MEDIEVAL QUICK SKIRMISH RULES
	by Lloyd, inspired by a set by Richard Crawley

These rules are designed for fairly large-scale skirmishes; up to about 80 men a player.  They will do for many periods or settings, so long as troops can be classed into three distinct broad categories of quality.  The rules emphasise the importance of sticking together for mutual protection and the value of weapons with longer reach: spearmen can fight in two ranks, pikemen in three.  Men in the second rank with javelins can support.
The rules recognise two ways in which figures may be combined, Contingents and Groups.  Contingents are real units (e.g. a Contingent of 15 archers from Berwick under their bill-armed vintnar) and are used for organisational and morale purposes in these rules.  A good size for a contingent is 32 points.  Groups are temporary (sometimes fleeting) arrangements of men occurring in combat situations.  Hand-to-hand combat is fought between Groups (which may be as small as one man each) and casualties occur almost at random within the Group.

Sequence of play.
1. Roll 1d10 for initiative, highest goes first.  If tie, player who moved last loses initiative.
2. First player's figures move or shoot then move.  Only javelinmen may shoot and then enter melee.
3. First player's figures that have not shot shoot.
4. Resolve melee.  
5. Second player goes through steps 2-4 as above.

Scale  All distances quoted in the rules are in inches for 25mm scale.  Convert these to cms for 15mm games.

Troop types/points.
It should be easy enough to allocate a Quality Rating (QR) and weapon type to each figure based on its appearance, thus saving on bookkeeping.  The points cost of a figure equals its QR (+1 for horse if mounted).

Troop type	Quality Rating (QR)	Weapon type	Weapon Reach (WR)	
Knight	3	Pike	2	
Soldier, mercenary	2	Spear, billhook, lance	1	
Peasant, (horse)	1	Sword, axe, mace etc.	0	

This table gives the WR in inches (or base depths if preferred, an inch being fine for 25mm figures).  A figure armed with a sword can attack an enemy figure only when it is in base-to-base contact.  A pike-armed figure, however, may attack an enemy when the gap between them is up to 2 base-depths.  The length of a mounted lance is equivalent to that of a spear but only one rank of cavalry may fight.  Therefore a pikeman can hold off a billman (or a billman a swordsman) unless by superior skill or luck the latter is able to close the range (see combat results).  Mounted lancers are assumed to have a sword also, and missile-users have a short melee weapon of some sort.  Staff slings are considered as effective as crossbows, and slings as effective as bows.

–2 if wounded / to dismount.
–1 per rank in fighting formation (spears and pikes).
Archers may shoot if moved  no more than half distance.
Figures take a full move to cross a barrier.

Movement.

Troop type	Good going	Bad going	
Foot QR 1	8	6	
Foot QR 3 or 2	6	4	
Mounted  	12	6	

Peasants are assumed to be lightly armoured and therefore faster on foot.  Knights and soldiers are assumed to be better riders and mounted on better horses, which compensates for their greater weight.  QR1 troops will not move to melee with enemies who are over 10" away from a friendly knight.   An engaged figure may break off if all those he is engaged with are also being attacked by other figures.  Otherwise, he must roll to evade as below.  He may also give ground at 2" per turn, and his opponents may follow up.

Evading: When a figure moves to melee combat range with a foe, the defending player may declare that he will try to evade.  He rolls 1d10 for each evader and adds the speed in the current terrain, and his opponent does the same with the fastest figure giving chase in each case, and the higher score wins.  If a defender is caught, a melee with that one caught evader takes place with his QR being 0 for the first round.  Evaders never fight as groups.  If the evading player equals or betters his opponent's roll, the figure is moved a double move away immediately, and left facing away to signify that he cannot shoot in his next turn, and his contingent makes a Morale roll.  If he was defending an obstacle, he succeeds automatically, but still makes the Morale roll.

Forcing off table: If a figure cannot retreat or evade without moving within 4" of the enemy or off table, it leaves the table and stays off for one of its turns.  Each turn thereafter, its player rolls 1d6 to get it back.  On a 6 it is lost forever, otherwise it returns to the edge of the table on the side it left from on a result of its QR or less.
Melee combat.
Melee combat occurs when Groups of one or more figures of opposing sides come within weapon reach. A Group is defined as made up of figures who are all within base distance of each other (see p.3).  One figure cannot fight against more than one group.  Two groups are separated by a gap a man wide.  Each Group rolls 1d10 and adds factors.  The difference between the totals determines how many Quality-Ratings-worth of figures the winner can roll on the wound table for.  Figures in a melee fall into one or two of these categories:

Attacking	Has an enemy within weapon reach and not obstructed by friendly troops.	
Supporting	Enemy within reach but friends in the way. E.g. a 2nd or 3rd ranker with a pike.  One spearman or pikeman supports one man directly in front of him.	
Engaged	Within an enemy's weapon reach.	
Outreaching	Attacking and not engaged (includes closed with pikes).  Must be in front rank.	
Closed	Using shorter weapon, has got past the point of the opponent's weapon.	

For example, a swordsman (WR=0) faced by a spearman (WR=1) in the first round of a melee is engaged.  The spearman is attacking and outreaching.  Figures closed with pikemen count as outreaching.

TO RESOLVE COMBAT, ROLL 1d10 FOR EACH SIDE AND ADD:

Each man attacking	+QR	Notes	
Each man able to support	+1	 Third rank pikes support other pikes only.	
Each man attacking enemy's rear	+1	 Only possible when a figure is sandwiched.	
Each man closed with user of longer weapon	+1	 Such as sword versus bill or bill versus pike.	
Each mounted man charging or passing	+1	 Minimum charge distance 6" of clear open ground.	
Each man behind rampart/in better position	+2	 Such as a purpose-built fortification.	
If all engaged are armed with missile weapons	–1	 2 javelinmen in 2nd rank = 1 “supporting” 1st rank.	
Each man wounded	–1		

Calculate the difference between the combat totals. The side with the lower total has lost this round of melee and must brace itself for rolls on the Wound Table.  The difference determines how many rolls.  If either side rolls a 1 however (even if it wins) one of its own engaged figures (chosen randomly) becomes a fatal casualty.  This single figure does not count toward the number of QR-worth of wound rolls the group must take this turn if it loses the combat. 
Casualties are selected at random from the losing side's engaged and outreaching figures.  Have a handful of different sided dice available to make this random selection.  The number of rolls made on the Wound Table is determined by the difference between the winners' and losers' combat totals.  Once the total QRs of troops chosen equals or exceeds that difference, no more ill-effects are suffered.  Thus if the difference between the two sides' scores is 2 and the figure randomly chosen is a knight (QR=3), it suffers no ill-effect and the melee is over.  However, if the losing force was made up entirely of peasants (QR=1) two of them could be affected (or one affected twice).  If a figure is adversely affected but not killed in a round of combat, he may be randomly selected again for further suffering.  If he is killed, others of his companions will suffer any remaining effects.  N.B. The maximum number of rolls on the Wound Table is the number of men attacking on the larger side, so if three men fight one, then the winning side can never get more than three rolls, regardless which side wins.

The Wound Table
Roll 1d10 and consult the table below.  If a figure affected was outreaching his opponent, he is affected by the second column, otherwise, the first.  Pikes use the second column if they win against enemies that have closed with them, and reinterpret "Close Range" as Pushed Back (as far as pike-point again).

Roll	Engaged figures	Outreaching figures	
1	Pushed Back	Close Range	
2	Pushed Back	Close Range	
3	Pushed Back	Close Range	
4	Retreats	Close Range	
5	Retreats	Close Range and Pushed Back	
6	Wounded	Close Range and Pushed Back	
7	Wounded & Pushed Back	Retreats	
8	Wounded & Retreats	Close Range and Wounded	
9	Killed	Close Range, Wounded & Pushed Back	
10	Killed	Killed	

       Factors: +1 if affected figure armed with missile weapon, –1 if winning side entirely missile armed.
Explanation of results:

Pushed Back:	Loser (and those behind) is pushed back one base depth. Opponent(s) may follow up.	
Wounded:	Place a counter by the loser.  A second wound means figure is killed.	
Retreats:	Figure makes an immediate double move away from enemy.  No shooting next turn. A figure may force back or push aside one friend to do this.  If more than one figure is in the way or the Group is attacked from two sides at once, a wound is taken instead.	
Close Range:	Opposing figure may move "past the point" of outreaching figure's weapon. Outreaching figure is now immediately treated as engaged.  Move figures to touch bases.  Figures fighting across a barrier must push back a foe before closing with him.	
Killed:	"Let there be sung Non Nobis and Te Deum."	

Missile combat
    Identify a collection of shooting figures that shares the same nearest or equal-nearest target.  The first to shoot must shoot at the nearest target, and shoots at full chance.  The second may shoot at the nearest or second nearest, and needs to roll one higher.  The third may shoot at the nearest, second or third nearest, needing one higher again, and so forth.  This never takes the roll to hit higher than 10.  A player may not see what effect the first shot had on a target before shooting at one further away – he must declare in advance all his targets.
    Crossbowmen and handgunners may not move and then shoot in the same turn.  If they shoot and then move, then they may not shoot again without spending a full turn stationary.

Chance to hit: roll equal to or greater than the numbers shown on 1d10.

Weapon + user	0-5"	5-10"	10-30"	Notes	
QR 1 bow	6	7	8	Includes slings (staff slings are as crossbows)	
QR2\3 bow	5	6	7	Archers may move half distance and shoot.	
QR 1 crossbow	7	7	8	No bonus for close range because flustered.	
QR 2\3 crossbow	6	7	7	Worse than bow to factor-in slower loading.	
QR1 javelin	5	8	–	Move full rate and throw, or throw then melee.	
QR2\3 javelin	4	7	–		
QR 2\3 handgun	7	8	9	On roll of 1, weapon becomes useless, retreat.	
Factors:   +1 to die roll if target mounted, –1 shooter mounted, –1 shooter wounded, –1 for each shot after the first shot from same group (to maximum of 10, see above), –1 target in light cover, –2 target in heavy cover, 
(–1 opportunity shooting if using appropriate initiative system).

Damage: roll 1d10.  If no result is listed for the result of the throw, there is no effect.

Weapon	QR 1	QR 2	QR 3	

R   = Retreat
W = Wounded
K  = Killed.

Bow	3-4 R, 5-7 W,8-10 K	5R, 6-8 W, 9-10 K	8-9 W, 10K	
Crossbow	4 R, 5-7 W, 8-10 K	4-5R, 6-8W, 9-10 K	7-8W, 9-10 K	
Javelin	5-6R, 7-8W, 9-10K	6-7R, 8-9W, 10K	9-10 W	
Handgun	2-5R, 6-7 W, 8-10 K	4-6 R, 7-8 W, 9-10 K	5-6 R, 7-8 W, 9-10 K	
Factors: +1 if the target is using a double-handed missile weapon, such as bow, crossbow, staff sling.

Contingent Morale and Ammunition
Troops are committed to battle by the contingent, each with a Morale score.  Missile-armed troops may optionally be given their own Ammo number for missile supply.  The starting Morale is one seventh of the points total of a contingent, and Ammo typically starts at 6.  For each turn in which members of a contingent shoot, the opposing player rolls 1d6 and reduces the Ammo by one if he rolls a 1 or 2.  If Ammo = 0, the men run out of missiles, and you roll 1d10 for each, subtracting 1 from the Morale each time you roll a 1.
When a fighter retreats, is killed, wounded, evades, or breaks off, his opposing player rolls 1d10 and reduces the contingent’s Morale by one if he rolls equal to or less than the fighter’s QR.  If the fighter is killed, one is subtracted from the die roll.  If a contingent’s leader dies, his contingent loses one Morale point automatically.  If the overall commander of a side is lost, a roll must be made for each of his contingents.
When a contingent's Morale has reached zero, all members of the contingent must move off-table.
A Morale score might start at a lower number to simulate very hot weather or arrival after a forced march.
Example melee groupings
●●●●●●●	A. one fight	○●●○	B. two	       ○○	C. one group	●●●  ●●●|●●	D. three
○○○○○○○	between two		fights	●●●●●●●	against another	○○○○|○○  ○○	groups
	groups			○○○○○○○	(with 2 to rear)		per side.
A. Because everyone is within base distance of friends.  B. Because the white circles are not within base distance of each other, and one black circle can fight each.  C. Because all the black circles are within base distance of each other, and all have someone to fight, so none of them can fight the two to the rear as a separate group, since a figure cannot be in two separate fights.  D. Because gaps a man wide split groups up.
MEDIEVAL QUICK SKIRMISH RULES

Sequence of play.
1.	Roll 1d10 each, higher roll goes first.  If tie, player who moved last loses initiative.
2.	First player's figures move or shoot then move.
3.	First player's figures that have not shot shoot.
4.	Resolve melee.
5.	Second player goes through steps 2-4 as above.

–2 if wounded,
–2 to dismount.
–1 per rank.
Archers half move and shoot.

Movement.

Troop type	Good	Bad	
Foot QR 1	8	6	
Foot QR 3\2	6	4	
Mounted  	12	6	
QR1 will not melee enemies > 10" from friendly knight.  An engaged figure may break off if all those he is engaged with are also being attacked by other figures.  Otherwise, evade or give ground at 2" speed.
Evading: automatic from behind obstacle. Both roll 1d10 + speed in current terrain.  Evader if >= foe moves double move away, makes Morale roll, and may not shoot next turn.  If < foe, caught and melee with QR of 0.  Caught evaders fight individual melees.
Forced off: if cannot retreat or evade without being <4" of enemy.  QR or less on 1d6 to return to edge, 6=lost.
Resolving combat.

Type	QR	Weapon type	Reach	
Knight	3	Pike (3 ranks all pikes)	2	
Soldier	2	Spear, billhook, lance	1	
Peasant	1	Sword, axe, mace etc.	0	

FOR EACH SIDE ROLL 1d10 AND ADD:
Quality Rating (for each man able to attack)	+QR	
Each man able to support (or 2 javelinmen)	+1	
Each man attacking enemy's flank/rear	+1	
Each man closed with user of longer weapon	+1	
Each mounted man charging or passing (6")	+1	
Each man behind rampart/in better position	+2	
All engaged men armed with missiles	–1	
Each man wounded	–1	

Difference = QR's worth of Wound Table rolls, up to maximum of number of attacking men on larger side.
Roll 1 = one engaged figure dies, chosen randomly.

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unintentionally blank

Shooting: chance to hit
Must shoot at least once at nearest untargeted foe.  After first shot from group, +1 needed to max 10. Crossbow/handgun cannot move and then shoot.  If shoot then move, must stay still full turn to load.
Weapon + user	0-5"	5-10"	10-30"	
QR 1 bow	6	7	8	
QR2\3 bow	5	6	7	
QR 1 crossbow	7	7	8	
QR 2\3 crossbow	6	7	7	
QR1 javelin	5	8	–	
QR2\3 javelin	4	7	–	
QR 2\3 handgun	7	8	9	
+1 to die roll if cavalry target, –1 target in light cover,
–2 heavy cover, –1 shooter mounted, –1wounded,.
(–1 opportunity shot if using alternative initiative system)
Handguns useless on roll of 1 + Retreat.

Melee Wound Table
Pikes vs. closed use second column C.R =Push-Back.
Roll	Engaged figures	Outreaching figures	
1	Pushed Back	Close Range	
2	Pushed Back	Close Range	
3	Pushed Back	Close Range	
4	Retreats	Close Range	
5	Retreats	C.R.& Pushed Bk.	
6	Wounded	C.R.& Pushed Bk.	
7	Wounded & Push Bk.	Retreats	
8	Wounded & Retreats	C.R & Wounded	
9	Killed	C.R, Wnd. & Push Bk.	
10	Killed	Killed	
+1 enemy missile-armed, –1 winners all missile-armed.
Pushed Back: back 1 base depth, may follow up.
Wounded: a second wound means figure is killed.
Retreats: double move; cannot shoot next turn. May push aside one friend.  Otherwise, wounded instead
Close Range: outreaching figure is now engaged, unless across a barrier (must be pushed back first).

Morale and Ammunition
For each turn a contingent shoots, roll 1d6, and reduce Ammo by 1 on a 1 or 2.  If Ammo=0, no more shooting, and roll 1d10 for each missile-armed figure in the contingent, reducing Morale by 1 on 1. 
Roll 1d10 on retreat, wound, evade, break off, refuse challenge, 1d10–1 if killed. Morale –1 if roll <= QR or leader killed.  If Morale=0: contingent pulls out of the skirmish.  Morale starts at 1/7 of troop points.  If overall commander lost, roll once per contingent.

Missile Damage

R   = Retreat
W = Wounded
K  = Killed.

Weapon	QR 1	QR 2	QR 3	
Bow	3-4 R, 5-7 W,8-10 K	5R, 6-8 W, 9-10 K	8-9 W, 10K	
Crossbow	4 R, 5-7 W, 8-10 K	4-5R, 6-8W, 9-10 K	7-8W, 9-10 K	
Javelin	5-6R, 7-8W, 9-10K	6-7R, 8-9W, 10K	9-10 W	
Handgun	2-5R, 6-7 W, 8-10 K	4-6 R, 7-8 W, 9-10 K	5-6 R, 7-8 W, 9-10 K	
+1 vs. targets using double-handed missile weapons.