"I remember my first joust. It looks far worse than it feels!"
~Sir Ector
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| 54mm wooden knights are about to smack down! |
So... this is a thing...
I actually started making knight Wooden models about 2 years ago as an idea for Christmas ornaments, which got me started noodling with some rules ideas, but then put it down for other had multiple requests for jousting rules, got the itch and started the project back up again. The big push was I had a deadline for my friend Drew Williams
D&D game that needed a tournament; nothing like a deadline, eh? Behold- Breaking Lances!
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| A custom piece with the arms of a friend in the SCA |
Breaking Lances
Breaking Lances is a quick playing set of
jousting rules, recreating the fast paced and awe inspiring engagements of
knights charging at each other with lances couched, shields up, and horses thundering
down the field.
These rules are an attempt to capture the
quick moment to moment reactions timing and counter reactions needed to get
your lance on point to gain glory by breaking lances on your opponent, and
possibly dismounting him. All for the
glory and honor of the joust! Or the favor of a damsel; or the ransom money-
those are good too!
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| Early version activation placards show hit locations when lances are crossed! |
Scoring jousts in medieval times (and later)
had a set of standards for scoring.
Geoffroi de Purelli is credited with writing a manuscript detailing the
rules of jousting during medieval times. He wrote it in the year 1066. Purelli
later died during a joust. Tournaments basically made their own rules. Thus,
the weapons or styles of combat may vary from one tournament to another.
Knights adapted depending upon which tournament they were participating in. As
history has given precedent, in Breaking Lances, in order to get a more “game play”
feel of the action, I have foregone the standard lists scoring system and
embellished a bit.
A Breaking Lances tournament playtest.
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| After each player plots, they move in for the hit! |
These
rules are designed to be played at “convention level “meaning that you can pick
them up, learn them very quickly and get stuck in (pun intended) the game. The
more you play, or the better you know your opponent, the more bragging rights
you will have. Breaking Lances also
features a tournament system that allows players to win favors, and gain skills
and fame.
The
trumpets sound. Mount your horse, check your feet in the stirrups, grab your
lance and off you go!
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| Designs are inspired by old manuscripts, in particular the Codex Manesse |
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| From the Codex Manesse |
The Models
Like all of my Wooden soldiers, I look to the period I'm doing and the art of that time to inspired the look. In the case of knights I have a really rich source in the Codex Manesse. Scores of awesome "portraits" of knights on their horses, including barding, heraldry, colors and Crests.
After playing around with a few scales, I landed on 54mm to be the most rewarding. It has a great table top presence, the detail comes out nicely, and the jousting run needed fits on any table top nicely for games.
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| views of both sides of the knights. The lance is adjustable |
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Currently
the models are 5 pieces including the base. I'm looking to release
these with a "heraldry" sheet similar to my Galleys Guns and Glory! flag
sheets, where you can cut out the painted shield, checkered stripes,
smaller shields to decorate the Caparison barding, etc.
Well, that's quite a bit of blathering. My goal is to have these, the rules and everything you need to play on sale, come December.
Cheers!
UPDATE
Totally forgot to post a picture of the winner, Sir Ryon of levitt! He won a Wooden knight, and of course, bragging rights!
