By Rob Dean and Ross Macfarlane
These rules are intended for use with small numbers of individually mounted medieval miniatures. If multiple players are involved, they will ordinarily be divided into two sides. Each player will ordinarily command a group of knights and sergeants--a contingent--and will designate one knight to serve as his personal figure and commander of the contingent.
Sequence
Players (sides) dice for initiative each
turn. Winner chooses to go first or second. If there is a tie, repeat the
previous turn's sequence. While a player is active, he resolves movement group
by group, and then resolves all hand-to-hand combat figure by figure. The
inactive player shoots bows and crossbows at any point during the active
player's move.
Movement may be by individual or by group. If
as a group, roll once for the whole group. Individuals or smaller groups
breaking off a larger group move at the group’s rate during that turn. A group must be touching either edge-to-edge
or corner-to-corner.
To determine distance roll dice as follows:
3d6”: If moving as an individual
2d6”: If movement begins as a group or the
intention is declared to join a group. (Groups may only move straight ahead or
wheel at this rate—anything else is a 1d6 move.)
1d6”: If crossing an obstacle, going through
a doorway, moving through woods or other delaying terrain, rearranging a group
or falling back out of combat facing the enemy.
+1d6” if mounted
Fire is by individual. Each figure armed with
a bow or crossbow may shoot once at any point during the enemy's movement at a
target up to18” away. The target does not have to be moving, but must be within
a zone 45 degrees to either side of the front facing of the firing figure.
(Figures on square bases may conveniently check this by using the diagonal
lines of the base.) Bowmen may not shoot if they are in hand-to-hand contact
with an enemy figure. They may not
shoot over another figure (defined as any part of the figure’s base) or through
obstructions such as buildings. Roll 1 die to hit needing:
5 or 6 vs. a target in the open.
6 vs. a target behind cover.
If a hit is scored roll 1 impact die and
compare to the target’s armor score.
Basic Courage values are 5 for knights and 3
for sergeants and archers.
A group or individual must check morale if
one of the following events
occurs:
1. A figure in a group is killed (only once
per turn).
2. A group is ordered to charge. (Any move to
contact the enemy is a charge.)
3. A group has been charged.
4. If a contingent's commander is killed.
A check caused by a casualty is taken at the
end of the group’s movement or combat as appropriate. A check for being ordered to charge is taken immediately before
attempting to move the figures, and a check for being charged is take as soon
as the charger has successfully checked.
For the death of a commander, all individuals and groups in the
contingent must check at the end of the movement or combat phase in which the
commander was killed.
Roll one die vs. the highest courage value in
the group (individuals being a group of one). If the die is equal to or less
than the courage value then the group passes. If the score is higher then
courage is failed. If the group was ordered to charge then they stand still
instead. In the other three possible tests, roll again against each
individual's courage. If they roll higher than their courage, they run off the
board and are removed. Otherwise they retreat 2d6”. Note that group checks are based on the situation on the ground
at the time of the check. If casualties
have cut a group apart, all resulting groups and individuals must check morale
as they stand. Players may find a
second rank helpful to keep groups together.
For each pair of combatants in contact, each
player rolls a skill die and compares it to the skill die of the opponent. If
the score is higher than a hit has been scored against that enemy. Roll again
for impact. Figures are in contact if any part of their front edge is
contacting an enemy figure, or if they are contacted by any part of the front
edge of an enemy figure. The player
whose turn it is decides the order in which combats are fought. All combats for one figure must be resolved
before resolving combats for another figure.
If a figure fighting several opponents is killed, combat ends for that
figure immediately and any combats not yet fought are cancelled.
Modifiers to the skill die:
+1
Knight fighting to the front
+1 If
defending an obstacle or in some other superior position (e.g. up hill, at a
stream bank, mounted)
+2
Attacking from the rear or side.
If a hit is scored, the impact die is
compared to the armor of the defending figure.
If the impact value is equal to or higher than the armor value, the
figure is removed from the game.
The armor values are as follows:
6: heavy armor with shield
5: heavy armor alone; medium armor with
shield
4: medium armor alone; light armor with
shield
3: light armor alone
Shields only count to the front and left
side.
Modifiers to Impact
+1 if impact is by 2 handed weapon (axe,
halberd, etc.)
+1 to impact of lance on horseback on first
turn of melee
All dice used in this game are standard
six-sided dice.
These rules were originally written for use
with individually mounted 54mm figures on 40mm square bases. The figures used were Accurate Hundred Years
War plastic figures, which did not include any figures without at least some
minimal armor. Heavy armor was considered
to cover knights in plate armor with closed helmets. Medium armor was defined as including arm and leg
protection. Light armor is other chain,
padded or leather armor not including arm or leg protection.
Mounted troops are ordinarily treated like the
foot figures with a movement and combat advantage, but horses may be targeted
separately if figures are available to represent riders who become
dismounted. In this case, a figure who
succeeds in striking a mounted figure may choose to strike either the horse or
the rider, with a barded horse counting as heavy armor, a cloth caparisoned
horse as medium armor, and an unarmored horse as light armor. If the horse is killed the rider must make a
morale check and is replaced by the appropriate dismounted figure if he remains
on the table.
These rules are intended to provide a quick
simple game and cannot cover all contingencies. Use common sense or roll dice to resolve situations not covered
here. It is hoped that most players
will be able to remember the necessary numbers involved in the game after
fairly brief exposure, and not need to refer to the written rules during play.
The rules are set up so that it is not necessary to remember any “continuing
results” for one turn to the next, so that the situation can always be read
directly from the table. The writers of
these rules firmly believe that the best games result when the players are able
to concentrate on the decisions rather than the rules. A somewhat more comprehensive version of
these rules, Medieval and Renaissance Mayhem, is also available.
Players (sides) dice for
initiative each turn. Winner chooses to go first or second. If there is a tie,
repeat the previous turn's sequence.
3d6”: If moving as an individual
2d6”: If moving as a group
1d6”: If crossing an obstacle etc.
+1d6” if mounted
Range: 18”
Roll 1 die to hit needing:
5 or 6 vs. a target in the open.
6 vs. a target
behind cover.
Courage: 5 for knights, 3 for sergeants
Check when group member killed, charging, being
charged, contingent leader killed
Modifiers to the skill die:
+1 Knight
fighting to the front
+1 If
defending an obstacle, etc.
+2 Attacking
from the rear or side.
Armor
6: heavy armor with shield
5: heavy armor alone; medium armor with shield
4: medium armor alone; light armor with shield
3: light armor alone
Shields only count to the front and left side.
Modifiers to Impact
+1 if impact is by 2 handed weapon (axe, halberd,
etc.)
+1 to impact of lance on horseback on first turn of
melee