Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, so I had my first game of WOTR at my gaming club tonight. Just an introductory game with a guy who plays it every week. I've read the rulebook, once, quickly when it came out and promptly put it on the shelf when I got to the points costs.

However, I had an intro game tonight and things went well with the guy. Mordor v Elves.

"Now, all my guys cause terror, this means you need to take a leadership test with your ld 2 orcs when you're charged and also if you're charging."

Fine, fair enough I thought, I'm just trying to learn the game.

Then it came when I finally got a flank charge with an undamaged orc unit into the sides of an elven unit that was fighting my disordered Morannons. So, I charge in my orcs, who were about 2 inches away from the combat.
"Ok, roll your terror test" - 8.

I proceed to move them forward. "You can't do that, since your orcs are within 6 inches of an enemy unit you get a minus 1, they fail their leadership test and can't move."

Now, this seems decidedly.... odd. You'd have thought that taking a terror test on leadership 2 was bad enough. Not to mention, "we're afraid to attack these guys normally, but now that their just in front of us we're REALLY afraid...." seemed a bit too much.

But, disagreeing with someone who plays it every week when you're on your first game isn't exactly polite.

So, I'm home now, rulebook open, having a look at the glossary. Which isn't too helpful I might add, courage being only on 2 pages according to it. Terror rules, there we go, charging/charged but no mention of a minus 1.

The only -1 reference I can find so far is in the 'moving disordered formations' section. - but the orcs weren't disordered, the morannon ones were.

So, have I missed something? - It's better me getting the answer now than learning to play it wrongly!

I believe your opponent was not in the right with that- the -1 only applies to sorting out disordered AFAIK.

I'm tempted to call shenanigans, especially since your opponent gained an advantage.

There is no rule in WotR that says, any/all courage tests suffer a -1 penalty if there is an enemy formation within 6". (Or if there is, I haven't seen it.)

We have two specific situations where having an enemy within 6" gives a -1 to a courage test: moving disordered formations (p.35) and moving at the double (p.64).

We also have situations where the enemy is within 6" and a courage test is required, but no penalty is mentioned: death beyond the gates (p.53), and of course, loser tests for panic (p.50).

Next time you win a combat, and he gets ready to roll his panic test, remind him that he's at -1 courage because there's an enemy within 6", and see what he does.

I know of no such rule either.

I checked again to be sure and I am not seeing it.
But, if it is in there, ask him to show you so that you can be better informed about such oddities which can sometimes be found in the rules.

I would hazard to guess that he cant find it either though.