The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Note: Many years ago, through Alarums & Excursions, Rob Heinsoo (Feng Shu) sent me his home made rules for Japanese Oriental Swashbuckler (samurai and ninja). Although Jolly Roger Games publishes a Swashbuckler game (Swashbuckler RPG) with a Japanese oriental supplement (Kakure!: Swashbuckler in Japan), Jolly Roger Games have assured me, via email, that it is not the same game nor inspired by it.

The first thing that struck me about this game was its packaging. The game comes in a 33 1/3 rpm, double album, record sleeve! Printed on either side of the inside are 2 playing surfaces: a tavern, and 2 sailing ships side by side as if grappled together in a boarding action. The 12 page rule book is 8.5x11 but is staple bound on one of the 8.5" sides with the text running, in 3 columns, the 11" length. A setup card, tables card and character "order sheets" (which also double as character records) are provided as well as chits representing characters, furniture, and weapons. All of the record jacket art, inside and out, is color with the persona displayed obviously traced from Errol Flynn and Basil Rathborne (sp?) movie stills. The rules contain B&W line art of examples of play with the movie stills repeated on the cover.

This game sits solidly on the edge of tactical simulation gaming, overflowing into role-playing game enough to be used as a simple campaign, or an add on to an existing one, or the basis for a larger home brew project. Obviously, swashbuckling combat is the focus. Theatrical options like swinging from chandelier or lanyards, throwing mugs (full or empty), shoving furniture, pulling carpets and flourishing a hat are all detailed as combat moves with significant results. The basic game rules provide only enough character detail to run a combat. The advanced rules provide the role-playing elements with character attribute enhancements, individuality of characters and expertise advancement of skills. The "roll one die three times" attribute ranges are the familiar 3-18 range we all grew up on (or am I getting that old).

One of the little innovations of this game's combat system is in its "order sheet" system. Players are required to define all of their characters next 6 combat rounds with actions and/or rests (required at intervals). These bunches of 6 orders are revealed simultaneously and followed in order, by round, an initiative roll deciding whom first. Impossible moves, due to running into walls or lying prone, are ignored as rests. To me this goes a long way to simulating simultaneous actions in an ordered fashion, and the quick pace of decision making combatants contend with. Turn by turn, like standard D&D, leaves players with time to consider things, and available observations that their characters should never have time for. This is a rules mechanism I intend to pirate for other game systems I play with.

Scenarios are provided for both the pirate (side by side ships) and musketeer (tavern brawl) play areas, again focusing exclusively on combat. Rob Heinsoo's Japanese variant (which I am sorry to say I have been unable to locate) featured Samurai and Ninja in the tavern turned Tea House.

I purchased my copy nearly 15 years ago, at a Navy Exchange hobby store, on base in Norfolk. I remember only that it was inexpensive and on sale, I believe for less than $5 maybe as low as $2. For the 25mm usable play areas, and source material for rules, it remains worth it either way.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Swashbuckler
Author: Thomas O'Neill, S.Craig Taylor, Jr. Category: game Company/Publisher: Yaquinto Publications, Inc. Line: na Page count: 12 cards & forms Capsule Review by Papyrus on 01/29/00. Genre tags: Fantasy Historical	Note: Many years ago, through Alarums & Excursions, Rob Heinsoo (Feng Shu) sent me his home made rules for Japanese Oriental Swashbuckler (samurai and ninja). Although Jolly Roger Games publishes a Swashbuckler game (Swashbuckler RPG) with a Japanese oriental supplement (Kakure!: Swashbuckler in Japan), Jolly Roger Games have assured me, via email, that it is not the same game nor inspired by it. The first thing that struck me about this game was its packaging. The game comes in a 33 1/3 rpm, double album, record sleeve! Printed on either side of the inside are 2 playing surfaces: a tavern, and 2 sailing ships side by side as if grappled together in a boarding action. The 12 page rule book is 8.5x11 but is staple bound on one of the 8.5" sides with the text running, in 3 columns, the 11" length. A setup card, tables card and character "order sheets" (which also double as character records) are provided as well as chits representing characters, furniture, and weapons. All of the record jacket art, inside and out, is color with the persona displayed obviously traced from Errol Flynn and Basil Rathborne (sp?) movie stills. The rules contain B&W line art of examples of play with the movie stills repeated on the cover. This game sits solidly on the edge of tactical simulation gaming, overflowing into role-playing game enough to be used as a simple campaign, or an add on to an existing one, or the basis for a larger home brew project. Obviously, swashbuckling combat is the focus. Theatrical options like swinging from chandelier or lanyards, throwing mugs (full or empty), shoving furniture, pulling carpets and flourishing a hat are all detailed as combat moves with significant results. The basic game rules provide only enough character detail to run a combat. The advanced rules provide the role-playing elements with character attribute enhancements, individuality of characters and expertise advancement of skills. The "roll one die three times" attribute ranges are the familiar 3-18 range we all grew up on (or am I getting that old). One of the little innovations of this game's combat system is in its "order sheet" system. Players are required to define all of their characters next 6 combat rounds with actions and/or rests (required at intervals). These bunches of 6 orders are revealed simultaneously and followed in order, by round, an initiative roll deciding whom first. Impossible moves, due to running into walls or lying prone, are ignored as rests. To me this goes a long way to simulating simultaneous actions in an ordered fashion, and the quick pace of decision making combatants contend with. Turn by turn, like standard D&D, leaves players with time to consider things, and available observations that their characters should never have time for. This is a rules mechanism I intend to pirate for other game systems I play with. Scenarios are provided for both the pirate (side by side ships) and musketeer (tavern brawl) play areas, again focusing exclusively on combat. Rob Heinsoo's Japanese variant (which I am sorry to say I have been unable to locate) featured Samurai and Ninja in the tavern turned Tea House. I purchased my copy nearly 15 years ago, at a Navy Exchange hobby store, on base in Norfolk. I remember only that it was inexpensive and on sale, I believe for less than $5 maybe as low as $2. For the 25mm usable play areas, and source material for rules, it remains worth it either way. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 3 (Average)