Sorceror: new spells Ken Newall Below follows descriptions of four new spells which players may wish to encorporate into their games of Sorcerer. They must all first be discovered following the procedure in section 25 of the rules. The suggested risk of the spell is given after the title. 1. Vortices of Colour (Grade 2 spell) These may be created by any sorcerer just like normal vortexes and cost 5mp. They may be represented by a colour conversion counter of the proper colour. (Care must be taken to ensure they do not get mixed up with genuine colour conversion counters). 1.1 Movement: 1.11 Same as for normal vortexes but they move in colour order de termined by a die roll (as in 11.14) after regular vortex movement. 1.12 If a player has more than one of the same colour he may determine the order within that colour. 1.13 No new colour vortexes are created by moving over a white hex. 1.14 Colour vortexes may freely move through regular vortices and colour vortexes. 1.15 If at the end of the movement a colour vortex is stacked with another colour vortex of the same colour one of them is removed. 1.16 If at the end of the movement a colour vortex is stacked with another colour vortex or regular vortex the second vortex is destroyed. In other words a colour vortex may not end its movement with a colour vortex of a different colour or a regular vortex and if ordered to do so it is eliminated instead. 1.17 CV's ordered to enter a grey hex or exit the map are destroyed. 1.18 CV's ordered to pass through a mountain hexside are not destroyed but move no further than that turn. 1.2 New Vortices of Colour The only way in which new CV's may be created by their own movement is if they pass through a hex of their own colour in which there is a sorcerer of the same colour who has the option of creating a new CV of the same colour at that instance at no cost. This vortex is then moved in the normal way. (This rule applies even if the sorcerer is reduced). 1.3 Effect of Vortices of Colour They have no intrinsic strength but attack in the vortex movement phase any magical units of a differentcolour ( including any which may be 'friendly' lo the sorcerer who created the Vortex) at a strength equal to the colour augmentation points which a magical unit of the colour of the vortex would receive in that hex. 1.31 In a white hex they receive 6 points combat strength. 1.32 The defending magical units do not receive colour augmentation but defend with their printed combat strength only. Further more the attacks always are executed on the 'Best Line' differential. 1.33 Magical units of the same colour as the vortices, Human Infantry sorcerers and fortresses and their garrisons are never affected by CV's. 1.34 The same protection is given to units stacked with Sorcerers as that given under 8.22. 1.4 Deliberate Destruction of V of C As per 8.31 by a sorcerer of the same colour, as the spell or any sorcerer in a hex of his own colour. Designer's Notes It is a good tactic to sow CV's in an area in which the unselectiveness of regular vortices would endanger your own units. Also useful in defending a fortress under attack. 2.00 The Spell of Clogged feet and Clipped wings (Grade 4 risk). In the magic and Conjugation phase a friendly sorcerer may place a 'Spell of Clogged feet and Clipped wings' on any enemy unit or units. Except Humans & Sorcerers. 2.1 Creation 2.11 The Sorcerer must be in a hex of one of his colours and the colour of the spell must be the same as that hex. 2.12 The spell must not be performed in a grey hex. 2.13 The basic cost is two movement points which is increased by one point for every hex the spell is projected. For example: the cost to a sorcerer in hex 1213 to place a spell of CF&CW on a unit in 0911 would be 6. (2 basic plus 1 point for each hex excluding 1213 but including 0911). 2.14 Intervening terrain has no effect but maximum range is 13 hexes (2 + 13 = full movement points). 2.2 Effect 2.21 The effect of a spell on a unit is to increase the movement point cost to exit the hex by the colour augmentation which the colour of the spell would receive if it were a magical unit in that hex. For example: If a yellow Demonic Infantry unit and an Air Dragon were in an orange hex and a blue sorcerer in a blue hex placed a blue marker on them the exit cost would be (5 yellow in orange) + (3 blue in orange)=8. 2.22 Friendly units even if in the same hex are not affected. 2.23 Even though sorcerers moving out of or through an affected stack are immune the additional points must still be expended by magical units accompanied by a sorcerer. 2.24 Any magical unit moving through an affected hex (including friendly units) must add the colour augmentation to the move ment cost. E.g. A yellow demonic infantry unit starts in hex 1214 moves to hex 1213 in which a yellow troll is held by a blue spell and then into Danna. The movement cost would be 3 (leaving a purple hex) + 4 (leaving 1213,1 point plus 3 points due to the Blue marker in an orange hex) a total of 7 movement points. 2.3 Dissolution 2.31 Such spells may be dissipated by a sorcerer expanding 5mp in that hex. 2.32 The spells are automatically removed when the last affected unit moves from the hex. Note: The spells are directed against the units and not the hex therefore hexes may never be affected unless there are affected units in them. Furthermore a sorcerer may never project a spell to an empty hex. 3.00 Magic Shields (Grade 2 risk spell) 3.1 General These are devised as a means of protection against magic bolts. A sorcerer may erect a shield around any unit, fortress or stack of units in the magic and conjugation phase at the cost of 5 points per layer. A shield may consist of an unlimited number of 'layers' each of which has the ability to 'absorb' the power of one magic bolt. The layer is dissipated but the defending units are unaffected. E.g. If a stack of units had a shield two layers thick it would require three bolts to be able to attack the units. The first two would be totally absorbed each one removing a layer and leaving the stack eligible for attack by the third bolt in the normal way. 3.2 In order for a bolt to be able to dissipate shield or layer it must be able to potentially affect the defending units by either a pin or step reduction as if the shield were not there and it was attacking normally including all colour augmentation, etc. Note: The bolt does not have to inflict a result and no die is rolled but the potentiat must be there. 3.3 If two sorcerers combine strengths into one bolt this is considered to be two bolts and may dissipate two layers. Note: If there is only one layer left the extra effort is wasted and no attack is made on the defending units. 3.4 Dissipation of Shields Shields automatically dissolve at the end of the enemy player's Magic and Conjugation Phase. Thus they must be renewed continuously if a permanent protection is required. Designer's Notes: The white conversion counters are ideal to represent the shields; one counter per layer. The main use of such shields is to protect fortresses from preparatory bombardment or troop concentrations preparing to attack. 4.00 Learning a New colour (Grade 1 risk) 4.1 A two or three colour sorcerer may impart knowledge of any of his colours to any subordinate sorcerer. 4.11 The cost to both sorcerers is 15 movement points. 4.12 The sorcerers must be in a friendly fortress of any colour and free of enemy units. Other friendly units may be in the hex. 4.13 The Pupil Sorcerer is merely removed and replaced with the new colour added. (Players may use uncommitted sorcerers of the correct colour or add strips of colour to the units themselves). 4.14 At the end of that movement turn the player rolls; if the new colour's number is rolled (using the key in the centre of the colour chart) the sorcerer immediately loses his new ability. This process is repeated at the end of the next two turns movement phases. If at this time the sorcerer still has use of his new power he may retain it until the end of the game. 4.15 There is no limit to the number of times a sorcerer may attempt to learn a colour 4.16 The sorcerer functions as normal as soon as he receives his new colour except for case 4.14 and his combat strength is increased by two points for each new colour learnt. 4.3 Crash Course 4.31 A three colour sorcerer may impart two colours to a single colour sorcerer as above singlely, or he may do so together in a 'Crash Course' (only sorcerers with five 'O' and two 'A' levels accepted ! ). 4.32 The process is as above but when rolling the die if the number matches any of the two colours, both are lost. 4.33 A combination of the above (4.32) and standard procedure can occur, e.g. a purple, blue, green sorcerer is teaching a green sorcerer his colours: Turn A Teaches blue: die roll two-six, no effect (if one, losses ability and must be immediately replaced with the green sorcerer). Turn B Teaches purple: die-roll 2--5, no effect. (if one or six, both colours lost and replaced by green). Turn C (both sorcerers may move and perform as usual). Die roll at end of movement phase; 2--5 no effect. The blue colour is now permanently usable. (If one or six, lose ability in both colours). Turn D Die roll 1--5, no effect (if six loses ability in purple only, because blue has been learnt). 4.34 There is no limit to the way in which the colours may be mixed, or the number or sorcerers who may be taught (although each sorcerer can only teach one per turn). It is perfectly legitimate for a sorcerer to learn different colours from different sorcerers. 4.34 The teaching sorcerer is never effected in any way. Designer's Notes Players using this rule will have to think of some way to designate the new colours on the sorcerers. Perhaps photo corners could be used. This rule allows for some interesting combinations and overlapping of colours. Care must be exercised if a young sorcerer tries to use his powers too early as he may find him self robbed of a colour before an important attack .