Sometimes there is nothing more annoying than rolling a '1' in the Power Phase during combat. There is always an Event generated in standard dungeons, but the Event doesn't always make sense. When more Monsters arrive belief is not challenged due to the large amounts of noise echoing throughout the halls of a dungeon. But when Warriors suddenly develop an urge to start looting bodies and a dying Dwarf Prospector staggers into the room with a rusty key in his outstretched hand, things begin to become a little bit more surreal. It's especially irritating when many of the 'E' Events tend to generate more Monsters on their own.
So I've developed my own table to turn to in these situations. Basically what I do when a '1' is rolled during combat is turn over the top card in the Event deck as normal. If it is a Monster card, I generate a Monster encounter the way I normally do. If it is an Event card, I turn to this table instead. One bit of advice for using this table is to feel free to interpret the results loosely if that is the atmospheric thing to do. For example, if the result is 'Slip' and there are combatants on a rope bridge or fighting around a pit, somebody is going to have to make a saving throw against Initiative to avoid falling to their deaths. If this is an enraged Minotaur there will be much laughter and sighs of relief, but the atmosphere has not been ruined by an unrealistic event. Instead, this chart will hopefully enhance the combat and give a more accurate flavor to the types of things that might happen in the fog of war. One final note is that the table is not designed to heavily favor one side or the other, but that there are a couple results that affect armor to make things a bit more, shall we say, 'interesting' for the tanks of the party. Without further ado:
| Roll 1d20 | Result |
| 1 | Armor Trouble: Warrior |
| 2 | Armor Trouble: Monster |
| 3 | Rally: Warriors |
| 4 | Rally: Monsters |
| 5 | Battlefield Shifts |
| 6 | Close Quarters |
| 7 | Item Damaged: (1-3 = Warrior, 4-6 = Monster) |
| 8 | Item Dropped: (1-3 = Warrior, 4-6 = Monster) |
| 9-11 | Knocked Down |
| 12 | Lucky Break |
| 13 | Lucky Opening |
| 14 | Mount Trouble |
| 15 | Reinforcements: Warriors |
| 16 | Reinforcements: Monsters |
| 17 | Retreat |
| 18 | Slip |
| 19 | Weapon Trouble: Warrior |
| 20 | Weapon Trouble: Monster |
A random armored Warrior has trouble with his armor. Roll 1d6 for the exact problem. The character can remedy the situation by spending one turn doing nothing but repairing the straps on his armor.
| D6 | Result |
| 1-2 | Helm lost, head exposed (Roll again: on 1-3 Helm is destroyed) |
| 3-5 | Shield lost (Roll again: on a 1 the Shield is ruined) |
| 6 | Straps on body armor break - armor lost (Armor ruined on 1-2) |
A random armored Monster has trouble with his armor. The Monster's armor bonus is reduced by 1 unless it stands still for one turn doing nothing but repairing it. If the Monster has magic armor of any kind, it is lost or destroyed on a roll of 1-2.
The Warriors get a surge in morale that helps them attempt to turn the tide in their favor. For this turn every Warrior gets +1 to Hit. Warriors that are afraid get a chance to re-roll one Fear test as they summon their courage.
The Monsters get a surge in morale that helps them attempt to turn the tide in their favor. For this turn every Monster gets +1 to Hit. Monsters that are afraid get a chance to re-roll one Fear test as they summon their courage. Monsters with the Break rule will not make their Break test this turn.
The tide of battle carries all figures 1d6 squares in a random direction from their current location.
Two adjacent enemies that are facing each other find themselves inside one another's reach and are effectively grappled. Other Warriors and allied Monsters may not attack either party, though unaligned Monsters may (in which case randomize which grappled combatant is actually attacked.) Feel free to improvise grappling rules, including disarms and throws, but tests always will start with an opposed Strength check, which will determine which foe gets to try a grapple attack or escape against their opponent. This happens at the end of the Monster's Phase and supercedes normal Initiative rules. Wizards who are grappled may not cast spells unless they can escape or push their opponent away by the end of the Turn. Divine Spellcasters and Psionics may still call upon their deities and innate powers however.
For an opposed Strength check, each combatant rolls 1d6. Whichever gets the highest score without exceeding their Strength wins the test. So a Halfling will only win a grappling move against a Minotaur if the Minotaur rolls a 1 and the Halfling rolls a 2. If both enemies roll higher than their Strengths, neither gets a move off on the other, and the two are still struggling next Turn.
A random combatant has something damaged by a wild swing. Choose anything except a weapon and roll an item saving throw to see if it is so ruined it must be discarded. Fragile items such as a Potion or mirror will be broken unless you roll a 6. Sturdier items such as Shields will be unbroken on a roll of 3+. Monsters will most likely be rolling for their Magic Items.
As Item Damaged, but the item is spilled, dropped, or cut free from the owner's person.
A random combatant engaged in melee is knocked to the ground by a collision with someone near him. The nearest model (friend or foe) must roll a 4,5, or 6 or fall down Prone next to him.
A random combatant is favored by fate and gains +2 natural Toughness for this Turn only. Also, any saving throws or Dodge rolls are made at +2.
A random combatant sees his chance. He gets a +2 bonus to Hit against whatever enemy he had planned to attack this Turn.
A random mounted combatant experiences difficulty with his animal. Roll 1d6:
| D6 | Result |
| 1-2 | Mount bolts. It sprints for 1d6 Turns in a random direction or until the rider makes a successful opposed Initiative check against the mount. |
| 3-5 | Mount rears. The rider must make a successful Initiative check Difficulty 7 or fall Prone off his mount. |
| 6 | Mount falls. The thrown rider must roll a successful Toughness check Diff. 7 or be stunned for 1d6 Turns. |
A survivor of a failed mission sneaks into the room, drawn by the sounds of battle. When he sees the beleaguered heroes, this newcomer to the scene joins in with the Warriors. Generate a random class of Warrior of the same Battle-level as the lowest member of the party. Give this new Warrior one Treasure card per Battle-level. It doesn't matter if the new Warrior can use the Treasure or not because (if the Warrior becomes a new PC or NPC) the Treasure can be sold in town for gold.
This is a good opportunity for the player of a slain Warrior to jump back into the game, or for the GM to have an NPC for the players to interact with. Once the combat is finished, it is up to the party and the GM whether or not the new Warrior sticks around. Either way, he claims his fair share of the Gold/Treasure for this encounter.
An appropriate amount of extra reinforcements of the type of Monsters being fought show up. If fighting a large monster, another large monster arrives. If fighting 1d3 Monsters, 1 more of the same type arrives. If fighting 1d6 (+x) Monsters, 1d6 more arrive to aid their fellows. If fighting 2d6 Monsters, 1d6+3 more show up. If fighting more than one type of enemy (i.e. Orcs, Undead, Skaven) randomize which faction has allies in the area.
The press of battle drives back all threatened models of one side or the other (random). For example, if the Monsters retreat, then all Monsters adjacent to any Warrior back up 1 Square in the direction of the Warrior's choice. Shuffle other models according to common sense to make room. The Warrior then moves 1 Square for free to press the attack this Turn or stands fast if he wishes. If the Warriors retreat, the Monsters (as controlled by the GM or another player) will always force a retreat unless armed with missile weapons.
A random combatant slips and falls, spending the entire Turn prone on his butt.
A random Warrior experiences trouble with the weapon he's been using. Roll 1d6:
| D6 | Result |
| 1-2 | Warrior is disarmed unless he makes a successful Weapon Skill test Diff. 7. |
| 3-5 | A really hard parry may break weapon. If the Warrior rolls a 1 or 2 on a magic weapon or 1,2, or 3 on an unmagical weapon, then it is broken or ruined. |
| 6 | If the Warrior killed an opponent last Turn, his weapon is stuck in the foe's body. The Warrior loses his Attacks for this Turn if he struggles to pull the weapon free. |
A random Monster experiences trouble with the weapon he's been using. Roll 1d6:
| D6 | Result |
| 1-2 | Monster is disarmed unless he makes a successful Weapon Skill test Diff. 7. |
| 3-5 | A really hard parry may break weapon. If the Monster rolls a 1 or 2 on a magic weapon or 1,2, or 3 on an unmagical weapon, then it is broken or ruined. |
| 6 | If the Monster killed an opponent last Turn, his weapon is stuck in the foe's body. The Monster loses his Attacks for this Turn as he struggles to pull the weapon free. As the Warriors Phase is first, they are all +2 to hit the Monster in melee this Turn. |
This chart is actually an adaptation of rules developed for AD&D by Rich Baker and Skip Williams. I've just taken the time to add a few interesting results, clarify a few situations, and convert all gameplay to Warhammer Quest. The original source is a great gaming resource book entitled "Player's Option: Combat & Tactics", published in 1995.