... And one for all. Fairbanks and the baguette.

Since I`m intending to collect some 40mm three Musketeers figures (they are on order) I thought it worth trying the rules promoted with one of the ranges.  To be honest, for me,  there were some issues with these rules, and I`ve added in a few home rules for my solo games.  

Since this is a learning experience for me I played through the rules and made notes as I gamed.  This game blog is my personal reminder on gaming these rules and my amendments.

Branagh, Fairbanks and Grainger

Two swords Lancaster, Flynn and Moore

And Captain Vigo Alatiste of the Army of his most Catholic Majesty of Spain, eating his dinner.

With the two groups facing off the inn's only other customer, Vigo Alatriste, is alone at his table trying to eat his dinner.  If anyone annoys him he will join in.  I will keep an "annoying Vigo" dice on his tabletop.  Figures rate as three, except Vigo who is obviously a four.

Initiative.

Roll off d6 for the quality of insult  highest wins.

1.  Your poor fashion sense     4.  Your face

2.  Your dubious paternity      5.  Your horse

3.  Your Mother's good looks 6.  Your Mistress' bosom

Fairbanks and Flynn exchange words over their respective parentage.  Honours are even

But Fairbanks jibe at Flynn's homely mother is repaid with a barbed comment on Fairbank's Mistress chest size.  Flynn wins initiative.

Swashbuckling. 

Figures move in straight lines.  Perform swashbuckling actions, or free move and select another figure. Pass by rolling d6 for first action, 2d6 for second 3d6 for third etc... Roll a 1 fails and loses initiative.

Lose initiative or stop and you lose the accumulated swashbuckler dice.

Actions directed at enemy figures, they roll their rating dice to duck or avoid.

Move into contact, may still insult, kick slap.  

Flynn dashes forward to the table and kicks a chamber pot at Grainger.  

Grainger fails to duck and is forced to step back

Flynn vaults athletically onto the table, but rolls a 1 losing the initiative.

Fairnbanks takes aim, passes the roll (doesn't roll a 1) and fires.  It's a hopeless miss.

Fairbanks dashes to the table, and throws a baguette at a surprised Flynn.  Rathbone never does this sort of thing! The roll of three passes again, and Fairbanks now has two swashbuckling points.

better yet Flynn is so surprised that he steps back, defeated by one.

Fairbanks vaults onto the table, taking away Flynn's elevation advantage (1 dice!)  He hurls an insult.

But Flynn is such an egotist that insults aren't going to work.  Fairbanks tries a feint, but rolls a 1 and loses the initiative.

Examples  of  actions: 
•  Dodging  an  object  or  person. 
•  Picking  up  and  throwing  a  plate 
•  Pulling  a  rug, tapestry or curtain
•  Leaping  onto  or  off  a  table  or  barrel  or  other  object
•  Leaping  over  a  table  or  barrel 
•  Jumping  and  grabbing  a  chandelier 
•  Swinging  on  a  chandelier 
•  Sliding  down  a  banister  

•  Rolling  a  barrel  
•  Running  up  or  down  a  flight  of  stairs 
•  Slapping  or  punching  or  kicking 
•  Insulting  and  taunting  an  enemy 
•  Feint with your blade
•  Play to the gallery
•  Make a brag

Some  actions may  be split  into  two  separate  actions if  you  wish,  eg  picking  up  an  object,  then  throwing  it, or  pushing  over  a  barrel, then  rolling  it.   The  reason for  doing  so  is  to  accumulate  swashbuckling  dice 

3B.  Opposed Actions & Ratings 

An opposed action is one which is directed at an enemy figure, such as throwing a plate, rolling a barrel, punching, kicking, insulting, etc.  In this case, the enemy figure rolls dice equal to its Rating:  

4  Superb: Rochefort & D’Artagnan   

3  Magnificent Three Musketeers  

2  Dashing  Cardinal’s Guards 

1  Good  Other figures

Moore charges over to Vigo's table, grabs a candlestick and hurls it at Fairbanks.

Moore charges at Fairbanks.  He pauses to hurl an insult, but fails his activation.

Branagh moves beside Vigo and fires his pistol at Moore's back, but he had rolled a 1 for the action so loses initiative.

Moore goes down but Flynn gain the activation and kicks a bucket from the tabletop at Fairbanks.  He also rolls 1 losing initiative as quickly as he got it.

Duels are declared as attacks.  Roll your rating dice and any or all swashbuckling dice earned.

Each dice higher than the enemy is a hit.  Two sixes increases to 7, 3 to 8.

5A.  Swashbuckling Hits table   1st  hit      Pushed Back  2nd hit      Stunned  3rd  hit      Dropped Weapon   4th  hit +   Wounded

5B.  Duelling Hits Table   1st  hit      Pushed Back  2nd hit      Wounded  3rd  hit      Dropped Weapon   4th  hit +   Wounded  * Attacker takes hits if he loses.

Three wounds figure drops, unconscious. 

Stunned, and dropped weapon recovery are swashbuckling actions

Duelling Bonuses 

Figures may get bonus dice to their duelling rolls:  Elevation:   +1 dice Each extra friendly figure in contact with enemy:  +1 dice Opponent Weaponless:  +1 dice Impetus:  +1 dice  (see Section 7, Optional Rules) 

When the attacking figure finally duels, both players roll dice.  The duel consists of one round of dice rolls. The attacking figure rolls its accumulated swashbuckling dice plus its Rating dice, plus any bonuses (see Duelling Bonuses).  The defending figure rolls its Rating dice, plus any bonuses.  The results are worked out similarly to opposed swashbuckling actions, ie the highest roll on a single dice wins.  The difference in totals is the number of hits taken by the loser.  Note that the attacker does take hits if it loses

Shooting

Only ever get 1 action dice for an aim.  Roll your rating.  No reloading with these weapons.

Markers 

Markers should be placed beside a figure to indicate setback.  To indicate wounds, simply adjust the base on the figure.  Dropped weapons (swords) Stunned - black disc marker under base.

Branagh moves into contact with two swords Lancaster.  he rolls 1 and loses those three Swashbuckling points.

Lancaster goes all out and drops Branagh in his tracks

Flynn kicks a bottle of Anjou from the tabletop towards Fairbanks.  He loses initiative yet again!

Grainger to the rescue as he leaps onto the table behind Flynn, and promptly rolls a 1 for his swashbuckling move, losing the initiative.  Lots of ones today.

But Flynn's attack on Fairbanks isn't good enough.  Fairbanks steps back.

Grainger takes the initiative again and puts his sword through Flynn's chitterlings.

Lancaster jumps onto Vigo's table and launches an insult at Fairbanks.  Vigo loses his temper!  Lancaster doesn't stand a chance as Vigo draws and cuts him down.  Vigo is a 4 rating swordsman

Fairbanks and Grainger look on aghast as Vigo advances.  They are about to get a lesson in ...And one for all!

Vigo jumps onto the table and throws a bench at Fairbanks.  He earns two Swashbuckler points.

Vigo kicks a roast chicken on a spit into Grainger.  Forcing him back.

Vigo goes after Grainger with a feint.  He now has five Swashbuckler points.

Vigo cuts down Grainger, using his points.  He loses the initiative in the roll.

Flynn, knees knocking, comes at Vigo, but doesn't close.  He tries to up his points with an insult, but loses initiative.

Vigo tips the table over and bounds across it.

No real answer to four sixes.  That counts as a result of 9.  Fairbanks drops down, with two wounds.

And Vigo attacks the prone figure, with that 6 the difference is two and poor old Fairbanks is a goner. The morale of the story, don`t interrupt Vigo's dinner. 

Vigo goes back to his table, surrounded by dead, dying and unconscious men, and resumes his chicken in the basket.

That was an awesome solo game.  The mechanisms are pretty much what I was looking for.  They lack a little of the cut and thrust of En Garde! but the swapping of initiative as you take actions represents the same thing. I suspect that instead of just declaring a figure to be duelling, I could declare a sword cut, or thrust, and a parry if it fails on the dice.  

Overall however I`m pleased with these rules.  Not for everyone I suspect but for a solo (or I suspect even a multiplayer game) they work well.    In 40mm I will of course model the items such as chamber pots, baguettes and chicken on spits, all to add flavour to the game, rather than draw a randomising card as I did here.  

A lot of potential.