Converting Warcry to Age of Sigmar

[NinthMusketeer]

So funny thing is I actually made these rules like two years ago for use in Road to Renown but it completely slipped my mind that hey, people might appreciate these for use in general AoS 😅

So I split them off, updated the wording and included a print-friendly version for folks;

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8gg82tjqf5x5d4y/AABjxoNTQTu-2fCGLFiNVK5Ra?dl=0

[CrimsonKing]

I like the idea and formatting! I haven't played a warcry campaign before so a bit green at understanding the whole relevance here.
 

I like the idea of the leader setting the squad type as a general idea but needs more refinement for warbands with significant profiles (stat/ weapon wise). If you are going into such detail on campaign bonuses I think it's fair to allow some unit selection breakdown a bit too.

For example, skaven with rat ogres or beastmen with minotaurs.

An example taken from GW's solution for units like 'untamed beasts' with a rocktusk prowler or spire tyrants with a Bestigor destroyer is: "1 in 9 models must be a rocktusk prowler, add 1 to wounds characteristic"

For this custom generator you could include perhaps 1-2 optional model selections to represent those inherent wound/movement/skill differences. Something like:

You may select up to two different types of units with models in your warband to generate 1 additional ability each. Only models of this unit type in the warband gain the ability generated. You may select one of the stats on that units Warcry profile from the list below, and compare it to the warcry card for the base model of the warband leader's unit type. The resulting ability then refers to the final Age of Sigmar warscroll. (sounds complicated, just bear with me and simplify if it helps/sounds like a good idea)
 

Wounds. For every 10 additional wounds,  improve the final warscroll wounds profile for this unit, written as follows:
[Model type]: [Model type] have a wounds characteristic of [improved wounds].

Movement: If a model has double the movement characteristic, add the following:

[Model type]: if the unit includes any [model type]s, you can re-roll 1's in charge rolls made for this unit.

Damage/Critical Damage: If either damage or Critical damage is greater by 1 or 2:

[Model type]: Add [1 or 2] to the Attacks Characteristic of [Model type]'s melee weapons.

Fly...

 

Just a thought. As I'm not familiar with exactly how many campaign bonuses the unit could likely gain, unsure how messy it would get. There will always be a tradeoff of complexity versus accurate representation.

 

[NinthMusketeer]

In my experience the moment the rules go past one page half the potential audience loses interest. I've considered a lot of different ideas but yet to find anything that wouldn't add at least another half-page of explanation. So much of it comes down to interaction with specific warscrolls. To use your wounds example, I could take that with my IRL splintered fang warband and give the AoS version a snake swarm with 5 wounds. The unit can return a slain one of those every round, which has a very different effect on a 5-wound model verses the normal 2. And that is just one example; for any bonus given there are an immense number of exploits and while the rules can be written to eliminate those it is most often such fixes that add the most complexity.

But it's still a good concept, and I am certainly glad you suggested it. One never knows when the thread of an old idea may become relevant in the future, even in an entirely different game. It makes reading ideas always an interesting prospect for me (at least when they are thought out XD).

Edited July 26, 2021 by NinthMusketeer

[CrimsonKing]

Not following about the 5 wounds for snakes, as my proposed rule limits the upgrade based on the unit's stats. The snake swarm couldn't really have anything of note considering its rather basic profile compared to nearly any basic unit type (perhaps critical of 4 is better then basic model)

If a basic troop has even a low value of 6 wounds, and your supermonster has 40 wounds that is only +3 (16,26,36)

I understand your hesitancy over long rules set. Just going after what I'd imagine GW would do and therefore what players typically handle. That again is based on units already formatted into AoS, and rules-sets for things like custom chapters,factions in WD; Which is acceptable as a magazine 2 page, 4-6 column spread.

Let's say what I have above was worked together with the campaign bonuses you've built; The next question I wasn't sure of is the number of additional rules overall the final unit could have. base warscrolls could already have say, 5 special abilities/wargear, then I've listed possibly 2 more (and yes they might conflict or already exist as a wargear option on the scroll!) but then wondering from your experience with warcry campaigns, how many of your final campaign traits/gear would end up translated into a warscroll? another 5?

I agree then a unit would get unwieldy. My problem however is most warbands I play typically include some heavy hitter unit. Dragon ogres in beastmen, vargeists in death, bloodcrushers or Fleshhounds in Khorne daemons etc. Those are the types of units I feel are being let down here, and then can take up a sizable chunk of the warcry rosters points.

 

[NinthMusketeer]

I agree. It really comes down to there being no simple way to fix it. Bear in mind that these rules are in addition to those that already exist; the complexity is added to what is already there. On top of that people will deal with many times more complex rulesets if they are part of the official rules than as house rules they encounter online (and justifiably so).