I can't imagine it's been years since the Russian gnomes for Gnome Wars came out, followed up by the Russian Bear Cav.
The rules for Russians were pretty sweet... if you were playing them. Doubly furry armored beasts with blunderbusses... and that's just the bears.
More than seven years ago, intrepid correspondent, friend of the blog, and prior to his award-winning GM days, Mike Lung had devised some variant rules to pull them back into classic Gnome Wars format (ditching the greatcoats), and throwing in some deadly fun for all sides:
The rules for Russians were pretty sweet... if you were playing them. Doubly furry armored beasts with blunderbusses... and that's just the bears.
More than seven years ago, intrepid correspondent, friend of the blog, and prior to his award-winning GM days, Mike Lung had devised some variant rules to pull them back into classic Gnome Wars format (ditching the greatcoats), and throwing in some deadly fun for all sides:
Russians
Infantry Movement
Maximum movement allowance for all Gnomes is 12 inches per turn.
Firing
Rifle (1d6)
1” to 12” 3,4,5,6
13” to 24” 4,5,6
25” to 36” 5,6
Pistol (2d6)
1” to 6” 3,4,5,6
7” to 12” 4,5,6
Light Cover: -1 on firing roll to hit. Hard Cover: -2 on firing roll to hit.
Any Gnome that fires during their movement must pay 6” of movement allowance. So a figure may fire and then move 6”, or move 6” and then fire. The figure may not move 3”, fire, and move 3”.
Hand-to-Hand
Figure Die for Melee
Officer 8 sided
Regular Infantry with Rifle 6 sided
Regular Infantry with Sickle and Hammer 8 sided
Fabergé Egg Grenadier 6 sided
Priest-Medic and Artillerymen 6 sided
The player who initiates the H-to-H combat determines which figures engage which.
Figures must match 1-1 before matching them 2-1; you cannot have greater than 2-1.
Hand-to-Hand combat will occur when opposing Gnomes move within 2” of each other. All Gnomes within 3” of the melee are ‘sucked in’ and will join the fight.
Special Rules
Officers
Russian infantry will not advance unless there is an officer present and alive.
For the Mother Land!
Whether it is because of their patriotic love of their home land or vodka induced fatalistic depression, Russian gnomes are known to be stubborn and tenacious fighters on the defense. When defending in a close order formation Russian infantry receive a plus +1 to their melee die roll. Figures must be no more than 1” apart and two or more ranks deep, and must not have moved that turn. Also, while in this formation Russian infantry will defend to the last gnome and does not have to take a morale check.
Priest
At the end of the turn the Priest can help the wounded and dying by a preforming the last rights ritual over the fallen gnome. He can move 18” total with it taking 3” of movement to help the other gnome. The priest canmove and help gnomes until the 18” is used up. Roll 1d8 and on a roll of 5,6,7 or 8 the gnome is revived and can rejoin the battle. If he fails, the gnome is dead and his spirit has moved on to better place.
Fabergé Egg Grenades
True Fabergé Eggs are beautiful works of art. It is said that each contains a unique, wondrous and powerful clockwork creation. These are rarely found on the battlefield. These true Fabergé Eggs can only be used by a special detachment of the elite Guard regiments and will require special, unique rules. However, much more common are cheaply made knock off Fabergé Eggs. They are still beautiful and very heavy. They use the following table:
Fabergé Grenade Hit Table
Within 8” Automatic
Over obstacle 3,4,5,6
Into door/window 4,5,6
Fabergé Grenade notes: Grenadiers can target one figure. The effect is immediate.
Shuvalov’s Secret Borscht Howitzers
Russians can be equipped with special artillery guns. The nature of these guns is a carefully guarded national secret. When not on the battlefield, the Russians keep the barrels covered to hide these guns from spying eyes. In battle, these guns may fire shells at long range as a normal mortar. However, at close range, these guns may fire their special borscht soup canister rounds that spray their opponents with deadly, boiling hot beet soup!
0”-12” 3,4,5,6 - 4 dice per crewman (max of 3 crew)*
13”-24” 4,5,6 - 4 dice per crewman (max of 3 crew)*
36”-48” 5,6 - 3” Explosive Diameter.**
Over 48” 6 - 3” Explosive Diameter.**
*Catastrophic Soup explosion.
When the howitzer shoots its special Borscht Soup canister shells, there is a chance that something will go horribly wrong. Reroll every “1” that was rolled to hit and total them up. If the total for that turn is 12 or greater, gun is explodes. The gun is destroyed. Place a 3” Explosive Diameter on the gun, any figure within that diameter are killed. The hits inflicted on the enemy from the shot are not counted.
**Deviation:
For Direct Hits use Spinner. Shot will deviate 1d6-1”
If the roll to hit is a 1 or 2, the shot is a dud or airburst and has no effect.
If the roll to hit is >2 and a miss, use the spinner. Shot will deviate 2d6”.
Russian Bear Cavalry
Bear Cavalry Movement
Maximum normal movement allowance for Bear Cavalry is 12 inches per turn. When charging, bear cavalry receives a 1D8 additional charge bonus.
Bears don’t jump. So bear cavalry do not follow the standard jumping over obstacle rules. However, may move throw a light cover or low lying obstacle (i.e. fence, shrub, ditch) without penalty. Also, their movement through the obstacle will create a 1” path
Cavalry Carbine (1d6)
1” to 6” 3,4,5,6
7” to 12” 4,5,6
13” to 24” 5,6
Light Cover: -1 on firing roll to hit. Hard Cover: -2 on firing roll to hit.
Carbines may be fired from bear back without any deduction to the normal movement allowance.
Carbines may not be fired when charging. Firing on the same turn as moving is an additional -1 to hit.
Hand-to-Hand
Figure Die for Melee
Cavalry Mounted on Bear 10 sided +2
Cavalry Officer Mounted on Bear 10 sided +3
Cavalry Musician Mounted on Bear 10 sided +2
Bears do not receive an addition melee bonus for charging. They always use the above melee values.
Hand-to-Hand combat will occur when opposing Gnomes move within 2” of each other. All Gnomes within 3” of the melee are ‘sucked in’ and will join the fight.
Russian Bear Cavalry Special Rules
Russian Bear Cavalry moves 12” per turn. Riders may shoot their carbines from their saddles as long as they are not charging into battle.
Grumpy Bears. Because bears are unpredictable, Russian Bear Cavalry is hard to control
Every turn bear cavalry attempt to move roll 1d6.
1=bears are distracted, no movement this turn,
2-6=move as normal.
If the Bear Cavalry is shot at, on its next move roll 1d6.
1=bears are confused, no movement this turn,
2-5=move as normal.
6=bears are enraged and charge 18” toward enemy shooting at it until it makes contact.
Honey Obsession.
If there is honey on the table, the bears will smell it. Roll 1d6, before the unit moves.
1=bears smell the honey and must move 12” every turn directly towards the nearest honey. They will fight anything in their path including allies until they reach the honey.
2-6=move as normal.
Thick skinned. Bears have very thick hides, every time a bears take casualties; they get a 1d3 saving throw per casualty.
1-3=bear take no damage
4-6=bear take casualty as normal.
I hope somebody can take this variant and test it out, even in our COVID world. It seems to strike a better balance to the other nationalities. The other option is a higher point cost, and unless they become rare, that's a not a good thing for Brigade Games. Who wants to cast $4 minis you only need 10 of?
Feedback appreciated in the comments or on the Gnome Wars page on Facebook.
Infantry Movement
Maximum movement allowance for all Gnomes is 12 inches per turn.
Firing
Rifle (1d6)
1” to 12” 3,4,5,6
13” to 24” 4,5,6
25” to 36” 5,6
Pistol (2d6)
1” to 6” 3,4,5,6
7” to 12” 4,5,6
Light Cover: -1 on firing roll to hit. Hard Cover: -2 on firing roll to hit.
Any Gnome that fires during their movement must pay 6” of movement allowance. So a figure may fire and then move 6”, or move 6” and then fire. The figure may not move 3”, fire, and move 3”.
Hand-to-Hand
Figure Die for Melee
Officer 8 sided
Regular Infantry with Rifle 6 sided
Regular Infantry with Sickle and Hammer 8 sided
Fabergé Egg Grenadier 6 sided
Priest-Medic and Artillerymen 6 sided
The player who initiates the H-to-H combat determines which figures engage which.
Figures must match 1-1 before matching them 2-1; you cannot have greater than 2-1.
Hand-to-Hand combat will occur when opposing Gnomes move within 2” of each other. All Gnomes within 3” of the melee are ‘sucked in’ and will join the fight.
Special Rules
Officers
Russian infantry will not advance unless there is an officer present and alive.
For the Mother Land!
Whether it is because of their patriotic love of their home land or vodka induced fatalistic depression, Russian gnomes are known to be stubborn and tenacious fighters on the defense. When defending in a close order formation Russian infantry receive a plus +1 to their melee die roll. Figures must be no more than 1” apart and two or more ranks deep, and must not have moved that turn. Also, while in this formation Russian infantry will defend to the last gnome and does not have to take a morale check.
Priest
At the end of the turn the Priest can help the wounded and dying by a preforming the last rights ritual over the fallen gnome. He can move 18” total with it taking 3” of movement to help the other gnome. The priest canmove and help gnomes until the 18” is used up. Roll 1d8 and on a roll of 5,6,7 or 8 the gnome is revived and can rejoin the battle. If he fails, the gnome is dead and his spirit has moved on to better place.
Fabergé Egg Grenades
True Fabergé Eggs are beautiful works of art. It is said that each contains a unique, wondrous and powerful clockwork creation. These are rarely found on the battlefield. These true Fabergé Eggs can only be used by a special detachment of the elite Guard regiments and will require special, unique rules. However, much more common are cheaply made knock off Fabergé Eggs. They are still beautiful and very heavy. They use the following table:
Fabergé Grenade Hit Table
Within 8” Automatic
Over obstacle 3,4,5,6
Into door/window 4,5,6
Fabergé Grenade notes: Grenadiers can target one figure. The effect is immediate.
Shuvalov’s Secret Borscht Howitzers
Russians can be equipped with special artillery guns. The nature of these guns is a carefully guarded national secret. When not on the battlefield, the Russians keep the barrels covered to hide these guns from spying eyes. In battle, these guns may fire shells at long range as a normal mortar. However, at close range, these guns may fire their special borscht soup canister rounds that spray their opponents with deadly, boiling hot beet soup!
0”-12” 3,4,5,6 - 4 dice per crewman (max of 3 crew)*
13”-24” 4,5,6 - 4 dice per crewman (max of 3 crew)*
36”-48” 5,6 - 3” Explosive Diameter.**
Over 48” 6 - 3” Explosive Diameter.**
*Catastrophic Soup explosion.
When the howitzer shoots its special Borscht Soup canister shells, there is a chance that something will go horribly wrong. Reroll every “1” that was rolled to hit and total them up. If the total for that turn is 12 or greater, gun is explodes. The gun is destroyed. Place a 3” Explosive Diameter on the gun, any figure within that diameter are killed. The hits inflicted on the enemy from the shot are not counted.
**Deviation:
For Direct Hits use Spinner. Shot will deviate 1d6-1”
If the roll to hit is a 1 or 2, the shot is a dud or airburst and has no effect.
If the roll to hit is >2 and a miss, use the spinner. Shot will deviate 2d6”.
Russian Bear Cavalry
Bear Cavalry Movement
Maximum normal movement allowance for Bear Cavalry is 12 inches per turn. When charging, bear cavalry receives a 1D8 additional charge bonus.
Bears don’t jump. So bear cavalry do not follow the standard jumping over obstacle rules. However, may move throw a light cover or low lying obstacle (i.e. fence, shrub, ditch) without penalty. Also, their movement through the obstacle will create a 1” path
Cavalry Carbine (1d6)
1” to 6” 3,4,5,6
7” to 12” 4,5,6
13” to 24” 5,6
Light Cover: -1 on firing roll to hit. Hard Cover: -2 on firing roll to hit.
Carbines may be fired from bear back without any deduction to the normal movement allowance.
Carbines may not be fired when charging. Firing on the same turn as moving is an additional -1 to hit.
Hand-to-Hand
Figure Die for Melee
Cavalry Mounted on Bear 10 sided +2
Cavalry Officer Mounted on Bear 10 sided +3
Cavalry Musician Mounted on Bear 10 sided +2
Bears do not receive an addition melee bonus for charging. They always use the above melee values.
Hand-to-Hand combat will occur when opposing Gnomes move within 2” of each other. All Gnomes within 3” of the melee are ‘sucked in’ and will join the fight.
Russian Bear Cavalry Special Rules
Russian Bear Cavalry moves 12” per turn. Riders may shoot their carbines from their saddles as long as they are not charging into battle.
Grumpy Bears. Because bears are unpredictable, Russian Bear Cavalry is hard to control
Every turn bear cavalry attempt to move roll 1d6.
1=bears are distracted, no movement this turn,
2-6=move as normal.
If the Bear Cavalry is shot at, on its next move roll 1d6.
1=bears are confused, no movement this turn,
2-5=move as normal.
6=bears are enraged and charge 18” toward enemy shooting at it until it makes contact.
Honey Obsession.
If there is honey on the table, the bears will smell it. Roll 1d6, before the unit moves.
1=bears smell the honey and must move 12” every turn directly towards the nearest honey. They will fight anything in their path including allies until they reach the honey.
2-6=move as normal.
Thick skinned. Bears have very thick hides, every time a bears take casualties; they get a 1d3 saving throw per casualty.
1-3=bear take no damage
4-6=bear take casualty as normal.
I hope somebody can take this variant and test it out, even in our COVID world. It seems to strike a better balance to the other nationalities. The other option is a higher point cost, and unless they become rare, that's a not a good thing for Brigade Games. Who wants to cast $4 minis you only need 10 of?
Feedback appreciated in the comments or on the Gnome Wars page on Facebook.
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