John Fletcher (order #4845012) 6

John Fletcher (order #4845012) 6

John Fletcher (order #4845012) 6
 quick start rules

by West Wind Productions

Authors
Nigel Atkinson and Sam Catterall

From an original twisted idea by Andy Cooper

Quick Start Rules and Introductory Scenario

Welcome to the world of ‘Empire of the Dead’, a game where

you can venture forth into an alternate history of the Victorian era,
where science advanced far more than history would tell us and
the horrors of legend and fairytales exist alongside individuals
possessed of arcane powers.

These quick start rules introduce you to the basic principles of

the game via an introductory scenario that pits the worlds only
consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, against a new terror stalking
the streets of London, none other than

Jack the Ripper

Empire of the Dead, Copyright West Wind Productions 2012.

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 Turn Sequence
Each turn is broken down into four phases.

1. Maintenance Phase
Completed simultaneously by each player.

Check for victory – The Ripper wins if he

has harvested organs from four people.
Holmes and Watson win if the game lasts
for 10 turns.

Roll wound recovery for any ‘Down’ model.

Invoke an “Unusual Occurrence”.

Move the Public (see their description

below).

2. Initiative Phase

Roll a d10. The player rolling highest has

the initiative. In the case of a tie Initiative
passes to the player that did not have it the
previous turn. If it is the first turn re-roll any
ties.

3. Action Phase

Starting with the player who has the

initiative each player activates their models,
completing all movement and other actions
before moving onto the next model. See
below for the different movement and action
options.

4. Combat Phase
Resolve any combats as described below.

This game uses 10 sided dice

for all the rolls required and
measurements are in inches.
The table size recommended
to play a game is 4’ by 4’.

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 Movement
The ‘Movement’ attribute is the If the attack is successful, roll
model’s base move rate in inches. A model to wound. Calculate the target number by
may move up to this value (walk) and cross referencing the weapon’s strength
complete an action. A model may run at against the target’s ‘Fortitude’. Roll a d10.
twice this rate but then cannot complete If this equals or exceeds the target number
any action. A model may charge at twice then a wound has been inflicted.
the base movement rate into combat.This
is the only time that a model is allowed to
move within 1” of an enemy model. A charge
should follow the most direct possible route
to its target.

Actions
These Quick Start rules have two types of
available action, Missile Attack and Arcane
Power (Jack the Ripper only). Either of
these actions may be taken if a player has
either remained stationary or moved at a When a model loses its last wound, roll on
walk. the wound effect table.

Missile Attacks
Models are considered to have a 360 degree
field of vision and Missile Attacks, must be
targetted against the nearest visible enemy
unless, that model is engaged in combat or
is ‘Down’ (see wounds below).
To hit roll a d10, add your ‘Marksmanship’ Flesh Wound - An insignificant wound has
attribute and any relevant modifier. If the been received - carry on as normal.
total is 10 or more then you have hit.
Discombobulated – Dazed and confused.
You may only stagger 2” and may make no
other action. You automatically recover in
the next ‘Maintenance Phase’.

Down – Badly wounded and Prone. You

must crawl 2” towards cover when activated.
Roll on the wound effect table in the next
‘Maintenance Phase’.

Remove from Play – Too badly wounded to

carry on. If multiple wounds are received
An Aimed Shot can be taken if the target from a single attack roll for each wound
has been visible from the start of the turn as normal but only apply the most severe
and the shooter has not moved. result..

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 Combat
The player who has initiative decides on
the order in which combats are fought.

Both players roll a number of d10 equal to

the number of attacks they have.

Each player picks the highest die roll and

adjusts the roll by the modifiers noted
below. The die roll cannot be modified to
a value greater than 10 no matter how
many modifiers may apply. In the case of
a tie the model with the highest Combat
value is the victor. If combat is against a
model that is already ‘Down’ the attacker
automatically wins and the “Down” model
is removed from play.
The victor may now attempt to wound their
opponent. Follow the same procedure as
for ‘Missile Attacks’ with the number of dice
rolled equalling your ‘Attack’ attribute.
Models remain locked in combat from turn
to turn until one is removed from play.

If a model is in combat with more than one

opponent then it will fight each model in
turn. Roll to attack and wound separately
for each combat.

Influences (see each model’s stats)

Influences allow a faction to effect how the
game is played. A single influence can be
used to adjust any die roll by one. Each roll
may only be influenced once.
They may also be used to invoke an
‘Unusual Occurrence’.

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 Introductory Scenario

Jack the Ripper

A murderer stalks the streets of London leaving his victims horrendously
mutilated, spreading fear and outrage throughout the capital. Due to the
public outcry increased numbers of Police walk the streets, yet the Ripper
has continued in his orgy of violence. Hope, however, is at hand as the
mercurial Sherlock Holmes along with his trusted friend and colleague,
Dr. John Watson, have taken up the gauntlet, vowing to bring an end to
the Ripper’s depredations.
This scenario sees Holmes and Watson race against time to stop the Ripper
from taking any more victims. It is best played on a 4’ x 4’ table, with the
terrain set up to represent the streets of London.

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 JACK THE RIPPER
He is armed with a pistol and knives
(included in the Ripper’s stat line).

He cannot harvest organs from victims he

has shot due to the damage caused.

He also has the ‘Mesmerise’ arcane power.

The Ripper may harvest organs from

those he defeats in combat. Should he be
involved in a multiple combat he must slay
all of his opponents. He may then harvest
organs from each of the opponents that he
Jack the Ripper starts the game with 3
has defeated.
Influences.
Place a marker to mark the location of the
Unusual Occurrence
Ripper’s victim.
Rumours and Gossip
Cost – 2 Influences
False reports have misled the authorities.
When invoked this Unusual Occurrence
allows the Ripper to relocate to another
point within 12” of his current location. The
Ripper may still be activated as normal in
the following ‘Action Phase’.

Arcane Power

Mesmerise
Range -12”
A single enemy model may be targeted. If
successful the enemy model is moved up
to its base movement in any direction. To
invoke this Arcane Power roll a d10, add
the Ripper’s ‘Arcane’ (6) and deduct the
target’s ‘Arcane’ value. On an eight or more
the target is mesmerised.

Mesmerise may be used to draw people

into combat with the Ripper; if the Ripper
does this but goes on to lose the combat
the target will not strike a blow against him.

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 HOLMES & WATSON
Sherlock Holmes is armed with a pistol and
has the skill ‘Pugilist’.

Dr. Watson is armed with a Sword Stick (+1

Attack already included on his stat card)
and a pistol. He has the skill ‘Apothecary’.
He also has a leg wound, acquired during
his military service, and has his base move
rate reduced by one (this has already been
included on his stat card).

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson start the

game with three Influences between them.

Unusual Occurrence

‘Elementary my dear Watson’

Cost – 2 Influences
Only Sherlock Holmes may invoke
this Unusual Occurrence. Using his
incomparable intelligence and deductive
abilities, Holmes has predicted the Ripper’s
next move and uses this insight to bring him
closer to his elusive foe’s location.

When invoked this ‘Unusual Occurrence’

allows Holmes to be activated in the
‘Maintenance Phase’. This activation is in
addition to any activation that he may take
in the ‘Action Phase’. If Dr. Watson is within
4” of Holmes he may also perform this
additional activation in the ‘Maintenance
Phase’.

Skills

‘Pugilist’ A natural brawler, there is no

combat penalty for being unarmed.

‘Apothecary’- All models within 2” of the

apothecary, during the ‘Maintenance
Phase’, modify their recovery roll by ’-2’.

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 Peelers
Peelers are armed with truncheons
(+1 ‘Strength’, included in stat line).

Once the Peelers suspect that the Ripper is

in the area they raise the alarm by blowing
their whistles. This occurs when:

A Peeler is attacked – either charged into or

shot at (the shot does not need to hit).

A Peeler discovers the body of a victim –

they must have line of sight to the victim
and be within 6” of the body.

Any combat is fought in line of sight and

within 6” of a Peeler.

Once the alarm is raised the Peelers come

under the control of Holmes and Watson in
subsequent turns.

The Public
The Public move in a random direction, as
described in ‘the Game is Afoot’ and are
considered to be unarmed. They will only
fight to defend themselves once attacked.

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 terrain
We recommend playing on a 4’x 4’ table,
use plenty of terrain to build a network of
streets or a dockland environment.

Deployment
Starting with the Ripper, each player takes it in turn to place a total of ten models representing
members of the public on the board. These should be no further than 15” from the centre of
the table and at least 4” away from one another.

Again starting with the Ripper each player alternately places a Peeler on the table until a
total of three have been deployed. They must also be within 15” of the table centre and
must be at least 10” away from a fellow Peeler.

Jack the Ripper then deploys within 6” of the centre of any table edge, followed by Holmes
and Watson, who are placed within 6” of the opposite table edge.

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 The Game is A foot
The scenario is set at night and as such line The Peelers are moved by the player that
of sight is limited to a maximum of 18”. The has initiative for the current turn, at their
Ripper automatically has the initiative for base movement rate in the ‘Action Phase’.
the first turn. Once the alarm has been raised, the
Peelers may run and charge into combat.
At the end of the Maintenance Phase the
Public are moved in a random direction. Neither the Public nor Peelers may be
Place the scatter template so the centre moved off the table, if they come into
is over the head of a model with the ‘1-2’ contact with the table edge they should be
pointing towards the table edge on which moved as if they have come into contact
the Ripper deployed. Roll a d10 and move with a solid object, as described above.
the model 4” in the direction indicated on
the template. Should the model’s move be
obstructed, by a wall for example, move the
model in a direction as close possible to the
one rolled for.

Triumph
Jack the Ripper wins if he has managed to harvest the organs from four or more members
of the public.

Holmes and Watson win if the Ripper Fails to harvests the organs from 4 members of the
public before the end of turn 10.

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 QUICK PLAY SHEET
Turn Sequence
Each turn is broken down into
four phases.

1. Maintenance Phase-

Completed simultaneously by
each player.

Check for victory – The Ripper

wins if he has harvested organs
from four people. Holmes and
Watson win if the game lasts
for 10 turns.

Roll wound recovery for any

Down model.

Invoke an Unusual Occurance.

Move the Public (see their

description below).

2. Initiative Phase

Roll a d10. The player rolling

highest has the initiative. In the
case of a tie Initiative passes
to the player that did not have
it the previous turn. If it is the
first turn re-roll any ties.

3. Action Phase

Starting with the player

who has the initiative each
player activates their models,
completing all movement and
other actions before moving
onto the next model. See below
for the different movement and
action options.

4. Combat Phase
Resolve any combats as
described in combat section.

Mv-Movement, C-Combat,
Mk-Marksmanship,
S-Strength, F-Fortitude,
A-Attacks, W-Wounds,
B-Bravado, Ar-Arcane.

Empire of the Dead, Copyright West Wind Productions 2012.

John Fletcher (order #4845012) 6

John Fletcher (order #4845012) 6
 Empire of the Dead, Copyright West Wind Productions 2012.

John Fletcher (order #4845012) 6