Backswords and Bucklers

[danhem]

I downloaded a copy of the Backswords and Bucklers rules today. At first glance it looks pretty interesting. I like the three basic character classes (fighting man, scoundrel, and wise woman/cunning man) and their different means of earning experience points. Has anyone tried to run a game with these rules yet? Better yet is Christopher Cale a member here? If so perhaps he'd be interested in running a play-by-post game here?

You can download the rules free from Lulu here: www.lulu.com/product/file-download/backswords-bucklers-book-one-basic-rules/11373924?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/2

[danbuter]

I like it! The different xp requirements per class is a neat idea.

[coffee]

Actually, Gangbusters used different XP requirements by class, way back in 1982.

[danbuter]

Maybe, but no one plays Gangbusters, so it doesn't count.

[pineappleleader]

I've got a copy too. Very impressive.

Could not run it. I don't know enough about that period to run a game and get the atmosphere right.

[tombowings]

If you want a good feel for the period, go and read Shakespeare's King Richard II Merry Wives of Windsor, and The Winter's Tale. All of which can be found open source online. These three plays give a good representation of deferent aspects of Elizabeth culture from a bunch of different perspectives. I know King Richard II reigned a few hundred years before Elizabeth, but the play deals with a lot of issues and concerns with her rules.

Another option, is to pick up The Three Musketeers. It's set in France and is slightly later in history, but it's a great swashbuckling that really captures the feel of Backswords and Bucklers.

[thorswulf]

Watch the Sea Hawk with Errol Flynn for inspiration as well! There are some fantasy novels out there as well, but the Authors escape me..... Actually any swashbuckling story is good inspiration, but just emphasize more body armor, and less finesse!

[norse]

Hey guys, sorry I didn't spot this at the time!

This is Christopher Cale, and I am sort of a member her (I don't get to frequent message boards much). If I ever get enough time I'd definitely be willing to run a play by post if people are still interested.

Glad you like it! We find the XP system for the Scoundrel in particular really encourages scoundrel-like behaviour.

I'd say, even if you don't have a feel for the period, go for it anyway. Like OD&D it's just a toolbox. Make stuff up as you go. I tend to run fairly historical games of it, because I know the period. But people have run it without any kind of background knowledge at all and been fine. Thats why it's a fantasy game

The feel is in the rules themselves, where individual skill is more important than equipment etc.

But if you want an idea for the feel, I'd agree with all of the above. Although slightly less so with the errol flynn stuff, if only because the combat is very different (too much thrusting).

The first supplement should be out within a few months by the way, and will be Men of Magic.

[simonw]

I like B&B, but for this particular group I wanted something with a bit more to it, so I combined it with Flashing Blades, bunged in some "Style Points" (like Action Points) and ran a game the other night. Everyone loved it. In the book, there are some other sourcebooks and stuff mentioned. I'd like to know when these will be coming out. I was contemplating putting together a wild west version, Colts & Winchesters...

[norse]

Hi Simon, sounds good.

Being as this is very much part-time and I have two jobs the answer is "very slowly". We aim to get one out a year if we can. The Men of Magic book should be out in time for the UK Games Expo. The main limiting factor is art really. I'm poor and art costs money. We got away with public domain art for the first book but we've pretty much now run out of suitable public domain interior art (we'll keep the portrait theme on the covers).

Our tech guy is currently working in Thailand, which is the main reason the website hasn't been updated in a bit. He's due back late March time so hopefully I should get some free support material on the website (adventures, suggestions, rules for gladiator bouts and other blood sports, stuff on coins and things like that; also a full mini campaign and some handy dandy reference sheets).

What we aim to achieve with the supplement books is to have as much material as possible also be useful for normal Whitebox/0e games, and have a little bit on how to use it so. All of the new types of magic in Men of Magic, for example, can be made use of in other campaigns. We haven't reproduced the 'standard' spells, because in theory plenty of people have access to those, and they don't quite fit in. But they can be seen as another type of magic to be used alongside if people wish it.

[Deleted]

Feb 22, 2011 11:15:37 GMT -6 norse said:

This is Christopher Cale, and I am sort of a member her (I don't get to frequent message boards much). If I ever get enough time I'd definitely be willing to run a play by post if people are still interested.

Have an exalt!

[norse]

Oh, cheers!

[Deleted]

Cool, a OD&D version of the A Mighty Fortress historical campign sourcebook.

[norse]

Yes and no

A Mighty Fortress is well worth getting if you can find it.

[norse]

Just put a post up in the Classified section if anyone's interested in that play by post!

[norse]

Copied from the Swords & Wizardry section, just in case:

It's been a horrifying couple of weeks, but the first supplement for Backswords & Bucklers is finally here! Just in time for the UK Games Expo.

The blurb:

The first supplement to the Backswords & Bucklers fantasy Elizabethan roleplaying game is here! Containing: expanded job tables, random name generators, a dozen useful jobs to fit into any Backswords campaign, a complete adventure, useful bits and pieces including the complete rules to Hazard and two other period dice games, stuff about money and gladiators, and advice for running Backswords & Bucklers games.

Print copies may be purchased here for £5:

www.lulu.com/product/paperback/backswords-bucklers-book-two-tavern-trawling/15904838?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

And pdf copies may be purchased here for £1:

www.lulu.com/product/file-download/backswords-bucklers-book-two-tavern-trawling/15904839?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/2

We'll have plenty of copies with us for the UK Games Expo, so if you're coming along please come and say hello and take a look. We'll be in the Green Zone toward the back somewhere. Look for Tied to a Kite Games. No, we don't sell kites.