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Anno Domini 633, October 12th.

In the north, near Caer Daun, 64 kilometres from Eoferwic
It's raining! Gods! The water is freezing and it's soaked my tunic. The ground has turned to mud,
and the northern winds cut like cold steel.
I'm afraid, and it's not hard to notice it, but others are worse, some have even pissed themselves
(I've held out so far). What am I even doing here? I should be at my farm, with my wife and
children!
The hand holding my lance is shaking, and I'm shivering. I'm just a mouse in a time of titans.
Woden, you know that I'm no warrior.
The man to my side nudges me, our lord has ordered us to advance two steps and present lances.
Our lord is Osfrith, the son of the great king Eadwine of Deira. I can see him not far from here,
moving between the men, dressed in mail to his heels and his steel helmet, from which falls his long
and blonde hair, dirty and sweaty. His sword jingling, hanging from his belt, and an enormous
shield jutting out at his back. He jokes, laughs, hits a man in the chest and asks another about his
dog. Two of his bodyguards accompany him.
Osfrith reaches us, looks at us with his deep blue eyes. He's a boy, and I a man of thirty two winters,
but I feel small at his side.
-"Ceowald!" He greets my neighbour, who lowers his head in respect. "Tell your wife that the child
grows healthy and strong! My father is proud of you, there isn't a better midwife in all the
kingdom!"
-"Thank you, Aetheling."
-"Rejoice, man! This is a great day. Tonight we'll be getting drunk in the camp of our enemy" - he
places his hand on the shoulder of Ceowald - "and you'll be able to return home and tell your ten
small ones about how brave you were."
Osfrith continues his trip, and stops in front of me. His hand, gloved in hide, holds my chin, and
turns my head to look me in the eyes.
-"Eappa" - he pronounces my name shrilly, he hates me, I know it, he wants my wife, but the law
protects me and while I live he can't have her - "remember that you still owe me a cow. I'll only
forgive you if you can kill 10 bastard welshmen today. I want you in the first line."
-"Aethel..." - the words catch in my mouth. He laughs, and he walks away from me. One of his
men, a well built man with a full beard, takes me from my companions, and drags me, insensitive to
my cries and begging, to the centre of the battlefield, where Osfrith's elite hold ranks. They're all
men of war, with serious faces, fierce and brave, dressed in iron, armed with sword and lance.
They're the bravest, those who face the worst of the battle.
My destiny, my Wyrd, is written.
Osfrith isn't a bad kid, but he's capricious, and noone can dissuade him when he gets an idea in his
head. His father has spoiled him too much, nothing like his brother Eadfrith, the other son of the
king Eadwine, straight and saintly like a christian priest, but merciless on the battlefield.
If only I had him as my lord, he only cares about his serfs for the due taxes, not interested by their
wives, their children, or their cows.
Eadfrith is a dryhten, a lord of war, in all the senses. He chooses and trains his warriors personally,
4

equips them with the best weapons and conducts the riskiest operations. His father is proud of him,
I can see it when he looks at him. And because the great king Eadwine loves war too.
Cyning Eadwine of Deira is more than a man, when you stand at his side, you don't feel small, like
with his son, you feel like the luckiest person in the world, even if it's just to serve as a footstool for
mounting his horse.
Eadwine is tall, despite the years weighing down upon him, lean like a staff pole, and his hair has
barely grayed despite being near 50. Eadwine is the king of Bernaccia and Deira, the most powerful
man of the Angle & Saxon Brittania...he is Brytenwalda.
In another time I knew him well, he and his sons, I was a priest of Woden and I gave counsel, and
thanks to that I knew how to keep myself far from war.
Then, politics caused Eadwine to convert to Christianity, though his heart remained pagan, and I left
his side.
He gave me a farm in the lands of his son Osfrith and made me his serf. I took a wife and I
dedicated myself to ploughing and bringing children into the world. Until today, when they claimed
me in the levy to face the most important battle of our time.
I hear the horns and the sweat begins to bead on my forehead, while the first welshmen appear
between the trees on a hill. Here comes Cadwallon ap Cadfan, the Brenin of Gwynedd, the High
King of the Britons. I had hoped that our enemies would not accept the battle that day, but I was
mistaken.
Gwynedd commands the best men of the welsh kingdom, hundreds of spears that hate us for
stealing their lands, even though it happened hundreds of years before they were born.
If Eadwine is a titan, the best king that the Angles know, Cadwallon is his alter ego, a legend among
his people, able to unite the welsh and drive them towards victory. Some say that he's a second
Arthur, but I don't think that anyone had caused such a great loss to our people before.
Cadwallon, gods curse him, had killed more Angles than all the previous kings put together.
Without him, Eadwine would have long since subjugated the lands of the north, and all these wars
would have been finished. But Cadwallon and Eadwine are two suns who struggle to shine, two
giants for whom the world is too small, and when they die, their war will continue in the Waelcyrge.
But the men who say that are fools.
Together with Cadwallon comes Penda with his army, Cyning Penda with the Angles of The March,
our brothers from the south who prefer to fight at the side of the welshmen, but to repay them like
always we have tried to steal their livestock and their women.
They say that Penda is a rising star, that he'll never be as great as Eadwine or Cadwallon, but he'll
survive when both stars go out.
I have never seen Penda, but I've heard things. They say that he's a born warrior, a man without
scruples who desires to be Brytenwalda above all other things.
I have heard that he is a hard man, strong like a mule...and I have heard that his mother was a Briton
and that he feels more Briton than Angle.
Now he comes at the head of his people to massacre us.
If only I had been born in another time, less overshadowed by the terror of weapons, where I could
read books or sit around the hearth, listening to stories about an age of heroes, about how Eadwine
and Cadwallon faced each other, near Caer Daun, in the Final Battle. But that's not how it is, and the
horns sound out around me calling out to war.
There are some priests (Eadwine permits it, now that he's Christian) delivering blessings among the
troops, who accept them with fervour, prepared to try to receive the blessings of the old gods just as
5

much as the new.

I have been chosen to live in the time of the sword.
Our enemies have formed ranks on the hill, their helmets shine, their shields have formed a wall,
and they advance at the sound of the horns. Don't they doubt? Or fear? How can we defeat them?
To our left, we hear the sound of Eadwine's horn, our king, and we see his standard move off with
the cavalry towards the flank. Everything is being prepared. Chaos breaks out. The officers move
between the men ordering the ranks, preparing the troops. Some of men are so afraid that they're
stuck, paralysed with fear, and the officers hit them to snap them out of it. Those who try to flee are
beaten.
-"We've come here for victory or death!" - shout the warlords - "If today we are defeated, tomorrow
our women will lie with some filthy welshman or the bastard son of King Penda." - the officers are
the backbone of the army of King Eadwine, without them everyone would have long since fled "Hold tightly your shield and lance, and remember what you've been taught!"
I have the shield in front of me, crossed with that of one of the veterans, who doesn't seem very
pleased to have me beside him.
-"If you screw up, I'll kill you, you bastard" he grunts, and with this I lose control of my bladder.
Our lord, Osfrith, runs to the centre of the battlefield. He's taken off his helmet, his blonde hair free
to the wind, so that we can all recognise him, and joins us in the middle of the battlefield. There, he
joins with his most faithful men, men dressed in iron, with sword, lance and shield...true warriors.
The son of the king jokes, perhaps hiding his own nervousness, and his veterans laugh.
Everyone is ready to kill, everyone but me, I know, and I'm terrified.

Brittania denique subito duabus gentibus transmarinis vehementer svis, Scottorum a circio,
Pictorum ab aquilone, multos stupet gemitque per annos.
-The Venerable Bede,

In the meantime, three vessels, exiled from Germany, arrived in Britain. They were commanded by
Horsa and Hengist, brothers, and sons of Wihtgils. Wihtgils was the son of Witta; Witta of Wecta;
Wecta of Woden; Woden of Frithowald; Frithowald of Frithuwulf; Frithuwulf of Finn; Finn of
Godwulf; Godwulf of Geat, who, as they say, was the son of a god, not of the omnipotent God and
our Lord Jesus Christ (who before the beginning of the world, was with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, co-eternal and of the same substance, and who, in compassion to human nature, disdained
not to assume the form of a servant), but the offspring of one of their idols, and whom, blinded by
some demon, they worshipped according to the custom of the heathen. Vortigern received them as
friends, and delivered up to them the island which is in their language called Thanet, and, by the
Britons, Ruym. Gratianus Aequantius at that time reigned in Rome. The Saxons were received by
Vortigern, four hundred and forty-seven years after the passion of Christ, and, according to the
tradition of our ancestors, from the period of their first arrival in Britain, to the first year of the
reign of king Edmund, five hundred and forty-two years; and to that in which we now write, which
is the fifth of his reign, five hundred and forty-seven years.
-Nennius. Historia Brittonum.

Introduction

Although the Dark Ages were an

extremely violent era with a great number of
battles and raids, but only a few were detailed in
Welcome to Brytenwalda, a ruleset which will
the chronicles, such as decisive pitch battles or
allow you to recreate battles and raids during the those in which an important person died.
so called British Age of Arthur and Saxon
Brytenwalda is focused on these kinds of battles
invasion. In Brytenwalda you'll impersonate a
which the modern wargamer would call a
Chieftain during the Dark Ages, commanding his skirmish. While you wont be able to re-enact
men in the defence of their homelands or looting the Battle of Hastings in Brytenwalda, you'll
and burning those belonging to your enemies.
have plenty of fun leading a band of Scot-Irish
pirates, a group of raiding Saxons or a unit of
There were many battles during the Dark Ages
Romano-British pedites patrolling the frontier.
(specially in the British islands), but the armies
used to be surprisingly small. The laws of King Grab your lucky dice, gather your men, and get
Ine who reigned between the 7th and 8th century ready for battle!
provide a good frame of reference. A group of
seven ravaging men are regarded as thieves,
from seven to thirty-five is called a band and any
any group larger than this is regarded as an army.
Usually, an invading army arrived in just two or
three ships, and even kings could be seen
Miniatures
commanding armies no larger than three football
In Brytenwalda, each model represents a single
teams.
person, and should be based individually. You'll
be able to use models of any size, although it is
recommended that you play at a scale between
15 and 33mm. Of course, you can use bigger
miniatures if you can manage a really large
table!
Depending on the manufacturer and the players
preferences, miniatures can be based on round or
square bases. It does not matter how your
miniatures are based when playing Brytenwalda,
but it's recommended to base them all in the
same way.

What do I need to play?

Tabletop
This is the place where you will fight your
battles. The field of battle can be as simple as a
table covered by green fabric or as sophisticated
as a hobby project with modular terrain. The size
of the tabletop will vary depending on the scale
of your miniatures and the size of your
warbands. For small battles between two forces
of around 600 solidus, a 60x60cm board may be
used.
In bigger battles with around 1.000 or more
solidus per warband a larger table will be
8

How does Brytenwalda

work?

sugested: 90x90cm or 120x100cm. The size of

the battlefield ultimately depends on the scenario
and the players' preferences.

Dice and rulers

Who is the attacker and who

the defender?

In Brytenwalda, dice are used to determinate the

outcome of combat as well as various other
actions. Brytenwalda uses traditional six sided
dice (D6).
You will also need a ruler or similar measuring
tool. Brytenwalda uses the metric system, but
you are free to convert ranges into any other
systems such imperial or Roman.
In Brytenwalda you may measure distances
whenever you want.

Some scenarios define who is the attacker and

who the is the defender; you just must decide the
role of your army. In a pitched battle, each
player should simply throw a die, with the high
roller playing as the attacker.

Tokens
Although not necessary, tokens may come in
handy to remember which units have already
performed an action during that turn. They will
be also useful to indicate a shieldwall formation.

Scenery
If you do not want to play your battles over a
desert wasteland, you will need scenery.
You can choose among a great variety of
elements. Common features in Dark Ages
Britain would be hills, rivers and streams,
marshes, buildings (maybe go into more detail
about what types of buildings, i.e. stone,
thatched-roof, etc.) and forests.
Some of these terrain features have their own
rules, which will be explained later.

Setting the scenery

The type and arrangement of the scenery will be

preset in some scenarios. Whenever the scenario
does not tell you how to set up terrain, use the
following procedure:
The battlefield may contain no less than two and
up to four terrain features, which will be
deployed by the defender. Divide the board into
four equal imaginary quadrants, and place the
Other materials
terrain features in any of these. For example, a
You will need paper and pencil to write down the general who practices guerilla warfare and
composition of your army. It is possible that, as ambushes may want to use all four terrain
features to which he is entitled, while an army
you play more games, you'll require additional
resources, and probably more drinks and snacks! relying on heavy cavalry or large blocks of
infantry would prefer a clear battlefield, and only
place two terrain features.
I suppose it is best then to die boldly. I lament
Once the defender has placed all the scenery, the
not pain or suffering in this life, but only that I
attacking player may choose one side of the table
did not suffer enough to have earned such a
as his deployment zone (if the table is not
perfect life.
square, he must choose one of the longer sides)..
-Unknown Irish poet
Before either player deploys his troops, the
attacker may, if he wishes, perform one of these
9

two actions:
1.Switch the positions of two pieces of terrain.
This does not allow you to relocate a terrain
feature to an empty quadrant.
2.Eliminate one of the elements. The attacker
can choose one of the terrain features placed by
the defender and remove it from the battlefield.

the agreed-upon percentage in casualties,

calculated by solidus, his army is defeated.
Although this system entails more book-keeping,
and requires that both generals keep a tally of the
point values of their casualties, it also adds an
interesting element of uncertainty into the battle.
The duration of the game in real time depends on
many factors, including the size of the armies,
the scenario objectives, and the players
Deploying the armies
knowledge of the rules (during your first battles,
Some scenarios will determinate the deployment
always keep the manual handy for consultation,
areas. In all other scenarios, armies will be
but as you familiarize yourself with
deployed on opposing sides of the battlefield.
Brytenwalda, you can play with more ease). In
The defender will deploy his troops first,
any case, the duration of a normal game will be
followed by the attacker.
around one hour.
Some troops have a special talent that will affect
the way they are deployed. These features are
explained below.

Profiles

The physical characteristics of each type of

troop, their training, morale, and equipment, are
all represented by a profile. This is an example
of a type of warrior in Brytenwalda we use to
explain its characteristics.
Troop M C D Q
T
S
Geogue 5 2 3 4 Spearmen, Shields 36
Tier: Conscripts

Troop

Beginning the battle!

The attacking player takes command of his
troops and moves first.

How long does a game last?

When playing a scenario the battle ends when a
specific scenario objective has been reached. In
pitched battles there are two ways to play the
game: by turns or percentage.
Before the battle begins, choose a number of
turns (usually between six and eight); the game
ends when both players have played their last
turn.
Alternatively, choose a set percentage (usually
between 25% and 50%). Once a player suffers

The name of the unit. In this case it is a unit of

Geogue, a basic type Saxon unit. This is a low
class spearmen armed with spear and shield, but
no armour.

Movement
This is the distance in centimetres that this unit
can move across open terrain. When a model
marches or charges this measure is doubled.

Combat
This characteristic indicates how good the
warriors are when fighting a melee. This number
is added to the combat dice roll.

Defence
Indicates how well protected the warrior is,
including factors such as armor, physique, and
10

agility. The higher their defence characteristic,

the greater their chances of survival.

Quality
This characteristic is a measure of the
professionalism and training of the warriors.
Quality is used to measure another important
statistic, a warriors guts.

Talents
This category includes the equipment carried by
the warriors, as well as any special skills they
may have.

Solidus
This is the cost of each model that makes up the
unit. The measure is estimated in Solidus (an old
Roman currency). Solidus function in the same
way as points in most wargames, measuring
the overall effectiveness of units and armies.

Tier
The level of each troop type. There are two
types, conscripts and veterans.

Characteristics Tests
Sometimes you will be required to perform
Quality or Defence tests. To do so, simply roll a
die; if the result is equal to or less than the
corresponding characteristic, you have
succeeded.

Niall was fearless, Conn was brave, Garran

was strong, but no chief of the Ui Cannairh was
so bold as Conglach the White, slayer of eighthundred, and devourer of the wicked.
Ran, chief of the Dal Riatta

Talents
Considering the scale of Brytenwalda, a
warriors training, morale, and equipment will be
the difference between success and defeat.
Talents are a way of measuring these
differences.
Temperance. These troops have a strong temper
and are able to hold their ground in situations
where other units would fail. Units with the
Temperance talent may reroll one failed Quality
check each turn.
Scouts. These warriors scout ahead of the main
army to inspect the ground and warn their fellow
troops of potential ambushes. Troops with the
Scouts talent are deployed after both armies have
deployed all other troops, except for the
Explorers, and must be deployed in a piece of
terrain in their half of the game board. If there is
no terrain in their half of the board, they must be
deployed with the rest of the army.
Ferocity. Some troops are especially fierce and
will fight any enemy. Fierce troops add +1 to the
Combat value of the unit.
Brutality. In any society there are always
individuals who are likely to solve problems
with more strength than skill. Troops with the
Brutality talent reduce the Quality of their
enemies by 2 whey taking a morale check after
loosing a combat.
Impetuous. If a unit with the Impetuous talent is
within charge range of an enemy unit that it may
legally charge, that unit must pass a Quality
check or charge against it immediately. If the
11

conditions are met at any time the unit must pass

the check or charge, even if this interrupts the
normal sequence of events.
Shields. Only shield-bearing units may perform
the Shieldwall! order.
Spearmen. Spears are basic and very effective
weapons that allow soldiers to attack the enemy
from the relative safety of a short distance.
Models in the second rank may attack the enemy
during a combat as they were in contact with
him.
Pikemen. Pikemen share the same rules as
spearmen, but in addition they may not be
charged by cavalry units.
Assault missiles. A unite that charges or is
charged by a unit with assault missiles will apply
a -1 to its Quality value during the first round of
combat.
Bows. Including crossbows and all kind of bows.
Units with bows may shoot up to 30cm as
described later.
Throwing weapons. Including javelins,
franciscas and so on. Units with throwing
weapons may shoot up to 15cm as described
later.
Cavalry. Riders mounting on horses or ponies.
Cavalry units are mounted troops, so they are
able to move more quickly through the
battlefield. They are especially good when
charging, so they receive a bonus of +1 to their
Combat characteristic on the turn they charge.
They also have a Movement value of 10cm.

Units in Detail
Unit Sizes
Units are divided into four types according to
their size: a team (3 miniatures), a group (6
miniatures), a band (9 miniatures) and a horde
(12 miniatures). Whatever its size, it is
considered a unit for all purposes. The
maximum number allowed to be allocated in the
first rank will be always five, regardless of the
size of the unit.

Conscripts and veterans

Depending on their training and experience

troops may be conscripts or veterans. The

conscripts form the backbone of a warband in
Brytenwalda, so it should include a minimum of
two groups of conscripts.
Troop M C D Q T S
Cons

5 2 3 4 - 30

Troop M C D Q T S
Vet

5 3 4 5 - 40

Infantry
Most of the warriors fought on foot during this
period. Although some were more skilled or
better equipped, most fought in a very similar
manner.

Archers
A unit armed with bows considered archers, and
can make ranged attacks. They can also fight in
close combat, but suffer a -1 penalty to their
Combat and Defence characteristics.
They may be either conscripts or veterans.

Cavalry
Cavalry units are mounted troops, so they are
able to move more quickly through the
battlefield. They are especially good when
charging, so they receive a bonus of +1 to their
Combat characteristic the turn they charge. They
also get a Movement value of 10cm.

Heroes
Heroes are elite warriors with exceptional skills.
They may be included in any unit to boost its
combat power. Each warband may include up to
6 characters, including a chieftain.
12

Chieftains
Each warband is led by a chieftain, who directly
represents the player on the battlefield. The
Chieftain is the commanding officer and his
orders dictate the armys performance. It is
mandatory to include one chieftain per warband,
no more, no less.
The Romans have no concern for us, so we will
concern for ourselves. Good men and good
faith is all we will need.
Saint Patrick

Heroes in the
battlefield
Both the chieftain and other heroes should be
deployed inside a unit. These men represent the
heros retinue, and they will not abandon him,
thus linking his fate with his companions.
You can include up to a maximum of two heroes
in each unit.

Orders System
The troops do not move through the battlefield
on their own will, nor are they directed any
heroes that have joined their unit. Instead, all
units will obey the orders of the army chieftain,
the brave strategist who will enjoy the spoils of
victory or the infamy of defeat.
The command structure of a warband is formed
by the chieftain and the other heroes.
Both the chieftain and the other heroes in the
army should be represented by suitably
outstanding miniatures, so they may be
identified amongst their troops.

Giving orders
As mentioned above, an army will follow the
orders of their chieftain to act effectively on the
battlefield, otherwise they would remain in place
or charge against the enemy as a directionless
crowd.
To coordinate the actions of the troops the
chieftain will give orders to his men during the
battle.
The chieftain may give one order per turn to
each of his units within his command radius of
30cm.
It is very important to note that each unit may
only receive a single order each turn, a group of
soldiers may get quite confused if they receive
contradictory orders.

Leadership and compression

When a unit receives an order it will make a
Quality check to verify that they understood it
correctly (or have the courage to carry the order
out). If they fail the check they will continue
following the order received the previous turn.
Units equipped with missile weapons are an
exception to this point because, in case of
failure, they will fire at the nearest enemy unit at
range instead of following the rules of other
types of troops. If two enemy units are at the
same distance, shooters may choose which unit
to shoot at.
13

Charge!

Heroes leading units

The unit where the chieftain is deployed will
automatically pass their quality checks when
they receive an order.
Hero-led units may re-roll a failed quality check
when receiving an order. Checks can only be rerolled once by a unit, even if it includes two
heroes. The second result must be accepted.

Before giving the order, verify that the charging

unit will reach its enemy. A charge doubles the
value of movement as in March on!, and it
allows the unit to engage in melee with an
enemy unit. When contacting in a melee, you
must place as many of your models as possible
in contact with the enemy, without changing the
original lineup. Cavalry units can't charge
through difficult terrain.

First round orders

Halt!

At the beginning of the battle all men know what

to do and the enemy is at a distance long enough
to pose no immediate threat, so they will do
exactly what their chieftain expects of them.
In the first turn all units can execute orders
without checking for discipline.

Type of orders
The chieftain can give several types of orders.
Some orders are specific to a particular troop
type, for example a unite of spearmen can not
receive the order, Shoot! because they do not
have any kind of projectile weapons.
As we said each unit can only receive one order
per turn, when they receive a new order they will
forget the previous one and will begin to follow
the new.
Available commands are:

Forward!
This is the most basic order. The unit can move
in any direction as long they keep the same
formation and no miniature move more than its
movement value.

When given this order, the unit will stop and

may change its facing and lineup as desired.

Shieldwall!
Only shield bearing units may perform a
shieldwall. The unit receiving this order must
stop in that turn. Place a token to indicate that
the warriors are forming a shieldwall. Warriors
on shieldwall cannot march nor charge as long
the formation lasts. Warriors forming a
shieldwall will add +1 to their Defence value
when shot by missile weapons. Warriors
forming a shieldwall will not recoil when
loosing a combat..

Fire!
Only units bearing missile weapons.
A unit with missile weapons will shoot the
nearest enemies if they have not received any
further orders. When they receive Shoot! May
shoot at any enemy within their range and line
of sight.

Move and shoot!

Thanks to this order the cavalry unity may
either shoot and then move/march, or shoot and
then move/march.

March on!
As Forward!, But movement value will be
double and the whole movement should be
straight. All units charged while executing
March on! Will suffer a -1 penalty in their
Combat, Defence and Quality values during the
first round of the melee. Cavalry unites man not
March on! Through difficult terrain.

Move back!
This order can only be performed by cavalry
engaged in combat with infantry. Cavalry may
break off from melee and march straight back.
They will keep marching in the same direction
as long as they do not receive a new order.

14

as a free order (you do not have to give an order

for them to fight, but it counts as an order which
is automatically obeyed). When a unit that is
given Charge! order contacts an enemy, it also
fights immediately as an extra free order.
A fleeing unit must be stopped with a Halt!
order. No further orders may be given to fleeing
units.
There is a grave for March, a grave for
Gwythur, a grave for Gwgawn Red-sword;
Wonder of wonders, no grave for Arthur.
Englynion y Beddau (Stanzas of the Graves)

Shooting
Units armed with missile weapons can shoot at
enemy units if they receive the appropriate order.

Legal targets
In order to be targeted by a unit of archers, an
enemy unit must meet the following criteria:
- Be within range of fire of the shooter.
- Be within line of fire of the shooter.
Brytenwalda does not use the dear old IGOUGO -Not be engaged in close combat.
(I go you go) turn system. Instead of that, both
players will share the same turn.
Ranges
Both players roll a dice and the winner will get
The are two kinds of missile weapons in
the initiative that turn. The player with the
Brytenwalda: bows and throwing weapons.
initiative will choose one of his or her units; that
-Bows (including crossbows and all kinds of
unit will attempt to perform their order. Then
bows) 30cm.
the other player will get the initiative and will
-Throwing weapons (including javelins,
give an order to any of his or her units.
franciscas and so on) 15cm.
Place a token next to units that have already
These ranges determinate the distance of
received an order this turn to remind yourself
effective fire. This does not mean that a longer
that they cannot be activated again until next
distance cannot be reached, but it pretends to
turn. A player may choose not to give a new
show that these kind of shoots would be erratics
order to a unit if he or she wants the unit to
and little effective.
continue performing the previous order, or wants
Remember that you can measure distances
them to stand still. If one player fields more units
whenever you want.
that the opponent, he or she may also give orders
to any units left after the enemy finishes his or
her last activation. When all units have received Line of sight
The line of sight determinates which targets can
their orders, the turn is over and initiative is
be in sight and can be chosen as a valid
rolled for again.
objective. Line of sight may be blocked by:
A unit engaged in a melee maybe chose to fight -High terrain. Features such as forests, hills and

The turn

15

buildings count as high terrain. Both players

should agree on which pieces of terrain are
high before beginning the game.
-Friendly troops that are 5cm or closer to the
intended target. Your archers will not risk
damaging their own allies.

failed that unit may not move during this turn if

it has not been given orders yet. If the unit has
taken orders this turn, then it will not receive any
orders for the next turn instead. Place a token
next to the unit to indicate that they may not act
next turn.
If the shot unit includes a hero, the unit can reroll a failed Quality test, but they must accept the
result of the second roll. Regardless of the
number of heroes allocated to a unit, the test can
only be re-rolled once.

Linked shooting

Shooting
Once you have determined your target, you may
roll the dice to see if you hit and how badly they
are damaged.
Both the shooter and the target must follow a
simple procedure:
Shooter:
Add the number of miniatures in the unit plus
the units Quality value plus 1D6

Linking shooting is an effective way to turn

down an enemy.
Two or more units bearing the same kind of
missile weapons can choose the same target if it
is a legal target for all models in both units. It is
a special order and it is an exception to the
normal order system. To perform a linked
shooting, choose one unit as the leader. This
unit will serve as the primary shooters; it must
pass a Quality check just as if it had been given a
normal order. The controlling player may then
choose one or more units which will shoot as
secondary units. These units must pass a Quality
check as well. Any secondary unit failing the
check can not take part in the linked shooting
action.
Once the units partaking in the linked shooting
have been determined, use the following
procedure:
Main unit
Add the number of miniatures in the unit plus
quality value plus 1D6

Target:
Add the number of miniatures in the unit plus
the number of heroes in the unit plus the units
Quality value plus 1D6

If the target wins nothing happens or there is a

tie.
If the shooter wins the target must check for
Defence. For each failed Defence check a
warrior must be removed as a casualty from the
target unit, indicating that he is either dead or
severely injured. If one or more miniatures have
been removed in a unit, that unit must
immediately take a Quality check; if the check is

Supporting unit
Any supporting unit, no matter how big or
small, just adds its number of miniatures to the
total score.

As with a normal shooting order, if the target

wins ore there is a tie nothing happens
, and if the shooters win, the target must check
for Defence. If the target is doubled check twice
for Defence (if it is tripled, check three times and
so on).
16

Damage to the target unit is resolved in the same

way as a normal shooting order.
If the target unit is outnumbered by the charging
unit they have to pass a Quality check in order to
Stand Still or Shoot; if they fail they will Flee
I have been where Llachau was slain, the son
instead.
of Arthur, awesome in songs, when ravens
croaked over blood.
-Stand still. The most common reaction. They
Mi a Wum, Black Book of Carmarthen
just will brace for the impact of the charge,
readying their weapons with their feet firmly
entrenched. The combat will be resolved
normally.
-Flee. When cowardice overcomes them, or they
are simply wise enough to realize that they are
outmatched by their opponents and doomed to
lose, men will turn and turn tail and flee.
Move the target unit double its Movement value
directly away from the charging unit. The
charging unit will then complete the rest of their
charge move, moving up to the maximum
(double their movement characteristic). In the
event that the remainder of the charging units
movement brings them into contact with their
target, the target unit will be completely
destroyed and all enemy models removed as
To engage the enemy in close quarters fighting, a casualties. If the remainder of the charging units
unit must be given a Charge! order. The unit
movement is not enough to reach its target, the
selected to perform a charge must meet the
unit may choose to complete the charge
following requirements.
movement at double their normal movement
-It must not already be engaged in close combat. rate, or to restrain their impulse and complete the
-The target must be within its line of sight
order using their normal movement rate.
-The target must be within charge range
If the target unit is not caught and destroyed, it
(doubled movement value).
will be considered fleeing as if it had been
-If the chargers are a cavalry unit, they cannot
defeated in combat, and it can be regrouped with
pass through difficult terrain .
a Halt! order as usual.
-Shoot. Only units with missile weapons can
Advantages of charging
perform this charge reaction. The warriors may
take one last shot before their enemies reach
When a gang of warriors charge, they close in
running, shouting, and waving their weapons in them in close combat. Due to the stress of being
charged, apply a -1 modifier to their Combat
anger to look as intimidating as possible.
value when performing this reaction. You cannot
The charging unit will get +1 to their Combat
Value during the first round of the melee. If they do linked shooting when performing this
lose the combat in the first round, they will get a shooting reaction, only the unit targeted for the
Charge! order may shoot. Since the charging
+1 to their Quality value.
warriors are more preoccupied with reaching the
target unit than with defending themselves, they
Reacting to a charge
do not need to take a Quality test if any of their
A unit on the receiving end of a charge is
warriors fall as a result of the shooting.
unlikely to stand around while the enemy closes -Shoot and flee. Only cavalry units with missile
in on them, screaming and brandishing their
weapons may shoot and flee as a charge reaction.
weapons, but they may decide to react in various This combines Shoot and Flee reactions. Just as
ways.

Charging

17

with the shoot reaction, the target unit may take

a shot with a -1 modifier to their Combat value.
After the shot is resolved, the target unit may
move its Movement value directly from the
charging unit.

value plus 1 if they outnumber their opponent

plus 1D6

Accidental Charges
Units are not allowed to move into contact with
the enemy without being given the Charge!
order. In the event that a movement would lead
them to contact with an enemy unit, stop them at
5cms away from the nearest enemy model.
If a unit reacts to a charge by fleeing, the
charging unit may redirect their charge against a
new enemy unit that is located in the path of the
charge. The new target of the charge has not
enough time to do anything but stand still.
Saxons on all sides into disgrace will come;
their age has passed away; there is not a
country. Death has been accomplished to the
black auxiliary.
Armes Prydein Vawr, Book of Taliesin

Chieftains and heroes in

combat

Close combat
This is the most exciting phase, the troops are
finally face to face and can settle disputes manto-man at a very personal distance.
The combat in the ancient world is not as epic as
the movies and novels can make us think, the
fighters were more concerned about staying alive
than killing their enemies. A warrior will try to
keep his body as safe as possible behind his
shield; stabbing his enemy was secondary.
We can almost imagine the fighting formations
approaching each other timidly, while being
harangued by their officers and egged on by their
compatriots behind them.

In addition to other factors, add 1 for each

fighting hero in the unit. If the unit includes the
chieftain, add a 1D2 in addition to the +1 of a
normal hero; to perform this throw a dice (1 if
odd, 2 if even) or flip a coin (call heads or tails).
Units including one or more scholarly hero may
re-roll the 1D6, but they must accept the
outcome of the second roll.

Determining Casualties

Check how many miniatures are in contact with

an enemy; these warriors will take part in the
close combat.

The unit that loses the combat will be pushed

back by the enemy and retreat one bases length
directly backwards provided they have room to
do so.
Each warrior in the defeated unit and half the
warriors in the winning unit (rounding down)
must then take a Defence check. If the unit that
wins scores double the looser must check twice
for Defence (if it's tripled check three times and
so on). Each failed Defence check means a
warrior dead or severely injured, and so that
number of miniatures must be removed from the
game.

Melee

Checking for moral

Determining contacts

Each side adds the number of miniatures in

contact with an enemy plus the unit's Quality

The losing unit must now check to see if they are

brave enough to keep fighting after suffering a
18

defeat.
If just one man falls during the combat, then no
test will be necessary. If two or more men have
been killed, the unit must take a Quality check.
Each hero in the unit (including the chieftain)
adds +1 to the unit's Quality characteristic when
performing this morale check. If the Quality
check is failed, the unit flees. This check can be
re-rolled if there are one or more men in the
second rank of the unit.

models to the sum of the combat.

-If there are four or more miniatures from
another friendly unit already in combat, throw an
additional 1D6 when solving the combat.

Fleeing from a multiple combat

Only the last unit to charge may choose to
pursue if the enemy flees.

Adding pressure
If the defeated unit does not flee, the winner may
choose to move as many of his or her miniatures
to contact as he or she wishes. Only models
which are not already in combat can be moved
this way.

Fleeing and pursuing

If the losing unit does not pass its morale check
it will immediately flee double its Movement
value directly away from their opponents. The
fleeing unit will continue moving in the same
direction until a successful Halt! order is given.
The winning unit may decide whether or not
they want to pursue. A victorious unit that
wishes to stand still must pass a Quality check to
maintain control. If this test if failed, they are
overcome with confidence and run after their
fleeing enemies. If the pursuer is a cavalry unit
and the fleeing unit is infantry, the fleeing unit
will be always completely slain (remove all the
miniatures of that unit from the game). Infantry
may not attempt to pursue a fleeing cavalry unit.
If both units share the same type (two infantry
units or two cavalry units), roll 1D6:
1-3 The enemy is completely slain; remove all
the miniatures of that unit from the game.
4-6 The enemy escapes. Move the pursuer its
normal Movement value after the fleeing unit.

Scenery
The various components of the landscape are
represented in the game by terrain pieces, such
as hills, villages, marshes, rivers and so on.
Some terrain features have their own rules.

Size of the scenery

Different pieces of scenery will have different

forms depending on the item represented (an
When a second unit charges into a unit which is oval hill or a rectangular building, for example).
already in close combat with another unit, it is
There are no mandatory rules regarding the size
referred to as a multiple combat.
of terrain features, although as a guideline most
Follow the usual steps of a single combat with
should be no larger than 15x25cm unless the
the following changes:
battle requires something larger, or both players
-If there are three or less miniatures from another agree.
friendly unit already in combat, add these

Multiple combat

19

Difficult terrain

were open terrain.

Cavalry may cross a river without a ford or
bridge, but cannot march or charge through it.
Infantry crossing a river without ford or bridge
must perform a Quality check. If failed, roll
1D6:
1-3 One miniature is drowned and must be
removed from the game.
4-6 2 miniatures are drowned and must be
removed from the game.

Marshes, swamps, steep or rocky hills, crops...

Infantry units may not march or charge through
difficult terrain elements. Cavalry cannot move
through this type of terrain.

Impassable terrain
Buildings, walls, cliffs, crags, deep lakes...
No infantry or cavalry unit may move through
scenery pieces classified as impassable terrain.

Infantry can't march or charge through a river.

Hills
Hills are a type of scenery that play an important
tactical role, so they have their own special rules.
When two or more units in combat are fighting
on a hill, the unit closest to the center of the hill
will add +1 to its Combat value. Most hills will
not be perfectly circular, but you may use an
imaginary point, paint a small dot, or place a
token such as a small rock to mark the center of
the hill.

Walls
A unit defending a wall will add +1 to its
Combat and Quality value during the combat. A
unit is only considered to be defending a wall if
it did not move during the previous turn and the
enemy unit is in contact with the defending
units front facing.
Note: a wall built on a hill is a very
advantageous position so, yes, the bonuses for
defending a wall and having an uphill advantage
are cumulative. A unit receives a +2 to Combat
and +1 to Quality when defending a wall with an
uphill advantage.

Rivers
Rivers are another scenery piece with special
characteristics.
A river must be placed on the table so that it
enters into a quadrant and leaves by an adjacent
one (ie, can not leave the table by the diagonally
opposite quadrant).
There must be at least one and no more than two
crossings on every river. These passages may be
either bridges or fords and they must have a
minimum width of 3cm and a maximum width
of 6cm, which are considered passable as if they
20

Warband Lists

Choosing your army

Before playing a battle, both players must agree how many solidus they want to spend on their
armies. Both armies must share the same amount of solidus, unless the scenario says otherwise or
both players agree to field uneven armies.

Romano-British
Heroes
Denomination

Amount Solidus

Chieftain

Pendragon

60

Warrior

Teulu

0-5

50

Scholar Druid, bard or priest

0-2
50
Chieftain and warrior heroes may mount on horses at a cost of 10S. Doing so gives them the
cavalry talent.

21

Warriors
Tier

Talents

Solidus

Ardu

Conscripts

Scouts, Throwing weapons

36

Aulue

Conscripts

Spearmen, Shields

34

Rherel

Veterans Spearmen, Shields, Temperance

Campwyr Veterans

46

Shields, Ferocity

46

Helwyr

Conscripts

Bows, Scouts

38

Saethwyr

Veterans

Bows

46

Marca

Veterans

Cavalry, Throwing weapons

52

Saxons
Heroes
Denomination
Chieftain

Amount Solidus

Thegn

60

Warrior Dryten, Geoguth, Gesias or warrior cults

0-5

50

Scholar

0-2

50

Scop or Galdre

22

Warriors
Tier

Talents

Solidus

Gebur

Conscripts

Shields

32

Geogue

Conscripts

Spearmen, Shields

34

Dugue

Veterans

Spearmen, Shields

44

Gesias

Veterans Spearmen, Shields, Brutality

Langbogascotendas Conscripts

48

Bows, Shields

38

Mearc-pret

Veterans

Spearmen, Bows, Shields

50

Ered-pret

Veterans

Cavalry

48

Scots-Irish
Heroes
Denomination
Chieftain

Amount Solidus

Arras

60

Warrior Curadha, Riastarti or Dinuadda-claiomhnaghta

0-5

50

Scholar

0-2

50

Druid, bard or priest

Warriors
Ceitherne

Tier

Talents

Solidus

Conscripts

Shields, Throwing weapons, Scouts

38

Shield

32

Cliarthairi Claiomh Conscripts

Cliarthairi Slea

Veterans

Spearmen, Shields

44

Cliathairi Gaemor

Veterans

Pikemen

44

Deaisbard

Veterans

Shield, Brutality

46

Fiagania

Conscripts

Bows

36

Guirran

Veterans

Cavalry, Throwing weapons

52

23

Picts
Heroes
Denomination
Chieftain

Amount Solidus

Gai Aurmahr

60

Warrior Caithdaoer or Thomordaoer

0-5

50

Scholar

0-2

50

Druid, witch or priest

Warriors
Tier

Talents

Solidus

Dim

Conscripts

Throwing weapons, Scouts

36

Gairlorm

Conscripts

Spearmen, Shield

34

Gaimorlom

Veterans

Pikemen

44

Aumue Boai Veterans Ferocity, Brutality, Impetuous

48

Chodaoer

Conscripts

Shield

32

Elbharu

Veterans

Bows

46

Myrchan

Veterans

Cavalry, Throwing weapons

52

distances accordingly if they wish, or they may

simply use the given ranges and distances to
avoid complications with converting.
The game board size may also vary, depending
on the solidus spent during warband creation.
For small battles between two forces of around
600 solidus, a 60x60cm board is recommended.
In bigger battles with around 1,000 or more
solidus per warband, a larger table of 90x90cm.
or 120x100cm is recommended, depending on
players' preferences and the restrictions of the
playing area.

Battle length

Scenarios

Board Size and distances

Brytenwalda was written with 15mm. scale
miniatures in mind, but it would work fine with
25-30mm miniatures as well. When playing at a
different scale, players may adjust ranges and

Some battles last until one player concedes or all

models on one side are either fleeing or dead.
With especially large warbands, however, this
may take too much time. In these cases both
players may agree to either a time or a turn limit
for the battle. One hour or six turns Count the
solidus of each killed model when the time is
over the player who destroyed more solidus
worth of enemies will win the battle.

Choosing a battle
Both players may agree on which scenario to
24

fight, or alternatively they may let fate decide,

by rolling on the following table:
1 Pitched Battle

They then sent to Angeln, bidding them send

more help, and had them informed of the
cowardice of the Britons and the excellence of
the land. They then immediately sent hither a
greater force to the help of the others.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

2 Loot and Plunder

3

Bridgehead

Relic Raiders

Ambush!

Kidnapping

Loot and plunder

Setting up

Roll a die to determinate who is the attacker and

who is the defender. The player who scores
higher is the attacker. The defender may place up
to four terrain features on the board, but may not
leave more than one quadrant vacant. The
attacker may then choose between swapping the
placement of two of those elements, or removing
one of them from the battlefield. Note that a
river counts as a single terrain feature even if it
flows along two squares. In addition, the
defender places one terrain feature in the centre
of the battlefield; which will be the objective.
The objective may be a church, abbey,
longhouse or similar structure, and does not
count towards the scenery limit, nor can it be
Setting up
repositioned or removed by the attacking player.
Roll a die to determinate who is the attacker and
The defender chooses one side of the table and
who is the defender. The player who scores
deploys his or her warband no further than
higher is the attacker. The defender may place up
10cm. from that board edge. The attacker then
to four terrain features on the board, but may not
deploys his or her warband on the opposite side,
leave more than one quadrant vacant. The
keeping within the same 10cm. distance from the
attacker may then choose between swapping the
edge. Scouts and Surveyors may be deployed
placement of two of those elements, or removing
after the main armies. In this scenario, the
one of them from the battlefield. Note that a
attackers Scouts and Surveyors may not be
river counts as a single terrain feature even if it
placed closer than 15cm to the objective. The
flows along two squares.
attacker gives the first order.No attacker scout or
The defender chooses one side of the table and
surveyor may be deployed 15cm. or closer to the
deploys his or her warband no further than
objective. Attacker moves first.
10cm. from that board edge. The attacker then
deploys his or her warband on the opposite side,
keeping within the same 10cm. distance from the Conclusion
edge. Scouts and Surveyors may be deployed
In order for the attacker to win, he must keep a
after the main armies. The attacker gives the first unit composed of six or more miniatures in
order.
contact with the objective base for at least two
complete turns without close combat fighting,
with a Halt! order active. If he or she succeeds,,
Conclusion
the attackers win battle. If the attacker has a unit
Battle lasts until one player concedes or all
of 6 or more in contact with the objective at the
models on one side are fleeing or dead.
end of the game, but theyre in combat, the battle
is a draw.Battle lasts for eight turns.

Pitched Battle

25

Bridgehead
Setting up
Use the same procedure for placing terrain as in
a Pitched Battle. When the defender has set all
the scenery the attacker must choose a hill or a
wall which will serve as the objective and place
it in one of the quarters. The attacking warband
must be deployed in the same quarter as the
objective, and he or she must deploy one unit
defending the objective (either behind the wall
or at the center of the hill). The defender deploys
on the opposite quarter and at least 15cm. away
from any enemy model (enemy scouts and
surveyors do not count on this deployment
restriction).

investigated, the last token will automatically be

the relic. The unit which found the relic will
carry it with them until the unit is either
destroyed or flees, in which case the relic token
is placed on the battlefield where the unit was
destroyed or began to flee. The relic may be
carried again by any unit which contacts it.
The battle lasts until one player carries the relic
to his or her board edge, or one player concedes,
or all models on one side are fleeing or dead.

Conclusion

Battle lasts for six turns. If the attacker keeps

one unit defending the objective (no matter if it
is the original defender unit or not) when the
sixth turn is over, he or she wins the battle.
Beware the anger of the patient men.
Irish Proverb

Relic Raiders

Ambush!
Setting up

Roll a die to determinate who is the attacker and

who is the defender. The player who scores
Both players roll a die; the winner receives two higher is the attacker, and is ambushing the
defending player.
relic tokens, receives one. These tokens
The ambushed player deploys his or her army no
represent the possible locations of a relic that
further than 10cm. from an imaginary line which
both warbands are seeking. Players take turns
crosses the middle of the board. When all regular
placing the tokens 10cm. or closer to an
troops are deployed, Surveyors and Scouts may
imaginary line which crosses the middle of the
be deployed, but no further than 20cm. from that
board, starting with the winner of the roll-off.
line.
The distance between tokens must be at least
The attacking player now places up to four
15cm.
terrain features no closer than 10cm to any
After the tokens have been placed, players take
turns deploying units, starting with the winner of enemy model. The attacking warband is then
deployed anywhere on the battlefield, but no
the roll-off and alternating until both warbands
are on the battlefield. No Scout or Surveyor unit closer than 15cm. to any enemy model.
may be deployed closer than 15cm. to any token. Conclusion
No other unit may be deployed further than
The battle will last until the defenders manage
10cm. from its board edge.
to put ten non-fleeing models in contact with any
Conclusion
edge of the board or all attackers are dead or
When a unit comes into contact with a token roll fleeing, in which case they win, or until all
defenders are dead or fleeing, in which case the
a die: on a 5-6 they have found the relic. If the
relic is not reveald after the second token that is attackers win.

Setting up

26

for a casual gamer, hardcore wargamers and old

school RPG players will look for a way to
interconnect them, creating a story. Playing a
campaign is one way to create a saga for your
chieftain and his bold followers. During a
campaign, your warriors names will be
immortalized in the songs of bards but also
suffer terrible misfortunes.

Designing a campaign
A campaign can be as simple as writing a story
and playing a string of scenarios build around
that story, or playing a tree or map based
Setting up
campaign, and fight for the conquest of a
Follow the same set-up procedure as in the Loot number of provinces or critical places. The more
and Plunder scenario. In this scenario, the
players partaking in a campaign, the more fun it
attackers kidnapping target is residing inside the is, no matter which type of campaign you choose
objective building.
to play.
Conclusion
In the event that two or more players want to
When an attacking unit contacts the building, it play as the same faction, each player may simply
will kidnap the dweller. If the kidnapping unit is choose a different kingdom to ally themselves
with (consider two Romano-British players - one
destroyed or flees, set the kidnap victim on the
may fight for Gwynedd while the other will sell
battlefield. The victim will remain stationary,
but may either join or be recaptured by any unit his sword to the king of Dumnonia). In ancient
which contacts it depending on if that unit is an Britain, it was not uncommon for warbands
hailing from similar cultures and regions to be at
attacker or defender.
odds with one another.
The battle lasts until one player escorts the
dweller to his or her board edge or one player
concedes or all models on one side are fleeing or Aftermatch
dead.
Fallen units
Note that although you may use a miniature to
represent the kidnapped person, it will count as a Even if a unit is completely massacred during a
token, and you must not deploy it inside the unit battle, some of the men may have only suffered
injuries or possibly even ran from the battlefield
which carries it, even though it may remain on
(woe the cowards!). Roll on the following table
the board and move with that unit.
to see how many of them have managed to
survive for the next battle. Vertical is the size of
Then all the councillors, together with that
the original unit, vertical is a 1D6 roll:
proud tyrant Vortigern, the British king, were

Kidnapping

so blinded, that, as a protection to their

country, they sealed its doom by inviting in
among them, the fierce and impious Saxons, a
race hateful both to God and men, to repel the
invasions of the northern nations.
De Excidio Britanniae, The Ruin of Britain,
Gildas

Campaigns
Although playing separate battles may be fine
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Fallen heroes

new unit with less than three men.

Chieftains and heroes' destinies are linked to the

unit they joined when the battle began; if the unit
is utterly destroyed they may also fall with their
brothers in arms. Roll 1D6 and consult the
following table to see what happens:
1 or 2

A noble death.

Captured

Wounded for the next 2 battles

Wounded for the next battle

6
He is alive!
When a chieftain or hero is captured, the
warband which defeated them may ask for a
ransom. Both players may negotiate the amount
but, if there is not a deal, the captors can keep
him captive as long as they want, or even kill
him.

Booty
When the battle is over, the winner can pillage
the fallen enemies and sell the prisoners to the
nearest slave trader. Winner gets 200 solidus
after the battle.
The defeated warband may sell the properties of
the fallen companions and seek for
reinforcements among the nearest towns. The
loser gets 100 solidus after battle.
Relic Raiders and Kidnapping scenarios gives
100 extra solidus to the winning warband.

Retrieving lost warriors

You can use your solidus to recruit new heroes
or warriors to replace those who have fallen in
battle; just pay the amount indicated in your
warband list. If your chieftain has passed away,
you pay for a new hero; one of the existing
heroes will be promoted to the role of chieftain
of your warband.

Glory and renown

As the campaign progress your chieftain, heroes,
warriors, or sometimes your whole warband may
acquire new skills which reflect their experience
and reputation. Although these skills may be the
result of experience gained in battle or reputation
won among nearby settlements, in game terms
they are bought using Solidus. Each one of these
skills costs 250 solidus.
You cannot buy skills for a chieftain, hero or unit
that fell in the previous battle.

Chieftain and heroes

Die hard. If the character rolls a 1 in the fallen

heroes table you may roll again.
Hard as steel. Roll again if your character rolls
Recruiting new warriors
4 or 5 in the fallen heroes table.
You can use your solidus to buy new warriors for Fame. Discount a 15% of the solidus spent when
an existing unit, or even buy enough warriors to retrieving or recruiting warriors.
create a brand new unit. Just remember you
Cunning. When both players have deployed all
cannot add warriors to a unit that already
their units, the unit this character is within may
contains twelve men, and you cannot create a
be re-deployed in any legal deployment zone.
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Units
Favor of the gods. You may re-roll a Defence
check once per battle.
Pathfinders. Infantry units only. This unit may
march through difficult terrain.
Raiders. Before beginning a battle but when all
units are already deployed, the unit may make a
move as though they received a March on! order.
Bold. Unit ignores their fist failed Quality check.
Elite. Unit adds +1 to their Combat value.
Warband
Relentless. Once per battle you may gain the
initiative for the turn without rolling the dice.
Strategist. You may re-roll when determining
who is the attacker and the defender of a battle.
Battle standard. Your chieftain's command
radius is increased to 45cm.
Devious. When both players have deployed all
their units, you may swap the positions of two of
your units. The new position must be legal for
both units (this skill does not give scout or
surveyor talent!).

Appendix
Creating new warriors and
warbands
Although this rulebook attempts to cover the
main kinds of warriors of each culture, you
might want to create some new ones like elite
kontos-bearing Romano-British cavalry, or Pict
warrior women. You may also want to create
your brand new warbands of Goths or Vikings
for other games backgrounds.
These are the points used in the creation of the
warbands you can enjoy in Brytenwalda. Try to
be sensible when designing new warriors or
warbands; do it fun to play with and against.
Conscripts 30
Veteran

40

Temperance 2

The twelfth battle was on Badon Hill and in it

960 men fell in one day from a single charge of
Arthur's, and no one laid them low except he
alone.
Nennius, Historia Brittonum

Scouts

Ferocity

Brutality

Impetuous 0
Shields

Spearmen

Pikemen

Assault m. 4
Throwing w. 4
Bows

Cavalry

Creating new scenarios

Maybe you have an interesting idea, or maybe
six scenarios are too few for a large campaign all
over Britania. You are free to design your own
battle ideas. Just try to make it as fun as possible
for both players. In fact it would be fine to
gather with your friends and share yours ideas.
And, if you are especially fond of your new
scenario... share it with all the Brytenwalda
community!

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Do not be disheartened by limitation. Do what you can, until all strength is spent, and you have
done heroic things. A man can only do so much. If he could do more, he'd be God.
St. Columba

Written by Vctor Gondra.

Graphic design and miniatures painted by Vctor Gondra.
Additional texts by Alberto Fuentevilla De Diego (Idibil)
Additional rules by Thomas Gabel
English correction by Thomas Gabel and Blacksmith.
Photographies by Fectio, Letavia, Batavi, Contubernium, Comitatus and El Clan del Cuervo.
Miniatures by Splintered Light Miniatures, painted by Vctor Gondra
Textures: Struckdumb, Isthar, Frozen Stocks, Ninstock, Firesign, Bashcorpo, Wojtar, Arghus,
Moonstruck, Texurestockbyhjs.
Brytenwalda blog: http://brytenwalda.blogspot.com/
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