Morale

Morale is used to determine the reaction of NPCs to events like attacks, minefields, surprises etc. Generally one of 2 things will happen: The NPC will make their morale check and continue there current activity, or the will break (fail their morale). Units failing there moral may cease acting, surrender or route. Player characters need not make morale checks. They will decide individually what to do in difficult situations.

Morale levels
NPCs have a morale and rally value associated with their quality of training and experience. The morale roll is the base roll required to 'check'. Rolling the morale or higher means the unit has successfully checked. The rally value is the roll required to regroup a unit that has failed its morale. This roll is made by the units leader, and the leader add his level of Leader skill to the rally roll. If the unit leaders skill is such that he cannot fail to make a rally, that unit need not check morale

Type Morale Rally Notes
Fanatic 5+ 5+ Berserkers, religious fanatics, Le Legion at camerone. Fanatics will never rout or surrender. A failed roll means that the fanatics will attack the closest target, regardless of orders. On a roll of 2 on 2d6, this will include members of their own side.
Elite 3+ 3+ High morale specialist or shock troops (e.g. Imperial Marine Commandoes)
Crack 4+ 4+ Seasoned veteran troops (e.g. Imperial Marines)
Veteran 5+ 6+ Troops who have combat experience
Trained 6+ 8+ Troops who have received extensive training, but have no battle experience.
Green 7+ 10+ Basic trainees. Little more than basic military training.
Raw 8+ 12+ Farmboy with rifle.

Checking Morale
Units must check morale under the following circumstances:

  1. Unit is surprised/ambushed.
  2. Leader is killed or seriously wounded
  3. Unit in site of another unit routing.
  4. Unit reaches 25% casualties (add 1 to morale roll)
  5. Unit reaches 50% casualties (add 3 to morale roll)
  6. Unit reaches 75% casualties (add 5 to morale roll)

Units failing their moral will do one of the following:

  1. Unit fails its morale. Cease all offensive action. The unit 'hunkers down' and adopts a defensive posture. Unit may not attack unless rallied.
  2. Unit fails its moral by 3. Retreat in good order. The unit withdrawls to a secure location unless rallied.
  3. Unit fails it's moral by 5. Rout/Surrender. Units that are trapped will surrender. Units with an escape path will route (i.e. assume headlong flight, often discarding weapons and equipment) unless rallied. Elite and Crack troops will never route.

Rallying
In order to rally troops that have failed morale, the unit must have a surviving leader (at least leader-1). The rally roll is 2D6 + leader. Rallied troops improve their status by one level. Routed troops make and orderly withdraw, retreating troops adopt a defensive posture and defensive troops will attack.

Note:
The GM may allow high levels of leader or high rally rolls to allow troops to jump several levels (e.g. routed troops turn and attack). The GM may also require morale roles when troops are given difficult or dangerous orders ("the regiments will charge accross that mine field and attack the dug in machineguns and artillery") or are commanded by incompetent or disliked superiors.