OHW – FANTASY

By C A Smith
(Optimised for 6mm figures)

UNIT TYPES
Basic: Infantry, Archers, Skirmishers and Cavalry/Chariots. As standard, when using Irregular
Miniatures 6mm figures as I do, I suggest using 4 bases per unit. However, single figures or models
may be employed in some cases (see ‘Bestiarium’ table below). Also, units may vary in morale, which
means they can take more or fewer hits:
Elite (or big): 18 hit points
Average and Veteran: 15 HP
Poor (or small): 12 HP

SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Each complete turn comprises two player turns. Each wargamer follows the sequence below in his or
her player turn. Wizards may use their spells at any time, whether in the player’s own turn or the
opponent’s (see section on Wizards below). “A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives
precisely when he means to.” – Gandalf

1. Check morale and declare units that are to recover a hit point
2. Movement: voluntary movement and involuntary responses to failed morale checks.
3. Shooting
4. Hand-to-hand combat
5. Eliminating units

1. MOVEMENT (FOR ‘NORMAL’ UNITS – ALSO BESTIARIUM)

Unit type Movement distance (max.)
Infantry and Archers 6 cm
Skirmishers 9 cm
Cavalry/Chariots 12 cm

Turning: Units turn by pivoting on their central point at the start and/or the end of their move.

Terrain Units are affected by terrain as follows:

i Woods. Only Skirmishers may enter.
ii Towns. Skirmishers may enter without penalty. Movement of other units is halved.
iii Marshland and lakes. Impassable to all units.
iv Rivers may only be crossed via bridges and fords.
v Other linear obstacles (streams, walls, hedges etc.): take half movement to cross; can confer
defence bonus.
vi Roads. Units moving by road increase their movement distance by 3cm if their entire move is
spent on the road. This bonus may not be received if charging.

Moving and Shooting. Only Skirmishers may shoot and move in the same turn.
Interpenetration. Only Skirmishers, Heros and Wizards may deliberately pass through other units
(and vice versa). If units are forced against other units when withdrawing due to moral
checks or as a result of wizard spells, both the units must temporarily stop moving and take
1 HP. If a unit is forced into contact with an enemy unit due to withdrawal, it is eliminated.
Charge moves. Charges are resolved by moving the attacking unit into contact with its target, subject
to the following restrictions:
i Turning. A charging unit may only turn once, by up to 45o, at the start of its move.
ii Limited engagement. Only 1 attacking unit may engage each face of target unit.
iii Fighting. Combat is resolved during the hand-to-hand phase.

OPTIONAL RULE: ATTRITION

Units reduce their attacking die roll by 1 for every 5 hits they have taken.

2. SHOOTING
Artillery, stone-lobbing Giants, Archers and Skirmishers may shoot, procedure is as follows.
Field of fire: single target, normally within 45o of frontal facing. Must have clear LOS to target and
cannot shoot into melees. Giants can lob stones anywhere they wish, in a 360o arc.
Range: All shooting units have range of 12 cm.
Assess casualties: Shooting unit rolls 1d6. Archers use the unmodified score; Skirmishers deduct 2
from the result, Artillery and Giants add 1 to result. Resulting score gives number of hits inflicted on
target, adjusted for the following
- Targets with cover from woods or towns only suffer half casualties (fractions rounded UP).
- Armour: infantry units only suffer half the mandated hits (fractions rounded up) except against
Artillery and Giants.

3. HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT (H/H)

One-sided combat: Units only inflict casualties during their own player turn.
Assess casualties: Roll 1d6. Cavalry, Charioteers and Archers use unmodified score; Infantry add 2 to
the result; Skirmishers subtract 2. Final score gives number of hits inflicted on target, modified as
follows:
i Armour. Infantry are armoured and only suffer half the mandated hits (fractions rounded
up).
ii Terrain advantage. Defenders in woods, towns, on hill, or defending river crossing or other
linear obstacle only suffer half indicated hits (round fractions UP).
iii Flank/rear attacks. Inflict double registered number of casualties.

Movement within combat. Hand-to-hand combat only concludes with the elimination or withdrawal
of one of the contesting sides due to failed morale roll. Units may turn to face an attack on flank or
rear, but only if not simultaneously engaged frontally.

4. MORALE CHECKS AND HIT RECOVERY

Units that have sustained hits in the previous (opposing player’s) turn must take a morale check.
Throw 2d6. To pass, the result must EXCEED the TOTAL number of hits sustained by the unit in the
battle. Adjust as follows:
+2 to die roll for elite units
+1 to die roll for veteran units
-1 to die roll for poor units
If passed, the unit can carry on as ordered in its own turn. Otherwise, the unit must withdraw at
least half a move IN ITS OWN TURN, ending facing the enemy.
Hit recovery: Any unit that has previously taken hits can regroup in its own turn and remove 1 hit
marker as long as it neither moves nor shoots in that turn. This is cumulative, so a unit that spends
multiple turns without moving, shooting, or sustaining further hits may gradually recover its strength
down to 5 hits. (Idea behind this is that 1/3 of hits represent casualties, 2/3 demoralisation.)

5. ELIMINATING UNITS
Units are eliminated on acquiring as many hits as its morale class is allowed. For example, an average
unit that takes 15 hits will be eliminated.
BESTIARIUM

Note that morale ratings may be varied according to the scenario.

Species Unit types Morale Bases HP Movement Special

abilities/traits/deficits
Human Any Average 4 15 As per unit None
High Elf Any Elite 4 18 As per unit No more than 3 units. +1
to hit roll.
Wood Elf Archer/ Veteran 4 15 9 cm Archers can move through
Skirmisher woods unhindered.
Dwarf Infantry/ Elite 4 18 6 cm Sprint: may move 9 cm
Archer when charging to contact.
Hero (any Infantry, Elite Single 12 9 cm (inf), Saving throw: ignores hits
species) cavalry, figure on 14 cm if 5+ thrown. Example:
charioteer foot or (cav/chariot takes 4 hits, throws 4 dice;
mounte ) all dice of 5+ negate hits.
d +1 to attacks. No more
than one hero per side.
Wizard Inf or Cav Elite Single 12 4 cm on See Wizard section.
figure foot, 14 cm
mounted
Orc Inf, Archer, Average 4 15 Inf/archers Boar riders +1 to roll when
Cav. Cav 6 cm, cav 12 attacking.
ride boars. cm
Goblin Inf, Poor 4 12 Inf 6 cm, Wolf riders +1 to roll when
Skirmisher, Skirmisher 9 attacking. Numerous.
Cav. Cav cm, cav 12
ride wolves cm
Undead Inf, N/A 4 15 Inf/archers Slow. Hard to kill. Cannot
archers, (already 4 cm, cav 8 operate out of sight of
cav. dead) cm. controlling wizard. If
wizard is killed or
distracted, they all freeze.
Troll Inf Average 1 base, 3 15 6 cm Big and hard to kill (for 1
figures base). +1 to throw against
armoured, -1 against
skirmishers**.
Giant Special Unpredi 1 model 18 9 cm Big, hard to kill, confused.
ctable* Can wade rivers. +1 to
throw against armoured, -
1 against skirmishers**.
Can throw rocks.
Ent Special WIP WIP WIP 6cm WIP
Dragon
Giant Special Poor 1 model 12 9 cm Can move and hide in
spider woods, scale cliffs. Cannot
cross water obstacles
except by bridge.
Unaffected by Fearful
 Gloom spell.
War Special Unpredi 1 model 18 9 cm Can wade rivers. Mounted
elephant/ ctable* archers can shoot 6cm at
mammot 1d6 -2. Elephant +1 to
h throw against armoured, -
1 against skirmishers**.

* If 5+ points inflicted on giant/elephant in any turn, it goes berserk for 1 move. Roll 1d6:
1-2 Giant/elephant moves left
3-4 Giant/elephant moves right
5-6 Giant/elephant moves directly to rear
Giant/elephant immediately turns in appropriate direction without penalty and takes full move
(terrain permitting). If any unit, friendly or enemy, is contacted, it will cease moving and engage its
victim in h/h combat.
Under normal circumstances, elephants and mammoths are docile mounts and will do as bidden by
their riders. A Giant is quite different. Its main aim is to find a settlement, smash it to pieces, and
gobble up all the livestock and humans/elves/dwarfs it can find. After destroying an enemy unit, it
will stop for 1 turn to eat some slain as an hors d’oeuvre. Throw 1d6 at start of each turn for Giant.
Result:
6 – Giant advances raging on nearest enemy unit;
4 or 5 – Giant throws rocks at nearest enemy unit;
2 or 3 – Giant makes way to enemy camp or settlement;
1 – Giant forgets why it is here, turns around and heads for home.
** Armour offers no protection against the crushing blows; agility is the best protection.
WIZARDS

Each side is only allowed one wizard. The wizard may be mounted or dismounted, according to the
agreed scenario. Spells are the main fighting resource of wizards, and they are quite vulnerable to
physical attacks. Using blank playing cards, create a spell pack. The wizard may draw 3 spells by blind
selection. Spells may be used at any point in the game, but only one per turn. In addition, each
wizard is allowed 1 counter-spell card, which will immediately negate a spell of the opposing wizard.
Most spells have a range of 12 cm. Before casting a spell, the wizard must first throw 1d6; if he
throws a 1, the spell fails and the card must be discarded (this includes counter-spell attempts).
Wizards can cast spells in any direction.

Suggested spells

Spell Range Effect

Fireball 12 Inflicts 1d6 worth of damage on target. Must have clear LOS.
Dread 12 Target must take immediate morale test at -2 penalty, effect applied
immediately. If target has already moved, any retreat takes place in its
next turn.
Freakish Wind 12 Gale-force gust of wind drives target back, directly away from wizard,
by 3 cm. Must have clear LOS.
Thunderclap 12 Target stunned, may not move or fight in its own turn. If engaged in
h/h, friendly opponent is similarly affected.
Confusion 12 Target unit moves in random direction in its own turn. Throw 1d4: 1 –
to rear; 2 – to left; 3 – to right; 4 – forwards.
Illusion 24 Creates illusory threat that target must face and fight. Throw 1d4: 1 – to
rear; 2 – to left; 3 – to right; 4 – to front.
Fearful gloom Whole Darkness descends over entire battlefield for 1 complete turn (player +
area opponent). All movement halved, movement in woods halted. Fighting
ceases as warriors cannot tell friend from foe. Any unit may disengage
half move from combat and retire.
Leaden Legs 12 Target unit’s movement is halved for 1 turn.
Haste 12 Target unit’s movement is doubled for 1 turn.
Faery Bridge 12 Creates magical bridge over water/swamp obstacle for 2 turns.
Shield 12 When target unit is attacked/shot at, it can throw appropriate number
of saving throws at 4+. Example: a unit that has taken 5 hits can throw 5
save rolls. This is done before morale check.
Hostile Trees 24 Trees in a wood hinder enemy unit(s) for 1 turn and make movement
impossible.
Friendly Trees 24 Trees in a wood move aside to make wood accessible to 1 friendly unit
that would not ordinarily be able to move through it. Unit must move
directly through wood without stopping, and spell ends when unit has
exited the wood.
Sucking 24 A circular area of ground 5 cm in diameter is permanently turned into
Ground marsh. Any unit already in that zone is stuck there. Stuck archers may
still shoot.
Discord 12 Target unit attacks/shoots at nearest friendly unit.
Courage 12 Target unit may re-roll a failed morale role.
Relocate 12 Target unit (may include wizard himself) is relocated anywhere within
12 of its previous location. Good for wizards to ‘get out of Dodge’ when
situation becomes dangerous!
When casting spells, Wizards must concentrate and cannot move. If engaged h/h fighting, they
cannot cast a spell. If shot at in the opposing player’s previous turn, they need to throw 4+ for the
spell to take effect. Wizards commanding Undead troops must focus with undivided attention. They
cannot use any other spells. If distracted by shooting or directly attacked, they must throw 4+ to re-
establish control after the crisis has passed. In the meantime, the Undead units under their
command will freeze and neither move nor fight.