Wolves of Odin

A set of Viking Saga Wargaming Rules
To be used with the Brom Standard Wargaming Rules
by Chuck Turnitsa

Introduction

Wolves of Odin is a game to represent the Viking Saga style of warfare. Your army represents the military strength available to you, and key members of your family, in your quest to make a lasting name for you and your kin. Glory and riches are won through strength of arms, but also through treachery. The process of generating your army will give you an idea of what sort of family you come from, and a little of that family's history. It is important to the flavor of the game, that you choose a good Viking sounding name for your family, and also names for your different family members that you generate. After all, it's important to realize that Nils Halfaxe, your son and the youngest of the Helsinga clan, died at the hands of Olaf Bloodspear and his Frondheim berserkers!

In so much as it has a setting, this game is placed firmly in that time when obeiance to the Viking gods was ebbing slightly, and Christianity was beginning to take hold in the north. The game has no real scale, but if you must, consider each miniature to be worth a few dozen stout warriors. Your command figures, and those of your family members, are representations of single, stalwart heroes, however. None of this has any bearing on game play, and it is (first and foremost) a game.

Equipment Needed

To play the game properly, you will need the follwing materials:
  • These rules
  • Paper and Pencil
  • 6 sided dice
  • A copy of Brom Standard Rules for tactical battles (available free on the internet)
  • Miniature figures for two Viking armies

Mounting your Figures

If you don't already have a mounting system for your figures, the following is recommended. For 15mm figures, use bases that are 1" by 1" square, and mount both types of figures, infantry and cavalry, on that size stand. For 25mm or 28mm, use 2" by 2" square bases.

  • Leaders should be mounted 1 to a stand, possibly with a retinue, but not needed.
  • Infantry should be mounted 3 to a stand.
  • Cavalry should be mounted 2 to a stand.

Really, the size of Stands doesn't matter, so long as both opposing armies are similarly based. The common paradigm of basing 15mm figures on 40mm wide bases (used for WRG, DBA, Might of Arms, and a zillion other rules) is just fine. This also extends to the 60mm wide bases common for 25mm figures.

Generating your Army

In Wolves of Odin, you generate your army through a number of dice rolls and decisions, that will give you anywhere from 2 to 6 different Warbands (battle groups), each one of the Warbands being commanded either by yourself or one of your family members. Each Warband will then have a number of Units that consist of varying numbers of different types of Stands of troops. Each stand has 2 or 3 miniatures mounted on it.

  1. Pick Class
    Choose from the list below. This will determine much about your force.

  2. Roll Resources
    Based on your Class, roll the dice to see what resources your family has, and make a note of them. The resources to roll are Family Members, Ships, Land, Gold, and Weird.

  3. Roll Warbands
    Each Family Member that you have has a Warband, including your own persoal warband. Follow these steps for each warband that you have.

    For each Warband, you have a number of Build points equal to the Land score that your family has. Use these Build points to select a Build Table (the tables, in order, cost 1, 2, or 3 build points to consult them), and then roll the dice to see what unit you receive.

    Roll the dice indicated (see below on the Build Tables) to see how many stands, and which type they are.

    You may now spend additional Build Points, or Gold Points to improve this unit.

    Continue doing this until you run out of Build Points. Then roll to see what relationship the Family Member commanding this Warband has to you. This will also give you a number of dice to roll to see the Distance of this Family Member's holding from yours. Make a note of this with the Warband.

    Continue repeating Step 3 for each of your Warbands.

  4. Spend Remaining Gold
    If you have any Gold left after constructing and modifying your Warbands, you may spend it.

    You may spend it by hiring Mercenaries to add to your Warbands - if you decide to do this, roll 1d6 to see the price. Once you roll this, you must pay all (or as much as you can) of the price, and then roll on the Mercenary table to see what unit you get. It may be added to any Warband, but recall that it is a Mercenary.

    Gold Points may also be spent to purchase additional ships - 1 gold per ship. Ships are a Family resource, so don't need to be allocated to a particular Warband. Finally, any remaining Gold can be used to increase your Weird points. Roll 1d6 to see how much Gold is expended, then roll 1d6 to see how much Weird is accumulated.

    Continue this step until Gold is expired.

  5. Expend Weird Points
    Your Weird is the Viking concept of fate, luck, and the fickle whim of the gods all rolled into one. Using your Weird points, you may roll on the table of possible events, determined by your chosen Class, to see what special effects it may have on your Army, or your opponent's Army. After each event is generated, roll the number of dice indicated to see how many of your Weird points this uses up. Keep generating events until you run out of Weird points.

Class Tables

The following tables have the description of the six various classes that a player may choose from. It also lists the different resources, and how many dice to roll for each one. As you choose a class and roll these dice to determine starting resources, it is IMPORTANT that you keep track of all of this on paper. It will be important later.

Jarl

The Jarl, or Eorl, is the great leader of a small Jarldom. He is less powerful than a king, but has his own followers and land.

ResourceValue
Family 1d3+1
Ships 2d6
Land 3d6
Gold 3d6
Weird 6d6

Hersir

The Hersir is the popular leader of a group of warriors, that was raised up from the middle classes. He is an exceptional warrior, with a great deal of luck, and with followers, but lacks land.
ResourceValue
Family 1d3+3
Ships 2d6
Land 1d6+1
Gold 1d6
Weird 4d6

Sea Wolf

The Sea Wolf is the leader of a successful Viking raid. He may or may not have lands back home, but due to raiding he has acquired much wealth, and many followers.
ResourceValue
Family 1d3+3
Ships 4d6
Land 1d6+1
Gold 3d6
Weird 2d6

Trader

The Trader has made his money bringing back goods from other lands, and generating a great deal of wealth. His deals and travels have proven himself to be rather lucky, but he suffers from not having too many personal followers.
ResourceValue
Family 1d3+1
Ships 4d6
Land 2d6
Gold 6d6
Weird 4d6

Knight

The Knight is a northman who has converted to Christianity, and begun to fight using the ways of the Franks. He most likely has a wealthy estate, maybe even a stronghold.
ResourceValue
Family 1d3+2
Ships 3d6
Land 4d6
Gold 5d6
Weird 2d6

Vargulf

The mark of Loki is on this one, and he has been cursed to live his life as an Outlaw. Due to some act of treachery or guile, he has lost his birthright as a leader, and now has raised up followers to attempt and take back that birthright.
ResourceValue
Family 1d3+2
Ships 2d6
Land 1d6+1
Gold 1d6
Weird 6d6

Warband Generation Tables
Below are the tables for generating the units that are in your Warbands. The first three tables, have a Build Point cost just to roll on the table (1, 2, or 3 respectively). The fourth table, the Mercenary table, has a Gold cost to roll on it. All optional upgrades (costing Build Points, or Gold) are listed in [] brackets.

Upgrades that are bought with Gold are either for the Whole Unit (costing 1 gold regardless of how many stands), or Each (costing 1 gold per stand affected).

Base Cost 1 Build Point

  1. Warriors, Poor (1d3+3 Bondi)
    [Average, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]

  2. Warriors, Poor (1d3+3 Bondi)
    [Average, +1 Build Point]
    [2H weapons, +1 Gold whole unit]

  3. Scouts, Poor (1d3+1 Leidang)
    [Average, +1 Build Point]
    [Mounted, +1 Gold each]
    [Change to Thrall, +1 Build Point]

  4. Slingers, Poor (1d3+1 Thrall with sling)
    [Average, +1 Build Point]
    [Trade Sling for Javelin, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Trade Sling for Bow, +2 Gold whole unit]

  5. Mixed, Poor (1d3+1 Bondi; 1d3 Thrall with jav)
    [Trade Javelin for Bow, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Average, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]

  6. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi)
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Change to Huscarl, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]

Base Cost 2 Build Points

  1. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]

  2. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [2H weapons, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]

  3. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Huscarl)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Mounted, +1 Gold each]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]

  4. Skirmisher, Average (1d3+1 Leidang with jav)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Change to Thrall, +1 Build Point]
    [Trade Javelin for Bow, +1 Gold whole unit]

  5. Mixed, Average (1d3+1 Huscarl; 1d3 Thrall with bow)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each, Huscarl only]

  6. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Huscarl)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Change to Berserker, +1 Build Point]

Base Cost 3 Build Points

  1. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Huscarl)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]
    [Mounted, +1 Gold each]

  2. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Huscarl)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [2H weapons, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]

  3. Warriors, Veteran (1d3+3 Berserker)
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]

  4. Massed Archers, Average (1d3+3 Bondi with bow)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]

  5. Mounted Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi, Mounted)
    [Veteran, +1 Build Point]
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Add Chain Shirt, +1 Gold each]

  6. Warriors, Veteran (1d3+3 Bondi with Chain Shirt)
    [Spears, +1 Gold whole unit]
    [Change to Huscarl, +1 Build Point]
    [Mounted, +1 Gold each]

Mercenary Cost 1d6 Gold

  1. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi)

  2. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi with Spear)

  3. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Bondi with 2H Weapon)

  4. Warriors, Average (1d3+3 Huscarl with Chain Shirt)

  5. Warriors, Average (1d3+1 Bondi, Mounted)

  6. Archer, Average (1d3+1 Thrall with bow)

Once all your Warbands are rolled up, be sure to roll up the Warband's leader, which will give his Relationship to you, as well as the dice to roll to see what the Distance of that Relative is from you (important during the game). It's also a good idea to Name the Warband at this time.

Warband Leader

  1. Son (Distance 0)

  2. Son-in-Law (Distance 1d6)

  3. Brother (Distance 1d6)

  4. Brother-in-Law (Distance 2d6)

  5. Uncle (Distance 2d6)

  6. Distant Nephew (Distance 3d6)

Weird Event Tables

Setting up and Fighting Battles