Roll Out the Gun Barrels: Medieval Strife

By Tyrino

This game plays using the same core rules as Roll Out the Gun Barrels, with a bit more of an advanced ring to it. This game is more strategic and can ultimately be more fun than a standard ROtGB game.

What makes this game so much more intriguing, you may wonder? For starters, this game can take place only in medieval times. Secondly, each die has multiple unit possibilities.

Explained below are each die's unit possibilities and what they do.

d4
This small die has three different possibilities: recruit, wizard, and defender.

RECRUIT - d4
This unit rolls like a normal d4 unit in ROTGB. Treat it as a simple fighter wielding a short sword and leather armor, with a crossbow for ranged attacks if it ends up making more sense.

WIZARD - d4
Any rolls made by this unit are made at -1 (but if the die shows 1, its total is 1). It has the ability, however, to cast spells. The spells it can cast are: Shield, Empower, and Beam. More on Wizards later.

DEFENDER - d4
Defenders cannot attack. However, if your opponent manages to take one of your dice, you can choose to have one or more defenders take that die's place, but only if their total is greater than or equal to the difference between your opponent's die and the die she is trying to take. Example: Your opponent uses a d12 to take your d10. The d12 reads "11", and your d10 reads "8." Her d12 beats your d10 by 3 points. HOWEVER, you notice you have a defender in play. The Defender shows 3. You can choose to sacrifice the Defender to your opponent instead, and keep your d10 in play. Now let's change that situation... This time, she again has 11 on her d12 and you again have 8 on your d10, but none of your Defenders show 3 or higher. But you do have 2 Defenders in play, with the numbers 1 and 2. You can sacrifice these two Defenders (because their total equals 3 or higher) and keep your d10.

d6
The d6 has three different unit possibilities: Footman, Archer, and Cleric.

FOOTMAN - d6
This unit rolls like a normal d6 unit in ROTGB. Treat it as a fighter in half-plate armor with a longsword and medium kite shield.

ARCHER - d6
The Archer wears lighter armor than any other d6 unit wears, so if it is considered for defense its number is 1 less than what the die reads (i.e. Your opponent has a d6 on the table with 6 as its number, and your Archer also shows 6. Your opponent could take this archer, because for defense your archer gets -1). When considered for offense, though, the Archer gets +2.

CLERIC - d6
At the beginning of the game and every time the Cleric is rolled, you choose which unit the Cleric provides blessing to. As long as the Cleric is not killed or rolled, the Cleric will continuously provide a constant +1 to the chosen unit. No unit can be blessed by more than one Cleric at any given time, and only 3 Clerics can provide any type of blessing at any given time (i.e. if you have six Clerics in play, only three of them will be able to bless any other units. The other Clerics are normal d6s until another Cleric stops blessing).

d8
The hefty d8 has 2 unit possibilities: Knight and Warlock.

KNIGHT - d8
This unit rolls like a normal d8 unit in ROTGB. Treat it as a well-trained (often very muscular and tall) fighter in full-plate armor with a two-handed axe or sword.

WARLOCK - d8
Warlocks constantly get -2 to their roll. They, like the d4 Wizards, can cast spells. The spells a Warlock can cast are: Hold, Pierce, Shift Morale, and Laser. More on spells and spellcasting later.

d10
A good, solid unit. The d10 is the most versatile, with 5 unit possibilities: Cavalier, Dark Knight, Paladin, Crossbowman, and Flankman.

CAVALIER - d10
This unit rolls like a normal d10 unit in ROTGB. Treat it as a soldier riding a horse with medium armors and cavalry-friendly weaponry.

DARK KNIGHT - d10
The Dark Knight also rides a horse, often a black steed. For defense, it gets -2. For offense, it gets +2. This unit can never be taken by a d4 (unless flanked).

PALADIN - d10
The Paladin also rides a horse, most likely a white or light brown powerful beauty. For defense, the Paladin gets +2. For offense, it gets -2. This unit can never be taken by a d4 (unless flanked).

CROSSBOWMAN - d10
The Crossbowman wields one heavy crossbow. For offense, the Crossbowman gets an astounding +4. For defense, the Crossbowman gets -3.

FLANKMAN - d10
This unit always gets -1 to defense. If it attacks, there is no penalty. If it attacks as part of a flanking group, it cannot be taken by the enemy for one whole turn (until the gameplay comes back to your turn).

d12
With slightly more power and also slightly more vulerability than the d10, the d12 is a gamble with each roll. Unit possibilities: Champion, Amazon, and Stargazer.

CHAMPION - d12
The Champion rolls like a normal d12 unit in ROTGB. Treat it as an elite fighter, skilled in all forms of combat, wearing light armor to allow for better movement. Weapons include dual short swords, a large axe, and three belt-mounted pre-nocked hand crossbows.

AMAZON - d12
Beautiful, fit, and agile, the amazon women wear clothing more often than armor, and rely on their speed to avoid damage. The Amazon gets +2 for defense, but, if taken, adds +1 to your opponent's score for every 2 Amazon he's killed.

STARGAZER - d12
Truly an enigma, Stargazers spend most of their life studying the cosmos and learning from its energies. They get a constant -3, and have the most random of spells. Their spells are: Dismay, Havoc, Force Field, and Split.

d16
Not quite as powerful as a d20, but not quite as vulnerable, either, the d16 has two choices: the Catapult and the Ballista.

CATAPULT - d16
The Catapult gets +3 to its attack, and -5 to its defense.

BALLISTA - d16
The Ballista gets -5 to its attack, and +3 to its defense.

d20
The behemoth of the battlefield. Three choices: Hero, Demon, Archangel.

HERO - d20
This unit rolls as a standard d20 unit in ROTGB. Treat it as a king, or named NPC.

DEMON - d20
Treat this unit as a flying, black-skinned, red-eyed behemoth of pain and death. It gets +3 to its attack, -3 to its defense. To top it off, the Demon can cast Empower.

ARCHANGEL - d20
The Archangel is a 7 to 10 foot tall angel, with beautiful and powerful wings. He/she wields a glowing, golden bastard sword. The Archangel gets +3 to defense, -3 to attack. The Archangel can cast Shield.

d100
The d100 really is an overpowered unit and I don't recommend the use of it... but if you really want to, the d100 can only be treated as one of two things: Dragon or Deity.

DRAGON - d100
The Dragon's powerful scales provide godly defense, giving the Dragon +9 to its defense. The Dragon's powerful form also gives it super attack power, with a +12 attack bonus.

DEITY - d100
If you're roleplaying, take a deity from your game and use it here. A Deity gets +15 Defense, and +10 attack. Deities can cast all spells.

SPELLS AND SPELLCASTING
Spellcasting is done just like any other move, and the casting unit must be rerolled after the spell is cast. Spells can only be cast a certain number of times (indicated below by the number in parenthesis). In order to refill your caster's magic, you must skip one of your turns. For each turn you skip, you may replenish one caster's magic in full.

When a spell lasts for a certain number of turns, the turn in which the spell was cast does not count. For example, the Shield spell lasts 2 turns. Your turn ends after the spell is cast, and then your opponents go. Your turn comes around. That is considered 1 full turn. When your NEXT turn ends, so does Shield.

Shield (3) - Grants the target unit +2 defense for 2 turns.

Empower (3) - Grants the target unit +1 offense for 2 turns.

Beam (2) - Attacks a unit with a value of 3.

Hold (1) - Target unit cannot attack or be rolled. This spell negates any spell that may try to force the afflicted unit to roll. Lasts 1 turn.

Pierce (2) - Target unit suffers a -2 penalty to defense.

Shift Morale (4) - Target unit must roll.

Laser (3) - Attacks a unit with a value of 5.

Dismay (2) - Target player's units must all roll (unless under the influence of a Hold spell).

Havoc (2) - All units in play must roll (unless under the influence of a Hold spell).

Force Field (1/game) - This spell may only be cast once by each unit that can cast it. All of your units cannot be targeted or taken for 1 turn.

Split (1) - The unit that casts this spell splits into two d6 Footmen.

RULES

At the beginning of the game, you choose what each of your dice will be. ALL of your dice must be the same type within their categories. You cannot have 5 d4s, and 3 of them Recruits and 2 of them Wizards. ALL of your d4s must be Recruits, OR Wizards, OR Defenders. The same goes for all other dice.

No unit can be enchanted with multiple beneficial spells. i.e. Shield and Empower cannot be cast on the same unit at the same time. One spell per unit at a time.

Spellflanking is allowed. For example, if a your enemy has a die showing the number 8, you can have one unit cast Laser, and one unit cast Beam, to equal 8 and take the unit. Roll both of your casters after this. Likewise, if you have a normal die showing 5 and your Wizard can cast Beam for 3, then you can flank this way too.

Themed Play

Daytime Field Play - A battle in an open field. Archer, Crossbowman, Amazon, and Ballista units get +1 at all times (cumulative with their default bonuses and penalties).

Nighttime Field Play - A battle in an open field at night. Archer, Crossbowman, Amazon, and Ballista units get -1 at all times (cumulative with their default bonuses and penalties).

Mystic Environment - A battle environment where all spells can be cast twice their normal amount of times before being recharged. A mystic environment can be an alternate dimension, an alternate Plane, or a sorceror's conjured world.

Castle Battle - Choose which player (or team) is fighting from inside the castle. All of the units in the castle gain +1 defense.

City Battle - This battle takes place in a large city. All units get +1 defense and -2 attack. All spells may only be cast twice before needing a recharge, and spells that could normally only be cast once can not be cast at all.

Volcanic/Volatile Terrain - A battle in dangerous terrain with frequent quakes and other severe hazards. After each turn, you must roll all of your units. You cannot recharge spells.

Poor Weather - Mud and rain, gusty winds. All d10s, d12s, d16s, and d20s get -1 at all times.

Dangerous Weather - Hail, flooded earth, and disorienting winds. All units get -2 to attack.

Damaging Weather - Golfball-sized hail, house-tearing winds, ice-cold sharp rains. Any d4, d6, or d8 that rolls a 1 can never roll again.

Catastrophic Weather - Football-sized hail, town-crushing pressure from wind, groundbreaking thunder, constant lightning. Any unit that rolls 1 can never roll again.

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