skull bash

Alright, pull up a crate, scavenger. Wind's got that bite that says nothin's comin' easy tonight. But that don't mean we just sit around starin' at dust motes. Even out here in the sun-baked dust of Oz, we got our games. Helps keep the wits sharp, the hands quicker than a Gecko-Dog on a fresh kill.

You seen the kids scratchin' lines in the dirt, pushin' caps and pebbles? Yeah, that's it. That's Skull-Bash, the real game. Not just dumb luck, but primal strategy, like trying to outsmart a drop bear with a broken tin lid. It's survival in miniature.

See, the basic idea, what we call The Pit Brawl, that's where you start. Simple enough for even a Ghoulish. You got your Skull-Pit, just a grid drawn on any old tarp or flat patch of ground, maybe marked out with broken hubcaps. Your Bashers are whatever junk you can scavenge – red bottle caps for the Rust Dogs, blue pebbles for the Billabong Blighters. And the Skull? Usually a decent-sized pebble, maybe one that's been polished smooth by the wind for a thousand cycles. Mine was a real mutie dog skull, once. Had a chipped tooth, swore it gave me luck.

The aim? Get that Skull to the other side, into their Goal-Spike, see? One of your Bashers, the Skull-Runner, carries it. But it ain't a footrace. This ain't no simple dash across the paddock. You gotta keep your Basher's Free Zones open, empty space around 'em, like clear air around your breathin' lung. If you let some ugly bugger get you boxed in, no way out, you're Scrapped. Just like that. Removed from the Pit. It's the silent kill, the strategy that runs deeper than any swing of a flail. You gotta push, tackle, and sometimes just flat-out out-think 'em. Form up like a shield wall, like a proper pack of Dingoes cornering a 'roo. Control the Pit, they call it. Dominion. It's rough, but then, so's the land.

Me and ol' Grunt, we played it with broken data chips and rusted screws last cycle. Good few hours, until a dust devil blew half the Pit away and Grunt swore the Skull was tryin' to escape. That's the beauty of it, ain't it? Takes nothin' but your mind and what you can find. It's our own backyard, backyard brawl.

But then, there's The League. Ah, now that's a spectacle! You wander into a proper Pit, built outta salvaged freeway signs and welded steel, under the glare of jury-rigged arc lights… that's where the champions play. Not miniatures, mind you, this is real! The big factions go at it – Iron Bloods, Ghost Riders, those Chrome Claws up north. They don't mess with pebbles; they're still usin' scavenged gear, but it's the best scavenged gear. Carved bone, polished metal, sometimes Bashers with armour made of actual car parts. Each one ain't just a cap; it's a "Brawler" who hits like a busted engine, or a "Skull-Runner" who can weave through a pack of Rust Dogs like a whisper. They got their own unique tricks, special moves they can pull.

These games, son, they're like watching a full-blown dust-up, but with strategy. Like a wild game of footy, but the ball bites back and the players got metal limbs. The Skull gets passed, sometimes it flies through the air like a crow with a rocket up its backside. And if someone catches it clean, a proper Mark in the open, they can make a mad dash for the Goal-Spike! It’s all about that Dominion, owning the ground, running hard, hitting harder. It’s brutal, loud, and sometimes… well, sometimes it's just plain weird. Like the time 'Shiny Shag', an Iron Blood Basher with a glowing mushroom growing out of his scalp, tried to headbutt the Skull through the Goal-Spike. It stuck. Right there. Game ended in a draw, everyone just stared at the glowing mushroom-skull. Hilarious, until the Pit Boss declared a re-match and someone lost an eye.

The stakes? Oh, they're everything. Water rights, fuel, salvage routes, sometimes even lives. It's what teaches you to read the waste: where to commit, where to hold, when to push for that quick dash to glory. It’s the desperation of survival, made into a game. You get Scrapped in a real fight out there, you don't come back next turn. So you learn to protect your flanks. You learn to cut off theirs.

So yeah, pick up a couple of caps, kid. Let old Nick show you how it's really played. Might just save your hide out there one day. It's more than a game, see? It's Raskoll.

This is "Raskoll Skull-Bash."

Raskoll Skull-Bash: The Pit Brawl (DIY / Accessible Version)

Game Overview: Raskoll Skull-Bash: The Pit Brawl is a fast-paced, tactical game of post-apocalyptic arena sport. Two teams of Wasteland warriors, known as Bashers, clash to seize a mutated dog skull and carry it to their opponent's Goal-Spike. Designed for quick setup and chaotic fun using whatever you can scavenge!

Game Components (DIY):

Skull-Pit Mat: A large piece of paper (or old cloth/cardboard) with a grid drawn on it (e.g., 1-inch squares). Mark two opposite end rows as Goal-Spike Zones.

Bashers: 5 distinct tokens per player (e.g., 5 red bottle caps vs. 5 blue pebbles).

One Basher per team is designated as the Skull-Runner.

The Skull: One distinct small object (e.g., a larger painted pebble, a unique bottle cap, or a small toy animal skull).

Dice: Two six-sided dice (2d6).

Measuring Tool: A ruler, a marked stick, or a string (for measuring 6 inches/squares for movement and passes).(stick of doom)

Key Terms & Definitions:

Basher: Your team member on the Pit.

Skull-Runner: The Basher currently carrying the Skull.

Skull-Pit: The playing area grid.

Goal-Spike Zone: The opponent's end zone where you score.

Free Zones: Empty adjacent squares that a Basher needs to avoid being Scrapped.

Scrapped: A Basher removed from the game (out of play).

Setup: The Pit Brawl

Lay out the Skull-Pit Mat: Place it on a flat surface.

Place Bashers: Each player places their 5 Bashers anywhere within their designated starting zone (the first 3 rows of their side of the Skull-Pit).

Place The Skull: The Skull starts in the exact center square of the Skull-Pit.

Determine First Player: Both players roll 1d6. The player with the highest roll goes first. (In case of a tie, re-roll).

Gameplay: The Brawl Round

The game is played in a series of Rounds, each consisting of alternating Player Turns.

1. Initiative Phase:

At the start of each Round, both players roll 1d6. The player with the highest roll gets to choose who takes the first Player Turn this Round. (Tie: Re-roll).

2. Player Turn Phase:

Players take turns activating one Basher at a time, starting with the player who won Initiative (or who they chose to start).

When it's your turn, choose one of your Bashers to activate. That Basher MUST first Move, and then MUST take one Action.

Basher Actions (Move then Action):

Step 1: MOVE Your Basher

Movement Allowance: Your Basher can move up to 6 inches (or 6 squares) in any direction (including diagonally).

Measuring: Use your measuring tool. You don't have to use all your movement, but any unused movement is lost.

Collision: If your Basher's movement causes it to hit another Basher (friendly or enemy) or the edge of the Skull-Pit, its movement stops immediately at the point of collision.

Contested Movement: If a Basher moves into a square adjacent to an enemy Basher, or exits a square adjacent to an enemy Basher, that Basher risks a Contested Brawl.

Contested Brawl: The moving Basher's player rolls 1d6. The adjacent enemy Basher's player rolls 1d6.

Winner: Higher roll wins. The losing Basher is Stunned (cannot activate next turn). If the Skull-Runner is Stunned, they immediately drop the Skull in their current square.

Tie (Clash!): Both Bashers are Stunned.

Step 2: Take ONE ACTION

After moving your Basher, it must perform one of the following actions:

Brawl (Attack):

Target: Choose an enemy Basher in an adjacent square.

Brawl Roll: Both players roll 1d6.

Winner: Higher roll wins. The winning Basher's player chooses to either:

Push: Push the losing Basher 1 square away in any direction.

Stun: The losing Basher becomes Stunned (cannot activate next turn).

Tie (Clash!): Both Bashers become Stunned.

Skull Carrier Brawl: If the Skull-Runner loses a Brawl (either Stunned or Pushed with the Skull), they immediately drop the Skull in their current square.

Pick Up/Drop Skull:

If your Basher is in the same square as the Skull, they can pick it up. If they are carrying it, they can drop it. (This action has no cost and can be done before or after movement in that square, but counts as your one action for the turn).

Pass the Skull (Skull-Runner Only):

Only a Skull-Runner can perform this.

Target: Choose a friendly Basher within 6 inches (6 squares).

Pass Roll: Roll 1d6.

4+ Result: Success! The Skull immediately moves to the target Basher, who becomes the new Skull-Runner.

1-3 Result: Fail! The Skull is dropped in the Skull-Runner's current square.

Block:

Choose to stand firm. This Basher cannot move.

Effect: If this Basher is targeted by an enemy's Brawl, the attacking enemy rolls 1d6, and the blocking Basher's player adds +1 to their 1d6 Brawl roll.

Key Concepts: The Skull-Pit Dynamics

Stunned Bashers: Place a small token (e.g., a bent paperclip) next to a Stunned Basher. A Stunned Basher cannot activate or perform any actions on its next turn. On its subsequent turn, it becomes active again.

Free Zones & Scrapped Bashers:

Every Basher needs at least one empty adjacent square (a Free Zone) to remain active.

If a Basher ends its activation (or moves into a position where it) is completely surrounded by enemy Bashers AND the edge of the board (having no empty adjacent squares), it is immediately Scrapped (removed from the game).

If the Skull-Runner is Scrapped, the Skull immediately drops in their last square.

Goal-Spike: To score, a Skull-Runner must successfully move into any square within the opponent's Goal-Spike Zone while carrying the Skull.

Winning The Pit Brawl:

The game ends immediately when:

Skull to Spike!: 

A player successfully moves their Skull-Runner (with the Skull) into their opponent's Goal-Spike Zone. That player wins!

Last Bashers Standing!: One player has all their Bashers Scrapped (removed from the game). The other player immediately wins!

Raskoll Skull-Bash: League Edition (Full-Sized Board Game / Miniatures)

Game Overview: Raskoll Skull-Bash: League Edition plunges players into the brutal, tactical world of high-stakes wasteland sport. Assemble a team of unique Bashers, each with distinct skills, and dominate the Skull-Pit with strategic positioning, calculated brawls, and daring Skull runs. For dedicated hobbyists who crave depth and dynamic miniatures play!

Game Components (League Edition):

Skull-Pit Board: A sturdy, detailed game board with a grid (e.g., 1.5-inch squares or hexagons). Features unique terrain, obstacles (non-blocking), and clearly marked Goal-Spike Zones.

Bashers: 7 unique miniatures per player, representing distinct Basher Archetypes.

Basher Cards: Each miniature has a corresponding card detailing its unique Move (Mv), Brawl (Br), Resilience (Rs), and Special Skill.

The Skull: A sculpted miniature.

Dice: Multiple six-sided dice (e.g., 3d6 for some rolls, 1d6 for others).

Tokens: Stunned Tokens (for Stunned Bashers), Skull Token (optional marker for Skull-Runner), Score Markers.

Basher Archetypes (Examples with Stats & Skills - 7 per team, player chooses mix):

Skull-Runner (e.g., "The Quick," "The Elusive")

Mv: 6 / Br: +0 / Rs: 1

Skill: Evasive Dash (Once per game): After picking up the Skull, immediately move 2 extra squares.

Brawler (e.g., "The Ram," "The Enforcer")

Mv: 4 / Br: +1 / Rs: 2

Skill: Brutal Slam: On a winning Brawl, you may choose to inflict 2 Stunned Tokens instead of 1.

Blocker (e.g., "The Wall," "The Anchor")

Mv: 3 / Br: +0 / Rs: 3

Skill: Immovable Object: Any enemy Brawler attempting a Brawl against this Basher suffers a -1 modifier to their Brawl roll.

All-Rounder (e.g., "The Opportunist," "The Scavenger")

Mv: 5 / Br: +0 / Rs: 2

Skill: Unpredictable Sprint (Once per game): After moving, may immediately make a Brawl attack against an adjacent enemy Basher (even if you already performed an action this turn, this is a bonus action).

Slicer (e.g., "The Blade," "The Striker")

Mv: 5 / Br: +0 / Rs: 1

Skill: Precise Pass: When making a Pass, you may re-roll one of your dice.

Overwatcher (e.g., "The Sentinel," "The Lookout")

Mv: 4 / Br: -1 / Rs: 2

Skill: Pit Sight (Passive): When an enemy Basher moves through a square adjacent to this Basher, you always win the Contested Roll tie-breaker.

Harrier (e.g., "The Pest," "The Disruptor")

Mv: 5 / Br: +0 / Rs: 1

Skill: Distracting Advance: Any enemy Basher that starts its activation adjacent to this Basher suffers a -1 modifier to its Brawl rolls this turn.

Setup: League Edition

Place the Skull-Pit Board: On a flat surface.

Choose Teams: Each player selects their 7 Bashers, choosing from the available Archetypes (e.g., 1 Skull-Runner, 2 Brawlers, 2 Blockers, 2 All-Rounders, or any mix totaling 7).

Place Bashers:

Each player places their chosen Bashers anywhere within their designated starting zone (e.g., first 3 rows).

Place The Skull: The Skull starts in the exact center square of the Skull-Pit.

Determine First Player: Both players roll 1d6. The player with the highest roll chooses who goes first. (Tie: Re-roll).

Gameplay: The League Round

The game is played in a series of Rounds, each consisting of alternating Player Turns. A typical game might be 8-10 Rounds long.

1. Initiative Phase:

At the start of each Round, both players roll 1d6. The player with the highest roll chooses who takes the first Player Turn this Round. (Tie: Re-roll).

2. Player Turn Phase:

The active player activates all their Bashers, one at a time, in any order they choose.

When a Basher is activated, it MUST first Move, and then MUST take one Action.

Basher Actions (Move then Action):

Step 1: MOVE Your Basher

Movement Allowance (Mv): Your Basher can move up to its Mv stat in squares in any direction (including diagonally).

Collision: As per Pit Brawl, movement stops on collision.

Contested Movement: If a Basher moves into or out of a square adjacent to an enemy Basher at any point during its movement, it risks a Contested Roll for each unique enemy Basher it moves adjacent to.

Contested Roll: The moving Basher's player rolls 1d6. The adjacent enemy Basher's player rolls 1d6.

Winner: Higher roll wins. The losing Basher takes 1 Stunned Token.

Tie (Clash!): Both Bashers take 1 Stunned Token.

Skull-Runner Stunned: If the Skull-Runner takes a Stunned Token, they immediately drop the Skull in their current square.

Step 2: Take ONE ACTION

After moving your Basher, it must perform one of the following actions:

Brawl (Attack):

Target: Choose an enemy Basher in an adjacent square.

Brawl Roll: Active Basher rolls 2d6 + its Br modifier. Target Basher's player rolls 2d6.

Winner: Higher total wins. The winning Basher's player chooses to either:

Push: Push the losing Basher 1 square away in any direction.

Stun: The losing Basher takes 1 Stunned Token.

Tie (Clash!): Both Bashers take 1 Stunned Token.

Skull Carrier Brawl: If the Skull-Runner loses a Brawl (taking a Stunned Token or being Pushed with Skull), they immediately drop the Skull in their current square.

Pick Up/Drop Skull:

If your Basher is in the same square as the Skull, they can pick it up. If they are carrying it, they can drop it. (This action has no cost and can be done before or after movement in that square, but counts as your one action for the turn).

Pass the Skull (Skull-Runner Only):

Only a Skull-Runner can perform this.

Target: Choose a friendly Basher within 8 squares.

Pass Roll: Roll 2d6.

Success (Pass): If the result is equal to or less than the range to the target (in squares), the pass is successful! The Skull immediately moves to the target Basher, who becomes the new Skull-Runner.

Failure (Scatter): If the result is greater than the range, the Pass fails. Roll 1d6 for direction (1=N, 2=NE, 3=E, etc. on a compass rose), and the Skull scatters 1d6 squares in that direction from the target Basher. If it scatters into an enemy Basher's square, that Basher may immediately pick it up.

Brutal Mark (Aussie Rules Nod): If a Basher successfully catches a Pass (Pass roll success) and there are no enemy Bashers in any adjacent squares to the catcher, the catching Basher may immediately move up to 2 squares (their own Mv permitting) as a bonus move.

Special Skill Activation:

Each Basher Archetype has a unique skill. Activate this skill as your action. Follow the rules on the Basher's card. (Most are once per game, others may be passive or once per turn).

Guard:

Choose to stand firm. This Basher cannot move.

Effect: If this Basher is targeted by an enemy's Brawl, the attacking enemy rolls 1d6 less on their Brawl roll.

Key Concepts: The League Dynamics

Stunned Tokens & Resilience (Rs):

When a Basher takes a Stunned Token, place a token on its Basher Card.

When a Basher's Stunned Tokens equal or exceed its Resilience (Rs) stat, that Basher is immediately Scrapped (removed from the game).

Stunned Bashers cannot activate or perform any actions on their next turn. On their subsequent turn, they remove all Stunned Tokens and become active again.

Free Zones & Scrapped Bashers (Go-Inspired):

As per Pit Brawl, if a Basher is completely surrounded by enemy Bashers and/or the edge of the board (having no empty adjacent squares), it is immediately Scrapped. This overrides Resilience; a perfectly surrounded Basher is instantly removed.

If the Skull-Runner is Scrapped, the Skull immediately drops in their last square.

Goal-Spike: To score, a Skull-Runner must successfully move into any square within the opponent's Goal-Spike Zone while carrying the Skull.

Winning The League Edition:

The game typically runs for a set number of Rounds (e.g., 8 Rounds). After the final Round:

Automatic Win (Skull to Spike): If a player successfully moves their Skull-Runner (with the Skull) into their opponent's Goal-Spike Zone, that player immediately wins the game, regardless of remaining rounds!

Automatic Win (Last Team Standing): If all of one player's Bashers are Scrapped, the other player immediately wins!

Points Victory (after Final Round): If neither of the above conditions is met by the end of the final Round, calculate points:

3 Points: For each enemy Basher Scrapped.

1 Point: For each empty square in your Dominion. (A square is in your Dominion if it is completely surrounded by your Bashers, or by your Bashers and the edge of the board).

The player with the most points wins! (Tie: Player with Skull wins; if no one has Skull, play one tie-breaker round).