1 maneuver). Total of four maneuvers, the first is free, but the other three will cost him three fatigue.
His dwarven eyes sought out the wizard in the dark of the sewer. Diedrich raised his staff. “Kurgi, wait-”
He wants to talk?!
Kurgi chooses (what else?) the Double Strike melee attack .
Kurgi’s STR is 5 + 1 yellow for trained in weapon skill. Since this is the first turn he’s engaged with an enemy, his Charge tactic will give him an additional fortune die. Kurgi really wants to hear Diedrich scream, so he’ll add 2 fortune points as well.
Default difficulty will be 1 purple + the card’s base difficulty (+1 Misfortune).
Diedrich has a defense of 1 (+1 Misfortune), and declares two reactions: dodge (+1 Misfortune) and parry (+1 Misfortune and +1 Misfortune for the defensive quality of the quarterstaff).
3 blue / 2 red / 1 yellow / 3 white / 1 purple / 5 black
Kurgi rolls 7 successes, 2 challenges, a bane and a boon.
1 success is enough for his primary weapon to hit.
5 (Kurgi’s Strength)
+ 5 (M’Father’s Axe’s DR)
10 Potential Damage
10 Potential Damage
- 3 (Diedrich’s Toughness)
- 0 (Diedrich’s soak value)
7 wounds
As his first stroke bit deep into the human’s side, the wizard’s tensed - pulling his staff close to his chest-
-as the dwarf knew he must.
His other axe swept downward into the wizard’s exposed shoulder.
" Birgitta!! "
5 (Kurgi’s Strength)
+ 5 (M’Father’s Other Axe’s DR)
10 Potential Damage
10 Potential Damage
- 3 (Diedrich’s Toughness)
- 0 (Diedrich’s soak value)
7 wounds
Diedrich’s taken 14 wounds. His wound threshold is 13. One wound flips to a critical (Festering wound).
Lastly, he takes a recharge token off his Shrug if Off action, leaving 4 remaining - and he takes one off his Double Strike and Dodge actions, leaving 1 remaining on each.
Kurgi's Status:
1 normal wound / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 3
Recharging actions: Shrug it Off (4), Double Strike (1), Dodge (1)
-----
The grey wizard fell to his knees, a blood-spattered horror. The dwarf put a boot on his chest and wrenched both his axes free. As the body pitched backwards, Kurgi spat a curse into its face.
-----
Rally phase
Kurgi moves one step closer to neutral. He's now in a reckless 1 stance.
He takes 1 recharge token off his Shrug it Off action card, leaving 3 remaining - and he takes the last recharge token off his Double Strike and Dodge actions.
He recovers 1 fatigue, bringing him to 2.
For his optional Rally step, he will perform 1 maneuver and move towards his fallen friend’s remains.
Kurgi's Status:
1 normal wound / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 2
Recharging actions: Shrug it Off (3)
-----
The bells stopped and above the sound of water rippling around the dying wizard - Kurgi thought he heard a high pitched voice in the distance.
Vaerun...
He realized.
She was behind me...
He turned back towards the way he’d come. A figure robed in blue and white stood in the sewer’s entrance.
The elf.
-----
Vaerun Waveracer
(Envoy)
Strength 2 Intelligence 3
Toughness 3 Willpower 3
Agility 4 Fellowship 4
Weapons: Longsword (DR 5/ CR 3)
Longbow (DR 6 / CR 2, Pierce 1, Two-handed, Long Range)
Armor: Envoy Robes: Defense 1, Soak 0
-----
The dwarf walked back towards Birgitta. “The wizard turned traitor! He’s killed Birgitta, and tried to kill me!”
The robed figure began to run towards him. Vaerun’s disbelief echoed down the tunnel. “You are sure?”
Kurgi knelt over the warden and lifted her head. Birgitta’s face was turning blue. “Ask Diedrich if you don’t believe me-” He pointed further into the darkness, but his tone left no doubt of Diedrich’s fate.
Kurgi rolls an easy Observation check to see if the roadwarden shows signs of life.
Use skill: Observation is INT (3) so
2 blue / 1 red
GM rules this as easy, so 1 purple.
Kurgi rolls 1 success, 1 boon, 1 bane, and a chaos star.
Kurgi knows his friend still lives, but the chaos star means he spends a sentimental moment gazing at her in horror - and utterly misses the sound of stone sliding across stone...and of weapons being readied.
The skavens have returned.
---------
4 Gutter Runners
(3 henchrats and 1 leader)
Strength 3 Intelligence 3 (+1 fortune)
Toughness 3 Willpower 3
Agility 5 (+1 fortune) Fellowship 3
Damage 4
Soak 2
Defense 2
Aggression 2
Cunning 4
Expertise 2
-----
Initiative
The Gutter Runners roll initiative as a group - Agility of 5 (+ 1 fortune), and a conservative stance of 2.
3 blue / 2 green / 1 white
They get four successes and a delay, so they’re at 3
Kurgi has an agility 3 and is in reckless 1.
He nets two successes and an exertion. He takes 1 stress as he watches the ratmen emerge out of a hidden passage. The GM rules Kurgi's earlier Chaos Star will cost him a rank of initiative. He would be at 2, but the penalty puts him at 1.
Vaerun rolls her agility of 4 and she’s in a conservative 1 stance.
3 blue / 1 green
She gets 1 success and three boons. She has no stress or fatigue to recover, so the boons do nothing.
The Gutter Runners will go first, followed by the heroes in whichever order they agree on.
-----
Gutter Runner’s actions
All the runners are armed with crossbows. They are at close range relative to Kurgi, and medium range relative to Vaerum. The henchrats will work as a group, the Rat Leader will act on his own.
Kurgi looks the most threatening, so the three henchrats fire on him immediately. The Rat Leader moves away from his followers and fires a bolt at Vaerun.
Henchrats (3) first action
Since they are acting as henchmen, all three henchrats will collectively take one action. The henchrats use the Ranged Attack action - one will fire while the others assist.
Agility of 5 (+ 1 Fortune) in conservative 2 stance. The GM will burn an expertise die (+1 Yellow) this attack. Since two runners are available to assist the shooter this attack will get 2 additional white dice (+2 Fortune).
1 yellow / 3 blue / 2 green / 3 white
Easy difficulty 1 purple
Kurgi’s defense value of 1 = (+1 Misfortune) (Troll Slayer ability)
Kurgi will dodge (+1 Misfortune)
1 yellow / 3 blue / 2 green / 3 white / 1 purple / 2 black
The Crossbow team nets 5 successes and 3 banes.
5 (Runner’s Agility)
+ 6 (Crossbows’s DR)
+ 2 (Bonus damage for 3 successes)
13 Potential Damage
13 Potential Damage
- 5 (Kurgi’s Toughness)
- 1 (Kurgi’s soak value 1)
7 wounds
The three banes on a ranged attack allow Kurgi (who is at close range) to engage with them - (they misjudged what a safe distance was. Whoops.)
Henchrats Status: 0 wounds
-----
Rat Leader’s first action
The Rat Leader steps between his fellows and the distant elf and raises his crossbow.
Agility of 5 (+1 Fortune) in a conservative stance 2 using both of his aggression dice (+2 Fortune).
3 blue / 2 green / 3 white
Easy difficulty: 1 purple, Vaerun has a defense of 1 (+1 Misfortune) and will dodge (+1 Misfortune). The crossbow can reach targets at long range and Vaerun is at medium range.
Final dice pool: 3 blue / 2 green / 3 white / 1 purple / 2 black
The Rat Leader rolls 3 successes, 2 net banes and a delay. He drops to the second slot on the initiative, behind the henchrats, but still ahead of Kurgi and Vaerun.
Three successes become a hit with +2 bonus damage. Two banes would allow an opponent at close range to engage the Rat Leader, but Kurgi is engaged with the henchrat and is ineligible. The banes will convert to the universal effect of Gain 1 fatigue (which the GM will convert to lose an Expertise die).
5 (Rat Leader’s Agility)
+ 6 (Crossbows’s DR)
+ 2 (Bonus damage for 3 successes)
13 Potential Damage
13 Potential Damage
- 3 (Vaerun’s Toughness)
- 0 (Vaerun’s soak value 0)
10 wounds
Vaerun has a wound threshold of 11, she’s alive, but only just.
The Rat Leader laughed as he saw his target stagger. "Kill, Kill! " h e cackled, " Kill, Kill! "
************************
It’s the players turn to act, so either Kurgi or Vaerun can take their turn. The Slayer is engaged with the two ratmen responsible for the crossbow bolt sticking out of his leg. The dwarf DEMANDS the right to go first.
Kurgi’s first action
Kurgi’d slung one axe when he’d checked Birgitta for signs of life, so he’ll use his free maneuver to ready his second axe. He’ll shift his stance into Reckless 2.
Then he chooses (what else?) the Double Strike melee attack.
Kurgi’s STR is 5 + 1 yellow for trained in weapon skill. Since this is the first turn he’s engaged with this enemy, his Charge tactic is active (+1 Fortune).
Default difficulty will be 1 purple + the card’s base difficulty (+1 Misfortune).
The runners have a defense of 2 (+2 Misfortune)
and the GM with throw 2 aggression dice to help save their lives (+2 Misfortune)
3 blue / 2 red / 1 yellow / 1 white / 5 black
Kurgi rolls a Sigmar’s Comet, 4 successes, 3 challenges, a boon, 2 banes, and an exertion.
One net success - a hit! and Kurgi converts the Comet to a critical wound.
1 net bane does nothing. The exertion will cost him another fatigue point.
5 (Kurgi’s Strength)
+ 5 (M’Father’s Axe’s DR)
10 Potential Damage
10 Potential Damage
- 3 (Runner’s Toughness)
- 2 (Runner’s soak value)
5 wounds
One of the wounds is flipped over to reveal an Aggravated Wound (2). Henchmen don’t take critical wounds, so the critical wound’s severity of 2 is converted to additional wounds.
5 wounds
+ 2 (severity of Aggravated Wound)
7 wounds
Since the henchrats are being run as henchmen, they have a group wound threshold of (Toughness x number of creatures, or 3x3 = 9)
7 points is more than a single henchrat’s toughness, so every 3 points kills one of them. Two die and the 1 wound remaining is given to the last survivor.
Lastly, he takes one recharge token off Shrug it Off, leaving it with 2 recharge tokens. Then he takes one off his Double Strike and Dodge actions, leaving 1 remaining on each.
Kurgi's Status:
8 normal wounds / Stress: 1 / Fatigue: 3
Recharging actions: Shrug it Off (2), Double Strike (1), Dodge (1)
-----
Kurgi shouted a curse as his axe swung home. He’d put too much into it, and lost his balance.
Fool.
Fortunately, the rat wasn’t in heavy armor. The stroke swung cleanly through the ratling’s neck-
-through the pate of his comrade...
-and carved a shallow gash through the third rat’s foreleg.
A seasoned opponent would have made him pay for his overreach, but this rat had been bathed in a curtain of his companion’s gore and seemed...hesitant.
The dwarf grinned and offered a stare that said: We both know you are craven.
-----
Vaerun’s first action
She’s grievously wounded, but every elf trusts in their bow. She’ll shift stance 1 into conservative 2.
Ranged shot vs the Rat Leader - Medium range and the dark of the sewer is naught to elven eyes.
Agility 4, conservative 2 stance, she’ll burn 3 fortune points (+3 Fortune) The rat must die. I must find the wizard.
2 blue / 2 green / 3 white
Standard difficulty of 1 purple, plus the Rat Leader’s defense of 2 (+2 Misfortune)
The Rat Leader will burn his last Expertise die to add another misfortune die (+1 Misfortune)
Final dice pool: 2 blue / 2 green / 3 white / 1 purple / 3 black
Vaerun nets 3 successes and a delay. A hit with +2 damage. The GM will use the delay to put two recharge tokens on her Dodge action card (bringing it up to 4).
4 (Vaerun’s Agility)
6 (Longbow’s DR)
+ 2 (Bonus damage for three successes)
12 Potential Damage
12 Potential Damage
- 3 (Runner’s Toughness)
- 2 (Runner’s soak value)
7 wounds
The Rat Leader has a wound threshold of 10, so it’s still up.
The elf takes a maneuver to move outside the sewer and call for assistance. “Guards! Guards!”
Lastly, Vaerun takes one recharge token off her Dodge action, leaving it with 3.
Vaerun's Status:
10 normal wounds / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 0
Recharging actions: Dodge (3)
-----
Henchrat’s second action
In the eyes of this rat, things have gone very, very wrong.
He’s taking a free maneuver to disengage from the Troll Slayer.
He plans to fire his crossbow at close range and then flee.
Agility 5 (+1 Fortune) and conservative 2 stance. The GM will burn his remaining Expertise die (+1 Yellow).
1 yellow / 3 blue / 2 green / 1 white
Easy difficulty: 1 purple (+1 purple, because he fired last round and has not used a maneuver to reload)
Kurgi’s defense value of 1 = (+1 Misfortune) (Troll Slayer ability)
The dwarf cannot dodge or block, so this has the potential to be very bad...
1 yellow / 3 blue / 2 green / 1 white / 2 purple / 1 black
The henchrat fires-
2 Successes, 2 challenges and three net boons. The bolt sails over Kurgi’s shoulder.
The three boons give the henchrat a free maneuver. He uses it to move to medium range, into the hidden passage the Skavens came from.
Henchrat Status: 1 wound
-----
Rat Leader’s second action
The Skaven’s leader glances back to see his followers are dead and gone (respectively). Seeing he’s alone between an elf and a dwarf, he chooses to shoot and run.
He’ll use his free maneuver to reload his crossbow, then fire at Kurgi
Agility of 5 (+1 Fortune) in a conservative stance 2.
3 blue / 2 green / 1 white
Easy difficulty 1 purple,
Kurgi has a defense of 1 (+1 Misfortune) (Troll Slayer ability)
Kurgi still cannot dodge, and he has no shield.
The crossbow can reach targets at long range and Kurgi is at close range.
Final dice pool: 3 blue / 2 green / 1 white / 1 purple / 1 black
The Rat Leader rolls 3 successes and a delay. He drops to the first slot on the initiative - tied with Kurgi and Vaerun, but NPCs always go last. He’s last.
Q17 : The Rat Leader has taken its action and as a result has moved down later into the initiative order. Once Kurgi and Vaerun take their actions, will the Rat Leader go again as part of this turn?
Three successes becomes a hit with +2 bonus damage.
5 (Rat Leader’s Agility)
+ 6 (Crossbows’s DR)
+ 2 (Bonus damage for 3 successes)
13 Potential Damage
13 Potential Damage
- 5 (Kurgi’s Toughness)
- 1 (Kurgi’s soak value 1)
7 wounds
Kurgi’s taken a total of 14 wounds, but his Toughness is 15 and he’s still up.
The Rat Leader burns an expertise die to take an additional maneuver and flees into the Skaven passageway.
Q18: I thought I remember reading that NPCs who don't track fatigue can take additional actions in exchange for spending Aggression, Cunning or Expertise dice - or taking wounds. Is this right, and if so - where do the rules say that?
Rat Leader status: 7 wounds
-----
It’s now the players action, and since either player can act - they elect to let Vaerun fire her bow before the Dwarf decides what to do.
-----
Vaerun’s second action
Vaerun will shift into a conservative 3 stance, then use Ranged Shot action again.
Agility 4, conservative 3 stance
1 blue / 3 green
Standard difficulty of 1 purple, plus the Rat Leader’s defense of 2 (+2 Misfortune) The Rat Leader is at long range and has some cover (+1 Misfortune). Again, the dark is irrelevant because of Vaerun’s elven eyesight.
Final dice pool: 1 blue / 3 green / 1 purple / 3 black
Vaerun nets 2 successes, a delay, and 1 net bane. Her second arrow joins her first.
The GM will use the delay to put two recharge tokens on her Ranged action card.
4 (Vaerun’s Agility)
+ 6 (Longbow’s DR)
10 Potential Damage
10 Potential Damage
- 3 (Runner’s Toughness)
- 2 (Runner’s soak value)
5 wounds
The Rat Leader has now taken 12 wounds. That’s two more than his wound threshold - he’s down.
Lastly, Vaerun takes a recharge token off her Dodge and Ranged Attack actions, leaving 2 and 1 tokens respectively.
Vaerun's Status:
10 normal wounds / Stress: 0 / Fatigue: 0
Recharging actions: Dodge (3)
------
As blood fountained out of the Skaven leader’s neck, Kurgi watched the last ratling slink back into the darkness. A throng of his fellows awaited him there, but they seemed less than eager to step over the writhing body of their former leader.
Kurgi stood his ground, pursuing only with a shouted threat. “Run! But when you die in a coward’s bed, know I shall meet you in the next world and claim your head!”
----
Kurgi’s second action
Kurgi shifts into a reckless 3 stance and uses a skill. Intimidate. It’s trained (+1 yellow). The GM gives him a bonus for the choice words (+1 fortune)
2 blue / 3 red / 1 yellow / 1 white
He rolls 2 successes, 4 net boons, and an exertion. He’ll earn a stress, remove recharge tokens, and....
Kurgi's Status:
14 normal wounds / Stress: 2 / Fatigue: 3
Recharging actions: Shrug it Off (1)
-----
Vaerun stood open-mouthed at this new foolishness....until she saw the passage slide shut. The dwarf looked back at her in triumph.
She rose and ventured cautiously into the tunnel. “That was rash...”
“It worked.” Kurgi spat blood. “Words are weapons, elf. Or so you keep telling me.”
Kurgi knelt over Birgitta “Help me get her out of here. The skaven’s fear won’t last..”
“As you wish.” The envoy arrived like a shadow, her bow slung.
-----
Vaerun will try to give first aid to Birgitta.
First Aid is Intelligence based, Vaerun’s INT is 4 and she’s in a conservative 3 stance.
They are in a sewer, so the GM will assign a penalty (+1 Misfortune)
Birgitta is critically wounded, so the difficulty is 2 purple.
1 blue / 3 green / 2 purple / 1 black
She rolls 1 success, 2 challenges, and one net bane. Failure.
-----
The elf’s hands flew faster than the dwarf could see, but the warden’s expression did not change. Vaerun stopped and said evenly. “We must get her out of here, or she will die.” She glanced around them. "And perhaps us as well."
Kurgi slung his friend over his shoulder, and strode off without a word - leaving the envoy alone amid muck and gore.
“Wait! Where is the wizard?” I must find him... I have to know...
Kurgi gestured contemptuously towards the depths of the sewer. He’ll be that bloody hunk of meat yonder... I..” He scowled.
Vaerun peered intently down the tunnel. “I see no corpse.” She gathered up her kit and made to follow Kurgi. “You are sure?”
“I slew him and left him not twenty paces from here!” The dwarf seemed angry and incredulous at the same time. “Perhaps the rats ate him.” He turned to go.
As he swung around, Birgitta’s tricorner hat fell into the muck. Vaerun stooped to retrieve it and gasped.
The brim was coated with a luminescent green film. She glanced at the inert form of the hat's owner - now draped over the dwarf’s back...
-and watched another drop of viscous green liquid drip from the warden’s scalp, where, impossibly- there was a bloodshot and malevolent eye peering out of the top her head.
She caught her scream, but only just.
Kurgi swung around in irritation, “What?”
His turn took the eye out of her sight momentarily, and she suppressed a shudder.
Whispers...
She stepped to the dwarf and deftly replaced the warden’s hat.
“Nothing. Let’s get out of here.”