Skirmish rules recommendations for Robin Hood

[ian pillay]

Hello,

The title says it all really. I am looking for some recommendations for skirmish rules for playing out Robin Hood type games.

ideally I would like something simple to play with my 6 year old, so they need to be fast, fun and not too complicated or he will loose interest. Something along the lines of Richard Clarke’s Bashing the Bishop would be good.

thanks in advance.

 

Ian

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Patrice]

“Argad!” works well for this if you are ready to organize the game, as a RPG Game master, for your player(s), but not so much on an equal basis between opposite gamers. The translations in English may not be updated enough, but feel free to ask.

http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/

[Mike]

I have played a few My Little Pony skirmish games with my now 8 year old daughter.
One thing I have realised only very recently is that the rules must be simple yes, but most importantly the scenario must appeal to a child mind.

Make it about something they can relate to.
It may seem childish but (that is the point) make it about stealing a birthday cake from the evil Sheriff to give to the peasants.
Make it about trying rob a stage coach full of Christmas presents to redistribute to the poor children.
Make it about freeing St Nicholas from the cells in a daring raid.

These things will be more relevant and meaningful to a young mind I think.

[Gone Fishing]

That’s some very good advice, Mike!

You might give a look at Howard Whitehouse’s Outlaws of Sherwood. They are pretty straightforward, and the combat mechanism whereby fights are resolved by what is essentially rock-scissors-paper should have an immediate appeal to younger gamers. Good rollicking fun all round!

http://www.wargamevault.com/product/125299/Outlaws-of-Sherwood

If this is of interest, I’d highly recommend the special card decks as well.

[ian pillay]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have quickly put together the following whilst sat in the lounge waiting to come home. Nothing original and I am sure I have seen similar before…..

Turn sequence, is as below with each player complete it each phase before moving to the next.
Roll 1D6 to see who goes first for the entire turn. Roll this each new turn.

1. Move phase
2. Shooting phase
3. Combat phase
4. Bottle it phase

Move phase.
Foot move 6″ normal or 8″ running. Cannot shoot if run.
Mounted move 12″

(Crossing a terrain feature or entering a building cost 1/2 move.)

Shooting phase.
Figures that moved normal move can now shoot. The firing figure must shoot at the closes target, unless that target is in cover.

Shooting ranges are as follows:
Thrown weapons, knives, axes, chairs: 4″
Short bow: 12″
Long bow & cross bows: 20″ ( cross bows fire every other turn)

For each figure firing roll 1D6 and a hit is scored on 4+, if firing figure remained stationary, 5+ if firing figure moved this turn, 6+ if target is in cover.

Once hits have been established the target can then roll armour saves.
no armour = dead, remove figure from play.
6+ light armour or shield
5+ light armour and shield
4+ heavy armour
3+ heavy armour and shield

Any fail saves kill off the figure. Remove from them from play.

Combat Phase.

If during the movement phase two opposing models come into base contact with each other, then they fight hand to hand.

Each figure rolls 1D6 and adds weapon / combat factor. The highest result is the winner. The looser is killed and removed from play.
-1 levy / peasant
+2 lord / leader
+2 heavy armour and shield
+1 shield only
+1 if attacking with spear or pole arm

Bottle it Phase.

Roll 2D6 and add the total number of figures lost this turn. If the result is greater than the figures remaining. Remove one additional figure.
If you loose you lord you loose the game.
If you have no figures left you loose the game.

 

Very rough and ready but should give a simple fun game whilst stealing the naughty Sheriffs favourite cakes… 😁

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Mike]

Do you not feel that is too much in the way of rules?
Clearly you know your son, but I have seen rules aimed at adults with less detail.

Genuine question..

[ian pillay]

Mike, you might be correct. I might dumb it down some what… I guess at the end of the day he just wants to play with daddy’s toy soldiers and like rolling dice 😁 If I can tailor it to those factors I will be on a winner 👍

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Mike Headden]

If it’s Robin Hood then armour and weaponry is not the important factor but rather narrative significance.

A wicked minion with chainmail, sword and shield is as easy to take out as a plucky peasant with a leather jerkin and club.

Heroes in a linen shirt can go toe-to-toe with boss baddies in partial plate, no problem.

Longbows have an accuracy, rate of fire and penetration that puts the M102 sniper rifle in the shade.

If you are a cute kid, terrified but plucky you have the life expectancy of a snowball in an oven.

In fantasy, as in historical gaming, source material is everything 🙂

As to rules, GWs Lord of the Rings rule-set works quite well for Robin Hood type games. Might need to be simplified depending on age of children involved.

I’ve run a game for 8 upper primary school age boys for a child’s birthday party using 54mm scale figures and the GW rules. The cardboard treasure chest full of chocolate coins and midget gems “jewels” they captured at the end of the game certainly helped incentivize the two kids not immediately taken with the idea of a wargame for a birthday party activity 🙂

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[ian pillay]

Mike Headden,

What a great idea, playing for edible treats! That’s going to be a sure winner within my little boy. Great suggestion, thank you so much for that one!

Best regards.

 

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Mike]

Oh  and let him be the good guys!

[Author]

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