Alternate Flying Rules for Warhammer Fantasy

Are you looking for more dynamic Flying Rules to enhance your Warhammer Fantasy games? If you are then look no further. This supplement should give your games a vertical boost and add a true 3rd dimension to the game.

Special Rules

Flying Models have Swiftstride, and Fast Cavalry. They cannot be Steadfast. They have Skirmishers rule, but they cannot Shoot on the March. They also have Vanguard. Vanguard may be used to make a normal move on the ground, or perform the Take off maneuver.

Movement Phase

There are 6 different types of movements that can be completed by Flying units. They are described below. Flying units start the battle at their deployed positions on the ground. On their first turn they can take off or move on the ground as desired. Flying units Fly at a standard 10 inches above the ground while in the air. Flying units may Fly directly above a ground unit, but not be engaged with them. For simplification use a token to mark any units that are in the air. Each Flying unit may only perform one of the following Fly moves per movement phase.

Take Off/Land – These movements take extra effort/skill. They reach 10 inches above the ground. They cannot March or Charge this turn. They can Fly or move on the ground at their normal M value on the same turn, in either order.

Fly – Similar to normal Movements on the ground. Can shoot with a movement penalty. Unit joining is allowed. Unit reform is allowed.

Soar – Similar to Marching on the ground. Flies at 2M. No Unit reforms or joining allowed.

Intercept – An Air to Air Charge. 2M + D6.

Swoop – An Air to Ground Charge, but no landing on the ground. M + D6 to the target flank, plus M + D6 beyond the unit on the opposite flank.

Fly High – Similar to Fleeing off the table. Fleeing units climb high out of the battle and are removed from the game.

Magic Phase

Follow any rules that would apply to Shooting Attacks or Close Combat, depending upon the spell type.

Shooting Phase

There are three skill levels of determining Shooting distances between aerial and ground units. Players agree upon the method they will both use, but be consistent throughout the game. Basic: Measure the ground distance only between shooters and targets. Intermediate: Add 10″ to the basic ground distance measured to add the vertical distance. Advanced: Calculate the triangular distance between air and ground units (a^2 + b^2 = c^2). Or simply measure the direct distance between the units while the aerial unit is held 10 inches above the table. (This method may require 2 people.)

Take Off/Land – It is easier To Hit models while they Take Off or Land, due to predictable movements (+1 To Hit). The Flying units themselves cannot shoot this turn.

Fly – Similar to normal movements on the ground, models can do a normal Fly move, and can shoot. Movement penalties apply. They have Line of Sight to ground units, unless obstructed by a Large Target, Building, or other aerial model. They can see over normal walls and fences, etc. But the target still gains the cover bonus if the Flying shooter is more than 10″ away (in ground distance.) Ground unit may target them in return using the same principles.

Soar – Soaring models cannot shoot. They are hard to hit due to high velocity. -1 To Hit Soaring models.

Intercept – A model that hasn’t already shot this phase can shoot (or use a breath weapon) immediately before an air-to-air attack. Follow Initiative Order, including Charge bonuses for Initiative. Shooting is more difficult for both offensive and defensive positions in this maneuver. -1 to Hit Modifier in either direction. Aerial units can Stand and Shoot per se, unless they did a Take off on their last Movement turn.

Swoop – A ground unit being charged from an aerial unit can do a type of Stand and Shoot if available (with -1 To Hit). The charging unit may also shoot (or breath weapon) if it hasn’t done so this turn with a +1 To Hit Modifier on the ground unit.

Combat

Ground units cannot attack Flying units except with ranged attacks, or during the Swoop attack as described below.

Take Off/Land – A model who made such moves on its previous Movement turn has -1 Initiative for Close Combat. Units that have Taken Off during their last Movement turn cannot be charged by ground units. Units that have recently landed are eligible for a ground charge.

Fly – A unit on the ground cannot engage in Close Combat with a unit in the air, except during a Swoop.

Soar – A unit on the ground cannot engage in Close Combat with a unit in the air, except during a Swoop.

Intercept – (Air-to-Air Close Combat). The entire unit(s) may engage in aerial Close Combat following normal Initiative order (all models are allowed to strike.) +1 Initiative for Charging units. If multiple units are in battle, follow normal ground rules for eligible targets on flanking models. No Extra Ranks for Combat Resolution. Flank bonuses still apply.

Swoop – The Swoop is a move that brings Flying units down into base contact with ground models momentarily. After the blows, the Flying units continue to Swoop back up into the air beyond the flank of the target. The target unit may strike back, like normal. Flying units must land on the ground and then charge on the ground if they wish to engage in multiple rounds of Close Combat with a ground unit. Flying units gain +1 Initiative in a Swoop maneuver. They must attack on an open flank of the ground unit. Like Skirmishers, Flying models bunch together on the Swoop according to their formation and can only attack enemy models they are in base contact with. (The whole unit of Flying models does not attack like in the Intercept maneuver.) Supporting Attacks rules still apply. They may Swoop onto rooftops without penalty. They must take a Dangerous Terrain test if they Swoop into forests or other terrain with tall features, like monuments, if it seems reasonable. Fear/Terror rules apply in both directions. Add +1 to Combat Resolution for the Flying units.

Fly High – If a Flying unit needs to Flee for any reason while in the air, they must take a Fly High Test. Roll a D6. On a 4+ they Fly High and are immediately out of the game, similar to Fleeing Off the Table. If they fail the Fly High test, they Flee horizontally, like normal, through the air using the normal Swiftstride Rules.

Wounds – A Flying model suffering its final Wound will hit the ground per the scatter dice from the location where it was Wounded. Ground units hit by dead Flying models take Hits per the following guide: D6 S10 Hits from Monsters; D3 S6 Hits from Monstrous Beasts, Monstrous Cavalry, Monstrous Infantry, Cavalry and Chariots; 1 S4 Hit from Infantry, and War Beasts. Normal saves apply.

Characters – Flying Characters with multiple wounds may need to land (somewhat uncontrollably) after a Wound, per a D6 roll, but not for each wound if it took more than one. On a 3+ it stays in the air. It fails on a 1 or 2. If failed, the landing location is determined with the scatter dice from the position where the model was engaged with an enemy model or was wounded in some other ranged attack. It must take a Dangerous Terrain check if it lands on anything besides Open Terrain. This usually will place the model alone on the ground. It must take an immediate Panic Test. If it Fails, it must Flee on the ground from the source of the Wound. If it would fall on a friendly unit, place it at the nearest flank plus a 1″ gap between them. If it falls on an enemy unit, place the model on the nearest open flank in base contact. The fallen model cannot Flee in this case. It has -1 Initiative and -1 Combat Resolution for falling from the air until its next turn. If it is the enemy’s turn and the unit in base contact has not fought a Close Combat this turn, it may engage in Close Combat with the fallen model. Normal Flee (ground) rules apply after the combat. A unit not in base contact with the fallen model must wait to declare a charge at its next Movement Phase. The +1 To Hit modifier when shooting at the Landed/Fallen model does not apply since the landing was unpredictable.

Fly Summary Table

	Movement	Shooting	Combat
Take Off/Land	Cannot March or Charge; normal M	Cannot Shoot; +1 To Hit	-1 Initiative (air or ground)
Fly	Normal M; Can reform, join etc.	Can Shoot with Move penalty; ignores cover from obstacles within 10 inches.	Ground units cannot charge
Soar	2M movement; no reforms or joins	Cannot Shoot; -1 To Hit	Ground units cannot charge
Intercept	Air to Air Charge; 2M + D6	Units with ranged attacks may shoot (breath) with -1 to Hit for both offense and defense	+1 Initiative; all models attack; no rank bonuses
Swoop	Air to Ground Charge; M + D6 to the target; M + D6 beyond it	Stand and Shoot with a -1 To Hit; Aerials may shoot (breath) target if they haven’t this turn (+1 to Hit)	Base contact rules for striking; +1 Initiative; +1 Combat Resolution;
Fly High	Flee vertically on a D6 4+. Flee move out of the game	Cannot shoot or be targeted	Out of reach of ground and aerial combat