Tactica Medieval Rules Test

 

#5 in this series of 8 (!) medieval rules play-throughs.

Presentation

88 pages of glossy A4, lots of pics and diagrams, 30 pages for the core rules. Authored by Arty Conliffe of Shako and Crossfire fame. £12.95 - good value for all the historic info and siege rules probably.

Set-Up

Last of the Battles of Barnet. Yorkists on the advance this time. Yorkist Van stalled though whilst their Rear swung across the battlefield to collide with the Lancastrian van. When the Yorkist Van then appeared in the rear of their Rear they were luckily recognised as friends! Meantime the York Main hit the Lancastrian Main but there was confusing as to who was who and the Lancastrian Rear likewise stalled when it came into the battle, so some initial opportunies lost!

How It Played

Fast and bloody. Melees usually meant one side of the other was a goner after 1 turn. The Lancastrian Currours unfortunately were in column ad hit two units in the flank at the same time, so didn't obliterate the York Van as fast as they might have done. The Yorkists were quickly eliminated and another Lancastrian victory. Think that gives them 3-0 for the runs, better than in 1471!

Rules Impression

Very simple, probably too simple. No real C&C, but dice for initiative, and take an increasingly negative DM if you keep winning (nice). Missile fire was a straight 1D per figure, 6+ to kill, no modifiers or armour saving throws. Based on unit size there are regular checks for Morale, , which if failed halts the unit. Melee again 1D per figure and your target is based on the enemies armour (no save for your own), from 3+ for unarmoured to 6+ for knights (but not shown on QRS!). Minor DM for quality. So with 16 figures that's 16 dice, and on 3+ probably 10 kills. Again there's morale checks at regular loss intervals (starting at 7 for a 116 man unit), but with 11+ needed to save a unit with 10 losses most unarmoured light units go on first round (EVEN IF FIGHTING OTHER UNARMOURED!). There's a morale test if you're routed through, but only if you already have casualties. Army break point linked to number of key units - and could be a race to that on both sides!

Conclusion

For a Conliffe set of rules I was expecting more. Lots of interesting support material but the core rules were just too simple for me, and using a bucket of dice/figure model. The fact that your armour doesn't save you from missile damage, and gets oddly treated in melee was just too weird. Back on the shelf for reference.