Pitfighter Rules Part 2

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Return To The Pit
Additional Rules for Pit Fighter, by Jervis ‘The Decapitator’ Johnson
In Issue One of Fanatic we included a set of rules that allowed players to take part
in battles in the blood-soaked battle pits of the Empire. (If by some dreadful
misfortune you don’t have a copy of Fanatic 1, then don’t despair as you can
download the rules from the Mordheim website at www.mordheim.com. You will
require a set of the original rules to use the new rules described below.)
TheoriginalPit Fighter articleonly covered the types style of Pit Fighter, though it is still based on the fighting
of Pit Fighter that battle in the ‘classic style’. The
style of enemies of the Empire.
additional rules below add several new types of Pit
Fighter, each of whom fights in a very different manner to
Troll Slayer: The Dwarf Troll Slayer warrior caste often
the classic style Pit Fighters of the Old Empire. It also
agree to fight in the pit fighting arenas of the Empire. Troll
includes rules for campaigns, and for different styles of
Slayers use the starting characteristic profile given below.
combat.
Ogres: Ogres are often used as mercenaries in Empire
8.0 Rules Changes
armies, and considering their size and strength it is hardly
Further playtesting has led us to changing one of the rules
surprising that some have ended up agreeing to fight in
in the original Pit Fighter article.
the Empire’s pit fighting arenas as well. Ogres are usually
only used in a special style of combat called Sigmar style,
Arm Attacks: We’ve found that it is almost impossible to
though very occasionally they have been used in single
fully parry an attack on your arms, as the opponent is
contest against especially skilled human champions
allowed to choose to attack either arm no matter where
known as Pit Kings.
they may be standing. To stop this happening, the arms
are treated as a single location, just as the legs are. In
Pit Kings: The title of Pit King is given to a Pit Fighter that
other words, rather than choosing to attack or defend the
takes on and defeats a team of three opponents. This style
left or right arm, simply write down ‘arms’ on the roster.
of combat is known as fighting in the Sigmar style. Any
The ‘arms’ are assumed to be adjacent to the body for the
type of Pit Fighter, other than an Ogre, can choose to fight
purposes of adjudicating partial parries. If the Pit Fighter
such a battle in order to earn the coveted Pit King title.
has two different armour values for his arms, then use the
The title is lost as soon as the Pit King is taken down. The
higher value.
best way to include Pit Kings in your games is to use the
campaign rules below. If a Pit King is required for a one-
8.1 New Pit Fighter Types
off game then they may be represented by any manner of
Players may choose to field the following new types of Pit
Pit Fighter other than an Ogre. When working out a Pit
Fighter. Note that some may only be used in certain styles
Kings characteristic’s they receive +30 extra characteristic
of combat (see 8.3). The starting characteristics for all the
points rather than +10 points as is normally the case.
types of Pit Fighter are summarised on the table below.
8.2 New Weapons
Pursuers: Pursuers are a style of Pit Fighter that
The following special rules apply to the nets and javelins
originated some time after the Pit Fighters that fight in the
used by some Pit Fighters.
classical style. They wear lighter equipment than the older
Fighter Starting Characteristics Table
Type
Weapon Skill Strength
Toughness
Initiative
Wounds
Bonus
Classic: Undead, Empire, Orc, Chaos
30
30
30
30
10
+10
Pursuer: Skink, Witch Elf
30
30
30
30
10
+10
Troll Slayer
30
30
40
20
10
+10
Ogres
30
50
40
10
30
+10
Pit King
30
30
30
30
10
+30
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The Witch Elf and Skink Warriors fight it out in front of the roaring crowd.
Javelins: A javelin can be used to attack opponents in an
Slayers may be used. The combat is fought one against all
adjacent hex, or in a hex two hexes away. The Pit Fighter’s
until over half the Pit Fighters taking part have been taken
chart will show which hexes can be attacked. Javelins are
down.
not the most powerful of weapons, and so the Pit Fighter
using them can never count as having a Strength that is
Free Style: Any type of Pit Fighter other than Pit Kings or
higher than their opponent’s Toughness. If their Strength
Ogres may be used. The combat is fought one against all
is higher, it counts as being equal to the opponent’s
until over half the Pit Fighters taking part have been taken
Toughness instead. In addition a Pit Fighter armed with a
down.
javelin may only take the Mighty Blow bonus against
opponents in an adjacent hex.
Sigmar Style: A Sigmar style combat pits one Pit Fighter
against three opponents. In its original form the single
Net: Like a javelin, a net may be used to attack an
fighter would always be a Pit Fighter attempting to
opponent that is up to two hexes away. However, it may
emulate Sigmar and earn the title of Pit King, but more
not be used against opponents that are in an adjacent hex.
recently an Ogre can also be used. The combat is fought
If the net hits then it ensnares the opponent instead of
until only one side has no one standing.
inflicting damage. An ensnared opponent has their WS
halved and may not move or attack until they have freed
Alliance Style: An alliance is fought between two or more
themselves. To get free an ensnared Pit Fighter must take
equal sized teams of Pit Fighters. Any style of Pit Fighters
an Observe action and then roll a D10. They escape on a
may be used, with the proviso that all teams must have
roll of 10 on the first attempt, 9-10 on the second attempt,
equal numbers of Ogres and/or Pit Kings. The combat is
and so on.
Note that a Pit Fighter who ensnares an
fought one team against all until only one team has any
opponent loses their net for the rest of the battle.
member’s standing.
8.3 New Styles Of Combat
In addition to the styles described above there are literally
Players may agree to fight using the following new styles
hundreds of other styles of combat that are particular to
of combat. If it is impossible for the players to agree which
certain provinces or cities or the Empire, or certain
style of combat to use then it must be fought in the Free
arenas. For example, the Black Pits on the outskirts of
style.
Mordheim often feature combats against hideously
mutated creatures, while the huge arenas of Altdorf hold
Classic Style: Only classical style Pit Fighters or Troll
enormous combats between dozens of Pit Fighters that
Slayers may be used. The combat is fought one against all
are based on famous battles fought by the Empire. Players
until over half the Pit Fighters taking part have been taken
should feel free, therefore, to devise their own new styles
down.
of combat. Just remember that if you can’t agree on a style
to use, then you must fight using the Free style.
Pursuit Style: Only pursuer style Pit Fighters or Troll
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8.4 Campaigns
kneecap (miss one fight) and a broken arm (miss two
Most Pit Fighters are slaves that belong to a pit fighting
fights). The Pit Fighter must miss two fights, as this was
‘school’. In a campaign each player takes on the part of
the worst injury they suffered.
the owner of such a school, working their Pit Fighters in
the arenas of the Old World.
8.42 Campaign Training
Any Pit Fighter that survives a campaign combat receives a
At the start of a campaign each player must create a stable
+1 bonus to the characteristic of their owner’s choice. In
of five Pit Fighters: two of the Classic style, two Pursuit
addition, Pit Fighters that have taken down at least five
style, plus one Ogre. A Troll Slayer may be substituted for
opposing Pit Fighters are allowed to learn a skill from the
any one of the Classic or Pursuit style Pit Fighters. Work
list of skills below. Once a Pit Fighter receives a skill they
out the starting characteristics for each Pit Fighter as you
must take down another five opponents before taking
would normally.
another skill. No skill may be taken more than once and
all bonuses are cumulative. (Players that prefer to have Pit
When you fight a combat as part of a campaign you must
Fighters progress more quickly can say that they learn a
pick the Pit Fighter that takes part from the Pit Fighters in
skill after taking down three opponents).
your stable. All of the normal restrictions apply. Note that
you can only use the Ogre (or Pit King if you have one) if
To generate a new skill, roll 2D6 one after the other,
the combat style chosen allows them to be used. Normally,
counting the first roll as tens and the second as units. This
players will only be allowed to pick one Pit Fighter from
will generate a number between 11 and 66 and is known
their stable. However, experienced players may choose to
as a D66 roll. For example, if the first dice rolled a 4 and
control two or more Pit Fighters as a single team in an
the second a 5 then the score would be 45. If you roll a
Alliance or Sigmar style combat.
skill you already have or may not use, then roll again.
8.41 Campaign Injuries
8.43 Becoming a Pit King
Pit Fighters that are slain by critical damage results are
The ultimate aim of every Pit Fighter is to become a Pit
replaced with a new Pit Fighter of the same type. Any Pit
King. To do this they must fight in the Sigmar style and
Fighter that was taken down during a combat is assumed
win. A Pit Fighter that does this may wear the crown of a
to recover fully unless they suffer a critical damage result
Pit King, and the player that controls them wins the
that either kills or permanently injures them. However,
campaign!
they must miss the next combat their stable takes part in
Author
You all know who Jervis is, but here is
while they recover. Some critical damage results also force
a picture of him anyway.
Pit Fighters to miss fights. In any case where several things
Further
The first part of the Pit Fighter rules
will force a Pit Fighter to miss a fight, then only the worst
Information
can be found in issue 1 and on the
Mordheim website.
penalty is used. For example, a Pit Fighter is taken out in
More Mordheim Page 52 for Painting Horses and page
a fight (miss one fight) and also suffers a damaged
68 for the Averlanders.
Website
www.Mordheim.com
The three warrior close in for the kill.
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Pit Fighter Skill Table
D66
Skill
D66
Skill
11-12 Adjust Facing: You may change your facing by
41-42 Fast Reactions: Your Initiative counts as being
one hex side left or right after all other Pit
5 points higher when resolving moves.
Fighters have taken their moves.
43-44 Haymaker: Roll an extra D20 when you make
13-14 Attack Master: You may choose to re-roll the
a Mighty Blow, rather than an extra D10 as
dice when you attack. If you do so you must
would normally be the case.
accept the result of the second roll.
45-46 Lightning Strike: Your Initiative counts as
15-16 Avoid Armour: The value of any armour is
being 5 points higher when resolving attacks.
halved (rounding up) against your attacks.
51-52 Quick Witted: Once per combat you may re-
21-22 Bruiser: All the Pit Fighter’s Damage rolls
roll any dice roll. If you do so you must accept
receive a +1 modifier. If the Pit Fighter makes
the result of the second roll.
a Mighty Blow add +1 to each dice roll.
53-54 Shield Bash: A model with a shield may
23-24 Counter: You may only use this skill against an
choose to make a shield bash instead of a
opponent with a lower Initiative and as long as
normal attack. Both roll D20+S, if you roll
you don’t interrupt their attack. If both these
higher the defender will be driven back one
restrictions apply then your Weapon Skill
hex directly away from you. If the hex is
counts as being 5 points higher on both attack
blocked then the defender will be knocked to
and defence.
the ground (half WS and must take Observe
action to stand up).
25-26 Defence Master: You may choose to re-roll the
dice when you defend. If you do so you must
55-56 Shoulder Charge: You may re-roll the D20
accept the result of the second roll.
when you make a push off or shield bash if you
don’t like the first roll. If you do so you must
31-32 Dirty Fighter: You may choose to add +5 to
accept the result of the second roll.
your Weapon Skill when you attack or defend.
However, after you have used the bonus
61-62 Signature Attack: Once per combat you may
against an opponent they will be wise to your
carry out your very own special attack
sneaky tricks and the bonus does not apply to
combination. This adds +10 to your Weapon
them again for the rest of the combat.
Skill.
33-34 Disarm: You may try to disarm an opponent
63-64 Throwing Knife: You may make a special
instead of making a normal attack. Both Pit
throwing knife attack once per combat instead
Fighter’s roll D20+WS. You, the Pit Fighter
of making a normal attack. The attack may be
with this skill, must score higher to disarm the
made against any Pit Fighter within 4 hexes of
opponent.
A Pit Fighter that has been
your gladiator (including behind you). Both
disarmed halves their Weapon Skill, until they
roll D20+WS and the attack hits the location of
manage to retrieve their weapon by taking an
your choice causing D6 points of damage if you
Observe action.
roll higher.
35-36 Extra Attack: Make an extra attack. The first
65-66 Vital Strike: You may use this skill once per
attack takes place at the Pit Fighter’s full
combat to add +10 to a Damage roll.
Initiative and Weapon Skill, the second at half
his Initiative and Weapon Skill. The attacks may
be made against the same or different
opponents.
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orkshop 2004.
ames W
G
©
.
photocopy
granted to
ission
r
m
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orkshop 2004.
ames W
G
©
.
photocopy
granted to
ission
r
m
e
P

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