A 15-minute skirmish game for 1-4 players

Introduction 2
Setup 3
Game Turn 4
Actions 5
Terrain 7
Optional Rules 9
Optional Szenarios 14
Credits 19

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At the beginning of 2022 in the Facebook Group „Solo Wargaming
with Miniatures“ Mike Charles of Badger Bodges challenged the
members to write a wargame, that could be over within 15 minutes.

Challenge accepted!

A wargame for this format requires

- Only few miniatures per player (as few as 1)
- A small gaming area
- Little setup time
- K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple Stupid !!!

What better background setting for this, than a classical Wild West
Duel?

And here we go:

In „Duel“ a player assumes the role of a „guy or gal with a pistol“ In

the Wild West, trying to outsmart and outgun his opponent.
4 pages of core rules – the rest is optional!

Enjoy!

Kai

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Requirements:
A gaming area, 1‘ x 1‘ (or 30cm x 30cm)
A treasure token (a coin, a glass bead, anything goes) to be put into
the centre of the gaming area
One 28mm wild west miniature per player
(Note: in the rules the term „miniature“ and „model“ are equivalents.)
Two six sided dice per player
A measuring tape
Some terrain to fill the gaming area – this should mostly be „scatter
terrain“ at best: broken walls, fences, trees, bushes, rocks, chests –
stuff like that. A single piece of terrain should fit at most onto a CD!
(That‘s a circle with roughly 5“ diameter.)
If you don‘t have any terrain, improvise! Use a bottle, a jar, your
wallet, your smartphone – it might not look as cool, but fulfills its
purpose nonetheless! (Plus: you are carrying those items around
anyway. Did I just hear you say „lunchtime duel“?)

Make sure, the borders of the 1‘x1‘ area are defined clearly for
everyone!
Place the treasure token in the centre of the area.
One player places as much or as few terrain as he wants and however
he wants, the other may decide, where he wants to begin.
Both players place their miniatures in opposing corners of the gaming
area.

The goal of the game is, to grab the treasure token and to make it off
the gaming area alive.

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A turn consists of 3 phases:
- Initiative
- Upkeep
- Players‘ Phase

In the Initiative phase, each player rolls one of his dice to determine
playing order during the Players‘ Phase. Players go from lowest result
to highest. Reroll any ties.

During Upkeep a player with his miniature placed prone may roll both
of his dice. If at least one of the dice has a result of 5 or 6, he may get
up and act during the Players‘ Phase.
A Player receives a bonus of +1 to each die, if noone has shot at him
during the previous turn.
„Getting up“ is also called „recover“!

During the Players‘ Phase players take turns in order of the

determined initiative. On his turn a player may perform any one of the
following 3 actions with his miniature:
- Moving
- Grab the treasure
- Shooting
While „Moving“ and „Grab the treasure“ are individual actions that
have to be announced, „Shooting“ takes place automatically as soon
as you can draw a line of sight from your model to the opposing
model!
Refer to the following pages for details.

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1.) Moving
You may move up to 4“ in any direction, even on top of obstacles as
long as your movement ends in a place where your model can stand.
Jumping: After 1“ of movement you may jump over an obstacle no
more than 1“ wide and 1“ high. Your movement then ends.
Alternatively after 2“ of movement you may jump over an obstacle no
more than 2“ wide and 1“ high. Your movement then ends.
Falling: You may fall up to 1“ without consequences. Your movement
then ends. If you fall a distance between 1“ and 2“, place your
miniature prone. Your movement ends. If you fall more than 2“, your
miniature is removed immediately from the game.

1.5) Winning / losing the game

Basically both are movement actions: If you move your miniature out
of the gaming area having the treasure token on your side, you
immediately win.
If at any time you move out of the gaming area and do not have the
treasure token on your side, your miniature is removed from the game
and you lose immediately.

2.) Grab the treasure

Grab the treasure token and place it on your side of the table.
Whenever you have to place your miniature prone or remove it from
the game while in possession of the treasure token, you place the
treasure token next to where your miniature stood. It now can be
grabbed again.

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3.) Shooting
As soon as you can draw a line of sight to an opposing model, you
automatically start shooting at it.
However, if the opposing model is standing, it shoots back!
Both you and the opposing player pick a die and set it to any score in
secret. When both players have set their die, reveal simultaneously.
The score set becomes your „duel score“.
The player with the lower score shoots first:
Roll both of your dice. To each die add the „duel score“. Each die now
having a result of 7 or more individually scores a „hit“. If the opposing
model receives 1 hit, place it prone. It cannot perform any actions any
more until it recovers. It cannot shoot back either. If the opposing
model receives 2 hits, it is immediately removed from the game. If the
opposing model is at least partially behind cover from your model‘s
point of view, reroll 1 success.
If the opposing model does not receive any hit at all, it may shoot
back at your model as described above.
If both players have the same duel score, both shoot simultaneously
at each other as described above.
If at any time a miniature is placed prone, it cannot perform any
action any more until it recovers!
A model placed prone cannot shoot.
You may, however, shoot at a model placed prone, when you can still
draw line of sight to it.
You hit automatically and the model is removed from the game.
You cannot shoot a model in base to base contact to your model.

When playing with the optional rule for multiple players, if you draw
line of sight to more than one model, after revealing the duel score,
you pick which opposing model your model shoots, whereas all other
players set their duel score and shoot back as described above!

If your miniature is the last man standing, you win, too!

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A couple of words on terrain.
Terrain used in Duel comes in simple yes/no categories.
Just as for each piece of terrain the following questions:
- Can you walk through it?
- Can you see through it?
- Does it provide cover?

Let‘s look at a few examples:

You can walk through it: yes.
A field of wheat
You can see through it: yes.
Light forest
It does provide cover: yes.
You can walk through it: yes.
Any open space
You can see through it: yes.
Shallow Waters
It does provide cover: no.
You can walk through it: yes.
Dense forest
You can see through it: no.
A field of corn
It does provide cover: yes.
You can walk through it: no.
A Fence
You can see through it: yes.
A translucent crystal
It does provide cover: yes.
You can walk through it: no.
An acid puddle/lake
You can see through it: yes.
An open fireplace
It does provide cover: no.
You can walk through it: no.
A wall
You can see through it: no.
A boulder
It does provide cover: yes.

The combination „you can see through it: no / it does provide cover:
no“ does not exist!

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 Feel free to use as many or as few optional rules as you like!
Any optional rule used is valid for all players!

1.5 actions
To increase speed, you might want to add some dynamics:
On your turn you may either move 6“ or you may move 4“ and fire a
shot at an opponent at any time during movement. However, this
time you only roll 1 die after revealing your duel score! The player of
the model you are shooting at may roll both of his dice!

Armory
As opposed to many other skirmishers, „Duel“ is not about having all
sorts of different kinds of weapons each with their own special
effects. Instead, your selection of weapons is kept basic on purpose:

• One handed weapon: A ranged or melee weapon wielded in one

hand. Using ranged weapons is detailed in the core rules. For
melee wapons see the optional rule „melee“. A model may wield a
ranged weapon along with a melee weapon (and thus get access to
both kinds of attacks). There is no advantage in wielding two
weapons of the same kind.
• Two handed weapon: A ranged or melee weapon wielded requiring
both hands to be wielded. When attacking with a two handed
weapon, you may reroll one of your dice when rolling for hits.
• Shield: A model carrying a shield in one of his hands may wield a
one handed melee or ranged weapon in his other hand. A shield
gives you the option to use your dice defensively against ranged as
well as melee attacks (see the optional rule „melee“ for details)
and to reroll any of your hit results when using dice defensively.

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Different Theme
While the rules as well as the artwork suggest using cowboys, feel free
to use any kinds of miniatures:
Neanderthals throwing rocks at each other, cyberpunk runners
shooting it out in the streets, pirates shooting with their
blunderbusses, gladiators hurling javelins, plumbers throwing turtle
shells at angry gorillas - anything goes!

Jamming Weapons
When shooting, whenver one of your dice (not the duel score!) rolls a
natural 6, you score a hit, then your weapon jams.
When playing with the optional rule „Armory“, a two handed shooting
weapon jams on a natural 5 and 6!
When your weapon is jammed, neither can you use the shoot action
any more, nor can you shoot back!
If you get shot at and your weapon is jammed, instead of setting your
duel score you roll your duel score after your opponent has revealed
his die. If your result is equal to or below your opponent‘s die, you
may move your model 1“ in any direction. If this moves your model
completely into cover, your opponent still has to roll his dice, but only
to check, whether his weapon jams – he cannot hit you anymore!
If your weapon is jammed, your opponent shot at you first and did not
score at least 1 hit, you may still move 1“ in any direction.
During your Player‘s Phase you may spend your action to unjam your
weapon not doing anything else instead!

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Melee
The core idea of „Duel“ revolves around dudes shooting it out. If you
want to add melee combat, here are the rules:
Though melee works in a similar vein as shooting, there are some
differences.
First of all, a model needs to have a melee weapon equipped.
To engage in melee, models need to be in base to base contact.
As during a shooting action, players start by setting their duel score.
Then the player with the lower duel score rolls 2 dice.
If you play with more than 2 players, each other model in base to base
contact to your opponent adds +1 die to your dice rolled!
For each result of die + duel score equaling 7 or more, the player may
decide, whether he wants to use the result offensively or defensively.
An offensively used result inflicts 1 hit onto the opponent. A
defensively used result forces the opponent to reroll 1 hit.
If a player uses his dice offensively, as with shooting causing one hit
makes the opposing model go prone, causing another hit removes the
model from the game.
A model placed prone cannot attack in melee. You can, however,
attack a model placed prone in melee. In that case you hit
automatically and the model is removed from the game.

Shooting a model in melee

When targeting a model not equipped with a ranged weapon with a
shooting action, the target may opt to move up to 1“ away from the
shooter for each hit rolled.

Please keep one thing in mind:

Showing up with a knife to a shootout has been a bad idea ever since!

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Play with 4 players
Start with placing pieces of terrain. Any one player may start, players
take turns clockwise placing terrain. Take as many turns placing
terrain, as you want, as long as everyone places an equal amount of
pieces of terrain.
Then players chose starting positions. The player who placed the last
piece of terrain choses his position first. Players then chose their
position counter clockwise.
Players take turns according to initiative. When rolling for initiative,
reroll any ties vying for a certain position.
(Example: 4 players A, B, C, D roll for initiative. Their results are: A: 2,
B: 3, C: 3, D: 5. A goes first, B and C reroll for position 2 and 3, D goes
4th.)

Respawn
If you want to, you may have your models respawn, once they are
taken out. If this rule is active, this following rules apply:
During Upkeep each miniature placed prone recovers automatically.
When the rules say, a miniature is „removed from the game“, instead
place it prone in front of its player.
During Upkeep perform the following two steps in the order listed:
- If your miniature is standing in front of you but outside the gaming
area, place it in its starting corner.
- If your miniature is placed prone in front of you but outside the
gaming area, it recovers automatically.

Take aim
A player may spend his turn aiming by forfeiting any other action.
After aiming, his next action must be a shooting action. If it isn‘t, the
following benefits of taking aim are lost: After revealing his duel score,
the player may raise or lower his duel score by 1 and he receives a
bonus of +1 do each of his dice rolled. These benefits are valid for the
next shooting action only!
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Upgrades
Draw from the centre point (where the treasure token lies) one line to
the centre of each of the 4 borders of the gaming area.
Place on each of these four lines in the centre between the treasure
token and the border an „Upgrade“ token.
If your miniature moves over an „Upgrade“ token, take the token and
roll a die:
1: Armour. The model ignores the next hit received.
2: Mirage. The next time another player would cause a hit on you,
instead he may move your model 4“ into any direction. Also, he
ignores any hits received by you.
3: Scope. Receive a bonus of +1 on each die rolled for your next
shooting action.
4: Boost. During your next Moving action you may move up to 8“. (9“,
if you use the optional rule „1.5 actions“.)
5: Distortion. Immediately swap positions with an opposing model.
6: Trap. All models within 2“ are placed prone immediately. A model
already placed prone is removed from the game.
When an Upgrade token is taken, during the next Upkeep phase its
position remains empty. In the following Upkeep phase place a new
Upgrade token in that position.
Each Upgrade has one of 2 keywords: next or immediately. An
Upgrade with the keyword „next“ can be kept until used. It is
discarded after use, though. Even if you are still in possession of an
upgrade, a new Upgrade token is placed when the time comes.
You might want to place a die next to your model, showing which
upgrade it has. A model can only ever have one upgrade active at any
time. If a model with an upgrade moves over another upgrade token,
the upgrade in possession is discarded and the new upgrade takes the
place.

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Boss Fight
This is a solitaire / coop scenario that can be played with up to 4 players.
All players play as a team.
Set up the gaming area however you deem appropriate.
Players start in the corners.
Instead of having a treasure token in the centre of the gaming area, place
another model in the centre. This is the boss you are fighting.
The boss does not shoot! Instead he fights in melee. The rules for melee are
described in the „Optional Rules“. Instead of selecting a value for his duel
score, roll the duel dice for the boss after selecting your value.
The boss always goes last on a turn and has the following abilities:

Charge:
This model will make a 6“ (9“, if you play with the 1.5 actions optional rule)
movement to the closest player controlled model. If this brings this model in
base to base contact, it attacks immediately with one additional die after
rolling his duel score. (That‘s 3 dice to determine hits.)

Dodge:
When being shot at, if according to the duel score this model gets to act before
the player, it ignores all hits it would receive. If it gets to act after the player, it
does not act at all.

Regenerate:
This model automatically recovers during Upkeep.

Tough:
Whenever a player scores at least one hit on this model, it gets to roll a
number of dice equal to the number of players. Each die showing a natural 6
negates 1 hit! Also, this model ignores 1 hit per player per game before going
prone.

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Boss Fight (continued)
If you want to spice up the boss with even more cool abilities, you may pick any
number of the following:

Agressive:
This model receives +1 on each die rolled when attacking.

Area of Effect:
On its turn to attack as determined by his duel score, this model attacks every
model in base to base contact with the same result of its attack dice.

Armour:
This model ignores the 1st hit received per turn.

Clingy:
When you are in base to base contact to this model and try to move away, set
your duel score and roll 1 die. If it shows the same result as your duel score,
you succeeded and may move away. If you rolled above the result on your duel
score, you remain in position and this model attacks you, ignoring any hits
made by you. If you roll below, move away; this model immediately uses its
„Charge“ ability on you ignoring any hits made by you.

Push back:
After this model attacked a player, all players‘ models currently in base to base
contact to this model are pushed back 1“.

Raise dead:
Whenever this model eliminates one of the players‘ models, that player‘s
model now is a hostile model, too. It is treated just like this model but only has
access to the „Charge“ and the „Dodge“ ability.

Zerg:
As long as the boss is not in base to base contact to anyone, he spawns 1
„Zerg“ (a small creature) per turn that may act immediately. A Zerg is treated
just like this model and has the „Agressive“, „Charge“ and the „Dodge“ ability. A
„Zerg“ is removed from the game upon receiving 1 hit. When attacking it gets
to roll 1 die only to determine hits.
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Capture The Flag
This is a scenario that is played best with 4 players.
Two players each play as a team.
One team sets up the gaming area, the other team chooses the corner
they start in. Teams start in opposing corners.
Instead of having a treasure token in the centre of the gaming area,
each team has a flag token (a disk with a 1“ diameter) in their corner.
Make sure, you can tell both flag tokens apart!
A team‘s models start in base to base contact to their flag token.
Whenever one model runs across the opposing flag token, the model
now carries the flag and the player places the token in front of him.
As soon as a model is placed prone or removed from the game, place
the flag token where the model stood.
If a model brings the opposing flag into the own base with the own
flag being in place, its team immediately wins. You might want to
continue for a „best 2 out of 3“, though.
During Upkeep, flag tokens not in their team‘s corner are moved to
their team‘s corner immediately.

For celerity reasons, the optional rule „1.5 actions“ is active here!

To give this Scenario more dynamic, you may want to apply the
optional rule „respawn“, too.

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King of the hill
This is a scenario that is played best with 4 players.
Two players each play as a team.
One team sets up the gaming area, the other team chooses the corner
they start in. Teams start in opposing corners.
Start with a treasure token in the centre of the gaming area, but place
a team token with two distinguishable sides (a coin, e.g.) nearby.
Teams decide, which side of the token represents „their“ side.
As soon as a model of a team touches the treasure token, replace it
with the team token showing the side of the model‘s team.
From now on the following rule applies during Upkeep:
If there is an equal number of models (including no models) from both
teams at least partially within 1“, the team token remains unchanged.
If there are more models of the team whose side the team token is
not showing at least partially within 1“, flip the team token around.
The team whose side the team token is showing receives 1 Victory
Point. The first team to score 6 VPs wins. You may want to use a die
per team for counting VPs.

This scenario requires the optional rule „respawn“ to actually work!

You may want to use the „1.5 actions“ optional rule to add celerity.

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Solitaire play
You can play solitaire against up to 3 opponents.
Place terrain however you deem appropriate. Give one corner the
numbers 1 and 2, the opposing corner receives the numbers 5 and 6,
the other two corners receive the numbers 3 and 4 each. Roll a die
and place your miniature in the corner your result shows.
The opposing models start in the other corners, with one of them
starting in the corner on the opposing side of your corner.
The opposing models act according to the following priorities:
Shoot, whenever possible.
Move as close to the treasure token as possible.
Stay in cover as good as possible.
Prefer a movement of up to 3“ + staying in cover over a movement of
4“ and getting out into the open.
Grab the treasure token as soon as possible.
If in possession of the treasure token: move to the nearest exit of the
gaming area, disregard shooting. (But do shoot back if being shot at!)

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Sho(o/u)tout to Badger Bodges for holding this contest!

As much as I‘d love to credit the artists of the pictures used, I have to
confess I scanvenged those pictures from sites that didn‘t show any
credits in the first place.
So, if you recognize your art here, feel free to drop me a note!
(Contacts: see below)

Duel
has been brought to you by

Kai Bettzieche
Visit us:
www.catzeyes.de
www.facebook.com/catzeyesentertainment
www.twitter.com/catzeyesHQ

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