Flying Lead – Modern Skirmish Rules

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There is no doubt that Ganesha Games is one of the real wargaming success stories of the past couple of years. Starting with a unique little fantasy game called Song of Blades and Heroes, they have built their own little empire of wargames and have expanded their rules to cover Napoleonics, Science Fiction, Arthurian, and even soldier teddy bears!

Now, their latest release, Flying Lead, brings their rules into the modern world. The game is generic enough that it can cover cops and robbers and also soldiers in a warzone.

But how does it play?

Flying Lead is a skirmish game in the truest sense. The rules say that players will have 5-15 figures per side, and I would guess that most games will tend towards the lower number.

Flying Lead is NOT a tactical simulation, nor does it make any such claims. It is designed very much with fun in mind, and to that end it plays very quickly and cinematically. Most of the game revolves around the activation mechanic. Each time a player wishes to activate one of his figures, he must choose to roll 1-3 dice against the figures Quality Score. Each dice that beats the Quality Score means that character gets one action. However, if any character fails on 2 or 3 of the dice, the player’s turn is over after that figure acts.

This mechanic is very different from most other wargames, because it means that a player’s turn can end before all his figures have acted. This is where the real gamesmanship comes in. You’re sniper has a clear shot – do you want to roll three dice and maximize your potential shots but risk ending your turn? Or do you only roll one die and risk not taking the shot at all?

I can definitely see that some players who like a more ‘realistic’ game will find this system frustrating. That said, it does make for a tense game, where the player is always forced to make decisions. It also makes for a great convention game, or multi-player game, where the turns will pass quickly around the table.

Once you’ve got your mind around the activation mechanic, everything else is relatively simple. Figures only have two stats, ‘Quality’ and ‘Combat’, and possibly a few special abilities. There are a few tables with modifiers, but these are small and generally intuitive. There is also a simple advancement system, a must for such a character game.

In the final analysis, if you like big games with lots of figures and lots of tactical movement, this game is probably not for you. But, if you want to depict the quick, confusing action of a small gunfight, with heroic characters battling it out you might want to give this one a look. It’s also simple enough to play with children.

Also, it is only $8 for the PDF, so it’s a low risk investment!

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Flying Lead – Modern Skirmish Rules