Alternative Rules
Below are some common house rules both for the table top game as well as variations on some of the campaign rules. Many of these come from our gaming group or the greater Mordheim community. When such mechanics would affect the Mordheim Mayhem campaign rules suggestions on how to adjust the campaign rules are offered.
Using the rules for a Slow Rout causes warriors to individually turn tail and run from the battlefield instead of the entire warband fleeing once failing a rout test. This gives players a last possibility to achieve their goals before the game ends.
Once you’ve lost 25% of your warband you begin making rout tests normally, or can voluntarily rout ending your game. But if you fail a rout test, your game does not immediately end! You must make a moral check for your warband on this and every following recovery phase.
Slow Rout (turning tail)
Roll a number of D6s equal to the number of your warriors still on the table. For each 1 you roll, remove any warrior of your choice (including your warriors in combat or knocked down/stunned). They have turned tail and run from the battlefield.
Once 50% or less of your warband’s starting number remains, each 1 or 2 you roll causes a warrior of your choice to turn tail.
If you only have 1 warrior left, rolling 1–3 will cause them to turn tail, ending your game.
Moral Check Models which turn tail while in combat do not suffer free hits against them (their opponent lets them go). Remember that warbands can still voluntarily rout at any time immediately ending their game.
The mechanics for Securing Uncontrolled Carried Items are altered when using Slow Rout rules. Until the game ends by warbands choosing to voluntarily rout, no one can attempt to secure uncontrolled carried items. The only exception being when your last model on the table turn’s tail to flee, they can make an attempt to secure one uncontrolled carried item.
Once all enemy warriors have failed moral checks and fled, any uncontrolled carried items left are secured normally (the remaining warband having a big advantage on recovery rolls).
Warriors who already control a carried item and turn tail usually secure the carried item automatically. Remove both the warrior and the carried item marker from the table. Heavy carried items are an exception. Controlling models with a standing enemy in line of sight and charge range must have a combined strength of 6+ when turning tail or the heavy item becomes uncontrolled. Remove warriors but leave the carried item marker.
Spurred to Victory
Some scenarios have the special rule, Spurred to Victory. This rule does not allow the warband which is “winning” the game to voluntarily rout, however they can be routed normally. Should the “winning condition” be a carried item and a winning warband is forced to make moral checks, choosing a warrior to turn tail which controls a victory objective will cause them to automatically loose control of that carried item. In most cases this means you remove your model but leave the carried item on the table. Only with your very last warrior standing can you first make an attempt to secure the carried item before they flee.
Carried ItemsWhen making moral checks having a standing hero with a banner on the table gives you a +1 bonus on all dice rolls. Rolling a natural ones still causes warriors to turn tail.
Banner (optional rule)