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A mix of RPG and miniature skirmish The rules are devised for 28mm miniatures and work better when a game master (GM) or organiser imagines a scenario and story. They may also be used for 1/72 or 20mm figures. Our "friendly simultaneous" (no IGOUGO, no initiative) system may seem strange and unfamiliar at first, but is simple and encourages very fast moves and daring actions. Quick reference sheets include movement, shooting, and melee tables, which can be used easily to play adventures, skirmishes and fights. Each player is represented by a character: adventurer, warband chief, military officer... accompanied by a small bunch of followers or small troop of warriors... or pirates... or soldiers... (typically 10-30 strong) or by only a handful of companions. Players are encouraged to imagine that everyone running on the gaming table is really alive (not game pawns) and do not have to face tactical choices that their characters could not understand. The best games happen when players try to delay or to avoid battle as long as possible. The system is so fast-flowing that 5-6 players can do 30-40 game turns and often more in a few hours, this allows many moves, terrain exploration, diplomacy... The rules may also be used for scenarios where players should collaborate instead of fighting each other (as in more traditional RPGs) in which case their opponents are non-player characters (NPCs) handled by the GM / referee. Such games are often easier to prepare and to run, especially with new players or at a convention. More extensions and explanations are always under work and/or being tested. We apologise for awkward syntax and wording in the translations in English. "Argad" means "attack" in the Breton language (from the word "kad" which means fight or battle, same origin as the words "cad" in Welsh and "cath" in Irish). Click on the PDF symbols to see or download the documents |
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Updated generic rules. This PDF document (48 pages) explains the whole basic system, states clearly what these rules are about and what they are not (this proved necessary to avoid confusion or disappointment), answers a number of issues which had raised questions, and a large part is devoted to suggestions and ideas for the RPG dimension which is the main interest and purpose of the rules. — Argad! generic rules  48 pages, April 2020 — Argad! generic supplement for cavalry and mounted troops (18 pages, updated May 2022) is here. (Updated with one more page of drawings, and a page about Napoleonic cavalry; some typos have also been corrected). — Argad lite for confined gamers ...and/or to understand the system easily (1 page, April 2020) is here. |
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Dark Ages & Middle Ages
Weapons are mentioned when useful in a precise context, or omitted when unnecessary, but all reference sheets are compatible. Reference
sheet, 4th-7th C.
updated June 2022 Ballista
or scorpio
February 2022Reference
sheet, 8th-11th C.
updated March 2020 Reference
sheet, mid-14th century
updated March 2020
 Archery
tables
November 2021(A
4-pages compilation of shooting tables and
optional rules for bows and crossbows, which
appear separately in the other documents.)
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Sengoku Japan
Reference
sheet, Sengoku Japan 16th century
June
2021(2-pages
reference sheet and 8-pages
extension with explanations
and suggestions)
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Black
powder & muskets
Weapons are mentioned when useful in a precise context, or omitted when unnecessary, but all reference sheets are compatible. Reference
sheet, mid-16th century to mid-17th century
updated
January 2021
Some issues have been raised about cavalry
fightings. The next update will probably
upgrade very heavy cavalry (cuirassiers in
three-quarter armour) to "class 5, armour 5"
and allow to shoot cavalry pistols before
contact without the –1 penality for
movement.
 Reference
sheet, privateers and pirates c.1700
(ashore)
updated October 2020 The
privateers and pirates reference sheet may
also be used with the previous sheet for
early buccaneers, or with the following
one if other details
are needed. No naval rules are included, the game
system may be used in conjunction with those you
like best; or ships may be at anchor or grounded
when a game begins.
 Reference sheet, 18th C. and early 19th C. updated
January 2021Remark: the usual melee system does not work well for cavalry lancers of this period, an improvement has been suggested in the May 2022 cavalry extension.  Tables for 18th C. and early 19th C. firearms January 2021
These two last documents are valid from c.1700 till
the first decades of the 19th century (and
even till Zorro, The Miserables, and the Alamo).
...And a video of
an Old West game, played with an adaptation of the
rules ...that is not yet online as it still needs
better explanations and new updates:
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Fantasy
A medieval-fantasy dimension is included in the rules since the first edition (1996) with different categories of humanoids depending on their strength compared to Humans (written -H, =H, +H, ++H...) +1, +2, –1 or -2 modifiers etc. were added to, or substracted from, a D6 when fighting weaker or stronger creatures. It worked quite well but it was sometimes clumsy with all these modifiers on top of the usual tactical factors, and it prevented from devising more variety (which would have meant even more modifiers) between related humanoid species. The former strength categories are maintained but a new system with D4, D8, D10, D12... has been studied, appeared very promising :) and now is under development for fantasy creatures (not for humans who always use a D6 in historical and fantasy contexts). NEW UPDATE of the generic humanoid system (March 2023)
here.An off-table generic reference that gives an overall view of the fantasy system and will help to devise more detailed creatures and monsters. Some details have been added or better explained; a few changes have been made for some creatures and for mounted humanoids. Examples with pictures are now included. Document and reference sheet for Ogres and Half-Ogres (January 2022)
here.Document and reference sheet for giants and giantesses (April 2023)
here.NEW UPDATE This update is slightly ahead of some other, older documents not yet updated. Why Ogres and giants? because these creatures are quite close to humans (as friends or as foes) and can appear as well in half-historical legendary countries than in purely fantastic worlds; because of this they have been helpful to test and improve the new system. ;)  The rules are not linked to any peculiar universe or fantasy world. The GMs or game organisers may devise what they wish and adapt or change the suggested humanoid categories and descriptions as they need. |
Currently under work: — Detailed extensions for the Dark Ages, the FIW, and Napoleonics, are being studied and tested. — It has been suggested to ignore the advantages of weapon length after the first game turn of a melee; however this idea still needs improvement as it may be unpractical in complicated situations. |
Older suggestions and ideas (parts of which may be outdated) PCs, NPCs, wounds and healing (December 2013) Meteo dice & emoticon dice (March 2012) |
Some inspiring AARs, with many pictures!
— 28 mm - 25 mm:
Dark Ages (Arthurian)
Struggle for Kerantrech: here
and here
A village between them
The giant in the valley
Revenge for a village
A village too far
Dark Ages (Vikings)
My drakkar for a horse!
The infamy of Leif Sigursen
Early Hundred Years War (War of the Breton Succession, mid-14th century)
An Davarn Ruz (The Red Inn)
A village between them
The giant in the valley
Revenge for a village
A village too far
Dark Ages (Vikings)
My drakkar for a horse!
The infamy of Leif Sigursen
Early Hundred Years War (War of the Breton Succession, mid-14th century)
An Davarn Ruz (The Red Inn)
Big
rise in traitor value (in French, many detailed pictures)
Two dukes, one crown
A fight for a dyke
The banks of the river Loire
Return of the alchemist
A village of merchants
Black powder and alchemist blood
Samurais (Sengoku Japan)
Two dukes, one crown
A fight for a dyke
The banks of the river Loire
Return of the alchemist
A village of merchants
Black powder and alchemist blood
Samurais (Sengoku Japan)
Yoshimoto's
wedding (in French, many detailed pictures)
Fall of the Haru clan (in French, many detailed pictures)
Eliminate all threats on your domain (in French, many detailed pictures)
Fall of the Haru clan (in French, many detailed pictures)
Eliminate all threats on your domain (in French, many detailed pictures)
Defend
the borders (in French, many detailed pictures)
Hojo unification (in French, many detailed pictures)
Ichi's revenge (in French, many detailed pictures)
Bad karma for the heirs (in French, many detailed pictures)
Hard Times for Nakagawa Family (in French, many detailed pictures)
The Fate of a Merchant (short video and AAR in French)
First game in a 16th century (Sengoku period) campaign
Wars of Religion in Brittany, Late 16th century
Hojo unification (in French, many detailed pictures)
Ichi's revenge (in French, many detailed pictures)
Bad karma for the heirs (in French, many detailed pictures)
Hard Times for Nakagawa Family (in French, many detailed pictures)
The Fate of a Merchant (short video and AAR in French)
First game in a 16th century (Sengoku period) campaign
Wars of Religion in Brittany, Late 16th century
Not
quite there, and back again
Thirty Years War
Beer, wagons, and spells
Pictures of another TYW game
Pictures of a TYW skirmish game
Another TYW skirmish...
A TYW skirmish...
Privateers and pirates c.1700
A game for two pirates
Mystery at Saint-Domingue
Raid on San Augustin
Tobacco smuggling on the coast of Brittany
WoSS and pirates game on three tables
French Revolutionary Wars
Where is the Chouan leader? on TWW and LAF
Beer, wagons, and spells
Pictures of another TYW game
Pictures of a TYW skirmish game
Another TYW skirmish...
A TYW skirmish...
Privateers and pirates c.1700
A game for two pirates
Mystery at Saint-Domingue
Raid on San Augustin
Tobacco smuggling on the coast of Brittany
WoSS and pirates game on three tables
French Revolutionary Wars
Where is the Chouan leader? on TWW and LAF
Colonial (Sudan c. 1882)
The battle of Korduf
Fantasy:
La vallée vierge (in French)
The eye of the Sad Dragon
A pyramid with hyenas
The temple of the Sad Dragon
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1/72 plastic - 20mm (in French):
Barbecue
préhistorique
Pillage d'un village égyptien
Grabuge à la ferme
Nettoyage à Bornanbusc
Incident à la frontiere nord
Rapport N°291219001 - Tombeau de Khnakhta
Rapport N°150819 01
Black Hawk Dawn
Tous à la manif !
Rapport N°011219 03
Assault à Targanizac
Pillage d'un village égyptien
Grabuge à la ferme
Nettoyage à Bornanbusc
Incident à la frontiere nord
Rapport N°291219001 - Tombeau de Khnakhta
Rapport N°150819 01
Black Hawk Dawn
Tous à la manif !
Rapport N°011219 03
Assault à Targanizac
These skirmish rules were first published in 1996 as a bilingual (Breton + French) booklet. During a few years, a fanzine called « An Argader » published updates, extensions, scenarios, and discussions.
Cover of the 1996
bilingual edition of the rules
This fanzine no longer exists but has been replaced by our
forum, which is also open to other rulesets and to many
subjects of wargaming interest (terrain, ship building,
video links for inspiration, etc.) The language of the forum
is French but some posts in other languages (Breton,
English...) may also be accepted.