Iron & Honor
IRON & HONOR
Game Design
Laljit Sidhu
Cover Illustrations
Niam Chou, Swendly Benilia
Interior Illustrations
Swendly Benilia, Niam Chou, Eric Lofgren
Gary Dupuis, Tamas Baranya
Miniature Painting
Greg Cymbalist (Distant Light Miniatures)
Photography
Laljit Sidhu
Special Thanks
Nils Hedglin
Introduction
4
The Basics
5
The Fate Pool
9
The Skirmish Party
11
Skills
19
Traits
22
Playing the Game
31
Actions
33
Combat
36
Sorcery
39
Special rules
43
Terrain
44
Encounters
46
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreward & Acknowledgments
Like many of you, I have a lot of miniature figures. Some are from wonderful established publishers, others are from defunct companies, and many are from boutique miniature companies. Iron & Honor came out of the desire to be able to put these models on the table. This game is written for collectors and hobbyists. People who want to do more than just admire their collection when they dust the shelves that are now the homes of warriors and sorcerers. The game began as a personal project, but slowly expanded to what you hold in your hands. The game has gone through quite a bit of playtesting over the last year or so. Some of it has been in-house, but I have also received valuable feedback from a number of players around the world. My sincerest thanks to these folks! I would like to add a special thanks to Nils Hedglin. He has provided invaluable feedback throughout the development of the rules.
I would also like to thank a number of miniatures manufacturers who were kind enough to allow me to use their miniatures in testing the rules: Black Scorpion Miniatures, Bronze Age Miniatures, Dark Sword Miniatures,
Guild of Harmony, and Hasslefree Miniatures. You will find images of some of these miniatures in this book. You
can find more details about the manufacturers at the back of this book. The figures you see in this book and on our website were painted by Greg Cymbalist at Distant Light Miniatures. His contact information can be found at the back of this book. Although I am certainly a capable painter, I know my limits. Such fine models deserved a master painter!
Iron & Honor is a table top miniature war game for fighting skirmishes with fantasy figures. Two players fight a small scale battle with six to nine miniatures on each side. The game is easy to learn and relatively quick to play, though there is enough depth that it will take time and experience to master.
The game was designed around two core premises. First, it was important that Iron & Honor allowed players to use any fantasy miniatures in their collection. The game is not specific to any particular manufacturer or to any particular setting or time period. Plate armored knights can battle against musket wielding pirates. Witches can throw spells at nimble ninja. It is up to the players to decide the narrative behind the conflict and what models to use to enact that narrative.
Second, and along the same lines, it was important that the models on the table be the focus of the game. In the end, miniature gaming should be about miniatures. Iron and Honor is about telling a story and fighting a battle with well-painted figures on an aesthetically appealing table top. The game is played at the skirmish level with a few models so players field recognizable individuals rather than masses of infantry. And, the character creation rules are designed to be quick to use but still allow each character to be unique.
Of course, players are encouraged to create a narrative for the conflict - to use their imagination to create a setting and choose models that have a coherent theme within that setting. Creating a story and reason for the models on the table can be part of the fun. Alternatively, there is nothing to stop two friends from using the background and miniatures from an already published setting.
What’s Needed to Play?
For anyone familiar with miniature table top war gaming, the materials needed to play the game are fairly typical. Most players should have these on hand, but if not they can be purchased from any well-stocked local game store or an online retailer. In order to play Iron & Honor, each player will need to have the following:
Miniatures
First and foremost are the miniatures. Each miniature represents a character able to move and act independently. Each player will need between six to nine figures that have been individually based. It does not matter whether the figures are on round or square bases. The size of the bases doesn’t matter either, but should be dictated by common sense and mutual agreement between the players.
For a more enjoyable gaming experience, each miniature should be painted and equipped to faithfully represent his
abilities, traits, and skills. In the parlance of gamers, this is referred to as “What you see is what you get” (WYSWYG). For example, if a character is skilled in the use of shields, the figure should have a shield modeled! The rules, as written, are designed for 28mm figures. The game can be played with any scale, however, as long as the models are individually based. Of course, some adjustments will have to be made for the scale of the miniatures. If 15mm figures are being used, the easiest way is to simply read any measurements and ranges as centimeters rather than inches. For 54mm figures, just double the listed ranges and measurements.
Dice
In Iron & Honor, dice are used to control when a particular figure may move and act. Dice are also used to resolve those actions. Each player will need a couple of different sets of dice.
First, each player will need six to nine 6-sided dice for deciding when, and how effectively, a particular model acts. These are referred to as activation dice. The exact
number of dice needed will depend on the number of figures the player uses – one die per model. It is critical that each player’s set of dice are of a different color, but otherwise identical. As will be explained later, these dice are drawn blindly from a container, and other than color, should be identical so the draw is not influenced by factors such as size, shape, or texture. Again, one die per model!
Second, another set of four 6-sided dice will be needed for resolving actions. These are referred to as resolution
dice. Preferably, each player will have his own four dice,
but these can be shared. It is also recommended that these dice be of a different color than the activation dice. This will make it easier to keep track of which dice are which.
Playing Surface and Terrain
Iron & Honor is played on a gaming surface approximately 3’ by 3’ in size. This represents the battlefield. Just as miniatures are used to represent the characters, terrain will be needed to set the scene. This can include trees, building, and other terrain elements that add to the narrative of the skirmish. As with miniatures, players can use whatever they have on hand that appropriately represents the battlefield of their imagination.
Accessories
The players will also need a few accessories for handling the game’s mechanics.
Dice Bag: The game requires the players have an opaque
container from which to blindly draw the activation dice. It doesn’t matter whether this is a cup or a bag, but in the rules will be referred to as a “dice bag.”
Fate Counters: The player will also need counters. Each
player should have a set of counters to track Fate as it is spent through a turn. The use of Fate will be explained a little later. The nature of the counters doesn’t matter – beads, coins, or poker chips - as long the players agree.
Tape Measure: The players will need a tape measure.
This will be used to measure attack ranges and movement distances. Preferably, each player should have their own tape measure, but one can be shared.
Pen & Paper: There are certain conditions that will need
to be tracked during the game - stealth, being stunned, etc. These can be kept track off on a piece of paper. Alternatively, players may use counters to track such conditions.
Basic Mechanics
In order to play the game, players will need to understand some basic mechanics. Most of these should be familiar to anyone with experience playing table top miniature war games. Though, Iron & Honor has its own interpretations of these basic elements.
Measuring
The distance a model can move, see, and shoot often needs to be measured. Each miniature is a static figure that represents an active and dynamic character shifting and moving across the battlefield. The base of a model represents space controlled by the model. Thus, in the game, distances between models are always measured from the closest point of one model’s base to the closest point of the other model’s base. When measuring any movement made by a character, the entire route traveled (e.g., up and around obstacles) must be taken into consideration.
Players may measure at any time during the game. Iron & Honor represents close quarters skirmishing between able combatants. It is presumed that under such circumstances, the characters are capable of judging distances.
All distances are measured in inches.
Facing
All figures in Iron & Honor have a direction in which they are facing – a front arc and a back arc. A character can only see things that are in its front arc, and there are consequences for being attacked from behind.
A model’s front arc is defined by the 180 degree perspective it has in the direction it is facing; the opposite 180 degrees is its back arc. Generally, the front arc will be defined by the position of the model’s head and shoulders. Sometimes, however, a model may have a more dynamic pose that makes such a determination difficulty. In such cases, the model’s front and back arcs should be agreed upon by the players before starting the game. Of course, a model’s base can be marked to define its front and back arcs.
As will be explained later, there is no cost to changing a model’s facing; however, the model’s facing may only be changed during its activation.
Line of Sight
During the game, there will be times when a player will need to determine whether one of his figures has Line of Sight (LOS). For example, in order for one model to attack or otherwise affect another model, the model must have LOS to the target figure. If models are out in the open, then Line of Sight is usually obvious. Sometimes, however, terrain or other models can get in the way. When it is not obvious, LOS is determined by simply leaning down behind the model and getting a “model’s eye view” of the area and the enemy model. The model has LOS if a major part of the target model can be seen. A major part is defined as the model’s torso, head, or limbs. If only a peripheral part is visible, the model cannot be seen and the viewing figure does not have LOS. Peripheral parts include hands and feet, weapons and decorative elements. This rule is designed to prevent players from being penalized for having models with dynamic poses or elaborate designs.
Sometimes, a figure has line of sight, but the target may still be partially obscured by a piece of terrain or another model. For example, the target’s head or a limb is visible, or the torso is partially concealed. In such cases, the target benefits from the effects of cover. Cover provides some protection against ranged attacks (see Cover). Generally, unless a model is out in the open, it will benefit from some form of cover.
Finally, it is important to remember that a model can only have LOS to models in its front arc.
The Action-Resolution
System
The core mechanic for Iron & Honor is the Action-Resolution System. In this system, dice are used to determine the flow of the game by determining which player has initiative and how effectively that player’s characters will act - the action element. The actions of the character are then resolved with a simple opposed roll mechanic - the resolution element.
Activation Dice & Action Points
In the game, activation dice are used to determine when a character can act and how much they can do when they are allowed to act. As will be explained in detail later (see Turn Sequence), an activation die is drawn randomly from
a dice bag to decide which player can activate a model. Once a model has been chosen, the die is rolled to determine how many action points a character has available. Action points are spent to move and act. The drawing of an activation die from the dice bag is considered activation and the model that is chosen to act, the active model. The activation ends once the active model has spent (up to) his available action points and resolved the resulting actions. A new activation begins with the drawing of another activation die.
Resolution Dice
After a figure has been activated, the player rolls 6-sided dice to resolve certain actions the character chooses to perform - resolution dice. Invariably, in a miniature skirmish game, actions that require a dice roll are going to affect the other player. Therefore, resolution dice rolls are always opposed. In other words, when one player rolls resolution dice, the other player will react with his own resolution dice roll. The dice roll of the active player is an active resolution roll; the dice roll of the opposing player is a reactive resolution roll.
Most situations will require the players to make a standard resolution dice roll of two six-sided dice, referred to as 2d6. At other times, the players may get to roll three 6-sided dice or even four 6-sided dice - referred to as 3d6 or 4d6, respectively.
The resulting dice roll is added to a relevant attribute and, depending on the situation, may be modified by bonuses or penalties.
Again, in Iron & Honor, resolution dice rolls are opposed. So, when the player’s make the opposed rolls, the player who has the higher final result wins the opposed roll. In the case of a tie, the winner is the player making the reactive resolution roll. In other words, ties favor the defender.
Example: Arjen is swinging his axe at Caterine Ghrim. He rolls 2d6 and the dice show a 2 and a 5. He adds the 7 he rolled to his melee attack attribute of a 5 for a total active resolution roll of 12. Caterine Ghrim rolls 2d6 with the dice showing a 4 and a 5. She adds the resulting 9 to her physical defense attribute of 3 for a final reactive resolution roll of a 12. They’ve tied! In this case, Caterine Ghrim wins the resolution roll and suffers no damage from the attack.
Rolling Doubles!
Even though planning and skill go a long way, sometimes its good to have luck on your side. If two of a player’s resolution dice show the same number, the player has rolled doubles! Rolling doubles has benefits in the game that are explained later.
Critical Double: On occasion, luck may truly favor the
player - the player’s dice don’t just show the same number, but show 2 6’s. In this case, the player has rolled a critical double.
Remember, a player may sometimes get to roll more than two dice. Regardless of how many resolution dice the player may have rolled, if at least two of them show the same number, it’s a double. And,if at least two of them show 6’s, its a critical double!
Re-Rolls
A player may have the opportunity to re-roll dice. In such a case, the player simply picks up the number of dice that he is allowed to re-roll and rolls them again. The second result is used, even if it’s worse than the first.
Under some circumstances, a player may have multiple opportunities to re-roll dice. Note, however, that no roll may be re-rolled more than once! If a player has different options for re-rolling the dice, the player must choose only one of those options.
It’s a Game!
Last, but not least, remember that Iron & Honor is a miniatures game. And, as with many games, it is meant to be a social experience that is fun for both players. Miniature gaming is not a competitive sport. Pedantic arguments over rules, nitpicking about line of sight or move distances does little more than ruin the game for both players. Rather, take the vagaries of a fate in stride and give the benefit of the doubt to the other player. Play to win, but be fair and gracious.
Fate is a potent force in the world of Iron & Honor. Fate binds players to their choices and their actions. Fate rewards and punishes. The hand of Fate is often subtle, yet perceptible.
Each player has a Fate Pool. The Fate Pool is equal to the total number of Fate points available to the player during a turn. Fate can be used to affect the outcome of an encounter between opposing characters or shift the momentum of an encounter. Fate is a resource that can be used offensively or defensively. When to spend Fate and when to save it can be a key to winning the battle.
Fate can be used in multiple ways, impacting the battle during different phases of the game. First, Fate can be used to impact activation rolls and resolution rolls. Second, Fate can be sacrificed to purchase a divine blessing. Finally, there are certain traits that are effected by the use of Fate (see Traits).
Using Fate
Activation Rolls
Fate can be used to affect the activation die, including when it is drawn from the dice bag by using Winds of Kismet or by influencing the number of available actions by using Greater Purpose or Cursed Hand.
Winds of Kismet: A player can use Fate to
control the flow of a turn by influencing who gets to act. When a player’s activation die is drawn from the dice bag, the opposing player may spend two Fate to return the die to the bag and select one of his own from the bag instead. The player that seized the initiative with Winds of Kismet immediately activates one of his models as per the turn sequence. The original player, having had his die returned to the dice
bag, forfeits that activation and will have to wait until the next activation draw to see if he can activate a model. It is important to note that the player whose activation die was returned to the dice bag may not spend Winds of Fate this activation to recoup the lost activation.
Example: It is Anne’s turn to draw an activation die from the dice bag. She luckily pulls one of her own dice. Of course, since it’s a blind draw, she could have just as easily drawn one of Ben’s dice. Before she can nominate a character and roll the activation die, Ben decides he wants to seize the initiative and activate one of his model’s before Anne can go. So, he spends two of his Fate for Winds of Kismet. Anne has to put her die back into the dice bag and Ben reaches into the bag and pulls out one of his activation dice. He will now nominate and activate one of his characters. Anne will have to wait until the next draw and hope one of her activation dice
is pulled.
Greater Purpose: Once an activation
die is drawn from the bag, but before it is rolled to determine how many action points will be available, a player may spend one Fate to add a +1 to his die roll.
Example: Continuing from before, Ben decides that he also wants to make sure that the character he has nominated gets enough action points when he rolls the activation die. So, he decides to spend another Fate for Greater Purpose to add a +1 to the activation die roll.
Cursed Hand: Cursed Hand is the other side of
the coin to Greater Purpose. Once a player has drawn an activation die but before it is rolled to determine how many action points will be available, the opposing player may spend one
Fate to cause a -1 penalty to the player’s die roll.
Example: Anne, in a fit of pique, decides to spend one of her Fate in order to negate Ben’s use of Greater Purpose. His +1 to the die roll is canceled by her Cursed
Hand.
Resolution Rolls
Fate can be used after a model has activated to affect the resolution dice. In this case, once per activation, both players may spend Fate to use one of the following advantages to either add a die to a resolution roll or re-roll a failed resolution roll.
Inner Reserve: Either player may spend one Fate to roll
an additional 1d6 to enhance one resolution dice roll after a model has been activated. The player must declare that Inner Reserve is being used before the dice are rolled.
Hand of Fortune Either player may spend one Fate to
re-roll a resolution dice roll. This can only be used on a single dice roll per activation and the player may declare that Hand of Fortune is being used after the dice have
been rolled. The player picks up all his resolution dice and simply re-rolls. The second result must be kept, even if worse than the original roll.
Example: To clarify, regardless of which player’s model is activated, either player may spend Fate to use Inner Reserve or Hand of Fortune. For example, Anne could decide to use Inner Reserve when she makes an attack resolution roll to make sure she can put a wound on Ben’s model. In order to counter her move, Ben could also choose to spend Fate to use Inner Reserve to add an extra die to his reactive resolution roll. In this case, both Anne and Ben would add +1d6 do their respective rolls.
Alternatively, Ben could have chosen to save his Fate. Then, if he failed to defend against her attack, spent Fate for Hand of Fortune to re-roll the failed dice roll.
Calculating Fate
The size of a player’s Fate Pool – the number of Fate points available during a turn - is determined before beginning the game. This is detailed later (see Creating a Skirmish Party). The Fate Pool is refreshed each turn during the Maintenance Phase, at the end of each turn. In other words, there is no benefit in storing Fate from turn to turn. Spend it, but do so wisely.
As already mentioned, it will be necessary to have some sort of counters to keep track of Fate as it is used and refreshed.
The models on the table represent a small band of warriors and adventurers who have met on the field of battle. Although referred to as a skirmish party, this is a broad term that can be used to represent any group of combatants.
The skirmish party may be a detachment of scouts for a military regiment, a band of adventurers delving into a dungeon, or the retinue of a vampire lord seeking prey. The narrative of why these men and women (or creatures) have come together is left to the imagination of the players.
The Characters
The skirmish party is led by a hero who represents the player on the board and is essentially the main character and leader. The hero is joined by one or two close
companions, and various followers. These define the
character types available in the game; every model, and the character the model represents, is one of these three types.
The Hero
The hero is the leader of the skirmish party - the cunning barbarian warlord, the treacherous elven sorceress, or the mighty mercenary captain. Generally, the most powerful character on the board, she represents the player character on the table. The hero lends martial strength and leadership to the party. And even though the death of a hero is not the end of the game, her loss has significant consequences to the skirmish party.
A hero has inherent qualities that make the hero an important leader and strong fighter on the battlefield.
Hero’s Will The hero adds a +1 bonus to her activation
roll when a die is drawn and the hero is nominated for activation. This gives her a slightly greater chance of having more than 1 action available to her.
Lionheart: The hero is immune to the effects of Terror. Inspiring Presence: As a charismatic and bold leader,
the hero is able to lend courage and conviction to companions and followers. Any friendly models within 3” are granted Fearless.
Heroic Impetus: Once per game, the hero can grant
impetus to a friendly model within 12”. Specifically, when the hero is activated, the player may allocate one free action point to a friendly model within 12”. The friendly model must use the action point immediately. Being granted impetus does not count as being activated and the action point is in addition to the model’s regular activation, whether earlier or later in the turn. Heroic Impetus cannot be used if the hero is in base-to-base contact with an enemy model.
Death of a Hero: In Iron & Honor the death of a hero is
not the end of the game; however, such an event is not without consequence. During the maintenance phase of the turn in which the hero was killed, the player rolls 1d6 and consults the following table:
Companions
As in many fantasy stories, the hero is joined by one or two loyal companions - the trusted advisor, the loyal bodyguard, or the childhood friend. Companions, though not as powerful as the hero, play an important role on the table top battlefield. They add special abilities and can serve as lieutenants to the hero. Companions can also be specialists that add balance and flavor to the party, or reinforce the theme of the skirmish party.
As with the hero, a companion also has an inherent quality:
Fearless: The companion is Fearless and immune to the
effects of Terror.
Followers
Finally, the hero is joined by followers. These may be men-at-arms, hired mercenaries, or loyal retainers. Or they could be bound thralls and minions. Regardless of their nature, followers are individual characters on the battlefield just like the hero and the companions. Though not as powerful as either, they bring weapons and lend the strength of numbers.
The rules for actually building a skirmish party and the characters that comprise it are discussed later.
The Character Profile
Characters have strengths and weaknesses, unique abilities, and fight in different ways with different weapons. In Iron & Honor, a character’s abilities on the tabletop battlefield are represented with a character
profile. There are three elements that define a character’s abilities – attributes, skills, and traits. Attributes define a character’s abilities. The skills a character possesses determines the nature of her attacks. And, the various traits add special qualities that make her unique.
Attributes
A character has four primary attributes: Melee Attack
(MA), Ranged Attack (RA), Physical Defense (PD),
and Willpower (WP). In addition to the primary attributes, each character has a fifth attribute, Wounds
(WO) that defines how much punishment the figure can
take before being killed. As described later, one of the four primary attributes is added to a resolution dice roll when the character attempts to perform an action. Thus, the higher an attribute, the more likely the character is to succeed.
It is important to remember that attributes are an abstraction. As a character’s fighting prowess can involve a number of different variables, different types of characters may have the same rating in a particular attribute; or, some characters that are superficially similar may have different ratings in a particular attribute. A character’s primary attributes can be rated from 2 to 6, with a 2 rating reflecting someone who has limited aptitude, while a rating of 6 reflects the highest levels of expertise. For example, a character with minimal training who is handed a sword would have a rating of 2 in Melee Attack; whereas, a master fencer would have a rating of a 6. Different character types have different maximum values for attributes, but no character may ever have an attribute less than 2 or greater than 6.
Unlike the primary attributes, Wounds are determined by the character’s type. A hero has five wounds; each companion has three wounds; and every follower has two wounds each
Melee Attack (MA)
MA is an abstraction that reflects the character’s ability to engage in hand-to-hand fighting. It is a measure of both skill with melee weapons and aggressive attitude. A character’s MA may reflect the sheer brawn and ferocity of an untrained beast or the flowing dance of thrust and parry of a master fencer. MA is added to a dice roll to determine how successful the character is in close combat.
Ranged Attack (RA)
RA reflects the character’s ability to use ranged weapons. This measures a character’s specific skills with a particular weapon (e.g., bow, throwing stars, matchlock pistol, etc.).
Die Roll Consequence
1-4
Despair: During the next turn, every
remaining friendly character suffers a -1 to the activation die roll.
5-6
Vengeance: During the next turn, every
remaining friendly character receives a +1 to their resolution dice rolls.
It also reflects the character’s mental steadiness and acuity to use these weapons effectively. RA is added to a dice roll to determine how successful the character is in ranged combat.
Physical Defense (PD)
Whether a nimble thief or a heavily armored warrior, physical defense measures a character’s ability to withstand physical damage. It is an abstraction that takes into account the physical toughness used to withstand a blow and the agility to react against it in the first place. PD also accounts for any non-magical armor that may be worn by the character. PD is added to a dice roll when a character attempts to resist damage from a melee attack or ranged attack.
Willpower (WP)
This attribute measures the character’s psychological toughness and ability to remain calm under duress. It is a measure of the character’s inner strength, personal presence, and force of will. Finally, willpower reflects the character’s spirituality and connection to the supernatural.
WP is used by sorcerers when they attempt to cast spells and by other characters to resist the effects of spells. In essence, WP is added to a die roll when a casting a spell or when resisting spells.
Wounds (WO)
The fifth attribute is Wounds (WO), which determines how many times a character can be hurt in
combat before being killed and removed from play. A character’s WO is not merely a measure of their physical capacity, but also their mental resolve in remaining in the fight.
Skills and Traits
In addition to the attributes that define a character’s basic profile, each possesses various skills. These define the types of attacks that are available to the figure. Of course, a character can be skilled not just with swords and muskets but can also be effective with natural weapons, such as talons and flaming breath. In addition, a character’s skills will also define his role on the tabletop battlefield.
Finally, each character also may have special traits that define her inherent qualities and learned skills. These special traits can be used to give a character, and skirmish
party, flavor. Traits differentiate characters from one another. Traits can be used to represent the physical characteristics of the model (e.g., wings or size) or a concept that the player has in mind for the character (e.g., a party of witch hunters or an undead horde lead by a vampire count).
Creating the Skirmish Party
As already noted, the game is meant to be played with six to nine models which represent a small skirmish party. The party is composed of a hero, one or two companions, and various followers. The creation of a force follows a series of simple steps. First, the players must agree on a game size. This will establish the allowed composition of the skirmish party and the number of Experience Points (ExP) each player has available for creating the party. Then, each player creates their respective force by first nominating a model to be the hero. The player spends ExP to create the hero. After creating the hero, depending on the game size, the player nominates one or two models as companions and uses ExP to build the companion(s). Then, the remaining models are created as followers. Finally, each player calculates his available Fate Pool.
Experience Points
Each character is built with experience points (ExP), which are an abstract measure of the model’s overall fighting quality. The final cost of a model is equal to the total experience points that were spent on the model. In other words, any base experience point cost paid for choosing a particular character type plus the experience points used for skills and traits.
ExP is also a way of measuring the combined fighting capabilities of each player’s skirmish parties. The sum of the ExP spent on the entire force is a relative measure of the two skirmish parties.
Steps to Recruiting a Party
To be clear, each player goes through the following steps in order to recruit their respective combatants and to build each character’s profile. Each of these steps is explained below.
1. Determine a game size. 2. Recruit the characters.
3. Spend ExP on Skills and Traits. 4. Distribute attribute points. 5. Calculate the Fate Pool.
Step 1: Game Size
The players should agree on a game size. This will determine the composition of their respective forces and the number of Experience Points available for building the force. A small game will allow for a quick engagement between the two parties, while moving to medium and large games will increase the length of the game. Of course, the larger the game, the greater the variety in characters and tactical options.
Generally, players will create forces of equal size; however, this is not a requirement. If agreed upon by the players, there is no reason that unequal forces could not be used!
As shown on the table, a player’s force must always have one (and only one) hero. Then, depending on the size of the game, the players recruit additional characters and have access to ExP to build their forces:
In a small game, the player may have one companion, though this is optional. The player must have one or more followers. Each player has 125 ExP to spend on building the characters.
In a medium game, each player may have up to two companions, and at least three Followers. Each player has 200 ExP to spend on building the characters.
In a large game, each player must have at least one companion but may opt for two; and, at least five followers are required. Each player has 275 ExP to spend on building the characters.
Example: Anne and Ben decide to play a small game. This means they will both have 125 ExP to spend. In the following examples, we will follow Anne as she creates her skirmish party.
Step 2: Recruiting the Characters
After determining the size of the game, the players collect their models and begin to assemble their force. Companions and followers have a base ExP cost that must be paid when a model is designated as a companion or a follower.
The Hero: First a model should be nominated as the
hero. Because a hero is mandatory, there is no cost to selecting a character to be the hero. As already described, a hero also comes with certain inherent qualities.
The Companion: Depending on the size of the game, the
player may nominate one or two characters to be companions. It costs 20 ExP per companion.
The Followers: The remaining models are considered
followers, each model having a base cost of 15 ExP. Unlike the hero and companion(s), followers do not have any inherent qualities.
Example: Anne decides she wants to create a small adventuring company known as the Lantern Adventuring group. The skirmish party is led by an paladin who is joined by her sorceress sister, and three followers. Since the holy paladin is her hero and represents her on the battlefield, she decides to name her Anneviere. As the hero, Anneviere does not cost any points.
Game Size
Composition
Experience Points
Small
1 Hero; 0-1 Companion; 1+ Followers
125
Medium
1 Hero; 0-2 Companions; 3+ Followers
200
Anne decides that Anneviere’s sister, Morgaine, will be her only companion and spends 20 ExP to recruit her. The remaining three models will be followers: Brother Rupert, Sigil the Dwarf, and Delia of the Greens. She pays 15 ExP for each of them. So far, she has spent 65 ExP on recruiting her force.
Step 3: Spend Experience Points on Skills and
Traits
After the composition of the force is determined and the models representing the various characters are collected, the remaining ExP is spent on choosing skills and traits for the characters.
The available selection of skills and traits are described in the next chapters.
Example: Anne has 60 ExP left to spend on skills and traits. Because the core premise of Iron & Honor is “What You See if What You Get,” She decides to choose skills that clearly reflect the weapons on each of the models.
For Anneviere, she chooses the skills for 1-handed edged weapons and shields. This costs 3 ExP. She decided her sister is only equipped with a small dagger hidden in the folds of her cloak, again choosing 1-handed edged weapons as a skill, paying 1 ExP. For the followers, Brother Rupert is equipped with a large broadsword which Anne which warrants the 2-handed edged weapon skill (2 ExP). Sigil the Dwarf has a hammer - 1-handed blunt weapon skill - and a shields skill to reflect the shield modeled on his back (3 ExP). For Delia the Green, she chooses 1-handed edged for her sword and then, getting creative, decided that the falcon represents a ranged attack, so chooses 1-handed ranged weapon for a total cost of 3 ExP. The total cost of
her adventuring party’s skills comes to 12 ExP leaving her 48 ExP.
When it comes to the traits, she begins with Anneviere, choosing those that reflect her nature as a paladin: Bastion, Shield Slam, and Healer. These traits cost 9 ExP. For Morgain, she decides that she is going to be the party’s sorceress and chooses the Sorcery trait. She also gives her the Good Karma trait. Morgain’s traits cost 13 ExP. Finally, she chooses the traits for each of the followers. Brother Rupert is given Veteran and Reach; Delia the Green is given Ranger and Natural Aptitude; and for Sigil the Dwarf she chooses Shield Slam, Bastion, and Tough. These cost a 23 ExP. In total, Anne spends 45 ExP on various traits. Although she has 3 ExP left over, she is not too worried.
Step 4: Distribute Attribute Points
Each character type has a set number of attribute points that are distributed across the four attributes (Melee Attack, Ranged Attack, Physical Defense, and Willpower). As discussed, attribute points define a character along with skills and traits. A hero and his companions and followers vary in their prowess on the field of battle. Therefore, each character type has limits on the way attributes can be distributed - this includes a minimum and maximum attribute rating.
Each character type has a base rating in the four primary attributes as described below. Then, each character type has a pool of attribute points which are distributed across the four attributes to raise them above the base rating. As noted a character’s wounds attribute depends on the character type.
Character Type
Cost
Inherent Qualities
Attribute Points
Fate Pool
Hero
N/A
Activation Bonus;
Fearless;
Inspiring Presence;
Heroic Impetus
Base: 3
Available: 6
Maximum: 6
3
Companion
20 ExP
Fearless
Base: 2
Available: 5
Maximum: 5
1
Followers
15 ExP
None
Base 2:
Available: 4
Maximum: 4
Hero: The hero begins with a base rating of 3 in the four
primary attributes. The hero has 6 attribute points which must be distributed amongst the four attributes. When attribute points are distributed, a hero may only have one attribute rated at a 6 and all the others must be 5 or less. A hero has 5 wounds.
Example: Anne begins by distributing the attribute points for her hero, Anneviere. She wants her to be the iconic paladin that can withstand a physical and supernatural pounding. She begins by raising her PD from a 3 to a 6. This costs 3 attribute points. Then, she decided to raise her MA to a 5 for a cost of 2 attribute points. She decides to leave her RA at a 3 since she really isn’t equipped for ranged combat, spending the remaining attribute point to raise her WP to a 4. Anneviere has 5 wounds.
Companion: A companion begins with a base rating of 2
in each attribute and has 5 attribute points which must be distributed amongst the four attributes. When attribute points are distributed, a companion may only have one attribute rated at a 5; all other attributes have to be at a 4 or less.
A companion has 3 wounds.
Example: Anne then works on Morgain. Since she is a sorceress, Anne decides to begin by increasing her WP to a 5, spending 3 attribute points. Morgain has a small dagger, so Anne raises her MA to a 3. This leaves her with 1 point, which she spends on her PD, raising it to a 3 as well. Though wearing little in the way of clothing, much less armor, Anne decides she is pretty agile. Her RA remains a 2. She has 3 wounds.
Followers: A follower begins with a base of 2 in each of
the four primary attributes; then, 4 attribute points must be distributed amongst the primary attributes. When attribute points are distributed, a follower may only have one attribute rated at a 4. All other attributes must be at a 3 or less.
A follower has 2 wounds.
Example: Anne begins to finalize her skirmish party by distributing each follower’s attributes. She starts with Brother Rupert. Since he has a 2-handed edged weapon skill, she decided to raise his MA to a 4 and leaves his RA at a 2. She has 2 attribute points remaining. Since he is a frontline fighter but also a holy man, she decides to give him a 3 in PD and in WP. He can defend against physical and arcane attacks. He has 2 wounds.
She then distributes points to Delia the Green, remembering that her Natural Aptitude trait gives her an additional attribute point to distribute for a total of 5. She decides that she should be relatively balanced while emphasizing her affinity for her falcon. So, she spends 2 attribute points to raise her RA to a 4. She decides to spend the remaining 3 attribute points for increasing her MA, PD, and WP to a 3 each. She has 2 wounds.
Finally, Anne completes Sigil the Dwarf. Seeing him as the stereotypically sturdy dwarf, she focus on his physical defense. She gives him a 3 in MA, leaves his RA a 2, increases his PD to a 4, and gives him a 3 in WP. He has 2 wounds.
Step 5: Calculate Fate Pool
Finally, each player needs to calculate their Fate Pool. Fate is based on the composition of the player’s force.
Hero: A hero contributes 3 Fate to the skirmish party. Companion(s): Each companion contributes 1 Fate to
the skirmish party.
Followers: Unlike the hero or companions, followers do
not add Fate to the party individually. Rather, the number of Fate the party receives is based on how many followers are in the skirmish party. The player received 1 Fate for every three followers. In other words, the party receives 1 Fate if there are 1-3 followers; 2 Fate if there are 4-6 followers; and 3 Fate if there are 7-9 followers.
Example; Finally, Anne calculates her Fate Pool. She receives 3 Fate for Anneviere, 2 Fate for Morgain (adding 1 Fate for Good Karma), and 1 Fate for her three followers -Rupert, Sigil, and Delia. She has 6 Fate.
LANTERN ADVENTURING CO.
Based out of the village of River Hold, The Lantern Adventuring Company is a small band of adventurers and mercenaries that travel through out the Western Marches. A swampy land of mangrove forests, the area’s scattered homesteads and hamlets are plagued by undead rising from ancient battlefields. In an attempt to counter this threat, most of the skirmish parties of The Lanterns are led by holy Paladins. Anne has created one such skirmish party, led by the indomitable Captain-Sister Anneviere. The skirmish Party costs 123 ExP and has a Fate Pool of 6.
Captain-Sister Anneviere (Hero)
The youngest child of the House of Locksey, Anneviere gave up a life of luxury to take on the mantle of a Paladin of the Order of the Eternal Rose. Armed with sword, shield, and faith, she stands as a bulwark against the undead tides.
MA: 5 RA: 3 PD: 6 WP: 4 WO: 5 Cost: 12 ExP Skills: Sword (1H Edged), Shield
Traits: Bastion, Healer, Shield Slam
Morgain of Locksey (Companion)
Morgain is the elder sister of Anneviere. A sorceress of some renown, it was she who convinced Anneviere to seek her fortune with The Lanterns. In turn, she stands beside her sister, facing their enemies with spell and blade.
MA: 3 RA: 2 PD: 3 WP: 5 WO: 3 Cost: 34 ExP Skills Dagger (1H Edged)
Traits: Good Karma, Sorcery
Brother Rupert (Follower)
Brother Rupert is a warrior of The Lanterns, long serving under Anneviere.
MA: 4 RA: 2 PD: 3 WP: 3 WO: 2 Cost: 25 ExP Skills Broadsword (2H Edged)
Traits: Reach, Veteran
Sigil the Dwarf (Follower)
An outcast from his own people, Sigil found companionship amongst The Lanterns.
MA: 3 RA: 2 PD: 4 WP: 3 WO: 2 Cost: 26 ExP Skills Hammer (1H Blunt), Shield
Traits: Bastion, Shield Slam, Tough
Delia of the Green (Follower)
Delia is a scout attached to Anneviere’s party. MA: 3 RA: 4 PD: 3 WP: 3 WO: 2 Cost: 26 ExP Skills: Sword (1H Edged), Falcon (1H Ranged) Traits: Natural Aptitude, Ranger
A character’s skill set is one of the elements that defines the role of the character on the field of battle. As Iron & Honor is a game of combat, a character’s skills generally reflects her ability to use weapons and war gear. Skills are purchased with experience points.
A character can purchase skills in up to three types of weapons and gear. Iron & Honor is based on the premise that what you see on a model reflects the character’s fighting abilities. So, the skills that are chosen for a model must reflect the weapons and gear depicted on the model.
For example, if a figure is modeled with a sword and shield, the character would be required to take the 1-handed edged weapon skill and the shield skill. Paying ExP for the skill reflects not only expertise in its use, but also the respective weapon or gear the model is carrying. Of course, some weapons such as a daggers or throwing stars are small enough that they could be concealed somewhere on the character. Such weapons, if chosen, do not have to be depicted on the model.
Some characters fight with natural weapons, whether claws and talons or bare fists. A skill in a weapon type can be purchased with experience points to reflect their experience and training in such attacks. For example, the claws and fangs of a beast, or a dragon’s breathe attack. This can also be used to represent a bare-handed brawler or martial
artist.
As a reminder, all characters are able to fight in close combat. If experience points are not spent on close combat skills, it is assumed the character is unskilled and improvising using natural instincts. In such cases, the character suffers a penalty to close combat attacks. In contrast, a model without a skill in the use of ranged weapons cannot make ranged attacks.
Melee Weapon Skills
A character’s skill in melee weapons is specified by two qualities – weapon type and weapon size. These two characteristics are an abstraction that differentiate different fighting techniques and styles; and, this allows some differentiation in weapon qualities without getting bogged down in details. The weapons that are listed on the skirmish gear table are merely examples. Whether the character is equipped with a claymore or a broadsword, using it requires the 2-handed edged skill!
Weapon Type
A weapon is either edged or blunt. An edged weapon includes anything that can pierce or slash. A blunt weapon is anything that bludgeons. For example, both a rapier and an axe are edged weapons, while a rock and a mace are blunt weapons.
Weapon Size
In terms of size, a weapon is either 1-handed or 2-handed. This should be self-explanatory, but any weapon that can be used in one hand is 1-handed, while a weapon that requires two hands to be used is 2-handed.
One-handed weapons are considered “standard” and confer no special benefits. In contrast, a character skilled with two-handed weapons receives certain benefits: Two-handed edged weapons automatically cause a brutal attack (See Combat) when using the Furious Attack action.
Two-handed blunt weapons automatically cause
Stunned (see Special Rules) when using the Furious
Attack action. The model is Stunned regardless of whether a wound is suffered or not.
Ranged Weapon Skills
Ranged weapons are organized into three types: thrown, 1-handed, and 2-handed. Thrown weapons are small and usually held in one hand, such as a throwing star or a knife. A 1-handed ranged weapon can be fired with one hand, such as a pistol or a hand-held crossbow. A 2-handed weapon requires two hands to fire, such as a musket or a bow. As with a character’s melee weapon skill, the character’s ranged weapon skill defines which types of weapons the character can effectively use. And, again, the purchased skill should reflect the equipment modeled on the figure.
Each weapon has a different range value depending on its nature. The range value that determines how far it can fire before becoming ineffectual. Some weapons can fire further than others. Every ranged weapon has a short range and long range. No weapon can be fired beyond long range.
Black Powder (BP)
Some ranged weapons also have the black powder characteristic. Black powder weapons are firearms. These
weapons have a chance of misfiring and are not as reliable as simpler weapons. When a black powder weapon is fired, if at least 2 of the resolution dice rolled by the attacker show a 1, the weapon has misfired. The character must spend 1 Action Point to clear the weapon before it can be fired again.
On the other hand, black powder weapons have the potential to cause greater damage at close range. Thus, when firing within short range, a weapon with the black powder characteristic has a +1 to the attack roll.
Shield Skill
Some characters are equipped with a shield. As with most other gear, a shield must be shown on the model. Iron & Honor does not differentiate between types of shields; rather, their use is simply abstracted as a bonus to defense when in close combat.
Specifically, a character equipped with a shield receives +1 to his Physical Defense attribute against close combat attacks. The bonus for a shield does not apply if the model is attacked in its back arc. Of course, to benefit from this bonus, the player must purchase the shield skill.
Skill Example Short LongRange Cost
1 Handed Edged Sword, Knife, Claw, Talon N/A 1
1 Handed Blunt Mace, Bare Fists N/A 1
2 Handed Edged Broadsword, Tail Spike N/A 3
2 Handed Blunt Warhammer, Staff, Dragon’s Tail N/A 3
Thrown Weapon Knife, Sling, Venomous Spit 3” 6” 1
1-Handed ranged (BP) Pistol, Corrosive Breath 6” 9” 2
1 Handed Ranged Hand Crossbow, Sling 6” 9” 2
2 Handed Ranged (BP) Arquebus, Musket 9” 18” 3
2 Handed Ranged Bow, Crossbow 9” 18” 3
Skills establish the fighting capabilities of a character. Traits help refine the character’s role on the battlefield. They can be advantages (or disadvantages), descriptive qualities, or special abilities. Sometimes, this is simply a matter of reflecting aspects of the physical miniature. For example, a particularly bulky model may be given the large trait; a dragon may be given flight. In other cases, the traits are used to add uniqueness and flavor to a character or emphasize the skirmish party concept. Perhaps a band of witch hunters? Or a horde of undead? It is the combination of traits that defines a character and the party. And, it is left to the creativity of the player to combine these traits in ways that best represent the models on the table. Of course, not every model is required to have traits. Sometimes, a character may be best represented without any traits at all!
Traits cost experience points. A character must be able to pay the cost of the trait with any ExP that are left after buying skills.
Traits are organized into three categories: Heroic, Rare, and Common. These define the quality and rarity of the traits. Characters are limited in the number of traits they can choose from each category.
Heroic traits are only available to a hero. Heroic traits
define not only the nature of the hero, but also the flavor of the adventuring party that the hero leads. The hero may choose one trait from the Heroic category.
Rare traits are only available to a hero or companions.
Rare traits tend to define the character and are potent special traits. The hero and each companion may choose
one rare trait.
Common traits are available to any model. These traits
can be used to add flavor to a character. Any model may be given up to four common traits.
The traits are listed in alphabetical order and follow a standard and self-explanatory format:
Name (Category/Cost)
Description
The trait’s name is followed by the category - heroic, rare, or common - and the experience point cost. Some traits have a negative cost. In these cases, the experience points are returned to the character and can be spent on other traits or skills. Alternatively traits with a negative cost can simply be used to reduce the overall cost of a model. The description provides an explanation of the trait.
Trait Descriptions
Agile (Common/4)
A model with the Agile trait is able to break away from combat without worry. Such a model is immune to free strikes from opponents when the model uses the disengage move action to escape from close combat. In addition, a model with the Agile trait may pass through enemy models when moving. All other rules for movement still apply.
Amphibious (Common/1)
A model with the Amphibious trait ignores movement penalties for rough terrain when moving through water.
Arcane Armor (Heroic/5)
A hero may be equipped with Arcane Armor. This may be used to reflect magical armor, supernatural protection from a god, or the hand of fate merely giving the character one more chance.
Once per turn, when a model with the Arcane Armor trait makes a reactive resolution roll using the PD attribute against a melee or ranged attack, the player may re-roll any dice that rolled a 1.
Arcane Attunement (Heroic/5)
Some heroes have an affinity with the aetheric plane. They are attuned to the very source of the energies that power magic.
When a model with Arcane Attunement makes a Willpower resolution roll to cast a spell, the player may re-roll any dice that rolled a 1.
Arcane Resistance (Common/2)
There are characters who are able to resist the effects of sorcery. Perhaps they have an innate immunity, a greater mental defense, or a magic wand. Regardless of the cause, they are not easily affected by magic. A character with Arcane Resistance gets a +1 bonus to their Willpower or Physical Defense resolution roll when resisting an enemy spell.
Assassin (Common/3)
The assassin is a master of maneuver and finding an enemy’s weakness. A model with the Assassin trait has a +4 bonus to close combat attacks made against a model’s back arc, rather than just a +2 bonus.
Bastion (Common/2)
The Bastion trait reflects the character that holds his ground against overwhelming odds. He draws the enemy to him, leaving his companions and followers free to accomplish their tasks. A character with the Bastion trait has a bonus to PD when outnumbered; the character receives a +1 to PD when in base-to-base contact with two enemy models or a +2 to PD when in base-to-base contact with three or more enemy models.
This bonus is lost while the model is Stunned.
Berserker (Common/3)
A Berserker gets stronger and more deadly as she takes damage. This could reflect a warrior torn into a murderous rage or a creature that uses its own pain to gain supernatural strength.
For the first two wounds this model suffers, the model receives a +1 to its melee attack attribute per wound. If the wounds are healed by any means, the attribute bonus is also lost.
Blast (Common/6)
A model with the Blast trait has a weapon that has an area-of-affect. For example, perhaps the figure is armed with a steam driven grenade launcher or spits toxic saliva. A model with the Blast trait uses the Area-of-Effect special rule for attacks. The Blast trait can only be given
to characters who have a ranged weapon skill. In addition, it may not be combined with the Spray trait.
Blessed Weapon (Heroic/5)
A hero may be equipped with a Blessed Weapon. This may be used to reflect a magical weapon or the hand of fate merely giving the character one more chance. When this trait is purchased, the player must designate one of the model’s weapons - melee or ranged - as being the blessed weapon.
When a model with the Blessed Weapon trait makes an attack resolution roll - either RA or MA depending on the designated weapon - the player may re-roll any dice that rolled a 1.
Drain (Heroic/5)
Some creatures live of the life force of others. They are able to gain succor from enemies. A model with the Drain trait is able to leech the life essence of wounded foes to heal itself. After successfully wounding an opponent, a model with drain rolls 1d6. On a roll of 5 or 6, the model heals 1 wound up to its maximum wounds.
The model may spend one Fate to increase the chance of recovery. If the player spends one Fate, the wound is recovered on a roll of 3, 4, 5, or 6.
Dual Wield (Rare/6)
A model with the Dual Wield trait is an expert at using two weapons at once. First, it is important to note that a character may only have this trait if the model clearly holds a weapon in each hand – whether two melee weapons, two ranged weapons, or a melee weapon and a ranged. In addition, dual wielding may only be used with 1-handed weapons.
A model with this trait is not limited to a single combat action per activation. Instead, if the character has sufficient action points available, the character may make more than one close combat and/or ranged attack action. In other words, depending on the weapons that are depicted on the model, a character may spend actions points on two close combat attacks, two ranged attacks, or one close combat and one ranged attack. Each attack may be made against a separate target, but any target that is chosen must still be eligible following the rules for such an attack.
Fast (Common/4)
A character with the Fast trait may make two move actions per activation if the character has sufficient action points to do so.
Flight (Rare/7)
Whether with wings or arcana, a character with the Flight trait is able to soar above the battlefield. A model with this trait can travel over terrain without hindrance. Thus, the model may ignore penalties from rough terrain and obstacles. In addition, models with Flight are harder to hit with attacks. A model with Flight that moved during its activation, receives a +1 to its PD against melee and ranged attacks until its next activation. In addition, a model with Flight cannot be charged except by other models with Flight.
Gargantuan (Heroic/10)
The Gargantuan trait is used for a model that is massive and has a huge footprint on the game board. It should be remembered that it is likely more models will be able to engage a Gargantuan model in close combat simply due to this larger footprint. As to what model is of sufficient size to warrant this trait is left to the discretion of the players; however, as an example, dragons and giants could be considered Gargantuan.
Gargantuan models have a number of benefits that come from their size:
Quake: A Gargantuan model is able to cause the very
ground to around it to shake. The model may use the weight of its size to stomp or hammer the ground with such force that other models are pushed away.
At the cost of 2 action points, the model may use its quake ability. Every model in base contact - friendly or enemy - is pushed back 2” and Stunned. If the model cannot move 2”, perhaps due to an obstruction or another model, the model is pushed as far back as possible and suffers a -1 penalty to its next activation die roll in addition to being
Stunned.
Resilience: Gargantuan models are more resilient than
smaller ones. A Gargantuan hero has 2 additional wounds.
Sturdy: A Gargantuan model is immune to being Stunned, unless attacked by another model with the
Strong: Gargantuan models hit harder in close combat;
thus, the model receives a +3 when making a close combat attack roll.
Terrifying Presence: A Gargantuan model is immune
to the effects of Terror and itself causes Terror.
There are, however, two notable penalties for Gargantuan models. First, a model with the Gargantuan trait may not use the Sneak move action. Second, a Gargantuan model is easier to hit with ranged attacked. Therefore, a model with this trait may never benefit from cover against ranged attacks. In addition, If the target of a ranged attack has the Gargantuan trait, the attacker receives a +3 to the ranged combat attack roll.
Giant Slayer (Hero/5)
There are those who hunt the large beasts of the world. They are known as Giant Slayers. A hero with the Giant Slayer trait is especially effective at hunting large models; thus, the hero receives a +3 to attack resolution rolls made against a model with the Large trait; and a +2 to attack resolution rolls against models with the Gargantuan trait.
In addition, every friend model within 6” receives a +1 to close combat attack rolls made against a model with the Large trait.
Good Karma (Common/7)
Any character may purchase the Good Karma trait. This can reflect divine intervention, the karmic behest of a previous life, or mere tactical astuteness.
A character with Good Karma adds +1 Fate to the skirmish party’s Fate Pool.
Guard (Common/4)
A character with the Guard trait provides a benefit to his friends rather than to himself. Specifically, when a model with the Guard trait is in base-to-base contact with a friendly model, the friendly model receives a +2 to its Physical Defense against close combat attacks.
Hard Charge (Common/5)
A model with the Hard Charger trait is more effective in close combat when charging than merely walking into melee. A Hard Charger could be a fanatical warrior, a
beast goaded into a rage, or a creature armed with a battering weapon.
When a model with Hard Charger makes a charge special move, the model adds 2” to the distance it can move. In addition, the bonus to the resulting standard attack is an additional +4 to the resolution roll rather than merely the usual +2 bonus.
Healer (Rare/5)
Some characters have the ability to heal others. This could be a holy paladin, the scion of a god, or a hedge witch. A character with the Healer trait is able to restore 1 lost wound to another friendly character.
