Frequently Asked Questions
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These FAQs are grouped by topic. Click on the topic from the list bellow to go directly to that section. More FAQs will be added as they become available.
- If Rolf the peasant, armed with his trusty hoe,
happens to land a mighty blow on Eric the Viking what die is used to determine
damage? I can't find any reference for what to use for damage from farm
implements listed.
- Farm implements and "other" weapons such as
non-military flails, scythes, etc., use a 1D10 for damage. You may subtract
"2" from the roll for generally ineffective weapons, like an umbrella or
something. That's the scenario designer's call.
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- One D10 seems a little low for a sword. Two knights
armed with swords with full plate could bang away at each other until both
were exhausted and not do any damage to each other. Is this what you meant
to happen?
- The 1D10 damage for a sword is intentional. Swords,
one-handed ones, were terrific weapons against someone with little or no
armor (mail or less). Armor developed toward plate, in part, as an attempt
to overcome the sword. Plate was effective in accomplishing that. As
a result, two knights in plate armor could bang away at each other forever
without doing much damage. That in turn, was why maces, two-handed swords,
pole arms, etc., became increasingly popular during the plate period. You
needed something that had the "energy" (kenetic energy = mass x
speed2) to penetrate or crush plate armor. There's a long physics
lecture I could launch into if you want the gory details. The knight
continued to carry the sword largely as his "badge" of knighthood--it was
endowed with a certain "holy" quality. Hence swords became more elaborate
(gilded and fluted and the like) as their role as the primary weapon of combat
diminished.
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- A foot figure and a mounted figure
are in hand to hand combat. The man on foot wants to strike the horse
and the mounted figure wants to strike the man on foot. How do you
resolve this?
- They both get a free shot since each is aiming
at a target which is not trying to defend itself against its attacker.
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- Let's say I have a Norman knight galloping past a Viking
footman. The Norman wants to stick the Viking with a spear and the
Viking wants to attack with an axe. Who gets the first attack?
- The Norman on horseback with the long spear gets first whack.
If his movement takes him out of melee then when he returns he gets
first whack again. This is why foot soldiers commonly ganged up on
horsemen. The target of the spear can only parry, but anyone else involved
in the melee can go for the rider or the horse.
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- What is the maximum range of a bow?
- Unlike other rule systems that assign range zones to projectile
weapons, K&K doesn't have a maximum range assigned to any weapon.
However, that doesn't mean you can achieve a hit at any range. Many
factors effect accuracy: range, shooting skill, target movement, shooter
movement, target cover, and intervening objects. What this means is
that each set of circumstances has a different "maximum" range. In
general, however, the closer the target the easier it is to hit and the more
damage will be done.
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- How do I keep the archers from killing all my troops before
I can engage them in melee?
- The use of terrain is one of the key elements to survivability.
If you move in the open for too long you may become a magnet for "cloth
yard shafts". A small hill, a tree, a low spot in the ground, anything
that can hide or cover the man should be used. Which brings up another
point, if you play your games on a billiard table (one with no terrain save
a tree and a hill) you deserve to be shot. Just go to a local park
and observe the undulations and contours in the ground. All these would
be used by any soldier to hide himself from the arrows of the archers.
Another item to aid your troops is speed. Tell them to run!
The more turns the archers have to shoot the more likely you are to
be standing alone on the field with allot of pin cushions. Advance
rapidly on the archers and engage them in melee.
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- What damage does a dagger do?
- Daggers are an "other" weapon for our purposes. As
such they get 1d10 for damage. This however may be a bit generous.
My suggestion is to use 1d6. This makes a dagger effective on
an unarmored man but not too threatening to a man in armor of any substance.
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- What is the weapon class and weapon value of a two-handed
axe?
- A two-handed axe is weapon class 3. Its weapon value
is 4/3. The damage done by a two-handed axe is 3D10.
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- If the rider has a large shield, does the mount get the shield
benefit too?
- No. Large shields like the kite shield were designed
to protect the legs of a mounted man. One of the common tactics against
mounted troops is to go after the horses. The English used this very
successfully in the Hundred Years War. As armor became thicker (and
as the French learned to hold their shields more effectively to stop the
arrow storm) the English focused on shooting the horses. Also, the
horse is a much larger target than the man on the horse, so it's natural
that more shots will tend to hit the horse.
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- A Norman knight armed with a spear wants to ride up to a
Viking and throw his spear at him. Since the knight doesn't have a
throwing skill, will he be able to throw the spear and if so what do you
use for the throwing skill?
- Yes the knight can throw the spear. Anybody can throw
anything. In cases where the figure isn't trained (no shooting skill)
use one half of their fighting skill rounded down. If they are trained,
just deduct a point or two from their fighting skill and use that as their
shooting skill. This only applies to figures that don't normally use
thrown weapons.
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- In a multiplayer game I organized the forces by type, Knights,
spearmen, bowmen, etc. I want to put a player in charge of each group
but I'm not sure how to work it.
- Place one player in command of each group, as a sergeant
or man-at-arms. Thus there will be a number of player figures on the
table. Since each of those figures represent a player, each player
may give orders normally to the people in their group. However, the
players may not speak among themselves unless they are in command range.
Also, people in a higher social caste, knights for example, can give
orders to players in a lower social caste. THESE MUST BE OBEYED.
It's also important not to give player/figure sergeants too high a
morale value. It better reflects their station in society if they stand
a chance of running away when threatened. Each player should be given
an initial order (the "until ... then" variety). This will give them
something to stick to. You should penalize players representing a lower
social caste if they deviate from these orders. Obviously, if the lord
changes the orders, then the new orders supersede the original orders.
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- Sir Evoric is a unit leader. His unit consists of 2 squires, 3 yeomen, and 3 peasants. Sir Evoric is mounted the rest are on foot. Sir Evoric has received an "attack until" standing order from his lord. All figures in Sir Evoric's unit start in command range. Sir Evoric orders his unit to advance. After the movement, Sir Evoric is out of command range of the lord and some figures in his unit are out of his command range. At the next Action phase which modifiers apply to which figures in the unit?
- All figures in Sir Evoric's unit, including him, receive the +5 modifier for "unit or individual operating under the first part of an 'attack until' standing order". If the figures in Sir Evoric's unit are out of his 5" command range they no longer receive the +2 modifier for "leader rolled something other than stay put. Once figures are again within Evoric's command range they will receive both modifiers. Note: The "Move up to full and enter melee" result does not require a figure to expend maximum movement. The player may move the figure any distance he/she wishes up to full and enter melee if desired. Also any figure, regardless of unit, that is within 5" of the lord may be commanded directly.
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- The Finis section states "A roll of 10 always means death." Is this a natural 10 or a modified 10? That is, if Edwine is wearing gothic plate, armor value 11, and is disabled. He roles a 7, and adds 3 (for being disabled) the modified die roll is 10. Does Edwine die?
- Edwine survives! The section should read "A natural 10 always means death." This roll is used to determine if an individual dies as a result of his wounds. Edwine's armor rating is 11 so any modified roll less than 11 is survival. The rational for using armor rating is that a person who can afford better armor (or is provided with good armor by his lord) has more resources available to obtain medical aid, good food, clean water, proper lodging etc. and stands a better chance of recovering. However, sometimes these factors are overcome by the severity of the injuries sustained and the character dies. Thus, death on a natural 10.
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- Rulf is disabled during the shooting phase. Sir Evoric, Ida, Edmund and Almaric are within 2 inches of Rulf. They check moral. Almaric fails and flees. Nud isn't within 2 inches of Rulf, but he is within 2 inches of Almaric. Is Nud forced to check morale? When does he check?
- Nud is forced to check during this phase (shooting phase in your example). Any figure that fails a morale check immediately routs and moves at maximum running speed away from the enemy. All figures within 2" of his path immediately check morale.
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- Hugh is a priest (not noble/gentry), he is also routing. Hugh finds himself surrounded (no gap between enemies exceeding 4"). He yields to nearest opponent. Does his nearest opponent accept or cut him down?
- If there is a game master, this is his call. Advice to the game master: If there is religious hatred between the sides (Catholic vs Protestant or Christian vs Muslim) then Hugh will most likely be killed. Otherwise, use the same rules as for noble/gentry. In the absence of a game master, the surrender is accepted.
- I want my unit to cross a fence. How do I do this on the table?
- A fence, fordable stream, low wall etc. is considered a linier obstacles. Crossing a linier obstacle is a two turn process:
- First turn: Advance the unit to the obstacle and stop. Any left over movement is lost.
- Second turn: Move out at any desired rate (March, Quick or Double) and take one disorder
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