Mordheim Rulebook Optional Rules

These optional rules were part of the original Mordheim Rulebook.

New critical hit charts

Depending on what weapon your warrior is using, you may roll on one of the following Critical Hit charts. For example, if your warrior is using a sword, roll on the Bladed Weapons chart. All the rules governing critical hits given in the main rules also apply to these tables.

missile weapons

(Bows, crossbows, blackpowder weapons, throwing knives etc.)

D6	Result
1-2	Hits a Weak Spot. The missile penetrates its target’s armour. Ignore all armour saves.
3-4	Ricochet. If there are any other models within 6", the closest enemy model is also hit. Roll to wound and take any saves as normal for both targets.
5-6	Master Shot. The missile hits an eye, the throat, or some other vulnerable part. The target suffers 2 wounds instead of 1. There is no armour save.

bludgeoning weapons

(Clubs, maces, hammers, flails, double-handed hammers etc.)

D6	Result
1-2	Hammered. The target is knocked off balance. Your opponent may not fight this turn if he hasn’t already fought.
3-4	Clubbed. The hit ignores armour saves and saves from helmets.
5	Wild Sweep. Your opponent’s weapon is knocked from his hand. If he is carrying two weapons, roll to see which one he loses. He must fight with whatever back-up weapon he has in his equipment for the rest of this combat (or fight unarmed if he has no other weapons). Roll to wound and take armour saves as normal.
6	Bludgeoned. The victim automatically goes out of action if he fails his armour save. Even if he has several wounds remaining, he will be taken out of action by this attack.

bladed weapons

(Swords, axes, double-handed swords etc.)

D6	Result
1-2	Flesh Wound. This attack hits an unprotected area, so there is no armour save.
3-4	Bladestorm. The warrior unleashes a virtual hail of blows. The attack causes 2 wounds instead of 1. Take armour saves separately for each wound. Remember that, as with other critical hits, if an attack causes multiple wounds for other reasons as well, you choose the highest number of wounds.
5-6	Sliced! The strike ignores armour saves, causes 2 wounds, and your warrior gains +2 to any Injury rolls.

unarmed combat

(Wardogs, warhorses, Zombies, Possessed, animals etc.)

D6	Result
1-2	Body Blow. Your opponent staggers, allowing you to seize the initiative and make an additional attack. Immediately roll to hit and to wound. Any saves are taken as normal.
3-4	Crushing Blow. The blow lands with tremendous force. You gain +1 to the Injury roll if your opponent fails his save.
5-6	Mighty Blow. With a mighty punch or flying kick, you send your opponent sprawling to the ground. The attack ignores armour saves and you gain +2 to any Injury rolls.

thrusting weapons

(Spears, halberds, lances etc.)

D6	Result
1-2	Stab. With a quick strike, you penetrate your opponent’s defences. You gain +1 to any Injury rolls. Armour saves are taken as normal.
3-4	Thrust. The thrust lands with great force and the target is knocked down. Take armour saves as normal and see whether the model suffers a wound.
5-6	Kebab! The thrust knocks the target back with titanic force, ripping apart armour and puncturing flesh. The attack ignores armour saves and you gain +2 to any Injury rolls. The victim is knocked backwards D6" and the attacker follows, staying in base contact. Any other models involved in the combat are separated and only the model which struck the blow and his target are still considered to be in combat. If the target collides with another model, the other model is hit once at S3.

Escaping from combat

Warriors that are engaged in hand-to-hand combat at the start of their own turn may try to escape from combat during their movement phase. Such fighters are assumed to have realised that the odds are against them and decided that it is just too dangerous for them to continue.

Declare which of your warriors will try to escape from combat at the start of your movement phase, at the same time as you declare charges. Turn the models around to show this.

Take a Leadership test for each warrior trying to escape from combat. This represents his efforts to find the right time to escape. If he passes, the warrior can move up to double his normal Movement rate away from combat and the enemy he was fighting, in any direction.

If he fails, his opponent is allowed to make 1 automatic hit against the warrior who is trying to escape, and the fleeing warrior (provided he survives) will run 2D6" directly away from combat. He will have to take a Leadership test at the beginning of his next turn.

If successful he will stop, but may not do anything else during that turn. If the test is failed, he will continue to run 2D6" towards the closest table edge and must test again the following turn if he is still on the table.

If a warrior is charged whilst he is fleeing, the charger is moved into base contact with him as normal, but the fleeing warrior will then immediately run a further 2D6" towards the table edge, before any blows can be struck.

Rewards of the shadowlord

When a Magister or Mutant from a Possessed warband has accumulated enough experience, instead of picking a skill, he may roll on the Rewards table below. This represents the pilgrimage of the Mutant or Magister to the Pit, where he can beseech a favour from the Shadowlord himself. Roll 2D6.

D6	Result
2	Wrath of the Shadowlord! The warrior is mutated beyond recognition and vanishes into the ruins, joining the many other horrors that roam Mordheim.
3-6	Nothing Happens. The capricious Shadowlord ignores the pleas of his servant.
7-8	Mutation. The warrior develops a severe mutation. Roll a D6. On a roll of 1 you lose a single point from one of your warrior’s characteristics (chosen by you), due to atrophy, or some such degrading mutation. On a roll of 2 or more you may choose which one of the mutations listed in the Cult of the Possessed Warbands section your warrior has been rewarded with.
9-10	Chaos Armour. The warrior’s body becomes encrusted with an arcane, allenveloping suit of armour. This confers a basic 4+ save, but does not affect the model’s ability to cast spells or move in any way.
11	Daemon Weapon. The warrior receives a weapon with a bound Daemon inside it. This weapon adds +1 to his Strength in close combat, grants a +1 bonus on all to hit rolls using it. The user may choose the weapon’s form (a sword, an axe, etc), though it will not have any of the special abilities normally associated with common weapons of that type. An axe with a bound Daemon, for example, will not benefit from the usual extra save modifier.
12	Possessed! A Daemon takes over the soul and body of the warrior. He immediately gains +1 Weapon Skill, +1 Strength, +1 Attacks and +1 Wounds. These increases do not count towards his maximum characteristics. The warrior loses D3 of his skills (chosen by the player) and may no longer use weapons or armour, except for Chaos Armour or Daemon weapons.