In the Iliad, the individual combats between heroes are described at length, blow for blow, sweat for sweat. Homer`s vivid descriptions allows us to hear the effort with which swords are thrust and spears hurled. The grunts and groans from a lost world of man to man battle.
I wanted a simple game (yes, I`ve experienced Rapier) which at the same time allowed for a real slugging match between two (or more) great warriors; my favourite part of the Ilyiad is where Odysseus returns home to find his home taken over by suitors for his wife.
Each Player 'commands' one Hellenistic HERO and his SHIELDBEARER.
Every hero or character on the table is given a factor which I`m going to call "BOTTLE" becuase the game is about man to man combat and in my book you`ve got to have a lot of 'bottle' to stand and fight with sharp pointy things. BOTTLE is as you`ve guessed it EDNA!
This single factor wraps up in one single package an individual warriors` strength, prowess, aggressiveness and endurance. Every time our 'hero' over-exerts himself or bleeds, his ability to continue can be effected. He may get weaker and weaker, putting up less defence each time but might still be able to kill his opponent with one last lunge before collapsing from exhaustion / lack of blood himself.
BOTTLE lays between 5 and 11. Set individuals BOTTLE according to the scenario or simply roll 1xD6 and add 4 for ordinary mortals. 11 should be reserved for Heroes like Ajax, Hector etc.
The other factor is AGILITY. This is really your defence factor. Your armour mihght ultimately save you from getting cut, but yur AGILITY will stop him from laying the stroke on you in the first place. AGILITY is modified according to the armour worn by your little lead hero. You may feel as snug as a turtle in that Bell cuirass but don`t expect to be able to duck his spear too quickly !
AGILITY is again between 5 & 11. A young, trained, unarmoured man might be given 11, whilst an old dodderer in full Bronze might only have an AGILITY of 5.
All Heroes have a sword and two spears. The hero`s personal shield-bearer carries but a sword and a dirty big shield.
All warriors must be graded as wearing one of the following armour categories :
Bell, Bronze, Leather / Linen, Naked
| ARMOUR | Description | CLANG! | Agility Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell | Haut Coiture one-piece | 7 | -4 |
| Bronze | Avant Garde but all the rage | 5 | -3 |
| Leather/Linen | Cheap off the peg | 3 | -1 |
| Naked | Wouldn`t be seen dead in it | 0 | 0 or +1 if you`re feeling mean |
Apart from'Naked', for obvious reasons, armour is given a CLANG! Factor, which represents the grade of protection afforded to the character. Any time the HIT dice roll is equal or less than the CLANG! the armour does it`s job.
* Double 1 is an AUTOMATIC HIT regardless.
COMBAT Movement
A figure may move in inches the difference between his CLANG! Factor and his BOTTLE. A figure whose BOTTLE = CLANG! may shuffle 1" ; if the BOTTLE goes below CLANG!, the figure is too exhausted to move.
For example : Artichokeis (BOTTLE 10), is wearing Bell armour (CLANG! 7), so may move up 10 - 7 = 3". Haemeroiddus (BOTTLE 8), wearing Linen armour (CLANG! 3) can move as much as 8 - 3 = 5".
To close into melee with an enemy, you MUST roll equal or beneath your BOTTLE. Rolling above your BOTTLE is a failure, so you stand off, out of reach from his sword or thrust spear point. If the failure is a double (i.e. 3 : 3, 4 : 4, 5 : 5) you`re obviously intimidated and lose one BOTTLE.
Hand to Hand
The Hero with the highest BOTTLE has the initiative. If both Heroes have the same factor, the Hero with the highest AGILITY (modified) strikes first. In hand to hand combat only the Hero with the initiative can attack.
Before you attack, the player on the receiving end MUST decide whether he will :
- Parry using his agility OR
Rely on his armour to keep him from harm and make a riposte.
Once he has chosen what he is going to do, you simply make a roll against your BOTTLE. Double One always wounds.
If he is relying on his armour, then to wound him your score must be equal or less than your BOTTLE and more than his CLANG!
i.e. Perrytwinus has a BOTTLE of 8, whilst Foundrilles has a CLANG! of 5 (Bronze Cuirass); so to wound him, Perrytwinus must score 6, 7 or 8.
If he is defending with his AGILITY, you roll 2xD6 against your BOTTLE and he rolls against his AGILITY. If you are successful and he fails, you wound him. If he is successful and you fail, he takes initiative. Anything else is inconclusive, but you retain the initiative.
A Hero may decide to disengage from hand to hand, perhaps to throw his spear. Use your AGILITY, against his BOTTLE as if it were combat. If he wins, he gets a 'free hack' and if you win, you can move outside his reach. Anything else is a stalemate.
Spears
A Hero throws a spear using his AGILITY to hit his target (accuracy) and then compares his BOTTLE (strength of throw) against target`s CLANG! to wound.
The Hero on the wrong end of a thrown spear may attempt to catch it, if the thrower`s AGILITY roll fails. Requires a successful roll against catcher`s AGILITY.
If a Hero catches a spear, +1 to BOTTLE. If however, he threw double 6 he has inadvertantly walked into the spear`s path, see wounds; and if he threw any other double the Gods caught the spear and handed it to him, so no increase in BOTTLE, but at least he has a shiny new spear.
You can play a tournament with these rules. The Hero that wins each combat receives half he difference between his opponent`s starting BOTTLE and that which he died with. The tougher they are to kill the greater your BOTTLE will be for the next combat.
| DIE | WOUND |
|---|---|
| 1 | A Scratch: +1 BOTTLE Roll Only |
| 2 | A Scratch: +1 BOTTLE Roll Only |
| 3 | Arm Wound: -1 BOTTLE |
| 4 | Leg Wound *: -1 AGILITY |
| 5 | Mortal Wound: Carry On -2 BOTTLE & AGILITY |
| 6 | Heroic Death: See next table. |
*NOTE: Achilles must always roll again if Leg Wound to see if it is fatal (5,6).
Shieldbearers
Mmmm........ this is still a rough idea. Basically, the Shieldbearers themselves can slug it out but they were really there (I think at least) to act like medieval squires, carrying the Hero`s heavy bits and pieces, so the champion would be fresh for his title bout. They also had a huge shield to protect the Hero from incoming missiles and offer protection from the throng when he was wounded in battle. At least that`s how I see it.
Shieldbearers are given BOTTLE & AGILITY just like our Heroes. Armour should be light so opt for Leather / Linen.
Let`s assume it`s a confused melee. Our shieldbearer must protect his lord from the "slings and arrows of outrageous die rolls" to quote the Renaissance wargamer William Shakespeare. The failure of whose first set of wargame rules, set him on the path to later fame. "...My liege, be thoust wary that E Class, LI, shieldless, pens - 3 points; be mightier than C Class HI, shield, sword - 9 points" (extract : A Midsummers Night`s Wargame, 3rd Edition).
| DIE | HEROIC DEATH |
|---|---|
| 1 | Saved by the Gods |
| 2 | Plead for mercy, before throat`s cut |
| 3 | Skewered thru Groin |
| 4 | Pierced through Chest |
| 5 | Disemboweled |
| 6 | Decapitated: (ugly brute anyway) |
To be useful, the shieldbearer must remain in one of the quadrants. The arrow shows the facing of the Hero, whilst the thunderbolt`s are quadrants which are particulalry dicey as he might get in the way of a hefty whack from his lord`s assailant.
Roll a D6 : If '6', a missile is on it`s way to our lord and the shieldbearer must intercept it. Now roll a fruther D6. The score on the dice is the no. of quadrants away - evens : left and odds : right - that the missile is coming from.
The shieldbearer must roll beneath his AGILITY (+1 for every quadrant he`s had to move through) to stop the missile. And...must roll beneath his BOTTLE but above CLANG! not to cop it himself.
If he let`s the missile through - the Hero takes a +1 on any BOTTLE roll.
ADDENDA
What happens if your BOTTLE falls below his CLANG!? Hope for a double 1 or quit the field for another day, when you`ve recovered. BUT......he win`s your BOTTLE points, as if you were killed.
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© Copyright 1997 by Craig Martelle Publications
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