Chance Cards

"Fortuna favet fatuis" (fortune favours fools)

Spice and flavour, random events and turns of fate.

A special deck of cards is prepared and shuffled. It is placed face down where all can see it. Cards can be played either to bring out the best in your own figures or to bring interesting times to other players. They are played as appropriate, often interrupting or even seizing the initiative. Three can be held in the hand. If a player gains a fourth card then one must be immediately played or discarded.

O.K. It's maybe a bit much to say "make a pack of cards", so for the easier alternative we've aliased each Chance Card to an ordinary playing card. Just grab one or two packs of these and keep them separate from the one you use for Initiative Cuts, weed out any cards you don't want in this scenario and Bob's your Uncle.

Some cards are unique and should only be played once per game. They are kept in a separate discard pile after play. Others, e.g. Artefacts are play and keep cards that give a continuing advantage until lost either to another player or the unique discard pile. Artefacts should be assigned to a figure. While there is no call to tell other players which figures possess Artefacts, (until they use their abilities), players should keep a note and be honest in the event of unfortunate events.

Some cards have an instant effect, (e.g. Wind Changes and Calm), and have to be played immediately. Some cards are two edged and either have a positive result when played on a friendly figure or a negative aspect played on an adversary.

When the deck is exhausted the discard pile is shuffled and cut.

Those cards referenced in the main text should always be included but all others are optional and players are encouraged to devise their own. There is no reason why inventive players might not devise different Chance Card packs for different scenarios or even different groups, (Spaniard Colonials, French Privateers, Native Islanders, Buccaneers etc.), within a scenario.

• Acrobatics Ace of Clubs Interrupts initiative. This is the chandelier, handstand, three chairs and the curtains card. An unwounded/unburdened/unmounted figure may be moved instantly anywhere within a bold move range regardless of obstacles less than twice the figures height or proximity to enemy figures. Can be played to avoid being a cornered rat.
  

• Accurate Charts 2C Artefact. Play and keep. A Captain with Accurate Charts can sail shallow waters, regardless of the size of the ship, though may still be suprised by unexpected Shallows.

• Ambuscade 3C Seizes the initiative. Representing the carefully laid ambush with all figures primed and waiting to pounce. Can be played by a hidden party on a party that has just moved, if a figure in the target party has been placed within six inches of the leader of the hidden unit, (optional No measuring). Initiative immediately passes to the ambushing unit whose members, (in their various categories), can first shoot at the moved unit, and then may immediately charge to engage the ambushed without having to make another initiative action. This is an exceptional case where a figures can both shoot and move boldly.
  

• Base Treachery 4C Seizes the initiative. Play on Parley allies. The parleyed agreement is null and void. The villainous wretch must take a Mutinous Dogs point. The victim can play a Double Cross.

• Berserk 5C Play on a figure just wounded in a mêlée. Instead of taking the wound they go berserk. They continue to fight and automatically save wounds but once no longer engaged roll a d6. 1..3 drops dead, 4..6 wounded with fatigue. They can be knocked down, but if they save they aren't wounded – they cannot take the push back option.
  

• Big Beast 6C A large creature emerges from concealment in rough going and attacks the hindermost member of a shore party. Resolve it immediately. It rolls 4 dice. Being unusually tough it will save on a 4..6 but will either run or become enraged (treat as Berserk) after the first wound. 1d6: 1..4 runs away 5..6 enraged.
  

• Black Spot 7C Play on Captain whose crew is becoming mutinous.
  

• Born Leader 8C After the death/deposition of a leader a born leader can emerge from the ranks and assume command of a party. This card can be played before the Morale throw is taken. Choose a figure, they now the new boss.
  

• Born Lucky 9C An automatic save, from either knockdown or wound(s). Walks away without a scratch whether one or two saving rolls were to be made. Play instead of rolling the dice.
  

• Bridge Collapses 10C Traditionally, chasms are crossed in single file by precarious bridges made of knotted grass and rotted planks. Play this card when a party uses a rope/log bridge. Line up the figures crossing. For each figure in turn roll a d6, the first time a d6:1 is rolled, that figure has faaaallen into the gorge. Save against two wounds and wait a turn for them to climb out if they survived. (d6:5..6)
  

• Calm JC Play immediately, or discard immediately if one of the initial hand. The wind drops away until a d6:4..6 is rolled in the It Just Happens phase, re-spin for direction.
  

• Crocodile QC Play on a party crossing a water hazard. Treat as water-based Big Beast, the hindermost figure with a hook if there are any, is the victim of choice.
  

• Cunning Plan KC Can Board from boats, or swimming, freely. Can enter stronghold secretly. Can be used to entice new recruits. Is countered by a Suspicious Beggar card.

• Dodge/Duck AD A figure can play this card to nullify a wound from Mêlée without having to take a Push Back.
  

• Double Cross 2D Seizes the initiative. Played against Base Treachery. The Parley is still in tatters, but, forewarned, the victim may claim back the Initiative.
  

• Drunk 3D Play on figure depicted with drinking gear in their hand. If knocked down it turns out they had just passed out drunk and revive, unengaged, treat as wounded. Played on an enemy figure depicted with drinking gear, at any time, that figure falls into a drunken stupor, treat as wounded.
  

• Favourable Winds 4D Play immediately. The Aeolian gods smile upon you, choose a new wind direction, dice for speed.
  

• Fever 5D The Dreaded Lurgi strikes a figure, (victim chooses). One figure must save against a wound (d6:4..6). If they fail then next turn the nearest figure in hailing distance is infected, and both must save. The plague spreads thus until either no-one is infected or all figures have been infected. If a leader decides to abandon or cast adrift the sick then they must take a Mutinous Dog Point.
  

• Fire As She Bears 6D Play this card during the Action phase if a ship moves into short or point blank range of a target. Or if a target moves within short/point blank range of a broadside. One broadside firing action is permitted. This card seizes the initiative, or if you have the initiative and wish to fire on the move, movement is temporarily suspended and then resumed after firing has been calculated. N.B. Drake was particularly proud of the way his fast galleons could fire and then turn to present the other broadside before the Spanish had recovered.
  

• Jailbreak 7D Siezes the initiative. Player may select a prisoner or group of prisoners, (up to five), for whom an opportunity to escape has arisen. Decide how many figures are going to attempt to escape then roll a d6. One figure will escape on a d6:2..6, two if d6:3..6, three if d6:4..6 etc. Figure(s) may be moved up to 6 inches immediately.
  

• Jungle Medicine 8D Artefact. Cures Fever. Cures poison dart wounds. Cures Poisonous Beastie stings/bites. Each time it is used shake a d6. A one means the gourd is now empty, discard.
  

• Map 9D Artefact. Gain an extra d6" each shore move regardless of terrain
  

• Misfire 10D Played after small arms firing is declared but before dice are rolled a single figure is prevented from shooting.
  

• Native Guide JD Provide local guide figure. Add d6" to moves and move in single file, (move the guide figure first and then snake the others behind them), on secret trails. Party gains concealment benefits as if hiding although moving. If the party is spotted, or reveals itself then the guide disappears into the undergrowth.
  

• Offence QD A leader can use this card to deliberately provoke another leader, even one in a Parley alliance. The leaders must be within 4" of each other. If the offended party does not respond with a challenge to single combat they must take a Mutinous Dog Point.
  

• Once more into the breach… KD Play this card to allow a party claim a Charge Bonus for a second consecutive turn.
  

• Opportune Shot AH Seizes the initiative. A single eligible figure can shoot etc. at a chosen target in LoS at up to double normal weapon range when this card is played. Figures in the rigging are in LoS, below decks are not unless the shooter is too. Shooters in the rigging/crow's nests are well placed to use this card as they have better LoS to enemy decks than figures on the decks. Can be used to shoot in a Mêlée.
  

• Pegleg 2H Played on a figure with a pegleg, either they can ignore a wound, as they have been wounded in their wooden leg, or they cannot move this turn as their leg has caught/slipped in something they don't want to examine too closely.
  

• Poisonous Beastie 3H Play on a figure in rough terrain, if more than one fig in party then victim's choice, and they are bitten or stung. Treat as a Poison Dart hit.
  

• Quicksand 4H A figure has found a patch of quicksand. If alone then on a d6: 1..3 they are gone without a trace, (except perhaps a floppy hat with a feather on it, floating), 4..6 they pull themselves out, but lose this turn. If in a party then the leader decides which figure has fallen in and can either spend a turn pulling them out or let them sink, carry on and take a Mutinous Dog point.
  

• Rum 5H A crew or party has discovered a hidden cache of Rum, (could be player's or adversary's figures) break out the Rum as per the Mutinous Dogs section.
  

• Running Repairs 6H This card can be played to jury rig a mast or fix temporary steering on a ship as if it had a Carpenter.
  

• Ruthless Pursuit 7H Initiative seizing, play immediately after a mêlée resolution. A victorious Party may immediately charge after an enemy that has withdrawn from a mêlée, regardless of previous moves. or an instant boarding party may pursue retreating boarders back onto their own ship.
  

• Seize the Day! 8H Seizes the initiative from whoever has it.
  

• Shallows 9H A vessel has discovered unexpected shallows, with her keel. These even suprise holders of accurate charts if sailing in shallow waters.
  

• Sneaky Attack 10H Play when allocating a casualty, from any figure however armed. A knife in the back, the concealed dagger, the "Lookout! Behind you!" trick. The victim cannot Push Back/Jump Back. However, they could counter with a Dodge/Duck.
  

• Sharks JH Place d6/2 sharks, (fins), in the water 9" from any swimmer. They move at 4" per turn towards the nearest swimmer. If they come into contact with a swimmer roll a dice. 1..4 swimmer disappears, 5..6 sharks fended off for a turn. Sharks can be shot at with small arms from ships or boats, no saving throw, if wounded then disappear. If there are no swimmers left in the water then they disappear.
  

• Squall QH Play on a ship, it makes an impromptu turn of a point 1..3 port, 4..6 starboard. Roll a d6, on a 1 a sailor has been dislodged, save against two wounds. (2d6: save on 5..6)
  

• Suspicious Beggar KH Seizes the Initiative. Play against a Cunning Plan, which is fatally flawed when someone spots that something's up.
  

• Traps AS One of an enemy shore party (victim chooses) that has just moved falls into a trap of the bearpit, swinging log, dropping rock, hoisting net etc. variety. Save against two wounds. At card player's behest knockdowns can be converted to captured, in a big net or pit. Cannot be played on a party who are following Scouts, (they would have spotted it).
  

• Water! Water! 2S A ship or stronghold is running low on potable water. A foraging party must be sent out, or a ship must anchor at a suitable island or call into a port to resupply. Three Mutinous Dog points are taken and can be removed when a barrel of water is brought back to the ship or stronghold.
  

• Wind Changes 3S Play immediately, or discard immediately if this is one of the initial cards drawn. Roll a d6. 1 veers one point, 2 veers two points, 3 veers three points, 4 backs one point, 5 backs two points, 6 backs three points. All magical nannies removed from play. Replace this card and all discards and shuffle the deck.
  

© Baggins Wood Ltd. 2009