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Author Topic: "Skulldred" beta skirmish rules (version 1.03)- free .pdf  (Read 18232 times)

Offline Delaney

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"Skulldred" beta skirmish rules (version 1.03)- free .pdf
« on: June 17, 2010, 06:08:54 AM »
****Update - PDF Beta 1.3 now available. ***
****http://www.daveking.com.au/articles/skirmish/skulldred_beta_latest.pdf  ****



Recently I got held up with the flu and spent a few days parked on a sofa next to my wargames table my wife and I had been playing SBH on.

So naturally I wrote a new skirmish game system.  As you do.

I ended up with a draft of a rules light skirmish system that seems to work pretty well when your suffering from flu and whacked up on codene and panadol.  I figure that means it should be playable drunk and tired, both good things in my book for a system.  The idea was to make something without needing to hold any numbers in your head, check any tables or do any maths after the dice hit the table, so you get that 'hangs on a dice roll' feeling without the pause.  The only math is simple adding up of dice.  You never need to check your opponents math, either, so good for playing strangers, and you can expand your force beyond ten or so figures without major slow downs.

Seems to work okay.  Would have to playtest it though.

Question is, should I bother getting a playtest version together?    Do you think there is room for another indie fantasy .PDF skirmish system?  Anyone interested in gaving it a bash?

Thoughts anyone?
« Last Edit: June 24, 2010, 01:38:49 PM by kingofdaveness »
Delaney King:  Digital Artist, Sculptor, Character Artist, TransDimentional Spatula Wielder, Sandwich.
My retro mini blog:  http:www.kingsminis.blogspot.com       My own minis and games:  www.darklinggames.com

Offline Tacgnol

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2010, 10:54:53 AM »
I'm up for playtesting. I'm sorted for sci-fi skirmish rules at the minute and I could do with some fantasy rules that aren't WHFB.

Offline phreedh

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2010, 11:18:21 AM »
Sure, there's room for it. Especially if it has other activation mechanics than SBH...
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Offline Thantsants

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2010, 05:00:14 PM »
I'd be game!

If I ever get time for one...

Offline Delaney

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2010, 04:35:26 AM »
Okay then - I guess I will get the playetest .PDF together.

 :)

Regarding activation, the one I have been playing is...

 activate all your guys one by one, only making movements- at any stage you can 'gamble for initiative' after first moving a model- representing someone being risky, clever or overextending themselves.  You roll any number of action dice, but any fails results in your turn ending.  Most normal human guys have an initiative of 3 or less on a d6.  Elites get 4, heroes have 5.  You can also have 1+1, 1+2 - who get one automatic success and an initiative of 1 for additional, so on and so forth.

If you roll all passes you win that number of action points.  You can make as many extra move actions up to your movement score (dwarves 0- they only get their free move, humans 2, High elves 3, armoured foot knights 1).  This, by the way, simplifies all movement to 1 measurement- every foot troop makes the same movement - a span (3 x standard humanoid base hop (so 4 inches for 25mm))- only those with good initiatives can therefore manoeuvre around obstacles quickly.  Mounted troops make long moves instead and use their mounts move score- a long move is 3x your span.  These are the only two measurements used in game- so you can stick a span stick to the end of a triple span to make a T bar- which you can use to push troops around the table like a WWII tactician.  Woo.

You can also announce you want to 'roll reckless' - if you fail on any initiative dice, then you still may perform 1 action point worth of actions- however after the action is resolved your model becomes 'downed'- representing a stunned, confused, slipped over or knocked down model.  A downed model receives another downed result is removed from play.  So in a pinch if you have a wounded 'downed' model, he can throw himself into one glorious last attack- (pulling himself up that spear and biting out the enemies throat).

This system allows you to be confident that you can at least move every single one of your units- and at any time you can risk gaining the drop on your opponent by gaining initiative.  Also, having to make a move, then gamble means you can pop a dude out from cover to shoot, only to find he gets stuck in the open.

For 1 action point you can gain initiative in combat (aka make an attack)- the initiator of combat gains an advantage in combat.  The idea being all models in base to base are assumed to be fighting the minute they touch- only they are trading ineffective blows- it is only when one gains the initiative does something happen.  And it always does - combat rolls always results in a change- there are no stalemates.  A draw is handed to the attacking player as a knock back, thrown (if bigger) or driven back result.


Offline Tacgnol

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2010, 06:34:12 AM »
Sounds good. Just to clarify, is the span based on the miniature's base size or is it just a straight 4" even if the mini is on a 20mm base?

Offline Argonor

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2010, 06:42:18 AM »
Sounds interesting - now, let's see the playtest rules  >:D   ;)

No, really, there seems to be some new thoughts in there, so I'd like to try it out.

I am VERY enamoured with the SBH-engine because of its simplicity and versatility. If you come up with something similarly playable, there should be room for it.

EDIT:

And if it's really good, I'll also buy the published version  ;)
« Last Edit: June 18, 2010, 04:02:51 PM by Argonor »
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Offline Delaney

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2010, 02:28:26 PM »
Yes, a span is 3x base size for your standard human.

So if your playing with 10mm figures glued on 5c coins its 3x the width of coins for the hop stick.  Therefore you can play any scale, including 50mm if you like.

A model in the game is anything crammed on a base, so you can play or or even ten men to a base if you like.

Offline Delaney

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2010, 01:54:41 AM »
Thats what I like about SBH too, and the old school illustration styles took me back to Tunnels and Trolls days.  Big smiles all round when I bought it (anyone who hasnt tried it should definately buy a copy and give it a go btw.)

So the core difference in my attempt is that I dont like the 'roll a dice, add your modifiers and compare result' based systems- AD&D being another culprit- because you miss out on the excitement of everything hanging on a dice roll.  Its roll a dice, pause, check your math, check your opponents math and then discuss.  No drama.  I much prefer roll against a target number based systems- once you know what you need to hit, you get the tension of a craps shoot.

The core mechanic is you get 1 dice and must roll equal or under your units attribute to score a dice hit.  You get additional dice for stategic advantages, such as higher ground, fighting a smaller foe, etc  You only ever add extra dice, you never take them off- so if your at a disadvantage, its your opponent who gets an extra dice.  Both announce their dice hits.  Highest wins- on a draw attacker can knock back the foe or drive them back (move them back, but then move to stay in base contact), beat their score by their toughness score and you kill them outright- otherwise they are downed.

Units seperate melee, shooting and magic scores.  On all attributes the Higher the better.
The system also streamlines rolls by putting the emphasis on initiative rolls to win actions.  The idea is if you roll initiative and win an action point, you don't need to roll to see if the action you spent it on is successful- it is.  You already passed the roll you needed to do it.  You simply buy the actions you want to perform and it happens.

There is no 'free hack' type mechanic in this system at all.  You can pay an extra action to do an attack without risk of damage coming back at you, but being knocked into an enemy unit does not trigger an attack.  To disengage you spend 1 ap, which moves you back your base width- you are then free to run away if you desire.  Fear works in a totally different way too, you get a panic counter which gives the enemy a bonus dice against you, which you can buy off with 1 action, but only when your 1 long range from an enemy- so effectively you choose to fall back or route.


aaaanyway, having a blast writing the pdf- will post link shortly.

Offline Thantsants

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2010, 08:44:52 AM »
Sounds really good! Should lead to fast-paced and tense games - look forward to seeing the pdf!

Offline Delaney

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2010, 06:00:20 AM »
And here... we... go...

Project "Skulldred" any scale skirmish rules, beta 1.01

Free to download on the proviso you play it and let me know how it went...


http://www.daveking.com.au/articles/skirmish/skulldred_beta_1_01.pdf

« Last Edit: June 21, 2010, 06:06:09 AM by kingofdaveness »

Offline Tacgnol

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Re: project "Skulldred" beta skirmish rules
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2010, 06:57:31 AM »
Very elegant mechanics, I'm giving this a go as soon as possible.

Offline phreedh

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Re: Space for another indie skirmish system?
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2010, 06:57:45 AM »
Free to download on the proviso you play it and let me know how it went...
http://www.daveking.com.au/articles/skirmish/skulldred_beta_1_01.pdf
/yoink

Vacation time coming up, will try the rules out next week. As I'm at work, I've only had the chance to quickly scroll through the doc. Looks good!

Offline Heldrak

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Re: project "Skulldred" beta skirmish rules
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2010, 08:08:36 AM »
Very impressive after a quick browse, the rules look very solid! ;)
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Offline Argonor

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Re: project "Skulldred" beta skirmish rules
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2010, 10:40:15 AM »
Downloaded and printed - will start reading them on the train back from work....

 

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