Dwarves and Dark Elves Struggle for Arena Supremacy, Using the D12 System
D12 Fantasy is a small-scale skirmish wargame designed to create exciting gladiatorial bouts between a range of fantasy races, all while remaining accessible to new wargamers and veterans alike. These games are flexible in terms of game size and duration, ranging from small engagements where two players each control a single squad, to epic battles where eight players controlling allied squads struggle for supremacy. D12 Fantasy’s strongest feature is its detailed campaign system. Over the course of multiple games, players’ models change and evolve as they accumulate new skills and equipment, or suffer debilitating injuries. Be careful, as survival is never guaranteed.
In D12 Fantasy, players create custom squads to bring into the arena. Players choose a faction, and then build their squad by selecting from that faction’s unique lineup of fighters. This book contains rules for the Dwarves and Dark Elves, and is fully compatible with other D12 Fantasy products. The Dwarves are a force of tough, disciplined fighters with a wide range of black powder weaponry, whose ranks include the determined Sarge, defensive Shield Kriegers, inexperienced Yunger Recruits, and towering Dwarf Mutants. These stalwart dwarves protect and support the Karabiner riflemen, flame-throwing Fire Eaters, and devastating Grenadiers, as well as the Stone Crusher priests who use spells to make their comrades even more durable, or attack and debilitate their foes. In comparison, the Dark Elves are an agile and evasive warband with members such as the imposing Lord, skillful Warriors, fearsome and stealthy Lurkers, and numerous Light Infantry. These cunning fighters are supported by sharpshooting Marksmen, spider-carrying Spinners, and fearsome sorceresses with frightening magic to support their followers, poison their enemies, or blanket the battlefield in webs, darkness, or deadly arachnids. In addition to the warriors from their faction, each player has access to a stable of mercenaries to add more variety to their squads. Once squads are selected, the campaign can begin. As models gain experience, they will improve based on their own unique list of potential upgrades.
Although D12 Fantasy uses the same D12 System as Red Shirt Games’ other products, there are a few differences. The largest one is the campaign system, while another is the addition of magic spells and potions for squads to use against their enemies. D12 Fantasy also includes advanced rules from the Injurius Games line of products, new rules for a variety of terrain types, and a range of scenarios to make games more exciting.
The D12 System
D12 Fantasy uses the same core D12 System as many other Red Shirt Games products, which is designed to be easy to learn while rewarding careful tactical thinking by each player. A few highlights of the system are included below:
· Ease of Entry: D12 System games are easy and affordable to start playing, requiring only a rulebook, a deck of standard playing cards, a play area marked into three- or six-inch squares, a few D12s, and between five and ten models or toy soldiers per player.
· Grid-Based Measuring: The D12 System measures all distances in “zones”, three- or six-inch squares that make measuring quick and easy, without the need for tape measures.
· Unpredictable, Card-Based Initiative: Instead of players taking turns activating their whole squad, or alternating activating single models, the D12 System uses a randomized, card-based system to determine initiative. Players can never be certain which model will activate next, and must be willing to adapt their plans on the fly, as any good soldier learns to do.
· Dynamic Movement: Movement in the D12 System is flexible, with models able to move or attack first, or even take their attack partway through their movement. This creates more dynamic battles where models can better take advantage of both cover and careless opponents.
· True Line of Sight: The D12 System uses true line of sight, rewarding players who make good use of terrain and cover to keep their models safe.
· Opportunity Fire: Models in the D12 System are able to sacrifice their combat action to go on opportunity fire, allowing them to make an attack at any time on another player’s turn. This is perfect for laying an ambush or firing at an enemy when he breaks cover to make his own attack.
· Injury Effects: Models in the D12 System have a variable number of hit points and can usually survive multiple attacks. However, their combat performance degrades as wounds pile up and injuries take their toll.
· Power Ups: The battlefield can hide any number of surprises, and the D12 System represents these with “power ups”. Throughout each game, power ups will appear in random zones. The first model to enter one of these zones receives the power up, which can be a minor or major boon, or a concealed hazard.