MEDIEVAL SKIRMISH RULES
One figure = one man one inch = 10ft one move = about 30 seconds
a. Grade
General skill, experience and courage 5 grades from worst (E) to best (A). Sergeants cannot be A, Peasants cannot be A or B. In campaigns, Knights can have additional gradings above A, such as A1 (the lowest) A2 etc. These count ONLY in hand-to-fighting on horseback against other knights.
b. Class
Knights (K): these also include all nobles above the rank of knight, who, however count as of superior class according to their rank: Knight, Baron, Earl or Count (Viscount), Duke, King.
Sergeants (S): All professional soldiers, trained retainers, etc.
Peasants (P): Levies, untrained retainers, irregulars, etc.
c. Protection
Non-knightly figures MUST and knightly figures MAY be organized into UNITS, each of must have commander of higher class than his men. A player may handle up to 30 men or so, constituting a FORCE. This also requires a commander, who must be the highest-class figure in it. Units must keep together (no gap of over 2 inches between figures); forces need not. A BATTLE is two or more forces.
may be written down). Troop not declared as charging or the subject of a charge cannot move to contact that turn, and will stop short of any unintended contact. Charges etc. can only be declared against a unit or figure in sight and reach at the start of the move.
by moving away. If they choose to move away they must move full move distance directly away from charge or behind friends or cover.
Situations it may be necessary to move _ distance at a time, and for final movement to contact one figure at a time first one side then the other.
e. Cards representing each force are shuffled and drawn. The first force drawn makes all its moves, then the next force and so on.
who fires first, since most firing is NOT SIMULTANEOUS. Mark off expended arrows etc., on ammunition rosters.
Open ground
Walk/ trot Run/ gallop Rough ground, Climb Swim
Hills, wading, etc.
Foot: Protection 1,2 |
6 in |
8 in |
4 in |
1 in |
Cant |
Foot: Protection 3,4 |
9 in |
12 in |
6 in |
2 in |
3 in |
Mounted: barded horse |
9 in |
20 in |
3 in |
Cant |
Cant |
Mounted: other |
12 in |
24 in |
4 in |
Cant |
As if dismounted |
Wagon, engine, bombard with team |
5 in |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Above manhandled |
2 in |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
To turn over 221/2o Running or galloping troops may NOT turn over 22 1/2o in one move. Mounted non-galloping troops subtract 2 inches from their move.
To cross hedge, fence, or wall deduct 3 inches from move distance. Wagons, etc., and barded horses cannot cross.
To gallop must not have been galloping for more than two previous consecutive moves, must have been moving in the previous turn, and must start galloping in the same direction faced at the end of the preceding turn.
To run must not have been running for more than two previous turns.
Moving and firing horse-archers can gallop and fire once, archers and javelinmen move (not run) and fire once. All these can stand and fire twice. Crossbow men can stand and fire once, cant fire while moving. Handgun, engine, bombard can stand and load, or, if loaded, stand and fire. Cannot fire or load while moving.
Other possible actions in one turn mounting or dismounting takes half move, except that protection 1 and 2 take full move. Pick up or lay down object. Erect or push down ladder. Strike once with ram or twice in melee. Change from one weapon to another: takes half move: any shot or strike with 2nd weapon comes at end of turn. Unharness or harness-up team to wagon, etc. Place or remove stake or pavise. Half-complete a gap one figure wide in hedge, fence, or drystone wall. Raise or lower portcullis. Drop rock, molten lead, etc., from rampart.
a. Order of shooting:
Otherwise treat shooting as simultaneous, but that in some cases a figure will be able to shoot first because it is concealed, and not revealed thus not a target, until it shoots.
When a figure changes weapons, any shot with the first weapon counts as at halfway through move (for order of fire, range, target visibility, etc.) Any shot with second weapon counts as end of move. Neither can be fired unless it is bow or javelin.
When weapon capable of being fired twice does so, the first shot is at the half-move, second at the end of the move. A weapon, which fires only once, does so before the 2nd shot of any weapon firing twice.
Horse-archers can fire all around, others within 45o of direction faced, bombards and engines within 221/2o of direction faced.
Target must be in sight and range at the appropriate point of the move. When firing at horsemen, either the horse or man may be nominated the target. Targets are nominated before finding the effect of fire. Single figure can only fire one target per turn.
All figures with not more than one friend within 2 inches of them, and between them and the target,
may fire. Presence of friends on line of fire, more than one deep, or further from shooters, prevents shooting, except up or down, from or to building or rampart. Guns cannot shoot over friends except in latter case.
f. Ammunition Rosters
For each missile man, engine, or bombard a roster must be kept. Javelinmen carry three missiles, archers, crossbowmen, and handgunners twelve. Extra missiles may be held in wagon, on packhorse, or in store; and collected by figures that have run out. Wagons can carry 50 javelins, 10 rounds for engines or bombards, or 100 for other weapons. Packhorses carry 20 javelins, 2 rounds for engines or bombards, 40 for other weapons. Rocks for engines or to be dropped and balls for bombards may be determined by host.
g. Ranges
short medium long
javelin |
3 in |
6 in |
--- |
Shortbow, sling |
5 in |
10 in |
20 in |
Longbow |
8 in |
16 in |
40 in |
Crossbow |
10 in |
20 in |
40 in |
Handgun |
3 in |
6 in |
20 in |
bombard |
8 in |
20 in |
40 in |
Engine (catapult, etc.) |
--- |
8 to 20 in |
40 in |
Dropped rock, molten lead, boiling oil etc. |
2 in (unlimited vertical) |
--- |
--- |
i. To Hit
Use hit only when engine or bombard fires on inanimate target. Hits are cumulative, and the following number will open a breach 2 inches wide or destroy a wagon or engine or pavise:
Timber wall, wagon, engine, pavise 3 hits
Light stone wall, house, etc. 5 hits
Castle walls, etc. 10 hits
Use under host game conditions. Can be fired from engines or bows. Take 1 move to ignite before firing. When a hit is scored a die is thrown to see if the target is set on fire: Timber structure: throw of one; straw, thatch, etc.: throw of 4 or less (same used when figure is use with torch). Fire burn three turns for straw etc., nine turns for timber, and ignite everything within 1 inch at end of each turn, and cause smoke (soft cover) for 12 inches downwind. Fires may be put out first thorough fourth turn of burning. Throw two dice, a throw of 2 puts out fire. Subtract 1 for each figure after first fighting fire, subtract one for each bucket of water used; all figure within 2 inches may fight fire. Figures in burning structure or within 1 inch after 2 moves are killed.
6. Melee
figure or figures. If it both starts and finishes the in base-to-base contact in an enemy it will be able to strike twice (not necessarily at the same figure).
can any figure be shot at the point in the turn when it is in contact with the enemy.
Longest: Pikes.
Then: Light and Heavy lances.
Spears, bills, halberds, glaives, and similar.
Javelins, swords, two-handed club, and axes.
One-handed axes, maces, and mauls.
Knives, daggers, and improvised weapons.
e. To strike a player throws one die (attack die) for a figure striking; his opponent throws one die (defense die) for the figure being struck. If the modified attack die is higher than the modified defense die, the defending figure is hit.
Heavy lance add 1
Pikes against horse add 1. Pikes in woods, subtract 1.
Attacker grade A or B add 1
Charging add 1.
Improvised weapons, knives, and daggers etc. subtract 1.
Armor class 1, add 2.
Armor class 2, add 1.
Armor class 4, subtract 1.
Defending an obstacle, add 1.
Infantry against horse in woods or rough terrain, add 1.
If defender grade E subtract 1.
Other melee rules:
Lances can only be used by figure charging in that turn.
Lancer charging mounted opponent automatically unhorses him if wounding him.
Lancer killing or wounding opponent with his lance has broken it. (may then be used as an improvised
weapon).
Non-knightly figures can select horse rather than rider as target where there is a choice.
If figures are moved out of a melee, which is already in existence at the start of a turn, they will receive one strike from their opponents without reply. The figures, which were in contact with them, may follow up, regardless of sequence of movement, and might of course be able to catch them in the rear.
Figures moving out of an already-constituted melee cannot move into contact with fresh opponents in the same move, except where cavalry ride through infantry (h3).
Knights and peasants whose melee opponents all retire as above or break and flee after a moral test, MUST, unless dismounted and defending an obstacle, pursue them at charge speed for at least one turn.
All figures in melee can strike against opponents to the front. The second and third rank figures of pikes in close order may strike at opposing figures in contact with the front rank directly to the front of them. Those figures using weapons other than lances and pikes can also strike at opponents to their flank. Cavalry of protection 3 or 4, armed with sword, spear, or javelin can strike, at minus 2 to the attack die, against figures to their rear.
7. Morale
Morale must be checked in the following situations; knightly figure not organized into units testing individually, all others by units.
Units:
Knights:
Throw three dice: if the modified result is 13 or higher unit or figure is bold; 12 to 9 resolute; 7 or 8 craven; 6 or less recreant.
They cannot see troop in woods, unless they shoot, but troops within 2 in of edge of woods can see
out. Inside woods troops can see 3 in.
8. Wounds, etc.
When a figure is struck by fire or in melee, it rolls a die, if the result is 4 or less the figure is wounded; the figure is killed on the roll of 5 or 6. Figures with armor protection of 1 or 2, subtract 1 to the number rolled on the die. A second wound kills.
Figures fall when:
A mounted figure may fall when its horse is wounded or has firearms discharged within 6inches. To see if figure falls in these circumstances; throw two dice, grade A troops do not fall, grade B troops on a 2, grade C on 3 or less, grade D on 4 or less, grade E on 5 or less.
A vertical fall of more than 4 inches kills a figure; otherwise, the figure is laid on the ground and remains completely inactive during the next turn. The figure must yield if this is demanded by an enemy figure coming into contact with it (on foot).
Weapons and armor may be taken from figures that are dead or have yielded (except yielded knights). It takes one half turn to remove one weapon, a full turn to remove protection other than shield, two turns to put on protection of level 3, three for better protection.
For determining results of using siege equipment, use two different colored ten sided dice. One die to represent tens, and the other to represent ones.
Can only be done when there is no figure on top of the ladder to oppose it. Up to men can push. Chance of pushing it down: 30 per cent per man pushing less 5 per cent per man on ladder, or on ground holding it (max two).
Only effective against doors, gates, and timber structures. Wielded by at least two figures, up to maximum of ten. Its chance of destroying a gate or door or making a one inch gap in timber is 7 per cent per man, plus 5 per cent per turn in which it is used. Thus two men with ram, on their second turn of battering, have 19% chance of success. Wounded men cannot wield a ram.
Mounted in sow (penthouse on wheels, which can also be used with a ram). Can make a 1 in square hole in stone wall at rate of 1/8th inch of penetration per move with crew of four. When hole has penetrated through the wall, the wall above may collapse to form a breach 40 per cent.
Up to two men may use axes against timber wall, gate, or door. Chance of destroying gate, door, or of making a 1 inch breach in a wall is nill in the first turn of chopping, increasing by 5 per cent per man move thereafter.
Rocks and cauldrons of boiling oil or molten lead (fire required, 3 moves to heat up) may be placed on ramparts; each is operated by one figure and can be used only once per game. Molten lead doubles the chance of hitting over rock or oil. If oil hits a sow, siege tower, or ram it has a 10 per cent chance of setting it on fire. Same as timber (under fire arrow rule) to put out.
Take 1/4th move to operate (down), full move to pull up. Portcullis prevents use of axes against a door.
Sows, rock-throwing engines and siege towers all require crews which count as units and must include at least one B grade sergeant, only such a man being able to master the complex technology involved. If this sergeant is killed or wounded the host may decide what penalty is involved, otherwise the engine is inoperable. Crew at least four in each case. To be manhandled, they need at least ten figures on foot to aid. A team of four animals and a driver can move them at full speed.
May be carried and set up by foot figures. If placed within one half inch of each other, they count as a defended obstacle in melee.
Can be carried by one man per 3 in, set up by one if up to 6 in, otherwise 2.
A figure climbing or carrying a standard, faggot or similar load cannot use a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon and shield. A figure shooting, except with javelin, cannot claim to be using a shield.
Each force, battle, and army should have a standard, carried by a figure, or in the case of armies, it may be mounted on a wagon. An opposing figure which kills the standard-bearer has a 50 per cent chance of snatching the standard, which otherwise falls to the ground. It takes a half move to pick up a fallen standard. In deciding who has won a battle, standards captured count:
Army standard 300 points
Battle standard 150 points
Force standard 50 points
Clerics are unprotected unarmed figures whose function is to affect their own sides morale. They can be A grade (bishops, saints, etc.) or B grade (monks, nuns, priests, etc.) If attacked in melee, they do not fight back, but yield to the enemy. Exception to this rule are Joan of Arc type figures which can be covered under the hosts game conditions.
Fought hand-to-hand and were not forced to flee. Knights who unhorse an equal (or better) in grade
and class opponent may be upgraded after the battle even if already grade A, they can rise to A1, A2,
and so forth.
The point system is intended to allow the choice of differing, but roughly equivalent armies for games. It also provides a means to decide the winner. In this case, troops who have yielded or are fleeing on the table, count _ point value to their own side. Troops dead or fled off the table are not counted, wounded troops which have not yielded or fled count one half.
Peasant 1 Faggot (to fill moats, etc,) 1
Sergeant 3 Flint and Steel 5
Knight 7 Fire missile 1
Cleric 9 3 javelins or 12 other missiles 2
Grade A 5 Wagon 10
B 4 Draught animal 3
C 3 Penthouse 12
D 2 Ram or Pick 10
E 0 Ladder 2
Extra for: Baron 10 Oil, cauldron or similar with fire 6
Count, Earl 20 Rock 1
Duke 30 One round for bombard 3
King 50 Catapult type engine 20
Protection: 1 5 Bombard 30
2 4 Siege Tower 50
3 2 Bucket with water 1
4 0 wood stone
Horse 5 Keep 250 625
Barded horse 8 Large Tower 50 125
Handgun, crossbow, longbow, Small turret 30 75
Heavy Lance 2 12 in of curtain 50 125
Other weapons 1 Gatehouse 100 250
Pavise (2in by 1 in) 2 12 in wet moat 40
Points continued:
Stakes 1 12 in wet moat 20
Drawbridge, portcullis 15