"Bloodbowl the skirmish game" Song of Blade & Heroes

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OgreBattle
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"Bloodbowl the skirmish game" Song of Blade & Heroes

Post by OgreBattle »

Recently found out about this game, does a lot of what I want to do with "positioning matters" in a simple way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Blades_and_Heroes

Rules here:
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1411567363115.pdf

Has a simple combat system where you roll 1d6+X and compare numbers.
Higher and Even: Knockdown/Guard break target
Higher and Odd: Push back target with option to follow up (and special abilities to deny follow ups so some are more slippery)
Higher x2: Kill
Higher x3: Kill and their allies test morale due to gruesome kill

A target that's guard broken is +2 to hit and any success kills them.
If a model is pushed into a hostile model, the hostile model gets a free attack. Recoiling into a wall is instead a guard break, recoiling off a cliff means you take fall damage.

If a model is outnumbered by hostile foes they get -1 to their rolls.

This game does positioning in a very straightforward and easy to remember way. You want to outnumber opponents while not being outnumbered. You want to strike guardbroken enemies while deny them the same. Flanking turns into murder pinball with odd success rolls. Cornering means success (that isn't x2) has a 100% chance to knock them down

I'll try it out next time I run an RPG teaching class
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deaddmwalking
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Post by deaddmwalking »

If two people are fighting against one person, are their rolls combined?

How long is a 'round'?
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OgreBattle
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Post by OgreBattle »

deaddmwalking wrote:If two people are fighting against one person, are their rolls combined?

How long is a 'round'?
Units have a "quality" stat, you have to roll = or above their quality to activate them. You can roll 1-3 dice, any single die that activates them will activate them. That unit can perform 1 action for every success roll.

Stats are very simple so a unit is...
Quality, Combat, Movement (short, Med, or Long stick), and maybe a ranged attack (S, M, or L)

Actions and costs are...
Move- 1
Free Move- 0, can only be performed when no enemies within two long sticks length, takes the place of rolling for activations. Transfixed, bound, chained enemies don't deny free moves.
Attack/Shoot- 1
Power attack/Aim shot- 2, -1 to target's combat score
Cast magic- 1, 2, or 3 depending on magic spell
Break transfix spell/entanglement- 2
Stand up- 1

A unit with multiple actions can do any actions in any order.
When attacking the attacked unit gets a free attack back, unless they are knocked down or transfixed or so on.

If 2-3 of your rolls are failures though your turn ends and your opponent gets their turn. If one roll was a success you still act with that model then the turn ends.

I haven't played games with activation rolls and turnovers before, when designing my own I'd go with alternating activation with some group activations. I would add more variety/complexity like having hits and saving throws be separate, ranged attacks different power from melee.
Last edited by OgreBattle on Thu Jul 16, 2020 6:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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