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A mix of RPG and miniature skirmish
 
 « Argad ! » is a mix of role-playing game and miniature skirmish game. The first edition was published in 1996.

   
The rules are devised for 28mm miniatures and work better when a game master (GM) or organiser imagines a scenario and story. They may also be used for 1/72 or 20mm figures.

   Our "friendly simultaneous" (no IGOUGO, no initiative) system may seem strange and unfamiliar at first, but is simple and encourages very fast moves and daring actions.

   Quick reference sheets include movement, shooting, and melee tables, which can be used easily to play adventures, skirmishes and fights.

   Each player is represented by a character: adventurer, warband chief, military officer... accompanied
by a small bunch of followers or small troop of warriors... or pirates... or soldiers... (typically 10-30 strong) or by only a handful of companions.

  Players are encouraged to imagine that everyone running on the gaming table is really alive (not game pawns) and do not have to face tactical choices that their characters could not understand. The best games happen when players try to delay or to avoid battle as long as possible. The system is so fast-flowing that 5-6 players can do 30-40 game turns and often more in a few hours, this allows many moves, terrain exploration, diplomacy...

 The rules may also be used for scenarios where players should collaborate instead of fighting each other (as in more traditional RPGs) in which case their opponents are non-player characters (NPCs) handled by the GM / referee. Such games are often easier to prepare and to run
, especially with new players or at a convention.
 

More extensions and explanations are always under work and/or being tested.

We apologise for awkward syntax and wording in the translations in English.

"Argad" means "attack" in the Breton language
(from the word "kad" which means fight or battle, same origin as the words "cad" in Welsh and "cath" in Irish).

Click on the PDF symbols to see or download the documents





Updated generic rules. This PDF document (48 pages) explains the whole basic system, states clearly what these rules are about and what they are not (this proved necessary to avoid confusion or disappointment), answers a number of issues which had raised questions, and a large part is devoted to suggestions and ideas for the RPG dimension which is the main interest and purpose of the rules.

— NEW UPDATE of Argad! generic rules
1st-argad-2020

48 pages,  October 2023



— Argad! generic supplement for cavalry and mounted troops (18 pages, updated May 2022) is here.

— Argad Lite the very basic and simple system on which the whole ruleset has been built. One page to play medieval games, one page to play pirate games (2 pages, updated June 2023) here.


Dark Ages & Middle Ages

Weapons are mentioned when useful in a precise context, or omitted when unnecessary, but all reference sheets are compatible.


Reference sheet, 4th-7th C. updated June 2022

Un géant chez les Pictes (compte-rendu arthurien) 43-2016


Ballista or scorpio   February 2022


Reference sheet, 8th-11th C. updated March 2020

La saga de Leif Sigursen P1020714


Reference sheet, mid-14th century (early HYW)   updated February 2024

Marchés d'andouilles à Langoëlan G


NEW UPDATE! Archery tables    October 2023
(A 5-pages compilation of shooting tables and optional rules for bows and crossbows which appear separately in other documents; including optional rules and the beginning of a fantasy extension.)



Sengoku Japan

Reference sheet, Sengoku Japan 16th century June 2021
(2-pages reference sheet and 8-pages extension with explanations and suggestions)









Black powder & muskets

Weapons are mentioned when useful in a precise context, or omitted when unnecessary, but all reference sheets are compatible.


Reference sheet, mid-16th century to mid-17th century   updated January 2021

Bière, convois et maléfices (hiver 1630-1631) 27



Reference sheet, privateers and pirates c.1700 (ashore)   updated January 2024

    The privateers and pirates reference sheet may also be used with the previous sheet for early buccaneers, or with the following one if other details are needed. No naval rules are included, the game system may be used in conjunction with those you like best; or ships may be at anchor or grounded when a game begins.

Pirates du dimanche (Theix 16 février 2020) 100_1214b


Reference sheet, 18th C. and early 19th C.   updated January 2021

Remark: the usual melee system does not work well for cavalry lancers of this period, an improvement has been suggested in the May 2022 cavalry extension.

Des Bleus et des Blancs - partie du 13 avril 2019 100_0107b


Tables for 18th C. and early 19th C. firearms   January 2021

    These two last documents are valid from c.1700 till the first decades of the 19th century (and even till Zorro, The Miserables, and the Alamo).


Characters sheet for two duelling hussars (one page, May 2023)


...And a video of an Old West game, played with an adaptation of the rules ...that is not yet online as it still needs better explanations and new updates:






Fantasy

 
A medieval-fantasy dimension is included in the rules since the first edition (1996) with different categories of humanoids depending on their strength compared to Humans (written -H, =H, +H, ++H...)

 +1, +2, –1 or -2 modifiers etc.
were added to, or deduced from, a D6 when fighting weaker or stronger creatures. It worked quite well but was sometimes clumsy with too many modifiers on top of usual tactical factors, and it prevented from devising more variety (which would have meant even more modifiers) between related humanoid species.

  The former strength categories are maintained but with a new, more effective, system using D4, D8, D10, D12
(not for humans who always use a D6 in historical and fantasy contexts).
Generic humanoid system (June 2023) here.
An off-table generic reference that gives an overall view of the fantasy system and will help to devise more detailed creatures and monsters. Examples with pictures are included; the examples explained on page 4 and page 6, which caused some confusion, have been rewritten.
Erratum: the die for wounds of strong creatures (D2, D3 or D4) should be rolled at the end of the game phase not of the game turn; this will be corrected in the next update.

  Document and reference sheet for Ogres and Half-Ogres
(January 2022) here.

  Document and reference sheet for giants and giantesses (April 2023) here.



 Why Ogres and giants? because these creatures are quite close to humans (as friends or as foes) and may appear as well in half-historical legendary countries than in purely fantastic worlds; because of this they have been helpful to test and improve the new system. ;)

NEW! Reference cards for Orcqs (November 2023) here (still needs to be completed with references for mounted Orcqs). Orcqs with bows or Xbows shoot very badly...

   The rules are not linked to any peculiar universe or fantasy world. The GMs or game organisers may devise what they wish and adapt or change the suggested humanoid categories and descriptions as they need.
 




Currently under work:

— Detailed extensions for the Dark Ages, the FIW, and Napoleonics, are being studied and tested.



Older suggestions and ideas (parts of which may be outdated)
   PCs, NPCs, wounds and healing (December 2013)
   Meteo dice & emoticon dice (March 2012)
 



Some inspiring AARs, with many pictures!

— 28 mm - 25 mm:

Dark Ages (Arthurian)
Family secrets (in French)
Beltane blood
In search of the magical cauldron
On the banks of the river Voritia
Ferry Cross the Loire
The war of Angles and Picts in the Vita Gobrieni
Struggle for Kerantrech: here and here
A village between them
The giant in the valley
Revenge for a village
A village too far

Dark Ages (Vikings)
My drakkar for a horse!
The infamy of Leif Sigursen

Early Hundred Years War (War of the Breton Succession, mid-14th century)
An Davarn Ruz (The Red Inn)
Big rise in traitor value (in French, many detailed pictures)
Two dukes, one crown
A fight for a dyke
The banks of the river Loire
Return of the alchemist
A village of merchants
Black powder and alchemist blood

Samurais (Sengoku Japan)
A bitter victory (in French, many detailed pictures)
Hunting and other things (in French, many detailed pictures)
Takeda, Takeda, there is a mistake (in French, many detailed pictures)
Yoshimoto's wedding (in French, many detailed pictures)
Fall of the Haru clan (in French, many detailed pictures)
Eliminate all threats on your domain (in French, many detailed pictures)
Defend the borders (in French, many detailed pictures)
Hojo unification (in French, many detailed pictures)
Ichi's revenge (in French, many detailed pictures)
Bad karma for the heirs (in French, many detailed pictures)

Hard Times for Nakagawa Family (in French, many detailed pictures)
The Fate of a Merchant (short video and AAR in French)
First game in a 16th century (Sengoku period) campaign

Wars of Religion in Brittany, Late 16th century
Ambushes on the road to Pontivy
Two new adventures in the 1590s in Brittany, on TWW and LAF
– Where is Jean Breut? – I want my cannon!
Not quite there, and back again
Blood in Brittany, 1591
Running solves nothing

Thirty Years War
Beer, wagons, and spells
Pictures of another TYW game
Pictures of a TYW skirmish game
Another TYW skirmish...
A TYW skirmish...

Privateers and pirates c.1700
A game for two pirates
Mystery at Saint-Domingue
Raid on San Augustin
Tobacco smuggling on the coast of Brittany
WoSS and pirates game on three tables

French and Indian War (SYW in North America)
But where the hell is Fort Wilderness?

French Revolutionary Wars
Blue raids on the Whites (in French)
Where is the Chouan leader? on TWW and LAF
A Quiberon 1795 FRW battle, on TWW and LAF
The Blues and the Whites

Old West
A new mayor for Scratchbuilt Town (in French, many detailed pictures)

Colonial (Sudan c. 1882)

The battle of Korduf

Fantasy:
The road in the steppes - 2
The road in the steppes
La vallée vierge (in French)
The eye of the Sad Dragon
A pyramid with hyenas
The temple of the Sad Dragon


— 1/72 plastic - 20mm (in French):

La petite sirène vire au cauchemar
Aventure kemetienne
Défense de la forêt enchantée
Barbecue préhistorique
Pillage d'un village égyptien
Grabuge à la ferme
Nettoyage à Bornanbusc
Incident à la frontiere nord
Rapport N°291219001 - Tombeau de Khnakhta
Rapport N°150819 01
Black Hawk Dawn
Tous à la manif !
Rapport N°011219 03
Assault à Targanizac







These skirmish rules were first published in 1996 as a bilingual (Breton + French) booklet. During a few years, a fanzine called « An Argader » published updates, extensions, scenarios, and discussions.


Cover of the 1996
bilingual edition of the rules


This fanzine no longer exists but has been replaced by our forum, which is also open to other rulesets and to many subjects of wargaming interest (terrain, ship building, video links for inspiration, etc.) The language of the forum is French but some posts in other languages (Breton, English...) may also be accepted.