quick start rules by West Wind Productions Authors Nigel Atkinson and Sam Catterall From an original twisted idea by Andy Cooper
Quick Start Rules and Introductory Scenario Welcome to the world of ‘Empire of the Dead’, a game where you can venture forth into an alternate history of the Victorian era, where science advanced far more than history would tell us and the horrors of legend and fairytales exist alongside individuals possessed of arcane powers. These quick start rules introduce you to the basic principles of the game via an introductory scenario that pits the worlds only consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, against a new terror stalking the streets of London, none other than
h e i p p e r J a c k t R
Empire of the Dead, Copyright West Wind Productions 2012.
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Turn Sequence Each turn is broken down into four phases. 1. Maintenance Phase Completed simultaneously by each player. Check for victory – The Ripper wins if he has harvested organs from four people. Holmes and Watson win if the game lasts for 10 turns. Roll wound recovery for any ‘Down’ model. Invoke an “Unusual Occurrence”. Move the Public (see their description below). 2. Initiative Phase Roll a d10. The player rolling highest has the initiative. In the case of a tie Initiative passes to the player that did not have it the previous turn. If it is the rst turn re-roll any ties. 3. Action Phase Starting with the player who has the initiative each player activates their models, completing all movement and other actions before moving onto the next model. See below for the different movement and action options. 4. Combat Phase Resolve any combats as described below. This game uses 10 sided dice for all the rolls required and measurements are in inches. The table size recommended to play a game is 4’ by 4’.
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Movement If the attack is successful, roll to wound. Calculate the target number by cross referencing the weapon’s strength against the target’s ‘Fortitude’. Roll a d10. If this equals or exceeds the target number then a wound has been inicted.
The ‘Movement’ attribute is the model’s base move rate in inches. A model may move up to this value (walk) and complete an action. A model may run at twice this rate but then cannot complete any action. A model may charge at twice the base movement rate into combat.This is the only time that a model is allowed to move within 1” of an enemy model. A charge should follow the most direct possible route to its target.
Actions These Quick Start rules have two types of available action, Missile Attack and Arcane Power (Jack the Ripper only). Either of these actions may be taken if a player has either remained stationary or moved at a walk.
When a model loses its last wound, roll on the wound effect table.
Missile Attacks Models are considered to have a 360 degree eld of vision and Missile Attacks, must be targetted against the nearest visible enemy unless, that model is engaged in combat or is ‘Down’ (see wounds below). To hit roll a d10, add your ‘Marksmanship’ attribute and any relevant modier. If the total is 10 or more then you have hit.
Flesh Wound - An insignicant wound has been received - carry on as normal. Discombobulated – Dazed and confused. You may only stagger 2” and may make no other action. You automatically recover in the next ‘Maintenance Phase’. Down – Badly wounded and Prone. You must crawl 2” towards cover when activated. Roll on the wound effect table in the next ‘Maintenance Phase’. Remove from Play – Too badly wounded to carry on. If multiple wounds are received from a single attack roll for each wound as normal but only apply the most severe result..
An Aimed Shot can be taken if the target has been visible from the start of the turn and the shooter has not moved.
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Combat The player who has initiative decides on the order in which combats are fought. Both players roll a number of d10 equal to the number of attacks they have. Each player picks the highest die roll and adjusts the roll by the modiers noted below. The die roll cannot be modied to a value greater than 10 no matter how many modiers may apply. In the case of a tie the model with the highest Combat value is the victor. If combat is against a model that is already ‘Down’ the attacker automatically wins and the “Down” model is removed from play. The victor may now attempt to wound their opponent. Follow the same procedure as for ‘Missile Attacks’ with the number of dice rolled equalling your ‘Attack’ attribute. Models remain locked in combat from turn to turn until one is removed from play.
If a model is in combat with more than one opponent then it will ght each model in turn. Roll to attack and wound separately for each combat.
Influences (see each model’s stats) Inuences allow a faction to effect how the game is played. A single inuence can be used to adjust any die roll by one. Each roll may only be inuenced once. They may also be used to invoke an ‘Unusual Occurrence’.
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Introductory Scenario
h e i p p e r J a c k t R
A murderer stalks the streets of London leaving his victims horrendously mutilated, spreading fear and outrage throughout the capital. Due to the public outcry increased numbers of Police walk the streets, yet the Ripper has continued in his orgy of violence. Hope, however, is at hand as the mercurial Sherlock Holmes along with his trusted friend and colleague, Dr. John Watson, have taken up the gauntlet, vowing to bring an end to the Ripper’s depredations. This scenario sees Holmes and Watson race against time to stop the Ripper from taking any more victims. It is best played on a 4’ x 4’ table, with the terrain set up to represent the streets of London.
JACK THE RIPPER He is armed with a pistol and knives (included in the Ripper’s stat line). He cannot harvest organs from victims he has shot due to the damage caused. He also has the ‘Mesmerise’ arcane power. The Ripper may harvest organs from those he defeats in combat. Should he be involved in a multiple combat he must slay all of his opponents. He may then harvest organs from each of the opponents that he has defeated.
Jack the Ripper starts the game with 3 Inuences.
Place a marker to mark the location of the Ripper’s victim.
Unusual Occurrence Rumours and Gossip Cost – 2 Inuences False reports have misled the authorities. When invoked this Unusual Occurrence allows the Ripper to relocate to another point within 12” of his current location. The Ripper may still be activated as normal in the following ‘Action Phase’. Arcane Power Mesmerise Range -12” A single enemy model may be targeted. If successful the enemy model is moved up to its base movement in any direction. To invoke this Arcane Power roll a d10, add the Ripper’s ‘Arcane’ (6) and deduct the target’s ‘Arcane’ value. On an eight or more the target is mesmerised. Mesmerise may be used to draw people into combat with the Ripper; if the Ripper does this but goes on to lose the combat the target will not strike a blow against him.
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HOLMES & WATSON Sherlock Holmes is armed with a pistol and has the skill ‘Pugilist’. Dr. Watson is armed with a Sword Stick (+1 Attack already included on his stat card) and a pistol. He has the skill ‘Apothecary’. He also has a leg wound, acquired during his military service, and has his base move rate reduced by one (this has already been included on his stat card). Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson start the game with three Inuences between them. Unusual Occurrence ‘Elementary my dear Watson’ Cost – 2 Inuences Only Sherlock Holmes may invoke this Unusual Occurrence. Using his incomparable intelligence and deductive abilities, Holmes has predicted the Ripper’s next move and uses this insight to bring him closer to his elusive foe’s location. When invoked this ‘Unusual Occurrence’ allows Holmes to be activated in the ‘Maintenance Phase’. This activation is in addition to any activation that he may take in the ‘Action Phase’. If Dr. Watson is within 4” of Holmes he may also perform this additional activation in the ‘Maintenance Phase’. Skills ‘Pugilist’ A natural brawler, there is no combat penalty for being unarmed. ‘Apothecary’- All models within 2” of the apothecary, during the ‘Maintenance Phase’, modify their recovery roll by ’-2’.
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Peelers Peelers are armed with truncheons (+1 ‘Strength’, included in stat line). Once the Peelers suspect that the Ripper is in the area they raise the alarm by blowing their whistles. This occurs when: A Peeler is attacked – either charged into or shot at (the shot does not need to hit). A Peeler discovers the body of a victim – they must have line of sight to the victim and be within 6” of the body. Any combat is fought in line of sight and within 6” of a Peeler. Once the alarm is raised the Peelers come under the control of Holmes and Watson in subsequent turns.
The Public The Public move in a random direction, as described in ‘the Game is Afoot’ and are considered to be unarmed. They will only ght to defend themselves once attacked.
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terrain We recommend playing on a 4’x 4’ table, use plenty of terrain to build a network of streets or a dockland environment.
Deployment Starting with the Ripper, each player takes it in turn to place a total of ten models representing members of the public on the board. These should be no f urther than 15” from the centre of the table and at least 4” away from one another. Again starting with the Ripper each player alternately places a Peeler on the table until a total of three have been deployed. They must also be within 15” of the table centre and must be at least 10” away from a fellow Peeler. Jack the Ripper then deploys within 6” of the centre of any table edge, followed by Holmes and Watson, who are placed within 6” of the opposite table edge.
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The Game is A foot The scenario is set at night and as such line of sight is limited to a maximum of 18”. The Ripper automatically has the initiative for the rst turn.
The Peelers are moved by the player that has initiative for the current turn, at their base movement rate in the ‘Action Phase’. Once the alarm has been raised, the Peelers may run and charge into combat.
At the end of the Maintenance Phase the Public are moved in a random direction. Place the scatter template so the centre is over the head of a model with the ‘1-2’ pointing towards the table edge on which the Ripper deployed. Roll a d10 and move the model 4” in the direction indicated on the template. Should the model’s move be obstructed, by a wall for example, move the model in a direction as close possible to the one rolled for.
Neither the Public nor Peelers may be moved off the table, if they come into contact with the table edge they should be moved as if they have come into contact with a solid object, as described above.
Triumph Jack the Ripper wins if he has managed to harvest the organs from four or more members of the public. Holmes and Watson win if the Ripper Fails to harvests the organs from 4 members of the public before the end of turn 10.
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QUICK PLAY SHEET
Turn Sequence
Mv-Movement, C-Combat, Mk-Marksmanship, S-Strength, F-Fortitude, A-Attacks, W-Wounds, B-Bravado, Ar-Arcane.
Each turn is broken down into four phases. 1. Maintenance PhaseCompleted simultaneously by each player. Check for victory – The Ripper wins if he has harvested organs from four people. Holmes and Watson win if the game lasts for 10 turns. Roll wound recovery for any ‘Down’ model. Invoke an ‘Unusual Occurrence’. Move the Public (see their description below). 2. Initiative Phase Roll a d10. The player rolling highest has the initiative. In the case of a tie Initiative passes to the player that did not have it the previous turn. If it is the rst turn re-roll any ties. 3. Action Phase Starting with the player who has the initiative each player activates their models, completing all movement and other actions before moving onto the next model. See below for the different movement and action options. 4. Combat Phase Resolve any combats as described in combat section. Empire of the Dead, Copyright West Wind Productions 2012.
Empire of the Dead, Copyright West Wind Productions 2012.
