Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Campaign for Kümer – Year Two – Summer

The Map

Following their respective debacles in the spring the Orcs and their allies were in full retreat, hotly pursued by their foes…. The Army of Tria Nomina retired to their capitol of Praenomen. The Army of Valishog retired to the captured Dwarven mountain fortress of Toctglenn. The warhost of Grummsh retreated towards Otisburg.

The Battle of Praenomen

The Army of Tria Nomina retired to their capitol where they rallied to defend their capitol from the Elves.


The Legions of Tria Nomina assemble before the very gates of Praenomen to face the Elvish host that beset them!


The Elvish war host marches towards the city of Praenomen.


Plagued by internal communication troubles the main battle line of the Elves stood for nearly an hour as the drilled legions of Tria Nomina marched across the plateau south of the city.


A small skirmish developed in the woods to the east of the plateau


The main lines clashed – the impetus of the Tria Nominian legions shoved the entire elf line back across the south end of the plateau. Though a squadron of cavalry was lost in a hail of Elvish arrows, the line surged forward again.


O the right of the Tria Nominian line the Elvish archers were smashed along with a unit of Elvish Heavy infantry, but at the other end of the line The Elvish cavalry had opened up hole in the line by destroying a unit of Auxiliary spearmen! Victory still hung in the balance.


The Legions of Tria Nomina were the quickest to exploit their advantage and flanked the personal guard of the Elvish General himself and drove them from the field….

The Elves were forced to retire and marched back to cognomen.

Meanwhile, further to the east at Toctglenn… the mangled, but no less ruthless, Vlad Kinslayer, carried on a litter by his most loyal lieutenants, rallied his army about him and tried to make sense of what had happened and where the opposing armies had gone.

Briefly it was thought that both The Elves and Ronarokings had marched together to Praenomen. Vlad quickly tried to organize a march back to Cognomen – hoping to take the city behind them and possibly cut off any retreat should the army of Tria Nomina prevail! However this was not to be – as they marched from Toctglenn outriders reported the army of Ronorok, more than double their current numbers, was marching up into the mountains after them!

Realizing it was futile to meet them in the field of battle, Vlad left a garrison at Toctglennn to try and hold the fortress and harass the Ronorokings while the Army of Valishog slipped back through the passes to Dolj.

The Ronarokings invested the Old Dwarven fortress and the siege carried on throughout the summer.

The Warhost of Grummsh retired straight through Otisburg and on to their capitol of Marrow, leaving the pursuing Saphists to besiege the new fortress they themselves had begun to build the previous year… The Warhost was far too weakened to face the Sapphists on the field of battle again. Their hope was that a siege might buy them time until the winter when they could recruit and train some fresh meat…

The siege, however, was short. Having built most of the current fortifications at Otisburg themselves they knew exactly where the secret entrance was…. So completely surprised was the garrison of Orcs, one wonders if they themselves had even been aware of said secret entrance… Ready or not the Grummsh would be fighting for the survival of their land come fall...


Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 18AP

Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Otisburg
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 22AP

Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: retiring to Cognomen
Prestige Points:0
Army Size: 14AP

Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: *Has no Field Army – all troops are accompanying their overlords army…
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 6AP*

Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn (siege)
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 20AP

Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: retiring to Dolj
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 12AP

Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Marrow
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 12AP

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Back of Beyond Campaign

This coming weekend I am running a “Back of Beyond” campaign. The action takes place in a fictional Central Asia, nominally set during the Russian Civil War. We will be using a modified version of De Bellis Antiquitatis to play out the field battles.

(Click on the map below to see a larger version)



FORCES

Player: Terry
Army: Canadian Central Asian Expeditionary Force
Commander of the Field Army: Brigadier Biggles-Smythe
Base of Operations: Canadar
Other Cities: Canuckand, Molsensk
Army Size: 12 Units

Player: Christian
Army:
Commander of the Field Army: Comrade Commissar C.I. Knudsoloffskivichstein
Base of Operations: Bakunin
Other Cities: Kropotkand, Engelsk
Army Size: 12 Units

Player: Gary
Army: General Strelnikov
Commander of the Field Army: Red October Division
Base of Operations: Kubassa
Other Cities: Pyrohy, Holopchi
Army Size: 12 Units

Player: John Bertolini
Army: 3rd Siberian Guards Division
Commander of the Field Army: General Bertolovski
Base of Operations: Baboushka
Other Cities: Borschka, Vlodkask
Army Size: 12 Units

Player: Chris
Army: Central Asian Cavalry Division
Commander of the Field Army: Baron Roman Christof Maximillian Von Ungern-Tighem
Base of Operations: Gura
Other Cities: Stlojia, Driutsek
Army Size: 12 Units

Player: Jackson
Army: “White Tiger” Division
Commander of the Field Army: General Sun Jak-Shen
Base of Operations: Wei-Li
Other Cities: Ching-ho, Ulaan-Goom
Army Size: 12 Units

Player: Rick
Army: Tang Ti Brigade
Commander of the Field Army: General Luong Wei-Roun
Base of Operations: Lung-Hu
Other Cities: Su-pei, Wurumchi
Army Size: 12 Units


Rules

These are the Campaign Rules we will be using for the Back of Beyond Campaign. They are similar to the ones use for the previous campaigns (with a few notable exceptions!) and are based heavily on the Campaign rules presented in DBA thought I have borrowed some concepts from the boardgame Diplomacy.

STARTING RESOURCES
Each Player will begin with a region they control consisting of three (or sometimes four) cities, one of which is their “capitol” or “base of operations”. The cities are linked by designated routes, as indicated on the map.

To defend or expand the area they control, the players will also start with a Field Army. The Field Army will consist of 12 stands of troops.

The two central cities of Bashkent and Taskabad are independent and will fall to the first player that successfully besieges them or wins a battle there.

THE CAMPAIGN YEAR
The Campaign will be played out through a number of years. Each year will be broken down into four Seasonal Turns: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Before each new campaign year all players will secretly write down the location of their field army – it must start in a province that the player directly controls (not that of an ally). The location must have a direct route from the location they retreated to in the fall.

During the Spring, Summer, and Fall turns Field Armies may move about, engage in battles, and lay siege to enemies cities.

At the end of the Autumn season all Field Armies must retire to Winter Quarters in land that they directly control (i.e. land that THEY OWN). There is no limit to the number of movement stages of allied territory an army may retire through to get to get to lands where they can quarter. If an Army has no choice but to pass through territory they do not have permission to pass through (this could conceivably happen if some territory that they moved through in the previous year was subsequently captured by a foe and the army in question has taken no new territories themselves) they are destroyed.

During the winter player’s tax their people and raise new recruits for their Field Army. Players may add one stand to their Field Army for each territory under their control (excluding “remote territories, see below), plus an additional stand for their Capitol/base of operations, if it is still under their control. The additional stand for a base of operations is only available to the original owning player. If a player takes another players base of operations it does not give the new owner an additional stand, it only denies the original owner the bonus stand. The maximum size of an army is 12 stands. Additional stands cannot be saved or shared, if it cannot be used it is lost.

SEASONAL TURNS
At the beginning of each seasonal turn players will secretly write down orders as to where they wish their Field Army to move. All are then simultaneously moved according to the movement rules below.

MOVEMENT
Field Armies may move up to two spaces along the designated routes shown on the map. In some cases the first movement will be determined by the outcome of the previous turn. Field Armies cannot pass through or over an area they do not control unless granted passage by the owning player. All armies which are moving will be moved one space, any armies moving two spaces will make their second movement afterwards if it hasn’t been halted. Armies that “bump into” enemy armies are halted and may move no further that turn.

In cases where two opposing armies are attempting to move into each other’s adjacent territories both will dice – the higher moves first and is the attacker in their opponent’s territory.

When the Field Army moves all elements must move with the Field Army.

As an alternative to moving a player my elect to “be on the Defensive” in which case they make no movement until all other players have moved one space – they may then move one space to meet an invading army that has moved into their territory.

SUPPLY
A player’s Field Army is in supply if it is either in or next to a province controlled by either himself or another player that permits him to be supplied. If at the end of any turn (before compulsory moves are made – which are technically part of the next turn anyway) a Field Army is out of supply the player dices and loses a number of stands equal to the score rolled to hunger, disease and desertion.

GIVING BATTLE
When two armies meet it should be determined who is the attacker and who is the defender. In most cases the army moving into the territory is the attacker. In cases where both armies have moved into the same region at the same time the defender is the player owning the territory or the player allied with the player owning the territory. In the case of a Field Army moving into an area to relieve a siege the relieving army is the defender and the besieging player is the attacker.

After the attacker and defender are determined the defending Field Army has three options:
1) to engage the attacker in battle
2) to retire into the locations stronghold and stand a siege
3) retreat away to an adjacent location and stand a siege without the presence of the Field Army.

The exception to this is when an army arrives to relieve a siege in which case the “Attacker” (the army currently besieging the region) has the option of retiring away to an adjacent location, the “defender” (the army arriving to relieve the siege) must engage the attacker in battle if the attacker wishes to stay.

If the Defender (or attacker in the case of a siege being relieved) decides to retreat away from the location it is treated as a compulsory move (just as losing a battle) and the movement counts as the Field Armies first movement of the following seasonal turn.

If the defender decides to engage the attacker in battle it is fought on the tabletop using the battle rules.

MULTIPLAYER BATTLES
It is possible that more than two armies would end up in the same territory during the same season. If all players agree this can be played as a Big Battle game where all armies are deployed on the table at the beginning of a battle. Otherwise two primary antagonists should be determined. They will be deployed on the table at the beginning of the game and the rest of the armies do not arrive until later. Each army not deployed on the table at the beginning of the game will dice each turn on their sides bound and will arrive when they score 6. Then up to three stands of that army will arrive in a single element frontage column at the table edge best representing their map route to the battlefield relative to the main protagonists. Further elements can thereafter be deployed in a similar manner at the cost of 1 PIP per element. If an army does not arrive before the battle ends, and their ally has lost, a second battle may be played out between the full army of the late arriving army and the surviving enemies (elements will be recovered before the second battle takes place).

RESULTS OF A BATTLE
The tabletop battle is fought until ended as specified in the battle rules. The losses of allied players are added together when determining whether the side is defeated. Secondary Armies that have not yet arrived do not count towards the sides total stands. As soon as they arrive the full strength of the army is added to all allied forces for the purposes of determining whether the side is defeated – regardless of how many have actually yet arrived on the tabletop.

Loss of a main protagonist’s general or camp is penalized by the further loss of an additional two stands from his Field Army in addition to those destroyed during the battle. This simulates desertion by demoralized troops. The may be diced for and rallied/recovered just as units destroyed in battle as below.

Elements that leave the table return to the Field Army after the battle.

Elements destroyed by combat are diced for after the battle to see if there are enough survivors to rally, regroup and reconstitute the unit. On a 5+ the stand returns to the Field Army immediately, otherwise it is lost. This roll is modified by the following:

+1 if you won the battle
+1 if the battle took place in a territory you owned at the beginning of the game.

If the player owning the city fought over is defeated, it is captured by the opposing main protagonist without any further siege.

A defeated Field Army must retreat to another of it’s own cities. If it cannot it may retire to the province of an ally that permits it to do so. If it cannot do either it is destroyed. The retirement move is considered a compulsory first movement segment of the following turn – or part of the Field Armies retirement to winter Quarters in the case of a defeat in an Autumn turn.

After a battle, each player gains two prestige point for each stand his troops have destroyed or forced to recoil or flee off-table in excess of those of his own elements that have been destroyed or forced to recoil or flee off-table. This is done BEFORE rolling for recovery of troops. A player who captured an enemy camp during the battle or whose troops destroyed an enemy’s General gains an additional 4 prestige for each such instance.

STANDING A SIEGE
If the defender elects not to fight a battle the province’s stronghold is besieged. To determine the outcome of the siege the attacker dices. He must score 6 to capture a stronghold in which an enemy Field Army is present, or 5+ in an enemy Field Army is not present. If a captured stronghold contains the defender’s Field Army, the whole army is treated as though it was destroyed in battle – all elements may be diced for as per units lost in a battle above and any survivors must retire just like an army defeated in battle.

If a besieger fails to capture the stronghold he loses one stand of his choice from his own Field Army (not an allied contingent). The Siege continues next season unless winter intervenes or the besieging army moves or is defeated in battle. The score needed for capture reduces by 1 each season the siege lasts. A Field Army that has accepted a Siege can sally out in it’s next turn to give battle, but not retreat without battle.


VICTORY
When the time limit has been reached, each player counts as his score the prestige points he has gained in battles, 6 points for each city now under his control. A player who is knocked out of the game before then gets no points for provinces, but retains his prestige points.

REMOTE TERRITORIES
A remote territory is one that is separated from the rest of a player’s lands by lands of another hostile player. If there is a route to said region through the lands of an allied player that allows passage through their lands none of the following rules apply.

A Remote region will not provide reinforcements during the winter to an army that has retired to the players main lands, or another remote territory, and cannot be deployed in during the spring.

If an army retires to a remote territory to over-winter, the army will not receive any reinforcements from the main lands and must deploy in that territory (or an adjacent remote territory) in the spring.


NOTES
There are no Tributaries or Overlords. You may not cede territories to another player. If a player no longer owns any territory they are simply out of the game....

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Campaign for Kümer – Year Two – Spring

The Map

In the Spring the armies of Tria Nomina, Transil-Valishog-Atania and Ronarok converged on the port City of Cognomen, where the Ilferien were still making preparations for their march to Praenomen…. There the four armies met in battle…

The Battle of Cognomen


The Tria Nominian-Transil-Valishog-Atanian battle line.


The Ilferien and Ronarok battle line.


The four armies close…


The lines meet with a thunderous crunching of shields and bone. The anxious Ronarokings charge in and whipped out the Orc archer and set the beasts to flight. Further down the line, however, the two warbands of berserkers were crushed by the disciplined legions of Tria Nomina.


The battle lines shoved back and forth, the Orcs taking a serious beating, Their magician ensorcelled their elvish opposites, but then were cut down along with Vlad the Kinslayer himself!


What of the the Orcs vassals the Dwarves…? They stood to the rear and watched their overlords army be destroyed by the Ronarokings.

(To be honest we forgot to even deploy them for a turn or two – but to be honest they had strict orders not to be involved and so only served to draw the battle out a bit longer – by increasing the number of orcs that had to die to have half their number lost and demoralize their command…)


The Ronarokings also destroyed a unit of Tria Nominian Legionaires and a unit of their auxiliary spearmen… When the Orc general was taken out it went rapidly downhill for their army and their allies…


In the end the elves lost a unit of archer and a unit of riders were driven off. The riders were reformed but the archers were so savaged by the Tria Nominian Legionaries the few survivors were split up among the remaining units.

The Army of Ronarok lost two units of Hird and the two warbands of berserks on the battlefield. The survivors of the Berserk warbands had to be amalgamated into a single warband. The Hird are made of sterner stuff and both units were back to fighting strength shortly after the battle.

The two units of Tria Nomina that were destroyed on the field of battle were never heard from again.

The orcs had the worst of it… there were only enough survivors of the four units of blades lost to reconstitute one! Vlad Kinslayer himself was gravely injured and would be out of the action for the balance of the campaign season! The Wizard and his handlers were overrun, but he was found hiding in the woods later and brought back to Toctglenn with the rest of the survivors. The Beast fled so quickly they were the first back to Toctglenn, but the archers ever made it back having been utterly wiped out…

As spring rolls into summer the Army of Tria Nomina is retiring back to Praenomen and the shattered remains of the Army of Valishog is retiring to Toctglenn. The Armies of Ronarok and The Ilferien hold on to Cognomen and will be preparing to march again…

Will they split up and give chase to both armies? Or concentrate on trying to utterly destroy one or the other…?


The sound of battle could also be heard further to the south as the Sapphic League and Grummsh went at it again. This time the orcs maintained their initiative and marched north into the lands of the League. The two armies met at Beauvoir…

The Battle of Beauvoir


The Sapphic League arrays for battle outside the gates of Beauvoir.


The Army of Grummsh, hurtling across the plains from the south, prepares to attack!


The Giants, Trolls and Orc foot advance on the east side of the river to give the Sapphic line something to think about while the Wolves and wolf-riders charge up the opposite bank in an attempt to outflank their enemy… It worked last time!?


Unfortunately the Elvish sorceress spent the winter confined to her quarters and, while recuperating from injuries sustained in the fall, honed her craft to a precision edge…. In a brilliant ball of fire and smoke the giants utterly disappeared from the battlefield!?


Plagued by poor communications, uncooperative troops, and a witch sorceress that sewed confusion amongst their ranks Golg Skullcrusher (brother of bolg, High Chief of the Grummsh) had a hard time getting his troops to move, let alone attack with any effectiveness…


General Libby and her host of Centaur mares rode down the Orc foot…


… then turned back to deal with the Orcs and Wolves attempting to cross the river.


The Wolves and Riders begin their crossing.


The Wolves are stopped at the bank by the Witch Elf Warband – thrown back again and again.


The Trolls are surrounded by Dwarven Shield maidens and hacked to bits…


The Wolves were turned back a third time, this time a pack of them put down by the Witch Elves. The Riders and Golg made it across only to be met by the righteous fury of General Libby and the Centaurs. After and short sharp melee The battle was over, Wolves and Orcs fled back south in an utter route. None of the Giants or Trolls made it out of the land of the Sapphists alive, and the head of Golg was rumoured to be on a pike by the city gates at Beauvoir….

It has been a black spring for Orc-kind….

Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: retiring to Praenomen
Prestige Points: 7
Army Size: 20AP

Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir,
Location of Field Army: Beauvoir
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 22AP

Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points:
Army Size: 22AP

Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: *Has no Field Army – all troops are accompanying their overlords army…
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 6AP*

Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 22AP

Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: retiring to Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 12AP

Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Otisburg
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 12AP

Monday, September 21, 2009

Campaign for Kümer – Year Two – Deployment

The Map

No time for fluff this week… Here’s where everyone’s at:

Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 3
Army Size: 24AP

Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir,
Location of Field Army: Beauvoir
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 22AP

Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points:
Army Size: 24AP

Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: *Has no Field Army – all troops are accompanying their overlords army…
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 6AP*

Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Marham
Prestige Points:
Army Size: 24AP

Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 24AP

Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Otisburg
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 24AP

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Campaign Rules Additions and Clarifications

As mentioned in the Previous Post, here are a few clarifications of and additions to The Rules.

RETIRING FOR WINTER
At the end of the Autumn season all Field Armies must retire to Winter Quarters in land that they directly control (i.e. land that THEY OWN). There is no limit to the number of movement stages of allied territory an army may retire through to get to get to lands where they can quarter. If an Army has no choice but to pass through territory they do not have permission to pass through (this could conceivably happen if some territory that they moved through in the previous year was subsequently captured by a foe and the army in question has taken no new territories themselves) they will lose d6x2AP for each such hostile territory they are forced to retire through.

If traveling by sea each stage must be diced for as per the sea movement rules.

(assuming the orcs will allow the Tria Nominians to retire through their territories it's all god for this year. The Ronaroking's have retired via sea to Marhan....)

TRIBUTARY RULERS
(minor reorganization here and an addition in bold below...)
A player can ask at any time to become the tributary of another, who, if he agrees, becomes his overlord. Otherwise a player whose capitol is taken normally automatically becomes a tributary of the conqueror. The tributary retains control of his capitol and any other provinces yet remaining to him. If however his race is completely inimical to the conqueror’s he is instead knocked out of the game. If so, his field army disperses and his remaining provinces become independent until successfully besieged. Field Armies cannot enter or pass through such an independent province except to besiege it

A tributary cannot invade another country without the consent of his overlord and must at the beginning of each new year provide an allied contingent (of up to 6AP) to accompany his overlords army for the year if ordered to do so. Neither Overlord nor Tributary can attack the other while the relationship lasts. An overlord may pass through the territory of a vassal without having to first seek permission and anyone wishing to pass through a vassal’s land must have the permission of the overlord.

A player cannot have two overlords. If a tributary’s capitol is subsequently captured by a different player, he becomes tributary of that player instead, the same rules for inimical races applying.

A Player who himself is or becomes tributary can retain or acquire tributaries of his own, and can order these to provide a contingent to support his own field army or provide a substitute contingent for his own overlord.

A player whose overlord loses his own capitol or two consecutive field battles can renounce their tributary status and regain his independence.

CEDING TERRITORIES
A play may cede territory to another player this may only be done over the winter and must be done before initial dispositions are declared for the spring. Players cannot cede their capitols to any others, nor may they cede territories without the consent of their Overlord. A territory that is ceded will provide no reinforcements to either party during the winter it is ceded.

REMOTE TERRITORIES
A remote territory is one that is separated from the rest of a player’s lands by lands of another hostile player. If there is a route to said region through the lands of an allied player that allows passage through their lands none of the following rules apply.

A Remote region will not provide reinforcements during the winter to an army that has retired to the players main lands, or another remote territory, and cannot be deployed in during the spring.

If an army retires to a remote territory to over-winter, the army will not receive any reinforcements from the main lands and must deploy in that territory (or an adjacent remote territory) in the spring.

Painting Update - Mongols, More Japanese...

Here's the latest...

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The three Mongols are new, Ungern-Sternberg himself is an older figure I just rebased with them. All are from Copplestone Castings and will be seeing use in my upcoming “Back of Beyond” Campaign Weekend in October… Gosh, that’s coming up pretty quick!? I better check ans see if there’s anything else I need to finish up!!


A stand of Ashigaru Spear.


Another stand of Achigaru Bow.


And another handful of singles for skirmishing. These, and the above Ashigaru, are all from Old Glory, except for the Monk which is actually a fantasy figure from RAFM. These guys are being used in my new Savage Worlds Oriental Adventures Campaign.

Big Battles in the Back of Beyond

As Amanda and I had already played the sole campaign battle before the lads even showedup I threw together a quick battle to further tweak and test our DBA-Great War/Russian Civil War rules for the upcoming campaign weekend. It was a pretty full house with Christian, Gary, Rick and Jackson all showing up this week!

One of the tweaks was allowing mounted to dismount and fight as rifles.

The Far East, 1920’s

SITUATION

The Chinese are counter attacking against a White Russian force that has crossed into Sinkiang and seized a small city there to use as their base of operations for strikes back into Russia against the Bolsheviks that have ousted them.

SCENARIO

Two forces of Chinese are attacking two forces of Russians

FORCES

The Chinese (both forces were identical0

1xCommand
1x Mortar
1x Machine-gun
2x Cavalry
1x Assault Troops
6x Rifles

The Russians

Rifle Division
1x Command
1x Field Gun
1x Machine-gun
3x Cavalry
6x Rifles

East-Asia Cavlary Division
1x Command
4x Cavalry
1x Machine-gun
6x Rifles

THE GAME


(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version )


The White Russian troops deployed for battle


The Chinese


Ths Russians advanced to hold a line between the impassible mountain features.


Gary – commander of one of the Chinese forces.


Rick – the other Chinese commander


Christian – Commanding the East-Asia Cavalry Division


Jackson – commanding the Russian Rifle Division


BLAM!! I think this was the first unit knocked out of action – Jackson’s Field guns blasted some Chinese cavalry to bits


The Chinese close!


The lines are broken up a bit as both sides start taking casualties – the Chinese taking the worst of it. Rick’s Chinese pull back a bit.


More of the same from the other side.


Here’s where it ended – Russians surrounding a pocket of Gary’s Chinese, and a Rifle unit even attempting to overrun Gary’s command! The Chinese Warlord survived, but the Chinese lost at the end of this turn…

The game played out quite well. Now how am I going to find time to paint some dismounted cavalrymen before the Campaign weekend!?

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Campaign for Kümer – Year One – Autumn

The Map

It was no surprise to anyone when the hordes of the Orc host from Transil-Valishog-Atania arrived at the gates of Ghillebrae itself. The overwhelming force invested the fortress and ravaged the surrounding lands, burning what little crops and homes were outside of the mountain fastness. The siege ground on through the autumn and to the brink of winter when the gates were finally breeched and the orc horde poured into the stronghold slaying nearly all they could find inside… few were taken prisoner and sold as slaves or kept as hostages to guarantee the fealty of their new vassal….

The army of Ronarok had gave up their siege at Weinglenn, which seems to have only taken place due to a little misunderstanding that was quickly cleared up. They decamped and marched west out of the mountains and into the fertile plains of Tria Nomina. They camped east of the city of Cognomen and awaited the arrival of the Army of Mediocrito, they thought sure to come this way to defend their lands… but they did not come…

The Army of Tri Nomina had marched back south again to Weinglenn. Finding the Ronarokings no longer there, they themselves besieged the mountain stronghold. Despite the capitulation of their capitol the garrison at Weinglenn held on and fought bitterly against the traitors they had only months ago allowed to pass through their mountains as “allies”. As the days grew shorter and the nights colder the legions of Tria Nomina began preparations for the long march back to their lands through the Orc realms of the north…

The army of the Ilferien marched inland to the gates of Praenomen whereupon they issued the following statement:

"Senate and People of Tria Nomina!

Where now are the legions of Tria Nomina? Under the corrupt and foolish Imperator, having failed in a treacherous and craven assault on the defenceless city of Marham which even the gods of the sea attempted to dissuade, they are now forced to fight side by side with the vile Orc. The Imperator sits at the right knee of the foul Vlad Kinslayer, whispering endearments while acting as the Orc's cupbearer.

"The city fathers of Cognomen send their greetings. They have thrown off the shameful yoke of the Imperator and shall receive independence in the coming spring, as shall all the people of Tria Nomina if you, Senate and People, can find it in yourselves to cast down the Imperator's Praetorian Prefect and reclaim your ancient liberty. Punish Mediocritus' men as you choose-- we of the Ilferien have no desire to remain in this land, dispensing the justice that should rightly be dealt by the Senate and People."

The people of Praenomen, however still had faith that their leader and army would return to defend them and so they held out! There would be grumblings in the privacy of homes and in the back alleys when winter came and it was the Ilferien that simply left before their defender returned…. Would their resolve be so steadfast come spring…?

Meanwhile far to the south the Army of the Sapphic League returned to Otisburg to lift the siege of their new outpost there…

Second Battle of Otisburg

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version – sorry about the crap pictures this week – I realized afterwards that I’d had it on HI ISO setting so everything turned out washed out and grainy… ah well…)


The army of the Sapphic League arrived to relieve the Siege of Otisburg!


The Besiegers arrayed for battle!


The Armies closed..


The Elvish Sorceresses lit up some fireworkds and sent the trolls to flight!


The fast moving army of Grummsh closed quickly upon the Women Warriors.


The lines clashed with a thunderous CRUNCH!


One pack of wolves was wiped out, but so were the Centaur mares holding the right of the Sapphists line – with them out of the way the Orc General smashed through and headed for the stronghold!


The Orcs attacked the stronghold! The entire Sapphist line tried to turn and defend their newly built fortress! The Elvish Sorceresses were ridden down by Wolfriders as they rushed back to defend the fortress


General Libby charged back in a desperate bid to hold the fortress… but is unhorsed… er… uncatted…!? The remaining Sapphists then broke and ran!!

The Army of the Sapphists retired to Beavoir and the Army of Grummsh reasserted it’s claim to Otisburg! Everyone back to where they started in the south.



Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Weinglenn (siege)
Prestige Points: 3
Army Size: 16AP

Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir,
Location of Field Army: retiring to Beauvoir
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 14AP

Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points:
Army Size: 22AP

Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn
Location of Field Army: Valhalla!
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 0AP

Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points:
Army Size: 22AP

Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 24AP

Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Otisburg
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 20AP

It has come to my attention that I never really explained the retreat to winter quarters thing adequetly.... I’ll have to do that tomorrow, however, as I’m just way to damn tired tonight… Also I need to clear up a few things about the Overlord-vassal relationship... and replacements... so stay tuned!