BelloLudi Crossbows Medieval Skirmish Game

Welcome to the Medieval skirmish game by BelloLudi! Nice that you have taken an interest in wargaming. These rules have been developed for people who have no previous experience in wargaming, yet like to play games. We have created a ruleset of eleven pages, no more than the game of RISK. From page fifteen on, we included some extra, or advanced, rules. You will not be needing them at first, but we can imagine that you would like some variations as your experience grows. Start with that page when you have some battles under your belt.

The game is designed as a multiplayer game but will work just as fine with only two players or even solo. The same goes for the number of miniatures involved. It is possible to start with only 20-odd miniatures, but that can easily be expanded. Hopefully, playing the game will encourage you to create your own armies. Similarly, the distances are given in inches for use with 28mm scale soldiers. Feel free to adapt to centimetres should you not have the space or when you use a smaller scale of miniatures.

This ruleset simulates battles in the period of 750 AD to roughly 1500 AD, the larger part of the so-called Middle Ages. It was a time when rulers forged kingdoms and combatted each other and various others. Around 750 AD, the stirrup was well in use in European armies, cavalry reigned supreme until the introduction of gunpowder around 1350 AD. The rules will work for skirmishes in those unruly times. Refight Viking raids, the Crusades, the conquests of Charlemagne, Djengiz Khan, the conflicts of Brabant, Utrecht and Holland, Edward I Longshanks’ war in Scotland and the 100 Years’ War. Prowess was an important ingredient of medieval combat. In order to obtain it, one had to perform brave deeds in battle. And, to have something to show for it. Prisoners were a major part in every campaign. Not only for ransom, but also to plough the conquered fields.

In an ideal battlefield situation the enemy was pinned in place by the threat of cavalry or disorganised by the concentrated fire of infantry and, sometimes, artillery. Once this was accomplished, other units could deliver the coup de grâce. Tactics were therefore based on teamwork between units, on fire and movement. Every unit would have its own specific task and if they executed their tasks in unison, success was often achieved. The aim in this game, is not to annihilate the enemy’s units to the last man, but to inflict enough damage that morale is reduced and the unit will become shaken or will run away in panic and consequently removed from the tabletop. By a clever combination of movement, shooting and dashing cavalry charges, this can be achieved. The tactics are based on teamwork. Not only within a group, but also between groups and as such, the whole army.

Your role will be that of a noble in command of a small group of warriors.

This product contains two BelloLudi Commander Dice.