Ye Olde Inn

The idea for this was partly inspired by the concept in the original 1989 release of HeroQuest and partly by “The Duel” mode of play from Golden Axe (home editions)

Original 1989 HQ manual wrote:The Arena
Mentor has provided a magical arena for you to practice moving and fighting. Use the board – without any furniture – for this fight to the death.
Each player character puts his model in one of the corners in the large room in the centre of the board. The evil wizard player places 5 Goblins anywhere he likes in the room. The player to the left of the evil wizard player goes first. The last character (or monster) left alive wins.
At the end of the fight the magic of the Arena restores all characters to full strength. All wounds are healed. You should practice in the Arena as many times as you need to feel confident with the Way of the Warrior.

My notes

Possible option to have a hero versus hero mode…TBC.

Choose your hero (using starting stats 2AD+2DD): Barbarian, Dwarf, Elf (Not Wizard)

You cannot heal or use any magic or potions.

You gain the reward on completion of the level indicated.

The Arena is the Central Room

Hero starts in one corner, monster in the opposite corner, where multiple monsters they must be placed next to (adjacent) to the first monster in the corner square.

Hero gets first turn and moves 2D6 as usual, monsters move as usual.

If you die then "Unfortunately, you are defeated on the way to glory. Let's try another Duel."

If you defeat the Gargoyle, then “Congratulations! You’ve won against all your enemies. You are the master of combat”.

Level / Round | Opponents (D6 = 1-4) | Opponents (D6 = 5-6) | Reward
1 | Orc | Zombie
2 | 2x Goblins | 2x Skeletons | Spear (2AD, Diag)
3 | Orc + Goblin | Skeleton + Zombie
4 | 3x Goblins | 3x Skeletons | Shield (+1DD)
5 | Fimir or Troll | Mummy
6 | Orc + 2 Goblins | Zombie + 2 Skeletons | Broadsword (3AD)
7 | 2 Orcs | 2 Zombies
8 | Dread Warrior | Dread Warrior | Helmet (+1DD)
9 | 2 Orcs + 1 Goblin | 2 Zombie + 1 Skeleton
10 | Fimir or Troll + 1 Goblin | Mummy + Skeleton | Longsword (3AD, Diag)
11 | 6x Goblins | 6x Skeletons
12 | 3x Orcs | 3x Zombies | Battle Axe (4AD)
13 | 2x Trolls or Fimir | 2x Mummies
14 | 2x Dread Warriors | 2x Dread Warriors
15 | Gargoyle | Gargoyle | Golden Winner's Cup (filled with a Potion of Healing presumably)

Be aware I haven’t play tested this at all, so I have no idea whether it is balanced or not, but I'm confident it isn't.

Very nice. I loved it in Golden Axe 1 & 2. I had started to do something like this once... may try it again should the opportunity present itself... and yours has some good ideas in it!

I finally typed up the notes that I made back in the early 90s and have included them here:

I would still classify them as a bunch of ideas as I haven't had time to polish them into an actual playable game or to play test them, but at least they aren't scrawled in faded pencil on scraps of squared paper!