Riding a Warhorse

Attributes: .................Agility & Discipline

Level: .........................DF: 5 BCS 20%; 700 Exp

Resisted ....................Special See section below

Prerequisite...............Animal Riding (Horse)

(K ONLY) The character is trained in the skills required to control a spirited warhorse in battle situations, keeping the beast calm and staying firmly in the saddle. The training in the skill also confers the following capabilities to the rider.

• The character has mastered the art of vaulting into the seat of a standing warhorse, even if the character is wearing full armour and need not make a skill roll to perform.

• The character is able to vault into the saddle of a moving horse (no more than ¼ speed) with a successful Riding a Warhorse skill roll.

• The rider can use his knowledge and training in this skill to control a resisting mount who is frightened, skittish or just being stubborn. Failure means the mount is out of control for one action sequence after which the rider can make another attempt to get control of the warhorse. A second failure indicates that the warhorse is attempting to throw the rider by bucking. A third failure and the beast has thrown the rider.

• The character has trained with his warhorse in battle conditions and is able to guide him with his knees, leaving his hands free for shield and weapon. Only if he is badly injured, especially with leg injuries does he need to make a skill roll to maintain control using this method. Failure requires him to gain the reins to manoeuvre the warhorse.

• The character and his warhorse are used to jumping across open gaps with a roll required for ditches that are 11+ feet across, or over a fence, wall or other obstruction that is 3-5 feet high. If the rider fails the roll the horse has refused the jump, he can make a second roll to see if he keeps his seat or is thrown. Shorter distances or heights are made safely most of the time with exceptions and circumstance requiring a roll at the GM’s discretion

• The rider has trained to be able to leap from his seated position in the saddle to engage a foe in combat without a skill roll, as long as his mount is not moving beyond a walk pace. At faster speeds (½ ,movement) a skill roll is required with failure the character stumbles upon landing and loses 3 FP. The rider may try to end his leap with the grapple of his foe, a successful roll must be made with failure ending in a missed target. He might then end up in a heap on the ground, the consequences are up to the GM and the situation at the time.

• The rider has trained to slide down the side of the horse while moving and use the horse’s body as a shield. This manoeuvre is only possible when the rider is wearing light or even no armour. An attack cannot be delivered from this precarious position and the rider has to pay 5 AP to resume his seat in the saddle. The position also restricts attacks against the rider.

• A success mean the enemy can hit the rider only by making a successfully resisted attack less the rider’s Riding Warhorse PSF%; however, he may try to strike the horse at normal hit chances.

• A failure means the enemy has a normal chance of hitting the rider

• A failure with a crit die of 01 mean the rider has fallen from the warhorse.