Designer: Chip Harrison, Curtis Wright
Publisher: Chipco Games
Fantasy Rules! Tournament & Campaign Edition is a simplified version of Fantasy Rules! Fast Play Rules for Miniature Wargames in the Worlds of Fantasy 3rd edition. While the latter weighs in at over 130 pages, the TCE is less than 40 pages. The goal of the game is to remove many of the more elaborate constructs such as burrowing creatures, battlewagons, high magic levels, and elaborate army lists, and allow players to focus on the core rules so that they can play quick games as part of a tournament and campaign. The mechanics of the game is basically the same--it's just a much slimmed down version with a lot fewer options.
Although FR!TCE is designed to be compatible with FR!3, it is in some respects a very different game. All Chipco games rely on a balance between units, magic (in FR!), characters and missile fire. Every unit/character has its vulnerability. In simplifying the game for extremely fast play, we have abstracted or eliminated many of the high-level magic, capabilities, and units.
Features of FR!TCE include:
* A Grand tactical, historical-based system that rewards sound military tactics.
* Fast play; designed to play in an hour for easy compatiblity with your tournaments and campaigns.
* A Simplified but satisfying magic system; magic is not just an artillery hit.
* There are no restrictive army lists, but rather a system focusing on an army or nation's core strengths that you can use to ensure the army fits your concept.
* A campaign system that lets character/units level up with experience in battle.
* Based on Chipco's Fantasy Rules!; a vetted and well tested system.
Fantasy Rules! Tournament and Campaign Edition (FR!TCE) differs from the standard FR!3 ruleset in the following manner:
* The Morale Clock starts at 7.
* Capabilities diminish when the clock reaches 3.
* No unit RF/CF can be raised by magic or character bonuses by more than +2. Only rank and file units can have a magic or character RF/CF bonus, not Special units (except Large Monsters, when ridden).
* Large Monsters (including dragons and leviathans) and Spirits usually require a pip to move (unless ridden).
* There is only one simplified level of magic.
* The character system has also been simplified, with some differences from FR!3. Note: These new concepts are compatible with FR!3 (for example, you might wish to use the FR!3 TCE Witch Hunter capabilities instead of the original FR!3 ones).
* FR!3 optional rules are not part of FR!TCE, and unit/character lists have been streamlined.
* There are no specific army lists. Instead, we have sixteen Army Focuses; these are special character and unit core competencies in which an armies/races/civilizations might specialize. Each army picks 3-4. For example, if the Orcs in your world are noble knights or steppe riders, then you can set up the lists to accomodate.
* There is a hierarchy of units (raised, regular, veteran, and elite) to simulate campaign experience (for example, Mounted are raised, Heavy Cavalry are regular, and Knights, Light Cavalry, and Heavy Chariots are veteran).
FR!TCE is designed to be played in under an hour since fast, simple play is essential for conventions, campaigns and tournaments, evening play, or to just have a simplified game to introduce beginners to miniature wargame rules. In doing so, we have not sacrificed tactics, skill, or interesting variety; our players get to fight the battle, not the rules. FR!3 and FR!TCE are designed for use with 10mm, 15mm, or 25mm armies.
These rules are designed to be used in the fantasy or mythical world of your choice, not one that we have designed. All Chipco games emphasize playing with whatever armies or figures you have already, and FR!TCE is no exception.