This system is designed to give you a wargame that is a bit more interesting than the usual equal-points matches. Instead, unequal forces fight on-table, while their allies try to make it to the table either to seal the doom of or relieve the out-numbered side.
The Three Fight System
Each player splits his forces into three groups, which may be of equal or varying sizes. These go off to three different locations marked on a simple map. A battle on the table is fought using figures, and this represents one of the three possible engagements. The other two engagements may be resolved with a single die roll during the main wargamed-out battle, and it is possible that reinforcements may arrive during the game, from one or two of these off-table forces. This means that it is usually the case that the battle on-table is between forces of different strengths. The weaker side defends, and is the more likely of the two to be reinforced during the game, and this adds a lot of character and interest to the game. Especially when the game is part of a campaign, it can be wise to retreat before destruction to save forces for later encounters.
I have been told that some ideas in this system do bear some resemblance to those used in a set of Peter Pig rules. Apparently it too uses a 6x6 grid with a few places where troops might be sent. That's pretty much all I know about it, however. Since I have never read those rules, I feel unsullied by the guilt of plaguerism. I used a 6x6 grid because it was simple, and seemed about the right size, and I could use d6s to assign terrain to them with random co-ordinates. I am confident that most of what I have written must be very different, because I have no psychic abilities.
The system uses little maps, and has suggestions for generating your own ones, but for the lazy owners of printers, I have drawn out eight for you. They are .gif files, and should print out nicely on a sheet of A4 at 72 pixels per inch. For the Arcturan mega-lazy, I have added the file of the basic map, complete with a few symbols, for creating your own. I drew my first maps out very quickly by hand with coloured crayons, and they looked fine to me.
Printing the system out
Right then, here are the rules, in a downloadable, printable format. They include the campaign system and six player scenario discussed on other pages. The file is in rich text format (.rtf) which you should be able to print even if you don't use Word. If you are truly baffled by them, feel free to e-mail me and ask questions. There are two separate parts to writing rules for other people to use. One is getting the rules to work, and the other is getting them across clearly to other people, and I may have succeeded at the first and failed at the second.
