The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

A Song of Blades and Heroes Campaign Book

Version 0.9.2 (2014-12-17)

About the Campaign

This Campaign Book contains seven scenarios that can be enjoyed
separately but are designed to be strung together. To play the campaign,
simply play the scenarios in order and use the setup and scenario rules for
each of them. You will not need to use the campaign rules from the core
Song of Blades and Heroes rulebook or of other expansions. Keep track
of each side's points as indicated in the scenarios. At the end of your
campaign, use the scoring rules found at the end of this book to determine
its outcome.

The Characters
Song of Blades and Heroes is designed so that you can use any type of
model: paper, plastic, metal, Lego, they are all perfectly good. You can thus
use models that you already own or get new ones for the Robin Hood
theme. During the design and play testing of this Robin Hood campaign,
the authors used collections of free paper models that were available online,
mostly at www.onemonk.com. These included everything, from the
characters, the cart, horses, houses, villagers, and campsite decorations. To
have a playable set of models, you should print one copy of each unique
character, 3 bears, and 4-8 copies of the other characters, as well as any
terrain or features you want to add. Once again, feel free to use any other
models you may prefer.

Character cards
A set of character cards showing the model and their characteristics has been specially created for this
campaign. You can use them to simplify your warband creation and they can be useful as memory aids
during play. That way, you won't have to remember the models' characteristics. You can print two
complete sets if you want both players to have their own set. Here again, feel free to depart from these
characters and create different ones. The characters in this campaign use special rules from the
following Song of Blades and Heroes modules:

Song of Blades and Heroes (SBH)

Song of Gold and Darkness (SGD)

Maps
In order to have a series of scenarios with a strong theme, special maps have been designed for the
present Campaign Book. They are found near the end of the Campaign Book. The maps for the
scenarios should be 2-2.5 by 3-3.5 feet big. These maps are just suggestions and you can of course
modify them as you see fit.

Acknowledgements
This campaign has been designed and written by Eric Normandeau after being inspired by the elegance
of the Song of Blades and Heroes system and with the much appreciated help of Steffan O'Sullivan,
Brnice Bougas, and a few game forums users for their support, discussions, revisions, suggestions,
and play testing. If you find errors or have suggestions for the campaign, scenarios or rules, please
write to ericDOTnormandeauDOTqcATgmailDOTcom or send geekmail to MaroonedMorlock on the
boardgamegeek forum.

License
This work is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Prelude
Excerpt from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
by Howard Pyle (This work is in the public domain)
When Robin was a youth of eighteen, stout of sinew and bold of heart, the Sheriff of Nottingham
proclaimed a shooting match and offered a prize of a butt of ale to whosoever should shoot the best
shaft in Nottinghamshire. "Now," quoth Robin, "will I go too, for fain would I draw a string for the
bright eyes of my lass and a butt of good October brewing." So up he got and took his good stout yew
bow and a score or more of broad clothyard arrows, and started off from Locksley Town through
Sherwood Forest to Nottingham.
It was at the dawn of day in the merry Maytime, when hedgerows are green and flowers bedeck the
meadows; daisies pied and yellow cuckoo buds and fair primroses all along the briery hedges; when
apple buds blossom and sweet birds sing, the lark at dawn of day, the throstle cock and cuckoo; when
lads and lasses look upon each other with sweet thoughts; when busy housewives spread their linen to
bleach upon the bright green grass. Sweet was the greenwood as he walked along its paths, and bright
the green and rustling leaves, amid which the little birds sang with might and main: and blithely Robin
whistled as he trudged along, thinking of Maid Marian and her bright eyes, for at such times a youth's
thoughts are wont to turn pleasantly upon the lass that he loves the best.
As thus he walked along with a brisk step and a merry whistle, he came suddenly upon some foresters
seated beneath a great oak tree. Fifteen there were in all, making themselves merry with feasting and
drinking as they sat around a huge pasty, to which each man helped himself, thrusting his hands into the
pie, and washing down that which they ate with great horns of ale which they drew all foaming from a
barrel that stood nigh. Each man was clad in Lincoln green, and a fine show they made, seated upon the
sward beneath that fair, spreading tree. Then one of them, with his mouth full, called out to Robin,
"Hulloa, where goest thou, little lad, with thy one-penny bow and thy farthing shafts?"
Then Robin grew angry, for no stripling likes to be taunted with his green years.
"Now," quoth he, "my bow and eke mine arrows are as good as shine; and moreover, I go to the
shooting match at Nottingham Town, which same has been proclaimed by our good Sheriff of
Nottinghamshire; there I will shoot with other stout yeomen, for a prize has been offered of a fine butt
of ale."
Then one who held a horn of ale in his hand said, "Ho! listen to the lad! Why, boy, thy mother's milk is
yet scarce dry upon thy lips, and yet thou pratest of standing up with good stout men at Nottingham
butts, thou who art scarce able to draw one string of a two-stone bow."
"I'll hold the best of you twenty marks," quoth bold Robin, "that I hit the clout at threescore rods, by the
good help of Our Lady fair."
At this all laughed aloud, and one said, "Well boasted, thou fair infant, well boasted! And well thou
knowest that no target is nigh to make good thy wager."
And another cried, "He will be taking ale with his milk next."
At this Robin grew right mad. "Hark ye," said he, "yonder, at the glade's end, I see a herd of deer, even
more than threescore rods distant. I'll hold you twenty marks that, by leave of Our Lady, I cause the
best hart among them to die."
"Now done!" cried he who had spoken first. "And here are twenty marks. I wager that thou causest no

beast to die, with or without the aid of Our Lady."

Then Robin took his good yew bow in his hand, and placing the tip at his instep, he strung it right
deftly; then he nocked a broad clothyard arrow and, raising the bow, drew the gray goose feather to his
ear; the next moment the bowstring rang and the arrow sped down the glade as a sparrowhawk skims in
a northern wind. High leaped the noblest hart of all the herd, only to fall dead, reddening the green path
with his heart's blood.
"Ha!" cried Robin, "how likest thou that shot, good fellow? I wot the wager were mine, an it were three
hundred pounds."
Then all the foresters were filled with rage, and he who had spoken the first and had lost the wager was
more angry than all.
"Nay," cried he, "the wager is none of thine, and get thee gone, straightway, or, by all the saints of
heaven, I'll baste thy sides until thou wilt ne'er be able to walk again." "Knowest thou not," said
another, "that thou hast killed the King's deer, and, by the laws of our gracious lord and sovereign King
Harry, thine ears should be shaven close to thy head?"
"Catch him!" cried a third.
"Nay," said a fourth, "let him e'en go because of his tender years."
Never a word said Robin Hood, but he looked at the foresters with a grim face; then, turning on his
heel, strode away from them down the forest glade. But his heart was bitterly angry, for his blood was
hot and youthful and prone to boil.
Now, well would it have been for him who had first spoken had he left Robin Hood alone; but his anger
was hot, both because the youth had gotten the better of him and because of the deep draughts of ale
that he had been quaffing. So, of a sudden, without any warning, he sprang to his feet, and seized upon
his bow and fitted it to a shaft. "Ay," cried he, "and I'll hurry thee anon." And he sent the arrow
whistling after Robin.
It was well for Robin Hood that that same forester's head was spinning with ale, or else he would never
have taken another step. As it was, the arrow whistled within three inches of his head. Then he turned
around and quickly drew his own bow, and sent an arrow back in return.
"Ye said I was no archer," cried he aloud, "but say so now again!"
The shaft flew straight; the archer fell forward with a cry, and lay on his face upon the ground, his
arrows rattling about him from out of his quiver, the gray goose shaft wet with his; heart's blood. Then,
before the others could gather their wits about them, Robin Hood was gone into the depths of the
greenwood. Some started after him, but not with much heart, for each feared to suffer the death of his
fellow; so presently they all came and lifted the dead man up and bore him away to Nottingham Town.
Meanwhile Robin Hood ran through the greenwood. Gone was all the joy and brightness from
everything, for his heart was sick within him, and it was borne in upon his soul that he had slain a man.

Scenarios
Scenario 1 - Meeting Little John
Type: Contest.
Resources: NA.
Outlaws warband: Robin Hood.
Nottingham warband: Little John.
Approximated play time: 5 minutes.
Synopsis:
After killing a forester by mistake, Robin becomes an outlaw and has to hide. Not knowing what to do,
he heads for the forest, where other outlaws were renowned to live, in the hope of finding help.
Robin reflects on his new outlaw situation as he follows a small forest path. Arriving at a stream, he
attempts to cross on the trunk of a dead tree that fell across. At the same moment, on the other side of
the trunk, Little John is also starting to cross the stream. They meet in the middle and both claim to
have right of way. A fight to decide who will go first ensues.
Setup:
Put Robin and Little John in front of each other at a distance of 1x short.
Both models have 6 hit points (HP). Use a dice by the models to track these.
Robin is controlled by the outlaw side and Little John by the Nottingham side.
You can use a mini map with some forest, a stream and a fallen tree across it if you want.
Use the scenario rules below to determine the outcome of the encounter.
Scenario rules:
Roll for initiative. Robin gets +2 on this roll.
Each player turn, roll 3d6 and count the number of activations. Note: Robin rolls only 2d6, his
third die is an automatic success because of his Hero special rule.
Robin cannot fall. He recoils instead.
Little John cannot recoil. He falls instead.
Use activations to get up (mandatory after falling), move forward, (mandatory after being
pushed back, but see next rule), and attack (mandatory if in contact).
Robin can use 2 activations to hold back (not move forward).
Powerful attacks are permitted but not range attacks.
The models cannot rout or retreat.
The model with the lowest amount of hits wins.
Table of hits taken for each combat result:
Recoil = 1 HP
Fall = 1 HP
Kill = 2 HP
Gruesome kill = 3 HP
Goals and scoring:
Reduce your opponent to 0 HP or less.
The winner takes 2x his remaining HP in victory points. (If Robin wins, it strengthens his
leadership with the outlaws, otherwise, it weakens it.)

Scenario 2 - Death and Taxes

Type: Surprise attack.
Resources: 180 points.
Outlaw warband: Must contain Robin Hood and Little John. Cannot contain Friar Tuck.
Nottingham warband: Must contain the Sheriff. Cannot contain Prince John. The rest is composed of
infantrymen and/or spearmen.
Approximated play time: 20 minutes.
Synopsis:
While visiting a village to get some food and news, Robin Hood and his new companion Little John
witness a cruel scene; The Sheriff orders that a poor villager be put to death for hiding a small amount
of money from tax collection. Being accompanied by a small group of outlaws, Robin and Little John
decide to attack the Sheriff and his troops in an attempt to save the poor man.
Setup:
Grass map with 5-8 houses and a 10x12 inch town square in the middle of the map.
2-4 roads lead to the square (These are purely decorative).
The Sheriff and his men are placed in the town square.
The outlaws are placed outside the town square behind the houses on 1 or 2 sides of the square.
Optional: for more realism, add 8-12 townsfolk, including the condemned man. These are nonfighters but they hinder movement and block line of sight for ranged attacks.
Scenario rules:
The outlaws have the initiative.
Unique models cannot die. Instead of dying, they rout.
Goals and scoring:
Eliminate or rout the opposing forces.
10 victory points to the winning side.
1 point per 10 routed/killed model points.

Scenario 3 - Stealing from the Rich

Type: Ambush.
Resources: 250 points.
Outlaw warband: Must contain Robin Hood and Friar Tuck.
Nottingham warband: Must contain the Sheriff and four knights. Cannot contain Prince John.
Approximated play time: 30 minutes.
Synopsis:
After an outlaw scout spots a cart containing tax money and heading towards Nottingham Castle, Robin
devises a plan to ambush the cart in the forest, capture the tax money and redistribute it to the villagers.
Setup:
Woodland map (about 50% covered in wood) with a forest road (the main road, 3-4 inch wide)
going from one side of the map to the opposite side (the main road).
If the map is not square, the road goes along the longest dimension.
The road may fork to one side but the cart must remain on the main road.
Place the following Nottingham models on the road (from closest to furthest from edge of map):
two knights, the cart, two knights, the Sheriff. The remainder of the Nottingham forces is to be
placed on the main road within 1x medium of the knights or the Sheriff.
Place the outlaws anywhere beyond 1x long of any Nottingham model.
Scenario rules:
As soon as one of the Nottingham models is within 1x long of an outlaw, the outlaw is
discovered.
Before at least one of the outlaw models has been discovered, the Nottingham forces cannot
leave the main road and must use group actions even if they are not adjacent until (All the
Nottingham models move as one group).
After spotting the outlaws, these restrictions no longer apply.
Unique models cannot die. Instead of dying, they rout.
Nottingham forces have the initiative.
Goals and scoring:
Eliminate or rout the opposing forces.
10 points to the winning side.
20 resource points for getting the tax money to the winning side. These resource points can be
added to your resources for a single future scenario in the campaign.
1 point per 10 routed/killed model points.

Scenario 4 - Shot through the Heart

Type: Contest.
Resources: NA.
Outlaw warband: Robin Hood.
Nottingham warband: Two Nottingham archers.
Approximated play time: 8 minutes.
Synopsis:
Prince John organizes a shooting contest where the winner will receive a kiss from the most beautiful
maid in the land: the fair Marian. Entering the contest disguised, Robin hopes to win the kiss and the
heart of Marian.
Setup:
Long map with wood, an open field, crowd platforms, an archery field with 3 targets, and the
royal platform.
Put Robin Hood and the two Nottingham archers in front of their targets.
Put Prince John and Marian in the royal platform and the Sheriff beside it.
Put Friar Tuck between the two crowd platforms.
Scenario rules:
The archers shoot 4 rounds at each of the following distances: Short, Medium, Long, for a total
of 12 rounds.
Roll 1d6 per archer, with Robin shooting last.
Add the Combat value of each model to its roll.
Before rolling his die, Robin can decide to SUBTRACT his combat value (3) instead of adding
it. (This is done to avoid winning by too big a margin, since it makes it more likely that he will
be recognized before kissing Marian.)
Robin enjoys his Special Rule bonuses (Good Shot, Unerring Aim).
Each round, the archer with the highest score is awarded 1 point.
In case of a tie, all the tied shooters get 1 point.
Goals and scoring:
If Robin does not win, he imprudently tries to get closer to Marian and gets discovered.
If he wins, he goes for the kiss. Roll 2d6.
If the result is lower than Robin's score, he gets discovered BEFORE receiving Marian's kiss.
Otherwise, he receives the kiss and is THEN discovered.
In all of these cases, he must now run for his life!
10 points to the outlaws if Robin gets a kiss (The populace is now more favourable to outlaws).
10 points to Nottingham otherwise.

Scenario 5 - Run for your Life

Type: Fighting retreat.
Resources: 250 points.
Outlaw warband: Must contain Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and no other Unique model.
Nottingham warband: Must contain the Sheriff and exactly 2 archers. Cannot contain Prince John.
Approximated play time: 30 minutes.
Synopsis:
Maid Marian recognizes the famous Robin Hood and she is pierced by the arrow of love. As Prince
John also recognizes Robin and shouts for his guards to capture him alive, Marian shouts: "Run for
your life, Robin!", infuriating the Prince. Robin gazes at the maid one last time, knocks the closest
guard off his feet and starts running. Friar Tuck helps him to escape between the crowd platforms and
head toward the nearest edge of the forest.
Setup:
Same map layout as for the 'Shot through the Heart' scenario, with the following modifications.
Four Nottingham models are located on the road where it meets the wood.
The rest of the Nottingham forces are disposed around the shooting field.
Robin starts between the crowd platforms.
Friar Tuck starts 1x short beyond them in the direction of the wood.
Two outlaw models can be on the wood border, at least 1x medium from any Nottingham
models.
The remainder of the outlaw band is in the crowd platforms.
Scenario rules:
Robin gets the initiative. Only he may move this turn and the initiative then passes to
Nottingham.
Robin cannot make more than 2 moves per turn. (His disguise impedes his movements.)
Unique models, including Robin, cannot die. Instead of dying, they are captured.
Goals and scoring:
Robin must reach the wooded border of the map without being captured.
20 points for capturing Robin Hood. (The outlaws must launch a costly ambush to get him
back)
10 points to the winning side.
1 point per 10 routed, killed or captured model points.

Scenario 6 - Rescuing Marian

Type: Surprise Attack.
Resources: 300 points.
Outlaw warband: Must contain Robin Hood and Little John.
Nottingham warband: Cannot contain Prince John. Must contain at least two infantrymen (guards).
Approximated play time: 35 minutes.
Synopsis:
After the public treachery of Maid Marian, Prince John decides to have her imprisoned until her
judgement. Rumours of her possible beheading reach the outlaws, and a hasty plan is made to rescue
her during a night attack.
Setup:
In the centre of a field map, put a 24-inch by 32-inch prison.
The prison gate is on one of the short sides and 3 prison cells are on the other side.
There is a 3-inch wide rampart all around the prison.
Two guards (infantrymen) stand guard, one between cells 1-2 and one between cells 2-3.
Four guards (infantrymen, spearmen or archers) stand watch on the four corners of the rampart.
The Nottingham reserve waits in two 4x6 inch barracks located on either sides of the prison
gate.
Put Marian and two other prisoners on the side of the map.
Scenario rules:
The outlaws enter by climbing one of the two longest walls. Robin and Marian will need to exit
by that same wall.
The outlaws begin the scenario unseen and the Nottingham forces do not activate until they
have been discovered.
The outlaws remain unseen as long as either: 1) none of the Nottingham forces receives a nonlethal attack (melee or ranged), 2) both of the cell guards are killed, or 3) Marian is found.
As soon as one of these 3 conditions is met, the outlaws are discovered.
The outlaws finish their activation turn and then the Nottingham reserve exits the barracks and
the Nottingham forces are activated
Shooting is restricted to short distances and gets a -1 penalty because of lower night visibility.
Movement is restricted to 1x short per action and two a maximum of two movements per turn.
When inspecting a cell (no activation is required, just end a movement in front of one of the
cells), roll 1d6. On 1-4, add a prisoner in the cell, on a 5-6, add Marian. If the third cell is being
inspected and the two previous ones did not contain Marian, the third cell contains Marian.
All the unique models can be killed permanently (they cannot return in latter scenarios).
The outlaws cannot rout, they surrender instead.
Marian cannot use her Distract ability.
Choose one of the two long walls. Robin starts the game in the middle of the rampart of that
wall with the rest of the forces.
Only Robin and one other model can move until the Nottingham reserve has exited the
barracks.

Goals and scoring:

Robin must reach Marian's cell, free her, and escape the prison with her by reaching the middle
of the wall where he entered.
10 points to Nottingham if Robin and/or Marian is killed.
10 points to the winning side.
1 point per 10 routed/killed (not captured) model points.

7 - Take the fight to them

Type: All-out battle.
Resources: 400 points.
Outlaw warband: Must contain all the unique outlaw models that are still alive and that have not been
captured, including Robin and Marian.
Nottingham warband: Must contain Prince John and the Sheriff if he is still alive.
Approximated play time: 45 minutes.
Synopsis:
One of Robin's men was captured during the rescue mission. Under torture, he revealed the location of
the outlaws' camp. Prince John decides to personally lead a punitive attack on the camp in order to get
rid of the outlaws once and for all.
Setup:
Woodland map with a 16-inch by 20-inch more or less oval clearing in the middle and 4 sinuous
paths leading to it from the four corners.
The outlaws are positioned in the clearing.
The Nottingham forces are positioned in one corner on one of the roads.
Place 6 bear spawning points in wooded areas along the edge of the map with roughly equal
distances between them.
Scenario rules:
The Nottingham forces have the initiative.
The outlaws do not move before at least one model has had line of sight to one of the
Nottingham forces, or is within 1x medium or it, or turn 4 is reached.
Robin Hood and Prince John cannot be routed or leave the battle.
Each turn, roll 1d6. On a score of 6, a bear will spawn on a randomly chosen spawn point.
Each turn, after the outlaw player's turn, each bear has one activation. It uses that activation to
attack the model it is in contact with. Otherwise, it moves towards the closest model that is in
sight or towards the centre of the map if no model is in sight. If a bear is in base contact with
more than one model, it attacks one at random. does the bear have to roll for activation, or is
it automatic (like a Hero)?
Models eliminated by bears do not count as routed/killed for the purpose of scoring.
Goals and scoring:
Eliminate or rout the opposing forces.
30 points to the winning side.
10 points for killing Robin Hood.
20 points for killing Prince John.
1 point per 10 routed/killed model points.

Maps

Campaign Scoring
At the end of the campaign, subtract the points of the Nottingham side from the points of the outlaws.
Compare to the chart below to determine the outcome of the campaign and read the corresponding
alternate ending.

Campaign outcome
Score = Outlaw points - Nottingham points

Major outlaw Victory (score >= 100)

Minor outlaw Victory (score >= 0)
Minor Nottingham Victory (score < 0)
Major Nottingham Victory (score < -100)

Alternate endings
Major Outlaw Victory
Good King Richard returns home and removes Prince John from the regency. Out of merci, he spares
his life. The king also pardons Robin and attends to Robin and Marians wedding.
Minor Outlaw Victory
Prince John decides tht Maid Marian's life is to be spared, but Robin Hood has to escape alone from
Britain. His spirit endures and the burden of the people is somewhat lessened.
Minor Nottingham Victory
Robin Hood is killed. His legend leads more unhappy villagers to join the depleted band of outlaws.
Prince John spends many more years on the throne, but the conflict between the nobility and the
outlaws remains unresolved.
Major Nottingham Victory
Robin Hood is killed and his followers are hunted down. Prince John increases the taxes even more in
order to raise an army and pursue his personal quest for power.