Running Small Battles in Oldish D&D

That D&D has its roots in wargaming is an old story. Thirty years down the road support for running battles larger than party-sized remains surprisingly and woefully uneven. A small not terribly spectacular range of compatible miniature and abstract large battle rules exist.

But holes stubbornly persist. The biggest gap I have encountered time and time again in the campaign is the lack of simple and fun ways to run battles that are larger than the standard kind involving the party and also too small scale or tactical to run with a wholly abstract system say like the Warmachine rules from the D&D Companion set.

What follows is the first part of what I tongue in cheek am calling By this Poleaxe, an adaption and extension of pen and paper small battle rules Deep Evan and I have been using in the Feudal Anarchy playtests into a more oldish D&D format. I plan on testing them in the heat of battle in the nasty brutish border war currently brewing in the Hill Cantons.

It's intended to allow a GM to run small-scale battles or skirmishes involving 15-120 combatants on each side in a hour or so without miniatures.  (If you want or need battle rules for miniatures you might want to check out By this Axe rules).  

If you would like to see the rest of the draft (this first part to give readers a sense of where this is going) give me a holler at my email address or on good ole Google Plus.

By this Poleaxe: Pen and Paper Oldish D&D Small Battle Rules

Each “squad” is made up of up to 5 combatants. A squad is represented by a single figure in a miniatures game and will generally be part of a battle or conroy (a larger unit) in battles involving more than 100 combatants. A squad must be at full strength (five combatants) if possible.

Squads have five attributes: Attack Value, Defense Value, Morale Value, Hits to Kill and Movement.

Squad Attributes

Attack Value (AV)

The measure of the squad's ability to hit on a d10. Total Hit Dice and divide by 5.

Base AV

1	0-level Human, monster under 1 HD
2	Man at Arms-1st level, up to 1+1 HD
3	2-3 HD
4	4-7 HD
5	8-10 HD
6	11+ HD

Mounted +1

Crappy weapon (dagger, club, hoe) -1

Two-handed weapon +1

Fighter or Trained Leader over 6^th level/HD “stacked” in unit +1

Attacking from the flank, rear or from surprise +1

Minor Special Offensive Ability +1

Medium Special +2

Major Special +3

Defense Value (DV)

The measure of the squad's ability to shrug off hits, used as a savings throw. Average the AC of the party.

Base DV

1	Unarmored (AC 9 or 10)
2	Light AC (AC 7-8)
3	Medium AC (AC 4-6)
4	High AC (AC 1-3)
5	Very High AC (AC 0 and lower)

hard cover +2

soft cover +1

Minor Special Defensive Ability +1

Medium Special +2

Major Special +3

Morale (MV)

The measure of a squads ability to not break and run.

Typical Base MV

Peasant levy, kobold, rabble	4
Average soldiery, orc	6
Veteran, hobgoblin, white ape	7
Knight or other elite	8
Fanatic, berserker	9
Undead	10

Modifiers:

+1 in a “secure position” (behind cover, in a pike phalanx, bless spell etc)

+1 leader CHA 15-17 (non-stackable)

+2 leader CHA 18 (non-stackable)

Hits to Kill (HTK)

The number of hits the squad can take before being Out of the Fight.

HTK

Human levy or half hit dice	1
1 HD or Man-at-Arms	2
2-3 HD	3
4-5 HD	4
6-7 HD	5
7-8 HD	6
9-10 HD`	7

-1 if squad has 4 members.

-2 if squad has 3 members.

Movement (M)

The number of abstract “move spaces” that a squad can move per combat turn. Movement is with the by-the-book standard rates if a map grid is is in use.

60 feet or less	1
90 feet	2
120 feet	3
150 feet or more	4

A Large, Exuberant Thank You to Those Who Bought the Axe

This morning I sent out our annual end-of-the-year check to Autism Speaks—with a nice extra tail-end bump of over $500.

As readers might remember (or not) 100 percent of the after-production proceeds of my fantasy battle rules By This Axe were earmarked for donation. Quite honestly, I was expecting to sell on the high-end around 100 copies which would net a little under $200.

To date, however, By This Axe has sold 276 copies: 234 PDF and 42 print copies. Punchline is that means I added a very nice $505.08 from BTA sales to our contribution, way more than I expected. Who knew that the shedding of buckets of blood of lead men could do such good?

Anywho a very sincere and hearty thank you from me to all of you for your support. And a special thanks to Jack Shear who gave BTA a nice big blogside bump early in its arc.

Sales continue to trickle in and I will fold up whatever is coming in around May and send it in as a contribution.

Fantasy Battles for Kiddos

This week marked my final fantasy worldbuilding/creative writing class for the semester. I was hell bent on ending on a loud note of mayhem and ludic anarchy so after invoking the Battle of Helm's Deep, Pelennor Fields, and whatever in tarnation that battle is called in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in a mercifully brief lecture on the use of “final battles” in fantasy storytelling, we dived right into a big giant battle scene of our own.

Letting them divide up into two camps: Good and Evil (endearingly all the girls chose this team), I pulled out a big box of miniatures and several bags of homemade play doh. Each so-called Good player was allowed to pick out 15 miniatures while Evil got to make various abominations from the play doh and to employ the large plastic dragons we painted last semester.

To handle the rules backend, I whipped up a simplified system of By this Axe, presented here. You will, of course, need a copy to make of By This Axe miniatures rules to make any sense of this. PDF copy here, print copy here (all proceeds go to Autism Speaks).

Tommy's patron deity with an impossible name appears. 

By This Axe for Kids

Units are much looser than in the regular rules. Individuals can move in a group for mutual protection (to prevent flanking for instance) but are not required to stay in any kind of order.

All range and movement is measured with a regulation unsharpened Number 2 pencil.

Fighting Capacity, Armor Value and Hits

Mooks (normal warriors and the like) FC 2, AV 2 and can take one hit.

Tough 'Uns (heroes, big monsters, commanders, knights etc) FC 3, AV 3 and can take two hits. Heroes and heroines (who represent the player) never die they just get knocked out (or fade away).

Duel Phase

Any hero can call out an opposing hero in one pencil range. Duels are as normal in the rules. Note that in actual practice the dice pool seemed to confuse them, you may want to substitute normal melee combat.

Movement Phase

Movement as normal, terrain is just for show however. Movement must stop if it makes contact with an opponent.

Slow Dudes (big monsters, dwarves, giant sloths etc) half pencil.

Regular Dudes (foot soldiers, goblins etc) one pencil.

Fast Dudes (mounted, flying) two pencils.

Ranged Combat Phase

All weapons except for breath weapons (which get two) get one chance to hit. Roll under FC to hit.

Short Ranged Weapons (breath weapons, slings, muskets, javelins). One pencil range.

Long Ranged Weapons (bows, crossbows). Two pencil range.

Melee Phase

As normal, except that players can freely disengage figures from combat to “run away” during their next movement phase.

Divine Intervention

Twice per battle, the player can “call on their patron god” to intervene at any time. If a “6” is rolled on a d6 the god shows up (She/He/It must be represented by a play doh creation) and either grants two extra attacks, two extra saving throws or attacks itself as a FC 5 creature. It disappears to the sidelines after the turn is over.

Morale

No morale is used! Battle to the grisly, child-friendly end.

Reavers of the Weird: a By This Axe Mini-Campaign

A recent idea by Deep Evan to run a wargame side counterpart to his Dark Country rpg one has fired me up for designing sections of the campaign supplement By this Axe (my medieval fantasy battle rules set).

Below is a free mini-campaign for 2-4 players to be used with BTA's battle and draft skirmish rules (drop me a line for a copy of that, it will only make sense if you have a copy of BTA). The campaign is hard-wired to have some interesting trade-offs against a small-scale warfare backdrop. Do I send out a small raiding party with less chance of getting caught—and less chance of creating havoc? Or do I send out the big guns? How should I spread my forces to guard my precious pigs and other assets?

Background and Set-Up

Countless centuries of gavelkind succession laws have cranked up the fractionalizing, autarkic, hair-splitting pettiness—so typical of life in places with a foot in the Weird--to a feverish pitch in the Translittoral Canton of Hoimatbuch. That chilly, windy easternmost bastion of the Overkingdom is further plagued by a strangely-virile nobility creating a maddening over-proliferation of hyphen-crazy micro-fiefdoms as each holding is divided equally among the male children of each line.

You are the holder of one of these tiny sub-divided micro-states, your neighbor is a similar such asshole. You both want to kill and take each other's stuff, but are limited to the rules of low-intensity warfare that the Overking imposes.

Each player as part of his squalid little holding receives 30 pigs in his sties, 20 horses in his corrals, a village filled with tax-paying chumps, three blood-apricot orchards, a swollen (yet strangely beautiful) prize pig, a fine Southlands horse, and a charming (almost), rustically-decorated, black-timbered manor house. Ridding your opponent of his assets being the object of the campaign.

Each player receives 250 points to buy their initial retinue. Each band receives one Wildgraf or Boyar (that's you) and one Lieutenant for free. All figures must be grouped into units of two or more figures (who represent five warriors each) on their roster.

Forces Available

Wildgraf or Boyar (Hero-General)

Fighting Capacity: 5, Armor Save 4(s), Heavy Armor, Shield, Lance, Sword, Horse (lose this if fine horse stolen in raid).

Reaver Lieutenant (Hero-Leader)

Fighting Capacity: 5, Armor Save 4(s), Heavy Armor, Shield, Lance, Sword, Horse

Reaver Lancer (light raiding cavalry, cost 25),

FC: 3, AS: 2 (s), Light Armor, Shield, Lance, Javelins, Sword, Horse

Reaver Foot (light raider-archers, cost 15)

FC: 3, AS: 1, Light Armor, Longbow, Sword

Dopplesoldiers (landsknecht foot, cost 12)

FC: 3, AS: 2, Medium Armor, Pike or Two-Handed Sword

Men-at-Arms (mercenary foot, cost 9)

FC: 2, AS: 2, Medium, Polearm

Crossbowman (merc foot, cost 9)

FC: 2, AS: 1, Light, Light Crossbow, Sword

The Campaign Turn

Each turn (roughly a fortnight) the player can elect to mount 0-2 offensive actions (see below) and as many defensive actions as he cares. All actions are considered to occur simultaneously. The campaign ends after six turns and victory points are computed.

Offensive Actions

Each turn can assign a leader or general and accompanying units to conduct a raid (each force must have a leader). He picks one of the options from below.

Pig Raid

Steal Horses

Humiliate Villagers

Burn Blood-Apricot Orchards

Raze Manor

Defensive Actions

Each turn the player also assigns his non-raiding units (again each must have two or more to various locales.

Assign Guards to Pig Sties

Assign Guards to Horse Corral

Assign Guards to Village

Assign Guards to Orchard

Assign Guard to Manor house

Assign Reserve (assign figures to serve as a reserve for pursuits and defense)

Buy Reinforcements (useable once per turn gain 30 points of figures, see Victory Point penalty)

Raid Resolution

Opposition

Raider rolls d6 when on a raid to see what resistance she faces. Battles involving 4 or less figures per side will be resolved with the BTA draft skirmish rules. Battles involving more than that with the full mini battle rules. After a battle or skirmish, the victor regains all routing forces, the loser only a third.

Modifiers:

-1 Raiding Force has 1-4 figures

-1 Raiding Force all mounted

+1 Raiding Force has 11 and over figures

0-	Get Away Scot Free (Roll on Plunder)
1	Escape with No Plunder (No Effect)
2-3	Fight Locale Guard Only (Victorious Raider Rolls for Plunder)
4	Fight Locale Guard and 30% of Reserve (Victorious Raider Rolls for Plunder)
5	Fight Locale Guard and 60% of Reserve (Victorious Raider Rolls for Plunder)
6+	Fight Locale Guard and 100% of Reserve

Plunder

Victorious raider roll a d6 on the follow charts.

Modifiers:

-1 Raiding Force has 2-4 figures

+1 Raiding Force has 11 and over figures

Pig or Horse Raid

1-	Nothing stolen
2-3	1d6 animals stolen
4	2d6 animals stolen
5	3d6 animals stolen
6+	3d6 animals stolen plus Prize Pig or Fine Horse

Village Humiliation

1-	Local folk laugh and ask “is that all you got?”
2	Village idiot forced to wear Eld helmet
3	Blacksmith tarred and feathered
4	Village headman (notable) cuckolded
5	Local temple Sun Lord priest (notable) beard shaved
6+	Relative of Boyar (notable) speckled with dung

Orchard Burning

1-3	Fire doesn't catch
4-5	Orchard burned
6+	Fire spreads to other orchard. Two orchards burned.

Manor Razing

1-3	Broke a window, take that. Minor to no damage.
4-6	Trashed the place. Manor partially destroyed. If previously partially damaged then manor is completely destroyed (bummer)

Victory Points

Add up after six turns. The highest score wins.

+1 VP for each pig in possession

+2 VP for each horse

+5 VP for each Prize Pig or Fine Horse

-2 VP for each village commoner of yours humiliated

-3 VP for each village notable of yours humiliated

-5 VP for each reinforcement taken

-5 VP for each orchard burned

-5 VP for partially destroyed manor house

-15 VP for razed manor house

Attention By This Axe PDF Purchasers

One of those “how did I get this far into the party with spinach stuck in my teeth with no one telling me” moments. The full-color Bilibin cover for By This Axe that I had intended for both the print and PDF versions hasn't been showing up in merged in the PDF version (though it does appear on my publisher preview).

Since it was my intention to provide said cover, if you have purchased a copy of the PDF before today (the new revised version online now should have a cover merged in) drop me an email at kutalik at the gmail dot com with your Lulu receipt (you can excise info if that doesn't make you comfortable) and I will send you a copy of the new file AND automatically email you a copy of the two free supplements when they come out.

Mea culpa.

By This Axe Skirmish Rules Ready for Playtesting

Last week I promised that I would be releasing both a Skirmish and Campaign supplements as free PDFs for folks picking up copies of my mass battle rules By This Axe. The good news is that that work is steadily on track. A working draft of the skirmish rules are reasonably complete and poised for playtesting.

Basically I have taken the mini-game that handles duels in the larger battle system between strutting champions and extrapolated a dice-pool melee system that allows you to make individual tactical choices for warriors each combat turn. The scale is downshifted from the 1:5 and 1:20 system of the battle rules to a 1:1, unitless scale (though complemented by a simple command and control system). They seem to work reasonably well in my solo-testing for forces of 5-25 figures a side, but you know we will see as we get further in.

Anywho if you have picked up a copy of BTA (the draft rules will make very little sense if you don't have a copy) and are interested in playtesting or just giving me feedback drop me a line at kutalik at the gmail dot com and I will pleased as the proverbial punch to send you a copy of the draft.   

Two Freebie By This Axe Supplements Coming Down the Pike

Sales of By This Axe broke 100 yesterday (overwhelmingly the PDF) for which I am greatly appreciative of. Yay supporting advocacy work for autistic children.

One thing I wanted to flag the attention of for the folks who have ponied up their hard-earned dosh for BTA, I have plans for releasing not just the one campaign supplement that I promised earlier but two.

The campaign supplement will roll out as planned hitting the points I teased a few days ago (and adding a few more about tips on how to integrate the system with an ongoing rpg campaign) . Kicked in the butt by a new design inspiration flurry, I will also be releasing in the next couple weeks a free skirmish rules set (and yes, an errata) that extrapolates the duel “dice pool” mini-game in BTA into a more detailed one-on-one combat system.

Best of all to the frugal wargamer both supplements will be available for the “right price”, free, for all people who purchased either the PDF or print copies of BTA. Yay cheap asses.  

Ruling by the Axe

This just in from the Seers Guild...

By his axe, the Decade King doth rule again on the occupied Kezmaroki island of Jorfyrr.

Mercenary forces retained by the Decade King have routed the army of Lykutaa the Cackling Satrap in a battle this morning on the isle. Veteran mercenary captain Mahk “the Knife” leading a mixed company of knight-exiles, black hobbit infantry, gladiators and cantonal bowmen shocked the Southlands with his surprise landing yesterday. Swiftly leading his forces inland he was met by the quick muster—and sorcerous summonings—of the demi-lich tyrant that usurped power so many long centuries ago.

For two grinding hours the two armies were locked in a see-saw battle. An artist's recreation with cast metal figures follows below.

Satrap phalanx works up a battle frenzy.

Melee in the center.

Knight-exiles lock swords with the giant lizards.

Cantonal bowmen decimated by Cloudkill.

Vexor the Underwhelming vanquished in a duel with Mahk.

And now the rout begins in earnest. A highly perturbed demi-lich tyrant tries vainly to rally his center.

By This Axe: Fantasy Battle Rules Released

That's a wrap.

Last week I said that I would be releasing a print and pdf copy of my medieval fantasy battle rules, By This Axe. And lo, thanks to the generous, talented aid of Mike Davison (layout), Jez Gordon (cover work) and Richard G (alternate “art noveau” cover coming out later), here they are.

The print-on-demand copy is available here for $7.99 and the PDF here for $2.50. If you order soon-ish you can use the discount code “MAYBOOKS13” to get a hefty 20 percent discount.

With 100 percent of the profits being folded into my personal contribution to Autism Speaks, that translates into $2 for each print copy and $1.36 for each PDF (ouch, Lulu) going to charity. Yay you.

Features:

• Miniature rules for both small (1 figure: 5 warriors) to mid and large-sized (1:20) battles.
• Abstract pen-and-paper battle system for running battles of any size quickly with a range of tactical choice.
• Simple, fun, big “bucket of dice” old school minis combat feel.
• Compatibility with any kind of basing, no need to rebase.
• Optional card-based command and control rules.
• Duel mini-game to simulate the stand-out fights of champions.
• Abstract, fast sorcery and divine magic system.
• Conversion rules for old school D&D-like rpgs. Your campaign's PCs and NPCs are easily slottable into both the tabletop and abstract mass battle system.
• Point system for creating match-ups between armies.
• Beautiful full-color covers courtesy of long, dead Russian artist, Ivan Bilibin.

Also, the core rules will be followed with a free downloadable supplement that will cover:

• Tabletop scenarios for one-shot battles.
• Sieges both on the tabletop and abstractly.
• Campaign rules.
• Granular magic system that will work with your favorite classic rules set.
• Stats for a wider range of fantastical creatures.

Buy this Axe

Thanks to the generous helping layout hand of Mike Davison, next week I will finally be releasing into the wild By This Axe, my mercifully short and (hopefully) easily digestible 12-page set of rules for running Medieval and Fantasy battles on the tabletop and/or with pen and paper. Yay me.

Breaking with my traditional horror of things commercial I am a-fixing a price tag to both the PDF and the print-on-demand booklet. Both will still be priced down in the budget range ($2.50 for the PDF and $8 for the booklet) and 100-percent of the proceeds will be shoehorned into a large donation to Autism Speaks, so rest assured that your soul will be pure as you plot the senseless slaughter of countless imagined hordes.

The quick and dirty on what you can expect feature-wise packed into those 12 pages:

• Miniature rules for small to mid-sized battles.
• Abstract battle system for running battles of any size quickly with a range of tactical choice.
• Simple, fun, big “bucket of dice” old school minis combat feel.
• Compatibility with any kind of basing, no need to rebase.
• Optional card-based command and control rules.
• Duelling mini-game to simulate the stand-out fights of champions.
• Abstract, fast sorcery and divine magic system.
• Conversion rules for old school D&D-like rpgs. Your campaign's PCs and NPCs are easily slottable into both the tabletop and abstract mass battle system.
• Point system for creating match-ups between armies.
• Beautiful full-color covers (front pictured above) courtesy of long, dead Russian artist, Ivan Bilibin.

The core rules will be followed with a free downloadable supplement that will cover:

• Tabletop scenarios for one-shot battles.
• Sieges both on the tabletop and abstractly.
• Campaign rules.
• Granular magic system that will work with your favorite classic rules set.
• Stats for a wider range of fantastical creatures.

Abstract Mass Combat Rules, Take Two

A little over a week ago, I announced that I had a playtest version of a set of abstract mass combat rules for the classic flavor of our favorite fantasy rpg and of course all its related clones and coat-tail riders. Thanks to some great feedback and playtesting (now waist deep in a full-blown FLAILSNAILS tie-in war), I have nailed down version 0.2 and I am feeling damn good about it.

I think the rules deliver a quick way to resolve battles at all scales without tearing yourself away from the central play group experience of the traditional rpg while allowing you some meaningful tactical choices to make it more interesting and challenging than crunching math and roll a single die.

Some of the chrome added to this version:

1. Stratagems. Each commanding officer of a force can attempt once a week to employ a pre-battle tactical “trick” based on the particular mix of arms in their host. Currently this version supports stratagems for ambushes, flank marches, deceptive deployments, night/day surprise attacks, field fortifications, and treachery. I expect to add several more after the current round is completed.

2. Tactical postures at the battle. Tightened up the section on battle resolution proper with a matrix that compares the choice of postures or tactics (again dependent on the particular mix of your forces). Again I feel good about this as it's fairly simple and straightforward, but gives you a choice that can make or break a battle.

3. Player character battle results. I've finished a draft version of a mini-game that ties in dangers and rewards for PCs dependent on what stance they take into the battle (foolhardy, normal, or craven) matched to the results of the battle (a bloodbath on your side for instance corresponding to a more dangerous end result). PCs face a range of playable dangers from combat with the other sides champions (or rank and file) to unusual dilemmas (like what do you do when the unit you are embeded in routes off the field).

There's more, but I wanted to give readers a taste of how the collective brain trust is lighting a fire under my proverbial rear to make this a fun and useful (and likely free) “product”.

If you are interested in getting a playtest copy—and promise to actually give feedback and/or playtest this sucka—drop me a line at kutalik at the gmail dot com. (Those of you in the campaign will be getting updates in the field dispatches.)  

The Furious Din of Battle

A battle royale raged over my kitchen table yesterday.

Fear not, it wasn't a domestic squabble, but the first large-scale, non-solo playtest of By This Axe. Two longstanding pillars from the eponymous HC campaign, Desert Scribe and Brad, locked forces to the furious din of clashing lead.

Much was learned and I stayed up to the wee hours cranking out version 0.5. A mini-game for dueling sprang out of it and a general overhaul seemed to fix a number of rough patches (if you ask real nice like and will actually use them drop me an email and I will send you a copy).

Here's the blow by blow of the battle proper.

The action opens with a gratuitous scenario backstory. Pierre and Gaston, lowly miserable extras from Beau Geste, find themselves lost in the whirling Algerian sands outside Fort Zinderneuf. Stumbling through a mysterious bronze gate in the ruins of a cyclopean temple, they find themselves surrounded by untold riches—in another world.

Little do they know, but ranging scouts from two warring lands have noticed the sudden flash of light—and mountain of treasure--in the Temple of Radagast lying in no-man's land. Arriving at dawn to claim the swag, two armies face each other across the field: the fearsome Knights of Bradd and the scurrilous Scarlet Scribes of Set.

Knights of Bradd roster

2 Knight Hero/Leaders

1 Amazon Superhero with Were-Leopard Hero

2 Priests (who add to saves and morale of units from a dice pool)

1 Mage (who use a dice pool to shoot offensive and defensive spells)

1 unit of Knights

1 unit of Squires

2 units of Longbowmen

1 unit of Heavy Infantry

I unit of Medium Hobbit Infantry

Scarlet Scribes of Set roster

3 Hero/Leaders

2 Imams (Priests)

1 Sorcerer (Mage)

1 unit of Giant Snakes (fight as heroes with Tough Hides special ability)

1 unit of Noble Medium Cavalry

1 unit of Nomad Light Cavalry

2 units of Light Spearmen

1 unit of Heavy Crossbowmen

1 unit of Gladiators

The opening moves seem almost decisive, the knights impetuously ride forward and are met by a hail of crossbow bolts. The Scribe rolls extraordinarily well making hits with the entire unit, the Knights roll phenomenally low and they losing a whopping five figures (from a unit of eight). 

Javelins hurled by the nomad light cav further takes half of the squires. (Missile combat is simple, range is checked and a d6 rolled for each shooter. Hits are made on rolls under the figure's fighting capacity number and hit figures roll saves by armor.)

The opening rounds look grim for the knights. Fortunately for Brad, both units survive morale checks (a streak of luck that keeps both decimated units on the table until its bitter end).

Meanwhile on the left flank the amazon and were-leopard supported by the hobbits advance through the tree-chocked ruins. The giant snakes and sorcerer move to stop them.

In subsequent turns, the sorcerer dumps 10 of his available 12 dice from his spell dice pool on the head of the superhero, killing that mighty figure instantly. The snakes (backed by the last two-die spell) make short order of the were-leopard. A few gobbled up hobbits force a morale check, sending the luckless halflings fleeing off the map. The flank side show though does keep the Scribe's most powerful unit out of the main action for the rest of the game.

Back in the center, the remaining knights and squires bravely (perhaps foolhardily) charge into the untouched ranks of the opposing cavalry. (Melee is conducted much in the same way as missile combat with longer weapons striking first in the opening round.)

The swirling melee there will last the entirety of the game costing all but one knight figure. The stubborn squires manage to take no other losses. The Scribe's light nomads flee in terror from the fight leading the nobles to deal with.

That knockdown fight eventually costs the knights all of their priests and two leaders through duels and melee as they keep shoveling in forces to the fight.

Slowly the tide of battle—which was looking like a drubbing for the knights—starts to turn as the longbowmen and heavy infantry come to bear on the Scribe's infantry. As the desertmen's weaker infantry begins to rout it begins to cascade over into other units (units within 6” of a routing unit must make morale checks).

Though their leaders keep riding over and rallying them (you roll under a leader's value), the knights exploit the breakdown in the lines and start making a number of flank attacks. Though it's touch and go for a few turns, inexorably they start to break most of the units on the board.

With more than half of his units, routed the Scribe's is forced to flee the field, leaving the victorious knights to finish off the legionaries and grab the loot. With most of it's elite forces and heroes slain though it is a bitter, pyrrhic victory.

Special thanks to Scottsz for his gifts of statuary and leopards that supplemented my 28mm mixed armies of El Cid-era Andalusians, Hundred Year War medievals, and fantasy flotsam and jetsom.

Duels in By This Axe

Playtesting is not only vital design work, it can be—nay should be--fun.

At least I thought so yesterday with the playtest battle (session report later) of By This Axe I Rule that see-sawed over my kitchen table yesterday. Besides the inevitable clarification, vetting, and streamlining, I came out of the experience with some add-ons: notably a mini-game to simulate more of the flash and dance of the kind of mano-et-mano combat one would associate between Swords & Sorcery heroes.

Posted here in lieu of emailing the myriad folks who have the 0.4 playtest pdf.

Duels

In the Duel Phase, any player's character may challenge any opposing character within 9 inches to personal combat. A character can refuse a challenge, but must suffer the penalties below. A challenging character can also force a duel on a roll of 1, 2, or 3 if both characters are in units in contact.

The first time a leader declines a challenge, he loses all leadership value for that turn only. He may not participate in an attack that turn. The declining leader may neither voluntarily move to a new unit, nor may he rally a unit during that turn. Thereafter, during the game, the declining leader may refuse personal challenges without penalty.

Duels are played in rounds until one (or both) characters are defeated or run away. A character may attempt to flee a duel on a d6 roll of 1, 2, or 3 beginning on the second round.

Each round the player secretly allots dice from his character's dice pool into three maneuver areas: attack, parry, and dirty tricks. Only one die can be allotted to dirty tricks. At least one die must be allotted to attack and parry. All maneuvers are considered simultaneous.

Character	Dice Pool
Hero	4 dice
Superhero	8 dice
Champion	12 dice
Priest, Mage	3 dice
High Priest, Wizard	6 dice

When the round begins each player reveals the number of dice they have in each area.

Dirty tricks are resolved first. On a roll of 1-2 the player's opponent must forfeit two dice from their attack and/or defense pool for the round (3-6 has no effect).

Attack maneuvers come next and the player rolls the allotted dice. Each roll of 1-3 is counted as a hit.

After attacks, all parry dice are rolled. Each result of 1-3 negates a hit from an opponent. If a player rolls more parry successes than incoming hits they are allowed to roll one counterattack die (hit on 1-3, no chance at parry).

Armor saves are conducted as normal for all hits, but with one exception: the +1 modifier for Heroic status is ignored.  

Holiday Freebie: By This Axe

Last year I posted my medieval small battle rules as one of my holiday freebies, this year--while I am not quite finished--I have a revised playtest version of its fantasy cousin, By This Axe I Rule!, available for your Tin God lead-pushing pleasure.

If you are one of the 30 who received the last version a couple months back, there have been a few changes: a cleaning up of vestigal/unclear rules and expanded sections on how you can run monsters and make your game classic D&D compatible. 

A big thank you to Patrick W at Bugbears for Breakfest for his cool, firm hand as editor.

Email me at kutalik at the gmail dot the com for the 18-page PDF file.

Also a reminder that the Point of Light contest will be closed very shortly as it hits noon here. The entries are all quite awesome and I urge readers to check them out here. 

By This Axe I Rule

I may have throttled back on blog posting frequency this month, but in other writing arenas I have been picking up momentum. One big fat black marker scratch off of the to-do list was finishing up the fantasy supplement and revision of my old set of medieval battle miniatures rules: Swords & Shields.

The new rules—rechristened in suitably bombastic glory as By This Axe I Rule--are intended to be compatible with classical D&D and their attendant clones and spin-offs. Simple conversion rules allow you to port PCs, NPCs, and beastly critters from your campaign right onto the battlefield. Currently they support play at two different levels: skirmish/small battle (1 figure representing five warriors) or mid-sized battle (1:20). 

If you like pushing lead around a table and are interested in some playtesting mayhem, drop me a line at kutalik at gmail the mail dot com and I will hook you up with the PDF.