by Charles Eckart
Enclosed is a set of Trojan War rules we put together 8 or 10 years ago. That is before Trojan War figures were widely available. We built the armies with Classical Greekfigures and scratch built chariots. Thinking about retiring these and getting the Foundry range. I sent a copy of these rules to Howard Whitehouse years ago as a sort of "thank you "for his sending me copies of his "Long Serpent" and "Battle Trolls" rules. He suggested that I send them to a magazine. Now after Years I've finally gotten in gear (Howard's "Lion Eats Tonight" helped). IntroductionThe intention of this game is to capture the character rather than the exact events of the various tales of the Trojan War which have been handed down through centuries. The Iliad of Homer is a primary but not the only source as it is really the story of Achilles. The cause and first nine years of the war as well as the actual fall of Troy and what happens to various survivors of the war is found in other material. Contrary to popular belief, the Iliad gives some good glimpses into the type of warfare conducted by armies of the period. It gives glimpses because the war is the backdrop for a story of heroes, especially Achilles. This game is an attempt to do the same thing by using miniatures as visual controls and players who will do some role play. When reading the Iliad it is necessary to remember that it was a story told by a Greek to Greeks about their ancestors. It therefore takes a slanted view of personalities and reflects one Greek/Western attitude towards "Asiatics" who are often of the same stock. In the stories, Helen is not altogether reluctant to leave her husband Menelaus to be with Paris. Achilles is a bit of a prima donna with a hint of berserker. Telamonian Aias (Ajax of Salamis) fights without real help from the gods and does about as well as Achilles. Hektor "of the shining helm" does not come through as a particularly warlike individual yet defends his home and people until he falls to the rage of Achilles. Odysseus (Ulysses), hero of Homer's sequel, has Palamedes wrongfully killed because he bears him a grudge. All of the characters in the Iliad are at times admirable, at other times despicable. But they are always quite human. Even the "Immortal Gods" are quite humanly portrayed. In conclusion, it should be noted that in all of the tales of Troy, the city and its allies withstood nine years of war, falling in the tenth year not to battle, but to trickery. The CastAchaeans Agamemnon Home: Mycenae, Status 4, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. He holds the Scepter of Pelops symbolizing royal supremacy in the Pelopennesus and inspires Achaean phalanxes to move forward if he is on the field this day. Phalanx movement die roll +1. Menelaus Home: Sparta, Status 1, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. If Paris is fighting this day Menelaus must try to engage him in combat. Patroklos Home: Scyros, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Must be chosen if Achilles fights this day. If wearing Achilles' panoply, Phalanx Combat is +2. Telamonian Aias Home: Salamis, Status 2, Fighting Skill 4, Phalanx Combat +2. Aias the Lesser Home: Lorika, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Must be chosen if unwounded and Telamonian Aias fights this day. Has a bow. Diomedes Home: Argos, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +2. Odysseus Home: Ithaka, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Must be chosen if unwounded and Diomedes fights this day. Must be alive after the last campaign day in order or the Achaeans to exercise the Wooden Horse Option as it was Odysseus who proposed it. Has a bow. Nestor Home: Pylos, Status 2, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +2. Phalanx movement modifier +1. Palamedes Home: Euboea, Status 2, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +2. Tievolemos Home: Rhodes, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Called "Spearfamed. " Throwing a spear + 1. Idomeneus; Home: Crete, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Menestheus Home: Athens, Status 2, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +2. Philoctetes Home: Malia, Status 2, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Has the Bow of Heracles: bow +2. Appears in Campaign 3. Neoptolemos Home: Scyros, Status 2, Fighting Skill 4, Phalanx Combat +2. The son of Achilles, appears in Campaign 3. Trojans Hektor Home: Troy, Status 3, Fighting Skill 4, Phalanx Combat +2. Inspires the Trojan and Allied phalanxes to move forward if he fights this day. Phalanx movement +1 die modifier. Troilos Home: Troy, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Dephobus Home: Troy, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Paris Home: Troy, Status 1, Fighting Skill 1, Phalanx Combat 0. If Paris kills an Achaean this day and joins the front rank of a Trojan phalanx in combat, the Phalanx Combat modifier is +1. Paris will not stand to face Menelaus unless a god gives Paris a +2 Fighting Skill bonus. He also has a bow. Aeneas Home: Dardania, Status 3, Fighting Skill 4, Phalanx Combat +2. Aeneas must survive the campaign or Rome will never exist. Asios Home: The Troad, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Askanios Home: Phrygia, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Mesthles Home: Malonia, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Sarpedon Home: Lykia, Status 3, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +2. Phalanx movement modifier +L Pandaros Home: Zelia, Status 2, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Has Bow of Apollo: +2. Nastes Home: Karia, Status 1, Fighting Skill 1, Phalanx Combat +1. Euphemos Home: Kikonia, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Pyraichnies Home: Paionia, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Has a bow. Odios Home: Halizonia, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Eurypylos Home: Mysia, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +2. Rhesos Home: Thrace, Status 1, Fighting Skill 2, Phalanx Combat +1. Has the Horses of Rhesos, Fast Horses. Memnon Home: Etheopia, Status 3, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +1. Wears the Armor of Memnon, another gift of the god Hephaestos. Panoply -3. Penthesileia: Home: Amazon, Status 2, Fighting Skill 3, Phalanx Combat +2. Order of AppearanceAcheans All Achaean heroes are available to fight in the first two campaign phases except Philoctetes and Neoptolemos. These two heroes are available at the start of Campaign Phase 3. Trojans and Allies Campaign Phase 1. Hektor, Paris, Deiphobus, Troilos and Asios. If playing the Short Campaign of 3 battles, add Aeneas, Asknios and Mesthles to the choices for the first battle. If playing the Long Campaign of 9 battles, roll for the appearance of each of these three heroes. Toss ID6: 1-2 = available for first battle, 3-4 = available for second battle, 5-6 = available for third battle. Campaign Phase 2. All surviving from Phase 1 plus Euphemos, Pyraichmes, Pylaimones, Sarpedon, Padaros, Nastes and Odios. Carmpaign Phase 3. All survivors of Phases 1 and 2 plus Rhesos, Memnon, Penthesilea and Eurypylos. In the short campaign if may be advisable to reduce the number of available heroes. If so, remove those with the lower fighting skill first. Paris should not be removed. The GameIn order to get the full effect of the intent of these rules the game should be played as a campaign. Ideally, there should be at least 2 players per side each controlling 1,2, or at most 3 heroes. A campaign consists of 3 phases each of which consist of 3 days of battles giving a total of 9 days of battle in the long campaign. A short campaign can be played by having 3 days of battles with each day representing a campaign phase; a total of 3 days of battle in the short campaign. The players begin each day by selecting 5 heroes per side from those available, rolling for their shield types and additional weapons. Each side will also field 4 skirmishers and should roll to determine the type of weapons (bows or javelins) each skirmisher has. Each side has 6 die rolls as appeals to the gods. A result of 4-6 allows that side to draw a god card. A player may give up I die toss and add +1 to the next toss with a 3-6 giving him a god card but reducing the total appeals from 6 to 5, etc. Obviously, giving up your last toss gets nothing. First side "A" announces the needed score then tosses his die, drawing a god card if successful, then side "B" does the same until both sides have used up 6 appeals. The Plains of Ilium (playing area) is 48"x48" with the slow flowing Skamandros Stream running through the center 24" from the Achaean camp and the walls of Troy. Each side places 3 phalanxes on their side of the plain at the camp and city walls respectively. These bodies must be I stade from the left and right edges of the plain and have 2 stade separation between each of the 3 friendly phalanxes. The 5 chariots with their heroes are then placed individually anywhere on their own side of the Skarnandros within 1/2 stade of a friendly chariot or phalanx. The players then announce their heroes to each other by giving names, titles, lineage, status and any other bragging or insults which come to mind. Initiative for the day is then determined by each side tossing I D6 and adding the Status of one of their heroes on the field. High score wins the initiative and may choose to move either first or second each turn. The battle then begins. On the first turn of movement both sides can usually move at the same time to speed things up. From the second turn on, the winner of the initiative decides who is to move first. A turn is conducted in two phases. First the moving side may fire missiles then move, or move then fire missiles, followed by melees. Then the second moving side does the same. God bonus cards are played prior to rolling dice, and must be announced as to which hero they are being applied to and are lost for the rest of the battle once played. A battle normally goes in this fashion: heroes on chariots and skirmishers rush to engage each other and gain the enemy's side of the Skamandros seeking personal status and giving some incentive to their own phalanxes to advance. The heroes slaughter each other assisted by their skirmishers. They loot the dead of the panoply and brag a lot while the opposing phalanxes move towards each other. Some injured or scared heroes flee to the safety of their phalanxes pursued by enemy heroes or their taunts, or by skirmishers. Sometime between 6 to 10 turns the opposing phalanxes should collide. Some heroes may have joined the front rank of a friendly phalanx to assist in the pushing. A few more heroic duels may be fought. Somebody's phalanx routs back home joined by heroes, chariots and skirmishers and pursued by the winning phalanx, heroes, chariots and skirmishers thus emptying that portion of the field. when all 3 phalanx combats have been decided the battle is over. At the end of the battle find who has won this day by finding the difference between winning phalanxes, i.e. 2 Achaean phalanxes ran off 2 Trojan phalanxes, and I Trojan phalanx ran off I Achaean phalanx, 2 Achaean success minus 1 Trojan success equals +1 Achaean success. The side which was more successful has a chance to terminate the war. Roll 2136: on a result of 12 the Achaeans have entered Troy and sack the city or if Trojans, they break through the Achaean wall, enter the camp and bum many ships causing the surviving Achaeans to flee in terror from the coast of Asia back to their homes. In the event that one side gains a total success in the day's fighting (3 successful phalanxes) the campaign is ended on a 2D6 result of 11 or 12. In the short campaign of 3 battles 1D6 may be used with a 6 result for +I successful phalanx and a 5-6 for 3 successful phalanxes. Lastly, surviving heroes raise their status by adding any glory gained in the day's fighting. StatusEach hero starts with the status shown on the Cast Sheet. His personal object is to raise his status through personal accomplishment. This is done by:
Fighting in front rank of Phalanx and routing the opposing phalanx +1 Status Loot the panoply of a dead enemy of looted foe hero + Current status Prevent enemy from looting a fallen friend's body +1 Status Use of StatusBefore the start of a battle each side rolls a die and adds the status of one hero to the roll. High score wins the initiative for the day. A hero who is in danger of being killed may ask for help from friendly heroes by offering some of his own status points to them. They need not accept but if the do, they must succeed in saving the hero from death. The hero with the highest status at the end of the war achieves immortality by becoming the central subject of the story told by famous poets and passed down for thousands of years. The Wooden HorseIf all 9 (or 3) battles are fought and Troy has not been sacked or the Achaeans flee for home, Odysseus, if still alive, will suggest the building of a hollow wooden horse. If the horse is built the Trojans roll 1D6:
3-6 Trojans break down a portion of their wall to bring the horse into the city in celebration of the end of the war. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!If the horse is in the city all the surviving Achaean heroes will emerge from it that night. the Trojans, taken by surprise, must roll ID6 twice to see what armor and weapons they have to hand.
Randomly match 1:1 the Achaean and Trojan heroes. If one side has more heroes, randomly assign them until each enemy hero is faced by 2 opponents, etc. As enemies are killed, randomly assign the winner to another combat. No hero may face 2 enemies until all face 2, etc. The Achaeans must win or perish as they are in the midst of their enemies awaiting the return of their ships. if at any time the Trojan heroes are outnumbered by 2:1 they will flee, leaving the city to be sacked, taking 1 free strike per Achaean faced. MovementIndividuals
Phalanxes
Phalanx move modifiers Warriors in rear rank +1
The phalanxes on both sides will always move directly against the front of their opposite phalanx to the full limit of their movement. If they contact chariots, foot or mounted heroes or skirmishers they will end their current move at the point of contact. Chariots may NEVER move to place themselves behind the front of an enemy phalanx within 1/2 stade. If an enemy phalanx's advance places the chariot behind the phalanx front within 1/2 stade the chariot MUST withdraw in its own next movement. If unable to do so the chariot is wrecked and any hero on it is left afoot with I additional wound. Chariots turn by using the turning template, otherwise they move straight ahead. Each 1/4 of a turn used on the template reduces their remaining movement by 1/4. Fast horses use the template with 5/14 stade marks and may thus move 1/14 stades total. Each 1/4 stade turned on the template reduces their remaining movement by 1/4 stade also. Heroes may mount/dismount their chariots at any time in their move by paying 1/4 stade movement each; chariot AND hero. Such movement must be measured from/to the center rear of the chariot. Heroes, chariots and skirmishers may pass through each other, both friends and enemies, as long as they do not end their movement on top of another figure. Phalanxes may NEVER be passed through by other figures. This is because, while movement is sequential, all parties are assumed to be moving simultaneously and the small parties represented by the chariots, heroes and skirmishers may easily avoid collision, the larger mass of the phalanx is not so easily missed. CombatHeroes and skirmishers refer to the Weapons Table to determine which type of dice they use. Phalanx will always use 1D6 (for long spear). Phalanx vs. Hero (foot or chariot): 3 phalangites will attack 1 hero, hero defends against 2, 3rd gets a free attack. Phalanx vs. skirmisher: 3 phalangites attack I skirmisher, skirmisher defends against 1, 2 get free attacks. Phalanx vs. phalanx: 1D6 each plus modifiers. Find the difference between the rolls, high may win.
0-4: combat continues Modifiers:
If a hero is fighting in the front rank of a phalanx and the phalanx combat difference is 0 or I the hero will take I wound. If heroes are fighting with both of the opposing phalanxes, they will duel each other normally without giving a modifier to their own phalanx until only one of them remains in the front rank. A hero may withdraw to the rear of his own phalanx and not be pursued but gives up the chance of modifying the phalanx combat. When a phalanx routs to safety all friendly chariots, heroes and skin-nishers within 1/2 stade rout with it. A winning phalanx will pursue the routers to the walls of the city/camp taking all friendly chariots, heroes and skirmishers within 1/2 stade with them. As all phalanx combats are unlikely to be resolved in the same turn (they may even not all be in contact) this will empty a portion of the field; left, right or center. That portion of the field may no longer be entered by chariots, heroes, or skirmishers remaining in other portions of the field. Thus a breakthrough in the center isolates the left and right. Note that figures are never removed from the phalanx. This is why heroes and skirmishers really only defend themselves. For the sake of role play the player can be told that he has dropped a phalangite or two before he gets out of the way or is killed by this nameless mob. Chariots and SkirmishersA chariot hero may only be attacked from the rear if an attacker is directly to the rear and his base is completely inside two lines extended from the sides of the chariot directly to the rear. The hero gets no benefit from his shield in this case. A friendly foot figure directly behind the chariot whose base is entirely within 1/4 stade will prevent rear attacks against the chariot hero. Any ranged or melee attacks from the rear must be directed against the foot figure. Option: Players can decide when/if to use attacks against unshielded sides of foot figures. Since most movement is very free flowing it is easy to get past the shield so it is recommended that only the direct rear of the defender be considered unshielded unless his is shieldless to begin with and that the defender be allowed to run in place even though it is not his movement so that he may face the attacker of his choice. A fleeing figure may declare that he is slinging his shield upon his back and count unshielded only to his immediate front. Heroes may missile attack and melee the same enemy, execute 2 missile attacks, 2 melee attacks or I missile and I melee attack against two separate enemies. Against the phalanx they defend against 2 phalangites in each player phase of the turn but if wise, will withdraw from contact in their own movement. A friendly phalanx can be a place of refuge to a wounded hero since no enemy may pass behind the front of the phalanx within 1/2 stade. If a wounded hero can place himself directly behind a friendly phalanx and remains there without moving or fighting for 1 complete turn the hero recovers from 1 wound. A hero may recover completely by spending 1 turn per wound behind the friendly phalanx. The phalanx may continue to advance since it does so in a direct line. the distance between recovering hero and rear of the phalanx is of no matter; only that the hero neither moves nor fights while recovering. Skirmishers may conduct I missile or melee attack or defend against 1 phalangite in each player phase of the turn. Again, they should withdraw in their own move. Chariots do not conduct combat unless there is a hero on board. Heroes and skirmishers with 3 wounds (I serious wound) may not missile fire. 4 wounds means dead. Phalanxes fight as many chariots, heroes or skirmishers as they contact at 3:1 in favor of the phalanx. Against the opposing phalanx combat is simply 1 modified D6 each. A long spear has a range of V. Spears, swords and daggers must be in base contact to melee. Spears may be thrown (and crossed off the hero's available weapon list) up to 1/4 stade. Javelins may be thrown 3/4 stade with 1/4 stade being close range. Bows shoot 1 stade with 1/2 stade being short range. All ranges are measured from the closest part of the foot bases and from the closest part of the base of the chariot body (not to the front of the horse team, but to the actual front of the chariot). Opposed melee is done by comparing each fighter's weapons on the Weapons Table to find the type of die each rolls against his opponent, rolling and finding the difference between them. Add the difference to the higher result. Add any Fighting Skill to each total, subtract armor, shield, attacker's wounds and refer to the Effect Column. It is possible for the fighters to wound each other. Any modified attack result of 1 or 2 gets to roll a D6, declaring the shield or long spear to be the target. If a 5 or 6 is rolled, a long spear or shield is destroyed and a body shield is reduced to a shield. Missile Combat is done by simply rolling a D10, subtracting for firer movement and wounds, target protection, and referring to the Effect Column. Note that some bow equipped heroes (Pandaros and Philoctetes) will add +2 to the die roll. Most bow equipped heroes though will only be as good as a skirmisher. Tlepolemos gains +1 for casting a spear. Warriors and their EquipmentHeroes All heroes have a panoply, helmet and sword. Addtionally roll 1d6:
3-4: 1 spear, 1 long spear 5-6: 1 long spear Roll a second d6:
5-6: shield A long spear cannot be thrown but has a 1" range in melee. A spear can be used in melee or thrown (and lost) up to 1/4 stade. Also note from the Character Sheet that some individuals will have a bow. These heroes will have 6 arrows. Skirmishers All skirmishers have a dagger and, if you choose, a helmet, though this is generally of small help. Additionally, roll 1D6:
4-6: javelins and a shield. Arrows and javelins are unlimited but may only be used in missile combat. In melee, the dagger must be used. Phalanxes All phalangites will be considered to have a long spear, helmet, and body shield. Charioteers All have a dagger and helmet. Weapons Table
(-1) Helmet vs Sword only.
The God Cards There are 29 cards in the deck which is used by both sides. As stated in the main text, each side gets 6D6 and alternately roll to receive god cards. Below is a list of the gods and their bonuses. One card may be made for each but we have found that it it better to split a card by putting one god who favors the Trojans on one side and one god who favors the Achaeans on the other half (same side of card). As there are I I cards per side plus one not totally neutral Zeus card, 3 completely neutral Zeus cards and 3 Moira cards, the I I "split" cards are repeated a second time using a different mix of the same gods. Zeus, Tlepolemos +3 FS; Sarpedon +3 FS; Any Hero +2 FS 3 Zeus cards which eliminate any other card played by an opponent. 3 Moira (Fate) cards which must be played immediately on the side which drew it. When drawn, roll 1D6: On a 1, a random friendly hero goes berserk and commits suicide. On a 2, a random friendly hero goes to his tent and will not fight for 1 to 3 battles. On a 3, all friendly phalanxes +1 to move die in this battle. On a 4, two random friendly heroes do combat until one is dead. On a 5, all friendly phalanxes -1 to move die in this battle. On a 6, a random friendly hero loses all Fighting Skill for this battle. Artemis, Any Trojan +1 FS
A card may only be played once per battle then is discarded. It is played on only one of the heroes listed on the card or chosen by the player if "Any." A completely neutral "Zeus" card is played to stop an enemy played card from being used this battle. "Moira" cards are acted upon as soon as drawn by the player drawing them before the battle starts and apply only to his own side. The "Cure Wounded Trojan/Achaean" portions of the Apollo and Hera cards mean that ALL wounds are removed from the chosen hero wherever he is on the battlefield. It will NOT bring him back to life! Stade Sticks 1/2" wide
Base Sizes
The Phalanx Mentioned but not explained in the main text is that each of the 3 phalanxes per side are made up of 2 stands. One wide stand with 2 ranks of spearmen on it which represent the average fighters. The other, I rank narrower, stand represent men with better equipment or who are by nature more warlike than their fellows. Since they are not chariot warriors (heroes, nobles, knights, or whatever), they are not the focus of the tales of Troy nor of this game. They are however, of some tactical importance. Use of the Warrior Phalangites If the warrior stand is placed at the front of the phalanx it will receive a +1 die modifier to its movement die. This may in turn get that phalanx onto the enemy side of the Skamandros before its opposing phalanx can cross and would thus give the faster moving phalanx a +1 die modifier in phalanx combat. Sequence Cheat Sheet
2 Roll 1 D6 each for extra weapons and shield type. 3 Roll 1 D6 each for 4 skirmishers and their weapons. 4 Allocate 6 D6 per side, make appeals to gods. 5 Place 3 phalanxes per side on field. 6 Place 5 chariots with heroes per side on field. 7 Place 4 skirmishers per side on field. 8 Announce Heroes. 9 Determine initiative. 10 Begin Battle. Initiative decides to move/attack 1st or 2nd each turn. 11 After 3 phalanxes have routed, determine who has had success this day. 12 Roll to see if war ends. 13 Raise status of all surviving heroes who fought this day. Missile Weapons Range
Melee Weapons Long spear reaches to 1", cannot be thrown, cannot be used when foot figures are in base to base contact. Spears may be thrown 1/4 stade or used by foot or chariot figures in base to base contact. Swords and daggers may only be used by foot figures in base to base contact. Back to MWAN #110 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2001 Hal Thinglum 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 |