All movement in FANTASY WARLORD is measured from the base edge of a figure. Thus if a unit has orders to Advance you measure from the front edge of its base. If it has orders to Retire, Evade or Rout; you measure from the rear edge of its base. All distances are measured in centimetres and all movement allowances and penalties are listed on the Profile Sheets.

Players are allowed to measure distances on the war games table at any time.

In FANTASY WARLORD units can move in a variety of ways. The options each race has and the distances they can cover while following that type of movement are listed on the Profile Sheets. It should be noted that a unit's movement can be reduced by difficult terrain, some manoeuvres and actions such as missile fire. All these effects are listed on the Profile Sheets.

Players should also note there are variations in the different movement speeds from race to race. Therefore it is important to always ensure you are consulting the correct Profile Sheet for the unit you intend to move.

This represents the movement of troops at normal walking speed across the battlefield. If a unit is moving at normal speed, it will conduct its move in phase six of the game turn. It may move up to, or any distance short of its normal movement allowance, as modified by terrain and orders.

Units are free to conduct any manoeuvre at normal speed. Troops moving at normal speed may not march into contact with the enemy (though they may be brought to combat by an enemy charge). A unit moving at normal speed will halt 5 cm from any enemy unit, monster or character blocking its line of movement, unless it is on the inside of a fortification and the enemy is outside the wall. Normal and Retire movement are the only movement rates units can use, which wish to move and fire in the same turn.

A unit must be in column and at least 50 cm from the nearest visible enemy unit, to be given the order to move 'at the double'. Such a unit then moves in phase six of the game turn at its double movement rate, as modified by terrain effects. Double movement allows armies to advance on one another rapidly and to perform out-flanking manoeuvres. Troops moving at double speed may not march into contact with the enemy (though they may be brought to combat by an enemy charge). A unit moving at double speed will halt 5 cm from any enemy unit, monster or character blocking its line of movement, unless it is on the inside of a fortification and the enemy is outside the wall. Players should note that a unit with orders to move at double speed, cannot move and fire.

Troops charge to close with the enemy and gain an advantage in combat. (It is only through Charge, Counter-Charge, Uncontrolled Advance, Pursuit or pushbacks that troops can initiate combat.) For a unit to Charge, it must be within charge range of an enemy unit, character or monster in phase three of the game turn — otherwise this order cannot be issued. If a unit is ordered to Charge when no enemy units, characters or monsters are within range, it will ignore the order and remain stationary for that game turn, unless it becomes subject to a Morale Test that forces it to Retire or Rout. If a unit is charged by an enemy who has a larger charge range, the only way the defender can counter- charge is by passing his charge Morale Test and then a Reaction Test.

Units are free to wheel up to 45 degrees to the right or left during a charge, as long as they have orders to do so, but they cannot Change Formation, Break Formation, Reform, move and fire or conduct any other manoeuvres.

Troops ordered to Charge must take a Morale Test in phase four of the game turn before they can move. If they pass the test they immediately move the first half of their charge move. They must move a full half of their charge move, unless they contact the enemy before they have covered the required distance. Charging units move the second half of their charge move in phase nine of the game turn. At that time, they must move the full remaining portion of their charge allowance, unless they contact the enemy before reaching such a point.

Any enemy unit that interposes itself between the charging unit and its intended target, automatically becomes a legitimate target.

Any enemy unit hit by the charging unit in the first half of the charge move forgets all orders it has been issued with and counts as if it were in combat from the beginning of the turn. Thus a unit with orders to Retire, which is hit by a charging enemy unit in phase five, will not be able to retire in phase six. A charging unit that fails to contact the enemy (i.e. come into base-to-base contact) after completing its full movement, either because its target Retired, Routed or Evaded out of range, ends its turn Disordered and must be marked with a disordered counter. (See Disordered Units). A unit that fails its Morale Test in phase four, will not charge but instead will follow the result of the test and either Retire or Rout.

Counter-Charge movement can only occur as a reaction to an enemy charge. It may be caused by the morale result UA (Uncontrolled Advance), or by a target unit passing its Morale Test and then passing a Reaction Test and deciding to Counter-Charge the enemy. A Counter-Charge is like a normal Charge, except it commences in phase six of the game turn and neither the Counter-Charging unit or its target have to take a Morale Test, before conducting the first half of the Counter-Charge move.

Only units in open order or characters may opt to evade a charging enemy unit. A unit in open order may be ordered to evade an expected enemy charge in phase two of the game turn. Alternatively, should it need to react to an unexpected enemy charge, it may evade if it successfully passes its charge Morale Test, and then a Reaction Test in phase five.

Evading troops must move their full evade movement allowance backwards, as modified by terrain. An evading unit faces away from the enemy and is assumed to adopt a loose formation, so it can move freely round, through or across any obstacles or friendly units. When the full evade movement is completed, the unit, but never a character, must be marked with a disordered counter. (See Disordered Units).

Troops moving at evade speed may not move into contact with the enemy (though they may be brought to combat by an enemy charge). A unit moving at evade speed will halt 5 cm away from any enemy unit, monster or character blocking its line of movement.

Warning: If an evading unit or character is caught by the enemy, it has no right of reply in that turn's combat phase and simply loses any of its figures in base-to-base contact with the foe.

A unit which has been ordered to Retire, falls back from its position facing the enemy. A retiring unit may move any distance up to the limit of its Retire allowance, as modified by terrain. A retiring unit may wheel, if it has been ordered to do so. Troops moving at retire speed may not march into contact with the enemy (though they may be brought to combat by an enemy charge). A unit moving at retire speed will halt 5 cm from any enemy unit, monster or character blocking its line of movement, unless it is on the inside of a fortification and the enemy is outside the wall.

Retire and Normal movement are the only movement rates units can use, which wish to move and fire in the same turn.

Exception: A unit which receives the order to Retire as a result of a Morale Test on Automatic Move, must move its full Retire allowance as modified by terrain or the presence of enemy units and may not conduct any manoeuvres during the move.

Units only Rout as a result of a Morale Test. They can never be ordered to Rout. A unit routs when it loses the will to resist the enemy. Troops that rout, break formation and attempt to escape from the enemy as quickly as possible. They may pass through any gaps between friendly units of 2 cm or more. A routing unit must move its full Rout movement allowance, as modified by terrain. The unit must move directly away from the enemy threat that has caused it to Rout, and must avoid all other enemy units by at least 5 cm.

A unit that routs will continue to make rout moves each turn, until it passes a Morale Test in phase eleven, by gaining a CO or UA result. Once a unit has stopped routing, it must be marked with a Disordered counter. (See Disordered Units on page 60).

Warning: A routing unit that is caught by the enemy has no right of reply in combat and simply loses all those figures that end up in base-to-base contact with the enemy.

Warning: If a unit that is routing moves off the battlefield, i.e. moves off the edge of the table, it is considered to have fled the field of combat and plays no further part in that game.

Pursuit movement cannot be ordered, it only occurs if a unit causes its enemy to Rout, through hand-to-hand combat. When such an event occurs, the victorious unit must pursue its vanquished foe for one game turn.

Exception : Victorious units under the direct control of a character or which are defending a fortified position or building, may if they wish, decline to make a pursuit move.

The pursuers move directly after the routed foe in phase one of the next game turn in an attempt to stay in combat and inflict maximum casualties. At the end of that turn, the unit conducting the pursuit is

Disordered and must be marked as such. (See Disordered Units). If a unit conducts a pursuit move that brings it into contact with enemy troops, other than those routing away from the pursuers, this move acts as a charge and brings the new enemy forces into combat. In such cases the pursuers are not disordered and the 'accidental' target has no chance to react.

Warning: If a unit pursues a routing enemy off the field of combat, both the routed unit and the pursuers play no further part in that game.

Any unit or monster that fails its Order Test in phase two of the game turn, cannot receive orders in phase three and must roll for an Automatic Move in phase seven.

To do this roll one D100, cross reference the result with the Automatic Moves Table on the unit's Profile Sheet and follow the movement instructions.

Unit must remain stationary The affected unit may not move this game turn or change formation. However, if it is armed with missile weapons and has a suitable target, it may fire in phase eight.

The unit retires for one move as modified by terrain. The unit is not allowed to fire and must move to the limit of its allowance, unless its movement is blocked by impassable terrain, in which case it stops immediately.

Troops retiring as an automatic move will not move through other friendly units. Instead they will halt 2 cm from the unit. Similarly, they will not retire into base-to-base contact with enemy units, but instead will halt 5 cm away from them.

The unit advances to the limit of its normal movement allowance, as modified by terrain or until blocked by an impassable obstacle. The unit cannot fire.

Troops advancing as an automatic move will not move through other friendly units. Instead they will halt 2 cm away from the unit. Similarly they will not advance into base-to-base contact with enemy units, but instead halt 5 cm from them.

Important: Troops defending a line of fortifications ignore this result and treat it as if it were an automatic command to remain stationary. (See above)

The unit copies the movement of the nearest visible friendly unit (not character or monster) on the relevant flank. If there are no visible friends on the relevant flank, the unit will remain stationary. Units with this automatic move will move at normal speed, either forward or backward and will copy any wheeling movements or changes of formation, performed by the unit they are observing. The unit will not Charge or Rout. It will merely move at normal speed in the relevant direction. If the regiment copied has orders to make a half move and then fire, the unit with the automatic move, if it has missile weapons and a relevant target will follow suit.

Generally it will be clear in which direction a unit moves. However, under some circumstances a unit or figure may have to move in a random direction. For instance, a unit may be surrounded on all sides and therefore a player is undecided about which direction it will Evade or Rout in; or a giant may be blinded and forced to conduct random moves.

To conduct random movement, refer to the diagram on the left. The figure or unit is always facing in direction one. In the case of whirlwinds or tornadoes direction one is always deemed to be away from the caster. Roll one D8 and the result will tell you which direction the subject moves in.

This order is used to prepare units to enter or leave buildings which do not have large gateways, to man walls and other defensive lines and to switch open order troops to close order, or vice-versa. The manoeuvre consumes one entire turn. To enter buildings or man a wall, a unit simply needs one figure within 5 cm or in base-to-base contact with the building or defense work.

On the order break formation, the figures in the unit will enter the house and reform, in any formation, inside the building. Figures that cannot physically fit into a building, continue the chosen formation, outside the building, by having the nearest figures to it, in base to base contact.

On the order break formation, the figures in the unit will man the wall.

When a unit receives the order to Face Left or Right or C/F About Face, it remains where it is, retains its formation, but the figures pivot to face in the new direction. Such a move is shown below.

A unit that wishes to change formation can only do so if it has received an order to do so in phase two of the game turn, or if it passes a Reaction Test. The order Change Formation is included in all the order' counters marked C/F such as C/F Line. All races suffer a movement penalty to Change formation that varies according to race and troop type. These penalties are listed on the Profile Sheets. Changes of Formation, as a result of an order issued in phase two, occur in phase six.

Example: Warthanger's wolf riders, who are in column, are ordered to C/F Line and then Advance. As they are raiders, the change will cost them 3/4 of their normal movement. As this allowance is 36 cm, the change of formation costs them 27 cm. In phase six, Warthanger's Raiders change formation and are then able to advance only 9 cm. If the goblins had been tribesmen instead of Raiders, the change of formation would have used up their entire move and left them unable to advance that turn.

All changes of formation occur around the central figures in a unit. This rule avoids arguments and ensures players cannot clear walls when they are in column, in one turn, by changing formation into line.

If a unit finds itself subject to a charge and passes the charge Morale Test, it may then take a Reaction Test and if it passes may immediately change formation (but always subject to the limitations listed on page 67).

Example: A regiment of Caryllian spearmen is ordered to advance in column up a hill. But in phase three, suddenly finds itself the target of two warbands of previously undetected eastern orcs, who have charged out of the woods at the top of the hill. Now as long as the eastern orcs do not reach the Caryllians in the first half of their charge move, and the Caryllians pass their Morale Test; the spearmen will be entitled to take a Reaction Test to see if they can react to the new situation. If they pass the Reaction Test, they will be able to ignore their original orders and change formation into a line, to receive the orc charge.

Players should note that if a unit changes formation as the result of a Reaction Test, that change will consume its entire movement allowance for that turn, regardless of the amount of allowance such a change would have normally used up.

Occasionally a unit will be caught by an enemy charge, while it is in the process of reforming, changing or breaking formation. This occurs if in phase three a charging unit manages to contact its target and that target has orders to Reform, Change Formation or Break Formation. If this happens, the target is automatically disordered and loses any advantage it may have possessed for the number of ranks it has and any reach bonuses from weapons such as, spears, polearms or pikes. While the attacker receives all his usual combat modifiers and on the first turn only may multiply his charge combat modifier by two (in the case of cavalry by four). In subsequent turns of combat, the defender receives all of his normal combat modifiers but is still counted as being disordered; while the attacker receives all of his combat modifiers in the usual way.

To mount or dismount from a riding beast, flying creature, platform or rampart consumes half a normal move. Thus an unarmoured man can move 10 cm to his horse (half his normal move) and mount up. The horse and rider cannot then move any further that turn. If the same man started the turn on his horse, he could ride 20 cm, which is half his normal mounted move, then dismount. But he would have to remain in base contact with his horse until the next game turn. Alternatively he could ride 10 cm on his horse (a quarter move), dismount and then move 5 cm (another quarter move). Though this move would require the order counters: Advance, Dismount, Advance.

When a unit wheels one end remains stationary and turns on the spot while the other end describes an arc, as shown in the diagram below. A unit is free to wheel to the left or right, forwards or backwards, as long as it has the order to do so. A unit that is charging can only wheel a maximum of 45 degrees and only in one direction. Measure the movement from the outside edge, or edge that moves the furthest, as in the pictures below.

When a wagon, cart, chariot, siege engine or any other wheeled device is being hitched up to a team of draft animals, it is said to be limbering up. When the draft animals are being unhitched and if it is a weapon like a bolt thrower which is being prepared for action, it is said to be unlimbering. Limbering up and unlimbering both take a full movement turn. To limber up, a wheeled vehicle must begin its turn in base-to-base contact with its draft animals.

For the purposes of flight, the air space over a battlefield is divided into two levels called Combat Height and Flight Height.

Combat Height is the lowest level and is considered to be three to forty feet (1.5-20 cm) above the heads of ground troops. When a creature takes off it does so from the ground to Combat Height. Creatures flying at Combat Height must steer round buildings with two or more levels, trees, cliffs, crags and other large rocky outcrops. They are also subject to the adverse affects of whirlwinds and tornadoes.

At Combat Height a flying creature or its rider can engage ground troops. This type of combat is not as effective as normal hand-to-hand combat on the ground, because the flying creature is considered to be swooping or hovering and consequently only in contact with the foe for a short time. In such combat, the flying creature can break off from the melee on any movement turn without having to first rout the enemy or force it to retire.

Troops on the ground can initiate combat with a flying creature when it is at Combat Height, by charging up to its base. However, the flying creature can if it wishes, immediately evade the attack without having to take a Reaction Test and without becoming Disordered. The higher level is called Flight Height and represents the normal cruising height for any flying creature engaged in prolonged flight.

Flight can be achieved either naturally by creatures with wings or magically.

When conducting magical flight, a character is moved from where he takes off to his destination and the entire flight is assumed to take place at Flight Height instantaneously. The character deducts no portion of his movement allowance for taking-off or landing.

Natural flight is more complex. A creature or character must first build up to its take-off speed before it can lift off from the ground, and needs to manoeuvre as it comes into land. It also takes a creature time to change from Combat to Flight Height.

All flying creatures have airborne and ground movement allowances listed on their Profile Sheets. The airborne factors show how far they can travel when flying. The ground factors show how far they move when they are on the ground.

Taking-off costs a creature half its normal ground movement and takes it up to Combat Height, where it is free to either hover or fly up to half of its normal airborne movement allowance. To climb from Combat Height to Flight Height takes a creature an entire turn of normal airborne movement. Thus a creature cannot take-off and climb to Flight Height in the same turn.

To dive from Flight Height to Combat Height takes a creature half of its movement allowance regardless of whether it is traveling at normal or charge speed. Thus it could fly the other half of its allowance in any direction either before or after diving (remember if the creature is charging an enemy unit, it must take a Morale Test before it conducts the first half of its move, whether that is the dive or a half move at Flight Height).

A creature can only land if it commences its turn at Combat Height. Landing consumes half of a flying creature's aerial movement allowance, regardless of whether it is moving at its normal or charge speed. A flying creature that is landing, may either fly half of its airborne move first and then land, or land and then move half of its ground movement.

Example: The demi-dragon Gripnir takes off using half his normal ground movement, then flies at Combat Height for half his normal airborne move. On the next turn he may either expend all his normal airborne move to climb to Flight Height, or fly up to 60 cms in any direction at Combat Height. In fact, having passed his Order Test, he is ordered to climb to Flight Height so he can note the positions of enemy troops, and try to spot any that might be hidden behind buildings, woods or hills. On the following turn, Gripnir flies in the direction of a warband of goblins, who seem a good target to attack. On the fourth turn of flight, he is within charge distance of the goblins, who are 35 cm away. (Gripnir's airborne charge move is 80 cm, half of which is lost diving, but that still leaves him with 40 cm of movement to fly directly over the hapless goblins). Gripnir passes his Morale Test in phase four and flies 40 cms forward at Flight Height, so he can dive directly down onto the goblins. Who have bravely or rashly (depending on whether you are a goblin about to be incinerated or not) passed the charge Morale Test and stood their ground. In phase eight Gripnir breathes fire over the goblins, who once again, miraculously pass their Morale Test, and in phase nine Gripnir swoops into combat.

However, at Combat Height Gripnir is not as effective as he would be on the ground. So on the next turn he breaks away to circle his prey. On the following turn, Gripnir decides to charge the goblins again, but this time he plans to land in the process to enhance his fighting abilities. Once again, he passes his Morale Test, but this time the goblins fail their test and rout. No doubt roundly cursing Kernabog as they scatter, for allowing Gripnir to pick on them.

You will note in the above example that the ability of a flying creature to break off aerial combat (not ground combat), without having to first rout its enemy, means it can charge the same unit more than once, though never in concurrent turns.

Any flying creature that is killed while in flight will crash to the ground and any troops who suffer the misfortune of being in the area where the creature crashes, run the risk of being killed (unless the flying creature is a small animal like a bat or eagle). If a flying creature is killed while in flight, it falls vertically down and hits the ground immediately beneath its last aerial position. Lift up the creature as depicted in the illustration and hold it upside down over the ground.

If there are any ground troops whose bases are partially or totally covered by the figure of the stricken flyer, they must roll to see if they are hit. For each infantry or cavalry figure roll one D100. On a score of 50% or less the figure survives. On a score of 51% or greater the figure is killed.

If the flying creature falls onto a character, then the character must roll as above to see if he is hit or not. If he is hit, he receives two wounds and must refer these to the Character Hit Table to discover what form they take.

If the flying creature falls onto a monster then one D100 must be rolled to see if the monster is hit. On a score of 30% or less the monster escapes injury, while a score of 31% or greater means it is hit. If a monster is hit it must roll one D4 to discover how many wounds it receives and then refer these to the relevant Monster Hit Table.

If the flying creature falls on a building that structure automatically receives damage according to the following chart:

To find the defence values of buildings see Chapter 7: Battlefield Terrain. Players should note that if a flying creature falls on a building containing troops but does not destroy that building's roof defence value, then the troops inside the building are all considered to be safe and do not have to be rolled for. However, if the building's roof collapses, then all of the figures inside the building must roll in the usual way to see if they become casualties!

Flying beasts that lose the ability to fly through injury at Flight Height immediately flutter to the ground and land. They do this in phase one of the next turn and may land on the ground anywhere within 20 cm of their flight position measuring from any one of their base edges.

Flying beasts that lose the ability to fly through injury at Combat Height automatically crash. They cause damage as per the rules for crashing and in addition also injure themselves. An injured flying creature that crashes will sustain one wound and must roll on its hit table to discover how severe the wound is.

When a flying beast is on the ground its rider, if any, may dismount or mount in the same way a soldier can dismount or mount a horse or other riding beast.

If a rider's flying beast is killed while in flight, the rider will immediately fall off the beast and crash to the ground. The same will happen if the rider's beast is wounded at Combat Height in such a way that it can no longer fly and crashes to the ground. Under these circumstances, the rider must roll one D100 and will have the following chances of sustaining an injury:

Ordinary soldiers who sustain an injury are killed instantly. Characters receive one wound, which they must refer to the Character Hit Table.

CHAPTER 7. BATTLEFIELD TERRAIN