Actual models of castles, towers, and fortifications add a wonderful visual effect to any gaming table. Many of these miniature struc- tures have removable roofs so that the placement of troops inside can be ob- served and adjusted.
however, the matter is easily handled by using floor plans sketched on a large piece of paper or cardboard. Such tem- plates are even easier to use than models, since there are no physical walls to obstruct the placement of a stand of figures inside the structure.
If a detailed depiction of a building is needed, players might find it useful to place the building display on another nearby surface instead of on the battle- field tabletop itself; simply mark the lo- cation of the building on the gaming table and resolve engagements within the building on the off-board display.
Effect of Buildings
on Command
If the rules on commanders (see pages 58-59) are em- ployed, the presence of buildings on the
battlefield affects those rules in the fol- lowing ways:
Figures within a building or an en- closed wall space are not out of com- mand, even if they are outside the command diameter of their leader, as long as the commander is located some- where within the same structure.
However, the charisma bonus of a commander can only benefit those fig- ures that are within the leader's com- mand diameter, and that are not separated from the commander by walls or other building features.
Moving Troops in Buildings
Troops are not required to use the special movement rules in this section simply because they're surrounded by walls. In a large courtyard or cavern, it is quite possible
Occupying a building. This stand of three ogres is assumed to be entirely within the building, even though the stand itself hangs over the edge of the building's outside wall. (See "Squeezing In" on the top right of this page.)
that a unit will be able to maneuver us- ing the normal movement rules.
However, when walls constrict the normal deployment of a unit, or when a doorway or gate stands in its path, some modifications of the normal movement rules are required. Figures mounted on bases by themselves are ideal for use inside buildings and fortifi- cations, but normal stands of two and three figures can also be used with little difficulty.
Squeezing In
Figures are not allowed to enter buildings or enclosed areas unless the entire base of the figure can fit inside. However, the number of figures mounted on a stand should not work to penalize a player. If there would be room for all the figures if they were mounted on individual bases, the multiple stand can be placed even where it actually doesn't quite fit. (Ob- viously, it's a lot easier to squeeze a stand of figures into a room when using a floor plan than it is when using a three-dimensional model.)
Facing and Formation in Buildings
A unit is consid- ered to be in irregular formation when inside a building, unless there is room for the unit to deploy in a regular for- mation at least two ranks deep. A player must declare when his enclosed unit is in regular formation.
Figures pay none of their movement allowance to make facing changes when within a building or enclosed walls in irregular formation; they can change direction freely, just like skir- mishers can. Stands may be placed far- ther apart indoors than out; up to 1" per figure can separate the stands of a unit. A stand of three figures, for exam- ple, could be up to 3" away from an- other stand (of any number of figures) in that unit. A stand of one figure must be within 1" of another single figure cr within 2" of a double stand, and so on. A gap between figures in regular tion is never necessary, however; fig- ures can be in base-to-base contact, just
Facing inside a building. Even though this stand of figures is facing the windows, the one at left is assumed to be guarding the doorway, so that it can't be attacked from the flank by an enemy coming through the door.
as they are required to be when they are not inside a building.
Skirmishers are not required to main- tain a distance between bases when in- doors; they can be crowded as close together as any other figures.
Note on facing: When a unit is inside a building or enclosure, sometimes it will not be possible to face all of the fig- ures in the desired directions. As a gen- eral rule, assume that the first side of a figure to contact an enemy (in an in- door environment) is the front of that figure; no flank or rear attack penalties apply if the figure is attacked from only one direction. However, subsequent at- tacks against that figure from addi- tional directions will trigger the penalties.
If a stand of three figures, for exam- ple, must defend two openings in the corner of a building, one of the figures
will have his flank to one of the open- ings. Regardless of the actual direction this figure is facing, it should be as- sumed that the figure is guarding the di- rection of obvious attack, and an attack through the nearest opening is consid- ered to hit the front, not the flank, of the figure. An enemy breach into the building and subsequent attack, as de- scribed below, would result in the flank penalty being applied to the defenders of the building.
Passing Through Doors, Gates, and Windows
If a door or gate- way is wide enough to accommodate a stand of two figures (or more) at a time, the figures in a unit can pass through the opening using the normal move-
ment rules. Otherwise, the following special procedures apply.
Only one figure at a time can pass through the door, gateway, or other ap- erture, and the unit pays 1" of move- ment per figure passing through (or 2" per figure moving through a window). This cost even applies to skirmish units. If more than one opening is availa- ble, figures can move through all the openings simultaneously and only pay the movement cost once for each group of figures that move. For example, if a unit is facing a wall that contains a door and two windows, it could move 4 fig- ures to the other side of the wall by spending 2" of its movement allow- ance: One figure moves through each window, and two figures pass through the doorway at the same time. Each ad- ditional 2" spent can move 4 more fig- ures inside.
A figure cannot end its move directly in an opening, unless the opening is wider than the figure's base. However, a figure can pass through an opening that is narrower than its base, by sim- ply ending its move on the other side of the wall from where it began.
Stairways and Permanent Ladders
Most fortifica- tions have different levels of elevation, connected by prepared routes such as stairways and ladders. For the purpose of the movement rules in this section, these features do not include portable ladders (scaling ladders) or grapples that might be carried by assaulting troops; see the following section for rules concerning those items.
A figure can climb or descend a stair- way at a cost of 1" per 1" (10 feet in scale) of elevation change. Moving up or down a permanent ladder costs 2" per 1" of ascent or descent. As with moving through doorways and other openings (see above), more than one figure can move simultaneously at no increase in movement cost if more than one route (or, for instance, an extra- wide stairway) is available.
Scaling Ladders and Grapples
A unit can be designated in a scenario as carrying lad- ders or grapples. A unit carrying lad- ders pays one-third of its movement allowance every turn because of its load; there is no movement cost for car- rying grapples.
Ladders and grapples can be repre- sented by miniatures, toothpicks, thread, or other props, though this is not necessary.
A unit can use ladders if it begins its move in contact with (and facing) the wall to be scaled, or if it uses less than one-third of its move to contact and face the wall. To use grapples, a unit must be contacting and facing the wall at the start of its move.
When using ladders, a unit spends 2" of its movement allowance to move one figure 1" (10 feet in scale) up each avail- able ladder. A ladder can support one figure for each 1" of its length; how- ever, no more than one rank of a unit may climb aboard the unit's ladders un- til entry is gained to the walltop posi- tion.
Grapples are more difficult to use. Not only is the cost 3" per figure mov- ing up 10 feet, but such figures might not be able to fight when they reach the top of the wall. If a unit is using grap- ples to reach the top of a wall, and the top of the wall is being defended by en- emy units, then the attacking unit must make a special morale no modifiers, regardless of other circum- melee combat is re- solved. The only purpose of this check is to determine if the unit using grapples gets to make an attack (success) or must simply hang on its ropes and endure the attacks of the defenders (failure). A unit never changes the status of its morale (to shaken or routed) or withdraws as a result of this special check.