Scrollhammer

Scrollhammer is a Tabletop Miniatures wargame under development by /tg/, using the same engine and scale as Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40000, taking place in the Elder Scrolls universe.

History

Scrollhammer began in the early days of 2011, when a fa/tg/uy posted a thread talking about the game as if it existed. Many newbies were disappoint, longing for a chance to do battle with huge swarms of cliff racers. A year went by, and now a project is underway on /tg/ to bring Morrowind and Skyrim to life on the tabletop.

Core Rules

These rules are still in the experimental stage, and are subject to patching based on the results of your playtests. A lot of these rules refer to WHFB and 40k. So post the results!

Basics

The turn sequence is similar to that of Warhammer 40k. Movement, shooting, and assault. The unit types are Infantry, Cavalry, Beast, Monstrous Creature, Flier, Monstrous Cavalry, and Artillery. Movement works like in 40k, including difficult terrain and declaring charges. Cover saves work like in 40k 5th edition.

Infantry: Move 6", d6" sprint, 6" charge. Can climb ruins. Cavalry: Move 6", d6" sprint (or 2d6" if Fast Cavalry), 12" charge. Fleet of foot, mounting grants +1 T and +1 A to rider's profile, fall back 3d6". Beast: Move 6", d6" sprint (or 2d6" if Fast), 12" charge. Fleet of foot, cannot hold objectives, fall back 3d6". Monstrous Creature: Move 6", d6" sprint, 6" charge. Can be targeted if attached to non-monstrous unit, ignores armor in close combat, only is in cover if 50% or more of the model is obscured, Move through Cover. Flier: Move 12", d6" sprint, 6" charge. Can fly over things while moving, fall back 3d6". Can climb ruins. Monstrous Cavalry: Both monster and rider have separate profiles. Monster's movement is used. When attacked, roll a d6. On a 1-4, monster is hit. On a 5-6, rider is hit, and is granted +1 T from being mounted. If rider dies first, monster must take a Ld test or flee. If it succeeds, it gets Fearless and Frenzy for the rest of the game. Artillery: Separate profiles for artillery and crew. Crew's movement is used. When attacked, roll a d6. On a 1-3, artillery is hit, on a 4-6, crew is hit. If crew flee or are all killed, artillery is also destroyed.

There are three formations to how a unit can fight:

Ranks: The unit fights in rank and file WHFB style. It does not get cover unless another unit is in front of it or it is obscured. Models must be touching each other. Models must move in a straight line each turn, or spend the move wheeling. More complicated maneuvers require a Ld test to perform. If flanked, the unit strikes last. The unit gets +1 to combat resolution for each rank greater than the enemy while in this formation as long as they are not being flanked. A unit in ranks can also take a Ld test to use the Stand and Shoot special maneuver if charged, letting them fire their ranged weapons at the charging foe. Only the front two ranks in the firing direction can fire ranged weapons other than volley fire weapons, under any circumstance. If one model in the unit can see the enemy, all models which in range and position can fire regardless of line of sight, but the target gets a 3+ cover save against shots from out of line of sight.

Horde: A Horde gets a 6+ cover save for being in area terrain, and is a lose 40k style formation, except with 1" coherency. It can move freely, and gets +1 to its number of ranks per ten models. Shooting attacks are fired as in 40k.

Skirmish: 40k style. 4+ cover save for woods, 2" coherency, free movement, models can only shoot things they see. No rank bonuses. Lone independent characters use this formation.

Unit stats work mostly like in 40k. Roll to hit, wound, and save. Light armor grants 6+, Heavy 5+, shield increases armor save by 1, or by 2 in close combat if paired with a hand weapon(even an enchanted one). Certain types of armor grant higher saves. Armor Penetration (AP) is a stat on certain weapons. It is a negative modifier from armor saves (a difference from both 40k and WHFB). AP1 reduces armor saves by 3, it doesn't ignore 3+ armor saves. Wound allocation is 40k style. Instant death is caused by hits at double strength.

WS BS S T W I A Ld Mg Sv

A model can only use one weapon per hand per player turn, unless otherwise noted. The model can use spells with those hands instead. If a model uses a spell in a hand (spells are default 2 handed), he can cast as many spells as he has mana for.

Ranged weapons need true line of sight. Blast markers and flame templates are the same as in 40k. Firing modes are Assault (move, shoot, and charge) Regular (move and shoot) and Heavy (move or shoot).

Magic

Mg is Magicka. It determines how many mana dice a unit gets, replenished at the start of your turn. Spells have a mana cost. Each mana die is a rolled d6. For every 4+, a stage of casting the spell is successful. The mana cost is how many successful casting stages one must acquire before it goes off.

Example: A wizard has Mg 5, and wants to cast Daedric bite, which has Cost 2. He rolls a die, and gets a 4. His next die gets a 3. He can continue to try, or spend the dice elsewhere. He rolls a third die, and gets a 6. Two mana are successfully spent on the spell, so it goes off.

If a unit of wizards (separate from independent characters) attempts to cast the same spell, they combine their dice, successes are measured, and then the dice are subtracted from the totals, removing all the dice from a wizard's mana pool when possible, just like wound allocation. So if there are 5 Mg 2 wizards, they can roll 10 dice toward Daedric Bite. They get 6 successes, and so three of them cast the spell, and all of them go down to 0 mana.

A spell which is a shooting attack must be fired using caster's BS after going off, and may not be fired into close combat, just like any other shooting weapon. Models locked in close combat may not target a unit outside the combat they are in.

Combat

Melee combat works like in 40k, except units are in combat if they are in base contact with a model in base contact with the enemy(fighting in 1 rank). Charging and Dual wielding give +1 attack as normal, and when dual wielding, select which weapon is the primary one to use its profile for the hits. Charging into cover does not give a bonus to defenders, except if defenders are Skirmishers, in which case they get to Counter-Attack.

Determining who wins combat is difference in wounds dealt+difference in number of ranks. A standard bearer also gives +1 to the score. Breaking away works like in 40k, and counts as psychology (fearless implies unbreakable, and takes wounds instead of rolling morale). Rallying can be done at less than half strength if unit is all independent characters, or has a musician.

Morale tests are taken in the same circumstances as in 40k. In addition, Fear and Terror are also rules(unit strength for fear is determined by outnumbering, monstrous counts as 5 cavalry as 2 towards numbers). Fleeing units can flee through allies, triggering panic tests. Otherwise, no crazy conditions for morale checks like in WHFB.

Universal Special Rules are the same as in WHFB or 40k unless otherwise noted. The "critical strike" USR is "on a roll of 6 to wound, this model deals d3 additional wounds"

Weapons and Armor

Common Weapons:

Dagger: Ignores armor when charging from cover or out of a state of Invisibility

Hand Weapon: Parry with shield for +1 armor in close combat

Spear: Fight in three ranks. +1 Strength the first round of combat vs cavalry.

Halberd: +1 Strength. Fight in three ranks. Two hands.

Greatsword: +1 Strength, -1 Initiative. Critical Strike(see combat rules above). Two hands.

Battle Axe: +2 Strength, -1 Initiative. Two hands.

War Hammer: +2 Strength, +2 AP, Strikes Last. Two hands.

Lance: +2 Strength, +2 AP when charging. Cavalry only.

Longbow: S3 AP0, Regular 1, Range 30". Volley Fire. Two hands.

Crossbow: S4 AP1, Heavy 1, Range 24". Two hands.

Shortbow: S3 AP0, Regular 2, Range 18". Volley Fire. Two hands.

Throwing Weapon: Strength=model S, Assault 2, Range 6"

Javelin: Strength=model S, Assault 1, Range 12"

Weapons which are enchanted deal damage of their element(if any) and count as dealing magic damage, but are not spells. Spells which double as weapons deal damage of their element(if any) and deal magic damage. Special weapons and armor exist. Certain powerful materials in the Elder Scrolls universe can create stronger weapons.

Silver weapons: Ignore resists to nonmagic damage

Elven weapons: +1 AP

Glass weapons: +2 AP

Ebony weapons: +1 S

Bound Weapons: +1 S +1 AP, Magic Damage

Daedric Weapons: +2 S +2 AP, Ignore resists to nonmagic damage

Light Armor: 6+

Glass Armor: 4+

Heavy Armor: 5+

Orcish Armor: 4+

Full Plate Armor: 4+

Ebony Armor: 3+

Daedric Armor: 2+

A save roll of 1 always fails, regardless of how good you make the Sv value. Units wearing a suit of Armor get -1 Mg, not included in their profile. Units wearing any Heavy Armor which is not a natural part of their body get -2 to their rolls to sprint and Sweeping Advance, and have -2 charge range.

Shouts and Consumables

Dragon Shouts have cooldowns of a certain number of turns. When a Shout is used, no Shout may be further used by that model until it the cooldown expires. To represent the difficulty in using a Shout, a model must take a Ld test to use one. If the test fails, the model does not Shout, and cannot Shout again for the rest of the game.

Dragonborn: Dragonborn is a Universal Special rule allowing a model to automatically pass the Shout test.

Potions are consumable items. Only one Potion may be consumed per player turn. They can only be used once.

Scrolls are also consumable items, only usable once. If a model chooses to use both hands for magic during a turn, he may also use any scrolls he might have. Scrolls allow that model to automatically cast the spell written on them.

Racial Traits and Guardian Stones

The races of the TES universe have different physiology, giving the specific traits. The common ones are as follows:

Argonians: Water Breathing (ignore water features while moving, 6+ cover save from water), Histblood (ignore diseases)

Bretons: Dragon Skin (+2 Ward Save from all spells)

Dark Elves: Ashborn (Feel No Pain vs. fire damage), Ancestral Guardian (1 rerolled save per game per unit of majority Dark Elves)

High Elves: Highborn (+2 mana dice per turn), Weakness (elemental damage against High Elves rerolls wounds)

Imperials: Emperor's Strategy (Imperial majority army wins ties on roll to go first, chooses scenario rolling 6 to go first, steals initiative on 5+)

Khajiiti: Eye of Night (does not need to roll for night fighting), Claws (always gets +1 A for dual wielding if not using 2 handed melee weapon)

Nords: Hardy Blood (Feel No Pain vs. frost damage), Battle Cry(+1 to combat resolution in the case of a tie from a majority Nord unit)

Orcs: The Cursed (6+ Ward Save from all spells), Berserk (Orc majority unit can choose to enter Frenzy at any time once per game)

Redguards: Adrenaline Rush (+1 A charge bonus is for first two rounds of combat, rather than just the first)

Wood Elves: Beast Tongue (non-monstrous Beasts must pass Ld test to charge a Wood Elf majority unit), Light Feet (+1 Stealth universal special rule)

Heroes may frequently be blessed by a Guardian Stone, given a destiny by the magicka that flows forth from the stars. These powers may be used automatically, without having to be chosen as the equipped spell or item for the turn. Most armies will have available for purchase one of these several powers for at least a few of their characters:

Blessing of the Warrior: +1 WS

Blessing of the Mage: +1 Mg

Blessing of the Thief: +1 I

Blessing of the Steed: Not encumbered by Heavy Armor

Blessing of the Lord: Regenerate (6+), Fire damage gets +1 to wound against bearer

Blessing of the Lady: Reroll failed morale checks

Blessing of the Apprentice: +2 mana dice, All spells get +1 to wound against bearer

Blessing of the Atronach: Start game with mana dice equal to double Mg, Only gain 1 mana die at the start of your turn, 4+ ward save against spell damage(does not stack with other ward saves). If it succeeds, gain mana dice equal to cost of spell

Blessing of the Ritual: May automatically cast a spell model knows once per game without rolling(even if using a weapon this turn)

Blessing of the Lover: Enemies in base contact with this model lose any +1 A charge bonus they might have

Blessing of the Shadow: May automatically cast the Invisibility spell (cast at the beginning of any phase any turn, cannot be targeted, enemies charge as if through difficult terrain, Hit and Run, Initiative 10 first round of combat, may choose not to attack. Forfeited if model attacks. Ends at the beginning of your turn) once per game (even if using a weapon this turn)

Blessing of the Tower: Reroll one d6 for this model per game.

Blessing of the Serpent: May make attacks Poisoned(3+)for one round of combat once per game.

Gametypes

Test the game out with 6 turns, 4x4, killpoints, 12" from friendly edge deployment. Or mix stuff up if you want to. Feel free to ask questions about the rule in the Discussion for this page or on /tg/

Force Organization chart, per detachment:

1-3 Heroes

0-4 Elite

2+ Core

0-4 Support

Factions

No complete codexes have been made yet. [work in progress]

Imperial Legion

Aldmeri Dominion

Morrowind Great Houses

Sixth House

Warriors of Skyrim

Kingdoms of High Rock

Hammerfell

Tribes of Valenwood

Warriors of Elsweyr

Black Marsh

Mercenaries

Hordes of the Wilderness

Undead

Daedra Cults

Dwemer Relics

Dragons

Supplements

A variety of Daedric artifacts and common spells will have rules written for them. [work in progress]