Elan En Garde!
En Garde! is a copyright of Paul Evans <www.pevans.co.uk/EnGarde!.html> and is used with permission. This rules set includes some house rules in addition to the standard rules.
En Garde! is a semi-historical game/simulation representing many of the situations of an Alexandre Dumas novel or Errol Flynn movie set in 17th-century France. It is a game of swashbuckling and social climbing; of winning the hand of a fair mistress and duping the Cardinal's Guard.
Each character has been 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, Scaramouche, Cardinal Richelieu, Porthos, Athos, Aramis, 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, lackeys 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...
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Game Master (or GM) Carol Kocian: aquazoo(at)patriot.net
The game runs on a three- to four-week cycle.
Once per game month, characters' announcements -- engagements,
parties, challenges, and open letters -- are published in
This game uses a free list service, All_Of_Paris@yahoogroups.com, for game-wide communication. Players and lurkers may subscribe by sending a message to All_Of_Paris-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. The list is monitored, so submitted messages will not be sent until approved. Most_Of_Paris@yahoogroups.com is for rules questions and any out of character discussion.
An example of the format I prefer orders to be submitted in is included with these rules.
The most rewarding aspect of En Garde!, however, is the interaction between characters. This is a role-playing game that involves a great deal of player-to-player communication. Verbal sparring with enemies, conferences among friends, cultivating alliances with your betters -- this is the joy of the game. Send messages between players at will. This can be done in three ways:
1. You can e-mail another player directly.
2. You may send the notice to me for inclusion in the gazette
Le Sport de Paris.
3. You may send an "in character" message to All_Of_Paris@yahoogroups.com,
where all players will see it. This method is intended to simulate
the current talk on the streets of Paris, or open letters from
one gentleman to another, to which all are party.
Note, please -- letters to Le Sport may be signed (by your character), unsigned, or signed with an alias. Messages to All_Of_Paris@yahoogroups.com will have your email address in the reply-to field, so other players will know who sends these notes. So, if you desire an anonymous submission to the game, use Le Sport.
I request that all players copy me on player-to-player e-mail notes. This helps me paint the characters correctly in the narratives and keeps me amused.
Although some of the NPCs are female, all of the player characters in this game are male. I have often been asked about playing female characters. Regrettably, the game is not structured to include women in any meaningful roles from a role-playing standpoint. (Of course, while all the player characters are male, the game is open to anyone who cares to play.)
New characters will be entering the scene at all times, due to the attrition rate that frequent swordplay unavoidably entails, as well as new people joining while the game is in progress. To join the game, simply send me an e-mail request. I will generate the character's stats for you. You then send me the character's name, and you're ready to start.
If the game becomes too wildly popular I may find it necessary to limit the number of active players in the game and establish a waiting queue for new character allocation. I will inform all the players if I begin to do this.
In a nutshell, the point of a role-playing game is to assume the persona of a character and "experience" the events that occur as you move through a different world. In this version of En Garde!, your character engages this world through e-mail to other players and in the orders you submit each turn. In order to do that effectively, each player needs to have a basic idea of the personality and history of his or her character. Sketching out some key points will help you understand him and ensure that you depict him consistently.
Is your charcter good, bad, or indifferent to such labels? Is he even-tempered or hot-headed? Callous or sympathetic? Is he intelligent or dim, quick-witted or brooding? Is he pious, pragmatic, or given to the ways of the flesh? What does he enjoy or despise?
The world of En Garde! supplies ample opportunity for character building. The object of the game is social climbing, so most (not necessarily all) characters will share that goal. But few real people have only one desire in life. Individual quirks or fixations can make characters more interesting to play, even if they also make upward mobility more difficult.
For example, your character may have a special affinity for a certain rank or regiment -- perhaps he does not wish to hold a higher commission than his father. Now he must attempt to scale Parisian society holding a rank no higher than captain. Or maybe he is bound by some sort of tie to a comparatively low-ranked regiment like the 4th Arquebusiers. Interesting, n'est-ce pas? He could regard his enemy regiment with an irrational hatred bordering on the pathological that could be no end of trouble (legal difficulties, etc). Perhaps he doesn't enjoy the military life at all. He could direct his whole career to the aim of attaining a specific command or appointment, and seek status only as it enables him to attain that position. He could forsake status in an effort to shore up his regiment through mandatory drills, or campaign duty, or some other means. Or he could be an inveterate ladies' man. The possibilities are endless.
Once you are handed your character stats, I suggest you start with a brief back story. Why is your character in Paris? Are there some family obligations that have compelled him to seek his fortune, or is he running from an unfortunate set of circumstances? And to what extent is he willing to talk about his past with others? Does he come from a noble family, and if so is he proud of that? Perhaps haughty? If impoverished, does he seek to cover it up, perhaps by spending well beyond his means? If of humble beginnings (peasant or merchant) does he respect his social betters? Or does he resent the good fortune and station of others? How will this view change should he become a titled noble?
Player-to-player interaction is the heart of En Garde!. When you send e-mail to other players, write it as best you think a 17th-century gentleman would. Using a spellchecker is helpful. Use some 17th-century judgment, too. If you are of low status level you would be very impertinent to approach a titled noble. However, a note from a titled noble would DEMAND your reply. It is always a good idea to get to know the other player characters in your regiment and your friendly regiment. Greeting new players should be the responsibility of the senior officers in the regiment, but it wouldn't be out of line for a new captain to introduce himself around to his new "brother" officers if the commander was slow to make the introductions.
Now, not everyone has the time to write long, flowery notes -- in this world or in 17th-century Paris. That's fine. Length is not important! Just write what you can when you can. Express your character's personality as you simultaneously learn about others' characters. The more letters you write, the more contacts you will make, and the more rewarding the game will be for you. Nor must all your letters be nice. There are always gentlemanly (and non-vulgar) ways to express disagreement, scorn, or outright antagonism. Writing with enemies in this regard is often most rewarding.
Finally, if you find yourself stuck for ideas I'll be happy to provide advice.
I anticipate making rules changes, both at the suggestion of players
and to correct any flaws that transpire. If you want to do something
not explicitly described in the rules, then go for it! I'll rein
you in if what you're attempting is unworkable given game mechanics.
The game should be vivid, exciting, a bawdy romp; changes to improve
its balance or mechanics are always desirable. However, suggestions
for rules changes solely intended to make the game conform to
actual historical situations will not be entertained.
-Carol