Tilly's Very Bad Day: Fast Play Rules for the 30 Years War

Recently Brett Simpson pointed me at a simple set of rules for the English Civil War called Rupert's Very Bad Day: Battle of Marston Moor (1644 AD): Fast Play Rules for Students by Matt Fritz. Rupert's Very Bad Day relies on lots of bases and base removal so isn't very friendly with my big bases and Thirty Years War units with both pike and shot on the same base. But I liked the simplicity, saw considerable potential, and really liked the name. So I immediately began writing a version that would suit my pike and shot for the Thirty Years War which are based on big bases (80mm x 40mm). My initial draft started very close to Matt Fritz's work, and I remain heavily indebted to him, howeverthe rules have evolved quite far from the original. The biggest similarity to the original rules is probably the name although even there "Rupert" became "Tilly". I have introduced more types of stand (light horse, pike+shot, rabble), single stand units (hence pike+shot), a new concept called "resolve" to replace stand removal, morale rules based on resolve, terrain including the option to allow infantry to "defend the hill", distances based on base width, a more complex interplay of shooting and charging to reflect different national and unit attitudes to these combat options, increase purpose for commanders, optional troop quality (superior, ordinary, inferior, rabble) and hence an optional point system, and probably other things. Despite these additions, and the complexity they bring, I think the rules still allow "fast play". Although I've got the Thirty Years War in mind "Tilly's Very Bad Day" should be applicable to the Eighty Years War and English Civil War.

—description from the designer