Gygax and Perren describe the jousting event: “Knights in ‘friendly’ combat, armed with lance and sheild, and mounted upon mighty destriers” (Chainmail, 26).

The original quotation marks imply irony. Indeed, in the context of our scenario, this is no amicable tournament but mortal combat. The objective is to slay the opponent.

Start

The 24 victors of the man-to-man combat phase mount horses and face each other across the central arena. Each figure competes in one joust of three rides. Victors go on to the final phase of Champions of Chaos.

Notes on Jousting

Follow Chainmail’s Jousting rules (26-7, 42) considering the following notes.

1. By now it is understood: one does not yield nor give quarter in the presence of Solon Theros.
2. When a rider is unhorsed, combat continues on the Man-to-Man Melee Table (41).
3. The other rider is not obliged to dismount. These are not knights; they follow no code. This is Chaos.
4. Consider each rider to wear plate mail and helmet, carry a shield and lance, as well as a sword—all provided by Solon Theros.¹
5. Mounts, also provided by the super hero, are not barded.
6. See the section on Mounted Men (26), including the table on the chances for an unhorsed rider to be stunned.
7. A combatant injured as a result of a joust (an “I” result) subtracts 1 from any dice rolls—on the Melee Table, for instance.²
8. If neither combatant is unhorsed after the third ride, both continue to the final phase.

Knights Among Us

A rider who unhorses the opponent on the first ride may have had significant training. Mark the figure for a mounted hero. Should he or she succeed the final phase, consider treating the figure as a Knight (not from Religious Orders of Knighthood) under Historical Characteristics (18).

Figures

Miniatures are not at all necessary for the jousting phase. There is no difference from one rider to the next. In my case, having only one horsed figure and it without a lance, putting miniatures on the table adds nothing to the spectacle.

I do find one purpose for their use. As one of the competitors is a favorite—Pal Hargrane has some background developed through play—I plant two additional figures of the same likeness among them. By so doing, I triple Hargrane’s chances to continue to the final phase.

Notes

¹ The Jousting Matrix assumes combatants are properly equipped.

² I’m making this up. Other than losing 10 points, Chainmail includes no consequences to a jousting injury.