Having read quite a number of rulesets over the past few weeks in a search for that elusive 'dark age' set AND a few topical threads on various forums including the Society of Ancients own ones, I am minded to go back to the start with my attempt at writing my own rules.
Now I don't for one minute think I will achieve something that is any better or more importantly radically different to what is out there now. I just want to try and start afresh and re-examine what dark age wargaming means to me and thus what my ruleset should ideally look like and/or feature.
What has gone before
lots of other rulesets which I have looked at and got interested in and then got turned off by a few mechanisms I didnt like or disagreed with. I know that the addition of 'house rules' can fix these issues and for the solo gamer its an easy option. However, I think that I am like a child in a sweetshop and really just want to pick n mix the best bits from many sets plus a few twists of my own. My own attempt at a ruleset still sits there in draught form and giving me the occasional 'side-eye' but I am minded to start afresh
What I like
Grids or at least the absence of micro measurements for the purpose of speeding up gameplay and reducing faffing (even for a solo gamer). It also has the benefit of reducing the length of the rules that are being written or at least enables the movement aspects to be kept brief
A sense of units and armies in terms of figures on the table so not skirmish rules and more likely to use several 'elements' or bases to create units OR big bases representing a unit (this can be achieved both ways obviously)
Keeping troop types to a reasonable minimum (also reference the dark ages likely troop types/modes of fighting) but still allow for flexibility and differentiation so as not to have a 'mandatory' slug fest of identical troops on the table. The 2 aims do seem somewhat difficult to achieve at the onset but regional/historical/geo-political and socio-political differences allow for flavours to be endowed on different troops...but how?
Use of a minimum number of attributes in terms of assigned numbers/factors to troops/troop types appeals to me. Speeds up play for me (in my head at least), keeps things simple and means rule writing can be kept compact (even though it is only ever for me!)
Terrain should be clever and yet simple in its choice and execution...
There is also a need for randomness whether that's the use of dice, event cards or the like just as long as it doesn't unbalance the game with unrealistic results (or at least conforms to a standard bell curve of probability)
Movement should be simple as per the grids comments above but in addition there shouldn't be too many fancy maneuvers regardless as this is the dark ages...
Command and control needs to be realistic but factor in things like effect of the generals/warlords on the troops commanded and not allow for too many complicated maneuvers or what appears to be unrealistic behaviours. However, simple is the watchword
Combat should be simple as in not too many factors but enough variety to ensure that there is always the outside chance of a potential upset but not ahistorical or illogical ones
Shooting should be very simple and as an aid or prelude to combat and not a machine gun effect of blowing holes in units on their own in a single bound
casualties/morale/combat effectiveness need to be tracked in some way preferably as simply as possible AND without too much tabletop 'clutter'. Visual attractiveness of the gaming board is important to me.
book keeping to be a minimum but not necessarily excluded entirely
a fixed battle length (for me) or end point so that a result is always achieved in a reasonable length of real time (max 2-3 hours sounds about right for me). should also be easy to adjudicate who has won or lost even if its marginal
ability to use the rules for a campaign series if required or desired
options to include a prescript and post script element to the battle
- pre = for example, random army generation or follow up from previous battles in a campaign
- post = for example the effects of the result on a campaign and future following battles
Next steps
Start writing a new draft of rules with the above caveats included. I can see that this will be a long and slow process and may become my new favourite rabbit hole. Let's see where I get to.
Also, I may have forgotten some aspects but the above has starters for 10 for me personally. Its really a musing to myself but welcome comments
