As requested by fans of the World of Valon a playtest rules article containing rules for using 59547 Barrel of Bottles from our 28mm Terrain Range in your games of Flintloque and Slaughterlo.
These rules can be used in play with all players agreement. Enjoy and we welcome any questions to sales@alternative-armies.com and we are happy to help.
Keeping the discipline of an army on the march is a hard task indeed, and few aspects of keeping discipline are as challenging as the lure of alcohol. Soldiers of all kinds love to drink, the ‘demon drinke’ as the Joccian’s call it (and they imbibe more than most!) and ensuring that these soldiers arrive for a fight sober is not easy. The constant threat of death, injury and receiving pay that is often worse than that given to an Otharmann galley slave makes the attraction of booze all the stronger.
For Flintloque the following game mechanics:
‘Woz that? I smell’s juniyper!’
You can place the barrel of bottles into any scenario you wish in any setting from the Witchlands to Catalucia to the streets of Londinium. You may place more than one barrel if you want but ensure no barrel is within 30cm of any other. Place the first barrel on a road as if it has fallen from a cart or at the wall of an inn or somewhere that makes sense; even in the woods as it might be a secret stash!
During play any mortal character who comes within 5cm of the Barrel of Bottles can choose to drink something from it. This is in the case of characters who are Elite or Regular or higher experience level. Raw characters and Civilian characters will automatically choose to drink. Othari characters will not take a drink. The Undead will not but Vampyres may if they near.
The effects of a random bottle are not always for the bad. They could be good or they could be useful. It takes one action to try a bottle and then make a D10 roll for its contents and effect.
0 – It is pure firewater! The character spits it out but the bottle can be used as a Fyre Grenade in play.
1-2 It is cordial water. The character drinks and it tastes just fine but does nothing else.
3-6 It is the Demon Drink. The character rolls a D10 on an odd result they drink deep, on evens they do not.
7-9 It is Good Stuff. A fortifying remedy. The character is refreshed.
If it is Firewater then it cannot be drunk but can be lit and thrown which is very useful in the Witchlands. See the game books for Grenade rules. Cordial Water is safe to drink but does nothing at all though if you choose it might be valuable in a hot climate. The Demon Drink on a result of drinking deep means the character is enfeebled by booze for rest of the scenario. They lose 20% of their movement rates and suffer a -3 to Melee Combat and -20% accuracy on all shooting and they may not aim. The Good Stuff is a tonic possibly slightly Magicke in its making. The character chooses one of the following boons which lasts for the rest of the scenario. +10% Accuracy on all shooting or +10% to Movement Rates or +1 to Discipline.
A character may spend as many actions on drinking bottles as they wish BUT. They may not pass a bottle to another and they may not take any bonus more than once and if they get a Demon Drink enfeeblement result TWICE they are then rendered unconscious for the rest of the scenario and fall where they stand.
For Slaughterloo the barrel of bottles is more of a temptation or a treat for a lucky or unlucky unit on the battlefield. The barrel is placed on the battlefield in a suitable place as with Flintloque on a road or near a building or where it makes sense to the player. It is recommended only one barrel per game but you can have several if players agree.
The following game mechanics do not apply to Undead units or Othari units. All other units which are on foot and not artillery (not cavalry) will act upon the barrel if their movement action takes their edge within 10cm of the barrel. When this happens the barrel is moved into the ranks of that unit and a D6 roll is made upon the unit’s activation for the next three turns.
1 to 3 – Demon Drink! The unit loses its free (no form roll) action for this activation.
4 It’s Bloody Water! No effect on the unit.
5-6 – Joyous Tonic! The unit gains one additional free (no form roll) action for this activation.
‘Only a Drop, sir, honest...hic!’
You can use any model to represent the barrel of bottles on your table such as 59531 Beer Barrel Barricade or 59523 Abandoned Beer Wagon for instance.
Lastly for a wee bit of fun. What are the favourite tipples of the Races of Valon?
Real Ale: Orcs, Bog Orc, Hob-Goblin, Ogre, Trolka.
Lager / Beer: Dwarves, Dog, Gnome, Goblin, Rats, Trollkin.
Cider: Orcs, Ogres, Rats, Hob-Goblin, Bog Orc, Mountain Elf, Wild Elf.
Cheap Wines: Dark Elf, Goblin, Rabbits, Todoroni, Werewolf.
Expensive Wines: Everyone. Especially Ferach Elves.
Spirits: Ferach Elf, Dark Elf, Centaurs, Orcs, Rats, Dwarves, Todoroni, Dog, Trolka.
