Lance & Banner

One list. Two champions. Three courses. Hark, noble assembly! The lists are open, the herald lifts his trumpet, and two champions face each other with lance in hand. Will yours be the one still standing when the dust settles? Lance & Banner is a fast, elegant two-player jousting game of bluff, timing and a touch of fortune. A full tournament fits in 15 to 20 minutes. What makes it tick Each champion holds nine cards — three reusable Tactics (King = Assault, Queen = Shield, Jack = Dodge, in a rock-paper-scissors triangle) and six one-shot Values that determine the strength of the charge. Before each course, both players secretly lay down three cards in their opponent's lane. As the figurines advance toward each other, the cards are revealed one by one — each step is a small duel, each victory adds to the final score. Read your opponent right and you earn the bonuses that turn a glancing blow into an unhorsing. Score 8 and you win by K.O. — but beware: a 9 is a Mortal Blow, and the knight guilty of it forfeits the tournament in dishonour. What you need to play A standard 52-card deck Two six-sided dice Two figurines (any miniatures will do) A long object to mark the list between the two lanes 2 players, ages 10 and up. Easy to teach in five minutes.