CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

3 CONTENTS

contents

PREFACE 4

MINIATURE WARGAMING 5

INTRODUCTION 6

THE BASICS 8

THE TURN 11Initiative, Actions 11

MOVEMENT 12Engaging The Enemy 12Disengaging From The Enemy 13 Moving While Remaining Engaged 13 Engaging Across A Barrier 13 Engaging The Rear Of A Model 13

COMBAT 14Shooting 14Obscured Target Test 14Force Back 14Hand-To-Hand Combat 16Follow-Up 17Additional Hits 17Fortitude Loss 17Fighting From An Elevated Position 18Fighting With Two Weapons 18Fighting Across A Barrier 19Free Attacks 19 Prone 19

WARBANDS 20Renown 20Leader 21Break Point 21Zero Characteristics 21Mounted Models And Monsters 22

WEAPONS 24

SKILLS AND ABILITIES 27Psychological Attacks 29

TERRAIN 30Cover 30Hazards 34Guidelines For Setting Up Terrain 36

TERRAIN EXAMPLES 37

ADDITIONAL RULES 44Hiding, Climbing, Falling 44Jumping 45Combined Actions 46

SCENARIOS 47Open Combat 48Retrieve The Prize 50Capture 55The Arrest 59Escort Duty 61

APPENDICES 63

CAMPAIGNS 64Starting A Campaign 65Determining A Winner 66 Creating Your Campaign Warband 66 Reputation 66 Experience 68 Warband Rating 68Underdog Bonus 68 Challenges 69Injuries And Determining Fate 69 Leader Not Present 70Death Of A Leader 70Exploiting Your Reputation 70Leadership Challenges 71Retiring Models 72Disbanding Warbands 72Hired Muscle And Mercenaries 73Hiring Hired Muscle And Mercenaries 73Hired Muscle 74Mercenary: Freeblade 75Embittered, Ally, Retired 76Playing A Campaign Game 77Pre-Battle Sequence, Post-Battle Sequence 77Narrative Campaigns 78

SAMPLE PROFILES 80

HINTS AND TIPS 83

SAMPLE WARBANDS 84

ALTERNATIVE RULES 87

FAQ AND EXPANDED EXAMPLES 88

QUICK REFERENCE SHEET 93

CAMPAIGN REFERENCE 94

WARBAND ROSTER 96

AFTERWORD 100

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CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

4BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS PREFACE

If you’re reading this then you probably have some

experience with tabletop miniature games (or know

someone that does). You may even be similar to me

and enjoy buying models ‘just because they’re cool’.

These models could be from all kinds of periods, genres,

settings and manufacturers. Maybe, again like me, you

want to build a new army but can’t wait to have the

whole lot finished before starting to play using your latest

purchases. Open Combat is designed for you.

BACKGROUND

I’ve been playing tabletop games for over 30 years

and over that period I’ve collected a great mountain of

miniatures and played many different games. Lots of the

games I’ve played require a lot of miniatures to create

a force before they can be used on the tabletop, which

has often resulted in my enthusiasm waning. I have a

multitude of half-finished projects, one-off models or

choice picks from particular ranges of miniatures that

I have purchased. Some of these models have been

bought on a whim without any particular army, game or

project in mind. Others are intended for use in a specific

project but need me to finish something else before I can

use them.

With regards to games, I love all kinds of games:

massed combat, RPGs and skirmish, fantasy, historical

or sci-fi. Despite enjoying a great many of the games

currently available I found I wanted a game that gave me

something else.

I wanted to have a game that didn’t need too much

space to play, could be played quickly and that gave me

a taste of that immersive action and drama you get when

reading an action scene or watching a fight sequence

in a movie or TV show. Perhaps more importantly,

I also wanted an outlet for my continuing habit of buying

models that I really like but don’t necessarily want to

commit to a whole range or game setting to use.

THE CHALLENGE

It was with all this bubbling about in my head that I

received a verbal prod in the right direction from an

old friend. It was an off-hand remark made back in

2011 by my friend Gav that made me pull together my

thoughts about the kind of game I wanted to play. We’d

been working on another project together and I’d been

babbling on about tinkering with my own system when

he said I should try writing it up properly. He even joked

about trying to keep it to two sides of A4. I reckoned I

could keep it to one side and Open Combat was born.

The early incarnation of Open Combat did fit on one

side of A4 but it relied on a lot of assumptions based on

experiences of playing many other tabletop games. The

document you’re reading now is the fleshed out, refined

version of that early prototype.

AN OPEN SYSTEM

Right from the outset I’ve wanted Open Combat to be as

open as possible with regards to its usefulness across

genres and settings. I wanted a core system that allows

gamers to play out what they want on the tabletop,

creating their own encounters and adventures in whatever

setting they felt the itch to play within. Essentially, if you

imagine something a particular way I wanted a system

that allows you to play it that way.

OPEN COMBAT

On the following pages you’ll find all you need to

get started with Open Combat. Hopefully you’ll see

the opportunities it presents for using your favourite

miniatures within your preferred time periods and

settings. It may even encourage you to try a new range

of miniatures or a setting you’ve not played before. Go

on, you know you’ll enjoy it!

preface

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CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

5BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS MINIATURE WARGAMING

miniature wargaming

If you are new to miniature wargaming you’re about to discover an almost limitless

hobby to explore. On the other hand, if you’ve got some experience with miniature

wargaming, it’s worth taking a moment to remind yourself of the tremendous

potential for expression the hobby provides us with.

WHAT IS MINIATURE WARGAMING?

Miniature wargaming is primarily a hobby centred around a tabletop game where players command a collection of model soldiers and attempt to achieve an objective (often using dice and a tape measure) while competing with opposing forces. The objective may be as simple as destroying the opposing force or it may be about capturing or finding something specific as detailed in the game that you are playing.

Fun! Fun! Fun! Whatever aspect of miniature

wargaming you enjoy the most, the key thing to remember is to have fun. It’s a time to relax and let your creative mind explore

the possibilities. Open Combat will, I hope, help inspire you to enjoy your hobby for many

years to come.

Social Interaction Games are available in a

vast array of media such as consoles, computers and

mobile apps. While great fun these games lack something which miniature wargaming shares with traditional board and card games. A shared experience in the physical

company of like-minded people.

Simply playing wargames can be an immensely rewarding experience as we test our tactical and strategic thinking skills against our opponents. But the miniature wargaming hobby has a great many aspects for us to explore - each capable of providing us with years of entertainment.

The humble model soldier has a lot to offer...

Education?! While you may not realise it

playing wargames often helps to practice basic numeracy along with developing creative and

analytical thinking skills. Plus it can support and/or inspire an interest in history. Very useful

for quietly inspiring the younger generation to stretch their minds (and keep old heads working).

Terrain Making An often overlooked part of the

hobby is making terrain. You can buy commercially available pieces but building your own

can create a truly unique collection and provide a lot of

lasting enjoyment.

Collecting The collector gene exists in possibly every hobbyist and

miniature wargaming provides options aplenty.

Miniature Painting Painting miniatures is seen as a chore by some and as a core part of the hobby by

others. Whichever camp you find yourself in the opportunity to develop your artistic skills is

only a paintbrush away.

Challenges Whether it’s the challenge of

competing against an opponent in battle across the tabletop, mastering a bit of freehand

painting or attempting a new terrain build we can challenge

ourselves in many ways.

Storytelling Every game has moments of

tension or excitement. Whether we’re imagining a drama unfold

as we play or experiencing good (or bad) fortune with dice

it all makes for a good story.

Miniature: Gripping Beast Miniatures. From the author’s private collection.

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CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

INTRODUCTION6BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS

WHAT YOU WILL NEEDBefore you start, you will need to gather together the following items:

■ This rulebook

■ At least three six-sided dice

■ A tape measure

■ A selection of models to represent opposing warbands

■ A Warband Roster (see later) detailing the characteristics, skills and equipment of each warband

■ An area of approximately 24"x24" to use as a battlefield

■ A selection of model terrain pieces to set the scene and dress the battlefield, suitable for the theme or setting of the encounter

■ Scrap paper and pencils

■ and, of course, a willing opponent!

introduction

Open Combat is a fast-paced tabletop skirmish game in which you create the heroes,

adventures and battles of your imagination.

You can guide the ragtag remains of a Roman expeditionary force through barbarian

territory, become a Saxon lord with his retinue as they face off against a local

rival, or chart the story of a group of adventurers fighting for fortune and glory in a

goblin-infested wilderness.

It could be anything you wish to play out on the tabletop. So grab a selection of your

favourite models and read on!

Miniatures: Mantic Games. Terrain: The Last Valley, scratch-built. From the author’s and Nick Simmerson’s private collections.

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CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

7BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

SIX-SIDED DICE & TAPE MEASURE

Most gamers have access to six-sided dice (referred to as D6). If you don’t, they’re readily available from game and hobby shops or online retailers.

There may be occasions when you are required to roll a D3. To do this simply roll a D6 and half the score, rounding up. Thus 1 or 2 = 1, 3 or 4 = 2 and 5 or 6 = 3.

Open Combat uses inches for measuring distances so you’ll need a tape measure with inch increments. If you prefer to work in centimetres, please feel free to do so, we’d recommend using a ratio of 3cm to 1". Whichever form of measurement you choose, ensure both you and your opponent use the same approach.

Players may measure distances at any time, the action in Open Combat takes place at close quarters so we assume the combatants can assess relative positions accurately.

MODELS

One of the great joys of playing miniature tabletop games is the vast array of models available to buy, paint and play games with. We’ve used 28mm models from several manufacturers throughout this book selected from the author’s own collection and Open Combat has been designed with this size in mind.

If you and your opponent prefer using a different scale of models these rules will work just fine regardless (although you may wish to use centimetres instead of inches for measuring distances if using 15mm models and smaller. Simply treat any references to inches as centimetres. i.e. 1" = 1cm).

WARBAND ROSTER

Open Combat pits two rival groups of fighters, called warbands, against each other. Each player creates their warband and records the details of their fighters’ characteristics, abilities and equipment on a Warband Roster (see page 96 for more information).

You can print the roster sheet from this book or download it from our website at www.secondthunder.com

PLAY AREA

Open Combat can be played comfortably within a 24"x24" area. The scenarios have been developed with this area in mind but feel free to alter the size to suit your own preferences and availability of space and time. The play area is often referred to as the battlefield, board or tabletop.

Note: If you choose to play on an expanded area you may need to adjust a few details within the scenarios to reflect the area you’re using.

MODEL TERRAIN

Open Combat can be played across a barren landscape if necessary but you will find your games are far more entertaining and engaging if you dress the tabletop with appropriate pieces of model scenery. Not only do terrain pieces create interesting tactical situations, they make your games look great too!

AIM OF THE GAME

Open Combat games are played using scenarios. Each scenario has its own set of victory conditions that explain what you must do to win the game. It may be as simple as forcing the enemy to break away from the battlefield or you may be required to complete a task such as finding an important relic. You can find out more about scenarios and victory conditions in the Scenarios section (see page 47).

OVERVIEW OF THE GAME

Once you have all the necessary components to hand its time to get down and play.

■ Choose Forces Each player constructs their warband using an agreed number of ‘renown’ points.

■ Choose Scenario You can randomly determine a scenario to play or simply pick the one that you and your opponent wish to use.

■ Set up the Battlefield Set up the scene of battle by placing scenery on the tabletop. Sometimes the scenario will require specific pieces of terrain, otherwise set up the scenery in any agreed fashion.

■ Deploy Forces Both players place their warbands onto the tabletop as detailed in the scenario.

■ Fight for Victory! Start the game.

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CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

8BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS THE BASICS

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE

Playing tabletop games is a social activity. Yes, we do all try to win but a big part of the enjoyment of playing tabletop miniature games is the shared experience of playing through an encounter or battle and watching the events unfold.

If a situation on the tabletop leaves you and your opponent at odds over how you feel it should be resolved, agree a way forward to apply throughout the game and move on; you can always discuss the details after you’ve finished. If you cannot agree, roll a dice or flip a coin for it and make a note for future games. You may wish to let us know about the situation too via email or the Second Thunder forum.

Play with good grace and a smile on your face, even if it is a grim smile of resignation when things aren’t quite going your way. You’ll never be short of an opponent if you win and lose with equal good humour.

MODEL BASES

The size and shape of a model’s base is not especially important in Open Combat so you may use whichever approach you feel comfortable with. Generally this will be one model to a single base (this is the approach used throughout development).

However, if you play in a group where one or two players like to squeeze every advantage they can out of anything they play you may want to agree a standard approach that you can all adopt to accommodate your miniature collections.

MEASURING DISTANCES

Distances are measured from the edge of a model’s base. You may measure distances at any time before committing to an action. Once an action is announced you are committed to it.

the basics

Before we get into the nitty gritty of the rules let’s cover a few concepts central to

playing tabletop miniature games.

Measuring the distance between two models:

Correct way to move a model:

Miniatures: Gripping Beast Miniatures, Heresy Miniatures, Reaper Miniatures, Warlord Games, Wargames Factory. From the author’s private collection.

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CREATE THE HEROES, ADVENTURES AND BATTLES OF YOUR IMAGINATION™

9BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS THE BASICS

FRACTIONS

All fractions are rounded up.

CALCULATIONS

Calculations are made in the following order: multiplication, division, subtraction, addition.

FACING

Models have a front and rear facing. You may change the direction a model faces as often as you wish during that model’s activation. Once a model has completed its activation its facing is fixed until it is next activated or something happens to it in the meantime which alters its position.

See the FAQ and Expanded Examples section, page 88 for further guidance on Facing.

PRONE

There may be occasions when your fighters are knocked from their feet. A model knocked from its feet is referred to as being Prone.

When you are required to place a model Prone simply place the model on its side, to show that it has fallen to the ground.

Alternatively place a suitable marker next to the model if you don’t wish to risk chipping any paint off or bending a particularly spindly part. When a model is prone it is stunned or disorientated by the circumstances that led to it being knocked from its feet. This will affect the model as detailed later in the rules.

LINE OF SIGHT

A line of sight (LOS) between two models is drawn by extending an imaginary line from the centre of one model’s base to the centre of another model’s base. You are free to check line of sight at any time but when you declare an action you are committed to that action.

A model cannot draw line of sight through its own rear facing.

If the line is uninterrupted by intervening terrain or models then there is a clear line of sight.

If the line crosses another model’s base, an obstacle or a terrain feature which has been designated as Obscuring (see Terrain on page 30) then the line of sight is Obscured. Examples of obscuring terrain are hedges, tall grasses or crops and low walls.

A model standing within 1" of a barrier can ignore the barrier when checking line of sight to a model or object on the opposite side.

If the line of sight crosses a terrain feature designated as Blocking (see Terrain on page 30) then the model cannot see and there is no line of sight. On occasions when part of a model or its base is sticking out from the Blocking terrain feature but its centre is Blocked we assume the actual fighter, if the model was alive, is ducking back out of sight or otherwise not visible. Examples of Blocking terrain are buildings or large rocks or areas of dense woodland.

FRONT

REAR

FRONT

REARFRONT

REAR

A

B

C

D

EXAMPLES OF LINE OF SIGHT (LOS)

A: Clear LOS to B and C but blocked to D.B: Clear LOS to A, Obscured to C and D.C: Clear LOS to A, B and D.D: Clear LOS to C, Obscured to B

and Blocked to A.

BUILDING

HED

GE

Miniature: Warlord Games. From the author’s private collection.

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THE BASICS10BACK TO MAIN CONTENTS

CHARACTERISTICS

Open Combat allows you to field a wide variety of combatants. These fighters all have different abilities, strengths and weaknesses which contribute to their effectiveness on the tabletop.

We measure a model’s effectiveness using a series of characteristics. These characteristics are:

Speed (SPD)

A fighter’s Speed value represents their pace, agility and dexterity.

Attack (ATK)

A fighter’s Attack value represents their skill at arms, aggression or natural prowess when taking the fight to the enemy.

Defence (DEF)

A fighter’s Defence value represents toughness, armour and their ability to defend themselves when beset by enemies.

Fortitude (FOR)

A fighter’s Fortitude value represents their stamina, health and physical ability to continue to fight.

Mind (MND)

A fighter’s Mind value represents their mental aptitude, discipline, strength of will and general desire to fight on.

CHARACTERISTIC PROFILES

A model’s characteristics are written in the form of a characteristic profile for easy reference during a game, an example is given below:

spd atk def for mnd

4 3 3 3 2

Terrain and Perry Miniatures from the private collection of Oliver Gommer. Image © Oliver Gommer. Used with permission.

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