sewer rats

Thanks to the guys on the Egroups Mordheim Mailing List who have come up with ideas and suggestions for Sewer Fighting rules.

(sounds a bit like Kung Fu Fighting, eh?)

In common with every large city in the Empire, Mordheim has its own sewer network installed centuries before possibly with the help of Dwarf Engineers that provided the city with sanitation. The sewers consist of a vast, complex system of low-ceilinged corridors, waterpipes and gutters that lead the effluent of the city into the mighty river Stir, that flows through Mordheim.

Once in a while the ground collapses above a sewer tunnel creating an entrance to the lower parts of the ruins tempting many a warband into dangerous adventures. Indeed, it is considered by the wise that the sewers are used almost exclusively by the evil ratmen, the Skaven, to get around the city unnoticed. Recently, some of the most cold-blooded and fearless warriors have established their lairs in these subterranean haunts, enjoying the humid, foul-smelling conditions and the many different mutated beasts that provide a good source of food when all else fails.

Often two warbands clash with each other whilst searching the dark underworld for Wyrdstone and other treasures. The ensuing fights are very bloody affairs fought as they are in the cramped and slimy dark tunnels.

Fighting in the claustrophobic, unsettling gloom of the sewers is quite unlike fighting under the stars. Warriors tend to panic much easier — even the harmless dripping of water or the flutter of bats is enough to chill the hardiest of warriors and the knowledge that horrifying monsters could be lurking around the next corner does not make things any better.

So, to maintain that cool, claustrophobic atmosphere here are the rules I have developed for that very purpose:

where the light of morrslieb does not shine...

Sewer corridors can be easily represented by the standard Warhammer Quest floorplans, but since these may be a restrictive for Warhammer Skirmish games it may be necessary to make your own terrain or use any appropriate items for creating a sewer-like scenery.

Later in this article I shall come up with a suggestion of how you easily and quickly can make your own sewer terrain.

the dark

No warrior in his right mind is going to explore the dank depths of the sewers in the City of the Damned without bringing sufficient torches and lanterns and despite this the environment is still darker than night. Therefore, warriors in the Ld. sewers have a limited range of vision which makes shooting much harder.

Before the game, each warrior in each warband must be given a special Line of Sight:

• Roll a D6 for each warrior and then roll an additional D6 for every 2 points of Initiative the warrior has. The result is the number of inches that the warrior can see!

• Skaven, Dwarfs, Vampires, Ghouls and the Possessed, who are all used to the dark, may roll 2D6 + D6 for each full 2 Initiative points they have rather than only D6. In addition, Skaven may automatically re-roll any results they do not find satisfying, but they must accept the latter result regardless if it is worse.

• Dogs, feeling the terror that lurks in the sewers, will never enter the sewers. Warbands with any kind of dogs must therefore leave their pets outside!

• To make things easier, however, henchman groups are allocated a single Line of Sight instead of individually. Use the highest Initiative of the group, representing the most agile and aware warrior warning his comrades.

• A warrior can neither shoot nor move further than his maximum Line of Sight. Use the standard Short and Long ranges when shooting as described in the Mordheim rulebook.

You can use small cardboard counters or dice to remember the Line of Sight of the different warriors.

the dark

Lanterns are more than very useful when fighting in sewers! Therefore, when playing a sewer scenario lanterns may be bought for 5gc’s rather than the standard cost, and only Heroes may carry them. Use the standard rules for lanterns even in the sewers.

Lanterns do not only make it easier for the user to see, but it also makes it much harder for the enemy to spot him because he will blinded by the bright light of the lantern. Any warriors that wish to shoot with missile weapons against a warrior carrying a lantern may ignore his standard Line of Sight because they are, after all, easier to spot in the darkness, but they will only hit on a 6.

A Hero or a Henchman group with a lantern may re-roll if they fail a Leadership test to see if they may move, as described below.

psychology

The dark, foul smelling, plague-infested subterranean hell that makes up the sewers of Mordheim is a truly frightening place, especially in a cut-throat fight against a deadly opponent.

All warbands, except for Skaven, Dwarfs and Undead are subject to these special rules:

• Before each turn, each Henchman group must take a Leadership test based on their standard Leadership value without penalties. If they fail, then something has startled them — probably nothing more than their own shadows or a rat scuttling over the muddy and dirty floor. The Henchmen may do nothing this turn, and if they are in close combat then they are only allowed to defend and parry any opposing attacks. If they succeed the test, then they may move as normal.

• If the group has a Hero with them, then they may re-roll one of the failed dice representing the Hero barking orders.

• All warriors in the warband get a -1 Leadership penalty all the time they are in the sewers. Note, however, that this does not apply when rolling for Leadership before a Henchman may move.

rivers of effluent

Most of the major tunnels in the sewers are a nightmare of filth and decay, with foul smelling water, choked with human waste and the bloated bodies of dead animals. More often than not the warriors will be unable to see the floor for the amount of dirt and filth about.

For these rules I have devised four specific terrain rules:

Clear Ahead: The floor is fairly dry being covered with only a slight layer of dirt and filth. Warriors may move and fight as normal.

Dirty Water: This part of the sewer is badly damaged and for the most part flooded with filthy water that is waist high. It is impossible to run through the water although the warriors may walk normally. But, the warrior can choose to swim rather than walk! In the beginning of any turn a warrior may swim provided that he is not wearing Heavy Armour. A warrior may swim no more than his total Movement rate. When a warrior is swimming it is impossible to hit him with missile weapons.

Deep Sludge: The floor is covered by a thick layer of sludge and waste, and it makes moving extremely difficult. A warrior crossing a sludgy floor gets a -1 Movement penalty and is unable to run. In addition, enemies shooting at a warrior wading through deep sludge will suffer a-1 To Hit penalty because the sewage might take some of the shots that are directed against the warrior. If the warrior is engaged in Close Combat he suffers -1 To Hit.

Slippery Floor: The floor is very slippery and the warriors will tend to slip over especially if they run across the section. Each time a warrior walks roll 1D6: On a result of 1 the warrior slips over and is knocked down. If the warrior is running, then he will fall over on a D6 roll of 1-3!

You should either decide before the battle which type of floor the different sewer sections contain which is especially appropriate when fighting over your own, modelled terrain where you can represent the sludge, water or whatever on the floorplans, or you can decide it randomly while the battle is on. If you choose the latter option, roll 2D6 every time a warrior enters a new sewer section:

random floor table

2D6	Result
2-5	Deep Sludge
6-8	Clear Ahead
9-10	Dirty Water
11-12	Slippery Floor

rotten wood

In many sewer channels, wooden sidewalks are built so that the sewer workers can pass easily through the tunnels. However, since the meteorite struck a lot of the wooden planking has either been destroyed outright or through lack of maintenance have started to rot.

A warrior who wishes to run over a wooden bridge, sidewalk etc. or jump down onto one must first pass an Initiative test at -1 (natural 6’s always fail). If the warrior fails he has crashed through the bridge and will fall down as described below.

Place a special Broken Planks counter (no, you can’t find it in the boxed set — you have to make your own!) on the spot where the warrior’s movement ended. Other warriors that wish to cross one of these counters have to jump!

Skaven, being very used to the tunnels, know exactly where to place their paws. Therefore, Skaven will automatically pass this Initiative test and may run freely over wooden walkways and Bridges.

face down in the sludge

Sometimes a warrior will fall over into the sewage or become knocked down from close combat. This is very unfortunate indeed! Any warrior falling into the sewage from a higher point will plunge into the slimy, dirty sludge, from which it is hard to escape! r) 5 Measure the distance the warrior fell in inches, the distance being the number of turns the warrior will be in the sewage. However, no damage is done when hitting the sewage unlike falling down on a stone ground.

If the warrior is wearing Heavy Armour then he really is in deep, well you know what, literally:

The heavy metal plates will drag the warrior down, and being unable to cut off the straps he will slowly suffocate... Tip: Do not run with warriors that are wearing Heavy Armour!

In close combat it is also quite hard for a warrior to get up again after being knocked down. Therefore, when a warrior wishes to get up after having being knocked down or stunned he must pass an Initiative test. Otherwise he will remain knocked down.

scenarios

You can easily convert the scenarios described in the Mordheim rulebook into sewer scenarios with a bit of cleverness. However, here you have two special scenarios that are designed specially for sewer fighting. With this in mind, why not go and make your own scenarios? It’s great fun, is challenging for both players and it adds some variation to the fights in the ruins.

See Scenario 1: Surrounded and Scenario 2: Rat Attack

post-battle sequence

Run the post-battle sequence as normal. Warriors are allowed to search the sewers as well as described in the Mordheim rulebook under the rules for searching.

sewer experience

These special rules for experience can be added to your sewer fighting if you desire. Sewer Experience can obviously only be gained through fighting within the sewers. Battles underground are fought in a very different style to normal battles and it takes some time to get used to the special conditions that apply in the sewers.

The Skaven do not, however, gain any Sewer experience because they are simply mutated and brought up in the sewers. Nothing could be more natural for a Skaven than a sewer!

Experience Gained

• +1 Survives. If a Hero or a Henchman group survives the battle they gain +1 Experience.
• +1 Per Enemy Out of Action. A Hero earns +1 Experience for each enemy he puts out of action.
• +2 Putting a Skaven Out of Action. Any Hero earns +1 Experience for each enemy put out of action.

Possible Typo

The above condition seems like a typo, and should probably read:

• +1 Putting a Skaven Out of Action. Any Hero earns +1 additonal Experience for each Skaven enemy put out of action.

Sewer Experience is an independent kind of experience and warriors gain standard Experience besides as normal. Once a Hero or a Henchman group has achieved a certain amount of Sewer Experience they will gain an Advance.

Hero Advance Table

Level	Title	Experience
1st level	In mortal fear	0
2nd level	Familiar	1
3rd level	Tried	3
4th level	Veteran	6
5th level	Sewer Rat	12

Henchman Advance Table

Level	Title	Experience
1st level	In mortal fear	0
2nd level	Tried	3
3rd level	Veteran	6

When a Hero or a Henchman group gains an Advance they may randomly pick a Sewer Skill as described below.

sewer skill lists

The following skill lists are divided into those applicable for Heroes and Henchmen and are available only through using the syste for Sewer Experience.

hero skills

Control: The Hero has become accustom the rather unsavoury conditions in the sewe and now knows what to ignore and what to look out for. The Hero may use his standard Leadership without any penalties.

Agile: The Hero may run over Wooden Planking without having to take Initiative tests to see if he crashes through.

Nightsight: After hours of wandering about in the pitch black of the sewers, the Hero has developed a slight nightsight. He may add +D6 to his initial Line of Sight.

Watchful Eye: The Hero's quick wits and shifty eyes rarely miss a thing - thus he may re-roll any initial Line of Sight roll once if he is not satisfied with the first result. However he must accept the latter result regardless if it is worse than the first.

henchmen skills

Nerves of steel: The Henchmen have gotten tougher, and more than slightly dripping water must cause them to run away. Thus a Henchman group with the Nerves of Steel skill may re-roll any failed Leadership rolls to see if they may move.

Sure Feet: The warriors have learned how to run over the rotten planks without crashing through. A warrior with the Sure Feet skill may re-roll a faild initiative test when running over wooden planks.

sewer skills

Once a Hero or Henchman group gains an Advance they are allowed to pick a new Sewer Skill. To choose a skill roll at the appropriate skill table below. All Henchmen in a group will advance together which means that all warriors in a group will have the same skills.

Hero skill table

D4	Skill
1	Control
2	Agile
3	Nightsight
4	Watchful Eye

Henchmen skill table

D2	Skill
1	Nerves of Steel
2	Sure Feet