Uncontrolled Charge

Sometimes creatures with intelligence of “low” or less forget their orders and act in an uncontrolled manner. This is particularly true when carnivorous creatures are hungry. As an example, take a unit of wolf-riding goblins who are making a sortie against besieging elves. Neither goblins nor wolves have had anything to eat for ten days. Is it likely that the wolves are going to obey the orders of their riders when they’re surrounded by food (i.e., elves)? Not really.

To represent this, there is a chance that creatures with intelligence of “low” or less, which have undergone at least one attrition roll as a result of starvation, will charge uncontrollably whenever they’re involved in a sortie. The base chance is 10% per turn (non-cumulative), with the following modifiers:

+5%	Creatures have been out of supply for 15 or more days
+5%	Creatures have animal intelligence
+10%	Creatures are unintelligent
-5%	Creatures are acting as mounts for more intelligent troops

Thus, there is a 10% chance each turn that the wolf unit described above will charge uncontrollably (that is, 10% base chance +5% for animal intelligence -5% for acting as mounts for intelligent troops).

An “uncontrolled charge” roll is made at the beginning of each turn for every eligible unit. If the roll indicates that the unit becomes uncontrolled, it immediately charges directly towards the nearest “edible” unit, whether enemy or ally. (“Edible” is a key word; nothing will consider stone golems or trolls as edible.) No charge initiation morale check is necessary. The charging unit will engage the target unit in melee combat, and attempt to maintain contact by any means.

At the end of each turn, the player can try to regain control of an uncontrolled unit. The base chance to regain control is 50%, with the following modifiers:

+5%	Creatures are acting as mounts for more intelligent troops
+10%	Unit has suffered 25% or more casualties since it began its uncontrolled charge
-5%	Creatures have been out of supply for 15 or more days
-5%	Creatures have animal intelligence
-10%	Creatures are unintelligent

If an uncontrolled unit fails a morale check, it automatically returns to control; this is in addition to any other consequences of the failed morale check.