Triumph and Tragedy Ancient battles Updated with Hero and Squad leader abilities

[skink]

Hey everyone,
Lt. Hazel and myself hosted a game at this year's Tactica for which we adapted the T&T Ruleset for a battle between Romans and Germans.
I was told that some people might be interested in our changes, so here they are.

Changes from the original “Triumph and Tragedy“

Suppression and morale
A unit which has half as much or more suppressed markers as models remaining is considered “Shaken”. A unit which has as much or more suppression markers as remaining models is considered “broken”. A shaken unit receives -1 on all its rolls, a broken unit -2. To represent the stress inflicted upon a broken unit, it has to pass a morale check before it can remove any suppression markers with a “Regroup” order. If it fails the check, the unit routs. Remove it from the game.

When a unit fails its morale check, it is not removed entirely unless the unit is already “Broken”. If a unit fails its check and isn’t broken, it simply falls back W3 inches. In Close Combat, the enemy unit may then opt if it wants to stand its ground or if it wants to follow up. If it does follow up, immediately start another round of close combat with the following-up unit as attacker. If a broken unit fails its morale check it is removed as usual.  

Damage tables
“Wounded” results also generate suppression markers.

Orders

Passive Orders always trigger when their conditions are met.

Active Orders have to be executed with a “move and Leader action” order to take effect


Leaders and wound distribution
As leaders always fought in the first row, at least ¼ of hits have to be assigned to the Squad leader or hero, if present.


Special Rules:

Romans: Shield Wall(Active Order)
Enemies attacking this unit in the front arc get -1 on their roll to hit. This unit cannot make fast moves and loses one die when determining its attack move.

Ride 'em down(passive order)
When this unit makes a fast move, it may move over any enemy units if it is able to completely clear it. 50% of this unit may execute a Close Combat attack, but it loses one rider for every 1 rolled.

Change position!(active order)
Every friendly unit in 6 inches that passes a morale test may move up to D6 inches. Roll for each unit separately. Use only once per battle. As this ability is very powerful, it should only be useable by the armies leader.


Germans:
Javelin Charge(passive order)
When using a “Charge” order to get into Close Combat, half of the models in this unit may perform a shooting attack hitting on 8+. Use only once per battle.

Berserker Rage(active order)
This unit receives +2 on rolls to hit in Close combat, but suffers a -1 modifier on the wound chart.

Follow me(passive order)
When this unit moves into Close Combat, nominate a friendly unit in 8 inches. If it passes a morale check, it may also attempt to move into Close Combat with the enemy attacked by this unit. Use only once per battle. As this ability is very powerful, it should only be useable by the armies leader.

[Dr. The Viking]

Brilliant!

Would love to try that out.

[commissarmoody]

Cool, so these are just mod for the bog standard T&T rules then. Or is there An ancient Battles supplement I missed some where?

[Driscoles]

Thank you !
Björn

[Lt. Hazel]

Yes thank you Niko! Moody, you still need the core rules. No ancient suplement on the market I am afraid.
Jan

[Mindenbrush]

Excellent, I got the core rules from Brigade Games this week so will be looking at your ancient changes 

[guitarheroandy]

Thank you very much for posting these amendments.

[commissarmoody]

Cool, I got the core rules.

[rokurota]

Thanks a lot!

[Rusty72]

What awesome timing, I was looking at working these into ancients to cover Romans vs Celts. Thanks a lot. I did think of adding some of the rules from the colonial supplement for skirmishers and fanatics etc.

[skink]

Here is a little addendum to the rules for T&T Ancients. 

The whole thing was born when Jan and I designed a scenario for this years tactica.
The objektive of the scenario was a cart laden with gold and taxes which the romans wanted to bring back to more civilized parts of the empire. The germans, of course, where pretty much against this idea in general.
We wanted the unit leaders and heroes to be unique, so we came up with the idea to give each of them a characteristic ability, sometimes a boon, sometimes a disadvantage. As I've been asked to share the leader abilities we came up with, I am posting them here together with the personal backstorys of the individual leaders.

 
Titus(Roman Hero)
Titus has lived a rich and full life as a soldier, and now simply wants to retire in peace. But the sudden germanic onslaught forces him to load all his possessions and collected taxes into a single waggon and make a break for the more civilized parts of the empire.

Death before poverty!
When Titus is in a 6 inch radius to the gold cart, he automatically passes all morale checks.


Nasus
Son of a roman merchant, Nasus has enjoyed a higher education and is a semi-talented poet, but of course, this isn't good enough for his father! He sees his son as a politician, a senator-maybe even a consul! And of course, having served in the legion is almost a requirement for any successful statesman. Nasus is an abyssmal soldier, but his father's money paves the way and so, the mild-mannered artistic boy stands in wild Germania, leading a unit of soldiers and desperately seeks for a way out.

Daddy's boy
Whenever Nasus tries to use an order or orders an attack, roll a die. On a „1“, the soldiers „mishear“ the command and instead fall back D6 inches.


Claudius Quintus
Descendant from an old noble house, Claudius is the embodiement of roman pride. But, as a 5th child, he will inherit nothing from his familys wealth. Because of this, he seeks to prove himself in military prowess and has acquired a notorius reputation of carrying out brutal punitive strikes against the local population.

Roman Devil
When a german unit is in close combat with Claudius Quintus, roll a D6:on a 1-4, they get -1 to hit as they are scared by his terrible reputation. On a 5 and 6, they take the chance to finish the hated oppressor once and for all. They add +1 to all their combat rolls.


Reliantus
A former slave from the mines, he has a life debt to Titus.

A life for a life!
When Titus suffers a mortal wound in 6 inches to Reliantus, you may remove Reliantus to cancel the wound.

Polonius
Polonius is a brigand and poacher who got to choose between serving in the legion or facing a long-term prison sentence. His natural cunning make him a good scout. He just wants to somehow get through with the whole „military“ stuff and finally be back under the tuscanys warm sun and do the job he has always done.

Take to the hedges!
When polonius and his squad start the turn suppressed, you may roll a die: on a 5 or 6 you may remove the squad from the game and place them at the start of the next turn in any forest terrain without any pinned markers. On a 2-4, nothing happens and on a 1 the entire unit deserts. This guy is a criminal, after all.


Germans

Haethelmar(German Hero)
Chief Haethelmar despises the romans who dare to treat him like a servant in his own country. For years, he has patiently waited for any signs of weakness and now, as tribun Titus is making his getaway, he sees the chance to strike!

Initiative
Roll a D6 when you activate Haethelmar. On a 6, he and his unit may perform a free movement action.


Atzul
Atzul is a true mercenary, greedy and ruthless. Even so he is loyal to Haethelmar, it wouldn't hurt the chief much if some of the roman's gold would go missing, would it?

Special Rule:

Greed
Whenever Atzul and his squad perform a move or fast move action, roll a D6. On a 1, they must move directly towards the gold cart.


Wulfgar
A former farmer, Wulfgar lost his entire family to a punitive strike of some roman marauders. And he will never forget the face of the leaer of these men...

Venegance and dread!
When Wulfgar is activated in a 9 inch distance to Claudius Quintus, he has to try to attack him. Do not roll for „Roman Devil“. Trat Wulfgar and his unit as if they have rolled a 6!


Ragnar
So he wouldn't admit it, Ragnar likes the romans. They brought wine, roads and profit with them and as a merchant Ragnar benefits from all of the above. But Haethelmar is hell-bent on his strike against them and, to ensure Ragnar's cooperation, he has abducted his son! So Ragnar will have to help him, that is, for the tmoment at least!

Unreliable
When Haethelmar dies or flees the battlefield, immediately remove Ragnar and D3 members of his squad from the game.

[Mindenbrush]

Excellent!  Thanks Nico