Invitations are sent by messengers to all vassals of the King about two tendays prior to the event. This is merely a formality, since the tournament is famous throughout Kaldor.
Entry to the tournament costs the participants silver according to their rank:
Earls: 20 shillings (240d, or £1) Barons: 10s Landed knights: 4s Landless knights: 2sCommoners may participate in general events for free, except for the Archery Contest, where a nominal fee of 1d is charged. The fees are collected by two clerks of the Exchequer, assisted by two knights from the Royal High Guard.
Required to be present at the tournament are the following: the King of Kaldor (the Host); heralds (official announcers for the events); and Marshals of the List (heralds chosen to act as judges, arbiters and overseers of the events).
The main events at the tournament (open only to gentlefolk) are the Joust and the Grand Melee. Knights normally expect to participate in both events. Other events are the Archery Contest, wrestling, log-hurling, the Quintain, and the Ring; all of these except the Ring are open to common folk.
Knights from as far away as Chybisa often travel to the tourney to test their skill at arms. The usual number of participants ranges from 250 to 500 knights, although numbers have occasionally swelled to 1,000 in the past.
Not all knights present participate, of course. Most of the King's Royal High Guard are involved in organising security, for example.
All participants are expected to provide their own horse, armour, blunted lances (at least three), a rebated sword and another chivalric weapon. Otherwise, they will not be permitted to enter the main events.
Before the competition begins the noble participants are inspected to make sure that they qualify. Also prior to the tourney, participants engage in activities aimed at obtaining a lady's support for the main events.
Banners of participants are hung from battlements and windows so that the viewers can check to see who is participating.
If necessary, a participant of the Joust or Grand Melee must prove beyond reasonable doubt that he is a knight. No commoner may ever participate in the main events.
Any knight who is any of the following is refused entrance to the tournament, and is turned away (or more likely attacked):
Most knights stay in their pavilion tents, which are erected in the Ostler's Common, although some are fortunate enough to stay at the local inns (The Standing Bear and The Kald and Castle, but not The Amber Inn), and others are invited to stay in Caer Olokand (depending on their status). Knights sleep little the night before the events, praying to Larani, attending to their harness and equipment, and rolling their mail hauberks in barrels of sand to polish them.
The bare-headed participants, in their gleaming mail armour and bright-coloured surcoats, riding their powerful steeds, complete their procession by gathering before the King's balcony in the North Common to receive a sermon from the Serekela (Laranian Archbishop) of Kaldor.
Following the sermon (which mostly deals with the principle of the chivalric code), the participants swear to obey the rules of tournament, and shout a quick prayer to Larani for glory and honour, then ride off to prepare for the first event - the Joust.
The knights charge from opposite ends of a Jousting Run. Because they must gallop their horses, the Run tends to be quite lengthy (about 100 yards). On the final part of the Run, as the blindfolded horses thunder closer together, each knight (ideally) swings his lance to the left, aiming for the opponent's shield, the top of his helm, or his throat. If he strikes and unseats his opponent, he wins the contest.
If neither knight is eliminated in the first pass, they may try again, with fresh lances if the first ones have broken (jousting lances are designed to break easily). If a knight breaks three lances and the opponent remains seated, or if both knights are unhorsed, the matter is settled with chivalric weapons (usually maces) on foot. The winner is the first man to knock the other to the ground. This foot combat can be very dangerous, as the weapons used are not rebated.
A knight may withdraw from the contest by removing his helm. This signifies a wish to end the Joust. It is not considered cowardly if he does so because he is seriously injured.
A knight who defeats an opponent in the Joust remains in the competition, and goes on to meet another opponent. This continues until no more opponents are left, in which case he gains the title Champion of the Joust, and wins a prize (a brooch worth about 600d).
Requirements for this contest are: a horse; at least three jousting lances; a chivalric weapon for foot combat; a knight or kite shield and surcoat bearing the participant's coat of arms; and armour (preferably with a great helm; the usual -5 Special Penalty is negated in a joust). Many participants wear a metal collar to protect the neck. The lances must be inspected by the judges, to ensure that they are blunted and hollow (maximum WQ = 10).
A Joust is resolved in game terms by one knight Attacking and the other Counterstriking with the lance. Shields are not normally used to actively Block, but are instead held in position to give passive defence to the left Sh Ua El Fo Ha Tx Ab Hp (Knight Shields), or the left Sh Ua El Fo Ha Tx Ab Hp Th (Kite Shields). Note that the right side of the Thorax and Abdomen are not protected by the shield. The shield's AP is equal to its WQ.
The total of the knight's (Initiative Rating - Physical Penalty) + (Horse's Initiative Rating - Horse's Physical Penalty) + Riding SI + Lance SI is used to determine who Attacks and who Counterstrikes. The horse's Physical Penalty is equal to the mass (in pounds) of rider and equipment beyond its maximum load (220 lbs for a riding horse, 300 lbs for a war-horse), divided by half its Endurance (typically 8). Whoever has the highest total Initiative is the Attacker.
For example: Sir Ulrich, Chybisa's finest knight, is about to joust an opponent. His personal Initiative Rating is 102, and his current Physical Penalty is 20, including minor injuries. His steed's Initiative Rating is 43, and it is carrying nothing over its maximum load of 300 lbs, so its current Initiative is 43. Sir Ulrich's effective Initiative is therefore (82+43=) 125. His total Initiative is 125 plus 9 for his Riding Skill Index (his Riding ML is 97), and 10 for Lance SI (his Lance ML is 102), for a total of 144. (A typical knight would only rate between 110 and 125.) Sir Ulrich would be very hard-pressed to lose the initiative in a Joust.
At the moment the two jousters are about to clash, weapon skill rolls are made. However, the Jousting EML is dependent on riding skill as well as lancing skill. Therefore, the Attack and Counterstrike EMLs are equal to the average of Riding EML and Lance EML. (It is recommended that the average of Riding EML and weapon skill always be used for mounted combat.)
For example: Sir Ulrich has a Riding Mastery Level of 97, reduced by 10 (half his Physical Penalty), to give an Effective Mastery Level of 87. His Lance ML is 102, reduced by 20 (weapon skills suffer the full Physical Penalty), to give an EML of 82. The average of the two EMLs rounds off to 85, and this is his Jousting EML. He must roll 85 or less on 1d100 to successfully strike his opponent.
If a successful strike occurs, the lance must make a 3d6 Weapon Damage Check. In addition, the knight must make a 2d6 Fumble Roll if the lance breaks or if the opponent is unhorsed, 3d6 if otherwise - failure results in the lance being dropped.
(Optional): If a lance shatters, there is a small chance that the splinters may cause injury. Historically, more than one knight has been killed by a large splinter of wood from his opponent's lance entering his vision slit. To simulate this, if the Weapon Damage Check of the opponent's lance rolls 16, 17 or 18, a potentially lethal shard of wood flies at the knight's head. Roll on the Head Aiming Zone table to determine the location struck. The splinter will inflict 2d6 Point Impact (Note: Great helms do not protect the eyes from Point Impact).
If a strike is achieved, the chance of striking the left side of the opponent's body is 75% instead of 50%, because of the angle of attack. If the attacker sacrifices 5 points from Jousting EML, the chance to hit the left side becomes automatic. (If 10 points are put into attacking the right side instead, the chance to hit the right side increases from 25% to 75%.) However, there have been instances of riders charging to the right of their opponents, in which case the chance of striking the left or right side of the body is reversed.
(Optional): The attacker may make Called Shots by sacrificing points off his Jousting EML to increase the chance of striking a particular location, such as the neck. For each point sacrificed, the strike location roll is adjusted by one point so as to be closer to the intended location. The strike location roll is adjusted by exactly the points sacrificed; less than this value may only be applied if less is required to hit the desired location. When aiming specifically for the Sk Ey Fa Nk or Sh locations, a Head Aiming Zone penalty (-10 EML) must first be applied.
If a strike is achieved, the Strike Impact is generated. This equals the base Blunt Impact of the lance (between 3 and 5) plus a 1d6 (A*1), 2d6 (A*2), 3d6 (A*3), or 4d6 (A*4) roll, depending on the level of success obtained. Because the knight is charging, add an extra 1d6 Impact to the total. Note that if the lance strikes the shield and the Impact exceeds the shield's AP (which equals its WQ), reduce the shield's WQ by 1 and make a 2d6 Weapon Damage Check for it.
There are two minor modifications to the standard Melee Attack Table, as described below:
1. If the Attacker achieves CF and the Counterstriker attains MF, instead of an AF4 result, the two riders narrowly miss each other and accidentally collide with their knees - Blunt Impact to each knight's left knee is 1+2d6.
2. If both riders achieve CF, then instead of a BF3 result, the blindfolded horses crash into each other, with each horse suffering 6+2d6 Blunt Impact to a random location (use the Head Aiming Zone), and the riders probably being thrown (see Knockback, below).
Knockback can occur whenever the lance's total Impact to the upper body locations (Ab and above) exceeds the target's Effective Strength, or if the horses collide. Effective Strength is equal to the knight's Strength attribute, less his Endurance Index. Reduce the effective Strength by 1d6 if the target is struck on the head or neck (Sk Ey Fa Nk), or if his shield breaks. The effect of knockback is that the knight must make a Riding EML roll:
CS: Rider makes a 3d6 Stumble roll or is
unhorsed.
MS: Rider makes a 4d6 Stumble roll or is
unhorsed.
MF: Rider makes a 5d6 Stumble roll or is
unhorsed.
CF: Rider is automatically unhorsed.
The Stumble roll is adjusted by +2 in the rider's favour if
he is in a war-saddle. An unhorsed knight suffers Blunt Impact to 1d3
random body locations: 5d6 Impact to the first location, (5d6)/2 to
the second location, and (5d6)/4 to the third location (round
fractions down). Armour provides only limited protection from a fall:
every 6 points of Armour Protection will reduce the base Impact by one
die (e.g. from 5d6 to 4d6). Total Impact can also be modified by a
second roll against Riding EML (CS: -7; MS: -3;
MF: +0; CF: +3). Below is an assortment of specialised equipment that has been developed for the Joust:
WEAPON GROUP WT WQ A/D B E P PRICE Jousting Spear 8 8 5/1 4 - - 60d Lance
ARMOUR MATERIAL WGT CST COVERAGE Throat Collar Plate 1.5 50d Nk
ARMOUR MATERIAL WGT CST COVERAGE "Barber" Inf. Plate 2.6 125d Fa Nk Plate
A wealthy knight (Heavy Horse, GAC/3) is typically equipped with the following for a Joust:
Of course, most knights-bachelor and many manorial lords are unable to afford such fine armour. For them, the hauberk and aketon are typically half-sleeved, and instead of mail chausses they would probably wear leather leggings (66.5 lbs, £6 10s [1,560d], GAC/2). Accessories such as the ailettes, throat collar and "Barber" plate would be foregone. They would possess only 10 or 12 jousting lances, the war-horse would lack a caparison, the saddle might only be a riding saddle, and the tent would be modest and small. Only one squire or varlet might be in attendance.
Poor knights generally cannot even afford a great helm, three or more jousting lances and a war-horse (at least £4 in themselves), and so do not participate in the Joust, instead saving themselves for the Grand Melee on the 16th.
Example of a Joust: Sir Ulrich is jousting against his adversary, Baron Uthris Pierstel, Constable of Tonot keep. His total Initiative is 144, compared to the baron's 139. Sir Ulrich will Attack, and Baron Pierstel will Counterstrike.
The two armoured knights spur their war-horses into a charge from opposite ends of the Jousting Run, barely hearing the cheering spectators, the blaring trumpets or their varlets shouting their war-cries. The caparisoned, heavy horses thunder across the great distance of the North Common, harnesses clinking, their iron-shod hooves churning up moist grass and soil as they gallop closer to each other. Through the slits of his iron great helm, Sir Ulrich sees that the baron is riding close to his saddle as if glued to it, rather than bouncing in the air as the more inexperienced knights tend to do - a sign of a competent jouster. Guiding his steed so that his opponent is to the left of him, Sir Ulrich steadily swings his lance to the left as his opponent mirrors him. He tilts the point upwards slightly, aiming for the top of the baron's helm, ignoring the terrifying speed as the two opponents seem to accelerate towards each other. The baron also appears to be aiming for Sir Ulrich's helm, and the angle makes it difficult to gauge the true length of his weapon. Sir Ulrich can only hear the distant roar of blood surging through his ears as he tenses for that imminent, climactic clash.
Sir Ulrich's Jousting EML is 85, whereas the baron's is 79. Because both were aiming for each other's skulls, their skills are reduced by at least 10 (Head Aiming Zone). Sir Ulrich sacrificed 10 points to aim for the skull, and Baron Pierstel put 5 points into aiming for that location. Both knights achieve Marginal Success in their skill rolls (65 vs. 64), resulting in a B*1 strike. Both riders will inflict their base Blunt Impact of 5, plus 1d6 for the strike, and 1d6 for the charge (7 to 17 range). Sir Ulrich strikes location 20 - the eye - but this is adjusted down to 16, so that the skull is hit instead (a waste of 6 points). Baron Pierstel hits location 68 - the shoulder - reduced by 5 points, which is still the shoulder (the left shoulder, in fact, as a 1d100 roll reveals, so the lance strikes Sir Ulrich's knight shield instead).
Everything seems to slow down. Sir Ulrich's blunted lance-tip strikes the baron squarely on his armoured forehead with a resounding clang. Just before impact, Baron Pierstel's lance is forced downwards by the momentum of his charge and crashes into the top of Sir Ulrich's bright-coloured knight shield, missing his helm...
Both lances must make 3d6 Weapon Damage Checks. Sir Ulrich's lance has WQ 8, and the baron's lance has WQ 9. Sir Ulrich's lance shatters, but the baron's remains intact. Impact dice are rolled: Sir Ulrich inflicts 14 Blunt Impact, and the baron achieves 12 Impact. Because Sir Ulrich's strike was to the head, Baron Pierstel's effective Strength is reduced to 12 - knockback! Fortunately for the baron, however, he has 16 AP in the skull, so he escapes injury for the moment. Meanwhile, the impact of the baron's lance fails to penetrate Sir Ulrich's shield (which has a WQ/AP of 15), and glances off. In addition, the baron fails his 3d6 Fumble roll and drops his lance.
Sir Ulrich's lance bends and suddenly breaks into two great splintery pieces as the coronel drives back the baron's head. Baron Pierstel's lance glances off Sir Ulrich's shield and the quivering shaft flies out of his grip. As the two riders pass, the Constable of Tonot leans dangerously backward in his saddle, overwhelmed by the force of the blow...
Baron Pierstel has a Riding EML of 80, and he achieves MS. He must make a 4d6 Stumble roll or be thrown from his saddle. He gains a +2 bonus to his effective Agility because he is seated in a fine war-saddle (as opposed to a simple riding saddle). However, he fails. He falls from his horse, and lands on two locations: the right shoulder and right hip. He will effectively suffer 11 Blunt Impact to his shoulder (1d10 Injury Points) and 5 Impact to his hip (another 1d10 IPs), adjusted by -3 because he Marginally Succeeded a second Riding EML roll.
Baron Pierstel falls back to the right of his charger, and the spectators gasp as he is unseated! He lands heavily on his side, tumbling. Time seems to resume its normal pace. Sir Ulrich rides on, victorious, slowing his steed to a canter as he glances back to see his fallen opponent and his attendants rushing to his aid. Yet he does not smile, for there are still more adversaries to face before the contest is over.
The contest involves shooting a target 3 times at 3 different ranges. The target is a 2-foot diameter circle of coiled straw rope stitched together and covered with thin leather bearing painted rings. The target is raised and tilted by a wooden tripod, so that the centre - the Bullseye - is about four feet above the ground. There are three concentric rings painted on the target, known as the Outer Ring (the diameter of which equals that of the target), the Inner Ring, and the Bullseye. An arrow that hits within the Outer Ring scores 1 point; one that hits within the Inner Ring scores 3 points, and hitting the Bullseye scores 9 points. The archer with the highest aggregate score at the end of all nine arrows is the winner of a prize (a brooch valued at about 300d); ties must be broken by another round of nine arrows.
The target is placed on the North Common first at 100 yards (60 5-foot hexes), then 50 yards (30 hexes), and finally at 20 yards (12 hexes). No more than 3 arrows may be used per target for each of the three ranges. Because of the number of participants, several targets (perhaps 20) are lined up on the Common (about 10 feet apart).
Environmental factors that affect the archer's Longbow skill are range and the wind. See below for a list of EML modifiers:
Type of Bow
Factors Light Medium Heavy
Range 100 yards -20 EML -15 EML -10 EML
Range 50 yards +0 EML +0 EML +0 EML
Range 20 yards +5 EML +5 EML +5 EML
Windforce = 1 -5 EML -5 EML -5 EML
The target's 1d100 Hit Location Table is:
01-03 Bullseye! (9 points
scored)
04-25 Inner Ring (3 points
scored)
26-00 Outer Ring (1 point
scored)
Each archer is assumed to be ignoring everything else and taking
careful aim of the target. To simulate this, each archer receives an
Aiming Bonus equal to the lower of his
Strength and Dexterity. That is, if the archer had a Strength of 15
and a Dexterity of 14, he would receive a +14 EML Aiming Bonus to his
Longbow EML. In addition to this, an archer may make a Called Shot to increase his chance of hitting the Bullseye. To perform a Called Shot, the archer must succeed in a Spotting Roll to gain a bonus (see below), followed by the Longbow EML roll. Note that Called Shots never actually affect the archer's Longbow EML roll.
The Spotting Roll is a 1d100 roll against a multiple of the archer's Eyesight attribute (assume that the average archer has an Eyesight of 12). The multiple is determined by the distance to the Bullseye:
Range to Eyesight Target Multiple 100 yards x1 50 yards x2 20 yards x4All EML modifiers for physical penalty and special bonus/penalty affect the Spotting Roll. The maximum effective Spotting Roll is 95, and the minimum is 5. If the EML modifiers bring the chance to less than 5, a Called Shot is not permitted.
* If the Spotting Roll succeeds, a modifier equal to the archer's Effective Skill Index (one tenth EML, rounded down) with Marginal Success, or 3 x ESI with Critical Success, is subtracted from the Hit Location roll, to bring the arrow closer to the Bullseye (assuming the arrow hits the target). For example, a Called Shot succeeds, and the archer is allowed to reduce his Hit Location roll by 8 points (his Effective Skill Index). He rolls 11 on 1d100, which normally means that the Inner Ring will be hit, but this is reduced by 8 to 3, so the Bullseye is struck instead.
* If the Spotting Roll fails, there is either no modifier to the Hit Location roll (Marginal Failure), or a 2 x ESI adjustment is added to the Hit Location roll (Critical Failure), to take the arrow further from the Bullseye - assuming the arrow even hits the target, of course. For example, a Called Shot succeeds with a Critical Failure on the Spotting Roll, so the archer must increase his Hit Location roll by 16 points (twice his ESI). He rolls a 20 on 1d100, which normally means that the Inner Ring will be hit, but this is increased by 16 to 36, so the Outer Ring is struck instead.
It should be apparent that a Critical Success on the Longbow EML roll does not confer any special bonuses (although a CS to the exact same location as another arrow should split that arrow!). Likewise, a failed shot is simply a miss. However, if 96-00 is rolled, then the bow must make a Weapon Damage check on 3d6 (the average Longbow has a WQ of 11), with failure causing the bowstring to snap.
Each team officially has a Team Commander (typically the highest-ranking knight), who declares his team's tactics and strategy after conferring with the other earls and barons on his side. The Team Commander is also responsible for deciding who should be named Grand Champion of the Melee.
The Melee takes place between Lists, which are roped refuges set up at either end of the North Common, dotted about with further areas designated for recuperation. The Lists also have containment areas to hold captured knights.
The two teams assemble opposite each other, organised into units, and await their Commander's signal. Once it is given, the Melee begins, and the units begin to move and countermove to give themselves the best advantage. The excitement heightens when massed units of cavalry clash with each other, attacking with blunt whalebone broadswords (3 lbs, WQ 13, A/D 3/2, 3b, 100d). As the day wears on, the fighting becomes more chaotic and indecisive as units are broken and new ones formed, and the trickle of captured and wounded knights coming off the field becomes a steady stream. The fighting continues until the horns are blown at dusk.
Meanwhile, squires ride about with fresh horses and swords for their knights, and to administer first aid or lead off prisoners captured by their lords. Knots of reserve knights wait patiently for their opportunity, sipping wine and critically observing the battle. Leaders hold conferences to decide where their reserves should be sent.
Marshals of the Lists ride about the field in heraldic garb shouting announcements and judgments, and separating combatants whose passions overcome their chivalry. The Marshals' decisions are final. Sometimes, as the Melee rages and boils, the sight of the Marshals is the only evidence that the Melee is only a mock battle.
There are several rules that must be adhered to during the Melee:
Prisoners are taken off-field and placed in a team prison compound (a fenced area) where they are guarded by a Marshal until the end of the Melee. It is considered unchivalrous for a captured knight to escape from the compound.
The trading of captured knights between the teams is very common. One earl or wealthy baron is worth three knights, and barons and wealthy manorial lords are worth two knights each.
Ransoms are lighter than those in war, but they are still taken quite seriously. The ransom is usually one war-horse, perhaps with a riding mount and a baggage mount or two, or the defeated party's favourite weapon and armour, depending on the prisoner's wealth. Sometimes, the ransom is paid in equivalent silver, ranging from £2 (480d) to £10 (2,400d).
The Grand Melee can be resolved in game terms (based on TACTICA medieval wargaming system, copyright A. Conliffe & E. Regendahl, 1992) as follows:
In the next turn, the player who won last turn must roll 1d6-2 (any ties are re-rolled with the penalty). If he/she wins the initiative again, in the next turn his/her initiative is determined on 1d6-4. If he/she wins yet again, he/she automatically loses the initiative in the next turn.
For this battle system, a turn is approximately 15 minutes. Therefore, there are 32 turns (8 hours) before the Grand Melee ends.
A unit may change its direction by Wheeling. To Wheel, a unit must move one hex to the right or left of its original facing, thereby changing its facing by 60° (see picture to the right). The unit may then continue in this new path for the remainder of its movement (up to 3 hexes for HH, 4 for MH). Only one Wheel per turn, per unit is permitted, and it must be performed prior to other movement.
Once units are deployed against the enemy, it is extremely difficult to exercise precise control over them. This is particularly true for the Grand Melee, where proud and headstrong knights generally lack both discipline and a flexible command control system. To simulate this, all units are subject to Obligatory Movement once they begin to move. In subsequent turns, each unit must move at least 1 hex unless engaged with an enemy unit or its path is blocked by other friendly units (but as soon as the path is clear, the unit is obliged to move again).
All movement must stop once the unit moves adjacent to an enemy unit (i.e. it moves into Melee contact). That unit may not move again until the enemy unit is Broken and removed from the field.
When opposing units move into contact with one another, a Melee occurs. While in Melee contact, units may not move at all - this rule applies from the moment a unit moves adjacent to an opposing unit, until the turn the Melee is resolved. Melees between units are resolved when one team's unit is Broken in a given Melee Area, leaving its opposing unit victorious (unless it too was Broken). Because the knights are well-armoured and are wielding relatively ineffective weapons, it may take several turns to resolve a Melee.
A unit is Broken when it suffers enough Casualties to equal its Breakpoint (75% of Troop Strength, or the number of mani within the unit). As soon as this happens, the unit is removed from the battlefield.
Melee is simultaneously adjudicated by both players for every Melee Area in which their units are permitted to fight. That is, both players may roll Melee Dice for their units and apply any Casualties simultaneously. When units suffer Casualties, its Troop Strength is not actually reduced; instead, a record is made of the number of Casualties, and when this tally equals three-quarters of Troop Strength, the unit is Broken and eliminated.
All Melees must be adjudicated in a specific order determined by the Melee Direction. On every turn in which units are in Melee, players determine (by rolling dice) from what direction, West or East, that Melees are to be fought. This is important for reasons given later.
There are two types of Melees which may occur: Frontal Melees, and Flank/Rear Melees. See below:
Each unit is awarded Melee Dice to inflict Casualties on the enemy unit. The number of Melee Dice in a unit is equal to half the Troop Strength (round up). Therefore, a unit with a Troop Strength of 8 mani will have 4 Melee Dice to fight with. One Melee Die is equal to 1d6.
Melee Dice are divided evenly against all target units, if engaged by more than one. This is regardless of the Troop Strength of the enemy units. An odd die may be applied against any target. Therefore, a single unit with 14 Melee Dice that is opposed by two enemy units will roll 7 dice against each; if opposed by three enemy units, it will roll 5 dice against two of them, and 4 dice against the third.
Note that Melee Dice is not reduced by Casualties. The entire unit remains on the battlefield, fighting at full strength, until it is Broken.
The fighting quality of a unit is determined by several factors. Completeness of armour, weapon handling and training are all important considerations. These qualities are collectively simulated by the Fighting Value (FV). Every unit has an FV assigned to it which determines its effectiveness in Melee.
Heavy Horse units have an FV of 6, and Medium Horse units have a 5-6 FV. When Melee Dice are rolled against a unit, a Casualty is registered each time a die is equal to or higher than the FV of the target unit. The higher the FV of the unit, therefore, the fewer Casualties it should receive in the Melee.
Flank/Rear Melees are always resolved before Frontal Melees.
Target units which are hit in the Flank or Rear lose all their Melee Dice against all opponents until the Melee is resolved (as long as that may take). If the target unit survives (because the Flanking unit was eliminated by another friendly unit), it immediately regains normal Melee functions.
A unit which executes a Flank or Rear attack receives triple its Melee Dice against the outflanked unit! Therefore, if a unit with 18 Melee Dice makes a Flank attack against an enemy unit, it is awarded 54 Melee Dice - surely enough to crush the enemy!
A unit which executes a Flank attack, but is itself subsequently Flanked, loses all Melee Dice until rescued.
Where only one unit is opposed by one enemy unit, such Melee contacts produce only a single Melee Area.
Whenever a single unit is opposed by two or more enemy units, however, the result is a Multiple Melee Area. Since these Melees require units to divide their Melee Dice evenly against all opponents, units may apply only the appropriate portion of the total number of Melee Dice to which they are entitled.
The Melee Direction is from West to East, but Flank attacks have priority. Therefore, the first Melee Area is between units C and 3. Unit 3 receives triple its Melee Dice against unit C, and unit C loses all its Melee Dice. Dice are rolled and the battle is resolved; unit C is unable to withstand the flanking maneuver and is Broken. Therefore, unit C is removed from the field.
We now move to the second Melee Area, which is between units A and 1. Unit 1 is engaged with only one opposing unit, so it is awarded full Melee Dice. Unit A, however, is in Melee contact with unit 2 as well, so its Melee Dice are halved. Combat is resolved immediately, and Casualties are inflicted on both sides. However, neither unit Breaks.
The third Melee Area is between units A and 2. Unit A is fighting unit 1 as well, so its Melee Dice are halved. Unit 2 is also engaged with unit B, so its Melee Dice are halved, too. (Had unit C not been Broken by unit 3, unit 2 would be fighting three opponents, so its Melee Dice would then be divided by three for each opponent.) Melee is resolved, with neither side Breaking.
The fourth and final Melee Area is between units B and 2. Unit B receives full Melee Dice but unit 2 fights at half. The battle is resolved and unit 2 is Broken and removed.
At the end of the turn, units A, B and 3 are entitled to Breakthrough Movement. Unit A is still in Melee contact with unit 1, and so may not move. Unit B may not move either, because by advancing or Wheeling it will be brought into Melee contact with an enemy unit. Unit 3 is allowed to Wheel to its left, but doing so would leave its flank exposed to unit B in the next turn, so it too remains where it is.
At the end of the day, each knight will have received 2d6-2 wounds, plus 1d6 wounds per Broken unit in which he was a member. Roll 1d6 for each wound to determine severity: on 1-5, it is a minor bruise (1d10 Injury Points), but on a 6 it is a serious bruise or broken bone (1d10+10 IPs). Injuries are to random body locations, although half the time locations are determined on the Head Aiming Zone instead of the Body Aiming Zone. Armour protects against the IPs; subtract the location's Blunt AP value from the Injury Points rolled. If the knight was captured, at least one of the injuries sustained must have been capable of rendering him unconscious.
To determine if a Player Character is voted Grand Champion of the Melee, roll 1d100 against the average of Broadsword EML and Riding EML (do not include injuries in the EML calculation). The resulting success level will determine a value on the Value Enhancement Table (see below), which then becomes the character's chance on 1d1000 of becoming the Grand Champion. Admittedly, the chance is pretty slim.
Skill Critical Marginal Marginal Index Success Success Failure 0 11 10 10 1 13 10 10 2 16 11 10 3 20 12 10 4 25 13 10 5 30 15 10 6 40 20 10 7 50 25 11 8 60 30 12 9 70 35 13 10 80 40 14 11 90 50 15 12 100 60 16
Although this event is nominally called "wrestling", nearly any kind of unarmed combat is acceptable within the confines of ring, including kicks, punches, hair-pulling, scratching, biting and head-butting. But for the presence of a ring (which may be simply drawn in the dirt or an actual circle of rope), it would be hard to distinguish this event from a common brawl. The only rules are that spectators must not assist or inhibit the combatants, and attacking prone wrestlers is forbidden.
The combat system for the Wrestling Contest requires all Engage/Disengage movement to be performed before fighting. Movement must stop the instant one character moves adjacent to the other. During the attack phase, the attacker may advance an extra hex into the defender's hex if he chooses. The wrestler with the higher Initiative has the option of moving first or second, but will be allowed to attack first.
There are two forms of unarmed combat used in the Wrestling Contest: Striking and Grappling. Both techniques use the Unarmed Combat skill.
There are 8 different Striking attacks that may be made by the wrestler. Each attack uses a different part of the body, and has its own Attack/Defence class, Impact and Aiming Zone modifiers. See below:
Aiming Zone Modifier
Attack A/D Impact Head Arms Body Legs Notes
Punch 0/3 0b -10 -15 +0 -10
Elbow 0/1 0b +0 -15 -5 -15 Same hex only
Barge 0/- 0b+Speci -10 -15 +0 -10 2 hex+ run-up
al
Kick 1/1 1b -10 -15 -10 +0
Knee 1/1 1b -15 -15 -5 +0 Same hex only
Sweep 1/- Special n/a n/a n/a -10
Head-butt 0/0 1b +0 -15 -5 -15 Same hex only
Bite 0/- 1t Not Applicable Grapple only
Punches, kicks and leg sweeps may be made from an adjacent hex (i.e.
no need to advance on the defender). Elbows, knees and head-butts can
only be accomplished if the attacker advances into the defender's hex.
Shoulder barges require the attacker to be at least 2 hexes away from
the defender before attacking. Biting requires the attacker to be
Grappling the defender first, and the target location is that part of
the body the attacker is holding. If the attacker advances into the defender's hex in order to strike him, he may force the defender away one hex after a successful hit (the defender may choose which hex to move into, but it must be away from the attacker). If the attacker misses or is Blocked, he must withdraw into an adjacent hex of his choice. The only disadvantage to advancing into the defender's hex is that if the defender chooses to Grapple as a defence, he receives a +20 EML bonus to do so.
Most of the Strikes are self-explanatory. However, two attacks require a little more clarification: shoulder barges and leg sweeps.
Any time a wrestler successfully Strikes his opponent, he is awarded a Tactical Advantage, which permits him to take an immediate bonus turn. That is, a TA may be used to make another Strike or Grapple. No more than one Tactical Advantage can occur in a character's turn. If a second TA is won by either wrestler, it is ignored.
The defender is allowed to Block, Counterstrike (i.e. hit back at the same time), Dodge or Grapple the incoming Strike. Note that Blocking is usually attempted with an arm, and a successful Block implies that the intervening limb is struck and this is treated as an automatic A*1 strike.
The attacker must move into the defender's hex to Grapple. If both opponents attempt to Grapple, both will be located in the defender's hex. Unless a hold is obtained and maintained, the wrestlers will end the turn in adjacent hexes.
Any wrestler who opts to Grapple must declare:
Target One Hand Two Hands Head/Neck -20 -10 Arm/Hand -5 +0 Body (torso) -50 -10 Leg/Foot -40 -10Grapple attempts are resolved in the normal manner, by comparing the success levels of attacker and defender. If one party obtains a hold, he gains a Tactical Advantage which must be used to exploit. If both parties obtain holds they remain Grappled in the same hex, and the turn ends. If neither party obtains a hold, the attacker returns to his hex.
There are 3 exploitation options available to a wrestler who has obtained a hold: Strike, Squeeze and Throw.
The object is to charge at the target and strike the shield with a blunted lance and pass by quickly, avoiding the sand bag that will swing rapidly in response. The rider must spur his horse into a canter and attack using his Jousting EML (see page 6). When the lance hits the shield, a 2d6 Fumble is required, but there is no Weapon Damage Check. EML is not modified by Attack Class, but any hit is assumed to automatically strike the shield.
If the rider is hit by the sand bag, he loses the contest. The bag inflicts 1d6 Blunt Impact to the Thorax. Should he be unhorsed, the rider will sustain potentially fatal falling injuries (see page 7) - however, because he is moving at a canter instead of a gallop, basic Blunt Impact is 4d6, not 5d6 (also, for every 6 points of Armour Protection worn over the struck location, reduce the basic Impact by one die).
The results of the EML roll can be interpreted as follows:
CS: The lance strikes perfectly and the rider goes
past without being hit by the sand bag!
MS: The lance strikes solidly but the rider is in
danger of being hit from behind by the swinging sand bag. Roll against
Riding EML:
CS: The sand bag is successfully evaded.
MS: The sand bag is successfully evaded.
MF: Hit by the sand bag! No other
effect.
CF: Hit by the sand bag! Make an S2 roll or
be unhorsed.
MF: The lance strikes a glancing blow, catching
the rider off-guard as the sand bag swings at him from behind. Roll
against Riding EML:
CS: The sand bag is successfully evaded.
MS: The sand bag is just about to hit!
Roll against the horse's Dodge EML:
CS: The sand bag is successfully
evaded.
MS: The sand bag narrowly misses.
MF: Hit by the sand bag! No
other effect.
CF: Hit by the sand bag!
Make an S2 roll or be unhorsed.
MF: Hit by the sand bag! Make an
S2 roll or be unhorsed.
CF: Hit by the sand bag! Make an
S3 roll or be unhorsed.
CF: The lance misses the shield
completely! The rider looks like a fool and one of the following
occurs (roll 1d100):
01-50: Nothing else.
51-75: Rider must make an S3 roll or fall
off his horse.
76-00: Rider must make an F3 roll or drop
his lance.
The attacker must run at the target full pelt and roll against Spear EML. The EML is not modified by Attack Class, but any hit is assumed to automatically strike the shield. There is no Weapon Damage Check made for either the spear or shield.
If the footman is hit by the sand bag, he loses the contest. The bag inflicts 1d6 Blunt Impact to the Thorax. If he stumbles and falls, he sustains a falling injury to a random body location; Blunt Impact is 2d6, reduced by one die for every 6 points of Armour Protection worn over that location.
The results of the EML roll can be interpreted as follows:
CS: The spear strikes perfectly and the footman
runs past without being hit by the sand bag!
MS: The spear strikes solidly but the footman is in
danger of being hit from behind by the swinging sand bag. Roll against
Dodge EML:
CS: The sand bag is successfully evaded.
MS: The sand bag is successfully evaded.
MF: Hit by the sand bag! No other
effect.
CF: Hit by the sand bag! Make an S2
roll or fall over.
MF: The spear strikes a glancing blow, catching
the footman off-guard as the sand bag swings at him from behind. Roll
against half Dodge EML:
CS: The sand bag is successfully evaded.
MS: The sand bag narrowly misses.
MF: Hit by the sand bag! Make an
S2 roll or fall over.
CF: Hit by the sand bag! Make an
S3 roll or fall over.
CF: The spear misses the shield
completely! The footman looks like a stumbling fool and one of the
following occurs (roll 1d100):
01-50: Nothing else.
51-00: Footman must make an S3 roll or trip and
fall over.
Since the rider is moving rapidly and the ring is not particularly large, there is a massive -40 special penalty to Jousting EML. In addition, there is no Attack Class bonus awarded. The ring is carried off with CS/MS, but is missed on MF. If CF is achieved, the rider looks like a fool and one of the following occurs (roll 1d100): 01-50: nothing; 51-75: rider must make an S3 roll or fall off his horse; 76-00: rider must make an F3 roll or drop his lance.
The object of this contest is to throw a fairly heavy (about 15 lbs) log as far as he can from a throwing line. Each thrower is allowed 3 tries. The winner is the one who can hurl the log the farthest.
The skill used is obviously Throwing. Roll against the thrower's EML and see the table below for the distance achieved:
CS 0.5 x EML feet +/- 1d4-1
feet
MS 0.4 x EML feet +/- 1d4-1
feet
MF 0.3 x EML feet +/- 1d4-1
feet
CF Fumble
Do not forget to include the Encumbrance of the log in calculating the
EML. The distance thrown is a multiple of EML, plus or minus 1d4-1
feet (even chance of either). For example, Goris the Strong has a Throwing ML of 96. He is wearing 0 Encumbrance of clothing, but suffers from bruises totalling 19 Injury Points all over his body from several earlier bouts of wrestling. He is also tipsy and has a special penalty of -10 from intoxication. The log itself has an Encumbrance of 2. Therefore, Goris' EML is 65. He runs up to the throwing line and hurls the log mightily, and achieves MS. The distance attained is therefore 0.4 x 65, or 26 feet, plus or minus 0 to 3 feet. A die is cast, with odds subtracting 1d4-1, and evens adding. It lands evens, and the 1d4-1 result is a 2. Hence, the log lands 28 feet away. At his very best, Goris would be able to attain an amazing 50 feet.
The 17th of Larane is the single most important day for all Laranians. Known as the Feast of Saint Ambrathas, it symbolises the legendary events of the capture of Alamire and the foundation of the church. Later in the morning and throughout the afternoon there are various religious activities, including a special extended lay mass. No work is done on this day.
The Royal Chelebin Tournament of Chivalry is declared over on the night of the 17th.
Feeding this increased population can be a problem. The bonding house and some of Caer Olokand's grounds are used to stock as much food as possible. Nearby manors are often required to assist, and sometimes barges are used to ship in foodstuffs from Tashal.
The Royal Chelebin Tournament of Chivalry is a very expensive event, and the revenue gained from visiting knights is usually not enough to cover costs. Some 10% of the gross revenue is donated to the church of Larani, and 5% is given to the church of Peoni in appreciation of their services in caring for the wounded. However, the King is not interested in making a profit from the tournament; more importantly, by staging a tourney he can survey his baronage, promote the crown's splendour to the masses, and recruit exceptional fighting men.