Reply To: Any minimalist thematic rules sets for wargames like OSR for RPG’s ?

[blinky465 17208xp 1]

One hour Skirmish games is a great book. A Fistful of Lead reads like a great set of rules (I’ve never played a game using them)
Expanding on that idea, couldn’t you make a card deck (one for each player) usable for just about any decision?

For “opposed” actions (shoot/dodge, hit/parry) you draw cards, your opponent draws cards, highest wins.
For “simple” actions draw a card and compare against an agreed success threshold (based on the difficulty of the task).
Characters with higher skills get to draw more cards (you choose the highest/best for your outcome) and replace the others (either at the bottom of the deck or the top).

Special rules would allow you to peek the first x cards of your deck.
Or shuffle your deck. Or shuffle your opponents deck. Or replace your discarded cards and shuffle (resetting the “memory” of the deck).

Minimalist and thematic? Some kind of card-based mechanic would be ideal for this.
If one doesn’t exist, just “take inspiration from” One Hour Skirmish Games and go from there?