New Rules

It's Finally Here.

After nearly a year of testing and iteration, the latest version of Brimstone and Lead: Arena is ready. I’ve completely re-written the rules, stripping them down to their beating, bloody heart. Every mechanic has been gutted, reworked, and replaced with something leaner, meaner, and faster. There is less information to track. The weapons feel right. The central Counter mechanic is tighter and more satisfying. And the game feels more like the source material.

Counters: Streamlined and Deadly 

The refusal system has been overhauled to emphasize the "Sicilian Logic" style of play I was aiming for. Counters are now less fiddly, more powerful, and faster to resolve. 

Adrenaline: Push Forward Combat

Models’ resilience is now tracked through Adrenaline, a new mechanic that rewards aggressive play. Gain Adrenaline by moving fast and taking down enemies, reinforcing the "Push Forward Combat" feel.

Rolling Dice: Faster, Smoother, Better

The dice system has been streamlined to reduce operational friction during play. No more tallying hits and misses or juggling different spreads for attack and defense rolls. The new system is intuitive, fast, and keeps the play focused. 

What’s Next?

This project started with the intent of creating a tight, accessible 'zine-style game. I wanted something that let you grab minis you had on hand and use them to play something fresh and fun. Something that drew from the source material I loved and pushed the boundaries of the genre a bit.  I feel that mission has been accomplished—and I’ve learned so much along the way. While the core rules are now feature-complete and will remain available as a free "shareware" version of the game, my work is far from over. 

With the foundation solid, I’m ready to shift my focus to more thematic and fun additions. 

This includes: 

• New Weapons: Pistols, plasma rifles, and more are already in the works. 
• Special Traits: Unique abilities for models to add depth and personality to your forces.  
• Campaign System: A narrative-driven system to give your battles higher stakes and long-term consequences. 
• Original Art: Eventually, I’d love to add custom artwork to bring the game’s world to life.

So stay tuned!