Totally inspired by the Gripping Beast Viking range, this is designed to be a short, simple and nasty set of rules to produce a game of Viking mayhem. It is probably best used for half a dozen figures or so per side in an area about 1' x 1'. Each figure has a rating called ERIK. This is covers the figures ability to withstand wounds, inflict punishment, aggression and general ability and experience. To generate the figures ERIK, roll 2xAvD. Figures are equipped as per the figure. To move a figure must roll below his ERIK, moving the margin of success and adding 3 " if mounted and subtracting 1" if heavily armoured, to the result. The result is halved on rough going, crossing an obstacle takes one turn and a succesful roll. Fighting To hit, simply roll beneath ERIK. A critical success results in an additional d6 damage. A miss is just that, a critical miss is, however, a spectacular event. A light weapon (eg dagger) inflicts 1/2xD6 damage; Swords,spears, axes etc D6; Fearsome weapons, eg two handed axes inflict 1xD6+2. Armour absorbs damage : Leather (for the kinky) 1 point Studded leather (for the seriously kinky among you), 2 points Chaimail vest 3 points Full chain hauberk 4 points Leather cap (for the butch types) 2 points Metal cap 3 points Metal helm (ie including face protection) 4 points Roll to see where the hit is: +1 mounted vs foot, -1 foot vs mounted. 1 - Legs 2 - Torso 3,4 - Arms 5 - Chest 6 - Head Is this covered by armour? If so, it absorbs some or all damage, if not the wound is inflicted. Shields can block blows totally. A shield armed figure rolls a D6. If it is a double with one of the attackers dice, it blocks the blow. If it is a double with both the attackers dice, a critical success is converted to a normal hit, which can still be blocked by armour, and against an attackers critical miss, allows the defender a free hack. If the defender rolls above both the attackers dice, he also gets a free hack. A shield hit by a fearsome weapon breaks asunder on a 5,6. A figure may decide to parry. If he is can use a weapon in his off hand, this counts as a shield, otherwise a figure parries by rolling a succesful hit - this inflicts no damage, it merely parries the blow. A critical success needs to be parried by a critical success; a critical success at parry against a failure to hit gives the defender a free hack. The free hack may not be parried or blocked by a shield; it can be used to step back out of the fight without penalty, draw a weapon, take swig at a flagon of Jarlsberg lager etc. Spectacular events, roll 2xD6 to see what happens to our hero : 2 Instant and messy death 3 Mortal wound, fall to knees, make noble speech, expire 4 Mortal wound, stagger about, fighting at half ERIK, expires on a 1 each turn 5 Leg wound, reduce all movement by 2" 6/7 Arm wound, no missiles, penalty of 2 to combat rolls 8/9 Weapon turned by chain, a mere scratch 10 Spectacular maneouvre or especially heroic insult stun the opposition - no attack next round. 11 Outrageously heroic act, catch a missile and throw it back or attack all surrounding enemies in 2". 12 Blood will out! Vikings, and Saxon / Norman heroes go beserk. Celts sing songs and weave natty but expensive sweaters for the inevitable tourists. Add 2d6 to Erik. Missiles Simple roll a hit as usual. HALVING Erik if more than 6" away if throwing weapon. Treat all throwing weapons as swords etc and crossbow / longbow as fearsome. Back to The Gauntlet No. 16 Table of Contents Back to The Gauntlet List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Craig Martelle Publications This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com