Some things I want to add and/or change for "Duel":
1.) Revamp the Core Rules and move stuff out to the optional rules.
The Core Rules should be all about "2 players play with 1 fighter each on a 1'x1' area". Nothing more. Also, Movement is movement. No jumping. No falling. Not in the core rules!
2.) Revamp the Core Rules and move stuff out to the optional rules (continued)
Jumping - make it an optional rule
Climbing - make it an optional rule
Falling - include falling into Jumping and Climbing
Field more than 1 model per player. This is at best hinted at in the core rules and also in the optional rules. You can read between the lines, that playing with multiple miniatures is possible. However, I should explain this in a separate optional rule. The rule is called "Field more than 1 model per player" as F comes before H for Hero, so when you read the optional rules for Heroes you are familiar with the concept of multiple miniatures for one player.
Initiative, turn oder and especially Dueling with multiple miniatures per player needs to be explained!
2.) Rename "Dodge" to "Avoid Damage".
I have a hard time imagining Zombies dodging... Also, "avoiding damage" is, what dodging is in the first place. It's just a broader term than can be applied to more possibilities: Damage can be soaked up, dodged, deflected - whatever you can think up.
3.) Melee + Duels
I need to explain Melee better. Melee makes "Avoid Damage" unavoidable and thus mandatory. Also I need to introduce the term "participant in a Duel". See some good reasons for that below.
Also I need to introduce the maneuver "move out of combat"/"retaliate": If a model is locked in melee, it might just want to move out of melee. This action immediately initiates a Duel, in which the model moving out of melee may only go for "Avoid Damage". All opposing models in that melee will "retaliate" and try to hit the model moving out of damage according to the regular melee rules versus the "Avoid Damage" rule.
4.) More Photos.
Not just because. More like: Photos, so you readers can understand better, what I'm trying to explain.
5.) A "Night Raid" Scenario
May be combined with other scenarios. Special rule "Darkness" is active: Line of sight is reduced down to 8". Light sources can have 1", 2" or 3" radius, depending on their size. Anything within the radius of a light source can be drawn line of sight to and can become the target of a Duel, if a weapon's reach is sufficient.
5.) Rename Xtra Attack into Xtreme Reaction because see below ...
6.) More skills
If I want to send "Duel" to my printing company, I need way more pages. So, here goes a little bit of content. More skills, once again a selection of skills from A-Z (and this time some more melee oriented skills):
Absorb Health
Every time this Hero removes another model from play, this Hero receives 1 additional toughness. This Hero cannot receive more than 3 additional toughness.
Bodyguard
Designate any one other model as this Hero's "bodyguard". As long as this Hero is within 2" of its bodyguard, all damage received from any one source to this Hero may be redirected to the bodyguard, causing him to receive the damage instead. The bodyguard does not necessarily have to be a valid target for the source in the first place and does not get to use his own skills or equipment to reduce that damage. Also, by the time he receives damage the bodyguard can only return fire, if the source of the damage is a valid target for him.
Chained shot
Special Attack
Upon initiating a Duel this Hero may target any one model within 2" to a target within line of sight and weapon's reach of this Hero, even if the newly targeted model is not within line of sight or weapon's reach of your Hero.
If your newly targeted model cannot return fire, it may still try to avoid damage.
Defensive
When avoiding damage, this Hero can still avoid damage if your Duel Score is equal to an opponent's Duel Score.
Extra Attack
Special Attack
If this Hero initiates a Duel and is still standing after that Duel, you may roll one more die and add it to your Duel Score. If the final result is 7 or more after all applicable modifiers, this Hero scored another hit.
Fighter
Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel, if your Duel Score is equal to or below your opponent's Duel Score, you may decide for each die rolled whether you want to use it to avoid damage (as described in the according optional rules) or to cause your opponent's model to take a hit.
Grudge
Designate one opposing Hero this Hero has a grudge on. Whenever this Hero participates in a Duel with that opposing Hero, this Hero may reroll any die that has not scored a hit once.
Hurl
Special Attack
During its activation this Hero may hurl any model having a smaller base and standing in base to base contact to this Hero up to a certain number of inches into any direction (see below). The model hurled must be placed in a position where it can stand safely or must be placed in a different position.
Models belonging to the same warband of this model can be hurled up to 8".
Opposing models may try to resist being hurled. In that case a Duel is initiated, where the opposing model only can opt for avoiding hits. Each hit scored nonetheless allows this Hero to hurl the opposing model up to 2" instead of causing a hit. The model hurled must be placed in a position where it can stand safely or must be placed in a different position. Also, you may opt to use a combination of "actual hits scored" and "hits exchanged for inches hurled". If, for example, this model scores 2 hits on an opposing model, it may cause 1 hit and hurl the opposing model 2".
Irresponsible
Can only be selected if each player plays with "more than one model".
Neither can this Hero use its skills to benefit others, nor can other models use their skills to benefit this Hero.
As long as this Hero is at least 4" away from all other models its own warband, whenever this Hero participates in a Duel, you may ask each other participating player to reveal their Duel Score before you reveal your Duel Score. If you do, you roll your Duel Score once the last player has revealed his Duel Score.
Juggernaut
Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel, each unmodified 6 rolled for this Hero counts as 2 hits.
Killer Instinct
Whenever this Hero removes another model from play, he remains standing and in play at least until the end of this turn. Only if he recieves enough hits to be taken out of the game (read: 1 hit per point of toughness, 1 hit for going prone and yet another 1 hit for being taken out of the game), this Hero is removed from the game during the next Upkeep Phase. If after the next Upkeep Phase this Hero is still in the game, he remains standing.
Large
This Hero is larger than others and fully aware of that fact. Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel with another model on a smaller base, add +1 on each die rolled for this Hero.
Manhunt
Select 1 enemy Hero as your "prey". As soon as your prey moves into a position where this model could move into line of sight of your prey with just 1 movement action, if the prey is still standing after its activation, this Hero may immediately perform one activation to move into line of sight with the prey and may immediately initiate a Duel.
This activation is additional to the regular activation this Hero has got for this turn.
Night Vision
This Hero ignores the rules for Darkness in the optional scenario "Nightraid".
Off Hand Weapon
Requires this Hero to wield 2 weapons. One of these weapons may be a onehanded ranged weapon, the other weapon must be a onehanded melee weapon.
Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel, you may roll 1 additional die.
When using a ranged weapon for your offhand weapon, you must still roll for "Jamming Weapons", if you use that optional rule.
Prehensile
Models in base to base contact to this Hero cannot move away from this Hero. Not even with the skill "swift".
Quake
Whenever this Hero participates in a melee duel, for each hit scored each opposing model in base to base contact to this Hero is moved away up to 1" in a straight line per hit scored instead of taking a hit. Any obstacles on that way end that movement early and cause the model moved to take 1 hit anyway. (So, if you score 2 hits and decide to move an opposing model away, but there is a wall after 1.5", the opposing model only moves 1.5" just up to the wall instead of through the wall and then takes 1 hit.) Opposing models cannot defend against this movement.
This Hero still can cause hits to opponent models simply by not using this skill.
Regenerate
If this Hero has got any points in toughness, as long as he is standing during upkeep he receives 1 toughness.
This cannot raise his toughness higher than the initial toughness.
Swift
When in base to base contact with another model, this Hero may move away normally. Opposing models cannot retaliate.
Thrall
Requires this Hero to have followers. Any number of this Hero's followers can be designated as a "thrall" each. A thrall can never use the action "interact" or be used to fulfil a victory condition. A thrall can not initiate a Duel or return fire. A thrall can only try to avoid damage. A thrall may move into base to base contact with this model either to immediately restore 1 toughness. This cannot raise this model's toughness above its initial toughness. Or when this Hero is placed prone moving a Thrall into base to base contact immediately lets this Hero stand back up again.
In both cases the thrall is immediately removed from play.
Underdog
Whenever this Hero initiates a Duel where he is within line of sight of more than one opposing model, this Hero recieves a bonus of +1 on each die rolled.
Valorous
If this Hero is still standing after having participated in a Duel during which he returned fire and has not activated yet this turn, this Hero may immediately perform a movement action towards an opponent's model other than the one that has initiated the Duel.
If this brings this Hero within line of sight of at least one other opposing model, this Hero initiates a new Duel.
This counts as this Hero's activation for this turn.
Wicked
Special Attack
After revealing your Duel Score but before rolling dice immediately take any number (=X) of hits. If this would cause this Hero to be placed prone, leave this Hero standing for now and place him prone after the Duel.
This Hero recieves +X on each die rolled.
Xenos
Any Hero with the "Xenos" skill may use any other Hero's line of sight for targeting opposing models, as long as that other Hero has got the "Xenos" skill, too. This Hero is still restricted to his own weapon's reach, though!
Yellow
This Hero may be placed prone at any time during his activation. This may cause him to disappear behind terrain, so other models can no longer draw line of sight to this Hero. If this Hero has been placed prone by using this skill, he needs to spend his regular action to get up again.
Zealous
You may use this Hero's activation to activate any one other model of your warband, including another Hero, within 8". This way you can even activate a model that already has been activated this turn.
