Fantasy Triumph battle cards

Armies with this battle card may deploy troops outside the standard deployment area.

Cost

• 2 points if the army may use this ability in any topography, or for armies with a Dense home topography.
• 1 point if the army may only use this ability in their home topography.

Modeling

No changes are required.

Game Play

24.1 An army with the Ambush battle card can place one or more stands in ambush during deployment as follows:

• a. Roll 1d6; the result is the maximum number of stands that may be placed in an Ambush in that battle. The roll is made when the player deploys their center deployment troops.

24.2 Stands placed in Ambush must fulfill the following conditions:

• a. The stand must be placed at least partially in difficult terrain.
• b. The stand must be placed at least 8 MU from the opposing army’s base edge.
• c. A stand placed more than 8 MU from the friendly base edge must be either open order foot, or have Terrain Affinity for the difficult terrain involved.
• d. The stand must be placed more than 2 MU from any enemy stand.
• e. No more than two stands may be placed outside their normal deployment area in any single terrain box (terrain boxes as described in Triumph! 17.2).

24.3 The ambush stands are deployed at the same time as Skirmishers or Heroes (Triumph! 27.2.c). The army must still satisfy the other deployment rules, including the center deployment rules.

Fantasy Background

This battle card is designed to provide more flavor for armies who are skilled in attacking from favorable terrain and getting an advantage from its use. This might be appropriate for ratmen (who are sneaky), desert nomads, or sylvan elves.

This battle card is appropriate for representing a part of the army that could be arriving late for the battle and whose arrival is not controlled or predictable.

Selecting this Battle Card

A maximum of one hero, and a maximum of four stands of troops, may be marked as Delayed Entry.

Cost

-2 points per stand or hero. The reduction in cost can be no more than the value of the stands and heroes that are delayed. So if a 1-pt Hero has Delayed Entry, the army saves 1 pt, not 2.

Design Note: the savings for Delayed Entry stands or hero are army battle card cost reductions, not stand cost reductions. The stands with Delayed Entry act as casualties as their normal cost (without any reduction for Delayed Entry) when killed, or when Away, or when they haven’t entered the battle yet as described in FT 32.3.

Game Play

32.1 Stands and heroes that are marked with Delayed Entry do not enter the game until their side pays 5 command points in a single turn to bring them on. None of the benefits or penalties of FT 4 apply to this cost. The command point available with Subcommander does not apply to this cost.

• a. Any number of Delayed Entry troops may be brought in as a single group. If a hero enters in this way, it must be attached to one of the arriving stands.
• b. Any stands or heroes not brought in with that group may be brought on later in the game by another expenditure of 5 command points.
• c. If a hero is brought on alone, it arrives Away (FT 16.1).

32.2 Placement of a group of Delayed Entry troops follows the same placement rules as a Flank March (Triumph! 40.8) in all respects, except that it will probably not be on the first turn.

• a. Delayed Entry troops are only subject to Triumph! 40.8.f if they are placed on the map on the friendly turn immediately after the enemy flank march is placed.
• b. If the whole group of Delayed Entry troops have the Away battle card they may be placed on the map as if they moved from Away (see FT 7.6).

32.3 All stands and heroes with Delayed Entry count as a casualty until they enter the battle, but at ½ normal value.

32.4 Generals cannot be marked with Delayed Entry.

Fantasy Background

Demons or elementals summoned from another plane, late-arriving giant eagles, or skeleton warriors sprouting from sown dragon’s teeth. When applied to stands with the Unreliable battle card, and possibly Deadly as well, this can be an effective way to represent powerful and unpredictable allies like a dragon, or the Chaos Lords in the fiction of Michael Moorcock. A powerful demon summoned by a wizard might be a good example of a hero marked with Delayed Entry. Other examples from fiction include various Greek gods who intervened during the Trojan War according to Homer.

Armies with this battle card have a camp that is harder to capture because of better defenses.

Selecting this Battle Card

This card cannot be combined with Pack Train and Herds. An army may have both battle cards, but in any given battle may only use one. An army can only purchase the Fortified Camp battle card once.

Cost

• 1 point for a fortified camp.
• 2 points for a heavily fortified camp.

Game Play

36.1 Fortified Camps (at the 1-point level) receive a +2 tactical factor in close combat. All other camp rules (Triumph! 72 and 2.2) still apply; the +2 tactical factor adds to the defense of the camp calculated normally.

36.2 Heavily Fortified Camps (at the 2-point level) receive a +4 tactical factor in close combat, in addition to the base value of +2 (Triumph! 72.1). All other camp rules still apply except as follows:

• a. Heavily Fortified Camps may not be garrisoned (Triumph! 72.2 may not be used).
• b. A Heavily Fortified Camp that has been sacked counts as 17 points of lost troops towards victory. This replaces Triumph! 2.2.

Fantasy Background

Examples of camps with enhanced defenses against attack are common in fiction. They could be illusions, walls of thorns, forcefields, magical barriers, protective djinn, or ditches and palisades. One example is the magical barrier that defended Hogwarts School of Wizardry when attacked by the Death Eaters.

This battle card represents a case where a stand on the map is not what it seems to be. There are two possibilities: either a stand is a mirage (it does not actually exist); or a stand is disguised (it exists, but its true form is hidden under an illusion).

When the enemy gets close enough to the illusion it is revealed. At that point fake troops are removed from the map (they do not count as casualties, they never existed at all), and disguised troops have their apparent (disguise) form replaced with their actual form.

Selecting this Battle Card

An army may not select more than six Illusion battle cards. A single illusion creates the appearance of one stand only. Illusion cannot be applied to heroes or generals.

Cost

1 point per card. Each card represents one stand that is disguised.

Modeling

Illusion stands should appear in every way as a normal stand. Illusion stands should be marked in some way not visible to the opposing player.

Game Play

39.1 Illusions can be of any stand type represented in the army.

39.2 Illusions that disguise real stands (hide their real type under an illusion of some other type) have some limitations:

• a. Illusion may not be used to disguise Flying stands as non-flying, or vice versa.
• b. Illusion may not be used to disguise Unruly stands.

39.3 Illusions modify how deployment works as follows:

• a. Illusion choices must be decided before deployment begins.
• b. Illusion stands are placed during deployment as their apparent (illusory) stand type. The deployment rules treat illusory stands as real stands in every respect. This can allow a violation of the deployment rules (see FT 3.7), and allow illusory stands to deploy in Ambush (FT 24) regardless of their actual stand type.
• c. Armies with Illusion stands may appear to be larger, or smaller, than 51 points. The apparent size of the army is used to calculate how many points must deploy as Battleline (FT 3.1).

39.4 Illusion used to disguise actual stands (of some other type) are moved as their illusory stand type, but are still subject to command point and movement rules of their actual type. So disguising Elite Cavalry as Skirmishers does not give them the ability to move as a group through difficult terrain, Artillery disguised as Horde cannot enter difficult terrain, and Elite Foot disguised as Light Foot cannot move more than 3 MU.

39.5 Choices of illusion may be changed from one battle to another within a single tournament or campaign, even if the underlying army list is restricted to remain the same.

39.6 Illusion stands are revealed as follows:

• a. A player may reveal the Illusion at any time in their movement phase. This action is not considered a tactical move and does not cost any command points.
• b. An Illusion is revealed at the end of any tactical movement phase if it is within 2 MU of an enemy stand.
• c. An Illusion is revealed if it is forced to attack.
• d. An Illusion is revealed if the Illusion stand is attacked. The attack is considered to have happened; the attacker has shot and may not choose another target.

39.7 Revealed Illusion stands are replaced or removed as follows:

• a. When an Illusion of a fake (non-existent) stand is revealed, remove it from the board. Removed Illusion stands have no impact upon victory or defeat (they do not count as defeated stands of the army). If a hero is attached to the removed stand, it is placed Away as normal for a hero on a stand that is destroyed.
• b. If an Illusion of a disguised stand is revealed, exchange it with the real stand it disguised. Place the real stand such that its front edge is in the same location and orientation as the front edge of the replaced illusory stand. If the replaced stand was part of a column or group, the exchange does not modify the position of any other stands in the column or group. If there is not sufficient room for the stand to be replaced, the actual stand is destroyed.

Fantasy Background

Historical examples of disguised troops are not common, but they were used by the Romans, Greeks, Saxons, Chinese, and many others. Historical Saxon warband were once given haircuts and an exchange of clothing to make them appear as Breton levy. Horse nomads sometimes drove horses to stir up dust and simulate the movement of mounted troops from afar; this would be a simple case of Illusion. Beware a Horde in the army of an illusionist, as it may be a giant in disguise.

This Army Battle card represents systems to increase the pre-combat mobility of some infantry stands. The transport system used could be mules, horses, carts, ground-effect hoverboards, pegasi, or whatever. The mobility system is temporary; when the infantry start fighting they abandon it and fight and move normally from then on. This mobility does not modify how they fight, although they are slightly more vulnerable until they discard their transport.

Selecting this Battle Card

This card may be selected a maximum of 8 times. Each card supplies transport for one stand. Heroes cannot use this battle card.

The choice of what stands have the transport available is made when the army is created and may not be changed from one battle to another.

Only the following troop types can use the transportation supplied by the Mobile Infantry battle card:

• Any close-order infantry except War Wagon.
• Any open-order infantry.

Cost

• ½ point per ground transport.
• 1 point per flying transport.

Modeling

A Mobile Infantry stand representing the infantry and its transports must be mounted using a square base (i.e., one which has the same depth as its width).

Game Play

45.1 Any stand which has transports may be deployed as its normal troop type or as a Mobile Infantry stand equipped with its transports.

• a. The choice is made when the stand is deployed.

45.2 Mobile Infantry move as open order stands, regardless of their normal troop type.

• a. Mobile Infantry on ground transports have a movement rate of 6 MU in the open, and 3 MU if any part of their move is in or through difficult terrain.
• b. Mobile Infantry on flying transports have a movement rate of 12 MU, reduced to 3 MU if they begin or end their move in high terrain. They may pass over high terrain as described in FT 9.2.
• c. Mobile Infantry on flying transports may travel to and from Away.
• d. Mobile Infantry may not move within 4 MU of any enemy stand or camp.

45.3 Mobile Infantry may choose to discard their transports at the end of a move. Replace the Mobile Infantry stand with its normal stand so that its front edge is placed in the same position as the stand it replaced.

• a. A Mobile Infantry stand that starts within 4 MU of an enemy stand may make a tactical move to discard its transports without moving. The base cost of this move is 0 command points; the cost may increase as described in FT 4.
• b. If the Mobile Infantry stand is part of a column or group, this exchange does not modify the position of any other stands in the column or group. This may leave a gap.
• c. Once transports are discarded a Mobile Infantry stand is no longer treated as Mobile Infantry for the rest of the game.
• d. Transports may not be recovered during a battle.

45.4 Mobile Infantry stands still on their transports may not use Ranged Combat, regardless of their stand type.

• a. A stand that discarded its transports in the movement phase may use Ranged Combat normally.

45.5 Mobile Infantry may be attacked with Ranged Combat.

45.6 Mobile Infantry stands fight as their normal stand type with a -1 tactical factor in close combat or defending against ranged combat.

• a. A Mobile Infantry stand with flying transport defending against ranged combat is also subject to the penalty described in FT 10.3 for flying stands.
• b. A Mobile Infantry stand beaten in combat discards its transports before completing any required outcome moves. Design Note: since flying transports are discarded before the outcome move, FT 10.4 and 10.5 do not apply (the stand does not escape to Away).
• c. A Mobile Infantry stand that draws or wins in close combat immediately discards its transports.

Fantasy Background

The Glorious Punjabi Unicycle Grenadiers are widely known for their unique method of maneuvering in the early phases of the battle, but they fight on foot. Their army has Mobile Infantry transports for them to expedite their entrance into honorable warfare.

Armies with this battle card do not have a camp on the game board.

Cost

4 points.

Game Play

47.1 The army does not have a camp. All other standard rules apply.

Fantasy Background

An invading army of trans-dimensional aliens might not have any locus of power on the human plane of existence that could be attacked; such an army could purchase the No Camp battle card to represent this situation.

Armies with this battle card have a camp that may be placed anywhere along the player’s base edge.

Selecting this Battle Card

This card cannot be combined with Fortified Camp. An army may have both battle cards, but in any given battle may only use one.

Cost

1 point.

Game Play

48.1 A player’s camp may be placed at any location along the player’s base edge, ignoring Triumph! 28.3.c.

48.2 The camp is placed at the same time the player’s last troops are deployed (not counting those reserved for a flank march), ignoring Triumph! 28.2.a and b.

48.3 The camp may not be garrisoned. The camp may not move during the game.

Fantasy Background

Nomads might have a herd of remounts as a necessary part of their army logistics. These herds, being disperse, are difficult to defend against attack (and therefore cannot be garrisoned). On the other hand, herds are easier to relocate from one day to the next than a normal camp, and so can be placed with more flexibility.

Armies with this battle card may place obstacles in the form of additional difficult terrain.

Cost

• ½ point for each battle card for armies with normal topography.
• 1 point for each battle card for armies with Dense Topography as their home terrain.

Maximum of 6 such battle cards per army either way.

Modeling

Each obstacle should be modeled as a ditch, linear obstacle of archer’s spikes, or whatever is appropriate for the army. A separate underlaying piece of felt or tape or other flat material can be useful when stands are in close combat on the obstacle.

Game Play

49.1 During deployment, the player may place one obstacle per Prepared Defenses battle card.

• a. Each obstacle consists of a rectangular terrain piece, 1 MU deep and 2 MU wide.
• b. Obstacles must be placed when center deployment troops are placed.
• c. Obstacles must be placed in open terrain in the center third of the game board and within 12 MU of the player’s base edge.
• d. Once placed, an obstacle may not be moved.
• e. An obstacle may be placed touching another obstacle. If there is a gap between obstacles, that gap must be at least 4 MU wide.

49.2 Each Prepared Defense obstacle is treated as an area of difficult terrain. It does not block line of sight for command (Triumph! 31.1) or for ranged combat (Triumph! 61.2).

49.3 If the army has stands with the Terrain Affinity battle card the player may count the Prepared Defenses as being one of the relevant terrain types his stands have affinity in.

• a. The choice is made during army build and may not be switched from one battle to the next.
• b. Regardless of the choice, Prepared Defenses do not create hill advantage and do not block line of sight for command control or the clear path for ranged combat.

Fantasy Background

Human armies might use walls of sharpened stakes or ditches to aid their static defense; overnight a druid might raise thorny hedgerows.

This battle card can be played to allow eligible open order stands to pass through friendly close order foot stands.

Selecting this Battle Card

Only one class of troops per army may have the Charge Through battle card purchased for them, regardless of how many cards are purchased.

Cost

1 point for one battle card; up to a maximum of three cards.

Game Play

29.1 Playing a Charge Through battle card allows one or more stands making a tactical move to pass through friendly close order foot stands as if they were open order foot. The moving stands may be making a single stand move, a group move, or a column move. All other standard rules for passing through friendly stands apply.

29.2 Playing a Charge Through battle card only applies to one tactical move and its effect ends when that tactical move is over.

29.3 The battle card is expended when used and may not be used again in that battle.

Fantasy Background

This battle card represents a tactic used by a few Medieval armies in history, including Byzantium and the Crusaders.

This battle card can be played to prevent eligible stands from pursuing the enemy after close combat.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card may not be purchased for a stand that is a Knight, Warband, Warrior, Behemoth, or has Fierce.

Cost

½ point for each card; up to a maximum of 3.

Battle cards purchased apply to only one class of the army and cannot be used on any other classes. This battle card must be purchased separately for each class involved.

Game Play

38.1 A Hold the Line battle card may be played to nullify a pursuit outcome move.

• a. The battle card must be played immediately after the combat result has been determined and before any other actions take place.
• b. Instead of pursuing, the stand remains in place.

38.2 This battle card is specific to stands of the class for which it was purchased. It may not be played on an enemy stand or any other class of friendly stand.

• a. Battle cards purchased for different classes of the same army must be differentiated clearly, so both players will be aware which classes can be affected by a given card.

38.3 The battle card is expended when used and may not be used again in that battle.

Fantasy Background

This battle card represents the behavior of unusually disciplined troops. Armies who might have this battle card include those with exceptional training, morale, command control, and unit cohesion.

This battle card represents stands who are either easily defeated or who are independent and selfish. This last category can include some powerful entities, in which case their defeat in this battle does not necessarily imply that the entity is seriously injured or killed — just that it was unwilling to risk further fighting.

Cost

• Artillery stands: +0 points (no cost benefit).
• Bow Levy, Archers, or stands with the Mindblast or Spellblast battle cards: -1 point per stand.
• All other stand types: -2 points per stand (cost reduced by 2 points).

Game Play

27.1 Stands that have this attribute are Shattered if beaten in close combat.

Fantasy Background

Many selfish and powerful entities are not interested in fighting to the death for others and will leave the battle at the first sign of adversity. Underpaid mercenaries are one such example. According to Homer, Greek deities during the siege of Troy could be represented with this battle card (possibly also including a Deadly battle card).

This battle card reflects troop types that are much less useful in a battle situation because of natural pacific tendencies or resistance to bloodshed.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card may not be purchased for a stand that has the Fierce battle card, or for Knights, Warband, Warriors, or Behemoths. This battle card cannot be purchased for Artillery or War Wagon stands.

Cost

• Pavise, Shooter, or stands with the Ranged Attack battle card: -½ point per stand (cost reduced by ½ point).
• All other stand types: -1 point per stand.

Game Play

30.1 Stands with Craven have the following changes to their behavior:

• a. They cannot enter enemy ZOC.
• b. They cannot move into contact with enemy stands.
• c. Flying stands with Craven treat all enemy stands as dangerous.
• d. If they begin in enemy ZOC, their only legal moves end with them completely outside all enemy ZOC. If they cannot move so as to escape all enemy ZOC, they cannot move at all.
• e. If they double an enemy stand in close combat, they do not pursue. This modifies Triumph! 78.2.

Fantasy Background

This battle card might be appropriate for a variety of troops that will fight to defend themselves in extremis but are naturally inclined to cowardice. For example, ratlings from underground, or peaceful dryads. A fantasy army based upon the Achaemenid Persians might well rate the stand containing Darius as being Craven (based upon his reported behavior when facing Alexander). This battle card also allows an effective simulation of powerful defensive stands that can only fight when attacked: shield generators, rune stones, and the like.

This battle card represents troops who are more aggressive in melee combat than normal troops of their stand type.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card may not be purchased for stands with Craven, or for Artillery or War Wagon stands.

Cost

-½ point per hero or stand. No reduction in cost for Knights, Behemoths, Warriors, Warband, or Pike.

Game Play

34.1 Stands with Fierce have the following changes to their behavior:

• a. They must follow up if victorious after close combat.
• b. They may not break off from close combat (Triumph! 44, 45, 46, 47).

Fantasy Background

Wargs or giant wolves can be represented in Fantasy Triumph as a class of Javelin Cavalry with the battle cards Slow and Fierce. Slaad Spawn, minor demons from the planes of Chaos, can be represented as Heavy Foot with Fierce.

This battle card reflects stands that can fly. This battle card cannot be combined with the battle cards Fast or Slow.

Selecting this Battle Card

Only the following troop types may have Flying:

• Any open-order troops (foot or mounted).
• Stand-off foot who are not capable of moving into close combat and normally incapable of entering difficult terrain: War Wagon and Artillery.

Cost

• +1 point per stand for Hover Flying (no change to the movement rate of the stand).
• +2 points per stand for Zoom Flying (increased movement rate, shown below).

Zoom Flying speed by base speed of the troop type, and the move ending in high terrain (FT 9.1.a):

• Base speed 8 MU: Zoom Flying 12 MU; ending in high terrain 3 MU.
• Base speed 6 MU: Zoom Flying 10 MU; ending in high terrain 3 MU.
• Base speed 5 MU: Zoom Flying 8 MU; ending in high terrain 3 MU.
• Base speed 4 MU: Zoom Flying 6 MU; ending in high terrain 3 MU.
• Base speed 3 MU: Zoom Flying 5 MU; ending in high terrain 3 MU (see the note below).
• Base speed 2 MU: Zoom Flying 4 MU; ending in high terrain 3 MU (see the note below).

Note: as described in FT 9.2.b, stand-off foot with Flying still may not end a move in woods, village, oasis, or wooded hills. They may cross over such terrain so long as they do not end in it.

Game Play

See FT 8, 9, 10, 11 for rules for stands with Flying.

Fantasy Background

Giant eagles could be represented as Javelin Cavalry with Zoom Flying. Flying monkeys armed with spears and javelins represented as Rabble with Hover Flying, or alien saucers with heat rays represented as War Wagons with Zoom Flying.

This battle card reflects troop types that are unusually large, like giants and dragons, and therefore interact differently with friendly and enemy troops during outcome moves.

Cost

• +1 point per stand for most troop types.
• +0 points if War Wagons, Behemoths, or Artillery.

Modeling

A Massive stand must be modeled using a square base (i.e., one which has the same depth as its width).

Game Play

43.1 Troop stands that are Massive have the following effects:

• a. They count as Close Order for pass through.
• b. They cannot be pushed back. Any non-Massive friendly troops that are pushed back into them and would normally push them back are destroyed instead.
• c. If they suffer a negative result in combat their fall back is not blocked by any friends or enemies that are not also Massive. Massive stands that are forced to fall back pass through a friendly stand of Skirmishers if able (Triumph! 81.1.c); any other non-Massive stands met of either side are destroyed. If they meet a friendly Massive stand, both stands are destroyed. If they meet an enemy Massive stand, compute the results of the fall-back as normal (Triumph! 80).
• d. If they would be destroyed by an enemy or friendly stand that falls back into them, they ignore that result unless the stand is also Massive.

Fantasy Background

A class of giants 15 or 20 feet tall might be represented in Triumph as Warrior with the Massive and Deadly battle cards. Massive is often appropriate to combine with Deadly or Armored to represent enormous monsters of various types.

This rule is for troops that can return to battle after being destroyed.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card cannot be applied to heroes. If the army general’s stand has this battle card and is killed, it regenerates as a normal (non-general) stand, and the general is still lost.

Cost

+1 point per stand in the class.

Game Play

52.1 A lost stand with Regenerate may return to the battle by paying command points as shown by the following table. Note that the cost of this battle card is included in the stand cost below – so a Rabble stand with Regenerate would be a 3pt stand.

Command points to regenerate, by stand cost:

• 1–2 points: 0 command points.
• 2.5–3.5 points: 1 command point.
• 4–5.5 points: 2 command points.
• 6 or more points: 3 command points.

• a. Returning a unit to battle means it no longer counts as lost (it is no longer a destroyed unit).
• b. Placement of a group of Regenerating troops follows the placement rules for a Flank March (Triumph! 40.8 through 40.10 only).
• c. Troops that Regenerate and have the Away or Flying battle card return to Away when they regenerate instead of being placed as a Flank March.

Fantasy Background

Teeming masses of Undead are the typical example of this battle card. This battle card represents an army where some of its troops are not killable in some sense. Either the army has vast numbers (not all of which are on the battlefield at once), or that can be continuously summoned (skeletons from underground), or that cannot be killed (elemental spirits).

This battle card reflects troop types that are significantly slower than their normal Triumph counterpart.

Selecting this Battle Card

Stands cannot take both Slow and Fast.

Cost

-½ point.

Game Play

53.1 Troop types with this battle card who normally move 8 MU only move 6 MU instead. All other speeds of troops lose 1 MU (-1 MU) from their movement rate.

Slow movement rates, by base speed of the troop type:

• 8 MU: 6 MU.
• 6 MU: 5 MU.
• 5 MU: 4 MU.
• 4 MU: 3 MU.
• 3 MU: 2 MU.
• 2 MU: 1 MU.

Fantasy Background

A class of human-sized earth elementals or golems in Fantasy Triumph might be Elite Foot with the Slow battle card.

The Spiked Carts battle card represents infantry equipped with portable barriers that allow them to fight more effectively against mounted enemies. These are typically wheeled carts or wagons that can be moved by the infantry themselves without the aid of draft animals. Heavier vehicles that require draft animals should be represented by taking War Wagon stands instead.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card may only be selected for stands of Heavy Foot. Stands that have the Spiked Carts battle card may not have Flight or Mobile Infantry. Heroes may not select this battle card.

Cost

+1 point per stand.

Modeling

A Spiked Carts equipped stand must be modeled using a square base (i.e., one which has the same depth as its width).

Game Play

55.1 A Spiked Carts stand has a tactical move distance of 2 MU in all terrain.

55.2 A Spiked Carts stand counts as Armored (does not have to pay for that battle card).

55.3 In close combat a Spiked Carts stand:

• a. Receives a +2 tactical factor against any mounted troop type, unless the stand is fighting to its flank or rear.
• b. Is Shattered (destroyed if beaten) in close combat by Behemoths.

Fantasy Background

Spiked Carts occur in a variety of historical contexts in the ancient and Medieval periods in a wide variety of cultures — India, Afghanistan, China, Rome, and the Italian City-states are only a few. Fantasy armies based upon those cultures might well use Spiked Carts. A fantasy culture based on infantry that fought cavalry enemies might develop similar tools.

This battle card represents normal melee stands reinforced by limited shooting ability, where a thin line of supporting missile troops are used to break up enemy frontal charges of mounted or hard-charging infantry to make them easier to repulse. The missile support is not enough to be represented as Ranged Attack, but is sufficient to help disorder enemy fierce charges or attacks by mounted troops.

Selecting this Battle Card

Heroes may not take this battle card. Only the following troop types can have Supporting Shooters:

• Any close-order foot except Artillery, Pavisiers, Horde, and War Wagon.
• Light Foot, Raiders, Light Spear.

This battle card cannot be combined with Ranged Attack.

Cost

+1 point.

Modeling

Stands with Supporting Shooters should be modeled as a regular stand of its type with one or two shooter figures added.

Game Play

57.1 Stands with Supporting Shooters receive a +1 tactical factor in close combat to its front against the following stand types:

• a. Warband or Warriors.
• b. Any enemy with Fierce.
• c. Any enemy with Flying.
• d. Any mounted troop types.

57.2 Stands with Supporting Shooters are considered dangerous to enemy flying troops. See FT 11.

Fantasy Background

Elves fighting in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men could be depicted as Elite Foot with supporting shooters. Other possible representations could be as Pavise, who also fight and shoot; or as Elite Foot with Ranged Attack.

Stands with this attribute are native to a particular category of terrain and can move and fight in it more easily than most, essentially treating it as clear terrain. Stands with this battle card choose two terrain types from their home topography for which they have affinity. Some examples are:

• Woodland Creatures. Chosen terrain: Woods and Wooded Hills.
• Desert Creatures. Chosen terrain: Dunes and Oasis.
• Swamp Creatures. Chosen terrain: Marsh and Stream.
• Jungle Creatures. Chosen terrain: Woods and Marsh.
• Mountain Creatures. Chosen terrain: Rough and Steep Hills.

Other thematic types can be described using the above categories. For example, an army from the Arctic could use Mountain Creatures with Rough being icefields and Steep Hills being glaciers.

Selecting this Battle Card

The following stand types may select this battle card:

• Open-order mounted types.
• Open-order foot types.
• Behemoths.

Stands with Flying may not purchase this battle card. Stands who already have Terrain Affinity may not purchase this battle card a second time. Heroes may not purchase this battle card.

Cost

• +1 point for Terrain Affinity for stands in armies from any Dense Topography.
• +½ point otherwise.

Game Play

58.1 Stands with this battle card choose two terrain types present in their home topography. Stands with this ability treat their chosen “affinity” terrain types as clear terrain (if flat), or gentle hills (for any hilly terrain) for all game purposes except line of sight or tracing clear path for ranged combat.

• a. No penalties are applied to such stands for close combat in their affinity terrain (Triumph! 70 does not apply).
• b. Movement by such stands through their affinity terrain counts as if through clear terrain (Triumph! 32).
• c. Mounted in their affinity terrain ignore Triumph! 76.5.
• d. Knights and Chariots with Terrain Affinity shatter enemy stands who are in the affinity terrain of the Knight or Chariot (Triumph! 76.2) as if the enemy was in open terrain. (This only applies if the enemy stand is in no other difficult terrain.)
• e. Skirmishers in their affinity terrain still treat it as difficult terrain for purposes of the Evade combat results exception (Triumph! 76.3).
• f. Rabble in their affinity terrain type still treat it as difficult terrain for purposes of the Panic combat results exception (Triumph! 76.4).

Design Note: If a stand is in two types of terrain, it suffers the penalties and modifiers of the worst of the two. In other words, being partially in Marsh for a giant crocodile does not prevent it from suffering the impact of Woods.

Fantasy Background

Woodland Creatures might include wargs, ents, huorns, and giant spiders. Desert creatures could be djinn, camel-mounted troops, giant scorpions, and cavalry mounted on scorpions. Swamp creatures might be lizardman cavalry, or cavalry mounted on giant frogs. Mountain creatures could include stone giants, cavalry mounted on mountain goats, and similar.

This battle card reflects stands that are untrustworthy and could abandon their allegiance to their side and its general.

Selecting this Battle Card

No more than four stands may have this battle card. Generals cannot be Unreliable.

Cost

• -2 points per stand for Knights, Behemoths, or stands with Fierce.
• -1 point otherwise.

These figures follow the Quick Reference (Appendix F) and the worked example in Appendix B. The card page in Fantasy Triumph 0.2 prints them the other way round.

Game Play

60.1 Every turn where the player rolls a 1 for command points, the most expensive stand (not in close combat) with the Unreliable battle card is immediately lost and removed from the battle.

• a. If there is a tie between two stands, the enemy player decides which is lost.
• b. Unreliable Troops who are Away are subject to loss in this way, even though not present on the map.
• c. Unreliable Troops who have Delayed Entry and have not entered the game yet are not subject to loss in this way until they enter the game.

Fantasy Background

This card could as easily have been named betrayal; examples abound in fiction of allies who betrayed their trust and abandoned their side at its time of need. Historical examples include the Stanleys at the battle of Bosworth Field, and various Anatolian Turkish tribes when Bayezit fought Timurleng at the battle of Ankara.

This battle card reflects troop types that are less willing to take commands from the army’s general.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card cannot be purchased for troop types that already have a +1 command point penalty (Warwagons, Artillery, Behemoths, or stands with the Unruly battle card).

Cost

-1 point per stand.

Game Play

61.1 Stands that have this attribute are difficult to command; it costs +1 command point to give them orders. See FT 4.1.a.

Fantasy Background

Examples of this effect in fantasy fiction are commonplace: undead hordes that are extremely literal-minded and must be monitored, or mindless golems constantly needing new orders. Any stands who are resistant to orders are also good candidates for this battle card, like demons that constantly fight against their magical bonds or rival magicians that grudgingly serve.

This battle card reflects troop types that are less effective than normal, without being bad enough to be classed as a different troop type.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card can only be purchased for the following troop types:

• All troop types with a base cost of 2 pts.
• All troop types with a base cost of 3 pts except Artillery, Skirmishers, Pike, and Heavy Foot.
• Elephants, Pavisier, and Spear.

Cost

-½ point per stand.

Game Play

62.1 If this stand loses in close combat, subtract 1 from the roll before computing results.

Fantasy Background

This represents troops that are unwillingly ensorcelled, or exhausted, or otherwise have reduced ability to fight effectively in the style that they would normally use.

This battle card can only be purchased for heroes. It represents heroes that are unusually good at personal combat with other heroes.

Cost

+1 point per hero.

Game Play

28.1 Heroes with Champion fight duels with other heroes using a modifier of their point cost + 3.

Fantasy Background

In fantasy fiction assassins are a serious threat. One example is the “shadow”, a magical assassin that kills Renly Baratheon in the middle of his camp in Game of Thrones. This battle card also represents warriors who are particularly effective in personal combat, even if they are not “assassins” as such.

This battle card represents a hero who can identify tactical opportunities without direct orders from the general.

Selecting this Battle Card

Only hero stands may select this battle card. This battle card may not be taken more than once in an army.

Cost

+2 points.

Game Play

56.1 Moves including this stand, as a group or single stand move, cost fewer command points. See FT 4.1.d.

Fantasy Background

Many armies have mid-rank leaders capable of aiding the army commander and implementing his plans; the best of those might be appropriate for representation with the Subcommander battle card.

This battle card allows representation of troops who have unusual resistance to ranged attacks.

Selecting this Battle Card

War wagons may not select this card. The card does not stack; benefits are applied a maximum of once per stand.

Cost

+½ point.

Game Play

25.1 Reduce enemy Missile Attacks by 1 when defending against ranged combat. This is identical to the tactical factor from Appendix C of Triumph! when shooting at a general’s stand or War Wagons.

• a. This card does not reduce Mindblast attacks.
• b. Ranged combat from Spellblast or Ranged Attack battle cards must choose whether they are physical or magical (FT 19.3 or 54.3); Armored reduces the attack of ranged combat from either of those sources if the attack is physical.

Fantasy Background

In the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, Morgoth unleashed dragons on the forces of the West. One unit of dwarves had unusually protective armor, including faceplates, and stood strong against their onslaught. Such troops could be represented by adding the Armored battle card to a class of Elite Foot. Other possibilities are robots, golems, or other magical beings without significant vulnerable spots.

This represents the ability of stands to remove themselves from the battle temporarily, by flying into the high clouds or digging underground, and then returning on a later turn in some other part of the battlefield to continue the fight. The method of movement could be wings, magic portals, jump jets, tunneling, teleportation, dimensional travel, or anything that takes the stand away from the battle.

Cost

• +½ point per stand.
• +1 point per hero (usable on any stand to which the hero is attached).

Game Play

26.1 Stands with Away may use the rules described in FT 7.

Fantasy Background

A class of inter-dimensional eldritch demons might have this battle card, as might chthonian entities who live underground in the magmasphere. A planar gate researcher from the Unseen University attached as a hero to a unit of undergraduate wand wizards (Shooters) might be able to give them the ability to travel to Away by generating gates for them to travel to other planes and then return.

This battle card allows representation of melee-focused troops who are extraordinarily effective in close combat.

Cost

+2 points.

Game Play

31.1 Stands with this battle card gain a +1 tactical factor in close combat. This modifier cannot be combined with another battle card of Deadly.

31.2 If a stand would gain the modifier for Deadly, it does not receive any modifier for Hearten or Prowess.

Fantasy Background

At the end of the Second Age, the forces of the West in the Last Alliance included some High Elven troops that were so fell in battle that their like would not be seen again after. Such stands could be represented by taking Elite Foot or Spear and giving them the Deadly battle card.

This battle card reflects troop types that are significantly faster than their normal Triumph counterpart.

Selecting this Battle Card

Stands who already move 8 MU, or who have the Flying battle card, cannot take this ability. Stands cannot take both Fast and Slow.

Cost

+½ point.

Game Play

33.1 Fast stands with a normal move of 6 MU get +2 MU to their movement rate; stands with a normal move of less than 6 MU get +1 MU to their movement rate.

Fantasy Background

Elven light archers (sylvan elves, for example) might be represented by applying the battle card Fast to a class of Shooters.

This represents any type of encouragement or morale boost. It is especially appropriate for heroes with leadership skills. This battle card also supports any sort of magical defenses, or beings that are more resilient than normal.

Cost

+1 point.

Game Play

37.1 If this stand loses in close combat, add +1 to the roll before computing results. This may mean the result ends up a draw.

37.2 If a stand has both Deadly and Hearten, only Deadly applies (see FT 31.2).

Fantasy Background

Gandalf’s impact during the battle of the Pelennor Field is a classic example of a hero assisting the morale of stands using the Hearten battle card.

This battle card allows representation of missile troops who are extraordinarily effective in ranged combat.

Selecting this Battle Card

This card may be selected for troop types with offensive ranged combat values: Shooter, Pavise, Artillery, War Wagon, or stands with the Ranged Attack battle card. Heroes may only select this battle card if they have the Ranged Attack battle card. A maximum of one hero, and a maximum of four stands of troops, may have Marksman.

Cost

+1 point.

Game Play

42.1 Stands that have the Marksman battle card get +1 in offensive ranged combat.

• a. This card has no impact on Spellblast or Mindblast.

42.2 If a hero has this battle card, the battle card only applies to attacks made with the Ranged Attack skill the hero also has. It does not apply to any other ranged combat attacks associated with the stand the hero is attached to.

Fantasy Background

High Elven archers could be represented by taking the battle card Marksman to distinguish them from English longbowmen, Samurai archers, or other effective (but normal) Shooter stands.

This battle card represents the ability to cast a long-range magical attack that does not involve the physical body (no poison, rain of knives, fireball etc.) but instead attacks the soul or mind of the victims, causing fear, death, paralysis, delusions, or insanity.

Cost

+4 points for Mindblast.

Modeling

If a player builds an army such that some stands of a class have Mindblast and others do not, the player must model the stands clearly to distinguish the stands that have Mindblast from those that don’t.

Game Play

44.1 Stands with this battle card (directly or via an attached hero) gain a ranged magical attack as follows:

• a. Mindblast may not be used by any stand in close combat. It may not be used against any stand in close combat.
• b. Attacking combat factor is +4.
• c. Defensive combat factor of the target is the base point value of the stand type. So an Elite Foot (4 points) defends at +4; a Rabble defends at +2.
• d. Armored, Deadly, Prowess, and Marksman battle cards do not modify this attack.
• e. The unit casting the Mindblast may only use this ability on its own turns (not on enemy turns).
• f. The unit casting the Mindblast may not have made a tactical move on the turn that it uses this ability. If a hero has this battle card, it may not use it on a turn it made a tactical move on its own, or if it is attached to a stand that made a tactical move this turn.
• g. Range is 8 MU.
• h. Line of sight for this attack is not blocked by terrain or by friendly or enemy stands.
• i. There is no benefit for attacking from behind or attacking Flying stands.
• j. Stands that are doubled by a Mindblast suffer a Panic combat result rather than being Destroyed, regardless of their type. Stands that are Brittle are Destroyed.

Fantasy Background

A mentalist might use this mechanism to attack enemy stands. Examples are a Shaman raising terrible spirits, a Necromancer sucking the souls from adversaries, or an Elder God causing insanity.

This battle card reflects troop classes who cannot be directly affected by magic attacks. There are three versions of this card. One is for protection against magic that only applies to the stand itself. The second is a broader anti-magic zone that can protect nearby stands. And the third is a special-purpose version used by beings who are not vulnerable to mental powers for some reason – because they don’t have a mind to be affected, usually.

Cost

• Negate Magic: Self: +1 point.
• Negate Magic: Zone: +2 points.
• Negate Magic: Mindless: +½ point.

Game Play

46.1 For all types of Negate Magic the affected stand is immune to Mindblast, Terror, and to some versions of Ranged Attack or Spellblast.

• a. Ranged combat from Spellblast or Ranged Attack battle cards must choose (when the army is built) whether they are physical or magical (FT 20.3 or 56.2); Negate Magic has no impact on physical attacks but will completely negate magical ones.

46.2 Negate Magic: Zone protects every friendly stand that is less than 2 MU distant.

46.3 Negate Magic: Mindless: the stand is immune to Mindblast and Terror only.

Fantasy Background

Paladins in various fantasy themes, including D&D, are commonly represented as having a significant anti-magic ability. In Glen Cook’s Black Company series, the character Rose has this power. Skeletons and golems are examples of mindless beings that may not be subject to fear or mental attacks. Note that this depends upon the interpretation and the genre – in the movie Army of Darkness the skeletons that made up the army had thoughts, fears, and ran away when losing.

This battle card represents various magical aids to combat ability or morale. Making the weapons of the unit magical or flaming or poisoned, making a unit elite, and so on.

Cost

+1 point.

Game Play

50.1 If this stand wins a combat, add +1 to the roll before computing results. Use the modified number instead of the first to determine whether an enemy stand’s combat result was doubled.

50.2 If a stand has both Deadly and Prowess, only Deadly applies (see FT 31.2).

Fantasy Background

The mighty Third Sons of Eglantine are armed with flaming swords. This is reflected in Fantasy Triumph by rating them as Elite Foot with Prowess.

This battle card allows troop types that are not normally capable of missile attacks to shoot in ranged combat.

Selecting this Battle Card

This battle card may be purchased for a class of any non-shooting troop type, so not for Pavise, Shooter, Warwagon, Artillery. This battle card may not be selected more than once for a given stand.

Cost

+1 point.

Game Play

51.1 A stand which has Ranged Attack may shoot in ranged combat:

• a. It uses a +2 combat factor when shooting.
• b. It may shoot during its own army’s turn if it did not make a tactical move that turn.
• c. It may shoot during the opposing army’s turn, whether it moved during its own turn or not.
• d. It uses the same forward arc of fire as for Shooters (Triumph! 60.1).
• e. It uses the normal target combat factor for its troop type when being shot at.
• f. Combat exceptions Shattered, Evade, and Panic (Triumph! 76.2, 76.3, 76.4) do not apply regardless of the type of the respective combat stands.

51.2 When a Ranged Attack battle card is purchased the army commander must choose whether it is a physical effect or a magical one.

• a. Physical effect attacks are affected by Armored. Negate Magic has no impact.
• b. Magical effect attacks are affected by Negate Magic. Armored has no impact.

51.3 Ranged Attack does not stack; if a stand has two such battle cards (one through a Hero and one for itself) it may only shoot once per turn.

All other standard ranged combat and close combat rules apply.

Fantasy Background

Green Martians on Barsoom could be represented as Skirmishers with Ranged Attack to reflect their radium rifles (a much more effective long-range weapon than used by most Skirmisher troops). A unit of magma monsters might primarily function as Heavy Foot, but be able to throw magma balls (an effective long-range weapon) and so have the Ranged Attack ability beyond that.

In addition to the physical attacks mentioned above, Ranged Attack is the best way to simulate powerful magic (fireballs, lightning bolts) from a spellcaster that do not rise to the extreme levels of the Spellblast battle card. This is especially appropriate for a hero with the Ranged Attack battle card; when he attaches to a stand, its use of Ranged Attack represents his magical efforts. The senior faculty of the Unseen University are all spellcasters; they work well as heroes with Ranged Attack.

This represents the ability to cast a long-range magical attack. Fireballs, disease, rain of magical arrows, earthquake, poisonous toads. Use Mindblast instead for spells that attack the mind or soul of targets.

Selecting this Battle Card

Deadly, Prowess, or Marksman battle cards do not stack with this attack.

Cost

• +3 points for Limited Spellblast.
• +4½ points for Unlimited Spellblast.

Game Play

54.1 See FT 19 for complete rules for Spellblast.

• a. The unit casting the Spellblast may not have made a tactical move on the turn that it uses this ability. If a hero has this battle card, it may not use it on a turn it made a tactical move on its own, or if it is attached to a stand that made a tactical move this turn.

54.2 Limited Spellblast is vulnerable to being expended on any attack roll of 1 (see FT 19.2). Unlimited Spellblast is not subject to being expended.

54.3 When a Spellblast battle card is purchased the army commander must choose whether it is a physical effect or a magical one.

• a. Physical effect attacks are affected by Armored. Negate Magic has no impact.
• b. Magical effect attacks are affected by Negate Magic. Armored has no impact.

Fantasy Background

A powerful wizard could be a hero with Spellblast: Magic. An artillery spotting crew for orbital bombardment missions from space lasers is a hero with Limited Spellblast: Physical. A dragon like Smaug the Golden might well be represented as a Knight with Flying, Armored, Massive, Deadly, Terror, and Unlimited Spellblast.

This battle card represents troop types who create extraordinarily strong feelings of fear or horror in opponents. Normal fear that humans might feel fighting fantasy monsters (bugbears, armored trolls, demons, fire elementals) is assumed to be part of the combat factors of the stands and is also cultural – some warriors might fight demons all the time – and as such is not represented by this card.

Cost

+2 points.

Game Play

59.1 In close combat, the enemy primary combat stand will Panic if beaten but not doubled, and is destroyed if they are doubled in combat. This overrules the combat result table (Triumph! 75) that would normally apply to the combat result (except that combat results of Shattered are not modified).

• a. Stands with Brittle are destroyed.
• b. Stands that are Shattered are still destroyed.

59.2 Troops with Terror are considered dangerous to enemy flying troops. See FT 11.

Fantasy Background

A unit of floating brain-like horrors from another dimension, spreading insanity and horror, might be well represented as Bow Levy with Flight and Terror. A stand of Heavy Foot with a Necromancer (the Heavy Foot stand being his Zombie Guard) might well have Terror associated with it, due to the Necromancer.