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[Geoff]

I thought I'd take advantage of this section of our forums to post several rules variants that I've been collecting from across the internet. This variant comes to us courtesy of Jon Getty. He posted this in the En Garde entry at Board Game Geek.

Being that I teach a regular Society for Creative Anachronism rapier practice, and have a couple dozen students who come over from time to time, En Garde sees more than a little play. However, the standard every-man-for-himself rules leave a lot to be desired for group combat, especially when you actually DO melee fencing from time to time. So I've been working on a En Garde variant for a melee between two teams, informed somewhat by doing this "for real".

Here are the current rules:
1. Position the player mats in two lines, facing each other. Players should try to sit in a similar fashion. An opponent is "within" reach of you if they are directly opposite you, or immediately diagonal. For instance:
A_B_C: 2 is within reach of A,B,C; C can only reach 2
1_2
A_B_C: 2 is within reach of B&C, A can only reach 1
_1_2

2. If both teams have N players, each team gets N-1 offhand weapons randomly drawn, to be equipped as they choose.

3. If one team is smaller, each player on that team gets an offhand weapon. The smaller team also gets the pistol card. The pistol card is removed from play after it is used once.

4. At the beginning of the game, each player draws up to seven cards. This number could be tweaked.

5. Play alternates between teams until everyone has gone. Order could vary and be determined by the team, or go in a fixed pattern. Then the sequence repeats. If the teams are uneven, the larger team gets more turns. That's why the smaller team gets the pistol.

6. On your turn, after playing any poise or offhand weapon cards, you can do only one of four things (or none of the above)
-- a. Attack anyone "within reach", as in the basic rules
-- b. Play an offhand weapon card from your hand to a teammate's mat (the teammate may discard any offhand to accept it)
-- c. Change your place in the fighting line. You may "make room" between two teammates to do so
-- d. Both 'b' and 'c', as long as you are adjacent to the recipient of the weapon at some point of your movement

7. When you attack, you expose yourself to several dangers:
-- a. The person you attack may respond as usual with parry-riposte
-- b. Non-attacked opponents "within reach" may play an attack card to make an "attack of opportunity (AoO)" IF you play anything other than an unmodified thrust or slash
-- c. Non-attacked opponents who are both "within reach" and adjacent to the player you are attacking, may parry your shot.

8. The AoO described in 7b must be played immediately (before responses are played, and preferably in 2-3 seconds). If the counterattack is anything but a simple, unmodified thrust or slash, then anyone within reach of you, who has not yet acted, can make an AoO at you.

9. Now that all attacks and counterattacks have been played (each player should have made only have ONE attack max), deal with responses as follows:
-- a. As usual, each attacked player who has not yet acted has the opportunity to play ONE card, even if they're being attacked by multiple people. Cards that discard attacks and end the exchange have their stated effect but DO NOT end the exchange
-- b. Players who are within reach of the combat, but have not attacked, may play ONE defensive card to defend an adjacent teammate
-- c. Parry-riposte can only be used to counterattack people who have directly attacked you. A teammate can play the parry-riposte card, but the attacked player must then play the attack. As in rule 8, a riposte with a simple thrust or slash does not draw an AoO, but lunges and modified attacks allow anyone who has not yet played a card to attack you. Their AoO can draw in another player if it's not a simple thrust or slash
-- d. As usual, players may only play strong arms, disengages, and coupes if their initial attack is parried. And further responses can only be played as long as the opponent makes a compatible response
-- e. To be clear, each player gets to do one of the following: Play cards to make an AoO OR Play a card to defend a neighbor OR Play cards to defend yourself.

10. Resolve poise loss as usual, but the offhand weapon's bonuses can only be used against ONE opponent (i.e. if you have a buckler, and get hit by two thrusts, take 2 poise damage).

11. Players only get to draw new cards on their turn, which limits the attacks of opportunity somewhat

12. Desperation: When a player is the last combattant alive on their team, there is no poise cost to play cards, and they may draw an extra card. As usual, players with no poise also pay no poise to play cards

13. These rules are supposed to follow common sense. If an attack, parry, or response is illogical, disallow it. Remember that your sword can only being doing one thing at a time. If player A attacks player 1, and player 2 makes an AoO at A, then player A cannot parry 2's attack, both because his sword is busy stabbing player 1, and because player A's attack has not been riposted! Hopefully player B is watching his buddy's back, and will parry player 2's attack.

14. As usual, a Furious Assault cannot be blocked, by the victim or his/her allies. However, adjacent opponents do get an attack of opportunity, and the exchange is not ended.

15. Superior technique, Web of Steel, etc, can only be played when you have the opportunity to do so. If I attack, and get a parry-riposte back, I can play Superior Technique. If I attack, my opponent makes a partial parry, and I get hit with two AoO's, I do not get to play another card.

Example Exchange:
1_2_3 vs
A_B_C

Attacks: A lunges at 2. 1 makes an AoO powerful thrust at A. B chooses not to make an AoO at 1.
Responses: 2 makes a parry-riposte-furious assault-lunge at A. C now makes a thrust at 2. A plays a parry to stop 1's slash, since he can't stop the furious assault. 2 can do nothing about C's thrust unless he gets another turn, so 3 parries C's thrust instead.
Press Attack: 1 discards the parry with strong-arm. A doesn't have any more parries...
Response: but B (who still hasn't acted, and can help his neighbor) plays parry-riposte. This allows A to throw a slash back at 1, which 1 can't parry, and 2 can't help with because he's already acted
Result: 2's furious lunge lands on A. A's final slash lands on 1. All other attacks were discarded. Now it's 1's turn. He draws his hand back up to 7 and takes advantage of A and B having played all those cards.

Try it out and let me know what you think!
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