BACK OF BEYOND

SKIRMISH RULES

WRITTEN BY TERRY CATTON

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INTRODUCTION

A set of skirmish rules for games set in the Back of Beyond using 28mm figures each player
would normally command 8-12 figures the rules are ideal for multi player games where the
players have different and often contradicting objective.

TURN SEQUENCE

At the start of the turn roll for initiative to determine the order the players will move in the
highest score going first.

ACTIVATION

The player who’s turn it is rolls 2D6 and adds 1 if they still have a figure with the leadership
ability on the table this is the number of actions their troops can undertake during the turn
each figure has a maximum number of activations it can make so it is possible that they may
not be able to use all of them.

Activation types are as follows

Move The figure moves can be done multiple times

Shoot The figure shoots can be done multiple times

Aim Can only be done directly before shooting no use if armed with a musket

Rally Must be the first action a figure takes in the move

Sentry Must be the only action the figure takes in the move

Charge Can only be done once in a move if they end in contact then fight a melee

Special Conduct some other action such as repairing a vehicle

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VISIBILITY

Figures are considered to be able to see anything they have a line of sight to areas of terrain
that block line of sight such as woods can be seen into up to 4ins and figures inside a wood
can see other figures in the wood up to 6ins away. These figures can be changed to
represent denser areas of terrain as required, exactly how terrain effects visibility should be
defined before the start of the game.

MOVEMENT

When a figure is moved it may change facing before and after the move but the move its
self must be in a straight line.

Foot move up to 6ins or 4ins in bad going deducting 1ins to cross any obstacles and a further
2ins if wounded.

Mounted move up to 12ins or 6ins in bad going also deducting 1ins to cross an obstacle

Exactly what counts as good or bad going should be decided before the start of play and it is
possible to have some terrain that has a greater effect on movement or that is classed as
impassable.

A moving figure can elect to run adding 1D6 ins to their movement this can only be done in
good going and only once/turn the figure is also unable to change facing after the move is
completed running is not possible for wounded figures.

CHARGING

This is a move that ends in contact with an enemy figure resulting in a melee being fought
the figure being charged must take a morale test to see how they respond to the charge.

SENTRY

If an enemy figure moves in their line of sight they may fire at it, this lasts either they are
attacked by the enemy or they are activated to do something else.

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SHOOTING

Each figure has a shooting ability this is what they need to hit with the following bonus’s
using a D10, some weapons get to throw multiple dice.

Medium Range -1 Long Range -3 Target in cover -2 Wounded -2

Aimed Shot +1 Old Weapon -1 Mounted target +1 Target in building -1

If more than 10 needed to hit then need to roll 10’s and reroll them needing 6+ to hit

Weapon Short Range Medium Range Long Range Dice Thrown Notes

Rifle 0-8ins 8-16ins 16-32ins 1 Bolt Action Rifle

Hunting Rifle 0-10ins 10-20ins 20-40ins 1

Old Rifle 0-8ins 8-16ins 16-32ins 1 Old Weapon

SMG 0-3ins 3-6ins 6-12ins 2

LMG 0-8ins 8-16ins 16-32ins 3

Pistol 0-2ins 2-4ins 4-8ins 1

Musket 0-4ins 4-8ins 8-16ins 1 Old Weapon

Effects of shooting hits roll 1D10 regardless of the number of hits

+1 short range -1 long range +1/hit after the first -1 target in cover or prone

1-4 Near miss target must test morale

5-8 Wounded if wounded twice then the figure is removed from play

9+ Killed remove from play

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MELEE

To fight a melee both players roll 1D10 and add to this the melee value of the figures
involved + any of the following bonus’s.

Wounded -2 Defending cover +1 Attacking from the rear +1 Outnumbered -2

Prone -2

The outcome is determined by the difference in the final scores

Equal Melee continues figures stay in contact

1-3 Loser knocked down

4-6 Loser wounded

7+ Loser is killed

Figures trying to move out of a melee fight a round of melee if they win or draw then move
directly away from enemy their full move distance otherwise they will be effected as normal
when losing a melee.

A prone figure in combat can choose to stand up before fighting a melee but cannot choose
to move out of contact.

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MORALE

A figure must test morale in the following circumstances

When they are wounded, when they are charged and if their leader is killed or otherwise
lost or they suffer a near miss from shooting.

To test roll 1D10 needing to score their morale value or more to pass with the following
bonus’s

+1 leader within 6ins -2 wounded +1 in cover +1 no enemy within 12ins

-1 no friends within 12ins

Results

If they pass the test then act as required figures being charged can shoot at the charger if
the charger is charging the front of their figure treat firing as medium range

If they fail test then wounded figures are knocked down and must pass a morale test before
they can conduct any other actions, figures that suffered a near miss will get 1 less action
the next time they are activated. Figures that have lost their leader must retreat a full move
towards their baseline and test again when activated to avoid retreating again if they reach
the table edge then remove them from play, a figure being charged will also retreat but
does not have to test again.

A figure that rolls less than half the required score is removed from play either they have
fled the battle or succumbed from their wounds.

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VEHICLES

The only vehicles used in this game are softskin transport vehicles such as truck, staff cars
and motorcycles there are obviously lots of different types of vehicles feel free to adjust the
figures given to suit and other vehicle types you may want to use.

Type Reverse Stationary Slow Fast Flat Out

Truck 3ins/450 0/450 4ins/900 10ins/450 15ins/300

Staff Car 3ins/450 0/900 4ins/1800 12ins/900 18ins/450

Motorcycle - 0/1800 4ins/1800 14ins/900 20ins/600

These are the move distances and maximum turns a vehicle can make the turn can be split
throughout the movement as required

A vehicle can only change speed by 1 speed band each turn and can only move once/turn

Flat out speed is only possible in good going

Vehicles travelling at fast speeds in bad going must roll for accidents 1D10 on a score of 1
the vehicle has suffered a puncture and must slow down and stop over its next moves.

Shooting out of a moving vehicles gets a -1 penalty shooting at a vehicle crew member treat
them as being in cover. If the driver is wounded roll 1D10 on a score of 5 or less the vehicle
is out of control this happens automatically if the driver is killed.

For out of control vehicles roll 1D10

1-3 Moves straight forward and slows down by 1 speed band

4-6 Turns 450 and slows down by 1 speed band

7-8 Turns 450 moves then turns a further 450 and slows down

9-10 Vehicle flips over unless travelling slow or reverse when it moves 2ins and stops.

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

Some special abilities for figures in the game feel free to create more

Agile Increase movement by 1inch

Cool Headed Does not test morale for near misses

Driver Can drive a vehicle

Killer If they win a melee immediately fight a second round of combat if possible

Leader Gives morale bonus’s and an extra activation point

Marksman Gets an extra +1 when conducting an aimed shot

Reactive When shot at can immediately return fire if the shot misses

Scout Cannot be shot at from beyond 8ins when in cover

Sprinter When running roll 2 dice and take the highest score

Tough If wounded roll 1D10 on a 7+ the wound is ignored

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SAMPLE FORCES

Chinese Patrol NCO Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 4 Morale 4+

Rifle Abilities Leader, Cool Headed

Soldiers x 5 Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 4 Morale 5+

Rifle Abilities 1 Ability each

Recruits x 4 Actions 1 Shooting 7+ Melee 3 Morale 6+

Rifle Abilities None

Bandits Chief Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 3 Morale 5+

Pistol Abilities Leader, Tough

Deserters x 2 Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 4 Morale 5+

Rifle Abilities 1 Ability each

Fighters x 4 Actions 2 Shooting 7+ Melee 4 Morale 6+

Rifle Abilities 1 Ability each

Warriors x 4 Actions 2 Shooting 8+ Melee 5 Morale 6+

Sword/Spear Abilities 1 Ability each

Archaeologists Leader Actions 3 Shooting 5+ Melee 4 Morale 4+

Pistol Abilities Leader, Cool Headed

Explorer Actions 2 Shooting 5+ Melee 4 Morale 4+

Hunting Rifle Abilities Scout, Marksman

Guards x 2 Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 4 Morale 5+

Rifle Abilities 1 Ability each

Civilians x 6 Actions 1 Shooting 7+ Melee 3 Morale 7+

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SAMPLE CHARACTERS

Mad Dog Murphy Actions 3 Shooting 5+ Melee 4 Morale 4+

LMG Abilities Cool Headed, Tough

Mercenary will work for anybody with the money to pay him

One Arm Sutton Actions 2 Shooting 5+ Melee 3 Morale 4+

Pistol Abilities Cool Headed, Marksman

Lost an arm at Gallipoli ended up building mortars for Chinese Warlords

Two Gun Cohen Actions 3 Shooting 5+ Melee 4 Morale 4+

Pistol x 2 Abilities Tough

Worked as a bodyguard for a Chinese Warlord can fire both pistols when shooting needing
6+ to hit

Chinese Assault Trooper Actions 2 Shooting 5+ Melee 5 Morale 4+

SMG Abilities 1 Ability

Mounted Cossack Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 6 Morale 5+

Rifle Abilities 1 Ability

Bolshevik Rifleman Actions 2 Shooting 6+ Melee 5 Morale 5+

Rifle/Bayonet Abilities 1 Ability

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SCENARIO IDEAS

Set in an ancient ruined city a group of archaeologists being attacked by a bandit group
trying to steal the artefacts they have found could also include a Chinese force who are
pursuing the bandits and also want to stop the archaeologists removing the artefacts.

A group of White Russian troops fleeing into China pursued by a Bolshevik force they are
trying to join a Chinese Warlords force, the Bolsheviks also have the support of a different
Chinese faction, start the forces in the corners of the table diagonally opposite their allies.

After a Chinese Warlords death his senior officers meet to decide who should replace him, a
shot is fired and now it is every man for himself. Each force has a senior officer a couple of
bodyguards and 6-7 regular infantry the last man standing will become the next warlord.

If you have any problems or ideas I can be contacted at [email protected]

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