En Garde! (1975)

"En Garde is a semi-historical game/simulation representing many of the situations of an Errol Flynn movie set in the Seventeenth or Eighteenth Centuries. The game was originally devised as a fencing system, with background added to provide scenarios for the duels. After a time, it became apparent that the background was more fun than the duels, and En Garde, in its present form, was born."

"In En Garde, a player finds himself born into and educated in a world where social climbing is a way of life, and status is a goal to be pursued even over money. It is a world inhabited by Cyrano, Roxanne, Scaranouche, Errol Flynn, Porthos, Athos, Aramis, Rhonda Fleming, Francois Villon, Constance, and, of course, D'Artagnan. There are people to be used, friends in high places to be cultivated, enemies to be humiliated, the Cardinal's Guard to be trounced, lackies to be abused, the hand of a fair damsel to be won, and the ear of the King to be gained. Come with us now, to those vibrant, bawdy days of Yore."

A pencil and paper game in the style of an RPG, and with much of the detail expected in an RPG of the time, but with the "adventure" structure built into charts and tables so that no referee was required. Playable by any number of players.

GDW published a second edition in 1977, which incorporated the errata sheet into the rules along with some non-substantive changes. In 1988, SFC Press (UK) printed a third edition which was reformatted and illustrated, but reportedly it is essentially the same as the second edition.

Home Page: http://www.engarde.co.uk/index.html

Magazine References:

Campaign Article Index:

• Number 81, September-October 1977
  • En Garde! - "En Garde!" (Review), Scott Renner