Starting Honor
As stated in the Honor rules (Clan War Rulebook, page 74), each clan begins with a base honor and gains honor equal to the personal honor of each personality of their clan/affiliation that they recruit for their army. Armies do not gain honor for personalities recruited from other clans nor do they gain honor for unaligned personalities.
An army's starting honor for a battle is equal to the clan's base Honor, plus the personal Honor of each clan affiliated personality in the army. That number is subject to other modifiers, such as the Honor penalty for including Shadowlands personalities in the army.
Gaining Honor During Play
Honor is also gained when destroying enemy units or personalities, when winning a duel, and a number of other ways that will appear on Tactical Cards, items, spells, and Force Cards in the future.
Benefits of High Honor
When an army reaches 20 honor, there is an enthusiasm that comes from great self-respect and the feeling of being in the right, for certainly someone in the wrong could never have such a high honor... could they? While at 20 honor or higher, every unit in the army gains a +1 to all Morale tests.
When an army reaches 40 honor, even their opponents feel the righteous indignation of the army and the feeling of working against the Emperor. At the end of the turn in which an army reaches 40 points for the first time (and only the first time), every enemy unit in the battle must make a single Morale test, ignoring cumulative modifiers for earlier tests during the turn, but including other existing modifiers (such as those for being broken or making a Full Retreat earlier in the turn).
For each additional 20 points of honor (e.g. at 60, 80, 100, etc.), all enemy units must again make the Morale test, with a cumulative -1 to the roll for each of these honor levels. Again, the test is only taken the first time the army reaches a certain level, not if the honor goes back and forth across the same honor level again and again.
Note: In addition (as noted in the Clan War Rulebook, Appendix A), the army with the highest current Honor at the beginning of each End phase may draw an additional Tactical Card during the appropriate portion of the End phase.
Consequences of Low Honor
When an army sinks to low levels of honor, the units in that army feel the shame. Such shame is demoralizing, breeds morale and discipline problems, and eventually ends in mass desertion. Below are the gradually increasing consequences of those armies that are cavalier about their honor losses. An army suffers continuing effects of their honor level only -- effects are not cumulative.
For each additional -10 honor points (e.g. at -50, -60, -70, etc.) all units in the army must make a Morale test with a cumulative -1 penalty for each level crossed. Each of these tests is only take the first time the army descends to a certain level, not if the honor goes back and forth across the same honor level again and again.
Non-Human/Creature Honor Immunity
Non-human and Creature units (such as Naga, Ratlings, and Shadowlands unit) are not concerned with honor or the honor of their opponent, so they are immune to the effects of honor (either their army's lack or their opponent's accumulation). They are not required to make Morale tests based on the rules for honor, but honorable opponents still gain their advantages to Morale.
These rules are copyright 1998 Five Rings Publishing Group, Inc. and are reprinted with permission. These are for personal use only, and all other rights are reserved.
Army Placement - Flying Units
During army placement, flight capable units are all considered "grounded", meaning that they have not yet taken to the air. In order to take-off, becoming "airborne", units must follow the instructions listed under Movement below.
Restrictions on a Flying Unit
Only units with the "Flight" trait may become airborne. Cards for new units that are capable of flight will include the trait Flight listed under Special. Existing units that are capable of flight are limited to: Fire Dragon, Water Dragon, and Void Dragon. The Earth Dragon is not able to fly.
Flying units may not contain more than 12 models total, including any personalities.
Movement
When a flight capable unit is on the ground, it may move normally, using all standard movement rules and following all limitations.
Take-off
If a flight capable unit is on the ground and wants [to] become airborne during its movement, the player must simply state that the unit is going to take-off. When becoming airborne, the unit must move exactly half (1/2) of its normal movement, as much of its effort is expended in a vertical climb. The unit is considered to be on the ground until the end of its movement, so anything that interferes with the take-off movement (terrain, friendly or enemy models, etc.) will prevent the take-off and end the movement upon contact. At the end of the movement, the unit is considered airborne and may ignore terrain features and grounded units during movement.
Unless otherwise specified, a unit flies at its ground movement rate. A flying unit may not use card or other effects to increase its movement rate unless teh effect specifically notes it use with flight.
In Flight
While a flight capable unit is in the air, it is considered "airborne". Airborne units are not considered to be in a tight rank and file formation - it is somewhat loosened during flight -- but the formation, frontage, and unit size (represented on the table) does not change.
For movement purposes, an airborne unit is considered Cavalry, meaning that it moves during the Primary and Cavalry Movement phases. An airborne unit is not considered cavalry in any ohter respect unless the unit also has the cavalry trait. This applies to weapon modifiers, targetting for spells, etc.
Airborne units may not take Reserve Movement.
Airborne units must always move at least half (1/2) of their maximum allowed movement during each movement phase in which they are allowed to move (Primary and Cavalry Movement phase) -- they are not allowed to remain stationary.
Airborne units ignore all terrain movement modifiers and effects except canyon walls or other high reaching, impassable terrain, as noted by the scenario or as agreed uponby all players. Flying creatures in Clan War are not considered to fly at great heights, so it is possible for mountians and high canyons to block flying movement.
While in flight, the only maneuvers a unit (even a unit consisting of only a single model) may perform are: Wheel, Expand/Contract frontage, and Dive (see below). It may not back away, turn, turn about, withdraw, break-away, perform special or complex maneuvers, or enter any special formation. If an airborne unit fails at a Maneuver test before it has moved at least 1/2 of its movement rate, it must continue directly forward until it has performed exactly 1/2 of its movement.
Flying units cannot become "unformed" while airborne. If a unit becomes airborne while unformed, it is automatically reformed but may not change formation or facing.
Landings
When an airborne unit wishes to land during a movement and is not entering an engagement, the unit must declare that it is landing at the beginning of its movement phase and then must move at least 1/2 of its movement rate. It may perform flying maneuvers during the landing movement. During its landing movement it is considered airborne. At the end of its landing movement the unit is considered to be grounded, meaning that it has landed and is on the ground.
Immediately following the landing, the unit must make a Maneuver test to maintain formation -- due to the difficulty of returning to a tight formation upon landing, this is considered a complex maneuver. Note that single models are not subject to Maneuver tests, so no test is required for a lone model. If the Maneuver test is successful, there is no effect. If the test fails, the unit is unformed upon landing.
A ranged attack unit using reactionary fire against an airborne unit that is moving to engage it always does so at close range.
Dive Maneuver
The Dive is a simple maneuver, but it can only be performed by an airborne unit lead by a personality who has the Charge skill, or when using a Charge tactical card. When performing a dive, the airborne unit muves at least half (1/2) movement, but up to double (2 times) its normal movement and lands.
A dive may be used when performing an engaging move, much as a Charge is used by a unit on the ground, but may also be performed during a landing that is not an engaging movement. The unit performing the dive must make a Manuever test upon landing, as noted in Landings, but must apply a -2 modifier to the test due to the difficulty of landing in formation at the end of the dive.
There are no combat modifiers for performing the dive, but the additional movmeent is often critical for an engaging movement or battlefield positioning. A dive may not be combined with any other movement or combat enhancing cards or skills. Units with special rules that provide combat modifiers may make use of those rules.
Representing Flying Units on the Battlefield (Table Top)
Flying has always been one of the most difficult rules in miniatures gaming because it's a challenge to represent three dimensional movement on a two-dimensional table top.
Simply putting a marker on the unit to note that it's airborne is fine as long as it doesn't pass over another unit or table-top terrain (such as forest) that makes it difficult to place the unit. It's certainly not recommended that you actually position your models atop your opponent's lovely painted models.
The method that we recommend for representing your airborne units in battle is very simple and requires very little time or effort to accomplish.
Using some thin card stock, cardboard, or construction paper, cut out one or more pieces to the formation size or sizes most likely to be used by your flying unit(s). Mark the center of the front rank to better note the direction of movement during play. As your flying unit passes over terrain, units, or other table-top obstructions while in flight, replace the models with the appropriately sized card and contine to move the card until it becomes conveneient to replace the card with the actual unit once again.
Flying Units and Combat
Against Ground Target
An airborne unit may announce an engaging movement against a unit on the ground if the flying unit is capable of meeting the requirements of engagement (30 degree or less angle of engagement). There is no minimum movement distance when an airborne unit is making an engaging move. The unit must land in base-to-base contact with its target enemy unit during its movement in order to engage the ground target.
If the unit succeeds in engaging the enemy ground unit, the unit is considered to have landed and it must make a Maneuver test with a -1 modifier, failure indicating that the unit becomes unformed upon landing. A flying unit that fails to engage after announcing an engaging move must end its move 1 inch short of the target enemy unit, has still landed, and must make the necessary Maneuver test, failure indicating that the unit became unformed upon landing. If the flying unit is not able to comply with the angle of contact requirements (30 degrees or less), the unit lands one inch short of the target unit and must make a Maneuver test with a -1 modifier, failure indicating that the unit has become unformed.
An airborne unit cannot engage a ground unit if its position upon landing would result in it being flanked by another nearby enemy unit. An airborne unit also cannot land with any of its models overlapping any other unit, friend or foe.
If a flight capable unit attempts a Full Retreat or Break-Away from an engagement, it may announce that it is taking to the skies during the maneuver and, if successful, perform a full move. Engaged enemy units may take parting shots as normal, but receive an additional +1 ATT and +1 DAM. Flight capable units may also perform ground movement when Retreating or Breaking Away.
Against Airborne Target (Fly-By Attacks)
A unit may not engage or be engaged by another unit while airborne, whether the enemy is on the ground or is also airborne. Units on the ground may not engage an airborne unit for obvious reasons, while airborne units may not engage each other because flying units cannot stop their movement and fight until an engagement is resolved. Attacks made between airborne units are called Fly-By attacks.
When airborne units make contact there is no engaging move and no engagement. Both units continue their movement normally, but note the number of models that would have been in base-to-base contact at any point during the movement, including ranks beyond the first, if the units fly through each other -- models in incomplete ranks are ignored.
At the end of the current Movement phase (Primary or Cavalry), each unit is allowed (but not required) to roll for their Fly-By attack, rolling a number of dice equal to the number of models that would have made contact during the movement, resolving Damage normally. Note that Fly-By attacks are resolved during movement rather than Close Combat, as the units perform fly-by strikes.
A unit which makes a Fly-By attack during any movement phase may not later participate in Ranged Combat, Close Combat, or Fly-By attacks in another movement phase during the same turn. A unit may chose not to roll Fly-By attacks during one movement phase and then make the Fly-By attacks during the next, if they so desire.
A unit may move through an airborne enemy unit without making a Fly-By attack and then enter an engagement during the same movement, but may not make Attack rolls during both a Movement phase and the Close Combat phase of the same turn -- the player must choose to roll one set of Attacks or the other.
Ranged Attacks and Flying Units
Flying units create a number of special circumstances for Ranged Attacks. For purposes of determining LOS between the flying unit and any point on the table, measure from the front of the flying unit as if it were 10" above the table. This will mean that the airborne unit has LOS to move points on the table, and most points on the table have LOS to the flying unit.
With that in mind, airborne units may target any enemy unit within their LOS and range, not just the closest enemy unit. In addition, enemy Ranged Attack units within LOS and range to the airborne unit may always target the airborne enemy unit, wheter or not it is the closest enemy unit. Airborne units obey all other restrictions and rules regarding Ranged Attacks, including the 90 degree forward arc.
Units on the ground which target a flying unit with a Ranged Attackmust add 6" to the measured distance between the two units when determining range, in order to account for the height difference. The modifier to the distance may increase the range at which a unit is firing, forcing it to apply the -2 ATT for extended range when the unmodified range would normally be within close range.
Airborne units firing at enemy units on the ground may increase their close range by 3 inches and their extended range by 6" as the added height gives them a longer range.
Example: A unit of Crane Elite Archres (range: 15" close, 30" extended) are exchanging Ranged Attacks with a Fire Dragon (range: 8" close, 16" extended) that is flying nearby. The Cranes measure the range to the Dragon, which turns out to be 10" as measured on the tabletop. Though that would normally be close range for the unit, they must add 6 inches to the range because the Fire Dragon is airborne, resulting in a 16" range which is extended (-2 ATT). Though the Dragon's 10" range to the archers would normally be extended range, its close range is now extended to 11" (8" base + 3" extra for being airborne) so the measured range of 10" is within close range.
When an airborne unit fires upon another airborne unit, there are no modifiers to the range -- the attacks are performed normally.
Unit Condition of Airborne Units
Due to their special nature, Airborne units are affected differently by their unit condition.
Forced Landings
Airborne units may occasionally have to land involuntarily, as a result of a spell or card effect, becoming spent, or any effect that causes an airborne unit to lose a turn of movement. Any time that an airborne unit is forced to land, it must perform a landing movement without performing any maneuvers (the unit must fly in a straight line) and is automatically unformed upon landing. Single models do not become unformed.
If the unit would land on, or in contact with any unit when landing, extend the movement of the landing unit until it will no longer be in contact with another unit when grounded, leaving a 1" gap between itself and any other unit. Following the landing, the unit takes one Damage die for every 2 inches that its movement had to be extended (rounding up) and the unit becomes spent. If the unit was already spent, then it remainst spent for an additional turn.
Tactical Cards, Skills, and Abilities with Flying Units
Some existing Tactical Cards were not intended for use with Airborne units and are not appropriate for flying units. An airborne unit may not make use of Tactical Cards or skills that enhance movement or provide combat modifiers in the performance of an engaging movement, unless it specifically says otherwise. Thus, Banzai Charge, Frenzy (skill and card), etc. may not be used. The Charge skill and Tactical Card is the exception, allowing the unit to perform a Dive maneuver but without providing any ATT or DAM modifiers.
If a card effect, ability, skill, or spell is totally inappropriate when used against or on behalf of an airborne unit or personality (such as Calling the Elements or Earthquake spells, or Turtle Shell card), ignore the effects and continue play. A defender being engaged by a landing airbore unit may use Tactical Cards such as Defensive Position and Wall of Spears, or abilities such as Stalwart Defender, though they could not use Counter-charge (you cannot meet an attacking airborne unit half-way with a ground unit).
Airborne units also ignore certain abilities and effects, such as an enemy personality challenging an airborne personality to a Duel, or vice versa. Regardless of the source of such a challenge, an airborne personality is simply unable to enter into a duel while in flight (there is no hovering flight in Clan War), so it is ignored (not declined) and there is no other effect.
These rules are copyright 1998 Five Rings Publishing Group, Inc. and are reprinted with permission. These are for personal use only, and all other rights are reserved.
The term Hostage would never be used by any daimyo in Rokugan. They would instead use terms like "Guest", "Under our protection", and "Enjoying our hospitality." In the final breakdown, however, they are a "guest" against their will and it is understood, though never formally acknowledged, that the life of the "guest" hangs in the balance.
Use of a Hostage
When taking a hostage, you must select the Clan from which the hostage has been taken and specify in which of your units the hostage is being held. That unit is called the "captor" unit. Only members of the hostage's clan or units serving in an army of that clan will suffer the hindering effects of the hostage.
Hostages must always be represented within a unit by the addition of a representative base or model. The model should be obvious among the unit, not a figure that blends into the unit in which it is placed.
Hostages may not be moved between units.
Combat effects when engaging a "Captor" unit
The unit which controls or holds the hostage (in this case the prophecies of Asaku Yurito) is called the captor unit.
When an enemy unit is engaged with the captor unit, the unit has two options;
Strike Easy: when attempting to recapture a hostage, a unit must be careful during combat to ensure that the hostage isn't harmed. In this case the unit holds back during combat, being cautious to avoid injury to the hostage. The unit suffers a -1 ATT while engaged with the captor unit, or until such time that it is willing to risk the hostage's destruction.
All-Out Attack: When performing an all out attack, the enemy unit has decided to risk the destruction of the hostage and the loss of Honor that accompanies a failed mission. In this case, the army immediately suffers a loss of 5 Honor and 2 VP, but gains +1 ATT until the end of the engagement. After each Close Combat phase, a roll is made to determine whether the hostage was injured or destroyed.
When engaged with a captor unit, a unit must select one of the above.
Destroying a Hostage
When a unit makes an All-Out Attack against a captor unit, they take the chance of destroying or killing the hostage. At the end of any Close Combat phase during which a captor unit was the target of an All-Out Attack, the captor unit must make a test (TN 2). The test suffers -1 for every 2 Wounds suffered by the captor unit during the turn. If the test fails, the hostage is destroyed. If the test is successful, the hostage is unaffected.
In addition to being destroyed by accident, the captor unit may also decide to destroy its hostages, as a Special Order. In doing so, however, the captor army loses 5 Honor and 2 VP.
Recovering a Hostage
A hostage may only be recovered by a unit which is engaged with the captor unit. In order to attempt a recovery, one of two things must occur - either the recovering unit must win a phase of Close Combat against the captor unit (causing more wounds than it received) or the recovering unit must sacrifice two models following the resolution of the enemy's attack, as the unit attempts a selfless act of heroism in an attempt to recover the hostage. Either of these events allow the recovering unit to make a test to recover the hostage at the end of the Close Combat phase, following any necessary Morale tests. Units that are unformed, spent, broken, or routing cannot attempt to recover a hostage.
If a captor unit is removed entirely as casualties, the hostage is automatically recovered by a unit that was engaged with the captor unit when it was destroyed.
Recovery Test
The unit attempting to recover a hostage make a Recovery test. Roll one die, add the Leadership of their unit commander to the roll, and subtract the Leadership of the captor unit's commander. The result is compared to the would-be rescuer's TL. This is similar to a contested Maneuver test, but the modified result must be greater than the TL of the testing unit rather than equal.
Once a hostage has been successfully recovered, the model is removed from the captor unit and placed in the recovering unit. A captor unit, or any unit in the captor army, may attempt to recapture a lost hostage by fulfilling one of the conditions required to attempt the test, and making the same test as noted above, but recapturing a hostage always has a -1 modifier to the test.
The rest of the normal hostage rules aren't used for the final Desperate Journey Tournament scenario. The destruction and recovery rules are the most important portions of the hostage rules for purposes of the tournament.
These rules are copyright 1998 Five Rings Publishing Group, Inc. and are reprinted with permission. These are for personal use only, and all other rights are reserved.