Clash of Rhyfles - Full Rules Review

 

Let's have a fun discussion about miniature wargame rules.

Disclaimer #1: What makes a fun miniature wargame is entirely subjective.  What I might find fun in a miniature game might not be what you find fun.  Though I am usually right about these things. 

Now onward to This Quar's War; A Clash of Rhyfles.  It's a big book, so it's a long review. 

Clash of Rhyfles Review

This will be a review of the full rulebook, a hefty tomb of about 150 pages.  The older version "A Rhyfler's Pocketbook" is superseded by these rules (and my review of that book can be found HERE if one must look).  Once again, in a very 'wargamers are poor and we're a friendly company' move, the core infantry rules can be downloaded for free on Rhyfler.com.  The free Core Rules are about 35 pages long and are all of the...core rules.  So good name, and I'm a good writer.   What's missing from the free Core Rules are the sections on cavalry, Heavy Weapon Teams, Vehicles, detailed background fluff (if you care about that sort of thing), and sample scenarios.  The full rulebook has all the core rules and those sections too and, in my opinion, well worth the money.  But if you only wanted to play infantry games (and I wouldn't blame you) then the free core rules will do it for you.  

Also, you can download all the profiles for all the current factions.  The faction profiles / stats are kept separate from the rules as a 'living document' that can be update and modified as needed as more come out.  

A page from the profile doc.

So all in all, getting into the basic game is very easy with free rules and profiles.  It's not even really a stripped-down version of the game. The free core rules are the infantry rules and infantry doing infantry stuff is like 80% of the game.  

Disclaimer #2: I was a play tester for these rules.  So I had a HUGE impact on their final state.  and by huge impact I mean minor.  But of course, I'm gonna have a positive opinion of the rules since some of my ideas are in there.  Which ideas?  all the best ones.  I tell you this to both gain creditability but lose objectivity.  Weird how that works. 

Starter Stuff

The book starts off like most good wargaming books by giving a brief overview, the design ethos, etc..  There is no index, but there is a hefty table of contents.  Then we have the core stuff like Rhyfler Attributes (how skilled, movement allowance, equipment and so on), how to take a Skill Check, and different statuses a miniature might have.  It defines all the terms so they can be used later on.  It's what they teach you to do in philosophy class about writing papers.  or technical manuals... and rule books. 

Crusader Quar from my collection

Some Key Concepts: Every Rhyfler (and Rhyfler is the generic term for a Quar Soldier) is gonna have a Skill attribute, and the vast majority of times that the rhyfler wants to do anything it's going to involve a Skill Check.  To take a Skill check you roll 3d6 and compare the total to the stat plus/ minus any modifiers.  It the check is equal to or less than the modified number, then success!  Over is a failure.  There usually are only a few modifiers to consider.    

But what's more important, is that throughout the book there are several charts that summarize an important sequence, like this one: 

Chart from the book
And besides calling a miniature 'a unit' it's pretty clear.

If during game play one has a question on the steps of any sequence, one can just flip to the relevant section and see the chart.  These charts are almost all reprinted at the back of the book for something like a QRS.  It's very handy.

Another Key Concept:  "Pluck" is an in-game resource that players can spend to get a little bonus.  One typically has 5 at the beginning of the scenario and there are "Official Ways" it can be spent and earned.  Like one such way is that if a Skill Check in missed by 1, a Pluck can be spent to make it a success instead.  Stuff like that, little bonuses.  Pluck can also be used as a 'fudge factor" where if a player wants to do something not really covered in the rules, they can offer to spend some Pluck to make it happen.  Like "how bout for a Pluck for my dude here on the roof to able to slide down the downspout like a ninja?"  I've actually never done this in my games, as I think most things are covered in the rules, but it still a useful mechanic.  It's also fun to turn near misses into successes.  Pluck is something that gamers unfamiliar with the mechanic will need some time getting used to, but once they wrap their head around it will want a similar mechanic in every game they play.   

Pluck can be used to settle disputes, like if a guy really is in cover or not.  But how often do you have disputes with your gaming buddies?    That much huh?   

Game size and Activation

The activation system is basically unchanged, just better explained than it was formerly.  I'll reiterate it now.  There is a deck of cards called the Activation Deck, and the cards consist of three number 3s, four 4s, and three 5s.  You could use normal playing cards or Zombiesmith makes some pretty cards that will be available eventually I imagine.  The new starter box will probably have the cards in it.  Anyway, the 10 cards are shuffled and 1 is dealt out face down, no one looks at it.  It's burnt.  Then the nonactive player draws a card (which will show a number between 3 and 5), looks at it, doesn't show the active player, then puts it down and tells the active player to 'proceed' while inwardly crying or laughing. 

The active player then proceeds to activate his rhyflers to do various Tasks. Tasks is just a celver way to label the activations, and are what you expect them to be: move, shoot, recover, pick his nose, scratch his butt, do this, do that.

But this is the kicker, the active player doesn't know how many activations he has, the nonactive player knows, it was on the card.  The active player knows he has at least 3, so he does 3 activations and then looks at the nonactive player with hope in his eyes and a quiver in his voice and asks, "do I have a 4th activation?'  The nonactive player then says "no, you only had 3, sucks to be you bro."  and reveals the card as a 3.  

if the card was a 4, the nonactive player would sigh loudly and say "yes, you have a fourth" and after the active player did the 4th activation he would  ask, "do I have a 5th activation perhaps?" the nonactive player would reveal it to be a 4 and say "no, not this time, Mon Ami." Because it's fun to throw in French phrases while playing games.  "Au Contraire" you think but then realize you jsut made my point.   

 If the card was a 5 then the nonactive player could also reveal it after the active player asked about a 5th activation as that's the highest.  After that the two players switch roles, with the previously active player becoming the nonactive and drawing a card, and the nonactive becoming the active and doing activations. 

Do this over and over till the cards run out and that is one Game Turn.  

The point is, that the active player does not know how many activations they have and after 3 activations the rest are doled out one at a time.  This creates friction.  This creates fun friction, as you never quite know how much you can accomplish in a round, but you can always accomplish something.  And it makes for a built-in cool interaction with your gaming buddy. Voila.  

The Activation system achieves an entertaining and slow unfolding of the battlefield.  You can never activate everyone and can never have enough activations (that's the point after all).  So what you get is this episodic / war-movie feel to the game, where the camera cuts to different parts of the battlefield.  Open on the sniper in the tower, cut to the soldier pinned behind the tree, cut to the Sargent with a small group moving up along the flank, cut to another rhyfler checking on his wounded friend.  

Crusaders on the March

I'll be the first to admit, that when I first read it, I thought the activation sounded strange.  And by strange, I mean lame.  I tried it out more on a lark and it only took about 3 card pulls before I was converted.  It's a really fun way to do alternating activations. 

The game uses points to build the armies.  A typical rhyfler being around 25 points, and the standard game being 300 points.  I'd advise people not to take the points too seriously as they're more of a guideline than hardcore force balancing formula.    

This game really sings at 300 - 450 points per player on a 2ish square foot battlefield.  300 points will get you around 10 miniatures for a force.  A small 2' battlefield means the action starts right away, and games come to a conclusion is about an hour and a half.  The small battlefield also means you don't need a ton of terrain, but this game does rely on having more terrain than typical. 

2x2 battlefield

and another one

and another one

perhaps a little bigger

There are rules for larger games, and multiplayer games, and these work well.  It's mostly about alternative ways to coordinate the activation deck with the force size.  More players and larger games need a bigger battle table of course.  I've run games at conventions where I had 6 or 8 players playing on a 4x6 table.  Just know that increasing the points and players will increase the amount of time needed to play the game.  Like a lot.  

Also, I strongly recommend that each player has no more than 14 things to activate.  Doesn't really matter the points per player, but things.  That's because the Activation system has a ceiling right around there. More than that and players will start to have rhyflers that don't activate the whole game or at least won't activate for several turns (and a turn is going all the way through the deck, and did I mention that a standard game is around 4 turns?).   So more than 14 things is a waste as players will struggle to use the whole force.  

More also, Heavy Weapon Teams and Tractors (Quar AFVs/ tanks are called Tractors in setting) take a lot of activations.  More on that later. 

A 6 player game of Clash held at my place.
I kicked the kids out of their playroom.
"Beat it.  My turn." I said.

Convention game

Game Play

When you are the active player, you activate your rhyflers to do Tasks.  Tasks is just a fancy term for actions, and they fall into broad categories; Movement Tasks, Combat Tasks, Leadership Tasks, etc...

Not all Tasks involve a skill check, but every time your rhyfler does something it's a task of some sort.  Want to move 5" to those trees? That's a movement task.  Want to run fast 10" down the road?  That's a Sprint Task.  Wanna Shoot that guy over there?  That's a Range Combat Task and requires a Skill Check.

You assign tasks as you see fit to accomplish the scenario mission.  There are a wide variety of tasks available to suit your fancy. I can't go over them all, we'll be here for an hour.  Just know that every task is well explained and thought out.  

While you are activating your rhyflers to do tasks (3 to 5 depending on the card that you can't see) you have to abide by this limit: A rhyfler cannot do more than two tasks / activations, and only one of these can be a combat task.  But you CAN activate rhyfler A to do something, then activate rhyfler B to something else, and then go back to rhyfler A for his second activation, but the third in total for the round.  

This has a nice effect that one guy can't do all of the fighting.  He can activate every round to shoot if that's what you want, but he can only shoot once per round.  A rhyfler can Shoot then Move (or move and shoot) or Move and Move, or Move and do Something Else, but not Shoot and Shoot.

A Coftyran Trench Raider in his natural habitat,
the enemy's trench.

There are Two unique things about the game that I do want to highlight.  First is the Tend Wounded task, as I don't see many other wargames with something similar.

When one of your glorious rhyflers is shot by the perfidious enemy he is not removed from the battlefield but is marked Out Of Action (OOA).  I just lay the miniature on its side.  He's still out of the fight, at least until another friendly rhyfler checks on him to see how hurt he actually is.  This is the Tend Wounded task, and there's a decent chance that the downed rhyfler is actually OK and can return to the fight.  The bullet just grazed him or lodged itself in the diary that the rhyfler carries in his breast pocket.  There's also a decent chance that his head was blown off, or he's too wounded to fight.

The point is, you don't know unless you go and find out. 

This creates a fun dynamic where you actually want to check on your OOA dudes, because they might be fine.  And it's always funny when you have a medic that's supposed to be good at this sort of thing but rolls poorly each time, and that's how "angel of death" rumors start.  

It also means that positioning is important, because a Quar that has a friendly nearby could be revived, but a Quar out on his lonesome...

---A bit about markers.  You'll need a lot of them and the game is kinda marker heavy.  You need Out Of Action, Gobsmacked (stunned), Prone (and you'll be prone a lot), Overwatch, and Wounded.  That's a lot of markers.  There's no official way mark these states.  Because I am an OCD gamer, I have special colorful markers for each state, with the idea that they blend into the battlefield but still easily visible.  

For example: My Gobsmacked markers

markers in action

The Second Unique thing about this game is the Reaction and the Interrupt system.  When you are the inactive player (meaning you have the card with 3-5 on it and watching your buddy be the active player) you are not passive just waiting for you turn, NO.  you still have choices to make.  

Whenever one of your handsome rhyflers get shoot at by the pernicious enemy, you can choose a Reaction.  Your choices of Reaction are: Do Nothing and stoically accept your fate (no Reaction), Return Fire and shot back (but only get to shoot back if the original shooter misses), or Skedaddle (yes, it's actually called Skedaddle) where you run / dive for the nearest cover, making you harder to hit but sacrificing position.  I'm not gonna go into the mechanics of how these all work because the rules are there (for free!) and very clear.  The point is all the choices have consequences and consequences keep you engaged and excited.  It's like picking your reaction when the wife asks if she looks fat in this dress.  There'll be clear consequences based on what you decide.

Interruptions are the way that the nonactive player...interrupts... (I should buy a thesaurus) the active payer as his rhyflers perform Tasks.  Want to shoot his rhyfler as he dashes from one piece of cover to the next in a Movement task?  That's an Interruption. 

In the previous version, Interruptions used to be very messy.  One player would get into an advantageous position and then want to interrupt everything his opponent did.  Now Interruptions have got limitations on them and are well described / explained which actually cleaned up the entire process.  There are those easy to follow charts I mentioned earlier to walk one through the process.  Interrupts keep the active payer on guard and not wanting to open himself up to easy shots.  

The whole activation system, with interrupts and reactions, creates a constant puzzle of risk vs reward, but at the right level as to not cause analysis paralysis.  Just enough to make you gnash your teeth. 

A walk in the Woods

Core Rules Summary

There is more, MORE I say.  There are equipment traits that differentiate how a SMG shoots versus a rifle.  There are special abilities for individual rhyflers, but as the core rules are FREE you can just go read them.  I hope I've given a good outline about why I think the rules are special and different. 

The feel of a Clash of Rhyfles is kinda WWI-ish skirmish but with very particular miniatures, as Quar are like Humanoid Anteaters.    The setting is hard to describe in that it's completely unique.  And that's what the fluff is for, go read it.  There's even a free to download PDF world building primer called Western Iron on Rhyfler.com.  But I want to impress that while there are some whimsical aspects of the game, it's not silly, it's based in reality.  There are no guns that shoot snail slime that cause allergic reactions.  

The fluff does, however, suffer from 'made up word syndrome.'  You know what I mean; 

"The (MadeUpWord) were hiking through the (MadeUpWord) when they were ambushed by the (MadeUpWord) hiding inside the (MadeUpWord).  Using their (MadeUpWord), the (MadeUpWord) sang songs while they advanced while the (MadeUpWord) cried out "For the Glory of (MadeUpWord)!"

Though I am particularly sensitive to Made Up Word Syndrome, as I'm primarily an historical gamer.  I didn't get an early vaccination of fantasy gaming for the full antibodies. I will say that when it comes to made up words, Quar fluff is better than Tolkien.  

And Napoleonics, because what the hell is a Fuselier or a Cuirassier?    Just made-up words.  

Pay for Rules

We now enter the part of the book that is not included in the free rules.  These are optional and expanded rules and units.  The rest of the review will cover parts of the rules that are in the Full Rules and must be purchased.  The PDF is available now, with physical books available soon.  

I already got a physical book, because I know people. 

Mounted Infantry, Tractors, and Heavy Weapon Teams 

(Oh My)

These units tend to work better in bigger games, on larger battlefields. 

First up is Mounted Infantry which is split into two categories: those riding beasts (of various kinds) and those riding machines.  These activate like a standard rhyfler (activate to do tasks, only 2 tasks a round, and one combat).  They tend to have a higher movement and there's rules for targeting / hitting the rider or the mount.  Mounted also attack a little different as they can combine a move and an attack in one activation.  They react a little differently too, due to their fast nature. 

Currently, the only mounted option available is the Western Arnyaran Autocycle 

Brrrrrmmm, Brrrrmm, Brrrrrmmm

but actual cavalry is on the way.   

Mounted rhyflers are dynamic things.  When they get hit by fire instead of immediately going Out Of Action like a normal rhyfler, the hit earns a roll on the damage chart.  A mounted Rhyfler can take X damage and can be taken out immediately with a lucky roll, or just wounded, or just Rattled.  Adding to the drama is that usually after the mount is disabled the rider can dismount and continue on, if he survives the crash that is....

And yes, cavalry can perform a charge across the battlefield.  

Vehicles (Tanks are called Tractors) 

The section concerning vehicles is LONG, as it covers the variety of things needed to introduce vehicles into an infantry skirmish game. 

Overall, the rules work really well, but operating a vehicle is more involved.  Vehicles also come on two forms; armored and standard.  And I'll focus on the armored because that's all anyone really cares about.  Armored Fighting Vehicles or Tanks in our world are called Tractors in Quar world.  Because they derive from farm equipment. Did you know that tanks are only called tanks because in WWI while the British were secretly developing "armored vehicles" they used the codename Water Carrier and Water Tank to disguise the project?  Go on and use that tidbit to impress your wife, and sure she'll find it fascinating.  

There are basically two types of tractors, there's a little tractor with 1 dude driving it called a "squad tractor" and the more traditional larger Tractor.  

A Squeedle Tractor
The Squad tractor for the Gloam Hyn faction
(image off the Zombiesmith cite)

Activation of the tractor depends on the number of crew and their roles, but generally squad tractors use Individual Activation and activate just like normal, just that the 1 crew does all the roles.

Larger tractors use Crewed Activation.  Basically, at the beginning of the round the player assigns activation to the tractor FIRST, and a minimum of 3.  The tactor always activates in a strict order of Driver, Gunner, and then Crew Commander for those first 3 activations.  If there is a 4th activation it may be assigned to any crew member OR another rhyfler not in the crew.  Essentially when playing with a large tractor the first activations must go to the tractor, and any 4th and 5th activation may go to the tractor or to someone else in the force.  If you don't want to assign the first 3 activations to the tractor you don't have to, but then the tractor doesn't do anything this round. Choices and consequences as I tell my children.

The idea is that tractors are not the seamless and smooth machines of today or even yesteryear, but big, clunky, chunky, lumbering, hard to work things, more like the tanks used in WW1. The driver steers the tank while the gunner works the gun while both are directed by the Commander. Think of the tank scene in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. 

This reference is me dating myself.
maybe I didn't see it in the theater,
but I did see it on VHS.
Go ask your parents.
You ghad derned whipper snapper.

But tractors, even the squad tractors, are still very powerful in that they're immune to small arms fire, which is what 90% of rhyflers are armed with.  Tractors can only be wounded by Blast weapons, and even then, will take some punishment.  

And that's the real trick, isn't it?  How to introduce vehicles into an infantry skirmish game.  This game is about having 10-15 dudes having a firefight and once you introduce armored tractors and halftracks it can become a very different game fast, as the scale of the engagement changes. Every faction (I think) has a tractor of some sort, and there are plans that every faction will have a squad tractor.  

It's my personal opinion that the use of tractors needs to be discussed ahead of time with your gaming buddy and reserved for scenarios that feature / place the tractors in the starring role.  The book does state this, but I think it should be underlined and in bold.  See how that draws the eye?  Because it's too easy to create lopsided engagements where one side has a tractor and the other has no way of hurting it besides assaulting it.  Even just 2 little squad tractors can swing a game into unfairness. 

So use common sense and fair play.  Don't make you gaming buds HAVE to take an AT asset just on the off chance that you'll bring a tractor.  Clash of Rhyfles should not feel like a Bolt Action tournament.

Heavy Weapon Crews

These represent your heavy machine guns, your cannons, and the unique to Qaur, heavy shotguns (ShotGUN).

Coftyran RCO gun.
It's like a mini howitzer.

An older metal version of the Coftyran HMG.
Now available in resin from the Zombiesmith cite.

Crews can be modelled all together on one base, not spread out like I have them.  It's doesn't really matter, as they operate all together, like a...crew.  bah, I'm still a good writer.  

Crews consist of a Gunner, Assistant, and Observer.  Unlike tractors you don't have to activate them in a certain order or have to spend 3 activations each time.  Rather you activate individual crew to perform their roles and the more activations you feed the crew the more effective it can be. 

example: Activate the Assistant to Measure Ammo (which gives a bonus to the standard fire of the weapon), activate the Observer to Stay on Target (which gives another type of bonus to the standard fire of the weapon) and lastly activate the Gunner to Standard Fire, and now you roll the skill check with a bunch of bonuses. 

But you didn't have to pour three activations into it, you could just spend 1 and had the gunner fire.

ALSO, you don't need to begin the round with activating the crew.  You can activate the crew on the 3rd or 4th activation if desired.  But what if you don't have a 4th activation?  What if for the 3rd activation you do the assistant for a bonus and when you ask for the 4th get told a big fat no?  Then you wasted the previous activation as it doesn't carry over.  That's called Gambling.  Some people are lucky with it.  You aren't.  

As the crew takes damage it will become less and less effective, until finally it's removed from the battlefield.  

There's more to Heavy Weapon crews, as each type has its own distinctive properties, but I don't want to give it all away. 

finally, Heavy Weapon Teams are kinda like tractors where they should only be used in certain scenarios and only after discussions with your gaming buddy.  But aren't like tractors in that they're immune from small arms fire and therefore not quite as swingy.  

The Rest of the Book

A large portion of the rest of the book is dedicated to fluff / history / setting of the world in its current state.  The Quar are actually over a decade old even though you're just now hearing of it, so the world has evolved some, the timeline has moved forward.  Talk about a 10-year overnight success.

The current fluff opens up on the 22nd year of the Crusade, and covers the background, weapons, and squad make ups of major factions.  These being: Crusader and Toulmore, Coftyr and Gwynt, Gloam Hynn, Fidwog, Aber, Creevin, Easky, and Partisans.  If you're new to the setting these made-up words mean nothing to you.

But they will.  

Because each faction is district enough to make them unique but not so different to dominate one play style, which is a hard balance to strike.

And while I am not the biggest fan of made-up fluff (see above), even I can appreciate how much of it is included and how much it goes toward world building.  If you like fluff, you won't be disappointed.

Sample Scenarios

And then finally there are sample scenarios.  A whooping 10 sample scenarios.  And you remember before when I said that tractors and heavy weapon teams need special scenarios?  Good.  These are included.  Of the 10 scenarios included 2 feature Tractors, 2 feature Heavy Weapon Teams, and 6 feature infantry.  

Not that you can't make up your own scenarios, but these would be a good starting out place to play with your gaming buddy.  Each one is a fully formed scenario, but you know, try them out, and modify them to fit your gaming preference.  I usually end up modifying scenarios to fit my terrain and collection.  

Endings

If you've read this far all the way till the end, I can make several true assertions: 

1) That you are very interested in Quar and should go buy the book already. Or wait until the printed rulebook comes along.  I don't know if there will be a PDF and Printed Book bundle.  

2) You're curious about Quar and should go download the free rules.  As a bonus the skirmish rules could be used for any 20th century genre. 

3) You are extremely bored and had nothing better to do. 

4) You're also very good looking.  

Anyway, I hope this helps people make an informed choice.  

Thanks for reading.

Double thanks for writing a comment.

Until next time.