Spells and Items at Platoon Scale
Because the scale of units and hexes changes by a factor of two, many spells and items have different effects at platoon scale.
Platoon Scale Spells
Except where noted below, mass combat spells have the effects listed in Chapter 4.
Bless: This spell affects one unit within four hexes of the caster.
Burning Hands: This spell blasts one unit in a hex adjacent to the caster. The damage from burning hands is equal to the caster’s level -1, with a minimum of one point and a maximum of four points. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit may never lose more than 1/2 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from burning hands.
Call Lightning: Every 60 combat rounds, the caster may target one unit within 36 hexes with a bolt of lightning. The targeted unit suffers eight points of damage. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit may never lose more than 1/2 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from call lightning.
Cloudkill: At platoon scale, the cloud moves relatively quicker (due to the smaller hexes). Roll 1d6 during the caster’s command phase each round, and on a roll of 1-4, the cloud moves one hex.
Continual Light: This spell targets one unit within 12 hexes of the caster.
Control Weather: The radius of this spell’s special weather conditions extends 24 hexes at platoon scale. If a tornado is summoned, the tornado moves 12 hexes per combat round in any direction within 24 hexes of the caster.
Cone of Cold: At platoon scale, this spell’s area of effect extends into two hexes. To find the area of effect, draw an imaginary line exiting the caster’s hex through one of his front hexes and extended straight to the center of a target hex, two hexes away. Units in both affected hexes take damage from the cone of cold. The damage is equal to the caster’s level. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit in the hex closest to the caster may not lose more than 1/4 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from the spell. A unit in the hex furthest from the caster gets no cap on the damage dealt by cone of cold (the cone is at its maximum width).
Cone of Paralysis: At platoon scale, this spell’s area of effect extends into two hexes, as per cone of cold above. A unit in the hex closest to the caster must make a saving throw versus Spells or lose 1/4 its uhp, representing one-quarter of the troops being paralyzed. A unit in the hex furthest from the caster must make a saving throw versus Spells or lose all of its uhp, representing the entire unit being paralyzed. The damage is removed if the spell is dispelled before the unit moves or is dealt damage by a melee attack. (Once the unit moves, it is assumed to have left its paralyzed troops behind. Once the unit is dealt damage by a melee attack, paralyzed troops are assumed to have been slain.)
Confusion: At platoon scale, this spell disorders one unit within four hexes of the caster.
Control Plants: At platoon scale, this spell affects one hex of jungle, forest, or impenetrable forest within two hexes of the caster.
Death Spell: At platoon scale, this spell has a range of 24 hexes.
Dispel Magic: At platoon scale, this spell has a range of 12 hexes.
Earth’s Teeth: This spell affects any one unit within 12 hexes of the caster. If the caster makes a successful attack throw against the unit, it takes two points of damage with no saving throw.
Fear: At platoon scale, this spell’s area of effect extends into two hexes, as per cone of cold above. Units in either of the affected hexes must make saving throws versus Spells. If a unit fails, it immediately becomes disordered (if not already), changes its facing towards its own battlemap edge, and retreats two hexes. Thereafter, at the start of the morale phase of each combat round, the unit must retreat a number of hexes equal to its hustling movement rate towards the friendly map edge. This continues until the effect is dispelled, the unit leaves the battlemap, or 30 combat rounds have elapsed. The unit may not be activated while the spell is in effect.
Flame Strike: At platoon scale, this spell creates a column of fire that affects one unit within six hexes. The affected unit suffers eight points of damage. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit may never lose more than 1/2 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from a flame strike.
Fireball: At platoon scale, this spell creates a missile of fire that affects one unit within 24 hexes. The damage from a fireball is equal to the caster’s level. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit may never lose more than 1/2 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from a fireball.
Fly: The caster gains the flying special ability with a movement rate of 12/24/36. The spell lasts for the duration of the battle or until dispelled.
Growth of Plants: This spell creates a 3-hex growth of impenetrable forest that blocks line of sight. It may be placed anywhere within 12 hexes of the caster.
Gust of Wind: At platoon scale, this spell’s area of effect extends into two hexes, as per cone of cold above. A unit in an affected hex must make a saving throw versus Blast; if it fails, it may not move or use missile weapons next combat round.
Hallucinatory Terrain: The caster creates a 3-hex illusionary terrain piece of the caster’s choice. It may be placed up to 24 hexes away from the caster.
Insect Plague: This spell creates a swarm of insects within 24 hexes of the caster. The swarm occupies 4 hexes on the battlemap. The swarm must be placed such that each of its constituent hexes is adjacent to at least one other constituent hex (e.g. the swarm fills a contiguous area). The swarm may slowly move under the caster’s control; roll 1d6 during the caster’s activation each round, and on a roll of 1-4, the swarm may move one hex. The swarm blocks line of sight. Any units of less than 3 HD that are contacted by the swarm take one uhp of damage and automatically retreat 2 hexes (regardless of battle line, morale, or other modifiers). The swarm cannot move through walls of fire, and is destroyed by sleep, dispel magic, flame strike, or fireball. The spell lasts while the caster concentrates.
Lightning Bolt: At platoon scale, this spell affects 2 adjacent hexes within 12 hexes of the caster. Units within the hexes suffer damage from the lightning bolt equal to the caster’s level. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. A unit may never lose more than 1/8 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from a lightning bolt.
Lower Water: At platoon scale, this spell creates a 6-hex-wide ford anywhere within 12 hexes of the caster.
Massmorph: At platoon scale, this spell will hide up to three units with an illusion that they are a three-hex piece of Forest/Jungle terrain.
Move Earth: When cast, this spell enables the caster to place or remove terrain features, including hills, broken ground, mud, trenches, and walls, within 24 hexes. This spell creates a 1-hex terrain feature every 15 combat rounds. This spell may be used prior to a battle, during set up, to place 16 3-hex terrain features (or 48 1-hex terrain features) anywhere within 24 hexes of the caster.
Obscuring Cloud: At platoon scale, the cloud fills one hex if the caster is 2nd to 4th level; two hexes if 5th to 7th level; three hexes if 8th to 10th level; and four hexes if 11th level or higher.
Panic: At platoon scale, this spell affects all units within an eight-hex radius.
Prayer: At platoon scale, this spell affects one unit within six hexes of the caster.
Scouring Wind: At platoon scale, this spell’s area of effect extends into two hexes, as per cone of cold above. The damage is equal to the caster’s level -1. If the unit is mounted, the damage is doubled. If the unit makes a successful saving throw versus Blast, damage is reduced to half. . However, if the unit fails its save, it may not move or use missile weapons during the next combat round. A unit in the hex closest to the caster may not lose more than 1/4 its maximum uhp (rounded up) from the spell. A unit in the hex furthest from the caster gets no cap on the damage dealt by scouring wind (the cone is at its maximum width).
Sleep: At platoon scale, this spell affects one unit of 4 Hit Dice or less within 24 hexes.
Transmute Rock to Mud: At platoon scale, this spell creates a deep morass of mud filling 4 hexes on the battlemap. The mud must be placed such that each of its constituent hexes is adjacent to at least one other constituent hex (e.g. the mud fills a contiguous area). The mud may be placed anywhere within 12 hexes of the caster.
Wall of Corpses: At platoon scale, this spell creates a horrific barrier of animated corpses 4 hexes long anywhere within 4 hexes of the caster. Any unit moving to within 8 hexes of the wall of corpses must make a saving throw versus Spells; if it fails, it suffers the effects of a fear spell. Any unit moving adjacent to the wall of corpses suffers a reaction attack sequence as if from a unit of zombies (see Chapter 4, Rosters, for unit characteristics of zombies). The wall will last for the duration of the battle, or until dispelled or disintegrated. The wall of corpses may also be physically attacked or turned as if it were a unit of zombies.
Wall of Fire: At platoon scale, this spell creates an opaque wall of fire 4 hexes long anywhere within 2 hexes of the caster.
Wall of Force: At platoon scale, this spell creates an invisible, impenetrable wall of force 4 hexes long anywhere within 4 hexes of the caster.
Wall of Ice: At platoon scale, this spell creates an opaque wall of ice 4 hexes long anywhere within 2 hexes of the caster.
Wall of Iron: At platoon scale, this spell creates an opaque wall if iron 3 hexes long anywhere within 2 hexes of the caster.
Wall of Stone: At platoon scale, this spell creates an opaque wall of stone 3 hexes long anywhere within 2 hexes of the caster.
Wall of Wood: At platoon scale, this spell creates an opaque wall of wood 4 hexes long anywhere within 2 hexes of the caster.
Platoon Scale Items
Except where noted below, items have the effects listed in Chapter 4.
Drums of Panic: At platoon scale, this item affects all units within an 8-hex radius.
Helm of Telepathy: At platoon scale, this item’s range is increased to 4 hexes.
Horn of Blasting: At platoon scale, this item’s area of effect is increased to 3 hexes. To find the area of effect, draw an imaginary line exiting the caster’s hex through one of his front hexes and extended straight to the center of a target hex, three hexes away. Units in each affected hex take damage from the horn of blasting. The unit in the two hexes closest to the horn takes 1 point of damage. The unit in the third hex, furthest from the horn, takes 2 points of damage. Cavalry suffer double damage from a horn of blasting. The affected unit must also make a saving throw versus Spells or be deafened and unable to be activated for one combat round. The targeted unit gets no cap on the damage dealt by the horn.