Midgard Practice

We had a Midgard practice game last week to trial the rules for our Battle of Bosworth game which is scheduled for tomorrow. Rather than bring all the troops to the table we played with the movement base as well as the 7 Heroes. Since there were just 4 of 6 of us for the practice we removed 3 of the armies so played with 4. It was bit of an uphill battle initially with the rules as none of had really played before and the ones who did had played more then a couple of years ago. 

Graham and myself trying to figure things out, we were playing Henry Tudor. Rob and William were on the other side of the table playing Richard III....I am sure equally perplexed.

We did get through the game but had a lot of questions which I was able to sort out the next morning.

Q&A

1) Initiative does not exist. The Attacker starts the game and starts each turn thereafter. The QRS Turn sequence is pretty clear. As an aside Henry Tudor attacked first in the historical battle so will be the attacker in our game. p27

2) Hand gunner range is 2 ST see War of Roses scenario

3) Heroes do add dice equivalent to their level, so a level 3 hero can add up to 6d6 to the number of dice to the unit they are attached (3 for level and 3 for mighty deeds). p 28 and 55

4) Evade can be in any direction but you can not change facing, you have to pass a Command Test (CT). The charger then moves it full distance in attempt to re-engage. So essentially infantry can not catch cavalry as cavalry has 2 ST of movement vs 1 ST for infantry.

When evading you can not pass through an enemy killing zone. Only skirmishers can pass through formed troops. p38

5) Forced retreat from combat has different rules. You move directly back 1/2ST if you hit a unit behind you, it is also pushed  back back. Both units have to take a CT is failed they lose a point of stamina. Skirmishers pass through and do not push back a support. p59-60

6) Movement. 1 ST for warriors but can wheel 1/2 ST as first move. If you want a 2nd move you pass a CT. The order does not matter unless you are charging in melee then the wheel has to occur first. p 30-31

7) Killing Zone restrictions:

An enemy’s Killing Zone prevents you from manoeuvring across its front. It is a square 1 ST wide × 1 ST deep, directly in front of the enemy unit. Any part of your base inside it counts.

While your unit is inside that zone:

You may move straight forward towards that enemy, or straight backward away from it.

You cannot wheel, slide sideways, or cut through the zone to attack a different unit.

To turn, you must use Change Facing: pass a Command Test, turn in place, and finish facing at least one enemy whose Killing Zone you occupy. This uses your entire movement for that phase.

If you occupy several enemy Killing Zones, you may charge only the nearest enemy, and only if you can reach it by moving straight ahead.

Example: moving forward 1 ST and then wheeling ½ ST is allowed only if the wheel is clear of enemy Killing Zones. Passing the second-move Command Test does not override those restrictions. 

8) Defensive fire. Here is what it says, the critical piece is that it is not a separate shooting action but rather adds dice to combat. 

Yes, both the charging unit and the unit receiving the charge can use missiles—but the attacker is limited to javelins. I rechecked “Missiles in Charges,” page 56.

The wording describes missiles being loosed just before contact, but the game resolves them as extra Combat Dice in melee, rather than a separate shooting attack before the units touch.

Charging unit    May throw javelins, provided it has not already shot this turn    Add half its usual Shooting Dice to its Combat Dice; give it a Shot marker

Unit receiving a frontal charge    May use any missile weapon, subject to the exceptions below, provided it has not already shot this turn    Add half its usual Shooting Dice to its Combat Dice; give it a Shot marker

A charging hero with javelins adds one Combat Die for throwing them and receives a Shot marker.

For example, your Wars of the Roses handgunners have 8 Combat Dice and 8 Shooting Dice. If charged to the front, and they have not already shot, they add 4 dice, giving 12 Combat Dice before other modifiers. If the handgunners themselves charge, their handguns give them no additional dice—only javelins can be used by chargers.

The restrictions for the unit receiving the charge are:

No defensive missile bonus against a flank or rear charge.

Blast weapons and Magic Missile cannot be used.

A unit must choose between using missiles and Counter-Charge or Thunderous Charge.

So there is no separate defensive shooting roll that can stop the charge before contact. Both sides include any eligible missile bonus in their melee dice and then resolve combat. 

9) Melee Summary

10) Armour Ratings