4.5 -- Tournaments and Jousting

To spice up tournaments beyond the simple "Roll your Jousting Skill for each pass," here are some simple but expanded Tournament rules. These rules hopefully add a little more dimension to such things, as they are a staple of knights not at war, and should be as fun to actually roleplay as any other activity. The problem is in setting up rules that enhance but don't replace the rules already in place. There's also the problem that while we want an extra level of detail, we want it simple enough that a player doesn't have to be an expert even if the character is.

Jousting

Jousting is the art of taking a lance in hand, and riding down a line to knock off his horse another knight doing the same thing. While not exactly safe, therewere rules to protect the knights, who usually were fairly heavily armored.

    Jousting Rules: You will need the following: a place to keep track of points earned, a d6 for the possible damage, and some scraps of paper for recording your techniques.
  1. Record Shield Technique and Lance Technique to be used and pass to the GM.
  2. Make an Opposed Jousting roll, plus any modifiers. The GM will announce any bonuses due to technique selection.
  3. A Relative Degree of 3 or greater knocks the opponent from his horse, and is an automatic victory for that bout.
  4. Each participant rolls 1dF. A minus means he injured his opponent, and now rolls 1d6 for damage (Add +1 is the lance is sharpened. You aren't supposed to use sharp lances, but that doesn't mean it wasn't done). Damage is translated into a Wound immediately. This shows that Jousting is a dangerous sport, and that even the well-armored knights often were badly injured or killed by a stray piece of broken lance. Any Wounds may be lessened to Scratch by FUDGE points as normal, and any penalties apply to any further actions until healed.
  5. If both opponents are still seated, than assess Points according to the Chart below. If no one is unhorsed in three passes, the Points accrued will determine the victor. Points may also determine the overall winner, or at least the finalists. Keeping track of Points is thus important, for both the individual bouts and the tourney total.
Lance Techniques
Shield Techniques
A Center of Shield A Centered and Steadied Seat
B Base of Shield B Lower Shield
C Top of Shield C Raise Shield
D Helmet D Lean Right (away from Opponent)
E Body E Lean Left (towards Opponent)

Using Lance Technique
 Against Shield Technique Gives This Modifier to Roll And These Points
A
D
+1
+1
A
E
+1
+1
B
C
+1
+1
B
D
+1
+1
C
B
+1
+1
C
C
+1
+1
D
A
+1
+1
D
B
+1
+1
E
A
+1
-1
E
E
+1
-1

Notes on Using the Body Target Lance Technique

Targeting the body instead of the shield of an opponent was generally considered bad form, although it can be passed off as an accident rather than intent. That is why points are taken away if the manuever succeeds. But it is a good way of eliminating an opponent, because if the roll for the lance beats the minimum Difficulty Level, than assess damage as normal for the lance (keeping in mind that jousting lances were generally blunt tipped).

The Crest of the Helm Target

Knights generally wore crests on their helms for help in identification and because they looked neat. Knocking off your opponent's crest was a valid target, and served to embarrass your opponent, and thus is worth a bonus of +5 Points to your total for this particular bout, but you will not unseat your opponent. A result of Good on the roll in needed to succeed, and this manuever replaces a normal Lance technique.

You may still be unseated yourself, based on your opponent's roll, but if you have succeeded in knocking off the crest of his helm than it is a hollow victory indeed for him, and you still get your points. You do not roll a die to see if damage was done since your lance most likely doesn't break. Also, you may only do this manuever once successfully, until your opponent changes or replaces his crest.

Keeping Track of Points

Keeping track of your points is important to determining your placing in the tourney. Your point total is a combination of all of your bout totals, plus 10 points for each win.

A bout's total is: +1 from each pass where you had an advantage (i.e., each pass where you beat your opponent's roll), plus the bonus points from choosing impressive lance techniques versus your opponent's shield techniques, plus any other bonuses (like from knocking off a crest).

Coronel: Also, if the opponent's choose the same lance techniques and shield techniques, then each gets a +2 for that pass. If they do that and tie the roll, it's a +3.