Friday, January 2, 2009

Campaign Rules First Draft

The goal is to control 18+ supply centers from the Diplomacy game map. The beginning locations will be London, Berlin, Paris, Moscow, Rome, or Constantinople. They will be chosen by random roll; highest roller chooses first, second chooses second, etc.

That location will be the player's capitol. It generates 1500 points of troops. However, 1000 of them must remain in the capitol. In addition, the Capitol has a castle which can be used whenever the Capitol is attacked. 

Once your Capitol is chosen, roll three times on the Territory Chart for extras it produces. One roll may be re-rolled if desired.

All other Supply Center spaces on the map generate 1000 points of troops. To control a supply centers, 500 points of troops must stay in that location.

All non-Supply Center spaces generate 500 points of troops. To control a non-supply center requires 200 points of troops.

Armies can move one space per turn. If it is just a replacement Cavalry Unit, it can move 2 spaces per turn. Enemy Armies moving into the same space or past each other will end up fighting a battle.

The battle will be fought using whatever points value of army is moving into the space. As a result, the battles will not always be between even points values of armies. 

On the day of the battle, roll d8

1) Pitched Battle
   Length:6 turns, normal battle.

2) Secret Dispositions
    Length:6 turns. Special:Set-up is first done on map without seeing where enemy has set up.
    Map is made of battlefield. If neither army has scouts, they get map only of their deployment zone. f armies have scouts, they  get map of entire field. Dispositions are placed on the map and then revealed simultaneously. Then battle is fought as normal.

3) Meeting Engagement
   Length:Varies. Once last unit has entered battlefield, 6 turns.
    Prior to the game, each player lists the units in their army in marching order, units at the top being in front of the column and units at the bottom of the list being the back of the column. War machines, chariots, steam tanks, etc. cannot be first on the list. All characters are listed as one entry. Scouts must be placed first.

Units enter the field in from the edge of their deployment zone in the order listed on the card. They can make a march move on the first turn. The deployment zone is 24" wide.

Once the last unit enters the field, the game lasts 6 turns from that point.

4) Surprise Attack
    Length:6 turns
    Standard deployment with following exceptions; Scouts cannot use their special rule. Second, first army to complete deployment gets a free move; every time opponent places a unit after the first army completes deploying their units, the first army may move a deployed unit 4" further onto battlefield. Units that normally move less than 3" may also move 4" but units who typically move further are limited to 4". This movement can be repeated with either the same or other units each time the opponent makes a deployment after the first player has completed set-up.

5) Flank Attack
 Length:6 Turns
  Scenery: No scenery placed within 12" of short sides of table edge except a river may run off the table edge. 
 Deployment: One army is deployed as normal. The other army is divided into three approximately even forces. One is deployed as normal. Flanking units are placed on flanking zones on turn 3, up to 4" onto table edge. 

If one army is moving and the other one isn't, the stationary army is considered to be the flanking army. If both armies are moving and one has Scouts but the other doesn't, the army with Scouts is considered the Flanking army. In all other cases, both players roll a die. High roll chooses whether to Flank or not.

6) Break Through
   Length:6 turns
  Setup: Defender sets up entire army first. Army attempting to break through sets up second. Special deployment troops can deploy as normal once all other deployments have taken place. 

If the army attempting to break through wins outright if he gets 3 units of 5+ models off board through opponent's deployment zone unbroken. If that doesn't happen, standard victory conditions apply.

7) Treasure Hunt
 Length:6 Turns
 To determine who reaches the treasure first, secretly record a number between 2 and 11. The player who writes the higher speed automatically reaches the treasure first and captures it. If they reach it at the same time (both write the same number), roll a dice to see who reaches it first.

Roll 2d6 for each unit. If the score is greater than the march speed, the unit arrives safely. If it is equal to or less than the march speed, they got lost and cannot participate in the battle. Once stragglers have been determined, check difference in march speeds.

0 - 1: Deploy as for Meeting Engagement. Army that did not get the Treasure takes the first turn.
2 - 3: Deploy as for Pitched battle with army with treasure taking first deployment turn and army without the treasure taking the first turn.
4+ Army with treasure thought they were shook off slower army and is marching on with the treasure.  Army with treasure deploys entire army in column, then opponent deploys to ambush them and takes the first turn.

Special Treasure Rules: General carries the treasure (Use the Doom Wagon to illustrate the treasure). It always moves with the General. He can charge only at his normal move rate, no marching or flying allowed. 
Normal victory points except no points for occupied table quarters; side which ends game in possession of the Treasure has victory points multiplied by 2.

Note: This territory subsequently adds the "Treasure Hoard" result in addition to its normal Characteristics.

8) Ambush
 Length:6 Turns
Scenery: As normal except a 12" clear path extends on right side of the defenders' side of the field. 

Deployment: Ambushed army is deployed along the clear path, up to 12"  from all three edges. He deploys his entire army first. Units must be columns no more than 3 models wide unless this would not allow them to legally deploy in which case they can add 1 model.  They are heading left to right across the board (or vice versa). 
Once the ambushed player has finished deploying the ambusher sets up no closer than 18" to defender's set-up area and no closer to 12" from edges. No special deployments for either side.

Victory per points as normal except no points for controlling table quarters.

After the battle, Roll d6 for each casualty. On 1-3, they were actually killed. Replacements must be built from the original location they were generated. On a 4-6, the models were simply wounded and recover in time for the next game turn.

Units which capture an enemy standard become elite. 1 time per game they may re-roll all their to-hit dice. If they gain a second elite status, they can do this twice per game and so forth to a maximum of 3 times per game. If the unit is ever broken or reduced to less than half strength, they lose all bonuses.

Characters who are with a unit that captures a standard or who kill enemy standard bearer in hand-to-hand combat or who kill an equal or greater character in hand to hand combat roll d6 and gain the noted ability:

1) Elite once per game may re-roll all to hit dice
2) Leader: Add +1 to any Leadership test once per game, must be declared before rolling the dice.
3) Attack: Once per game may add 1 attack to profile, must be declared before dice are rolled.
4) Strength: As above, except strength.
5) Toughness: As above, except Toughness.
6) Choose any of the above

Generals who win the game  and survive roll d6 and gain the following benefit for the ensuing battle.

1) Beloved Commander: Units within 12" add +1 to Combat Results until a combat within 12" is lost.
2) Leadership: Re-roll any one Leadership Test
3) Mad Dog General: General adds +1 to his to-hit rolls until he is wounded or flees.
4) Inspiring Standard: roll d6. Army Standard adds this to their standard range for duration of battle.
5) Famous General: One time per game, a leadership test within 12" is automatically passed.
6) Victorious troops: Once per battle add +1 to combat result, must be declared prior to combat.


SPECIAL
Any time one or more armies move into a formerly unoccupied territory, they will also encounter a random army. This army is determined randomly and who plays it is determined randomly.

Size: 1-2 = 500 point army
         3-4 = 1000 point army
         5-6 = 1500 point army

Example: Drew's Wood Elves move into a formerly unoccupied territory. Kenneth rolls d6; he scores a 4 so Drew will face a 1000 point army. Kenneth, Rick, Phillip and Josh then roll d6. Josh scores highest so he will play the army. He then rolls d6, eliminating the goblins since that is who he normally plays.
1-2 he will play Dark Elves (Kenneth's normal army)
3-4 He will play Dwarfs (Rick's Normal Army)
5-6 He will Play Bretonnians (Phillip's normal army)

If two or more players move into the territory, roll as above, removing the additional armies. In that case, the extra army arrives on a random field edge: On turn 1 they arrive on a roll of 5+. On turn 2 they arrive on 4+. Turn 3 they arrive on 3+ Turn 4 they arrive on 3+ and turn 5 they arrive automatically. They may march, declare charges, or move normally. 

If the extra army wins the battle, they are considered to have defended the territory and all invaders must retreat. Otherwise, the surviving extra army fades away and is not a factor again.


STARTING ARMIES
Starting armies have the following limitations:
Only characters allowed are one General and 1 level one Wizard.
Only 1 War Machine
Total of 50 points of Magic Items

ALLIANCES
Alliances are allowed and even encouraged. To suggest an alliance, an army must fore go its move to propose the alliance and the army being proposed to can be no further than two spaces away. The answer will come the following turn. Players who skip an army turn may still defend as normal.
    

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I was thinking a challenge roll might be interesting for determining the type of battle. For instance, each side rolls a d8. Player one rolls a 3, player two rolls a 5. However, player two was facing away from player one's approach, and player one has scouts while player two does not. Player one gets a +1 bonus for approaching from the rear, and a +1 for having scouts. Therefore the final tally is both players roll a 5 and fight a pitched battle. Something along those lines sound interesting, and doable without so much difficulty it would eliminate the intended fun?

Darth Weasel said...

You mean like each army has a battle they want to fight, they roll for it and the higher roll gets it?