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Warhammer Quest: The Imperial Engineer
by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock
The following is a home-made profession for Warhammer Quest created by
myself, inspired by the "School of Engineers" mentioned in "Warhammer
Armies: The Empire". At this writing, this profession has not been
playtested, so incorporating this into existing campaigns should be taken
with care. To summarize, the Engineer is a tinker, and has access to a
wide array of unseemly "technological" devices which have great
potential for great power ... and a pretty good chance of going horribly
wrong as well
Altdorf is not only home to the Magic Colleges, but also to the School
of Engineers, home to tinkers who are forever coming up with wondrous
(though generally unwieldy) weaponry and gadgets for use by the forces of
the Empire.
Altdorf is not only home to the Magic Colleges, but also to the School
of Engineers, home to tinkers who are forever coming up with wondrous
(though generally unwieldy) weaponry and gadgets for use by the forces of
the Empire.
While war is frequent in the Old World, the School of Engineers isn't
content to wait for trouble to come to it, only to find that their
inventions might not hold up well -- when the Empire is at stake! There
are some brave and ambitious volunteers who have devoted their life's work
to taking various experimental devices into the hazardous realm under the
World's Edge Mountains in actual combat against the foul denizens which
can be always found in abundance there.
While the Engineer's equipment is costly to maintain and often
unreliable, it can pack quite a punch against the opposition when it does
manage to work!
| Name |
M |
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
I |
A |
Damage Dice |
Wounds |
| Imperial Engineer |
4 |
3 |
5+ |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1D6+7 |
Equipment: Repeater Hand Gun .
Weapon: Sword, causing 1D6+3 wounds.
Armour: None.
Pinning: Breaks from pinning on a roll of 4+.
Special Rules: The Engineer has no special abilities per se, other than
his unusual equipment.
| Enemies WS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
| To Hit Roll |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
Repeater Handgun
Also known as Von Meinkopt's Whirling Cavalcade of Death, this
two-handed ranged weapon has a revolving chamber with six separate
barrels, with a maximum range of 20 spaces. Upon a successful hit, it
inflicts 1D6+4 Wounds, ignoring the first point of armor. Furthermore, if
a shot hits, the Hand Gun may immediately fire again, either at the same
target or a different target within 2 spaces of the last one. Upon another
successful hit, this may be done again, up to 6 shots per turn.
The Engineer may not move and fire with this weapon in the same turn. On
any roll of 1 to hit, the gun has jammed, and a full turn (with no other
actions) must be spent to clear the chamber before it can be fired again.
The gun comes with enough powder and shot to last for one adventure.
Additional units of powder and shot must be bought at the Gunsmith for
subsequent adventures.
Advanced Rules
| Battle-Level |
Willpower |
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
I |
A |
Luck |
Pinning |
Skills |
Damage Dice |
Wounds |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
5+ |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4+ |
0 |
1 |
1D6+7 |
| 2 |
2 |
3 |
5+ |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
4+ |
1 |
1 |
2D6+7 |
| 3 |
3 |
4 |
4+ |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
4+ |
1 |
1 |
2D6+7 |
| 4 |
3 |
4 |
4+ |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
4+ |
2 |
1 |
3D6+7 |
| 5 |
4 |
5 |
4+ |
3 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
3+ |
2 |
1 |
3D6+7 |
| 6 |
4 |
5 |
3+ |
3 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
3+ |
3 |
2 |
4D6+7 |
| 7 |
4 |
5 |
3+ |
3 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
3+ |
4 |
2 |
4D6+7 |
| 8 |
4 |
6 |
3+ |
3 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3+ |
4 |
2 |
5D6+7 |
| 9 |
4 |
6 |
2+ |
3 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
3+ |
4 |
2 |
5D6+7 |
| 10 |
4 |
6 |
2+ |
3 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
3+ |
5 |
3 |
6D6+7 |
| Enemies WS |
Battle-Level |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
| To Hit Roll |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
|
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
|
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
4 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
5 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
6 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
7 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
8 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
9 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
10 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Skills
The Imperial Engineer has the following skills available to him as he
goes up his Battle-Levels. To determine which specific skill he learns
when given the opportunity roll 2D6.
- Don't be daft.
- Field Repair:
As arrows zip over your head, and an Orc stumbles past you,
you force yourself to concentrate on repairing this infernal device with
what scrap materials you have at hand.
Your Warrior can attempt to repair a device using Spare Parts in the
middle of an adventure. This skill may be used once per turn, during
which the Engineer may take no other action nor move. Roll 1D6. On a
roll of 1, the attempt fails utterly, and the Spare Parts are wasted
to no effect. On a roll of 6, the device is repaired, using up the
Spare Parts in the process. On any other roll, the Engineer is unable
to complete repairs for this turn, but does not use up the Spare Parts
in the process, and may try again in subsequent turns.
- Hochland Long-Rifle:
This long-barrelled weapon is developed from the hunting
rifles of Hochland, and is very accurate over great distances.
The Hochland Long Rifle comes with enough gunpowder and shot to last
for a single adventure. For subsequent adventures, additional
gunpowder and shot must be purchased at the Gunsmith. This weapon
requires two hands to operate, and the Engineer may not move during
any turn in which he fires. The Long Rifle inflicts normal damage with
a Strength of 4, ignoring the first point of armor, and may only be
fired once per turn. The Engineer gains a +1 to his BS roll while
using the Hochland Long Rifle, thanks to its accuracy, and furthermore
gains an additional +1 to offset penalties for Difficult Shots (see p.
163 of the Roleplay Book).
This is a fairly accurate weapon, and therefore does not have a chance
of jamming. Still, the School of Engineers would like to see how it
holds up in underground environments.
- Blunderbuss:
This flanged firearm fires a hail of shot consisting of rusty
bolts, nails and other scrap metal upon the enemies of the Empire.
The Blunderbuss is operated in much the same way as the Chaos Dwarf
Blunderbusses described on p. 93 of the Roleplay Book. Select a
direction in which to fire the Blunderbuss, and roll a single to-hit
roll to see if all or none of the possible targets in that direction
are hit. On a miss, the shot scatters wide and hits nothing. On a hit,
though, all targets in the chosen direction of the Engineer are
struck. (For purpose of determining effect in areas larger than an
Objective Room, consider that the Blunderbuss has a maximum area of
effect of 8x8 -- a rather appreciable blast!) Note that ALL possible
targets will be hit in the chosen direction, whether friend or foe!
(Unlike the Chaos Dwarves, the Engineer has no arcane method for
getting his comrades out of the way of the blast.)
All targets struck suffer 1D6 Wounds, modified for Toughness and
armor.
This is a bit of an unreliable device, not quite up to Chaos Dwarf
specifications, and will misfire on a natural roll of 1 to hit. If
this happens, the device jams and explodes, causing 1D6 Wounds to the
Engineer (modified for Toughness and armor), and rendering the
Blunderbuss unusable until it can be repaired using Spare Parts.
The Blunderbuss comes with enough Gunpowder to last for an entire
adventure. Since it uses bits of scrap metal, nails and other bits
which are easily procured, Shot is not required for this weapon.
- Mancatcher:
This wicked polearm has an iron collar ringed with spring-loaded
spikes, which can be slipped over an enemy's head to break his neck
and kill him instantly.
This odd polearm may be used to Attack in Ranks ... but
unfortunately it is ineffective when attempting to attack adjacent
targets! Therefore, any target must be exactly two spaces away to be
attacked with the Mancatcher. Upon a successful hit, roll 1D6. If this
number is greater than the target's starting Toughness, the target's
neck is broken, killing him instantly! This weapon is ineffective
against Ethereal beings, the Undead, Daemons, small creatures (Giant
Bats, Giant Rats, Snotlings), and those without a real neck, or with
multiple heads (such as Giant Spiders or Hydras, respectively). Also,
Dragons are far too large to be trapped by this device.
The target's number of Wounds or any armor is of no help in defending
against this device.
- Repeater Pistol:
This is a smaller version of the Repeater Hand Gun, which may be
fired in one hand, leaving the other hand free to wield a sword.
The Repeater Pistol has a maximum range of 10 spaces. Upon a
successful hit, it inflicts 1D6+3 Wounds, ignoring the first point of
armor. Furthermore, if a shot hits, the Pistol may immediately fire
again, either at the same target or a different target within 2 spaces
of the last one. Upon another successful hit, this may be done again,
up to 6 shots per turn.
The Engineer may not move and fire with this weapon in the same turn.
On any roll of 1 to hit, the gun has jammed, and a full turn (with no
other actions) must be spent to clear the chamber before it can be
fired again.
The gun comes with enough powder and shot to last for one adventure.
Additional units of powder and shot must be bought at the Gunsmith for
subsequent adventures.
Unlike the Repeater Handgun, the Repeater Pistol may be used in
hand-to- hand combat. When using it against an adjacent target, make a
WS roll to hit, rather than a BS hit. If the Engineer has more than
one Attack per turn, he may use his first attack with the Pistol, and
any remaining attacks with a sword or other one-handed hand-to-hand
weapon.
(Note that this is an exception to the normal rules concerning "backup"
weapons. The Engineer may go into combat armed with the Pistol and one
off- hand weapon, but he cannot switch to another set of weapons in
the middle of the combat.)
- Von Tropp's Spring-Assissted Chain Lasso
Your comrades couldn't help but snicker as you carried this
rattling, unseemly device slung over your back through the dungeon.
However, they've gained a fair measure of respect now that you've
managed to single-handedly tangle a Minotaur...
This two-handed device may be used to launch a "chain lasso"
to tangle a single opponent, rendering it incapable of movement. A
successful BS roll to hit is required to hit the target. The Engineer
may not move or take any other actions (or make other attacks) during
any turn in which he uses this device. It has a maximum range of 8
spaces.
Upon a successful hit, the target is bound by the chain, and may not
make any attacks, movement or take any other actions for the remainder
of this turn. At the start of subsequent turns, he may attempt to
break free by rolling 1D6 and adding it to his Strength. If he comes
up with a total of 9 or more, he succeeds in breaking the chain, and
may attack, move or make other actions that turn normally.
The Rule of 1 and 6 does not apply here. If the target is so strong
that he can break free even if he rolls a 1, or so weak that he
couldn't break free even on a roll of 6, so be it. Some targets have
no hope of escaping it by brute force, while others have no real fear
of it. Ethereal beings and Daemons are unaffected by this weapon, not
being sufficiently substantial to be trapped by it.
The chain may only be launched once per battle, and if the target
breaks free, it must be repaired using Spare Parts before it can be
used again. Furthermore, if it is used in a battle, in order to use it
again the Engineer must spend a full turn (during which he may do
nothing else) packing the chain lasso back into its launching
cylinder.
This device requires no gunpowder, shot or other ammunition to use in
the dungeon.
- Kurstein's Whirling Blade of Doom
You crank and crank at the handle of this device, nervous sweat
gathering on your brow as the Minotaur lumbers closer. Suddenly,
though, the machine sputters and coughs, and suddenly the teeth spin
along the blade's length with an ear-shattering buzzing sound.
Adjusting your earplugs, you approach, grinning, as the Minotaur eyes
the infernal creation with a look of abject terror...
This strange sword-machine requires two hands to operate. If used as
a regular weapon, due to its unwieldy bulk, it may inflict Normal
Damage, but the Engineer suffers a -1 penalty on all rolls to hit
(though he may still hit on a natural roll of 6).
However, if he wishes to start it up, at the start of each turn he may
pull on the starting cord. On a roll of 4+ on 1D6, the machine buzzes
to life. He may use it as a normal hand-to-hand weapon during this
turn, inflicting 2D6 Wounds (plus his Strength) per hit. On a natural
roll of 6 to hit, he may ignore armor on the target, as the blade
chews its way through the metal.
If he fails to start the device, then he may simply try again in
subsequent turns, and he may still act normally for this turn.
Once the device is started, at the start of each subsequent turn roll
1D6 and consult the following chart:
- SNAP! The chain broke loose, lashing at the Engineer in the
process! The Engineer takes 1D6 Wounds (modified for Toughness and
armor), and the device is now broken, useless until it can be fixed
using Spare Parts.
- SPUTTER! The machine sputters and coughs, coming to a dead stop.
It cannot be used this turn, though the Engineer may attempt to
restart it again in subsequent turns.
- - 6.
ROWR! The infernal device keeps on growling and spinning away
normally.
After this roll is made at the start of each turn, the Engineer may
choose to immediately turn the device off (though he may not do so if
he is going to use it for this turn), though he may of course attempt
to start it again in subsequent turns.
- Van Buren's Steaming Iron Gauntlet of Fury:
With a shrieking whistle and a puff of steam, you ram the
oversized gauntlet into your enemy, assisted by the wonders of Steam
Technology.
This "gauntlet" may be worn over one arm, allowing your
Warrior to make powerful punches against your enemies. When using the
Gauntlet, your Warrior may make a single Power Punch per turn which
inflicts Normal Damage, plus an additional 1D6 Wounds, ignoring armor.
This attack cannot cause a Death Blow. Roll 1D6 after each attack
using this weapon.
- KAPOW! The portable boiler on your Warrior's back explodes,
scalding him and everyone adjacent to him (friend or foe) in
scalding steam! The Warrior and all adjacent models take 1D6 Wounds
(roll separately), ignoring armor. The Gauntlet is broken, and
cannot be used again until repaired using Spare Parts.
- CREAK! The framework around your Warrior's arm has seized up,
rendering the Gauntlet useless for the time being. (For each
subsequent turn, roll 1D6. On a roll of 6, the arm has cooled off
enough so that it may be used normally once more.)
- - 6.
The Gauntlet works normally, without incident.
As this monstrosity works on the power of steam, it does not require
any special fuels or ammunition to work normally. The Engineer may
also choose to use the Gauntlet as a regular pummelling weapon,
without using the Power Punch ability. In this regard, it is a bit
clumsy, inflicting Normal Damage, but with a -1 to hit, and only
allowing one Attack per turn. Hence, it's typically wise to have an
off-hand weapon handy for those occasions when the Gauntlet seizes up.
- Geobaldi's Swinging Spiked Juggernaut:
Aided by mechanically-shifting counterweights, you swing the
pole about, sweeping the huge spiked ball in a wide arc about
yourself. Your opponents scarcely have time to think of dodging before
the solid device relentlessly slams into them.
This two-handed weapon looks like an oversized ball-and-chain, but
it is cleverly counterweighted such that the Engineer can make a great
sweeping attack per turn. With this weapon, he may start by attacking
a single adjacent model, though his chances to hit are not determined
normally.
Rather than the Engineer rolling to hit, his target must instead make
an Initiative test, with a target roll of 9. The Rule of 1 and 6
applies here, in that any natural roll of 1 will automatically fail,
and any roll of 6 will automatically succeed. If he passes his test,
he dodges the swinging ball. If not, however, he is hit, taking Normal
Damage. If he should roll a natural 1 while attempting to dodge, he is
hit so squarely that the attack ignores Toughness and armor. (Any
target who is incapable of moving, such as someone caught in a web, is
automatically hit as if they had rolled a 1 to dodge.)
Regardless of whether or not this target was hit, or how much damage
it took, the ball keeps swinging, moving into the next space adjacent
to the Warrior and to the previous target space, and any model here
must roll to get out of the way or be automatically hit. Even if there
are no intervening models in some of these spaces, the ball completes
a complete arc in a circle around the Warrior, attacking all 8
adjacent spaces. He cannot choose to end his swing before that point
-- If there are any allies adjacent to him, he simply has a chance of
hitting his friends as well.
If one of these spaces should be occupied by a solid obstacle, such as
a wall, then the ball is going to come to a premature stop as soon as
it hits this space. Furthermore, the counterweights are so jarred by
the impact that their housing shatters, and this weapon cannot be used
again until repaired using Spare Parts.
At the end of the swing, roll 1D6 as the Warrior recovers his weapon.
On a roll of 1, the counterweights snap badly out of place, throwing
the Warrior off weight so that his device goes flying. He cannot
retrieve the weapon until the current combat has been completed, with
all monsters in play defeated. On any other roll, though, he is able
to finish his attack normally.
This takes all of the Engineer's attacks, so if he has additional
Attacks left over, he cannot use them for another swing or to use
another weapon this turn. Due to the precarious balance of this
weapon, the Engineer cannot move and attack in the same turn, and he
/must/ be on solid ground. (He can't, for instance, use this while on
the Firechasm bridge.)
- Fragonard's Dreadful Ensnaring Hook Halberd:
The polearm looks ordinary enough, and at first it seems that
you are a lousy aim with it, missing your target widely. However, with
a flick of the wrist, you bring the "hook" toward your
opponent, which mechanically pops out to snare your enemy's leg, then
pops back in again, knocking him off his feet.
While bearing this weapon, your Warrior is at -2 Initiative, and
cannot use a shield (or second-hand weapon) at the same time. He may
inflict Normal Damage with this weapon, with a +1 to Strength, and can
Attack in Ranks, as with a normal Halberd.
However, an added bonus to this weapon is the mechanical hook. This
weapon may be used as many times per turn as your Warrior has Attacks.
However, once per turn, in addition to a regular attack against a
target, whether that attack strikes or not, your Warrior may choose to
use the mechanical hook in an attempt to trip the opponent as he pulls
his weapon back again. This maneuver does not work for Large Monsters
or Ethereal beings.
Make a WS test, with a target value of 7. If successful, your Warrior
manages to hook his opponent's leg (or grab something else) to set him
off balance. If you roll a natural 1, the hook has jammed, and cannot
be fixed until after all monsters in play have been defeated, and the
Engineer can spend a full turn (during which he may do nothing else)
reassembling the mechanism.
If he passes his test, the target must then make an Initiative test
(target value of 7) to keep from falling. If he fails his test, he trips
and falls, losing the opportunity to move during his next turn, as well
as one Attack. (If he only had one Attack to begin with, this means he
can't attack at all for this turn!)
If the target remains standing or the Engineer fails his WS test, then
this special attack does nothing. If there are any remaining Attacks for
this turn, they may still be made normally, though this special hook
attack cannot be used again this turn.
- Delaugh's Marvelous Arm of Long-Reaching:
Cranking the two handles, you send the claw shooting out,
attached to a metal arm that telescopes outward, thrusting at your
(supposedly) well-protected enemy at a distance.
With this two-handed device, your Warrior may make attacks either in
hand- to-hand or at a distance, up to 4 spaces away. Only one attack
per turn may be made using this weapon, and as it uses both hands, an
off-hand weapon cannot be used during the same turn.
When attacking an adjacent target, make a normal roll to hit,
inflicting Normal Damage. When attacking a target at range, make a BS
roll to hit, inflicting Normal Damage if successful. However, on any
natural roll of 1 to hit at range, the device manages to fall apart
while shooting out, clanging in several pieces on the floor. It cannot
be retrieved until the end of combat, when all monsters in play have
been defeated, and requires a full turn to reassemble it, during which
the Engineer may not do anything else.
This device can also be used (at the GM's discretion), to grab items
at a distance, or even to hand an item to someone else or drop it at
another location across the room! If this is done outside of combat
(i.e., there are no monsters present) then this can be done
automatically without need for a roll (unless the GM determines that
the task is particularly complex or requires precision -- such as if
the object being snared happens to be very fragile, for instance). In
combat, however, a BS roll to hit is required, with -1 to the roll for
each space away (beyond 1) that the object or target is located. (i.e.
2 spaces away = -1 to the roll. 3 spaces away = -2 to the roll. 4
spaces away (maximum) = -3 to the roll. Even with this penalty, a
natural roll of 6 always succeeds.) When used in combat, there is
still a chance of the device falling apart, if a natural 1 is rolled
to "hit".
Additional Rules
Roll 2D6-3 to determine the results when the Engineer visits the
Alehouse.
The Imperial Engineer may use any equipment, armor or weapons that the
Barbarian may use, with the exception that he is able to wear Plate Armor
(while the Barbarian normally would not).
The Repeater Handgun and other special weapons available to the Imperial
Engineer may not be sold or given away under any circumstances (including
Events that would require your Warrior to give away an item of equipment)
as they are property of the School of Engineers. Also, these items are
only prototypes, not designed with the layman in mind, and are therefore
only usable by someone especially trained in their use -- such as the
Engineer. The other Warriors, therefore, cannot make any use of the
Repeater Handgun or any of the other special items the Engineer may
acquire from the School of Engineers.
The Engineer may use any magical items that are usable by general
Warrior types, except for those which are exclusively usable by any given
profession or non-human race. However, he will not utilize magical
weapons, as his mission in life is to test out the feasibility of the
experimental devices he carries. To use magical weaponry to fight monsters
with would only cast shadow upon the effectiveness of these innovative
machines!
A Special Location that may appear in Towns or Cities is the Tinker's
Shop, where the Engineer can find materials he needs to repair his exotic
equipment. If it is determined that any of these items are in stock, the
Engineer may buy as many of them as he pleases (and can afford). The
following items may be found for sale at the Tinker's Shop:
|
|
Cost |
|
| Item |
Stock |
Buy |
Sell |
| Spare Parts |
5 |
100 |
- |
| Miracle Oil |
8 |
200 |
- |
| Dragon Breath |
4 |
100 |
- |
Spare Parts
Spare Parts may be purchased in order to repair any of the Engineer's
devices while he is at a Settlement. He may only use Spare Parts to try to
repair a device during an adventure if he has the Field Repair ability.
Using Spare Parts while in a Settlement takes a full day's activity,
during which the Engineer may not visit any special locations or traders.
However, there is no chance of failure in repairing the item.
Miracle Oil
Miracle Oil is a pricey but effective lubricant which makes various
gadgets work with greatly improved performance for a limited time. By
using Miracle Oil at the start of an adventure, one of the Engineer's
gadgets (this must be announced) will have a decreased chance of failure.
Re-roll any failed roll to determine whether the device will jam or break,
though the second roll must be kept, whether better or worse.
(In the case of an item that jams on a roll of a 1 to hit, roll another
1D6 just for the sake of seeing if it comes up a 1 again. This does not
affect the Engineer's chances of actually hitting the target, as the first
roll is still kept for purposes of aiming. It just means that he has a
better chance of avoiding a jam.)
This effect lasts for the entire adventure for a single gadget.
Dragon Breath
This flask of flammable material is required to power Kurstein's
Whirling Blade of Doom and certain other odd devices. It is sufficient to
power such a device for an entire adventure.
Alternately, given its volatile nature, a flask of this liquid (if not
already poured into a gadget for fuel) may be used as a makeshift
explosive with a short fuse, causing 1D6 Wounds to all targets in a 3 x 3
area, with normal modifiers for armor and Toughness.
For his first day's activity in the Settlement (after training, if
applicable), the Engineer must seek out any Tinker's Shop present
and pay it a visit. If nothing else, he's obliged to see if there are any
fellow Engineers or inventors there to gab with..
If he has any items in need of repair, or if he is out of the requisite
fuel, he's obliged to try to buy these items (if available) before he can
spend gold on anything else (including training).
Second on his list, he must seek out the Gunsmith shop if present, and
he's obliged to make sure he has enough shot and gunpowder to use his
weapon(s) for the next adventure (at least).
Once he has visited both of these places, repaired any broken devices
and bought any required gunpowder, shot and/or fuel (or else at least
tried on every point), only THEN can he visit other Special Locations or
traders to handle regular purchases. The Engineer's primary purpose in
adventuring is to try out these special gadgets, so he can't very well go
slack by leaving them in disrepair.
Some of the Engineer's "skills" aren't skills at all, but
rather the acquisition of new experimental devices. These items count as
normal equipment, though the Engineer may never be compelled to give them
away nor sell them. (In the case of Hazards or Events where a piece of
equipment is demanded for payment, the Engineer simply will not and cannot
part with these items, as they are property of the Imperial School of
Engineers.)
If, however, these devices should be destroyed (not merely disabled from
normal use), they may be replaced upon visiting any City at no cost. The
School of Engineers will provide replacements, as wear and tear is
expected as a normal part of field-testing, so long as the Engineer isn't
being a careless steward.
The murky dungeons are not the best environment in which to use
gunpowder weapons, or the squeaky, easily-rusted devices from the School
of Engineers. Although this is not likely to be a regular occurrence in
standard random dungeons, if for whatever reason the Engineer's gadgets
should be submerged in water, they are all rendered useless until he can
get a chance to clean and reassemble them in the nearest Settlement (which
will take a day's activity per device, during which he cannot visit any
Special Locations or traders).
The Engineer may enter any combat armed with one regular weapon and one
gadget, regardless of whether they both happen to be ranged, hand-to-hand,
or different types entirely. During any given turn, he may decide whether
he will use his selected gadget, or whether he will fall back on a more
conventional weapon (typically a sword, though sometimes a firearm from
the Gunsmith shop). However, he may not switch between different types of
gadgets in the same combat, nor may he switch between bow/sword in the
same combat as well.
If he has a gadget that requires two hands, then he cannot use a shield,
even if, for instance, he is using a one-handed sword as his backup
weapon. These devices are simply too unwieldy to have ready at a moment's
notice, so the Engineer can only keep one ready (and maybe a sword
sheathed at hand), while the others are strapped away over his back, or
perhaps carried on a cart which is set aside during combat. These devices
are awkward, to be sure.
Representing Your Warrior
Of official Citadel miniatures, the Imperial War Wagon includes a
crewman holding a Repeating Musket (00811/8) which would be suitable for
representing the Engineer. If, however, you're not willing to buy the
entire War Wagon just for the Engineer, the "Outrider with Repeating
Musket" (073737/2) might be suitable for a conversion (as the legs
are already separate) into a standing model ... or else you could make do
with a mounted model though keeping in mind that the horse isn't /really/
supposed to be there in the dungeon. ;) Other options might include using
one of the crew-members from the Great Cannon, Mortar or Volley Gun --
such as "Engineer Leonardo" (073899/2), keeping in mind that the
Engineer's equipment is bound to change from adventure to adventure
anyway.
For off-brand options, I'm afraid I don't know of any suitable "Engineer"
types or gunners in a fantasy setting off hand.
Roleplaying Tips
A member of the School of Engineers should be a curious sort, always
interested in whatever rare bit of machinery the Warriors might encounter,
and always quite interested in showing off the pride of the Empire to his
fellow comrades (as well as his enemies!). Other than that, there are no
real guidelines for role-playing such an Engineer, as they don't fall into
any easily-defined personality archetypes.
Of course, this particular Warrior type brings to the forefront the
stranger side of "technology" in the Warhammer fantasy setting.
If the GM would prefer to stick to more "hard fantasy", the
devices that the Engineer might make use of could well be detrimental to
that atmosphere. However, if you can handle the absurdities, this
Warrior's odd devices might present some interesting role-playing
opportunities ... particularly if the GM should decide that the School
decides to give the Engineer some as yet new and completely unpredictable
device to test! Indeed, this could be the cause for a whole adventure --
to try out some outrageous device on loan to the Engineer for a limited
time, under specific (and hazardous!) test conditions.
Disclaimers and such
Games Workshop, Knights Panther, the Old World,
Skaven,Warhammer Quest, Warhammer Fantasy Battle,
Battle Magic, Altdorf, Talisman and Advanced
HeroQuest are trademarks of Games Workshop, Ltd. Their use here does
not constitute a legal challenge to trademark status. This article is
copyright 1995 by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock, though it may be
freely distributed in unaltered form, so long as proper credit is given
and no fees are charged for its use.
If you'd like to contact me for whatever reason, you can write to me at:
Jordan Peacock,
1610 Parker,
Cedar Falls,
IA 50613
Happy Questing!
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