A Wargamer in Cyprus: Five leagues from the Borderlands- first look

I took notice of Five Leagues from the borderlands when it was published last year. Written as a solo campaign game it ticks a few boxes. I`m generally not that keen on Elves or magic, but a Medieval solo campaign game at the "Warband" level has some appeal.

My intention is to run through a few practice games to see if they work for me. My fictional borderland of Kelshire seems to be in the Welsh Marches, with raids across the border. far more of an issue than rumours of "Monsters."

My game will be in War band mode. This is the default way to play. No adjustments are provided. Instead, use all game rules as they are provided in the book.

4 types of character

Heroes = the war band starts with 4

The Avatar = a stand-in for you as a player.

Followers = Assorted hired hands, henchmen and minions.

Hangers = yokels, gutter rabble, prison in-mates

Enemies = Enemies are always controlled by the game system and have specific rules they obey for movement and combat.

Abilities

*Agility *Speed *Combat Skill *Toughness

THE GAME TURN

Four Phases with each figure acting only in a single Phase. *Quick actions

*Normal actions (enemy)

*Slow actions

*Monster actions

When you begin the turn, roll a number of D6 equal to the number of characters controlled by the human player. Compare the dice to the highest Agility score of any of your characters and remove any dice that rolled over that value. Each of the remaining dice can now be assigned to one of your characters, provided the die is equal or below the Agility of the character in question.

Any character assigned a die will act in the Quick action Phase. Any character not assigned a valid die will act in the Slow action Phase.

All Enemies will act in the Normal action.

Undead or Monsters in which case they act in the Monster Phase. Once every figure on both sides have acted, the turn ends.

Movement

Figures have a movement allowance equal to their Speed in tabletop inches. 1 inch = 2 cm for my 15mm figures.

Difficult terrain, each inch moved consumes two inches of your movement allowance.

Figures can never move through another figure at any time, unless a rule or ability explicitly permits it.

Opening a door costs 1” of movement.

Climbing through a window or opening costs 2”.

Characters with the DEFT Skill pay no cost to open doors and 1” for openings.

Armor and mobility A character wearing No Armor may raise their Speed by +1”.

Moving and shooting Characters intending to make any ranged attack cannot move above HALF their movement Speed. Characters intending to shoot a Crossbow must remain stationary.

Dash A character that does not intend to perform any other Action may opt to Dash instead, adding 2” to their total movement. Characters with the DEFT Skill may Dash 3” extra instead.

Characters wearing No/Light/Militia Armor may Dash an additional inch.

Characters wearing Full Armor+Shield or wearing Knights Armor cannot Dash.

Enemies will Dash only to reach cover or if advancing directly on a visible enemy.

Undead and Monster Enemies cannot use the Dash option.

Proximity If a figure moves within 1” of an opposing figure, they engage in Melee combat. Resolve the combat immediately. Figures within 2” of opposition can only move to engage, unless they are going to Break Off. Figures that Dash are assumed to have their guard down and cannot enter Melee.

Programmed Enemy Movement

Melee figures

Any Enemy equipped only for Melee will advance on the nearest opponents to them, attempting to take advantage of cover as they do so. They will try to close the distance by at least half their base Speed each turn.

If remaining in cover from missile fire would prevent this from happening (or they are facing no opposition with missile weapons) they will move at full pace by the shortest route possible.

Archer figures

Archers will try to move to a position of cover where they can shoot at the opposition. They will only advance if they must do so to keep targets within range and sight, and will do so to the least extent required to re-establish a good shot. Archers will not leave cover if that would put them in sight of enemy archers. Archers will not willingly move into a position that would prevent them from shooting, such as a water terrain feature.

A worthy opponent.

If given a choice during the turn, an opposing leader will always opt to attack a Hero over a Follower.

Monster and the Undead The horrors of the night will ignore any tactical concerns and simply advance as quickly as possible towards the closest opponent to them. Note that this may be a figure they cannot see at the beginning of the move.

Combat basics

Missile combat requires a die roll to hit the target.

Melee combat is a series of 3 “exchanges” each of which is an opposed roll between the two combatants.

If a character is struck a roll is made to see if their Armor is penetrated. If it does not, a Harm roll is made to see if they are Wounded or they become a casualty.

Missile combat

Select the target.

Range for Self Bows and Crossbows is 18”.

Range for Longbows is 24”

Add +3” for Finely Fletched Arrows or bolts.

Range for Throwing Knives and Pistols is 9”.

To hit the target, roll a D6 and try to score the target number or higher:

Within 6” and in the open 3+

Within weapon range and in the open 5+

Within weapon range and concealed or behind cover 6+

If target has DODGE Skill regardless of other factors 6×

If the shooter is stationary, add the Combat Skill of the shooter to the roll.

A natural roll of a 1 is always considered a miss.

Melee combat

Melee combat takes place as a series of Exchanges, as the combatants try to get the upper hand. When two characters enter into Melee range of each other (1” distance) the character initiating the combat is the Attacker: That character will strike first in the opening exchange.

Character Base profile

Agility 1, Speed 4, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 3

Big William

Agility 1, Speed 5, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 5, Will 1

Fine weapon, 2 skills, Tactics, crafter = Blacksmith.

Unusual Background

5 Huge guy A hulking brute. Not considered the brightest. +1 Toughness. Cannot Dash. Cannot ever increase Speed. Can only wear armor purchased specifically for them. The character is the bastard son of the Earl, one of many, who has been sent out to "prove" himself.

Sgt Tyler - Agility 1, Speed 4, Combat Skill 1, Toughness 4 Luck +1, Tracking

Fine Sword, Shield

Geoffrey - Agility 1, Speed 5, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 3

Longbow, knife Leather jack

Brother Thomas - Agility 1, Speed 4, Combat Skill 0, Toughness Library - he can read so I am promoting him to runaway monk. Cudgel and sword

Crispin - Agility 1, Speed 5, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 3 Shortbow and dagger Former soldier

Perkin - Agility 2, Speed 4, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 3, Shortbow and knife, Stout Yeoman

Hal - Agility 1, Speed 4, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 3 Spear Deranged Wretch

Baker - Agility 1, Speed 4, Combat Skill 0, Toughness 3 Spear Militia man

Month	Old English	Old High German
January	Æfterra Gēola "After Yule", or "Second Yule"	Wintar-mánód
February	Sol-mōnaþ 'mud month,' Bede: "the month of cakes, which they offered in it to their gods."	Hornung
March	Hrēþ-mōnaþ "Month of the Goddess Hrēþ" or "Month of Wildness"[	Lenzin-mānod"spring month"
April	Easter-mōnaþ "Easter Month", "Month of the Goddess Ēostre"	Ōstar-mnod "Easter month"
May	Þrimilce-mōnaþ "Month of Three Milkings"	Winni-mánód "pasture month"
June	Ærra Līþa "Before Midsummer", or "First Summer" Þrilīþa "Third (Mid)summer" (leap month)	Brāh-mānod
July	Æftera Līþa "After Midsummer", "Second Summer"	Hewi-mānod "hay(making) month"
August	Weod-mōnaþ "Weed month"	Aran-mānod "harvest month"
September	Hālig-mōnaþ "Holy Month"	Witu-mānod "wood month"
October	Winterfylleth "Winter full moon", according to Bede "because winter began on the first full moon of that month"	Wīndume-mānod "vintage month"
November	Blōt-mōnaþ "Blót Month", "Month of Sacrifice"	Herbist-mānod "autumn month"
December	Ærra Gēola "Before Yule", or "First Yule"	Hailag-mānod "holy month"

The Narrative of Brother Thomas

3rd day of Easter Month, Year of The King's Sorrows.

"We took the road to Caxton, crossing the River Mere and heading up the North Road. Our first encounter in Kelshire was with a travelling Pilgrim, on his way to the Abbey of the Hundred, or so he claimed. I suspected he was a Clwyd tribesman of some sort, come across the Conwy, and in truth he seemed hostile. Later that afternoon, on the road we were attacked by Bidowers, light raiders from across the border. They were lead by a mailed warrior who shouted in their barbaric language.