0 / Game of play

LDB use a mix between Car wars™ and Darkwind™.

Second are divided in three phase like in the last compendium.

During each phase, players have to send up to three actions: speed, movement and fire

1 / Handling class.

For balance gunner with a capacity of three salvo per second, drivers receive more recuperation than gunner, leaving them dodge gunner's firing arc.

At each phase, vehicle will recover 50% of their HC, ajusted by driver skill. A vehicle with an odd HC, will recover 1 in 2 phases (1/2 HC per phase). On the other side, driving skill will not increase vehicle HC.

An Hotshot (OR version) will recover 1 HC per phase (so 3 per second) ; with a Driver +1, the same Hotshot rwill recover 2 HC per phase (so 6 per second).

With off-road tires on sand, Hotshot recover 1 (+1/2) HC per second [2 (+1/2) HC with a driver +1]

2 / Maneuvers

2a / Speed

At each phase, vehicle can accelerate, keep same speed or brake.

Standard car wars acceleration is cut by half , so a vehicle with a 5mph acc, will have a 2,5mph acc in LDB.

In case of braking, vehicles move forward in the first 1” of movement.

Here is the movement chart :

2,5mph       ¼”    -        -

5mph          ½”    -        -

10mph        1”     -        -

15mph        1”     -        ½”   

20mph        1”     -        1”

25mph        1”     ½”    1”    

30mph        1”     1”     1”

35mph        1,5”  1”     1”    

40mph        2”     1”     1”

45mph        2”     1”     1,5”

50mph        2”     1”     2”

55mph        2”     1,5”  2”

60mph        2”     2”     2”

And so on….

2b / Movement

We'll use all car wars standard maneuvers and rules (D1 for every 15° of bend)

Duellist can make up to two maneuver during one phase if they have at least 2" of move.

If not precised in the moving order, maneuver will always be done during the first 1” of move if case of only one and more than 1” of move.

2c / Collision

Vehicle involved by a collision continue straight for remaining movement.

In case of long sidewipe, vehicles suffer damage at each phase, not second.

3 / Combat

3a / Move and Fire

Hazard (but not maneuvers) will increase weapon hit value egal to the D Hazard.

With exception of gas streamer, droppers are fired during the last move of vehicle, before others weapon fire.

Acquisition rules and automatic fire are disabled.

3b / Jump of a vehicle

Jumping of a vehicle count as three firing action: Put off safety belt, open door and jump.

When a firing action is used to make that, vehicle will move forward

Without a safety belt, drivers take damage collision at -30mph, if any.

3c / Vehicle in flame

At each phase, vehicle can take fire if they have a BM on it. The burn duration apply in turn instead of second.

At each phase, the vehicle is in flame, roll 1 dice for every part of vehicle (armor, tires, weapon, driver, etc…on 1 or 3, component take 1 damage.

Fire Damages are applied before fire extinguisher use. Beside, extinguishers suffer a -1 penalty. (fire extinguisher on 1-2, improved fire extinguisher on 1-3 and  portable fire extinguisher on 1). Roll at each turn.

3d / Kill

A vehicle is Kill if : driver is out, PP is destroy or at 0mph with two or more wheels destroy

4 / Vehicles

All duellist have the same models for each arena, and changes, even simple like rearrange armor, can’t be done

5 / Score

Rules of LDB arenas are simple : Be the last standing with good scores.

During the arena, each damage and D hazard you inflict grant you score, you can be the last standing and loose the arena, if you’ve play the coward during the event.

If your duellist died, multiplier score is reduced to 1. At any time a duellist can leave the arena, if it does so, it’s considered kill.

A vehicle can only suffer one D per phase for collision or firing action. $ earned by damage will be attribute to the better  source of damage, and in case of tie, divided by number of source.

In case of head-on collision, score are divided by the two teams. In other collision, only the team who provoke the crash will receive cash.

Identity of duellist is revealed as the first action taken.

As long as you maintain full acceleration and straight direction, you’ll considerer phantom by other duellist.

 If they have less than twelve duellists, phantom vehicle drive by fake driver are launch in the arena, with full acceleration and no direction

6 / Championship

Each team, have two duellists with driver or gunnery speciality

Death duellist are replaced

Most of times, the arena is a bowl, a circular arena with all car enter towing center.

Duellist can award Prestige and Skill if they survive. …

The Championship is over after 5 runs

At arena ending, each living duellist earn 1 point on each skill and one more on its speciality (driver or gunner)

6a / General Skill Table

6b / Prestige Skill Table

6c / Life and death

Duellists have 3 DP

2 DP [Flesh wound] >> -1 penalty to skills

1 DP [Critical wound] >> -2 penalty to skills

0 DP [Mortal wound] >> loss conscious

DP negative [Deadly wound] >> loss conscious, character died on a 1d6 egal or less than negative DP