War Machines!

I’m aiming at a tongue-in-cheek topic. It describes war machines that barbarian or humanoid cultures would line up in battles, from single-pilot bloodrunners to colossal battlebeasts carrying siege weapons and shock troops. The article is written for D&D BECMI. Game stats and guidelines to incorporate these devices into BECMI’s War Machine mechanics are included.

Art on Left: Goblin Wolf Chariot by Sam Flegal, ©2013 Games Workshop Ltd.

Command Chariot: Before the bloodrunners were bred and raised from pits of chaos, tribes of the wild relied on war chariots with archers, slingers, or light combat devices like scorpions or ballistae. More elaborate contraptions consisted of a two-wheel cart with large shields protecting its flanks, steel blades extending from its wheels’ hubs, and a scorpion to catapult iron darts. A small crew crowded the chariot’s platform, with a rider handling dire wolves or battle boars pulling the vehicle. Add a standard affixed to the chariot with gory pennons, horsehair, ornamental horns, a skull or two, and bits of leather or plate armor to protect the beasties in front. A tribal chieftain commands the chariot. One of the crew carries a hunting horn or some other sinister instrument to sound the chieftain’s orders to all within earshot.

Crew: one 5HD chieftain, one 2HD herald (50% chance it is a spellcasting shaman), two 2HD scorpion artillerists, one 3HD armored beast-rider in front (AC5 or better). Beasts of burden: two to three creatures with 3-4HD each. The lead artillerist receives a +2 hit bonus if a specialist.

Scorpion: D d6+4; half damage at medium or long range. Ranges: 100/250/400 yards; line-of-sight trajectory at short range, otherwise parabolic; no minimum range. Rates of Fire: 1 every 2 rounds if stationary, 1 every 3 if moving (using Basic D&D’s 10-second rounds, otherwise 3-4 bolts per minute). Ammunition complement: 12 iron darts.

Chariot: 30-40 Hull Points (HP), AC 7 (5 when moving). Speed: 90’ (30’) with boars or 120’ (40’) with dire wolves; half speed on rough terrain; half speed if part of the team is slain. No hit roll is required for chariot damage, although PCs can save vs. paralysis for half damage. The chariot is 6’ wide at its wheelbase. The steel blades extend another 2’ on each side.

Figures caught within the chariot’s width suffer trampling damage (2d6 blunt damage). Those caught by the steel blades incur 1d6+2 slashing damage (doubled when charging). Roll percentiles when playing a tabletop grid with 10’ spaces. With scores of 01-60, figures in the chariot’s path suffer trample damage. With scores of 61-00, the remainder incurs instead damage from the blades. With a 5’ grid, the chariot affects three spaces. Figures in the middle space incur trample damage. In the other two spaces, percentiles’ scores should be 01-10 trample, 11-60 miss, and 61-00 blades. In all cases, scores of 01-02 result in a broken axle*; scores of 98-00 break off one of the wheel blades* (*) After damage is inflicted on foes.

Battle Rating: Add a +10 bonus to a unit’s BR if the command chariot’s crew and beasts of burden account for 10% or more of the unit's HD. The command chariot’s total HD runs from 20 to 26. Add another +10 bonus to the unit’s BR so long as its commander remains alive and within sight.

More in the next article.