Revising Fear, Removing All Alone

A better system of Fear/ All Alone

1 Remove All Alone Entirely
Players always forget this one. And it does not really add anything to the game. Still removing it would make LD even less useful. But now I have an answer to this.

2 Make all Fear, both charging and charged into the following: A model that has failed its fear test will hit only on natural 6s the first round of combat.
This simplifies the rule, right now the fear rule is two rules in one.

3 Add the following: At the beginning of your own close combat phase, if a member of your warband is fighting two or more enemies alone, he must take a fear test. (Knocked down or stunned allies do not count towards fighting alone.)
This is kind of like all alone, but moved to the relevant game phase so that players will remember it. It is simple, and saves tons of rules clutter regarding fleeing models etc.

Great suggestions!

But wouldn't rule number 3 nerf dual wield as well becaause you cannot fight 2 or more opponents?

how does it work with certain skills that negate all alone?

and, to rule three... what if a model has the skill combat master> gain extra attack when in cc with more then one model
I think he would benefit from that type of combat, or at least, enjoy it... not fear it?

yeah thats the one i meant ezekiel

We pretty much never play with All Alone just because we forget about it. I think it's more of a pain in the ass to keep track of than it's worth.

I kind of like the fear rules how they are though. It really helps when 6 skaven charge my possessed. Even at 6s to hit, there's still a good chance my possessed is going down. If I can stop 2 from charging, then I'm a bit safer.

No failed charges with fear removes the tactical advantage offered by fear, is a significant nerf and is not justified in your post.

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But wouldn't rule number 3 nerf dual wield as well becaause you cannot fight 2 or more opponents?

no, what i mean is, if the one model is engaged in close combat with two or more enemies.

i have not thought about the combat master skill yet.

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No failed charges with fear removes the tactical advantage offered by fear, is a significant nerf and is not justified in your post.

i agree. maybe i got a little carried away

one thing though: with these modifications, fear causers that are not ITP (such as ghouls) gain a net benefit of immune to this other kind of fear

Hum... Asp, my humble opinion is that if there's something running smoothly and healthy in Mordheim is the Fear rules assett... you can also tell it from WHFB (a different game, yes, but...) in which, if i recall well, the Fear rules have endured through the various editions without changes.
TS has already pointed out the strategic issue, another very good reason to leave Fear as is, imo.

On the other side i feel All alone really needs some pondering and i'm 100% with you, Asp & others, in that it is a bothering rule, as of now, but... i advise you to go in the opposite direction!

I won't merge it with Fear or simply remove it.
What kept bugging my mind for a while is that i'd like All alone to be more present and important in my games, not that i'm fine forgetting it!!!
All alone really is in the "style" of Mordheim and could affect the game both with fun and strategic impact, if revised and improved... just the needed stuff of desperate fights against the odds and a realistic and relevant factor that could, ie., make that lousy gobbo a bit more useful...

I myself have been tinkering with several aspects of the game in this direction, like making a single Large creature count as 2 effective warriors in CC fights, to have the rule show up more, but as of now nothing really decisive for All alone in itself came out...
Your proposal, rule 3, seems going straight to the point, but looks a lil' too much... any playtest experience?

Cheers!!!

These are interesting ideas, but I think you might have gotten a bit carried away on all three accounts. I think fear causing models are compelling primarily because of the failed charge, which adds a lot more flavor to fights against the undead. The all alone test also works fine as it is. Players need less incentive to form a massive phalanx every game, not more.

Polar Star wrote:

Players need less incentive to form a massive phalanx every game, not more.

Very good point, Polar star... but i think that's best addressed improving mission objectives and scenarios. No doubt it is something to bear in mind.

Cheers!!!