GROMM: FANTASY SKIRMISH

Written and Created by Neuicon and Sean Daniels, Edited by Kevin Daley

GROMM: FANTASY SKIRMISH

Written and Created by Neuicon and Sean Daniels, Edited by Kevin Daley

GROMM: FANTASY SKIRMISH

Written and Created by Neuicon and Sean Daniels, Edited by Kevin Daley

This is a totally free and non-commercially written project; should this be sold, contact

Crushpop Productions at our website.

www.neuicon.com

shatteredverse.forumotion.com

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS SOME MATERIAL NOT SUITABLE

FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES

GROMM / CORE RULEBOOK: VERSION 1.9.09

About GROMM

GROMM is a fantasy skirmish game, set in a world torn apart by war and destruction. In GROMM, many

factions are at war with one another, leaving room for a unique gaming experience.

Included in this core rulebook, are the rules of play, an inside look at the background of GROMM and

units available to players from four mighty factions. Aside from these rules, you can find faction books

for every faction in GROMM. Smaller sub-factions can be found in the official codex to GROMM, called

Hollenthon. Hollenthon brings new missions, stories and sub-factions to the game, making it highly

expansive and totally open to the creativity of players.

Many thanks for trying out the first edition of GROMM. This has been a lot of work and the team

working on GROMM is very proud of the outcome; we hope you enjoy GROMM.

GROMM is burning…

Welcome to GROMM. This is a skirmish game of combat in a fantasy world where factions fight for

power, control and superiority over the world.

This game was created by Neuicon (me), and good friend Sean Daniels. GROMM started as a fan-created

project by two fans of the Shattered Verse miniatures game; our goal was plain and simple: to create a

fantasy skirmish game, using the original Shattered Verse rules system as a base.

The world of GROMM is home to several factions, kingdoms and races that are at war with each other,

including the Arcadians (humans, fighting to survive the many threats of the world), the Kingdom of

Ishida (an Asian kingdom, allied with the Arcadians and masters at war), the Northern Beastmen (fierce

warriors on a mission to kill everything in sight), the Fendorian Wolfpack (battle-hardened creatures

with a willingness to adapt and survive), the Ullarian Overlords (masters in the art of death and lords of

decay and necromancy) and several others.

In addition to this core rulebook, there is another way of getting new units, missions and other things

for use in your games of GROMM; the Hollenthon tri-monthly codex is available on the Shattered Verse

community forum (http://shatteredverse.forumotion.com).

In Hollenthon, you will find new units for use in GROMM as well as additional ways to play the game,

previews to coming things in the game and much more. You will also find supplements and expansions

see release as well.

Thank you so much for your interest in GROMM; this game has grown from a small fan-created game to

a community-driven project. If you want to help shape the world of GROMM, please join us on the

official Shattered Verse community forum.

Most Excellent Regards! – Neuicon and Sean Daniels

RULES OF THE GAME

They come from the Western Wastes and destroy everything in their path.

May the gods curse them for the bloodshed they bring.

We, however, stand to fight this wretched filth and to lift the spirits of Arcadians everywhere.

For Arcadia. We see the right, the just and the divine in our will.

We march to war, to victory and to uphold the right of man’s ultimate destiny!

Battle Preparations

Before starting a game of GROMM, you will need the following:

• Miniatures (25mm to 28mm miniatures are recommended for play in GROMM; this is a skirmish

game, so having 5 to 15 miniatures per side will work just fine)

• Dice (in GROMM, players use standard six-sided dice, referred to from this point onward in this

rulebook, as d6; players should have at least 10 dice each)

• Tabletop and Terrain (it should be very easy to play a game of GROMM; simply gather anything

from books and cans to act as terrain and play on a kitchen table, or gather together some

miniature trees, ruined buildings and set them up on a tabletop flocked with grass or pavement

for an even more exciting and narrative battle)

• Counters (these can be glass beads or coins; these counters should be used to represent

activated units, wounds or other actions and/or orders)

• Ruler or Tape Measure (this is used to measure distances for movement, weapon ranges and

more in the game; it is required to have this during gameplay)

• GROMM Core Rules (an obvious thing to need)

Keep in mind that the army list included in this rulebook are enough for players to start playing right

away; faction books, which will be released later will feature all of the core factions of GROMM. You can

also find sub-factions in the Hollenthon codices.

Warband Values

In GROMM, the size of a game and the warbands involved depend on the total value of the warband

(referred to as point values). Units in GROMM are represented by a single miniature; a warband is the

whole group fielded in battle under a player.

Before the game can begin, both players involved must agree on how many points will be spent on their

warbands; when players begin a game for the first time, it is suggested that they construct warbands of

10 - 25 points. This will allow you enough units in your warband to ease gameplay and offer you a great

way of learning the game.

There is no limit to how many units of a certain type can be added, unless that unit is marked as Unique,

which means that a warband can only carry one of these units.

Example of Warband Construction

Constructing a warband of 15 points means that you would purchase units from either Hollenthon or a

faction’s respective army book, enough to total 15 points; you can be a few points under the 15 point

total, but you are not allowed to go over. Should you go over the allowance, discuss it with your

opponent and come to an agreement.

Unit Attributes

Each unit is represented by a number of attributes that make them different from other units. The

following information is used to represent units in GROMM:

• Name: the name of the unit.

• UT / Unit Type: this tells you the type of unit it is. It will be listed as a Creature, a Heavy

Creature, a Vehicle or a Flyer.

• AR / Armour: this is how tough a unit is.

• W / Wounds: this is how many points of health a unit has before it can be destroyed. When a

unit is destroyed, it is removed from the table.

• CST / Cost: this is how much it costs to recruit a unit into an army.

• Special Abilities: any abilities a unit possesses will be located in this section.

Weapon Attributes

Weapons carried by units also have attributes that tell a player how they work. The following

information is used to represent weapons in GROMM:

• Name: the name of the weapon.

• WR / Weapon Range: the range of the weapon. A weapon cannot reach farther than the range

listed in this section.

• WS / Weapon Skill: the score needed on a d6 to hit with the used weapon.

• AT / Attacks: this is how many attacks a unit can make with the used weapon.

Units carrying more than one weapon must declare what weapon is being used when attacking in order

to be clear with an opponent about what is being used during an attack. When CC is listed in the

weapon’s range, then the weapon can only be used in close combat.

Achieving Glory and Victory

Winning a battle in the world of GROMM is easy; all you have to do is totally wipe out your enemies

from the battlefield.

Look to Hollenthon for new missions, changing the way the game is played.

If you are pressed for time, you and your opponent can play a number of turns; whoever has the most

units in points on the table by the end of a certain turn (agreed upon by both players), wins the game.

A normal game, should last 6-8 turns.

Playing the Game

Before the game begins, both players roll a d6; the player with the highest roll chooses who becomes

Player A (this player remains Player A throughout the game); the other player then becomes Player B

throughout the rest of the game.

Players should discuss the placement of any terrain before the game actually begins. Standard table

sizes for small games (10 - 20 point battles) are 2 foot by 2 foot; should players play with larger

warbands (50 - 80 point battles), a 4 foot by 4 foot table is recommended.

Deployment

Next, both players (starting with the first player) deploy their warbands one at a time; beginning with

Player A. Player B deploys his warband after Player A.

The deployment zone for a player in a small game (2 foot by 2 foot table), is 5 inches from a player’s

own table edge. The deployment zone for a player in a larger game (4 foot by 4 foot table), is 8 inches

from a player’s own table edge. Units can never be placed past their own deployment zone.

A Game Turn in GROMM

The game is split into turns (or rounds) which are then split into phases. Players may elect to remove the

Rally Phase for an easier game (suggested for new players.

Each turn follows a phase sequence:

1. Activation Phase

� Players take turns activating two units; Player A, for example, will activate two units in his or her

warband, followed by Player B activating two units in his or her warband. This goes back and

forth until all units on the battlefield have been activated.

2. End of Turn; Beginning of Next Turn

� Players remove any activation counters used and prepare for the next game turn.

Activation Phase

In the Activation Phase, both players take turns activating their units.

Activated units can move, fire missile weapons (such as guns or bows), find themselves locked in close

combat or charge towards their foes.

Players alternate back and forth, starting with Player A, activating two units in their warbands until all

units in both warbands have been activated.

Units that charge gain a bonus to their attack; see Charging for more information.

Example of an Activation Phase

• Player A activates a unit, performing all of its available actions and then activates another unit in

his warband.

• Player B activates a unit, performing all of its available actions and then activates another unit in

his warband.

• Repeat the above steps until all units in both players’ warbands have been activated.

Once activated, a unit can perform two actions from the following choices:

• Move

• Charge (counts as two actions)

• Ranged Attack

• Close Combat Attack

• Fall Back (counts as two actions)

Units can perform any number of actions; a unit could move twice, shoot twice, move and shoot or even

make two close combat attacks.

Charging and Falling Back are the only two actions that cannot be done more than once.

Actions Available to Units

Giving units actions shapes the way the battle unfolds; the following information should make things

clearer on just what actions are and how actions work in GROMM.

Move

When you assign a move action to a unit, that unit will move up to its base speed value; in GROMM, the

base speed value of the many units in the game varies.

Unit Type Base Speed of Unit in Inches

Creature 6

Heavy Creature 5

Vehicle 8

Flyer 10

Charge

A unit charging brings its melee weapons with it, tearing and slicing at it nears its foe. Giving a unit the

order to charge costs 2 actions and cannot be done more than once per unit activation.

Charging should only be done if you think your unit is within a reasonable distance for charging.

When charging, move the charging unit up to its base speed and roll a d6 and add the total number on

the roll in inches to the charge. If the charging unit comes into base-to-base contact with the enemy

unit, then the charging unit has successfully charged and makes a free close combat attack.

If a unit fails to come into base-to-base contact with an enemy after charging: the charging unit then

ends its activation immediately.

If a unit successfully charges into base-to-base contact with an enemy after charging: the charging unit

gains a bonus of a +1 modifier to all close combat attack rolls by that unit for that turn only.

Fall Back

When a unit takes enough wounds, the controlling player may elect to have that unit break from close

combat (this action may only be giving to a unit in close combat).

When you assign the action of falling back to a unit, it counts as 2 actions, so falling back will be the only

action it is allowed to do for that turn.

The player controlling the unit falling back rolls 2d6; this is how many inches the unit can move up to,

out of close combat. This will trigger an Attack of Opportunity; before the unit moves out of close

combat (and after the 2d6 roll), the opposing player is allowed to make a free close combat attack

against the unit falling back. The unit locked in close combat with the unit falling back will make its close

combat attack; once the attack is finished, if the unit falling back has survived, it may move.

Combat!

During a unit’s activation, it can get into close combat or even fire missile weapons at enemy units! This

is where all the action in GROMM takes place.

Ranged Attack

To make a ranged attack, a unit must have its weapon in attack range; this is shown in the attacking

unit’s weapon profile, under WR (Weapon Range). If the distance between the attacking unit and the

target is equal to or less than the distance shown on the range value of the chosen weapon, then the

attack may be made against an enemy target.

Before making a ranged attack, be sure to declare what weapon is being used. If attacking twice in one

turn, declare one weapon per range attack action.

Once it has been determined that a ranged attack is within range, roll a number of d6 equal to the AT

(attacks) of the weapon used for the attack. The player must then roll equal to or higher than the

attacking unit’s WS (Weapon Skill).

If all the attack dice rolled are failures, then the attack misses entirely.

If any of the attack dice score equal to or higher than the WS of the weapon used, then the attack has

hit the target. The unit struck must now attempt an armour save; the player rolls a d6 for each hit and

must score equal to or higher than its AR (Armour) attribute.

For every roll failed, the unit hit will take a wound. When a unit takes more wounds than it has listed in

its W (Wounds) attribute, it is killed and removed from the table.

Close Combat Attack

In close combat, units smash into one another with melee weapons and hope to tear their foes limb

from limb. In close combat, the battle-hardened are truly put to the test.

The rules for close combat are worked out just as in ranged combat, except the weapon used must be a

melee weapon with CC listed in the WR of the weapon.

If a unit does not have a melee weapon located in its weapon section, then the unit is considered to be

carrying an improvised weapon, which has the following attributes:

Weapon WR WS AT

Improvised Weapon CC 5+ 1

Units in close combat must be in base-to-base contact (bases touching). Cover does not count when in

close combat (this rule must always be followed).

Finding Protection

Being in cover helps the chances of survival for your units; only creatures, heavy creatures and flyers can

benefit from cover. Cover applies bonus modifiers to the dice rolls of armour saves.

The following applies when determining cover for units:

• Light Cover: Woods, Dense Vegetation, Craters (grants an armour save modifier of +1)

• Heavy Cover: Ruined and Intact Buildings (grants an armour save modifier of +2)

• Fortified Cover: Fortresses (grants an armour save of +3)

Players should discuss what cover is before the game.

Flyers

Some units in GROMM have the ability to soar over their enemies; these units are called flyers and will

be noted as such in the unit’s UT (Unit Type) attribute. Units that can fly have a small advantage on the

battlefield and are able to either drop low, or fly very high up in the air.

Once a player activates a flying unit, the first thing that player must do before assigning any actions to it,

is to declare the unit either Grounded or Soaring (counters can help to remind players when the unit is

either grounded or soaring).

Flying units can be attacked by ranged weapons as normal if it is either grounded or soaring. Flying units

can gain cover if behind buildings or any highly elevated terrain.

Grounded

When a flying unit is grounded, it can move normally on the ground and make both close combat

attacks and ranged attacks. When a flying unit is grounded, it has a base speed of 6 inches.

Soaring

When a flying unit is soaring, it can move normally in the air, ignoring terrain effects and make only

ranged attacks. When a flying unit is soaring, it has a base speed of 10 inches.

Vehicles

Vehicles have a base speed of 8 inches when roaring through the battlefield. Sometimes, vehicles can be

used to totally destroy enemy units on the fields of battle.

Crushing

When a player assigns a movement action to a vehicle unit, during that vehicle’s movement, if it comes

into contact with any units during that movement, it may crush those units.

Once the vehicle touches the base of a unit, the vehicle must immediately stop; the player controlling

the unit touched by the vehicle must roll a d6. On the result of a 1, the unit is trampled by the vehicle,

killed and removed from the battlefield (armour saves do not count); on the result of a 2-6, the unit

quickly moves out of the way (immediately move the unit anywhere within 1 inch from the vehicle’s left

or right side). The vehicle may then continue moving after the roll is made; every time it comes into

contact during its movement, the same rule listed above applies.

End of a Game Turn

Both players will go back and forth activating two units until all the units on the battlefield have been

activated; when all units have been activated, the game turn has ended.

Players will usually continue playing until a player’s warband is totally wiped out. Players can also play

for a set number of turns; missions are available in the Hollenthon series of codices which offer new and

exciting ways of playing the game.

THE WORLD OF GROMM

Trust not the gods, for their kindness has not been seen through these eyes.

Into nothingness, this world comes crashing.

The light has not been seen, but the dark is forever dwelling in you.

Burn the light from your body and bring into being the funeral pyres in your soul.

It is time, for the gods, to hear your final command…

Welcome to the Destruction…

GROMM is a terrible world; war and destruction is a daily occurrence as kingdoms battle for control,

domination and the expansion of their territories. Since the very beginning, battle has been the only

known way to achieve any peace.

Welcome to the destruction, in a world filled with nothing but war…

The Arcadian Empire

The mightiest and most powerful kingdom in all of GROMM, the Arcadians spread their wealth to allies,

such as the Kingdom of Ishida and the Elves of Corova.

Kingdom of Ishida

The Kingdom of Ishida is a nation dedicated to total militaristic order; they are a mighty ally to the

Arcadians and have served as powerful allies since the formation of GROMM.

Fendorian Wolfpack

The Wolves of Fendoria make up the largest clan of non-human hunters in all of GROMM. Fendorians

worship celestial gods and goddesses and their rituals date back to the time of GRIMM.

Western Wastes

The Orcs and Goblins of the Western Wastes are all about brutality, destruction and the domination of

their captives. They are a race hell-bent on the annihilation of all their enemies.

Northern Beastmen

To the north, sits the kingdom of Gah’mash; this is the home of the mighty Beastmen, whose only

objective is to crush, kill, conquer and destroy.

Elves of Corova

The Corova Elves were once a peaceful race and spent time on technology, science and medicine; the

reign of the Black Elves have made the Elves of Corova look to a new way of living: for war.

Black Elves of Gorotha

Once members of Corova, the Black Elves entered a pact with the Ullarians, which forever changed their

appearance and way of life; they are filled with the blackness from the Ullarian gifts of Chaos.

Ullarian Overlords

Vampires, the Undead and keepers of the arts of darkness, the Ullarian Overlords are bent on the

destruction of all life on GROMM.

GRIMM Falls, GROMM Rises…

From the very beginning, war is all that has been known. The rise of Darius and the Kriegskult saw the

domination of many and the power from the darkest source of hate.

Rise of the Kriegskult

King Darius would gain control of GRIMM and would last on his throne for a total of 817 years. His life

was made forfeit in the name of total control, in which he gave his soul to the gods of Kaa’an (Chaos).

What resulted was an immortal body that would reign for what the Kaa’an gods called an eternity. The

mission of the Kriegskult was to eradicate all things of life in GRIMM. It was in the year 982.GRIMM that

Darius would see a new power coming to a rise, the Arcadian Empire, which was on the verge of gaining

power that would match that of Darius and his chaotic kingdom.

The Kriegskult, with their many cults and endless death-worshippers had been capturing literally

thousands of prisoners and stealing their souls and giving their bodies to their gods. The new king of

Arcadia, Lord Ekril Mannheim would soon make plans to rid the world of this evil.

The year is now 984.GRIMM and in the heart of the Kriegskult kingdom, Vo’or City (De’al, in their native

language), King Darius was now laying forth a plan to totally wipe out GRIMM of all its inhabitants. He

would then make sure that life was only allowed to be lived by those of the Kriegskult, keeping all life in

chambers and work camps, to progress the expansion of the dark empire. Darius had made it known,

when he began the War of Annihilation in 985.GRIMM, by invading the land of Erond.

Conquest of Erond and the Eradication of the Pantera

Erond belonged to the once scientific and intelligent Pantera. The Pantera were a race of panther-like

humanoids which had lived peacefully, developing new research in science and literature. The Pantera

were a highly advanced civilization that weren’t concerned with warfare, until the invasion of their most

sacred temples, just to the north of their capital city.

The Pantera faced total annihilation in a matter of days. Arcadia, now powerful sent legions to aid the

Pantera in their struggle, thus, forming an alliance that would never be duplicated. The Pantera began

learning the ways of war from their human friends, but by this time, Erond was no more. What little

survived were saved by the Arcadians and later served as militia and volunteers in the Arcadian military,

holding several duties. The Pantera, however, were totally wiped out later through battles.

Darius had taken as prisoners, mass numbers of women and children, killing off all the adult men and

elderly women and men. The women would soon serve as sacrifices and the children as vessels for the

several cults and worshippers in the Kriegskult kingdom.

By the time Erond was totally wiped off the face of GRIMM, the Kriegskult soon learned of several

Arcadian battalions heading towards the Western Wastes, home of the Orcs and Goblins; this was

where Darius has pointed his massive armies to next.

The Conquest Comes to a Halt

In 985.GRIMM, the Kriegskult already controlled well over 40% of GRIMM, wiping out all the opposition

he had faced and enslaving those he saw fit to serve as vessels, sacrifices and slaves.

What came next was the Battle of Dagaothoa and saw the tide slowly turn when the Arcadians, having

forged a pact with the Orcs and Goblins of the Western Wastes, began to push back the Kriegskult. The

battle would last seven months, finally ending when the leaders of the Kriegskult military stationed in

the Western Wastes decided to pull back.

As the Orcs and Goblins pushed the Kriegskult out of their land, the Arcadians left the Western Wastes

to the Orcs and Goblins and began to chase down the Kriegskult, who were forced into the Desert of

Lubach, which belonged to the Beastmen. The Beastmen were not involved yet in the war, but as the

Arcadians drove the Kriegskult back, reinforcements met them in the desert to fight the Arcadians back

out and once again gain control of the war, while elsewhere, the Kriegskult led massive armies into

kingdom after kingdom, wiping out all opposition.

Gorotha Enters the War of Annihilation

In Gorotha, land of the Black Elves, an alliance had been formed between the Black Elves and the

Kriegskult; this treaty would not last very long, however. The Black Elves had begun a march towards

Sorokaria, home of the Arcadian loyalists, the Sorokarians. Dispatched to their aid were the nearby

Krieger des Lichtes, the holy arm of the Arcadian empire.

Elsewhere, in Dubacht, a battle broke out between the Fermacht Lizardmen and a small contingent of

Kriegskult Infernal Riders, their most prestigious cavalry regiment. By the time two armies of Arcadians

met up in Dubacht, everything was in ruin; the Kriegskult made a statement, leaving no one alive. Not

even prisoners were taken, as women, the young and the old were brutally massacred. The Kriegskult

had now moved east, to an untouched territory, the newly-established Kingdom of Ishida.

The Black Elves had now invaded Sorokaria and demanded that every Arcadian loyalist be put to death;

the people of Sorokaria had nothing to fight back with, except the elderly, women and children who had

tried fighting back with pitchforks and rocks. The Krieger des Lichtes had made their way to Sorokaria

and begun a fight that would cost literally thousands of lives in a matter of two hours. Holding Sorokaria

was a very important task, since it held the working class of Arcadia, producing food for the empire and

children for their military.

Battle of Du’kaar and a Turn of the Tide

Elsewhere, the Desert of Lubach was about to witness the largest turning point in the war; the Battle of

Du’kaar had begun and the Beastmen, although very reluctant, had chosen to join forces with the

Arcadians and the Elves, who had met up in the desert to assist in fending off the reinforcements sent by

the Kriegskult. As the battle began, the Kriegskult had moved to totally surround the opposing side,

closing in from three sides. The battle had the commanding presence of Lord Sang-Ari, a famous and

mighty leader in the Kriegskult military and the closest person to King Darius himself.

Sang-Ari demanded that this be the final battle the Kriegskult win in order to secure dominance over the

world; while the world was at war, Sang-Ari did not know that the reinforcements sent to Lubach were

the last available in that region, meaning he had to fight with exactly what he had, and King Darius

demanded no one return unless the desert was captured.

The battle quickly went underway as thousands upon thousands of arrows rained down on the both

sides; both sides then clashed head on, while more forces of the Kriegskult came circling the entire

battle, closing the Arcadians, the Beastmen and the Elves in a large, inescapable whirlwind.

As quickly as the battle had begun, the Kriegskult seemed to begin dominating the fight, which soon

came to its seventh day; the Elves and Beastmen were dying out fast and the Arcadians managed to call

for reinforcements which had come from the south of the desert, along with further aid from the

Beastmen, who were hungry for a taste at combat against the Kriegskult.

Arrival of King Darius and Lord Ekril Mannheim

Once the battle had seen its 13th day, King Darius of the Kriegskult had made his presence known. He

had arrived at Du’kaar along with several hundred thousand reinforcements and members of the

Cor’daath cult, who were sent to sacrifice themselves in order to restore strength to the might of the

Kriegskult military.

Upon hearing that Darius had arrived, Lord Ekril Mannheim demanded that he make an arrival there to

see the demise of the demonic leader. Mannheim also chose to bring along members of his Inquisitorial

Order, the Rightful Order of the Illuminated Servants, to help in putting an end to the Kriegskult and to

finally rid GRIMM of Darius and his followers.

Pushing the Kriegskult Back

Upon the arrival of Arcadia’s king, Lord Ekril Mannheim, the fight was becoming a problem for Darius; in

a night skirmish, Lord Sang-Ari had fallen victim to the sword of Mannheim.

The Kriegskult had finally decided that if they did not retreat, their hopes of ruling the world would

diminish quicker, so they chose to fall back. They retreated into Carpathia, home of the Fendorian

Wolfpack; here, the final end to the Kriegskult was witnessed by all.

The Death of King Darius

Not even the gods worshipped by the Kriegskult would spare them, for the final battle witnessed a fight

between Darius and Mannheim. Mannheim had managed to gather enough strength to deliver a blow

so hard, that the head of Darius flew 30 yards into a crowded melee.

Once the death of Darius had been seen by all, the fighting almost immediately ceased. Most leaders of

the Kriegskult were no more, and as the battle had raged on, several Illuminated Servants had gathered

enough energy with the help of Arcadian mages, to swarm the souls of all the Kriegskult into a large

glowing cube, casting it into a large opened chasm in the earth.

End of GRIMM, Beginning of GROMM

By the time 999.GRIMM had come to an end, 001.GROMM had come to pass. Much had changed since

the final battle in the Carpathian Forest which saw the end of the evil that were the Kriegskult.

The Black Elves, finally pushed back, were on the run, being driven back to their dark, dreadful lands. In

a skirmish by the rivers of Fordun, the souls of several self-sacrificing Black Elves had been cast into a

chasm, all in the hopes of one day, reaching the lost souls of the Kriegskult in the lowest depths of the

earth, under Carpathia, reigniting the light of the dark gods of Kaa’an.

Now, a Time of the Present…

GROMM is a world rich with life, but also rich with the problems of war; at every turn, skirmishes break

out between warbands of rival factions.

The Arcadian Empire and the Kingdom of Ishida hole a truce that has been strong since the end of Darius

and the Kriegskult; the world sees battle almost daily, and holding the balance are these kingdoms,

along with several sub-factions and lesser kingdoms scattered throughout the world.

The tribes of the Fendorian Wolfpack prove themselves as mighty protectors of the forests of Carpathia,

where their idols are praised and adorned. The Fendorians have long battles against those who would

hurt or destroy nature; their clashes with the Northern Beastmen and Western Wastes have seen no

end and are still the rivals they had been since long ago.

The Ullarian Overlords, with their blood cults, black magic and the conjuring of their undead warriors

makes them a threat the likes of which haven’t been seen since the days of the Kriegskult. Though the

Ullarians are a small kingdom, they have managed to gather thousands upon thousands of followers,

even smaller sub-cults made up of Black Elves, Beastmen Cultists, Arcadian Underworlders and several

others, which makes them a very powerful enemy to have.

Those who still stand to serve a certain good, like the Elves of Corova, still manage to mingle in bloody

battles with the likes of their foes to the North, the Northern Beastmen, who travel in very large

numbers and take their prisoners to serve, and most importantly, to keep their dark species brooding,

by forcing them to mate, thus enlarge the number of the beasts, who have settled in the North, but also

scavenge throughout all of GROMM.

Many others fight for superiority in the world of GROMM; many have conquered and many have fallen,

but those who gain a hold of power do not last very long.

Declare Allegiance

Of the many cults, packs and kingdoms, you are free to choose who to side with, but be certain that the

fight will be brought to you, your lands and your people. Several smaller factions are just as mighty and

have posed serious threats to the more powerful kingdoms, such as the Arcadians, the Ishida Empire or

even the Ullarian Overlords. Prepare, for total war…

FACTIONS AT WAR

Into the void of darkness, we shall force ourselves.

We have arisen to destroy and conquer everything in the name of Ullaria.

We are the infernal overlords of all blackness.

We bring to our enemies, hate, destruction and total annihilation.

Our time has come. Ullaria, has awoken…

Arcadian Empire (Neutral), Army List

Arcadian units can only be in whole Arcadian warbands or mixed warbands of Neutral units.

Spearman

UT AR W CST

Creature 5+ 1 2

Weapon WR WS AT

Spear CC 4+ 1

Special Abilities: Reach.

Archer

UT AR W CST

Creature 5+ 1 2

Weapon WR WS AT

Longbow 18 4+ 2

Special Abilities: None.

Rifleman

UT AR W CST

Creature 4+ 2 3

Weapon WR WS AT

Rifle 22 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Ranged Combat Specialist.

Blessed Templar

UT AR W CST

Creature 3+ 2 4

Weapon WR WS AT

Broadsword CC 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Close Combat Master, Powerhouse.

Kingdom of Ishida (Neutral), Army List

Ishida units can only be in whole Ishida warbands or mixed warbands of Neutral units.

Bushido Spearman

UT AR W CST

Creature 4+ 2 3

Weapon WR WS AT

Spear CC 4+ 1

Special Abilities: Reach.

Bushido Archer

UT AR W CST

Creature 4+ 2 4

Weapon WR WS AT

Longbow 18 4+ 2

Special Abilities: Ranged Combat Specialist.

Samurai Warrior

UT AR W CST

Creature 3+ 3 4

Weapon WR WS AT

Kitana Sword CC 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Close Combat Master.

Geisha Assassin

UT AR W CST

Creature 5+ 2 5

Weapon WR WS AT

Blessed Tanto CC 2+ 3

Special Abilities: Close Combat Specialist, Stealthy, Tough.

Western Wastes (Chaotic), Army List

W. Waste units can only be in whole W. Waste warbands or mixed warbands of Chaotic units.

Goblin Warrior

UT AR W CST

Creature 6+ 1 1

Weapon WR WS AT

Short Sword CC 5+ 1

Special Abilities: None.

Orc Archer

UT AR W CST

Creature 4+ 2 3

Weapon WR WS AT

Longbow 18 4+ 2

Special Abilities: Fearless, Strong.

Orc Warrior

UT AR W CST

Creature 4+ 2 4

Weapon WR WS AT

Broadsword CC 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Fearless, Strong.

Bull-Orc Bruiser

UT AR W CST

Creature 3+ 3 6

Weapon WR WS AT

Broadsword CC 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Close Combat Master, Fearless, Tough, Wild Attack.

Ullarian Overlords (Chaotic), Army List

Ullarian units can only be in whole Ullarian warbands or mixed warbands of Chaotic units.

Crypt Zombie

UT AR W CST

Creature 5+ 1 2

Weapon WR WS AT

-- -- -- --

Special Abilities: Zombification.

Necrophagist Overlord

UT AR W CST

Creature 4+ 4 4

Weapon WR WS AT

Rusted Blade CC 5+ 1

Special Abilities: Death Bolt, Death Touch, Havoc.

Royal Servant

UT AR W CST

Creature 3+ 3 5

Weapon WR WS AT

Broadsword CC 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Close Combat Specialist, Steadfast.

Abomination

UT AR W CST

Heavy Creature 3+ 3 5

Weapon WR WS AT

Large Club CC 3+ 2

Special Abilities: Reach, Throw, Wild Attack.

Special Abilities

Units in GROMM each carry abilities making

them different from others during combat in

the game.

Use this list of special abilities to find those

specific to your units.

(X) Bolt: Replaces ranged attack action. Target a

unit up to 18 inches (3d6 attack; hits on 4+); all

units within 2 inches of the target are also

struck (1d6 attack; hits on 4+).

Archaic Flash: Replaces ranged attack action.

Target a unit up to 4 inches (2d6 attack; hits on

4+); all units within 3 inches of the target are

also struck (1d6 attack; hits on 5+).

Close Combat Specialist: Roll an additional 1d6

when attacking with a close combat weapon.

Close Combat Master: Roll an additional 2d6

when attacking with a close combat weapon.

Death Touch: Each successful close combat

attack that deals damage deals 2 points of

damage, rather than 1.

Evisceration: Replaces close combat attack

action; roll 2d6 when attacking (hits on 4+).

Each successful roll counts as two hits, rather

than one.

Fearless: Units with this ability may never use

the Fall Back action when activated.

Havoc: All units within 1 inch of a target,

targeted by a unit with this ability in ranged

combat roll 1d6 after the attack is made at a

range of up to 12 inches; on the result of a 1-2

they lose their ability to be activated for the

following 2 turns.

Healing Surge: Replaces ranged attack action.

Target a unit within 12 inches and 1d6; if

successful, target unit is heals 1 point of

damage (scores on a 3+).

Insanity: This unit cannot be the target of

special ability attacks.

Overpowering: Units struck by a unit with this

ability in close combat do not get to make save

rolls.

Powerhouse: Pick any number of failed close

combat attack rolls and reroll them, keeping the

results.

Ranged Combat Specialist: Roll an additional

1d6 when attacking with a ranged weapon.

Ranged Combat Master: Roll an additional 2d6

when attacking with a ranged weapon.

Reach: This unit may attack an enemy unit up to

2 inches as if it were in close combat range.

Ripclaw: Replaces close combat attack; roll 3d6

to attack (hits on 5+).

Screaming Slam: Replaces ranged attack action.

Target a unit up to 6 inches (3d6 attack; hits on

4+); all units within 3 inches of the target are

also struck (1d6 attack; hits on 5+).

Smashing Fists: Replaces close combat attack.

Target a unit in close combat (5d6 attack; hits

on 4+); all units within 3 inches of the target are

also struck (1d6 attack; hits on 5+).

Stationary: A unit with this ability must remain

in place throughout the game.

Steadfast: Roll 1d6 after making a close combat

attack; on a 1-2 this unit may attack again.

Stealthy: A unit with this ability may move

without any terrain penalties.

Strong: Units with this ability ignore the effects

of Overpowering.

Terrible Sorrow: Replaces ranged attack; target

a unit up to 24 inches away (roll 2d6 to attack;

hits on 5+). Each successful score on the dice

counts as 2 hits, instead of one.

Throw: Replaces close combat attack action;

roll to attack (throwing hits on a 4+). If

successful, roll 1d6; this is the number of inches

the model is thrown; the unit is thrown in a

straight line from the unit with this ability’s

front facing. Once the model is thrown into its

new position it takes 1 damage for every inch it

was thrown and cannot be activated until its

next turn.

Tough: Pick any number of failed save rolls and

reroll them, keeping the results.

Wild Attack: Replaces close combat attack.

Target a unit in close combat (2d6 attack; hits

on 3+); enemy units within 2 inches of the

target of the attack are also struck (1d6 attack;

hits on 5+).

Zombification: A unit hit by this unit in close

combat rolls 1d6 after the attack is made; on

the result of a 1 the unit attacked becomes a

zombie on the turn after the following turn.

Apply zombie stats to the bitten unit, and it is

then controlled by the player controlling the

biting unit in the first place.

BURN!

It’s no surprise that GROMM is burning; this has

been the case for hundreds of years, and the

brutalities of war seem to never end. When

factions crumble, only then will anyone see

peace come to GROMM.

Factions are fighting for the control of GROMM

and to spread the prosperity of their nations,

demanding all to see that they are mighty,

powerful and not to be toyed with.

The Arcadian Empire and the Kingdom of Ishida

hold an alliance that has lasted a very long time

where as factions like the Fendorians and the

Elves of Corova have moved away from them

for their later actions.

In GROMM, it is up to you to determine the fate

of your faction; you will choose who you

control, unleash them on the fields of battle

and fight to win the day in glorious victory!

Claiming Victory

It is up to you to fight, you and your opponent

each fight for a goal, and for the most part, it is

to utterly destroy each other.

Using the Codices

Hollenthon is Crushpop’s very own magazine,

and in it, you’ll find tons of new information for

GROMM, including new rules, missions, units

and more!

Take advantage of Hollenthon, because they are

free and also offer tons of information on new

games and titles by Crushpop Productions.

For the Wargamers

New things await you in the world of GROMM,

including several playable factions; all you need

are the right miniatures to represent your units,

and you can jump into the action!

As always, we thank you for checking out

GROMM and hope you enjoy the game as much

as we enjoy working on it for all of you. Keep

rolling those dice and keep playing the game,

because you make it what it is.

GROMM: FIRST EDITION, ERRATA 1.0

Written by Neuicon on April 18, 2011

About this Edition of the Errata

This first edition of official errata for GROMM contains updates to any missing or relevant information in

the first edition rulebook. Further corrections will see additions to this article, which will be updated

regularly as further supplements, faction books and issues of Hollenthon are released.

Ganging up in Close Combat Attacks

Units that wish to join in on close combat attacks already taking place may do so. Units cannot charge

into a close combat already taking place, they may simply move into base-to-base contact with the

enemy unit and attack as normal, adding a +1 to the close combat attack for each friendly unit in base-

to-base contact with the enemy. This applies to all units in the close combat.

Making Ranged Attacks into an active Close Combat

Units with the ability to make ranged attacks (either by special ability, spell or weapon) may do so, at

the risk of hurting their own friendly units.

Before rolling to attack, roll 1d6 for each friendly unit in the close combat attack (for example, you

would roll 3d6 if a close combat involved 3 friendly units and 2 enemy units); should you roll a 1 or 2 on

any dice, your unit has struck a friendly unit (you choose which friendly unit is hit). Roll to attack against

your unit as normal and make any armour saves as normal; any time a unit hits a friendly unit this way,

the ranged unit’s activation ends immediately as he notices the mistake he has made.

Clarification on a Charging Unit

A unit making a charge can make a close combat attack upon successfully charging, adding the modifiers

listed in the core rulebook. Charging counts as two actions and allows a unit who comes into contact to

smash into his opponent.

When a unit elects to charge and is within range of its target, under its movement rate (not needing to

roll a d6 for any additional inches of movement), then the charge is automatically successful; a charge

always counts as two actions, so it must be declared.

Thank you for downloading GROMM!

GROMM, Written and Created by Neuicon and Sean Daniels

www.neuicon.com

shatteredverse.forumotion.com

Cover Art, by Jeremy Mohler of Empty Room Studios Publishing

www.emptyroomstudios.com

Interior Art, by Nathan Winburn of Skortched Urf’ Studios

www.skortchedurfstudios.com