Well, this is going to sound odd....

[Mr.Marx]

Ok, kinda a random interwar idea here. Tank Polo.



I saw this pict posted by 'Trencher' on the Brigade Models forum, and I am really thinking of giving it a go. France vs England at the 1920 Olympic Tank Polo Tournament.

The physical side is going to be easy, Mark Vs Vs Schneiders, both with polo mallets modelled on.

However, I have issues on the rules side as I only have a fundamental knowledge of polo so cant realy write a rules set myself.

So, does anyone know if there is currently a set of wargame rules for polo (or anything vaguely alike, as I’m playing with tanks so the rules would be somewhat lax) or otherwise anyone got any idea on how to go about creating some rules for a game?

Cheers.
Marx

[Mr. Burning]

Sound like a good idea. Could be a great theme for starting an international incident?

Could fantasy football rules be adapted like deathball or BloodBowl?

[Red Orc]

Using a fairly basic ruleset - each tank has a skill score (for ball control), a range (for how far they can punt the ball) and a movement rate (how far you can move when someone else has the ball).

Essentially, one side bullies off (or whatever one does in polo), and 'shoots' a tank on the same team (ie, passes to ball to them); if the controlling player 'misses' then any opposition tanks in the vicinity get to move in and take control of the ball.

To score you must shoot a small target that must be in range.

I figure it's pretty simple. But then again, I know nothing of polo. It's kinda like ice-hockey on a horse, right? Or am I thinking of netball?

[Mr.Marx]

Sound like a good idea. Could be a great theme for starting an international incident?

Could fantasy football rules be adapted like deathball or BloodBowl?

I thought about useing a fantasy ruleset but they are all a bit american rugby to my mind. I was hopeing that there wouldent be a international incident for the time being, what with only Germany, England, France and the USA rich enough to own tanks, and Germany banned from play under the terms of the treaty of verseiles.

Using a fairly basic ruleset - each tank has a skill score (for ball control), a range (for how far they can punt the ball) and a movement rate (how far you can move when someone else has the ball).

Essentially, one side bullies off (or whatever one does in polo), and 'shoots' a tank on the same team (ie, passes to ball to them); if the controlling player 'misses' then any opposition tanks in the vicinity get to move in and take control of the ball.

To score you must shoot a small target that must be in range.

I figure it's pretty simple. But then again, I know nothing of polo. It's kinda like ice-hockey on a horse, right? Or am I thinking of netball?

I really thing something like that sounds good. Nice and simple.

Thank you both.

Marx

[flooglestreet]

You probably should have sighting rules. If anybody actually played polo with tanks they would probably spend a lot of time just trying to spot the damn ball. Modern AFVs have limited fields of vision and I imagine it was worse with the original ones.

[Red Orc]

I was assuming chaps with mallets would be hanging out of hatches.

You could of course play with giant (rotating?) hammers attached to the side, and a 'ball' the size of a VW Beetle...

To complicate matters, you could have rules for spectacular mechanical failure, for spectacular mechanical success (eg double movement forward in a straight line), what happens to a tank when it is hit by another tank (or falls into a swimming pool) and what happens to a guy with a mallet hanging out of a hatch when he is hit by another tank...

[Westfalia Chris]

You could of course play with giant (rotating?) hammers attached to the side, and a 'ball' the size of a VW Beetle...

Or something like this...



Although that would probably qualify as "Ironman Tank Polo" or "Gladiatorial Tank Polo".

At least it keeps the local landscape architects and garden contractors in business...

[Mr.Marx]

I was assuming chaps with mallets would be hanging out of hatches.

You could of course play with giant (rotating?) hammers attached to the side, and a 'ball' the size of a VW Beetle...

To complicate matters, you could have rules for spectacular mechanical failure, for spectacular mechanical success (eg double movement forward in a straight line), what happens to a tank when it is hit by another tank (or falls into a swimming pool) and what happens to a guy with a mallet hanging out of a hatch when he is hit by another tank...

The way that I had invisioned it was that the weapons would be removed and whatever means to put guns on target would be transphered to the mallet. So sponsons and turrets with big mallets out the sides. Ive got the ball now, its a 5mm diamiater ball bearing.

I think that some sort of machanical failure table will be needed, if not for fun and realism just to spice the game up and make it somewhat more interesting.

 

You probably should have sighting rules. If anybody actually played polo with tanks they would probably spend a lot of time just trying to spot the damn ball. Modern AFVs have limited fields of vision and I imagine it was worse with the original ones.

Hmmm....I like the idea of that sort of thing. I'll think about it!

Thanks all!

[ushistoryprof]

Don't forget the ref! He needs to be in a light tank, renault style. And of course you need cheerleaders in amoured cars (striped down of course for that extra sexy look)......

[fastolfrus]

You don't have cheerleaders in polo, lots of champagne though.

You would need an extra mechanical failure for when the tank runs over the ball too.
Visibility from most British tanks was very limited, it would probably be easier with sponsons removed entirely and a gunner hanging out of the hatch (possibly from straps attached to the unditching beam).

The A7V would be no good for polo, it couldn't turn quickly enough, although with all the gun ports if there was a mallet out of each one it would look like something from Terry Pratchett.

[rob_the_robgoblin]

Don't forget the ref! He needs to be in a light tank, renault style. And of course you need cheerleaders in amoured cars (striped down of course for that extra sexy look)......

Cor blimey!

Cheerleaders? In Polo?!

Don't you know it's a gentleman's game?!

 

[Steve F]

Cor blimey!

Cheerleaders? In Polo?!

Don't you know it's a gentleman's game?!

 

So's cricket, but have you seen the Indian Premier League?

[answer_is_42]

So's cricket, but have you seen the Indian Premier League?

That, sir, is not Cricket...

[fastolfrus]

So's cricket, but have you seen the Indian Premier League?

They don't have cheerleaders do they ?

[ushistoryprof]

The real question is why don't they have cheerleaders?  Many games can be enlived with a few well placed skimpy clad bodies (if only to distract the other side long enough for you to score...)!