Routing or fleeing voluntarily

Hi,

I don’t want to be seen as a spammer, but I think it would be clearer, if questions which aren’t that easy to answer or discussion get separate threads.

So here’s a thread about routing voluntarily!


After the FAQ and errata a warband has to make rout tests, if the player lost at least 25% of his models.
Furthermore he can rout voluntarily, if he lost the equal amount of models.

In my gaming group, there was the question if a model can flee before making rout test, for example if it is wearing a wyrdstone counter.

The background was: We played the scenario wyrdstone hunt. He took a counter and fleed with his model to prevent the counter from being stolen.

Is it even possible to take objective markers while fleeing voluntarily? Is it even possible to flee with models voluntarily at all?


I would suggest using a house rule, that you can flee with single models, but only at the time, you could/have to rout. So instead of getting your whole warband out of game, you can flee with single models to prevent them from being killed.
BUT you cannot take away markers or similar things, if it isn’t explicitely thought so in the scenario (for example hidden treasure or street fight)


Otherwise in the worst case, the enemy has four models, takes all wyrdstone counters with one model and flees. Then he has only 75% of his models left and routs. So he lost, but has got all wyrdstone counters.


What’s your opinion? Have you got a houserule for that?


In the short questions/short answers thread it was recommended that if you rout without any model being out of action you don’t get any experience or being able to search the ruins after the game…



Best regards,
Seikilos

I've never had too many problems with this.  Usually, I've been okay with models leaving the board, but the more I think about it, it doesn't make sense.  Just because a model has left the site of the largest engagement doesn't mean he is safe - he's still in Mordheim or some other dangerous setting and now he's alone.  May I suggest an alternative, you may leave the board voluntarily with objectives and counters, but you then roll on the Serious Injuries chart.  Even if the character dies, the owner would keep the loot.  This would represent the character dying from wounds after returning to group.

This approach allows the immediate security of knowing the loot is accounted for, while making it a potentially double-edged sword.

Hi,

that was also an option I thought of.

But thinking more about it:

If you have a warband with only a few members, you sacrifice (okay… 33% sacrifice) your cheapest model getting the rest of your warband to safety…

In another thread I thought about starting dwarf treasure hunters. A tactic, which was recommended was getting 3 heroes and one henchmen and getting the henchmen kill for routing on purpose.
So with this I could run my henchmen from the table and rout in the next round.

That’s why I thought of being able to flee only if you could/have to make rout tests, which means only 75% of your warband left!

We play that cwarriors that have objectives markers (wyrdstone, chest..) can leave the board with their treasure unharmed but not anyone else.

The main reason for this is simple. I once played undead VS elves and during this game, I spent 5 turns closing my ennemies while being shot. When I got close, the elf player wanted to quit the board with all elves without any fight !!! I was enraged of course... Now that it was my turn to have fun he wanted to leave the table unharmed...

At this moment I claimed the 25% rule and argued about applying firmly...

Up to this day, no one ever tried to do this again and thx god... This would be soooo boring for non-shooter warbands !!

I totally understand your opinion.

But why should then another model with an objective marker being allowed to flee? That's just coward....

I was just rereading the section about “escaping from combat”. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mention fleeing off the table. I personally don’t see a problem with a warband or member running off the table. I’ve run a single model off the table a few time for it being overpowered or out numbered before but never a whole warband. Even then, those members are similar to being Out of Action and can not return that game. And its like a free win.

If the problem is, that you chase them off the table and you’re not getting kills, stop chasing them. Change your strategy, and make them need to come after you if possible. Of course, I don’t play in terms of Wins and Losses, I play in terms of gold. Meaning, if I don’t lose heroes its Payday. Maybe, while you’re chasseing them you could try and pick off the weaker members and try and make it hurt more. I’ll usually gang-up on a single model if I can get one separated. I like to attack with about 3 to 1 on an enemy model.

Our group just doesn't allow such foolishness at all. We play several scenarios which give rewards for warriors that can get an objective marker off the table, but if the scenario does not include that option then the only way a warrior may leave is because he was forced to by a rule, event or spell effect.

We often have warriors that withdraw from the immediate battle because they have secured a treasure or suffered a wound, but such warriors stay on the battlefield until the game ends. They just stay out of sight and away from any enemies if possible.

We do allow a warband that routs to keep any treasure in its possession if the scenario does not have rules to the contrary. We also award the winner of a scenario any unclaimed treasure if his opponent voluntarily routs after suffering 25% casualties.

Thumbs up to what Von Kurst said.

Unless the scenario mentions warriors leaving the table, they'll only leave it if it's due to some spell effect or fleeing from a combat (if using those optional rules). Else they'll have to wait for the rout.