Pit Fights
Source: Town Cryer #14
“So I ask ye, why do all Pit Fighters carry a morning star and a spiked gauntlet, eh? And what did he used to be before selling his life to the pit slavers? And most importantly — why can’t I bire out some of these fighters and journey from arena to arena across this great nation? Whilst they're slugging it out with man and beast, I could sit in the stands drinking Bugmans making a princely sum on the outcome...”
Jebediah Jensen, Money Lender and businessman
'Those who are about to die, salute you...'
The fighting pits of the outlying settlements around Mordheim such as Cutthroat’s Haven or Black Pit attract a whole host of deviants and gamblers. These illegal fights make a lot of money for the crooks that run them and ‘volunteers’ for the pits are always plentiful. Most Pit Fighters start off as either captured criminals or slaves sold to the Pit Bosses who run teams of fighters. Because of their unscrupulous nature the Pit Bosses will buy just about anyone for their team and so often the unwary, gullible or just plain unlucky fall into their dishonest, uncaring hands. Only the very best, those with previous battle experience, mercenaries, army deserters and bandits usually live past the first few, mercifully short, fighting bouts and make a name for themselves. When a fighter starts to get some renown the money really begins to roll in and often he will go into partnership with his ‘owner’ training new fighters and putting on spectacular displays in the arena. Some, most notably Ogres, willingly offer themselves up for what they consider easy money as a Pit Fighter and are amongst the most dramatic to watch in the pits.
These rules were inspired by the gladiatorial duels of ancient Rome. Of course, the fans at the Coliseum never had the opportunity to watch six men battle a Dragon or be amazed as a lowly Goblin led two foul-smelling Trolls to a victory over an enraged Giant.
The core rules for this game are basically the same as Mordheim with only a few modifications to represent fighting in an arena or pit (compared to fighting in a ruined city). There are also certain weapon restrictions because gladiator fans want to see a good brawl, not a duel between archers.
These rules can be used as a stand-alone game or integrated into an ongoing Mordheim campaign.
The Rules
In Pit Fighter, the rules are the same as for Mordheim except that obviously there will be no cover or hiding as all combat in the arena is in the open.
Hitting with Thrown Weapons
Some Pit Fighter weapons, like spears and warhammers, are specially designed to throw at your opponent. These weapons each have their own range. Rolling to hit with a thrown weapon is the same as hitting with a missile weapon in Mordheim. However once a weapon is thrown it must be retrieved before it can be used again. If a warrior misses the enemy their weapon scatters D6 inches in a random direction from their target. This may cause it to hit someone else in the arena. If the weapon hits the target or lands in a square with another warrior, roll to penetrate armour as normal. Place a weapon counter in the square the weapon ends up in, whether it penetrates the target’s armour or not. Any Pit Fighter may pick up this weapon upon a successful Initiative check. Thrown weapons are returned to their rightful owner after each match.
Parrying
Parrying attacks works the same as in Mordheim with one distinct difference. A Pit Fighter may use any weapon to Parry in his opponent’s turn, but unless that weapon is a sword or has the Parry ability, then it cannot be used to attack in the warrior’s next turn as it is out of position. A warrior may Parry only once with each of his weapons per turn. A warrior cannot Parry thrown weapons.
Pre-Match Sequence
- Set up the arena.
- Work out each team odds.
- Make Wagers.
- Roll for Old Battle Wounds.
- Roll for Scenario.
Post-Match Sequence
- Work out each teams winnings.
- Roll on the Serious Injury Chart.
- Roll on the Advances Table.
- Make any new purchases.
- Work out new Team Ratings.
Arena Set-up
Most major cities in the Old World have at least one fighting arena hidden away in the poorest or most dangerous quarters and many have several that compete for business by having bigger and more fantastic matches. The usual shape of an arena is an oval or a rectangle 30 squares (inches) by 20 squares (inches), although circles, octagons and hexagons are also quite common. The outside wall of the arena has four evenly spaced gates to allow teams of Pit Fighters to enter and it is lined with spikes to keep the various monsters and Pit Fighters from leaving the arena and at having ‘fun’ with the spectators whilst the match is in progress.
Various dangerous pits and walls can be randomly scattered about the arena to ensure each match is unique. Arena owners like to fill these pits with new and exciting dangers to keep the crowds entertained and ensure that the Pit Fighters die in unique and amusing ways.
Gates
Each gate is usually two or three squares (inches) wide. Each team of Pit Fighters must start the match within two squares of a randomly selected gate. No two teams can share the same gate (unless there are more teams competing than there are gates). The gates are locked after teams enter the arena so that warriors may not exit the arena whilst a match is in progress.
Walls
The arena may be filled with walls of various different materials, shapes and sizes. Most are built one square thick so that warriors can stand on top of them. Decide during set-up how tall each wall is going to be. Climbing walls works in the same manner as climbing buildings in Mordheim except that Pit Fighters may not climb out of the arena!
Pits
Without a doubt the most dangerous obstacles in an arena are the pits. Warriors can climb into or out of a pit upon a successful Initiative test. A warrior who falls into a pit or fails an Initiative check when jumping suffers a Strength hit equal to the depth of the pit in inches.
Example: A pit that was 3 inches deep would cause a Strength 3 hit on anyone who fell in.
Fire Pits: Sometimes arena owners fill the pits with fire. Warriors who fall or get knocked into a pit of fire suffer a Strength 4 hit that ignores armour saves.
Spiked Pits: Arena owners often put sharpened stakes at the bottom of a pit. A warrior who falls into such a pit suffers a Strength hit equal to twice the depth of the pit.
Snake Pits: Poisonous serpents are another nasty surprise that Pit Fighters often discover in the pits. Warriors who fall into such a pit suffer D6 Strength 3 hits. Also, due to the poison of the serpents’ bites, when rolling to hit any 6 that is rolled automatically causes a wound.
MODELLING YOUR ARENA
Modelling a pit fighting arena couldn’t be simpler. Just choose the shape and size you want it to be (the easiest is a square, 30” by 30”) and using stiff card or polystyrene, make a base. Make some surrounding walls for your arena, again using stiff card or polystyrene (make these about 4-5” inches tall — don’t want to let anyone escape now!). You can then line your wall with sharpened cocktail sticks facing inwards to further deter any escape. Then cut a gateway in the middle of each of the four walls, and bingo! You have a fighting arena.
Those accomplished modellers out there will, no doubt, model their own internal walls, public galleries, and portcullises for each of the gateways—maybe even a replica coliseum. But for the rest of us mere mortals, let’s keep it simple, eh.
Running a Team of Pit Fighters
You may fight with any warband from Mordheim in the Pit Fights if you wish, although it is more advisable to use the Pit Fighters warband that follows this article.
In the Pit Fights, warriors fight as 'teams' and not warbands. The only difference is that the maximum number of Pit Fighters that may fight in the pits is ten, although the team itself may comprise as many as the warband allows. At first, you will probably want to play individual games rather than a campaign. This will allow you to learn the rules and also give you the opportunity to decide what type of warriors most suits your particular style of play.
If you are playing in a campaign, you will have the chance to expand and improve your team after each game. By betting wisely and winning matches, your team will gain riches and experience, allowing them to become a feared and respected adversary in the arena. In a campaign, every time your team fights, it will gain skill and experience. Rookies quickly progress to become full-fledged Pit Fighters, and you, as their owner, will learn new tricks to help your team fight more effectively.
Each Pit Fighter has his own objective and motivation for fighting, be it a chance for fortune, fame, or even redemption. As their owner, you can help them achieve their ambitions and emerge victorious from the arena.
Wagers
The reason that Pit Fights are so popular is not just for the thrill of watching the fight—one of the oldest of man's vices comes into play: gambling. Shrewd men can make vast sums of money betting on the pits.
Determining the Odds
Use the Odds Chart (next page) to determine the odds for people placing wagers on the match. The team with the highest Team Rating is considered the High Man. All other teams competing are considered the Low Man. The point difference between the High Man and each Low Man determines the odds for the Low Man to win. The point difference between the High Man and the Low Man with the highest Team Rating is used to determine the High Man's odds of winning. This is important for determining how much a player wins when betting.
Example: Three teams, A (Team Rating of 500pts), B (Team Rating of 650pts), and C (Team Rating of 1000pts) are all competing. Team C is the High Man because it is worth the most points. Since team A is 500pts weaker, its odds of winning are 1-20. Team B is only 350pts weaker, so its odds of winning are 1-15. Since Team C is 350pts greater than team B, its toughest competitor, Team C's odds of winning are 3-4.
Making a Wager
Unlike modern athletics, the owners of all Pit Fighter teams involved in the match are required to make at least a 5gc bet on the match. There is no maximum bid, but owners are advised to bet wisely. This is because owners who cannot afford this minimum bid must sell off weapons and/or armour to get the money. If they have no weapons or armour to sell, they sacrifice their match winnings.
Spectators who have teams in the campaign or gangs in Mordheim, but are not competing in the match, are allowed to bet between 0-50gc on any match.
Team Winnings
Team owners earn money for bringing their Pit Fighters to compete at an arena because this attracts fans. They can also earn money from bets if their team wins.
Team Winnings = Match Winnings + Bet Winnings
- Match Winnings: Each team rolls D6 (+1 if they won the match) × 10gc. This is their income for attracting fans to the stadium.
- Bet Winnings: If the team you bet on won the competition, then you collect gold from your bet. Multiply the amount bet (B) by the second number (S) in the team's odds of winning and divide the total by the first number (F) in the team's odds of winning. This gives your total winnings (W). Round down if you end up with a fraction.
Equation: (B × S) / F = W
Example 1: If you bet 10gc (B) and the team's odds of winning were 1 (F)-4(S), your equation would be: (10 × 4) / 1 = W. You would win 40gc.
Example 2: If you bet 25gc (B) and the team’s odds of winning were 3(F)-4(S), your equation would be: (25 × 4) / 3 = W. You would win 33gc (rounded down).
Odds Chart
| Low Man Odds | Difference in Team Rating | High Man Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 0-50pts | 1-5 |
| 1-6 | 51-100pts | 1-4 |
| 1-8 | 101-150pts | 1-3 |
| 1-10 | 151-200pts | 1-2 |
| 1-12 | 201-300pts | 2-3 |
| 1-15 | 301-400pts | 3-4 |
| 1-20 | 401-600pts | 5-6 |
| 1-25 | 601+ | 7-8 |
Scenarios
Sometimes the arena owner will place special conditions on a match to make it more interesting. Roll on the Scenario Table below before each match to see which scenario to play.
Scenario Table
| 2D6 Result | Scenario |
|---|---|
| 2 | Battle of the Champions. Each owner selects his most experienced warrior to fight. They are the only ones who can compete. Add +1 to each team roll when determining the gate winnings. |
| 3 | Monster Slayers. Played as scenario 7: Monster Hunt (Best of Town Cryer p37), but in the arena with no treasure hoard. One monster per two teams. |
| 4-10 | One-on-one fight. |
| 11 | Revolving Doors. No Pit Fighters start in the arena. Each player rolls a D6 at the beginning of their turn. On a 3+, a random warrior enters through a random gate. |
| 12 | Even the Odds. Roll 1D6+2. This is the number of members from each team who may fight in this battle. |
Experience and Skills
Warriors gain experience when competing in the arena. Pit Fighters gain advances just like Heroes and Henchmen in Mordheim.
- Competing in a Match +1 XP
- Winning a Match +1 XP
- Wounding an Opponent +1 XP
Campaigns
Each year, teams of Pit Fighters travel from city to city, fighting in dozens of matches in arenas all over the Old World. They are drawn from many races and fight for many different reasons, but ultimately they must all face the danger of the arena. Although fighting individual battles has benefits, part of the challenge of Pit Fighter is to build your team into a force to be reckoned with. A campaign gives your team the chance to gain experience and new skills, as well as the opportunity to hire extra warriors as the team’s fame and fortune increases.
Starting a Campaign
To start a campaign, you'll need at least two players, preferably three or more. Players may have more than one team, but most prefer to run one at a time, as this allows them to devote more of their attention to painting, modelling, and playing their favorite Pit Fighters. You can start a campaign as soon as two players have recruited their teams. New players can join the campaign at any time after that. Although the new teams will be less experienced, they will soon learn new skills. Fighting other, more powerful teams will allow them to develop more quickly.
To start a campaign, two or more players must go through the Pre-game sequence, play their match, and go through the Post-game sequence. Make sure to record all the information on your roster so you can keep track of your team’s progress.
If playing a campaign, remember to save at least 5gc, as you will need it to make your minimum bid for your first match (see Betting).