TRENCH FOOT

“When a young man, I read somewhere the following: God the Almighty said, 'All that is too complex is unnecessary, and it is simple that is needed' ... So this has been my lifetime motto“
Mikhail Kalashnikov

What is TRENCH FOOT?

TRENCH FOOT is a wargame designed for use with 28-32 mm scale miniatures. Two players assume the role of squad leaders in virtually any conflict—real or imaginary—set in the 20th or 21st century. The game accommodates skirmish-sized battles using 4-8 miniatures per side.

If you are not familiar with tabletop wargames, TRENCH FOOT uses physical miniatures (28-32mm scale) to represent individual soldiers. Miniature terrain features such as buildings, walls, vehicles and more are placed on the tabletop to simulate a battlefield. Tape measures and tables are used to determine allowable ranges of movement and effective shooting attacks.

Why Play TRENCH FOOT?

I like “beer and pretzel” wargames that are casual and flexible.

The rules are intended to be memorable; although there may not be as much depth or complexity as other wargames, the rule set is quick to reference and easy to remember. The rules for TRENCH FOOT are designed to be printed double-sided on an 11” x 17” piece of paper so that they may be folded into an easy to share trifold brochure. Print as many copies as you need for your game club or convention! No additional army lists or supplements are required.

Rather than bogging down the ruleset , players must use their imaginations to develop scenarios. Why are BLUFOR and OPFOR fighting? When? What are their objectives during their encounter?

TRENCH FOOT could be best described as a game engine that can be played. Players and aspiring game designers are encouraged to use TRENCH FOOT as a framework for modification. The project is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. Assuming you provide attribution and like-licensing, you can use TRENCH FOOT as a canvas with which to create your own scenarios and wargames.

What Inspired TRENCH FOOT?

TRENCH FOOT was developed by Robert Fox of KD8QLN Gaming. His previous wargame—SKIRMISH 52C—was the inspiration for a simpler and more streamlined gaming experience.

A key alteration was the removal of scenario and force generation and randomization. Another key alteration was the removal of complex line-of-sight rules. Instead, line-of-sight requires stooping to the level of the miniature, imagining what they can see, and ensuring that the other player agrees to your honest ruling of visibility and afforded cover.

How Long is a Game?

Games of TRENCH FOOT are designed to be relatively quick: games can often be played in 30-45 minutes.

What Does it Look Like?

Here's a snip of the second page: the meat and potatoes of the document

What is Required to Play?

Playing TRENCH FOOT requires the following:

1.  A copy of the TRENCH FOOT rules for each player
2.  A game table that has a minimum size of 22” x 30”
3.  Two six-sided dice for each player
4.  A measuring utensil capable of measuring up to 30”
5.  4-8 28-32 mm miniature soldiers per player.
   1. Ideally, miniatures are modeled with the war gear they are said to be equipped with, but this is not a requirement.
   2. TRENCH FOOT is miniatures-agnostic, meaning you can use models from any manufacturer or conflict as you see fit. Feel free to mash up historical and sci-fi miniatures! The example below features WW1 miniatures from a popular and easily available product offering.
6. Enough miniature terrain (buildings, foliage, and scatter) to help block line of sight across the entire length and width playing area. See the example below of a professionally-designed gaming space.