The Killing Fields

The Killing Fields v1.04

The Killing Fields is a project I have been working on for over three years now, and I didn’t even know it.

About three years ago I set out to study the writings of the pioneers of the wargaming hobby, to better understand the wargaming roots of the Dungeons and Dragons game.

It occurred to me that a campaign game was buried in there, which had not been fully explored and explained. My first goal was to collate and curate the best campaign-game rules and concepts into a single document. I soon discovered that Henry Hyde had the same idea, 7 years earlier, and was about to publish a book on this very topic!

Thank you, Henry, for saving me a few years of research and hard work!

Next, after reading these old rules and learning to play the games, I decided to create a board game that would introduce the concepts of wargaming to the RPG community in a way that was fun and accessible. I started this project with that goal in mind. but, as my research continued, the goal shifted. I became obsessed with how the older games were structured, with different assumptions about gameplay and mechanics.

Through playing the vintage games I learned that the Combat Resolution Tables had a certain elegance and provided a different way of looking at the wargame from how it is often perceived today. The Killing Fields is the result of this research and design project.

The Siege of Bodenberg (1968) uses a fascinating mechanic, where the morale of two units is tested before the exchange of blows and removal of casualties. I have chosen to make this mechanic the central feature of The Killing Fields, leaning into the morale effects rather than providing casualty modifiers or “to hit” penalties/bonuses for various battlefield or tactical situations.

The original game is a set piece designed to be played on a grid of 4” x 4” squares.

The Killing Fields has been designed to be played on an open table with rulers to measure movement. Because it is a skirmish game, rules for formations and complex troop evolutions have not been included.

The game is designed to be fast and brutal, with careful maneuvering as the primary method of gaining an advantage in a combat situation.

WIP - These rules are a work in progress. Ultimately they will include formations, massed battles, siege rules and more!

Be sure to follow for updates, and feel free to comment with any questions or suggestions.

Purple Druid