Wargame Mechanics Index

Re-rolls & exploding dice

Re-roll or open-ended dice mechanics.

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How games do it 6 games

2engine

Skirmishers reroll 5s for a further chance to hit.

How it works

In infantry fire, skirmishers that roll a 5 roll again, inflicting 1 DP on a subsequent 4, 5 or 6, making their fire more effective than formed troops.

Inflict 1 DP for throws of 6 only. Skirmishers roll again for throws of 5, with subsequent 4/ 5/ 6 = inflict 1 DP.
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2engine

Each player officer may reroll one bad melee die per turn at personal risk.

How it works

The reroll is decided as dice are rolled, not after all are rolled, and exposes the officer to 1-6 attackers.

Individual officers (the players) can reroll one bad melee roll per turn- decided "on the fly" rather than after all dice are rolled
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2engine
Rerolls and double successesThis Hallowed Ground

v4.4 tests count natural 6s as two successes and use rerolls from commanders, Steady status and traits.

How it works

Each 4+ is one success and each natural 6 counts as two. Steady units get one automatic reroll on orders tests; commanders give 1 (8") or 2 (12") rerolls, which do not stack and can never reroll a reroll. Marksmen reroll failed hits; Stubborn rerolls failed morale.

Each D6 result of 4+ is 1 success, with each natural 6 counting as 2 successes. Steady units automatically gain 1 reroll.
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2engine
Re-rolls and 'half' scoresWars of Alexander the Great

Re-rolls give attack bonuses and are used to create half-pip target numbers.

How it works

Attackers re-roll 1s, charging cavalry re-roll 1s and 2s, and a leading general lets the unit re-roll 1s. Fractional targets like 'save for 4½' mean a 4 is re-rolled and then saves on 4-6 (similarly archers hit on '5½').

Light and Medium Cavalry: save for 4 ½, 5, 6 (re-roll any 4s, save if the second roll is 4,5,6)
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1engine
May / must re-rollLongstreet Lite

Card effects grant optional re-rolls of failures or force re-rolls of successes.

How it works

'May re-roll' lets a player re-roll failed dice; 'must re-roll' forces successful dice to be re-rolled. A die is never re-rolled twice, modifiers still apply, and the active player re-rolls first. E.g. Rebel Yell forces Federals to re-roll successful defence rolls.

If the rule states that the player must re-roll dice in that circumstance, then he has no choice: he must abide by the second (re-rolled) result.
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1engine
Target numbers of 7+Victory Without Quarter

Sixes allow re-rolls to hit when modifiers push the target number above 6.

How it works

For each 6 rolled, re-roll one die: target 7 hits on 4+, 8 on 5+, 9 on 6, 10 cannot hit.

For each die that scores a "6", you may re-roll one die and consult the following table
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