Morale

"He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day" Demosthenes the Swift

The morale threshold of a ship's crew, or stronghold's garrison, or shore party etc., is usually half its original figures, (including the leader, round halves up).

Once a unit has reached its morale threshold, if it loses a figure as a result of:

• enemy fire mêlée by a unit that outnumbers it, (losing figures but still having a numerical advantage is not so demoralizing)
  
• "accident", (e.g. beasts, fevers, traps or politics)
  
• capture

then morale is shaken, and so must be the dice, and again after each subsequent loss.

Note that if a figure is "lost" to the group because of "straggling" or being assigned an independent duty, then morale is not shaken, (though such a reduction in headcount may make the party susceptible to morale throws by reducing the headcount to the threshold).

E.g. A party of twelve pyrates has one way or another been reduced to six figures and is now susceptible to morale throws. If the leader now sends one of them off on an errand then the Party is now five but they do not have to role for morale as the figure loss was not due to something demoralising.

This half-the-original figure limit is the usual but a particularly timorous mob might have a threshold of half-the-original +1 figures, or a well-disciplined and stalwart bunch might have a breakpoint of half-the-original -1 figures. Fanatics might only worry when reduced to half-the- original -2 figures or even fewer. These limits should be agreed by all concerned beforehand, or be scenario determined.

If the scenario or a card dictates that something unexpectedly terrifying has occurred then morale is tested.

Test morale by casting a d6.

• - solitary figure 1..5 fails, 6 holds
  
• - without leader 1..4 fails, 5..6 holds
  
• - with leader 1..3 fails, 4..6 holds
  
• - with Captain 1..2 fails, 3..6 holds

Bonuses/penalties:

• Should a group being tested include an unengaged musician, or a figure with a mascot, or a figure carrying colours/a totem, (e.g. the Jolly Roger, or a gharstly heathen idol), then there is a +1 morale bonus. Note that the categories are not cumulative. Ten pyrates with banjos, or a nautical string quartet would still only give a +1 bonus, even if being cheered on by the ship's monkey, waving a Union Jack.
  
• If a party has been paid in this adventure, (see Loot and Spending It Wisely), then they receive a +1 bonus
  
• If the Crew has Mutinous Dog Points then deduct a point from the morale dice.
  
• If the ship or stronghold has a bona fide Cook then add a point
  
• If a ship or lair has not been adequately provisioned, (see Spending It Wisely), yet in this adventure, then deduct a point.
  

Other factors, (cards or scenario features), may influence the roll either negatively or positively, but a natural one will always fail and a natural six will always succeed.

Results:
The Party Leader or Captain is deposed (see Leaders and Parties)

If a shore or boarding party fails the test, each figure in the party must flee away from the danger. Fleeing is an extra, bold, move carried out as soon as the morale test has been failed. Some figures may become stragglers as a result of a flight. If possible, flight is toward ship or stronghold.

• In the case of a boarding party, survivors are returned to their own ship/boats if possible.
  
• If figures cannot flee because they are surrounded or blocked in by impassable terrain figures will surrender or will jump overboard if land or a friendly vessel are within sight.
  
• If a unit's morale fails while figures are still engaged then these figures will attempt to break off and flee, and if that is not possible because they are surrounded or backed up against something impassible, they will surrender or fight like cornered rats if surrender is unwise.
• Until morale is restored a party can only move either toward their ship or stronghold, via the shortest possible route. (If due to previous calamity they don’t have a ship or stronghold then they can't move until they rally). Being pyrates they keep hold of whatever loot has been collected, but abandon other burdens, including any cannon.
• During this retreat the figures will bypass antagonists. They cannot take any offensive action.
  
• Figures will try to stay in cohesion, within four inches of each other.
  
• If the party suffers further casualties it will automatically flee, (or surrender etc.), and this time will drop any loot still being carried.
• If fleeing figures come within hailing range (4") of a friendly party then that party must take a morale test to see if the panic spreads and it too must flee. If morale holds then the fleeing party will automatically rally and join up with the stalwarts under the leadership of the larger group's leader, if there is one, or the smaller groups leader if there isn't. This party may split up again in the next Action phase. As it is likely to be a bit over-sized, a dice-roll may be necessary before any other action is possible.
• Once back in their stronghold or aboard their ship, morale is automatically restored, unless the ship or stronghold is itself already gripped by panic, in which case they cower with their comrades until they rally, etc.

A ship's crew or a stronghold's garrison are treated differently.

• If the stronghold or the ship is under attack by an enemy that will accept surrender then the survivors must strike their colours and surrender.
  
• If surrender is not practical then a ship's crew will attempt to Abandon Ship. This can be by boat, or by jumping and swimming if in sight of land or friendly vessels. Once aboard another friendly ship they are absorbed into that crew, or once ashore will try to group around the Captain or an officer, electing one if necessary.
  
• If unable to Abandon Ship, or in a stronghold, then the survivors will just cower until they manage to rally, or are contacted by the enemy in which case they surrender or fight like cornered rats if surrender is not the healthy option.
  

Rallying
Units with broken morale can be rallied in subsequent turns by re-rolling the morale test as an initiative action, if they are otherwise unoccupied.

© Baggins Wood Ltd. 2009