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TITLE: Knight Hack: Medieval Warfare 1000 AD to 1400 AD Third Edition (2006)

AUTHOR: Philip J.Viverito

PUBLISHER: LMW Works

PUBLICATION DATE: 2002

WEB SITE/SUPPORT FORUM:

• Yahoo Groups Classical Hack
• Knight Hack Home Page

PRICE (with date): $22.00 (in 2007)

REVIEWED BY: LMW works the US publisher of this rules set.

PERIOD COVERED:

Western European Warfare in the Middle Ages

THE BOOK:

The book is 8.5”x11”with a color cover. Print 10 point. Color Cover paper perfect bound.

SCOPE:

For tactical level games. Ideal for campaigns and scenarios for ideally for either 15mm or 25/28mm figures.

ARMY SIZE:

Most armies will require about 200 figures in 15mm and 110 figures in 25mm per side however this is determined by figure representation.

Units can be either single stands or multiple stands. Average unit size is recommended as 2 to 48 foot figures. Cavalry 2 figures to 36 figures.

BASE UNIT:

Unspecified; see below QRS.

GAME SCALES:

• Ground scale (1” = 150 feet)
• Time scale (1 turn = 15-20 minutes)
• Figure/Base Ratio (1 figure = 5 to 200 men)
• Recommended Figure size (ideally 15mm or 25mm-also smaller scales6 and 10 mm)
• Table Size: Battles with 12 to 20 units 4x 6 feet larger armies 5x8 feet.
• Game Length: Inexperienced players with a GM 3 to 4 hours. “Variable.”

BASING SIZES:

All frontages 60mm (see below)

Standard Tournament basing.

60 mm frontages ( http://classicalhack.com/article/products/0060/1/ ) Unlike other rules systems these generic terms have been converted to figures per stand. Each type is dealt with through the use of QRS or Quick Reference Sheets based on the armies of the period. See below.

TURN SEQUENCE:

• Charge and charge response Declarations marked
• Shooting.
• Morale for shooting casualties
• Move Charges and charge responses
• Normal Movement: stop routs and attach or detach leaders
• Shooting second phase of
• Morale from shooting
• Melees fought
• Morale from melee
• Rally

GAME MECHANICS:

Dice Used: One D-10 and one D-6 for each player.

Combat: Figure to figure (in the units) using a matrix. Each figure type by figures per stand which have a predetermined basic melee value. Found on each QRS. Add applicable melee modifiers to the unit’s melee value. Cross reference the final melee factor to the number of figures (http://classicalhack.com/article/aids/0080/1/). To inflict a casualty(s) roll low on a single D-10 die. Up to three figures can be inflicted in normal melee. 

ARMY LISTS/SCENARIOS:

How armies/forces are put together: Use the army 38 lists as supplied in the form of Q.R.S. These range from early armies of the period to the end of the period. There is a short history of the many armies to form armies and how they tactically deployed. These include the great spear armies, great knightly armies, great Moslem armies and others. Suggested deployments and orders of battle are given.

Game set up is simple and relies on up to eight pieces of terrain per side. Selection table is used. No screens are necessary, using a die roll one side sets down terrain and then the next. After this armies are set up-first one side then the other by die roll.

Is there a points system? No. Values are used instead of points and these are found in the army QRS for each army.

Numerous scenario books are available at http://classicalhack.com/article/products/.  Orders of battle included. To summarize:

Army Lists Included:

• Norse armies
• Great knightly armies
• Great spear armies
• Great Moslem armies

Scenarios Included: None

REVIEWER’S COMMENTS:

No writing or records keeping required. Whole casualties are removed in figures .Not a lot of dice used.

Special Items:

• Table of contents
• Index
• Lots of diagrams of play examples many in color
• Army lists in the form of QRS grouped by date(i.e. 1000-1100 Scots, Scots 1100-1400)
• Special add on tactics supplied-recommended after becoming familiar with the rules
• Mechanisms easy to understand; when a difficult problem arises it is suggested that you roll a d-6 die to resolve until later. It is better to play through.
• Siege rules included
• Author replies to questions within 48 hours on line
• Support at the Classical Hack Yahoo Group ( http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Classical-Hack/join )

PLAYER’S COMMENTS:

• Demonstration games at national conventions has players playing without assistance in 3 turns
• Markers are supplied in the rules more to be posted on the web site later this year
• Turns should run anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes
• Winning does not take a rules lawyer. As in all games things are determined ultimately by a D-10 roll
• The rules are as complicated as you want them to be.
• The rules capture the flavor of the period as the rules encourage players to use many of the tactical things like knights fighting knights, pot holes, shield walls, schiltrons and more.
• Winning will depend on use of tactics, terrain and leadership.
• The rules presume some historical knowledge of the tactics of the period.
• Like all the Hack rules players are encouraged to change the rules to suit their own interpretation. These are definitely different from Second Edition. They are not tournament rules.

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