Rulebook & Manual

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[[combat|<< 9. COMBAT]] | [[magic|11. MAGIC >>]]

====== 10. MORALE ======

A unit's morale is a measure of how brave its
soldiers are. Each race has three morale classes,
which have various names, but are all rated A, B, and
C on the Profile Sheets. For instance, Dwarfs have A:
Guards, B: Regulars and C: Militia; while Orcs have A: Urucks, B: Soldiers and C: Snargas.
Characters are immune to all Morale Tests.

  * **'A' class troops are experienced**, highly trained veterans who obey orders and do not easily panic.
  * **'B' class troops are trained regulars** with combat experience.
  * **'C' class troops represent conscripts**, militia and other poorly trained troops, who do not react well to orders and are prone to panic as soon as they come under pressure.

Before the start of a battle, each unit in your army
must be assigned a morale class. Each units morale
class must be recorded before a battle commences.
You should also note down each unit's starting figure
strength. If you are playing a scenario,
you will find the morale class and figure strength of
each unit in the scenario will be listed for you. If you
are fighting one of your own battles, having made up
an army using the points system and basic army
guide provided in these rules, you will have assigned
each unit a morale value.

When you place your units on the battlefield, they
can be identified from your record of each unit's
morale class, by the banners you give them or their
equipment.

As a unit suffers casualties its morale will decline.
This fact is reflected in the Basic Morale Values Chart
that appears on each Profile Sheet. Unit losses on
this chart are calculated as a percentage of a
regiment's starting manpower. You will note they
are calculated in 10% steps. When using this chart
always round a unit's losses down to the nearest 10%.

> __Example__: A regiment of twenty Goblin raiders has suffered three casualties. This is greater than a 10% loss but less than a 20% loss. As all percentage losses are rounded down on the Basic Morale Values Chart, the Goblins are deemed to have a 10% loss and by cross referencing find their morale has a base value of 8.

===== MORALE TEST TRIGGERS =====

A unit tests its morale whenever anything
unpleasant happens to it. What constitutes an
unpleasant event varies from race to race. For
instance, most races have to take a Morale Test when
they are attacked by magic, but elves do not because
they are innately magical and therefore do not view
magic as a disturbing event. The circumstances that
cause a unit to test its morale are listed on its Profile
Sheet on the chart headed When to Test Morale. It is a
good idea to study this section before a battle starts
so you can try to avoid the circumstances that trigger
such tests.

===== HOW TO TAKE A MORALE TEST =====

When a unit finds itself in a situation where it must
test its morale, it does so immediately and generally
carries out any result as soon as the Morale Test has
been taken. The only exception to this rule, occurs
when a post combat Morale Test is taken, when the
unit will act upon any result in phase one of the next
game turn.

  - Refer to the **Basic Morale Value** Chart that appears on the unit's Profile Sheet. Cross reference the unit's morale class with its casualty status to find its Basic Morale Value (BMV).
  - Refer to the Morale Modifiers list on the Profile Sheet. Check to see if any of the modifiers listed apply to the unit's situation. (Note: for a unit to receive the benefit of Light, Medium or Heavy cover at least 75% of that unit's figures must be in such cover). If they do, apply the relevant modifier to the unit's 'BMV. The result will be the unit's **Modified Morale Value** (MMV).
  - Roll one D4 and add the result to the MMV. The result will be the unit's Final Morale Value (FMV).
  - Refer the FMV to the Morale Results section on the relevant Profile Sheet. Cross reference the FMV with the unit's morale class to discover the result of the test.

===== THE MORALE MODIFIERS EXPLAINED =====


==== CHARACTER IN DIRECT CONTROL OF UNIT ====

The character must be in base-to-base contact
with the unit for it to gain this benefit

==== EACH FREE VISIBLE FRIENDLY CHARACTER OR UNIT WITHIN 10 CMS ====

To count a unit for this morale modifier, the unit
must not only be within 10 cm but must also be out
of combat. Units that are routing or retiring, never
count for this modifier. Monsters never count for
this morale modifier either, even if they are friendly.

==== CHARACTER IN DIRECT CONTROL OF UNIT KILLED THIS TURN ====

Self-explanatory.

==== EACH FREE VISIBLE ENEMY MONSTER OR UNIT WITHIN 20 CMS ====

To cause this adverse modifier the enemy monster
or unit must be out of combat and must not be
routing or retiring.

==== HATED FOE WITHIN 20 CMS ====

When you really hate someone it gets the
adrenalin going.

==== UNIT IS BEING ATTACKED IN FLANK ====

Self-explanatory and includes attacks by
overlapping units.

==== UNIT IS BEING ATTACKED IN REAR ====

This morale modifier allows for the fear and
confusion caused by a rear attack. It includes attacks
by overlapping units who get behind another unit

==== UNIT IS ENGAGED WITH ENEMY TWICE ITS NUMBER ====

Attacking a numerically superior foe can cause the
morale of your troops to waver.

==== UNIT IS ENGAGED WITH ENEMY HALF ITS NUMBER ====

Attacking a numerically inferior foe can bolster
your troops morale. Players should note, this
modifier never affects monsters.

==== UNIT LOST LAST ROUND OF COMBAT ====

A history of defeat will always undermine a unit's
morale.

==== UNIT IS IN HEAVY COVER ====

The safety cover offers will often boost morale.
 
==== UNIT ATTACKED BY MAGIC/MONSTER/UNDEAD THIS TURN ====

Self-explanatory — the magic attack may have
been at any point in the turn prior to when the
morale test occurs. A flame attack by a monster will
trigger the attacked by monster modifier, but
missile attacks by undead will not.

===== MORALE RESULTS =====

==== 1. ROUT ====

A unit that suffers the result **Rout**, turns its back on
the enemy and moves at Rout Speed directly away
from the cause of its panic. The soldiers move in the
safest possible direction, which usually means
running towards the table edge they entered by.
Routing units lose formation so they can pass
easily through any gap 3 cms wide or more, or flow
round any obstacle. If an obstacle cannot be
circumnavigated, then the routing unit must move
either to the right or left, in an attempt to get round
it. In such a case, to decide in which direction they
move roll one D6. On a 1-3 they go right and on a 4-6
they go left.

A unit which is charged or pursued while routing
has no right of reply in combat. Instead the routing
commander must remove one figure from his unit
for every figure the attacker successfully gets into
base-to-base contact with the routing unit. This may
seem harsh, but it should be remembered that in real
battles most of the casualties inflicted on the
defeated side, occurred when its troops were trying
to escape from the battlefield.

Units that rout in any phase of the turn, apart from
phase eleven, can attempt to rally in the first half of
phase eleven. But units that rout in the second half of
phase eleven as a result of combat, can not try to rally
until phase eleven of the following turn.

For a routing unit to rally it must pass a Morale Test
in phase eleven of the game turn. If it fails the test it
will continue its rout and make another rout move in
phase one of the following turn. It will continue this
process until it succeeds in rallying, or routs off the
table and is lost for the rest of the game.

If a routing unit rallies, it is immediately marked
with a disordered counter and must receive the
order to Reform before it can follow any other orders
([[army-organisation#disordered_units|See Disordered Units]]).

If a character is with a unit when it routs he also
routs for one turn (sometimes survival is the better
part of valour). But at the end of phase one i n the next
turn he immediately rallies himself.

==== 2. RET ====

A unit that suffers the result **Retire**, moves
immediately at retire speed away from the enemy for
one move only and ends its move facing its foe.
Retiring units move directly away from the cause of
their fear and where ever possible back track along
the route they used to advance on the enemy. Any
character with the unit will also retire.

If this morale result is obtained in phase eleven of a
game turn, the affected unit retires in phase one of
the next game turn. Otherwise units that obtain this
result retire immediately and can conduct no
further orders that turn which involve either
movement or firing.

==== 3. CO ====

A unit that achieves the result **Carry On** continues
to follow its existing orders, whatever they may be. A
routing unit that achieves this result rallies.

==== 4. UA (UNCONTROLLED ADVANCE) ====

A routing unit that achieves the result
**Uncontrolled Advance** rallies. Any other unit that
achieves this result, immediately charges toward
the enemy that caused its Morale Test or the nearest
enemy unit in front of them.

Units that get this result in a Morale Test can not be
given any orders until they have made their charge
move, and if they already have orders, immediately
discard them.

If the unit has not yet moved in the current game
turn, it will commence its charge in either phase
four or six — depending on which comes first after
the Morale Result. The charge will be completed in
phase nine as normal.

If the unit has already moved in the current game
turn, then it conducts its charge in phase one of the
next turn in the following way. First its target takes a
Morale Test. If it fails it conducts its Rout or Retire
immediately. Then the unit in UA moves the first half
of its charge move. If it contacts the enemy, combat
occurs and must be resolved in phase ten. If it fails to
contact the target, the target may then take a
Reaction Test to see if it can react to this unexpected
danger. If it can and wishes to do so, it does so
immediately but at the cost of forfeiting all other
movement and firing for the rest of that turn. The
unit in Uncontrolled Advance then makes the final
half of its charge move. If it contacts its target,
combat will occur in phase ten of the turn.

===== EXEMPTIONS FROM THE NEED TO TAKE MORALE TESTS =====

Characters never have to take Morale Tests. Which
is one of the reasons why they are such renowned
heroes, infamous thieves, inspiring priests, dread
wizards, or feared Discipline Masters.

Skeletons never take Morale Tests because they
have no minds of their own to exercise, instead they
are completely controlled by another being.
However, if their controller is wounded or killed,
then the skeletons will immediately disappear back
to the shadowlands from whence they came and are
removed from play.

Some magic spells, miracles, curses or wonders,
may temporarily exempt a unit or monster from
taking Morale Tests.


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[[combat|<< 9. COMBAT]] | [[magic|11. MAGIC >>]]