Over on the Pandora FAQ lb asked if I was going to do a FAQ for the Siege rules that are part of the Advanced Rules section I did for Kings of War.
Actually, no, I wasn’t going to. The reason is simply that it’s not my game, it’s Alessio’s, and he’s the expert. At least, that’s how I see it. I have enough trouble finding the time to keep up with the FAQs for my own stuff (as Lines will tell you).
However, it seems rude to just ignore it, so if you do have a question on the Advanced Rules then post away and I’ll see what I can do. Bear in mind that I’m not a real expert on the intricacies of the main game, so I may have to say I don’t know. I can, however, phone a friend if I get really stuck 😉
Quirkworthy 
We both have our names in the credits of this book. As far as I’m concerned that means we contributed equally to it lol.
You’re welcome to host the FAQ if you like 🙂
As long as you don’t mind me making the answers up 🙂
That’s alI I do.
Since I am currently working on the German version I can help you out when you really get stuck ;).
Cool.
What makes it even easier is that nobody’s asked anything yet ;P
Awesome. I’ll make sure I link when I get a chance this evening.
Hi Jake,
I want to thank you for the opportunity to update and/or amend the Kings of War rules.
I would like you to look at the large number of building types in the (10) in the Siege Warfare fortress with a view to reducing that number.
The most important aspect I would ask you to consider is buildings. My suggestions are to try and unify all buildings.
That all buildings (except those for Siege Warfare) have De 8+, Ne 15/19 the same as a wooden palisade. This allows buildings to be targeted. The one value allows no compensation for composite buildings (a good thing as it will reduce arguments)
Runes could have De10+, Ne 18/22 (Same as Stone Walls) After all they have survived Goblin graffiti and the odd Zap from delinquent wizards.
Units in melee with defenders will get their full attacks as they are not trying to balance on a ladder.
Units in a buliding cannot counter-charge “That would be silly” but may shoot with half their number, as to shoot with the full number would require removing bayonets, redressing ranks etc.
Applying to all walls buildings etc. If a wall or building suffers a Wavering result the defenders will quickly shore them up with tempory battens and the moment will pass. This will mean that all defenders are waveing or if they wish they can move D6 away from (or out of the building) and away from the closest enemy and facing away from the wavering structure. A second wavering result will cause the structure to fall and any unit, even partial in or on it to Rout.
I would also like to see more in-dept rules on forests and water and perhaps interaction with them. Setting tar pits alight or moving mountains (Hey I’m like that) but I might contact you again when I get my thoughts together. For now ,
Cheers,
Phil
Philip, I think you’ve slightly misconstrued the function of a FAQ. It’s really about answering questions and clarifying issues rather than rewriting things (unless it’s entirely unavoidable). When I get round to tidying up this and other FAQs in a couple of weeks then I’ll probably clear out these comments as I have always intended to do with them, but in the meantime let’s see what you’re asking.
Looking specifically at your comments on buildings, I don’t think we really went overboard on the number of variations you could have. Which ones would you remove? The guideline I gave myself here was the functional differences between buildings (and I include wall sections within that general heading). You need to differentiate between stone-built fortifications and wooden shanties, obviously, and gates are not built the same way as keeps, posterns or towers. They use basically the same familiar rules as those for units, so there shouldn’t be any confusion or troublesome complexity here even though you can differentiate between, say, a wooden palisade and a stone tower.
The basic rules do gloss over buildings very simply, so you can always use them if you want very, very simple.
In quite the opposite direction you are asking for very detailed and highly specific rules for things such as setting light to tar pits. This sounds like something that would be better suited to a scenario, or something a GM could allow in a given game rather than a general rule. It’s characterful, of course, but where do you stop? Rules for hornet nests in some months of the year within certain overgrown woods (but only if it isn’t raining)? As I said, sound like something for a GM to me. Or house rules.
Rules for terrain in tabletop games is always a bit abstract, and necessarily so. It’s not helped by the fact that most gamers don’t spend a lot of time traipsing about the countryside, and even if they do it’s a heavily managed one rather than a wilderness or fantasy environment. Everyone has a different idea of what is fair and reasonable (and, dare I say it, “realistic”), and the more detail you go into the more disagreement you’ll encounter.
That’s why terrain is always such a fiddle to get right. Whatever “right” is.
Thanks a lot Jake, it means a lot for us to have this kind of support!
1) how the close combat works between defenders on a wall and attackers with ladders? Can the defenders attack back in close combat or they can just shoot or use siege equip?
2) what happens when a siege tower is destroyed? Can we handle this as a regular tower that is destroyed? What happens to a war eng on the top of it? Can the war eng move freely after the tower is destroyed?
3) how a unit can exit from the main gate? Same as postern gate?
4) is it possible for a flying unit to land inside the castle courtyard even if the walls are still up?
Was it intentional for Stone buildings to have Def 10+? The only things in the game with CS/Piercing 4 are the two cannon types, undead wights (for some wierd reason) and a hero on monster with magic artefact mace of crushing (and then only one 1 attack).
That means that there is no way for most armies to damage enemy stone buildings, whilst dwarfs and Kingdoms of Men can demolish them fairly easily with cannon batteries.
Hi Jake, thks for support!
I have 2 questions not for the siege rules, I hope isn’t a problem 😉
1) dangerous terrain, p52
if a unit travel across a DT, but at the end of the movement isn’t inside or in contact with the terrain, the unit doesn’t take attacks? I think it’s a little strange that a cavalry (for ex.) can travel across a lava pool without consequences…
2) buildings p54
a unit is in a building. an enenmy unit charge and the defenders holds its ground (remains steady). next turn, which orders the defenders can do against the attackers? no one I think, because they can leave the buildings only with an advance! order (no charge) and they are disrupted (so no shoot). Is correct that a unit can only do nothing (or leave the building from a rear exit)?
thanks and regards 🙂
Hi Jake, long time fan. Thanks for such an interesting blog! I’m sure this FAQ is a bit in the past, but you seem to have made a call for questions on the advanced section, then ignored most of them!
I recently bought the KoW full book purely for the siege rules. Now, while I’m happy with the book itself, the siege section really does raise a few questions, and the same ones show up on different forums. Some of these have been asked, but are worth trying again if you don’t mind:
1) Can defenders attack back down ladders? (I wouldn’t, but not sure if it’s even an option)
2) How do you attack (or even just move through) main gate sections? Is it the same as the postern gate?
3) Can you target a gate itself with missiles/engines, rather than the wall it’s attached to?
4) Can you shoot at castle sections that are being attacked by units/ladders/battering ram?
5) Gates seem to be very easily taken down by units with crushing strength 2, rather than battering rams. Charging a unit of cavalry with multiple attacks seems so much easier than a single attack battering ram. Was the intention to have just war engines and upgrades attacking gates/walls/towers?
Thanks again mate!