Mythic Magazine #33 includes rules for Mass Combat, where you can have multiple opponents on both sides. I thought I'd try and use it for a team sport. Usually that sport would be Hockey, but I want to attempt something different this time around, at least for now.
One of the Discworld books I got for XMas is titled Unseen Academicals, and is about wizards forming a football teaming, only they're not allowed to use magic. Now this isn't like modern football, or European football (i.e. soccer to many of us), or rugby, or anything like that.
Instead, it resembles Medieval Football, also called Mob Football and a few other names. Since no names have been set in stone, I'm going with Mob Ball. I just find it to be a cooler name. In short though, it's a form of football that was played back in medieval times.
The main rules for Mob Ball are here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_football
But here's a summary:
Mob Ball is played between 2 teams, usually from two different towns, such as the home team and away team. They start in the center of a town, with any number of players, and try to get a ball (or pigs intestine, but let's go with the word Ball) to one end of the town to score a goal. The goal can be an actual set of posts, where the ball either hits or passes through. However some games had a church balcony used instead. Holding the ball, throwing, kicking, punching, scratching, and tackling were allowed. In fact, anything was legal short of manslaughter, and even that's sort of a gray area.
There are no downs, no safeties, no colored cards, and no time limit. First team to score a goal, wins.
Seems simple enough!
For my game rules, I'm mostly using the Mythic Mass Combat rules, but with a few tweaks. First, After each roll, I'll also roll on the Character Action (General) table to see what happens. If an Exceptional result is rolled, I'll use the Character Action (Combat) table instead. If Doubles are rolled (Even for Home team, Odd for Away Team), I'll treat that as a possible injury and roll on the Clash Incapacity table. Any injury (or worse) results in an additional Rout Point for the losing time. First team to score a number of Rout Points equal to the opponent's Power score is said to get the ball to the gal and wins.
I'm going with two English teams, since this mostly took place in England. Harrow is the Home Team while Acton is the Away Team (See what I did there? Heh heh!). For Descriptors, I'll roll randomly on the Army table that comes with the Mass Combat rules. Then I'll use 1 Page CC for stats.
So let's do that now.
Acton: Ruthless Problems, Persecute Enemies, Pursue Victory.
- Ruthlessly pressures opponents: +1
- Treats opponents as mortal enemies: +1
- Relentlessly plays to win: +3
Total Power: +5.
Harrow: Ceaseless Large, Start Tired, Large Trust.
- Large number of players: +3.
- Low stamina: -1.
- Teamwork: +3.
Total Power: +5.
So let's get started.
It was a sunny early morning in the town of Harrow. However, shops were closed, farms were mostly ignored, and the main road through town was empty as carriages parked either in stables or on the side of the road. Instead, a group of people gathered in the center of town. As some of them hung the town flag from a post at the far end of town, the rest stretched and awaited their opponents.
A few minutes later, more carriages and horses appeared, and a number of young men and rushed up, setting up their own post and flag while confronting the people of Harrow.
One young man, with short fiery red hair, got right into the face of the tallest Harrow player. "You Harrs are gonna get hurt today. We're spilling your blood all over the road."
The tall Harrow player's eyes went wide. "Calm down, this is only a game. Remember? We set these up to stay in shape in case we're invaded."
"The only shape you'll be in is a corpse," said the Acton player. "You challenged us, and now you'll pay with your lives."
The two teams positioned themselves on the line at the center of town, and one woman brought out the ball. Standing off to the side, she hurled the ball into the air, and it landed between the teams, who lunged forward for it.
First Clash:
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (50/50) Yes.
- 1 Rout Point to Acton.
(Action) "Move," "Careful."
The Acton players charged forward, but the Harrow team surrounded the ball, keeping it safe. They then moved forward like a human wall.
Second Clash:
(Clash) Does Harrow in the Clash? (+1 = Likely) No.
- 1 RP to Harrow.
(Action) Defiant, Simple.
Several Acton players darted through, using their shoulders to wedge past the wall. Catching the Harrow players by surprise, they snatched the ball.
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (50/50) X-No.
- 2 RP to Harrow, for 3 total.
(Action) Disrupt, Break.
"Is that all you got, you twigs?" shouted an Acton player as he balled up his fist and smashed the jaw of a Harrow opponent.
Several other Acton players began brawling with their foes, while two players rushed towards their goal.
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (-2 = Very Unlikely) No.
(Action) Helpful, Nice.
- 1 RP to Harrow for -4.
"Yeah, sorry about that," said the lead Acton player with a snicker. Holding the ball under his arm, he ran full speed to his goal. Only a few feet until they won.
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (-3 = Nearly Impossible) Yes, Possible Injury to Away.
(Action) Struggle, Frightening.
- 1 RP to Acton for -2.
(Incapacity) Is the player Incapacitated? (+3 -2 = +1 or Likely) X-No.
Collectively roaring like prides of lions, the Harrow players burst forward, knocking the Acton player to the ground and snatching the ball. The player roll aside, avoiding the stampede, but he was clearly shaken.
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (-2 = Very Unlikely) Yes.
(Action) Fiercer, Careful.
- 1 RP to Acton for -3.
The tall Harrow player held the ball inside the grip of his enormous arms and dart back to his own goal. Reach his feet, the red headed Acton player chased after him.
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (-1 = Unlikely) Yes, but barely.
(Action) Antagonize, Nice.
-1 RP to Acton for -4.
The tall Harrow player dodged and faked his opponents, who fought to steal the ball from him. "So sorry. Strongest apologies. Oops, close one there."
(Clash) Does Harrow win the Clash? (50/50) Yes.
(Action) Loyal, Pleasures.
Acton reach 5 RP.
Harrow wins!
A dozen Harrow players surrounded their leader as he charged away from his opponents. Several Acton players did their best to break through, but the Harrow formed an impenetrable wall. With a smile on his face, the lead Harrow player ran at top speed and passed the goal line, giving his team the win.
Spinning around, he hooted and hurled the ball back into the air.
The two teams met again in the center of the town. The lead Acton player got right back into the lead Harrow player's face. For several seconds, the two teams said nothing but exchange glares.
Then the red headed Acton player held out his hand. "Good game, friend."
The tall Harrow player accepted the hand. "Oh good, we're friends now?"
"Of course," said the Acton player, "until next time, anyway." He winked.
With a chuckle, the Harrow players invited their opponents to the tavern, where the two teams drank, laughed, and danced throughout the night.
At least until they tried to kill each other again, next time.
I'm glad the game went back and forth. It could've turned into a one-side slaughter quite easily. Now i'm debating on staying with English teams or going right in with Discworld locations, races, and characters.
No comments:
Post a Comment