Dogs of War

Begun a WIP army list for the native armies of Albion, and thought I'd get out some of the special rules.

Anyway, here's the skinny on what I've started.

Light or Dark
When making your list, you may choose to take a Truthsayer, or a Dark Emissary. You may not take both, although you can take more than one of either, equal to your Character limit. These may limit your choices with both the rest of your army selection depending on whether you choose a Dark Emissary or Truthsayer.

Allies
For every 1000 points above 1000pts in your army, you may choose one other army book from which you may choose units in your army. These selections are taken from the Albion Force Organization Chart, with the following limitations;

• You may not have more units for a selection on the Force Organization Chart from the allied list than you have units from the Albion army book.
• Core units from the allied army list do not count towards the minimum unit cost.
• You may not take different allied armies unless you have reached a further 1000pts.
  Army Cost | Max No. of Additional Armies
  1000 | 0
  2000 | 1
  3000 | 2
  4000 | 3
  +1000 | +1
• Characters in the allied armies may never be the army general, even if they have the highest leadership. Only characters from the Albion army book may be the army general. With the exception of a Truthsayer or Dark Emissary, no character from Albion may join a unit from another army. Neither may any character from an allied army join a unit from Albion.
• There may only ever be one army battle standard bearer. You much choose which of the forces may be the battle standard bearer.
• You may not take a combined total of more Characters, Special or Rare choices which is greater than Core choices from an allied army. For units which allow you take more than one per Force Organization Selection, you may still take multiples to count as a single choice. If you have more than one allied army, this number is set to zero for each new allied army. See the example below.
  

For example, a 3000pt Albion army consists of 3 armies - Albion, Dark Elves and Daemons of Chaos. An army containing a unit of Dark Elf Warriors and a Herald of Slaanesh is illegal, as the Herald does not have a Core choice from the Daemons of Chaos army book.

If the army consisted of a unit of Dark Elf Warriors, a Herald of Slaanesh, and unit of Plaguebearers of Nurgle, the list is now fully legal.

If the list consisted of a unit of Dark Elf Warriors and a single Reaper Bolt Thrower, it would be legal. It would still be legal, however, if the army consisted of a unit of Dark Elf Warriors and two Reaper Bolt Throwers, as the Bolt Throwers are available two for for ever rare choice.

If the army also had a Dark Elf Master, then the Dark Elves would also need another core unit selection from their army book.

As the army is 3000 points in size, the Albion army must have four core choices.

Light and Dark Allies
As with some units in the Albion list only available if the army contains either a Truthsayer or Dark Emissary, the same applies to armies from the outside world. For some special case armies, please refer to the sections below, detailing the armies.

Truthsayer
Bretonnia
Dwarfs
Empire
High Elves
Wood Elves

Dark Emissary
Beastmen
Daemons of Chaos
Dark Elves
Mortals of Chaos
Orcs and Goblins
Skaven

Bretonnia
War of Faith
Although not a true Errantry War, the Lady of the Lake has spoken to many knights, promising a land where many worthy foes are able to
prove their worth.

Questing Knights are available as Core Choices, and become a 1+ Choice, while Knights Errant lose the 1+ Requirement. Grail Knights are no longer limited to 0-1, but stay as Rare.

Dwarfs
Roving Battles
The Dwarves of the Olde Worlde rarely enter battle without ensuring that they have a secure, fortified defensive formation from which to stage their attacks. However, on Albion, the styles of battle are more regularly a meeting engagement, and enemies are unlikely to sit tight and wait until one of their foes greatest strengths are secured.

Master Engineers may no longer entrench their war machines. All Dwarves lose the Resolute Special Rule.

Empire
Heretics
It is not unknown for the weak willed men of the Empire to fall to chaos, despite the Priesthood of Sigmar's and the Witchhunter's best efforts. It is such people who the Heretics seek out, for such men are eager to proove their worth.

Instead of requiring a Truthsayer to use these units, they require a Dark Emissary. However, many of the Empire's greatest strengths may no longer be available.

No Special Characters from The Empire army book may be taken if you choose this option.

In addition, you may no longer choose to take an Arch Lector of Sigmar, or Warrior Priest.

However, to represent the fervent faith that the fallen have in their new gods, you may take a single unit of Flagellant Warband as a Core Units choice instead of rare.

Lastly, the following magic items are dedicated to Sigmar, or heroes of the Empire, and are profane to these Heretics. They may not be chosen whatsoever. To offset this deficit, they may choose any items from the Albion List listed as "Dark only".
Runefang
Mace of Helsturm
Sword of Sigismund
Sword of Righteous Steel
Hammer of Judgement
Sword of Justice
The Gilded Armour
Armour of Meteoric Iron
Helm of the Manslayer
Shroud of Magnus
Holy Relic
Jade Amulet
The White Cloak
Sigil of Sigmar
Rod of Command
Aldred's Casket of Sorcery
Icon of Magnus
Imperial Banner
Banner of Sigismund
Griffon Standard
Banner of Valour

Boggy Grounds
The ground of Albion has seen almost incessant rain, summoned by the Truthsayers to protect this land, an entire island dedicated to the Old Ones, from the predations of Chaos. Despite these obvious benefits, the heaviest equipment of the Empire is almost doubly likely to be drawn down to a murky, smelly, grave.

Steam Tanks may not be chosen by any Empire force, whether they are lead by a Truthsayer or Dark Emissary.

High Elves
Magical Saturation
Mages of Ulthuan are finely tuned to the winds of magic, perhaps greater than all save the Slann. As such, they can detect fine nuances in their low, and grasp them to become better mages.

At the start of the battle, you may choose to change the bonus granted to High Elf mages, from a +1 bonus to dispel to a +1 bonus to cast.

Wood Elves
Wood Elves rarely ever leave their forest home, but Ariel, Queen of the Wood has ordered some of the more adventurous kinbands to aid their kin defend the world from the predations of Chaos.

Wood Elves no longer benefit from the Woodland Ambush special rule. You may not take ANY units or characters with the Forest Spirit special rule (this includes Glamourweave kindreds).

Eternal Guard are always Stubborn, and become Immune to the effects of Fear, Terror and Panic as long as a Wood Elf Highborn or Noble is part of the unit. Eternal Guard are always Core.

Lords and Heroes have a seperate points limit to Spites from Magic Items. Lords may take 50, and Heroes may take 25, in addition to their normal magic items allowance.

There is no limitation on the number of Glade Guard upgraded to Scouts.

And so, at the momentm that's all I've got.

Is this meant to be a separate list for Albion, or just an allied contingent?

Because if it is the first, I would really leave out all those special rules. Heck, I would probably leave them out even if they aren't, way too much stuff to remember. If it is just for a campaign setting, it would be okay though.

If you are planning on making a whole list/book, I might be interested in helping out a bit (only as advisor and stuff, I have enough work with Araby, Kislev and Cathay as it is).

From what I gather, those are special rules for including allies in the Albion list (As stated at the top of his post) and not the actual list itself.

To be honest, it feels like a lot of work for just allies. I would personally go with existing allied contigent rules just force a Truthsayer/Dark Emmissary to be taken.

"Begun a WIP army list for the native armies of Albion, and thought I'd get out some of the special rules."

This sounds like he's making a list to me, it's hardly an army list if it only contains rules for including a truthsayer or dark emissary in your army, there are already rules for that.

Personally I think you're better off making modifications to the Beastmen army list. It has a Celtic/Albion style of feel to it with Giants, Cyclops/Cygors, Chariots, undisciplined hordes of combat orientated troops etc. just add slings in somewhere and the truthsayer and Dark Emissary and you're in business.

But that's hardly as much fun as making you own list, now is it?

It will be an own list, but it will also be the basis for a Campaign book, similar to the Red Hosts of Tenenhauin.

Instead of having Generic Evil, Generic Good, and Generic Neutral, including units from other races, I thought I'd develop those.

However, for the rules, if you're not putting attention into building your list, then you shouldn't really be playing the game. It's not major rules changes to the length of playing, it's rules changes to the building of your army etc.

And Really for those that do have effects in game, how hard is it to remember that as a Dwarf, you can't entrench, and you get an additional inch of flee and pursue?

Didn't quite get the first part there, but to answer this:

"And Really for those that do have effects in game, how hard is it to remember that as a Dwarf, you can't entrench, and you get an additional inch of flee and pursue? "
- You actually has to remember the rules for all armies, unless you completely trust your opponent that he knows his rules in and out. I have on several occasions had to point out to my opponents how a certain rule is meant to work for instance (then again, I do study law ).

You don't need to memorise anything. Keep the book with you.

You expect everyone to keep your opponents' book with you, just in case they forget something? Not to mention the amount of time that would be spent just flipping through the pages to see IF you forgot anything.

Why would all the special rules referring to this one thing be in a seperate location? There's at least 1 Page of rules there, which is easy enough to keep in one place.

Also, in the community of those who like to make their own rules, we're generally mature enough to come to a decision between us if something's unclear, OR we know the rules already. If we're playing against the hardcore gamers, they're the type who know the rules inside out to know the loopholes.

All I am saying is this:if this is meant for a campaign set in Albion, then by all means go for it.
However, if this is meant to part of their standard rules, then it is too much. It's like the Kislev allied contingent giving it's "parent" army hatred vs HE, frenzy vs Empire, ItP vs Dwarfs, stupidity vs Orcs or whatever. It forces the opponent to having to remember a whole new army setup, as lots of units change places and requirements, and the chance of fault and "illegal" lists increases.
As their own army, they should only have something that gives THEM a special rule, not adding rules to their 15 possible allies.

Ah, now I see where you're coming from =). Different pages of the same book, I guess. But yeah, it's a campaign based list, intended to be fought similar to what Dark Shadows was. One of my favourite campaigns. Not getting white dwarf I only found out today that there was a World Wide Campaign for Warhammer back in 07, and so the only real ones I can remember are Dark Shadows and Storm of Chaos in addition to Lustria, but that wasn't really a campaign, as in world war - it was more like "Cities of Death" with a variant list etc.

Great, we are on the same page then
Keep working with the stuff for the campaign, it will be interesting to see what you can come up with. But even more interesting: what are you planning for them units-wise?

There's two GW novels set in Albion, the most recent was Giant Slayer and prior to that was Storm Warriors I think. Both books gave Albion an ancient Celtic Ireland feel with Druids, clans,, giants and not a lot of armour or tech. A quick look at a few history books should give you some great ideas.

Well, I've spent a lot of time on forums about historical Celtic units (such as the Medieval 2 Modding Forums - they're full of historical knowledge). Something akin to human Wood Elves. I have an old Map of Albion shows 5 main locations: Great Albion, Albany, Morien, Aeryn, and The Isle of Wights.

Wales is famed for it's Longbowmen, so Morien Archers, Gallogaich from Aeryn (2 Handed Axemen), as their "Beserker Warriors", England was famed for it's Horsemen (well, Heavy Cavalry), but that's not that much of an option, so a Light Cavalry option of "Hobilars", with Spears and Bows, while Scotland was noted for it's pikes and spears, so perhaps a group of nobles with Pikes?

Giants and the like would obviously be included - Dark Shadows identifies them as formerly intelligent, but then became inbred and stupid - so I'm thinking that they should be called "Folk of the Noor". Or, alternatively, "Norfolk". *Grin*

I think you might be skipping ahead quite a few years then, all those are from high medieval ages (1200 AD), while albion with its celtic feel would be around 200 AD. I would rather use Britannia from Rome Total War as inspiration. I made a short draft of units I would have in an Albion list, as follows:

Lords:
Warlord
Truthsayer

Heroes:
Chieftain
Druid

Core:
Warband/Spearmen
Woad Warriors
Skirmishers
Head Hurlers
War Dogs
Barbarian Cavalry
Light Chariots

Special:
Hearth Guard
Neophytes
Berserkers
Lesser Giants
Pixies

Rare:
Giant
Screeching Women
Stone Thrower

Might give you some ideas