Open Battle Gaming™ for Battle Sport Hobbyists

Open Battle Gaming™ is a new rule system for battle sport hobbyists. The battle gaming system is similar to the that found in the established battle gaming groups Amtgard, Belegarth, Dagorhir, Darkon, and High Fantasy Society. It has been specifically created for the publication of the book Battle Gaming: The New American Sport. It has a few new features that make it a bit interesting than the rule systems of these established groups.

• The Open Battle Gaming™ System is to be published under the Open Game License v1.0a written by the Wizards of the Coast. This will allow all players to use the rules without membership to any organization. It also allows anyone to extend and publish their own rules extensions also under the Open Game License.
  
• The Open Battle Gaming™ System rules for combat (Open Battle Gaming™ System Core Rules) are independent from the equipment rules (Open Battle Gaming™ Padded Weapon Technology Rules). This is done to allow the core system to be applied into a variety of mock weapon technologies. Initial publication will focus on the padded mock weapon technology with subsequent development of rules for Latex LARP equipment, Rapier equipment (aka SCA Rapier) and heavy weapons equipment (aka SCA heavy weapons) as well as heavy boffer equipment (aka Markland style). Regardless of the equipment in use, the same core combat rules will apply. This approach was specifically take to ensure that system could be adapted to new technologies as they become available.
  
• The Open Battle Gaming™ System Core Rules attempt to merge the best of all the existing battle gaming rule sets.
  
• The Open Battle Gaming™ System has created a standard by which to describe a battle game in sufficient detail to allow a club organizer to sit down and read the battle game description and decide if it will fit with a given battle day. This makes for much easier planning. The standardized descriptions also allow players to develop their own scenarios, play-test them and then publish these scenarios so other groups can use them.
  
• The Open Battle Gaming™ System has been created with a number of optional rules. These optional rules can be applied to specific games, entire game days, or as a general baseline for a given club of players. The system can easily morph itself into the existing rule sets for battle gaming clubs such as Amtgard, Belegarth, Dagorhir, Darkon, and High Fantasy Society.

Where are these rules? The publication of the Open Battle Gaming™ System Core Rules and Open Battle Gaming™ Padded Weapon Technology Rules are to correspond to the publication of my new book Battle Gaming: The New American Sport. That does not mean that preview versions will not be available. They are just the rules. There is no interpretive text in the rules. All that can be found in the book.

I am hesitant to pre-publish the rules much before the book as I expect the rules will generate a lot of questions. Many of the answers to the questions can be found in the book. I do not wish to derail my timeline and effort in getting the book answering questions.

That said, some early pre-release feedback is needed to make sure the system is solid before the book is published. I have hosted play-testing in Fort Collins, CO and expect to continue to do that. I am inviting small groups in other locations to contact me if they wish to participate in some play testing. If you are interested please send me a text message to my cell phone at 970-484-4577 and I will get back to you.