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I decided, quite long ago, that I would build a gameboard based on Fallout 3. The idea was just to have an overly radiated wasteland, with a very hostile looking river in the middle. It isn't quite finished, but almost there, and themed scenery is in progress. Anyway, I then decided to have some board-specific rules to make it a bit more Fallout-esque. I managed a test match using the rules yesterday, and it wasn't too bad - there wasn't much in the way of cover, which I think was the downfall for the Dark Eldar, but the rules did make it a good match. For the feral ghouls/glowing ones, I am using Mantic undead ghouls although they are still in progress so I had to use a couple of stand-ins. The ghouls are meant to be nothing more than annoying, not really a threat to wipe you out but more something that might take up your bullets or tie you up in combat for a turn.
There are quite a few rolls at the beginning of each turn, and due to the units that are neutral, it helps if you have a GM or a good understanding with your opponent!

Let me know what you think!

Here are the rules as they stand:

Capital Wasteland Rules

Welcome to the Capital Wastelands! Your Pip-boy 3000 will be updated with information on the dangers you may encounter out in the wastes. Be certain to check in before you move, just to be sure!

Radioactive River
The main landmark here is the deadly river. It is rich in ionic radiation, so be careful! At all times, you should consider this dangerous terrain. Due to the distorted light from the gamma waves emitted by the river, any units that remain in the river benefit from a 6+ cover save and are not considered to be in open ground.

Wasteland Wounds
Radiation is bad for your health, and attacks unseen and unexpectedly. Don’t linger in hostile radioactive hotspots!
At the end of each turn, both Warlords choose one of their own units not locked in combat to take an automatic wound (any applicable save can be taken). If the wound is unsaved, the unit can move D6 inches unless locked in combat.

Scoring Units
The area is tough, and requires strong leadership and teamwork within each unit.
All non-vehicle units are scoring units, as long as they number 3 or more models (excluding Independant Characters)

Ghouls
The Ghouls are among us, and they want blood. At the beginning of each turn, D6 feral ghouls will appear on a table edge (see table below) and will attack the nearest unit (see profiles below). For each ghoul in the unit, roll a D6 - for each 6, that ghoul is a Glowing One.
Ghouls are not tactical or cunning; they move straight and attack until they die. Glowing Ones will use their radioactive burst whenever they can. If a ghoul unit cannot shoot or are out of range, they will always run.
Ghouls are in a frenzy for blood, and to represent this they take their turn at the beginning of every player turn.

Feral Ghouls Table Edge
1 - Starting player’s table edge
2-3 - Left table edge to starting player
4-5 - Right table edge to starting player
6 - Opponent’s table edge



Feral Ghoul
WS BS S T I W A Ld AS
3 - 3 3 1 1 1 6 -

Wargear: Crispy skin, ragged claws (close combat)
Special Abilities: Fearless, Fleet, Mutant Agility


Glowing One
WS BS S T I W A Ld AS
3 3 3 3 1 1 1 7 6+

Wargear: Glowing Aura, Crispy skin, ragged claws (close combat)
Special Abilities: Radioactive Burst, Fearless, Fleet, Mutant Agility

Crispy Skin
Ghouls have been mutated from continued exposure to high radioactive levels. They are immune to the effects of radioactivity

Mutant Agility
Ghouls have a limitless energy, due to their stored radioactive bounty. They are able to run and assault, and are not slowed by difficult or dangerous terrain (automatically pass).

Glowing Aura
The Glowing One is filled with radioactive energy, giving it a soft green glow. The Glowing Aura makes it’s armour save invulnerable.

Radioactive Burst
The Glowing One has to release some of the radioactive energy it builds up, in the form of a radioactive burst. It is a shooting attack with the following profile:

12” Range AP2 Assault 1

Pip-boy Rolls
At the beginning of each turn roll 2D6 and check your Pip-boy for the necessary reaction!
2: Radioactive Fog
A thick green mist rolls across the wastes
All units take S5 AP6 hits equal to the number of models in the unit. Vehicles are considered to be in dangerous terrain for the rest of the turn. Units embarked in open-topped transports are not safe, and must also take the hits.
3: The Burning Sun
With the ozone layer a thing of the past, the effects of the sun’s rays are deadly - and the sun now hangs high in the clear purple sky.
All units in open ground take S3 AP4 hits equal to the number of models in the unit.
4: Gammaura Borealis
The effects of radiation have a stunning effects on the skies, showing a rippling cloud of blues, green and oranges. It also whips up a strong radioactive wind, ripping across the skies.
All flyers and skimmers take a S7 AP- hit.
5: The Vaults Are Locked!
The Vault automatic safety system has detected increased levels of radiation, and has overridden the protocols to open the vault doors.
No reserves can arrive this turn.
6: Power of the Yao Guai
The right amount of gamma radiation can have some positive effects, and as the ionic breeze gently whispers from the North, it causes some interesting augmentations.
Troops gain +1 strength for this turn.
7: Power of the Deathclaw
The right amount of gamma radiation can have some positive effects, and as the ionic breeze gently whispers from the North, it causes some interesting augmentations.
Troops gain the Tankhunters special rule for this turn.
8: Radroach Swarm
Those annoying radroaches are coming out of the sewers in droves, buzzing and crawling everywhere!
This is nothing you can’t handle; there are no effects.
9: V.A.T.S.
You Pip-boy 3000 has fully charged, giving you use of the Vault Automatic Targeting System.
All shooting attacks re-roll failed to hit and to wound rolls.
10: I Passed My GOAT
Congratulations! Now you have taken your Generalised Occupation Aptitude Test, you can excel in the right field!
One unit for each Warlord (chosen by the Warlord) gains one of the following special rules for the rest of the game:
Relentless
Fearless
Feel No Pain
Armourbane
Fleshbane
11: The Robots Are Attacking!
The robots that have been left in the wastes are going out of control! Some crossed wires, or the effects of radioactive dust in their sensors - nobody can be sure, but they appear from nowhere and attack like berserkers!
Each unsaved wound in close combat this turn causes an extra S4 AP2 strike. This attack cannot cause further hits.
12: It Is The End Of The World
The cataclysm is upon us. The earth has become hostile to all, rupturing and devastating the landscape. Nothing is safe anymore.
All units treat difficult terrain and buildings as dangerous terrain, and normal terrain as difficult terrain. The effect lasts for the rest of the game.

The ghouls might be a bit on the strong side, to the point where they are more of an actual threat than a tactical facet to consider. I would remove the mutant agility.

"Passed the GOAT" is potentially broken, depending on who's your warlord.

"It's the end of the world" seems a bit weak compared to other results ("Radioactive fog") at least when considering the fluff you give.

In the test, 12 feral ghouls and 2 glowing ones arrived. Only twice did any get into combat, and both times they died immediately. That was against SM scouts. I might limit them to normal turns, mainly because there was so much extra dice activity already that it was more annoying to actually move/shoot/assault with them so much.

Any suggestions on the broken/weak rules? They didn't make an appearance in the test. V.A.T.S. did, twice, and caused some real annihilation on both sides!

Wasteland Wounds was interesting - it took 5 unsaved wounds in total, but allowed the units to make extra moves which made it quite tactical in choosing which unit to take the wound.

This does look pretty fun, but I do agree that VATS and GOAT in particular could be broken in some cases.

I would agree about letting the ghouls/glowing ones move only once each game turn though.

I think the "nothing happens" result should be swapped with the Deathclaw ability. 7 is the most likely result to turn up, so you'd want that to be the least game-changing. With how you've written them, I'd also maybe move VATS and GOAT to 11 and 12, or 10 and 11.

Yeah that is a good idea. I hadn't thought about more likely rolls past 2 & 12.

Thanks for that

I think VATS is far too dramatic, maybe tone it down to a few units.

I think I will change it to a few units chosen by the warlords, or limit it to reroll 1s.

Although it did what I wanted it to do in the test - caused mayhem! 5 sniper scouts exploded a venom, after it had caused some carnage on a tactical squad - but then they were quite shooty armies, it didn't help the wyches who were unceremoniously gunned down (but I think they would have been without VATS as there was not a lot of cover). I can see how it wouldn't be very useful for a more combat oriented army, and 6ed isn't kind to them as it is...