BattleLore: Goblin Marauders Specialist Pack
BattleLore: Goblin Marauders Specialist Pack Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A Word About These Units
Like all Goblinoid troops, the units introduced in this booklet share the Goblin Run trait common to all Goblinoid units, as detailed in pp. 38-39 of the BattleLore Player's Guide; namely - Goblin Run: when forced to retreat, Goblinoid units retreat 2 hexes for each flag they cannot ignore, and check for panic losses for each hex of retreat.
In battle, the player controlling the unit is the one who decides which figure to remove, when losing figures in combat. The Banner Bearer of the unit must always be removed last however. As a result, an embedded Goblin Drummer will usually be the second to last figure to disappear, within a unit. At that point, the unit the Goblin Drummer was in no longer receives any benefit from it.
Unless explicitly specified otherwise by a unit's description (e.g. Goblin Band) or the adventure's Special rules, you can embed a maximum of 1 Goblin Drummer per Goblinoid foot unit (and always in replacement of, not in addition to, an existing figure from that unit).
Line of Sight is not required for support presence, and the Goblin band can be next to enemy units and still offer a support presence. All that matters is that the Goblin Bass Drum Banner Bearer be in the same section as the friendly unit it is drumming support for. Like all Banner Bearers, the Goblin Bass Drum Banner Bearer is the last figure eliminated from the unit in combat.
In the adventures that follow, a colored footnote marker is used each time a unit cannot be differentiated from base game units through its banner symbol alone.
Goblin Band
A Goblin band must have 1 Goblin Bass Drummer Banner Bearer figure and 3 Goblin Drummer figures (see Goblin Drummers below). (The printed text reads "Goblin Bass Drummer Banner Bearer" here; the component box reads "Goblin Bass Drum Banner Bearer figure", and the introduction calls this figure the Goblin Band Leader, the Green Bass Drum Banner Bearer. Transcribed as printed.)
Components: 1 Goblin Bass Drum Banner Bearer figure; 3 Goblin Drummer figures.
Cards: 1 Goblin Band Specialist card; 1 Bass Drum Summary card.
Goblin Band Specialist card (text): Add a Goblin Band unit to the units you deploy as Reserves. The band is made of one Goblin Bass Drum Banner Bearer and three Goblin Drummer figures.
Bass Drum Summary card (text):
- Weapon type: Melee and Special.
- Damage: Per Unit's Banner color.
- Bonus Strike: None.
- Special: In addition to scoring hits in Melee, the Bass Drum gives one support presence to all friendly units in the same Section(s).
Rules:
In addition to battling at 2d in Melee, the Goblin band provides a Support presence to all friendly units in the same section of the battlefield. Any friendly unit located in the same section as the Goblin band receives support from the Goblin band as if the Goblin band was adjacent to the friendly unit for support purposes, regardless of how far the Goblin band may actually be from the unit it lends a support presence to.
If the Goblin band is on a hex shared by two sections, then all friendly units in both sections benefit from the band's support presence. If two Goblin bands are fielded in the same section, then all friendly units in this section are fully supported (since 2 support presence = 1 Support) and Bold. In Reluctant Allies Epic games, players allied together both benefit from the support presence of the Goblin band fielded by either one of them.
The Goblin band itself is Bold, and may ignore one flag rolled against it in battle for as long as it still has a Goblin Drummer (see below) within its ranks. If it loses all three drummers and is down to its Bass Drum Banner Bearer, the band receives no support or support presence from itself (i.e. the bass drum does not boost its own morale).
Example (page 1 of the booklet): The infantry is Bold and Supported because it receives a support presence from two different sources: the adjacent Goblin cavalry, and the distant Goblin band. The Goblin cavalry is not supported, since it only has one support presence - from the adjacent infantry - but none from the Goblin band in another section of the battlefield.
Goblin Drummers
Goblin Drummers are unique in that they can either be deployed as part of a Goblin band, as described above, or they can be embedded as a single figure, in replacement of an existing figure, in any other type of Goblinoid foot unit.
The effect of the Goblin Drummer is to make the Goblinoid unit it is embedded in Bold and able to ignore one (additional) flag, for as long as the Goblin Drummer figure remains alive within that unit.
Components: 3 Goblin Drummer figures.
Cards: 1 Goblin Drummers Specialist card; 1 Goblin Drum Summary card.
Goblin Drummers Specialist card (text): Embed a Goblin Drummer in up to three Goblinoid Foot units. In each unit, replace one figure with a Goblin Drummer figure.
Goblin Drum Summary card (text):
- Weapon type: Same as per Unit and Special.
- Special: The Goblin Drummer replaces one figure in a Goblinoid Foot unit. For as long as the Drummer survives, that unit is Bold and may ignore one (additional) flag. If forced to retreat, the unit still flees in a Goblin Run.
Goblin Hyena Riders
Two units with 3 Hobgoblin Hyena Rider figures each.
Components: 1 Goblin Marauders Specialist card (shared with the Hobgoblin Ostrich Riders); 1 Hyena Riders Summary card.
Goblin Marauders Specialist card (text): Replace one unit deployed as Reserve with two Goblinoid units that are either Hyena and/or Ostrich riders. Place them on vacant hexes of your baseline.
Hyena Riders Summary card (text):
- PACK PURSUIT: In Pursuits, Hyena Riders may move two hexes beyond the just vacated hex, instead of one.
Rules:
Equipped with the same Long Swords as their Lizard-riding brethren, the Hyena Riders are even fiercer hunters! Once they have tasted blood, these Hobgoblins rarely let go of their prey. In pursuit, they push their mount two hexes beyond the just vacated hex, instead of one.
Hobgoblin Ostrich Riders
Two units with 3 Hobgoblin Ostrich Rider figures each.
Components: 1 Goblin Marauders Specialist card (the same card as for the Goblin Hyena Riders); 1 Reflex Bow Summary card.
Reflex Bow Summary card (text):
- Weapon type: Melee (Point Blank), and Ranged - up to 3 hexes.
- Damage: Per Unit's Banner color.
- Bonus Strike: None.
- Special: When used on the move, the number of dice rolled is not reduced.
- Do not collect Lore tokens.
Rules:
The mobility of these vicious volatiles more than makes up for the shorter range of their masters' Reflex Bow. These riders exhibit remarkable marksmanship, shooting equally well while on the move or stationary.
Adventures
The pack includes two adventures, both set in 1373. Each adventure page gives a Setup Order, a Briefing, Conditions of Victory (where printed) and Special Rules. The battlefield map and unit placement on each page are graphic and are not transcribed here; consult the printed page for them.
Both adventures use the same two commanders on the Briefing panel: John of Gaunt I, Duke of Lancaster and Bertrand du Guesclin. Each panel is printed as "WAR COUNCIL Level 6" with an "x 3+" entry and a "Victory Conditions" value of 6.
Footnote marker used in both adventures: A = Hyena Riders (see Goblin Hyena Riders above). The marker is used on the map to show units that cannot be told apart from base game units by their banner symbol alone.
Goblin Riders - 1373
Setup Order:
- Forest hex, x 11
- River hex (curved), x 4
- River hex (straight), x 4
- Hill hex, x 3
- Bridge, x 1
- Heraldic shield token, x 1
(The Setup Order is shown with hex and token icons; these descriptions identify each icon's type from the printed picture.)
Briefing: "I have never seen so many mounted enemy troops. Would seem these Goblins will mount any beast and ride it into battle!"
Conditions of Victory: The Standard player gains 2 Victory Banners for as long as one of his units manages to hold (i.e. occupy) the bridge.
Special Rules:
- The entire river is impassable except at the Bridge.
- A Hyena Riders.
Goblin Chevauchée - 1373
Setup Order:
- Forest hex, x 17
- Hill hex, x 6
(Icons described as in Goblin Riders above.)
Briefing: "Dawn was just breaking when the woods seemed to come alive. Clucking sounds, barking and a few loud thumps were the only hint we got before the Goblin army rode into view and charged our positions."
Conditions of Victory: None printed on this adventure's page.
Special Rules:
- A Hyena Riders.