Introduction
   Bare Bones is a minatures wargame with roleplaying elements and Bare bones is also a roleplaying game with miniatures wargame elements.  Bare bones is also a random dungeon boardgame.  What this means is that you can create your own war game heroes, and use them as roleplaying characters and run their kingdoms and play a random dungeon or wilderness exploration game without a game master all with the same rule set.

   It's an idea that's fascinated me since the early eighties but never quite seemed to gell as roleplaying and wargaming went their separate ways.  So here's the sixth version of Bare Bones.  It's leaner and meaner than any of my earlier drafts while doing a far better job of just about everything.

Figures, Heroes, Models, and Units
   A figure is any creature from a tiny rat to a gigantic dragon, it's just a nice, easy term for just about every combatant.  A hero is a mighty character with specialized skills and superior traits, if not hygene or morals.  Models are vehicles, buildings, and scenery as opposed to figures.  The key difference between a model and a figure is that a model doesn't do things but figures can do things with a model.  Lastly, Units are groups of figures or models with the same traits and equipment.

Traits
   A beginning hero gets 6 points on increased abilities and skills.  The Mettle value for their race must be paid from these points.  Regular troops get the Discipline skill, Veteran troops get one point above their race's Mettle and Elite troops get two.   These points can be spent to increase a trait rating by one point to a maximum of three or increase a skill by one level.

Awareness is used to detect the enemy, and for other activities like observation and searching.

Cunning is used to solve problems, remember important details, and lay battle plans.

Speed determines who strikes first as well as representing the figure's general agility and coordination.

Might determines how hard a figure can hit and how hard of a hit they can take.

Will is used to resist fear, lead troops, and also indicates a figure's ability to ignore its injuries.

Humanoid Races
      Awareness   Cunning   Speed      Might      Will      Mettle
Men      3      3      3      3      3      3
Elves      4      3      4      3      3      5
Dwarves   3      3      3      3      4      4
Wee Folk   3      3      3      2      4      3   
Giants      2      2      2      6      3      3

Goblins   4      3      3      2      2      2
Hobgoblins   3      3      3      3      3      3
Trolls      2      2      2      5      4      3

Ogres      2      2      3      5      3      3
Trogs      3      2      3      3      4      3
Grogs      2      2      3      4      4      3

Boarks      3      2      3      4      2      2
Centaurs   3      3      3      4      3      5
Maelducks   3      3      4      2      3      5
Minotaurs   3      1      3      5      3      3
Reptikind   3      3      3      4      2      3   

Proclaimers   4      3      4      4      4      9
Deniers   3      4      4      4      3      9   

Elves can see in the light and the dark and are practically immortal, however, because they are not aligned, none of the gods will act on their behalf, this means they cannot be aided by acts of faith, but they can still be cursed or repelled.  Elves begin with a level in Sorcery instead of Faith.

Dwarves can see in the light and the dark and are highly resistant to magic and acts of faith whether harmful or beneficial, as such, few Dwarves ever practice either.  Dwarves have two additional levels of Craft and no levels of Faith or Sorcery.

Wee Folk recieve a free level of Theivery but no levels of Statecraft.

Goblins, Hobgoblins, Ogres,  Trolls, Trogs, and Grogs can all see in the dark and hate the light.  Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Trolls cannot be aided by acts of faith but can still be cursed or repelled.  As such Goblins, Hobgoblins and Trogs get a level of Theivery instead of Faith and Grogs, Ogres, and Trolls get an extra level of Fighting.

Boarks, Centaurs, Malducks, Minotaurs, and Reptkind get Woodcraft instead of Faith and must take Husbandry instead of a craft.  Centaurs move as mounted creatures and Malducks can fly.

Proclaimers can fly and automatically recieve one level of Faith and no levels of Sorcery, nor can they ever learn it.  Deniers can fly and automatically recieve one level of Sorcery and no levels of Faith, nor can they ever increase it.

Skills
   Skills represent the things a figure has learned to do.  Humanoid creatures normally start with a level in Athletics, Faith, Fighting, Influence, Lore, Shooting, and Husbandry or a Craft for free.

Success Rolls
   A success roll is made by rolling one die per point of skill possessed by the character.  Each die that scores a value equal to or less than the difficulty of the action yields one level of success.  A figure's traits are a good base line for a the game master to set difficulty ratings.

5-   Simple
4-   Easy
3-   Average
2-   Difficult
1-   Hard

Athletics
   The character's skill in running, jumping, swimming, climbing, and swinging on ropes.

Craft
   The character is skilled in manufacturing useful items.  They must pick a specific craft to learn and each craft can be learned separately.

   Actor
   Carpenter
   Clothier
   Musician
   Smith
   Tanner

Discipline
   Military training in marching, forming units, signalling, and maneouvreing is covered by the Discipline skill.  This is the difference between a regular unit and an irregular one.

Fighting
   Each level of Fighting allows a character to make one more attack roll per turn.
Faith
   The character's religious experiences can be drawn upon to request miracles.

Husbandry
   The character is a skilled farmer, able to plant a variety of crops and breed animals.  This skill can be very useful to a nobleman as it allows them to increase the yeild of their fief through centeral planning.

Influence
   The character is well acquainted with human nature and skilled in winning others over to their point of view.

Leadership
   The character is experienced in motivating groups of people to get results.
Lore
   The character is learned and can make a success roll to remember important details about the setting.  A successful Lore roll forces the game master to answer a question, but the game master gets to set the difficulty.

Theivery
   The knave is skilled in the arts or larceny from picking pockets, to passing unseen through the shadows.

Shooting
   Each level of Shooting skill allows the character to roll one additional attack die when firing a missile weapon.

Sorcery
   Each level of Sorcery allows the character to cast spells of one of the following types.  Many spells require knowledge of a particular Lore skill to apply to specific races, forces, and elements.
   
Statecraft
   The character is skilled in the governance of nations.  State craft skill is used to acquire popular support and make allies out of enemies.

Woodcraft
   The character is skilled in the ways of the wilderness and able to forage for food, follow tracks, and hunt wild beasts.

Warrior
A 3
C 3
F 3
M 4
S 3
W 3

Fighting 3


Rogue
A 4
C 3
F 4
M 3
S 3
W 3

Theivery: 2

This is one I've been working on for a long time.  And I think I'll be done it in the next couple of weeks.  It's what I've always wished Warhammer had become.

The new core mechanic is the big innovation here.

The first version used 3d6 for attributes and compared three from a set of ten to a difficulty rating to get a die modifier to a single d6 of +1 to +3.  The problem was that it was way too much data per character and that having stats with the same value or wanting to use a stat more than once for an action created real problems.

The second version had more Warhammer like stats and used the stats as dice pools.  The problem got to be that you were rolling 3-4 dice per figure.

The third version saw a rolemasteresque spell list magic system added and a zero centred table that compared stats.  It was also the first version I did on a Dos machine.  Heh, that takes me back.

The fourth version scrapped the spell lists for very open, "roll your own" spells.

The fifth cut that flexiblilty down a bit by putting lores of magic in that ment you could only do fire spells etc.

The sixth version seen here, scraps the trait comparison chart, returns to rated skills instead of yes no skills and trait modifiers.  It also sees the return of spell lists though in a form that doesn't let minor sorcerers conjure up Fiends and Elementals.

I know, I'm a flake, a dillatante, and generally pathetic but it takes all my time.

So 15mm?

Quote from: David JohansenThis is one I've been working on for a long time.  And I think I'll be done it in the next couple of weeks.  It's what I've always wished Warhammer had become.

The new core mechanic is the big innovation here.

The first version used 3d6 for attributes and compared three from a set of ten to a difficulty rating to get a die modifier to a single d6 of +1 to +3.  The problem was that it was way too much data per character and that having stats with the same value or wanting to use a stat more than once for an action created real problems.

The second version had more Warhammer like stats and used the stats as dice pools.  The problem got to be that you were rolling 3-4 dice per figure.

The third version saw a rolemasteresque spell list magic system added and a zero centred table that compared stats.  It was also the first version I did on a Dos machine.  Heh, that takes me back.

The fourth version scrapped the spell lists for very open, "roll your own" spells.

The fifth cut that flexiblilty down a bit by putting lores of magic in that ment you could only do fire spells etc.

The sixth version seen here, scraps the trait comparison chart, returns to rated skills instead of yes no skills and trait modifiers.  It also sees the return of spell lists though in a form that doesn't let minor sorcerers conjure up Fiends and Elementals.

I know, I'm a flake, a dillatante, and generally pathetic but it takes all my time.

So 15mm?

Why 15? Do you believe your scale requires it? I would favor 25 mm especially if you have RPG elements in it (i.e. combat is not meant to be company based but more individual based). Also, there is a wider range of 25mm RPG oriented figs on the market. This is all moot if you have a specific genre you wish to target such as WWII. In the case of WWII you would be better with 15 mm since you could use FoW figs.

I should post what I have for Iridimini as it follows a number of your design goals.

Bill

I'd be interested in stealing...errr...seeing it...

I think it's a type of game a lot of people would like to see.  GW's dropped the ball so many times now that my head hurts.  I've always wished that DP9 would do a straight fantasy game but it seems very unlikely these days.

I could design an rpg / boardgame plug in for Warhammer in a week though getting characters to 'balance' would be problematic if you wanted to include any variety or non-combat capabilities.

My aproach to experience in Bare Bones will be that you can only improve skills by doing them a lot.  For instance, it'll take a few years of training to improve your Fighting skill but you can work on Leadership or Discipline at the same time.  Things will synergize naturally, it's hard to study magic while on campaign but easier to do so over the winter.

15 mm is all about table space and price point.  I'm pretty vocal in my belief that 54mm is the ideal rpg scale and 28 is a painful compromise.  If you want to play in 28mm with lots of scenery, your players will always be asking which one was them any how, trust me.

Here's the combat system so far.  It needs some work here and there.  Particularly in the movement section.

Sequence
   At the start of each turn roll a contest of Leadership between the two sides to determine which side has the initiative.
   The side with the initiative activates their units and characters first.  Charging a unit allows them to react immediately if they haven't been activated previously that turn.
   A charged unit can react by counter charging, standing fast, withdrawing, or openning fire.  
   Charging and Countercharging units meet in the middle, with Lances and Great Weapons striking before others.
   Units standing fast strike first against chargers with shorter weapons.  Units openning fire do so when the chargers are half way to them but cannot fight back this turn as they have waited until they could see the whites of the enemy's eyes.
   Units withdrawing make a normal move away from the enemy, which may prevent combat but if it doesn't, they have to fight last regardless of the length of their weapons or their Speed ratings.
   A unit wishing to engage a foe within half of their movement rate may opt to advance into combat instead of charging.  In this case, the enemy may only stand fast, open fire, or withdraw.  However the advancing unit can only make a half move and is thus less likely to catch withdrawing foes.

Movement
   Broad, Sweeping Moves, units must follow leader, don't measure whole unit.  If playing in 15mm use centimetres instead of inches.
   
   Infantry   12 inches / turn
   Cavalry   24 inches / turn
   Fliers      48 inches / turn

Optional:
   Movement Rate = 9 + Speed
   Mounts x2
   Fliers x4

Frontage

Front
--------O--------
Rear

Ground Scale
   1" = 2 paces, Bare Bones is never dependant on your ability to guess ranges, so if you want to use a gridded surface you may safely do so.


Spotting
   Simple
      - Range
      - Bad Light
      - Sneaky Foe

Fighting
   Average - Fighting Skill
      -Bad Light
      -Bad Footing
      -Defended Position


Order of Fighting

   Unarmed
   Daggers
   Most Weapons
   Spears and Lances
   Pikes

Attack Rolls
   A number of dice equal to the Fighting skill of the unit are rolled against a 4- to determine how many attacks hit.  Characters may opt to set aside some of their dice to defend against incoming attacks, the chance of defending is also 4-.

Shooting
   1 - 12"      6-
   12 - 24"   5-
   24 - 48"4-
   48 - 96   " 3-
   96-192   " 2-
      
Thrown - 2
Spear Throwers -1
Bows, Slings 0
Long Bows, Crossbows +1

Damage = Might +1d6

Charging With Lance +1
Recieving Charge With Spear or Pike +1
Large Weapon +1
Small Weapon -1

Light Armour -2
Heavy Armour -3
Shield -1

Slashing Weapon v.s. Leather or No Armour +1
Crushing Weapon v.s. Chainmail Armour +1
Piercing Weapon  +1

Wounds = Might + Will : unconscious
Wounds > 2 x (Might + Will) x 4 : Killed

Optionally, wounds can be temporarily subtracted from Might and Will.

Mass Battle Option:
   Figure the target number for removing a single figure is Target Might + Will -  Attacker's Might + Modifiers since this must be met or exceeded, it takes one less point of damage to remove a figure by this method.

Formation Fighting
   Units with the Discipline skill can use it to get in position to take advantage of the following abilities.  These formations are only effective when all the figures are in base to base contact.

   Massed Fire - The front rank of the unit fires kneeling allowing the second rank to shoot as well.

   Phallanx - The unit can fight in two ranks with spears or pole arms that are being wielded as spears.  Note that the second rank doesn't get the advantage in the order they attack normally confirred by their length.

   Pike Block - The unit can present a dense hedge of pikes to the enemy allowing three ranks of troops to attack if the unit is charged from its front.  Units in a square or circle can present a pike block that is able to fight  in all directions.

   Shield Wall - The figures in the front of the unit interlock their shields defensively.  This allows the front rank to fight defensively just like characters while any figures with spears or polearms in the rank behind them can attack over their shoulders.  Note that spears and polearms don't get any other advantage from their reach when fighting from the second rank.

Damaging Units
   Instead of tracking wound points inflicted against units, add the defender's Armour and their Might to three and Subtract the Attacker's Might and Damage Modifiers.  If the resulting value can be beat on 1d6 they are eliminated.  This allows you to remove whole casualties.

Casualty On: 3 + Defender's Armour + Defender's Might - (Attacker's Damage Modifiers + Attacker's Might)

Morale
   Will-

   Took more casualties than enemy -1
   Outnumbered -1
   Desperate Circumstances +1

   Leadership a leader can confer their Will for morale and command tests to all subordinate figures within a radius of  their level.  In such cases, the leader's skill is also used to make the roll.

Command Radius
   Leadership Level x 1 + 1 banner or musician.

David,
 I also recommend going with a 25mm-28mm scale for the figures. For the main reason that there is a good variety of figures out there in that scale or pretty close to it.
 You can also "scavange" battlemaps meant for other games pretty easily that are already in that scale.

 HeQ, I am seriously thinking of using those new Battlefield Evolution miniatures from Mongoose as Mercenaries in my G:TRAVELLER campaign.

 Interesting, so far - can we hear /read more?

- Ed C.

Well, I've added a -1 to piercing weapons against shields to balance them a bit against the other attack types and given the various missile weapons a volley option for firing multiple shots at the expense of future effectiveness.  It fits well with my big sweeping moves and fairly long if fuzzy turn length.

Thrown 2
Short Bows and Slings 3
Long Bows 2
Crossbows 1

Each extra dice a figure or unit expends in a single shooting attack gives them an ammunition expended counter that inflicts a -1 on all future shooting.

So while you can unload a massive 4 dice per figure from a unit with short bows they'll be at -3 to hit with their shooting for the rest of the battle.

I also need to do something a little different with the ranges.

Here's the Beastiary.  Most of the descriptions are from the third version, but it was still a big job re-statting everything.

The information here will replace the racial information chart from the first post.

http://www3.telus.net/public/uncouths/Beastiary.pdf

Alright, you asked for it. The usual disclaimers:

This is a rough;i.e. not edited.

This is a work in progress;i.e. it has been play tested but kinks still need to be worked out.

Iridimini Rules (PDF 825 K)

Bill

Very interesting.  Much more involved or complex that what I'm working on, more on par with Savage Worlds.  Actually it looks better than Savage Worlds and I like Savage Worlds.

Quote from: David JohansenVery interesting.  Much more involved or complex that what I'm working on, more on par with Savage Worlds.  Actually it looks better than Savage Worlds and I like Savage Worlds.

Thanks. Yeah, you seem to be going for lighter. I was shooting for a minis resolution mechanic that fit with the Iridium System.

Good luck!

Bill

Here's the troop types by culture and a the starting bits of the campaign rules.


Cultures

Barbarians
   Tribal cultures that are led by warrior chieftains and lack a formal hierachal structure are considered barbarians.  Barbarians subsist by hunting, fishing, gathering, and light agriculture.

Hunters (Green)
   Gear: Bows & Swords
   Woodcraft 1
Warriors (Veteran)
   Gear: Light Chainmail, Spears, Shields, & Swords
   Woodcraft 1
Thegns (Elite)
   Gear: Heavy Chainmail, Battle Axes, & Swords
   Woodcraft 1, Might +1

Reavers
   Tribal cultures with a highly developed seafaring culture that are given to raiding, piracy, and the ocasional merchantile adventure are considered reavers.  Reavers subsist by hunting, fishing, gathering, and light agriculture

Dogs (Veteran)
   Gear: Bows or Spears & Shields
   Sailor 1
Wolves (Elite)
   Gear: Chainmail, Battle Axes or Swords & Shields
   Sailor 1, Fighting 2
Nomads
   Plains, tribal cultures that subsist by herding and riding beasts are considered nomads.  Nomads subsist by herding, hunting, and gathering.

Riders (Green)
   Gear: Bows & Knives
   Horsemanship 1
Raiders (Veteran)
   Gear: Heavy Leather, Shields, Swords, Bows, & Knives
   Horsemanship 1
Ravagers (Elite)
   Gear: Light Chain, Shields, Lances, Swords & Knives
   Horsemanship 1, Fighting 1

Feudal
   Feudal Cultures have developed a strong hiearchal state with a hereditary noble class.  Feudal cultures primarily subsist on intensive, organized agriculture and trade.  

Levy (Green)
   Gear: Light Leather, Spear & Shield or Long Bow
Men at Arms (Veteran)
   Gear: Light Chainmail, Polearm or Spear & Shield or Crossbow
   Discipline 1
Retainers (Elite)
   Gear: Heavy Leather, Shield, Spear, & Warhorse
   Horsemanship 1, Discipline 1
Knights (Elite)
   Gear: Heavy Chainmail or Light Plate, Shield, Lance, Sword, & Warhorse
   Horsemanship 1, Fighting 2

Citizens
   Those who dwell in cities have different cultural structures than most lands.  Cities are primarily ruled by the guildmasters and merchants rather than hereditary nobles or mighty war chiefs.  Cities are very dependant on trade though they often own and control the farm land for miles around.

Militia (Green)
   Gear: Heavy Leather, Polearm or Spear & Shield or Crossbow

Soldiers (Veteran)
   Gear: Light Plate, Polearm or Spear & Shield or Crossbow
   Discipline 1
Cavalry (Elite)
   Gear: Heavy Chainmail, Lance, Sword, Shield, & Warhorse
   Horsemanship 1, Discipline 1

Mercenaries
   Sometimes an army winds up without a homeland and turns to selling its services to the highest bidder.  All of the troop types are available for hire to those who are willing to take a chance on scoundrels and cutthroats.  In addition to the normal cultural troop types, there are some who are only available as mercenaries.

Thieves
   Cities and large towns often have organized criminal gangs.  In times of war their services are often available to the highest bidder

   Gear: Knives
   Veterans: Thievery 1
   Elites: Thievery2

Brigands
   Feudal and barbarian cultures are often plagued by outcasts and disadents who are half rebel hero and half murderous cut throat at heart.

   Gear: Long Bows & Knives
   Veterans: Wood Craft 1
   Elites: Woodcraft 1, Shooting 2

Renegades
   Nomad cultures often shun or banish unruley young men.  Sometimes these individuals band together to form dangerous rogue bands or raiders
   Gear: Warhorse, Bow, Sword, Dagger
   Veterans: Shooting 2
   Elites: Shooting 2, Fighting 2

Pirates
   Reaver, citizen, and feudal cultures all build ships along their coasts and they all suffer from the occasional mutiny.  Mutineers almost without exception turn to piracy for their keep.

   Gear: Cutlasses, Clubs, Knives
   Veterans: Fighting 2
   Elites: Fighting 2, Shooting 2

10 mile hexes

Feudal
   Hamlet      Recruit   : x1      1 Food
   Village      Recruit: x10      10 Food, Water
   Town      Recruit   : x100      100 Food, Water

City
   City   Recruit: x 1000      1000 Food, water

Barbarians, Reavers, and Nomads
   Band   Recruit: x1
   Clan   Recruit: x10
   Tribe   Recruit: x100

Terrain And Resources
   Plains - Herds x 2
   Fields - Food
   River - Water
   Shore - Food
   Lake - Water and Food
   Mountains - Metal, Stone, Wood
   Hills - Stone, Wood, and Herds
   Forest -  Wood x 2
   Marsh
   Desert

Herds allow plains and hills to produce food.

As I'm working on the spell lists I'm finding that I want a more rigorous means of determining a point cost for abilities.  Here's how I'm doing it now.  Sadly this means I'll have to revise the mettle values in bestiary.

Ability Costs

Area
Armour
Attack
Immunity
Modifier
Movement
Resisted Effect


-1 one use per battle
-1 no hands

Absorbtion
   One point buys two extra points of damage absorbtion, one above the disabled level and one below it.  As such one point buys one point of damage absorbtion as it is recorded.

Area
   Each inch radius effected by an ability costs one point.  Other areas can be figured at a rate of 3 x radius squared square inches per point.

Armour
   Each point of armour costs one point.

Attack
   Attacks cost one point for each point added to the trait value used by the attack.  

Duration
   Most abilities are permanent things that go on long after the cause was used.  However they all also have ways of being overcome by real world means, like repairing a wall or throwing a bucket of water on a person in an enchanted sleep. Even attacks are, since the damage they cause only heals slowly.  Abilities that require constant concentration to maintain cost one less point.  Abilities that have lingering effects like a wall of fire's attack cost one more point.

Immunity
   Narrow imunity to a specific attack type costs one point, imunity to all but one attack type costs two points.  Broad immunity that must be deactivated in order to attack costs two points.

Modifier
   Narrow situational modifiers to skills and traits cost one point and modifiers to die rolls cost two.  Broad modifiers cost double.

Movement
   Every twelve inches of movement costs one point.  Terrain type exchanges are free.  Ignoring one type of terrain costs one point and ignoring all terrain costs two.

Range
   Each inch of base range costs one point.

Resisted Effect
   Resisted effects are based on a trait and modifiers can be bought normally.  Minor effects cost one point and major effects cost two.

-1 one use per battle
-1 no hands

Examples

Flight
   Flight makes a character imune to melee attacks by non-flying foes but it also prevents the flier from atacking them without landing and allows terrain to be ignored.
   12"   2 points
   24"   3 points
   36"   4 points

Immaterial 4 points
   Immaterial creatures can pass through terrain without penalty and are immune to all but magical attacks, but are still able to attack normally.

Armoured Hide 1 point per point

Size   +/- 0 points
   Larger and smaller creatures are easier or harder to hit and can take less or more damage.  Each point a bonus or penalty to be hit is traded off for a one point bonus or penalty to damage absorbtion.

Firey Breath   4 points
   A Might based ranged attack with base range of three inches and a two inch area effect.

Mind Reading   4 points
   A Will verses Will resisted effect with a base range of three inches.

Here's the rough draft of the magic system.  It took me long enough but it's dry work at best.  I still need to go through and rationalize the results and clean it up a bit but I'm going to wait for my eyes to stop bugging out before I get back to it.  I'm more interested in building up the campaign rules at the moment.

http://www3.telus.net/public/uncouths/magicdraft.pdf