Make Way! Clear the Road! A new Ruckus Scenario

 

Here is a very quick, very simple scenario for Ruckus. This was written as the first of ten scenarios in the original rules from which we took the Freebie rules given away in Wi 437. This was my idea for an introductory game, Freebie of course, has a game with “Cut Down” Retinues instead.

This scenario has the advantages of getting everyone very quickly into action and not requiring a lot of space, you can easily play this on a 2x2 board.

Make Way! Clear the Road!

The Story so Far A solid fight for honour and precedence. Two equal forces of rival knights with their Retinues, meet on a road and neither is prepared to give precedence to the other. Soon insults begin to fly and the Retinues face off.

Set Up. Both players take turns to set the table with a scattering of terrain. Lay a road traversing the board from one side to the other. Terrain can be trees, bushes rocks, odd stretches of wall, the occasional cottage or can be an urban setting – a street through a town.

Both Retinues set up on or within 6 “of the Road, 12” from each other, 6” from the centre of the table. The Captains must stay on the Road at all times. This is a fast game and can be over in 40 minutes and can be played on a small board 2x2 should be quite adequate.

Winning the Game! Defeat the enemy by forcing the enemy Captain from the road, causing the enemy to flee or in a one off game by capturing or killing the enemy Lord.

 From a narrative point of view, it’s a good idea to have reason why the two Retinues can’t just pass each other. Here the very straight Roman road crosses a boggy area of ground over a culverted bridge. The boggy areas provide interesting choices as they are considered Hard Going, and are slow to cross and a prime place for a Peasanty ambush!

Big Bad Baron Harding is the local Lord, no newcomer  crosses before him! 

Jean Petre is a second generation French Knight of impeccable lineage, no local upstart takes precedence over him

The choice of setting is entirely up to the players, it might be themed to fit into a campaign...

You could feature a narrow road through a built-up area of town with tall buildings either side…

Or maybe a bridge crossing over a river…

Whatever way you choose do it you can be sure that Make Way will provide a fast action-packed and very bloody  Ruckus