1066 and all that: Campaign Rules 

 

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A DBA CAMPAIGN

Campaign Map

(version 1.6 - 21/1/98 - in effect from Spring 1072 onwards.)

This campaign is based on the political situation in Northern Europe at the time of the Norman Conquest of England. The campaign begins on January 5th, 1066 with the death of King Edward ‘the Confessor’ of England and ends either when it comes to a natural conclusion, everyone is fed up with it, or on November 27th, 1095 when Pope Urban II calls the First Crusade at Clermont (at which point everyone’s armies get religion and march off to the Holy Land to die horribly). There are no specific victory conditions for anyone.

SUMMARY

If you don't wish to read all the small print here is a quick guide:

Each year is divided into 4 seasons. You write orders for each season.

SOME HISTORY

The late 11th century in Northern Europe marked a transition from the Viking Era to the High Middle Ages. The concept of a ‘nation’ was not well developed and most people gave their loyalty to an individual ruler or overlord. On the continent this was codified as the feudal system. I have attempted to simulate this by emphasising the importance of generals as individuals. All player commanders are named and you should give a name to any new generals you acquire. In France in particular the King, although theoretically the ruler of a huge kingdom, was actually no more powerful than the rulers of the Counties and Duchies. In England two rival dynasties, the Godwinsons and the Aelfgarsons, vied for power.

This period is also appropriate as the nations which make up the players are fairly free from outside influences. The Empire was fully occupied with the Emperor Henry IV’s attempts to settle his theological differences with the Pope by conquering Italy. Sweden was busy in the eastern Baltic and Russia, and the southern French counties, Spain and al-Andalus can be considered to cancel each other out.

PROVINCES

Your home provinces means those provinces you control at the start of the game. A controlled province is one that you currently own, including those you have conquered. A friendly province is either one you control or that is controlled by one of your vassals or allies.

Each province has a revenue value, which is the amount of money you get from it each year as taxes. Each also has a list of permitted terrain types to choose from when laying out terrain for a battle - if there are compulsory terrain types at least one of these must be present.

There are a number of neutral provinces. If you attack a neutral province it will field an army with a point value equal to (4 x its revenue value) in its defense and may seek allies. Those neutrals that are in the Empire will also be able to expect an Imperial army to come to their aid. The only army that can leave the map and return is the French army which can retreat into Southern France and then return into the Ile de France. The southern French counts may also intervene and send aid if Paris is attacked.

Conquering a Province. You conquer a province by driving out any opposing army and capturing all its towns, or if it has no towns by having your army remain in it without moving for one move (which can be the same move as you spend recovering from a battle). You automatically capture any unfortified towns which are ungarrisoned, but fortified towns have to be reduced by seige or assault even if ungarrisoned (exception: you automatically capture all ungarrisoned towns in one of your home provinces). You have to control a province for the entire period of Spring to Autumn to get any taxes from it. If it is invaded then it is out of your control for the period that an opposing army is in it.

REVENUE - HOW TO GET IT AND THINGS TO DO WITH IT.

The monitary unit is an arbitrary one designated as a £ (actually equal to approx. £10000 in 11th century terms), which you can spend on raising troops, building fleets or fortifications, bribery and corruption, etc.

The Treasury. Note that this must have an actual physical location. At the beginning of the game it is all located in your capital. You may move some or all of it, but it has to be moved as if it were a supply element. You would be well advised to give it an escort. You could if you wish move it around with your field army, but if present with an army which fights a battle it is placed on the table as a baggage element and can be captured. It is also captured if the town it is located in is captured.

Taxation. Taxes are received once per year at the end of Autumn from each province that is under your control at that time. If the province has been invaded in the preceeding year (including winter), its revenue is reduced by 20% for each move that it has hostile forces in it. The revenue received is dependent on the province. Additionally you may receive tribute from vassals in Spring (see under Vassals).

Things to spend it on. You can spend money on the following:

Building Towns. The cost to build a new town is (£20 - (2 x Province Value) + (3 x number of towns already in the province)). The money must be spent in Spring, and the town only appears at the end of Autumn. If it is attacked during this period it fails to get built, although half the money is recovered. Building a new town in a province has a 50% chance of increasing its revenue value by £1. The cost to fortify an existing town is £10, and this has a 20% chance of increasing the revenue value. The timescale is as above, and the enterprise fails if the town is attacked. A town can be "defortified" in 4 moves by 1EE of troops (or in 1 move by 4EE, etc), but in this case it requires only one season and £1 to repair its defences. In addition, investing £5 on a province in Spring gives a 10% chance of raising its revenue value providing it is unmolested for the rest of the year. This is cumulative with the above.

 

ARMY COMPOSITION

DBA divides troops into a number of basic types whose fighting style is similar, which are in turn sub-divided into Superior (S), Ordinary (O), Inferior (I) or Fast (F) grade.

Knights. Heavy horsemen whose prefered tactic is to charge the enemy and destroy them by sheer weight and impetus. This was the majority troop type in Western Europe in the 11th century. They didn’t start calling themselves by the English word ‘cniht’ until the 12th century, and were at this time known as ‘milites’. All contempory Knights are (F) grade.

Cavalry. Less committed to the charge than Knights, and using javalins as well as or instead of lance. The mounted troops of the celtic nations (including Breton milites) are Cavalry(O). Any English or Norse who try to fight mounted are Cavalry(I).

Light Horse. Light skirmishing horsemen. Generally limited to the celtic nations, and using javalin. All are Light Horse(O).

Spears. Close formation infantry fighting with spears in a rigid shield wall. Most Western European spearman are (I) grade, as are English General Fyrd. Better equiped and trained spearmen such as English Select Fyrd, Flemings, and the best mercenary infantry are (O) grade. Dismounted milites are (S) grade.

Blades. Close fighting infantry with melee and light hand-hurled weapons, skilled in individual combat. Less well-equiped types such as Norse Hird are (I). Norse & English huscarls are (O). Vikings are (F). The English Royal huscarls were considered the best infantry in Europe at the time.

Warband. Irregular foot warriors depending on the ferocity of their charge to sweep the enemy away. Loose formation warbands such as most Welsh warriors, and also viking berserkers, are (F) grade. Scots thegns and dismounted Welsh nobles are (S) grade.

Auxilia. Similar to spears, but more dispersed and mobile with less dependence on shield-wall tactics. Most Irish warriors are Auxilia, varying in grade from (S) for the nobility to (I) for kerns.

Bowmen. Shooting collectively with bows in volleys, these are the only troop type with a ranged combat ability. Most are otherwise armed only with a knife and are (I) grade, but Norse archers who have shields & melee weapons are (O).

Psiloi. Dispersed foot skirmishers with missile weapons. The best grade (S) Psiloi have javalins & shields and are able to fight when they have to. Those with bows or slings are (O), those with javalins who lack the will or ability to engage in hand-to-hand combat are (I). When calculating losses Psiloi count as only half an element equivalent.

Hordes. Unskilled, undisciplined, poorly equiped and generally unenthusiastic peasant conscripts. Those who are reasonably motivated can be (F) or even (S), but most are (O) grade and would rather be somewhere else. When calculating losses Hordes count as only half an element equivalant.

TABLE 1 - Point Values and Cost to Raise different Troop Types

Troop Type

Inferior (I)

Ordinary (O)

Superior (S)

Fast (F)

Knights (Kn)

(8)

-

-

9

Cavalry (Cv)

5

7

-

-

Light Horse (LH)

-

5

-

-

Spears (Sp)

3

4

(5)

-

Blades (Bd)

4

5

-

5

Warband (Wb)

-

3

5

3

Auxilia (Ax)

2

3

4

-

Bowmen (Bw)

3

4

-

-

Psiloi (Ps)

1

2

3

-

Hordes (Hd)

-

1

2

1

 

 

 

 

 

Naval Units

-

3

-

-

A few more definitions. Skirmishers are Light Horse and Psiloi. An EE is an element equivalant and is equal to one element in most cases except that a Psiloi or Horde element is only half of an EE. An army is defeated if it loses one third of its EE in battle.

Mounted & Dismounted troops. Some infantry can be made mounted infantry. They continue to fight on foot so their value is unchanged for combat purposes, but they cost +£1 to raise. They can move at cavalry speed unless within 400p of the enemy, and move as mounted for strategic purposes.

Also, most mounted troops can be dismounted as infantry (and may be forced to if they loose their horses due to attrition). The type that they dismount as is given in individual army lists. Decide before a battle if mounted troops are going to be deployed on foot. Their horses are with the baggage in this case.

RAISING AN ARMY

Raising Troops. Troops are normally raised at the beginning of Spring. Troops can be raised in a controlled province at the beginning of another season only if both the C-in-C and his treasury are present. Only one EEs worth of troops may be raised from each province each year. The troops appear in the province in which they were raised and may be ordered immediately. The permissible troop types that can be raised are given in your Army list. If you wish to raise troops in a province that you have captured from another Nation you must raise a troop type permitted by that Nation’s Army list. The cost to raise each troop type in money is the number given in Table 1.

The maximum number of EE you can have in your army is four times the number of provinces you control. If the number of provinces you control decreases you don’t loose excess elements, but you can’t raise any more.

Promoting Troops. You may additionally promote existing troops in your army to a higher grade or different class, as permitted by your army list. The cost to do this is the difference between the unit’s current value and its new value. For example, an element of English General Fyrd Sp(I) can be promoted to Select Fyrd Sp(O) at a cost of £1. You may make as many promotions as you have eligable units, but an element can only be promoted once per year, and then only if your army fought a battle in the preceding year. This represents the acquisition of better armour & weapons, more experience & skill and more confidence by battle-hardened troops. Some troop types can only be acquired by promotion.

Additionally you may mount infantry units (at a cost of £1 each) as permitted by your Army list and replace mounts lost by mounted troops (at the cost of promoting them from their equivalant infantry type) without restriction.

Naval Elements. You may also build fleets. I don’t differentiated between different fleet types as the "Viking" longship was the ubiquitous warship in Northern Europe at the time. You may build one naval element (at a cost of £3) each year in each coastal province you control. The £3 cost of raising a naval element is a combination of the cost of building the ships and crewing them. The maximum number of naval elements you can have is twice the number of coastal provinces you control.

A captured naval element may be used, but must be recrewed before it can be used properly, at a cost of £1. Uncrewed naval elements can be traded in for £1 in a controlled or allied province which has a town in it (or sold to another player if you wish). A naval element can be recrewed in a coastal province belonging to the owner, or to an ally (unless the ally disallows this). Only two crews can be supplied by each province each year, and this includes the crew element of any new naval element built in that province. Alternatively, if the original crew was captured with it, they can be induced to serve by paying them £1 (the unit becomes a "foreign" one of course). A crew can be raised & then transported to the uncrewed element on another naval element (in which case they occupy the space of a psiloi element), or can march overland to join it.

 

STRATEGIC MOVEMENT

Army Movement. Troops can either be a garrison in a town or a field army. A field army can only move by land without a general if it does so entirely within provinces controlled by its side, except that it may move into a hostile or allied province to join one of its generals already in the province (but not one that is simultaneously moving into the province). An army can always withdraw into a town it controls without this requiring a move. Unless it is ordered not to, I shall assume that an army in a province with a town that it controls will always withdraw into garrison at the end of winter. A garrison does not need a general.

If an uncommanded army other than a garrison is in a province that ceases to be controlled by its side (by rebellion or invasion) it must either withdraw into a town or move out of the province into an adjacent friendly province if either of these are possible. It cannot instigate battle against the invaders (although the invaders can still attack it!).

Each season is divided into a number of Moves:

Spring-5

Summer-7

Autumn-6

Winter-4

At its simplest an army can cross from one province into an adjoining one per Move. The number of Moves that this requires is however modified as follows:

Crossing a Marshland or Hill border+1 Move

Crossing a Mountain border +2 Moves

Entirely mounted forcex 0.5 Moves

An entirely mounted army cannot include any baggage. Mounted and baggage units cannot cross mountains in winter.

Movement orders are written for an entire season - they can include as many conditional statements as you like. They can also include a "wait & defend" option - your army will advance into any adjacent controlled province in response to it being invaded providing this does not involve crossing a mountain or marshland border

Each move is conducted for all players in turn: if it becomes important to decide who moves first I will roll a dice for it.

Sea Movement. Naval units move in the same way as land armies, but through sea areas. Each province with a coastline also includes the coastal sea area immediately around it (which is marked on the map for island groups only). Biscay, Atlantic, Arctic, Norwegian Sea & North Sea are defined as deep sea areas. Sea movement is usually faster but less reliable & hazardous than land movement being dependent on the vagaries of the weather. Longships could be beached on almost any coastline so it is not neccesary to operate from specific ports.

Naval units in a coastal province may be declared to be either beached (in which case they cannot be attacked at sea or damaged by storms, but are subject to attack by land elements), or standing out to sea (in which case they are subject to storm damage). State in your orders whether your ships are beached or not. A beached fleet can move into the coastal sea area of the province it is in without this taking any time (and you may give contingency orders for your fleets to put to sea in the event of, for example, an enemy fleet entering their sea area), but obviously cannot stop to embark troops first.

Moving into a province or inshore sea area takes 0.5 or 1 Move (d2/2). Moving into a deep sea area takes 1, 1.5 or 2 Moves ((d3+1)/2). Embarking or disembarking an army from a fleet requires 0.5 of a move. To make life easy and avoid having half moves carrying forward all the time, all sea movements including embarking & disembarking will be rounded up to the nearest whole move at the end of the voyage. Fleets count as ‘at sea’ for purposes of storm damage while embarking or disembarking, but can also be engaged in land battle.

Fleets must have a general aboard unless they are moving entirely in friendly or non-coastal sea areas (note that this differs from land movement - an uncommanded fleet can move through allied coastal sea areas). As for land movement they may move into the sea area of a hostile province to join a commanded army already there.

An uncrewed naval element can only be strategically moved in conjunction with another naval element (which is providing a skeleton crew for it). It is automatically destroyed if it is caught in a storm. If involved in a table battle it must remain off-table if its side has the advantage. If involved in an abstract battle it is automatically destroyed if its side has no general, otherwise its points are not counted for calculating the ratio for the battle (although they are counted for calculating casualties).

Transporting Troops on Naval Elements. Each naval element can carry two land elements. A Psiloi element counts as half an element. A baggage element takes up the space of 1.5 elements (so a baggage transport may carry a Psiloi element in addition to its cargo). A mounted element takes up the space of two elements (except for a Light Horse element, which takes up 1.5 elements of space, of which 1 element-worth is for its horses). The horses of one element of any mounted troops take up 1EE of space.

Storms. The chance that a fleet will be caught in a storm is, per sea move, 1% in summer, 5% in spring or autumn and 10% in winter. Determine at which point in its move the storm strikes randomly. If caught roll a d6 for every element in the fleet (including supply elements & the naval elements themselves). On a 1 that element is lost. Roll twice for any mounted elements - if they roll a single 1 they have lost their horses and become an infantry element. If at the end there are more land elements left than there are naval elements to carry them, the excess are shipwrecked. They are forced ashore if in a friendly coastal province, otherwise lost at sea. If a general’s element is lost roll again - on another 1 he is drowned, but otherwise can transfer to another element.

Special Sea Routes. It is possible to travel directly between some coastal provinces which are only seperated by a narrow stretch of sea. Moving between the following counts as only one move by sea.

Ponthieu « KentSouth Jutland « Wendland

Zealand « Wendland Galloway « Ulster

Galloway « Cumbria Dumnonia « Dyfed

Dumnonia « Gwent

SCOUTING AND CHOOSING YOUR BATTLEGROUND.

I am re-introducing an old WRG concept - that of scounting points. An army has 4 Scouting Points (SP), plus 2 SP if in a home province, 3 SP for each LH element, 2 SP for each Cv, Kn(F) or Ps element, 1 SP for each Ax, Wb(F) or Bd(F) element and -2 SP if it has no general. When two opposing armies enter the same province calculate the ratio of scouting points (rounding the larger number down) and roll on the following table.

TABLE 2 (version 1.1) - Battle type and Setup

 

Scouting Points ratio (Attacker / Defender)

(d6)

1:4

1:3

1:2

2:3

1:1

3:2

2:1

3:1

4:1

1

A

A

A

B

L

L or N

L or N

C

L

2

A

A

B

B

B

C

C

D

D

3

A

B

B

B

C

C

C

D

D

4

B

B

C

C

C

D

D

D

E

5

B

B

C

C

D

D

D

E

E

6

N

C

L or N

L or N

N

D

E

E

E

Where the result is "L or N" roll again: 1-3 = L, 4-6 = N.

If the defender gets a A or B he may refuse to give battle and either withdraw into a town or (on his next move) withdraw onto a fleet or into another province. The attacker may do the same on a D, but has to exit the province the same way as he arrived.

Special Cases. If the attacker has two (or more) forces entering the province seperately then on an D or E result the forces can have linked up before giving battle. On an C result the largest force is the one on-table, on an N determine randomly and on a A or B the Defender can choose which to fight. On an B, C, or N an additional force arrives each round after the Attacker rolls a 6 (from a table edge other than the Defender’s - determine randomly).

Similarly, if the Defender has allies or re-inforcements arriving in the Move in which the Attacker invades, they will have linked up on a A or B and may arrive during the battle on an C, D or N.

If the Attacker is invading by sea and the Defender rolls an A or B he may opt to "fight them on the beaches". In this case the Attacker gets to choose the terrain but has to arrive by sea (and I get to bring out my longship models).

If the Attacker is ‘attacking’ one of his own provinces to relieve a seige, then on a C, D, E, L, or N result he chooses the terrain (which must include a town) and deploys any forces defending the town inside it. The ‘Defender’ then deploys his army around the town, and the ‘Attacker’ deploys his relief force. The beseiged forces can foray out and join the battle if they have a general. If the beseiger chooses to fight the battle away from the town he must leave at least four EE to bottle up the beseiged forces or they can march to the aid of their relief force (or escape if they prefer) if they have a general. In the former case they arrive on-table in the ‘Defender’s’ rear the round after the first time the ‘Attacker’ rolls a 6.

If two mutually hostile forces invade the province of a third, one must fight the defender, then the winner fights the second invader. The side with the most number of scouting points decides which attacker fights first.

Naval actions. The above system is not used for naval actions. Instead the chance of two fleets coming into contact if they are in the same sea area or coast province is 5% per naval element involved. The battle is fought in abstract and the loser has to exit into another area. Battles don’t take place in deep sea areas.

BATTLES

Battles are normally to be fought using DBA rules on two or more blocks. The standard DBA rules will be modified to include things like grading factors and naval elements but I haven’t included those here. Seige and assault battles, and small naval actions, are too dull to be played out so will be settled using the following abstract battle system. This may also be used by me for land battles that are taking too long to be played and holding the campaign up.

Abstract Battle System. Total up the values of the troops on each side, modifying as follows. Mounted infantry count as their normal infantry type.

Round the larger number down to give a ratio on the table below. If the ratio is 10 to 1 or more the smaller force is automatically annihilated, unless in a fortified town.

TABLE 3 (version 1.2) - Abstract Battle Result

 

Army Point Ratio (Attacker / Defender)

(d6)

1:6

1:4

1:3

1:2

2:3

1:1

3:2

2:1

3:1

4:1

6:1

-1

100k/-

100k/-

100k/-

80k/-

60k/-

40k/-

30k/-

20k/-

20/-

30k/30

20/30

0

100/-

100k/-

80k/-

60/-

40/-

30/-

40/10

30/10

30/20

20/30

20/40

1

90k/10

80/-

60/-

50/-

60/10

40/10

20/10

40/30

20/30

20/40

10/30

2

80/-

60/-

80/10

40/-

40/10

20/10

30/20

10/20

10/30

10/40

5/30

3

60k/-

80/10

40/5

40/10

20/10

30/20

20/30

-/20

10/40

5/40

5/50

4

50/5

40/5

40/10

20/-

30/20

20/30

10/20

10/40

5/40

10/80

-/60k

5

30/5

40/10

30/10

20/10

20/30

10/20

-/10

-/40

10/80

-/60

-/80

6

30/10

40/20

30/20

30/40

10/20

10/40

-/30

-/50

-/60

-/80

10/90k

7

40/20

30/20

20/30

10/30

10/40

-/30

-/40

-/60

-/80k

-/100k

-/100

8

30/20

30/30k

-/20

10/60

-/30k

-/40k

-/60k

10/95k

-/100k

-/100k

-/100k

Modifiers: Attacker has no general = -1. Defender has no general = +1. In land battle use battle type modifier. In harrying action pursuer is the attacker: defender gets +1 if in home province, -1 if in attacker’s home province.

Result is % attacker casualties / % defender casualties in army points. k = General killed.

Assaults. In an assault battle the attackers roll for a result every move until they either overrun the garrison or give up. Assaults are therefore fast but bloody. If the attackers assault and they loose (take higher casualties), the assault is repulsed that move. They can try again next move, change to siege mode, withdraw or whatever. If they win (inflict higher casualties) they immediately roll again with a +1 modifier, and as long as they continue to win they continue to roll at a cumulative +1 until the defenders are destroyed. This all takes place within one move. If at any time the defenders win, the assault is repulsed and the attackers have to start again next move with no modifier.

Seiges. The attackers may choose to beseige a town instead. In a seige the attackers make a battle role only once at the end of the season. The defender’s casualties are calculated normally (based on their troop strength modified for the defensive bonus of the town). However the attacker’s casualties are based on the defender’s unmodified troop strength. For example if Earl Robert (with 15pts) were to beseige Earl Gyrth (with 5pts) in London (a fortified town, which gives Gyrth a bonus troop point), Robert’s ratio is 2:1 (15 to 6). If he rolls a 4 he takes 10% casualties. Gyrth however looks at the 1:1 (15 to 18) column and takes 30% casualties (instead of 40%).

Additionally, if a town has been beseiged for the entirety of a season, then at the end of the season, after determining any losses from abstract combat, attrition, etc, the beseigers roll a d6, and modify it as follows.

Fortified town-1

Ruler commanding in town-3

Other general commanding in town -1

Town out of supply this season+2

For each entire season continuously beseiged+1

If the defender’s nation’s army has won in the field this season-2

If the defender’s nation’s army has lost in the field this season+2

If the town is one of the beseiger’s home towns, or the defender

has troops of the beseiger’s nationality present.+1

If the modified result is a 7 or more the town surrenders. Any general in it is captured (the besiegers can release him, kill him, ransom him, imprison him indefinately or whatever). Any forces in it are generally destroyed.

After the Battle. The loser of a battle can withdraw into a town he controls, or must otherwise either retreat into an adjacant friendly province or re-embark onto his fleet on his next move (this is not a free move). The winner has to spend a move sitting still recovering from the battle & re-ordering himself (during which he can occupy any towns that automatically surrender to him), then attempt to reduce the province’s towns, or move on to another province.

If the loser’s army contains any foreign troops (ie, troops raised in a conquered province) and they are fighting against an army whose major contingent is of their own nationality they immediately defect to the enemy. If the battle was an abstract one they are included in the loser’s total for calculating losses but cannot be the troops lost. They can’t join any harrying actions against their erstwhile allies.

If the loser retreats across mountains or marshland or onto a fleet he looses all his baggage. If he retreats across mountains in winter his mounted elements all loose their horses. If the loser has nowhere to retreat too he sits still for a move, and if he no longer has enough supplies for all his army any unsupplied troops are automatically lost as demorilized troops desert (although this doesn’t actually consume any supply elements). Battle is then rejoined next move.

Harrying. After an on-table battle the winner can choose to harry the fleeing enemy as they retreat. This happens in the same move as the battle. The rules for this are unfortunately complex!

If the loser’s general survived he can choose to flee (his bodyguard put him on a horse & they ride off) or stay with his army. In the former case he automatically escapes. Alternatively, that part of the army which is mounted can ride away and leave the infantry & baggage behind.

The winner then nominates his pursuit force. It is limited to mounted troops, psiloi, auxilia, (F) warband & (F) blades. If the defeated force is entirely mounted it is limited to light horse. It can be lead by a general but does not have to be.

Total the points on each side. With the exception of the elements of any generals who remained with the army, count all the loser’s troops at half value, unless the ‘defeated’ army marched off-table in good order without actually being defeated. If the loser has an allied command in the province which never got on-table and remains undefeated, its troops can be included at full value if its general agrees. If the defeated force is retreating into mountains or marshland count all mounted troops at half value (for both sides).

Roll on Table 3. Note that the pursued force gets +1 if in a home province, or -1 if in the pursuer’s home province. The casualty percentage is a percentage of the loser’s entire army, but only of the pursuit force for the winner. If the pursuers win they capture any supply elements the losers possess. Generals are only killed if present.

Calculating Troop Losses. Losses from an abstract battle, harrying or attrition are expressed as a percentage of the number of troops present, and should be calculated from the actual number of points rather than the modified number of points (always counting knights as 9 & ships as 3 for example). Total all losses that happen at once together and then apply them (eg; if you loose 20% of your force in battle, then 18% from attrition, you loose 38%, not 20% then 18%, which would be 34%). Losses are then rounded up to the nearest whole element. However it is permissable to ‘downgrade’ elements (this partially avoids the situation where a force of a single element is entirely destroyed by 10% losses). Mounted elements can be downgraded to the equivalant infantry, but only as a result of losses due to attrition. Any infantry can be downgraded to Psiloi, and Cavalry and Knights downgraded to Light Horse.

 

SUPPLY

Armies need to be kept in supply if they are operating outside a province controlled by their nation. This includes armies operating in a province which has been invaded by a hostile army, and armies operating in the province of an ally. However in the latter case (a force which is outside its own territory but in the territory of a vassal or ally, or of an overlord with his permission), a force does not require supply if it is 4EE or less (not including supply or naval units), and if larger requires only the expenditure of £1 to be supplied. This can be paid by either the power controlling the province or the power owning the troops, but will normally be charged to the later unless the owner of the province specifically agrees to pay. If they are not payed for and they have a supply element they will use this instead. Alternatively the province owner can give them supplies, but supplies must be forthcoming from somewhere. Also, it is permissable for two allied armies which are together in the same province to share their supply elements providing that the player who owns the supplies specifically states that he is allowing this.

Supply Elements. Supply is quantified in supply units, which cost £2 each and can be created at any time in any province you control. They are actual units which have to be moved from province to province in the same way as an army. They can travel with an army, but can also travel independently (without a general) or travel by ship. They can only travel unescorted by land through a friendly province (although they can move into an unfriendly province to join an army there unless it is being beseiged). If they are unescorted and in a friendly province which suddenly decides it is not friendly they are automatically captured by the province’s owner. If with an army which fights a battle they are represented on-table as baggage elements and can be captured.

You get a free baggage element every time you capture a town (representing looting). Baggage elements can be converted back into money for £1 each in any town you control.

A supply unit is consumed by every twelve elements or fraction thereof at the end of each season - not counting naval, counting psiloi as half an element and any mounted element as two. If you have insufficient the unsupplied elements suffer attrition of 2-20% (2d10) of their point total, representing losses due to disease, hunger & desertion. This can be made up by downgrading mounted troops & mounted infantry to their infantry equivalants (as the beseiged army is forced to eat their horses!). The C-in-C’s element cannot be lost by attrition, although it can loose it horses.

Winter Attrition. In addition any land elements not in a friendly town at the end of winter suffer attrition of to 6-25% (2d10+5) (cumulative with above, so it becomes 4d10+5% for armies in the field in winter without supply!). Being in a town that is being beseiged counts, but being outside a town in the snow beseiging it doesn’t. As an alternative to being in a town, a force can be dispersed into a controlled province (not an allied one) at the end of Winter and will suffer no attrition. Up to 4EE can be dispersed into a province. The drawback is that it will take up to 2 moves for the army to re-assemble in Spring. There is a 0-2 move delay (d3-1, rolled seperately for each element) before they are able to act again. Any forces still dispersed in a province which is captured or which successfully rebels are destroyed.

 

VASSALS & OVERLORDS.

At any point a player may offer to become a vassal of another player, who becomes his overlord. For a nation to become vassal to another its ruler must physically meet (by being in the same province) his overlord. They are then bound by the following.

Troop Contingents from Vassals. An overlord can demand troops from his vassals to serve with him for one season per year. The vassal is obliged to supply at least 4 EE (including any naval elements as an EE, but not supply elements), but the actual number & type is his choice. They must be available to the overlord for the entirety of the nominated season.

The vassal has two options. The first is that he can send the elements uncommanded into the overlord’s territory. As soon as they enter the overlord’s territory (or a hostile province containing one of the overlord’s generals) they come under his command and the overlord can then move them as if they were his own. They do not require supply if they are in the overlord’s provinces, and if they move into a non-controlled province it is the responsibility of the overlord to keep them supplied. In this they are treated exactly as if they are part of the overlord’s army. Alternatively the overlord can pick up the contingent as he passes through the vassal’s territory.

At the end of the season the overlord should order them back into the vassal’s territory. If he does not the vassal can remove them from the overlord’s control, and must then move them back to his own territory by moving them through friendly provinces or to a friendly seacoast where they can be picked up by ship. However once removed from the overlord’s control they are subject to attrition if out of supply. If they are refused passage through a province by their overlord and have nowhere to go and are unsupplied they go out of control, start ravaging the province that they are in and become a hostile force. This is not a hostile act by the vassal. They will continue to try and move towards their own territory. The only way that they can be brought under control is for one of their own generals to join them.

The vassal’s second option is to send a general with the troops to command them. In this case they are treated exactly as an allied contingent, and can move independently and fight on the table as a discreet command. It is the responsibility of the vassal to keep them in supply, and they do need to be supplied if in the overlord’s territory.

They minimum requirement to comply is that the number of EE requested, or four EE, whichever is less, be delivered either to a specified location on the border of the overlord’s territory or to one of his generals such that they are at his disposal for the entirity of a season. If the vassal and overlord both agree they can be delivered to some other location such as a province the overlord is fighting in. If a vassal is ordered to supply a contingent under circumstances such that it is not possible for him to comply (because of insufficient notice, or because he does not have enough elements for example) he is not obliged to do so (Referee’s decision). If a vassal has vassals of his own he may order one of them to supply a contingent to his overlord instead of supplying one himself. If the vassal’s vassal fails to comply then both are in breach of their vassalage (see below).

Breaking Vassalage. A vassal may renounce his allegiance at the start of any season, but cannot take offensive action against his former overlord in that season, and there is a 1 in 6 chance for each of his provinces that they will spontaneously rise in revolt. The same thing happens to the vassal if an overlord calls for his overthrow, but an overlord is not restricted in taking military action. However an overlord cannot call for the overthrow of one of his vassals without due cause. Cause for an overlord to renounce a vassal includes:

Note that the vassalage is not automatically broken by one of the above, they just give the overlord cause to renounce it if he wishes to. All vassalage is automatically ended by the death of the overlord.

 

OF KINGS AND THINGS.

Generals can always be moved on their own at mounted speed without being part of an element, providing they are travelling through friendly provinces (if a general is in an ally’s province and the ally suddenly decides he is unfriendly, the general is automatically seized and either killed or captured - generals captured this way can be ransomed). They can also travel by sea, but require to be transported by a naval element (although they take up no space on it).

Death of Kings. If your C-in-C is killed (which he is if his element is destroyed in battle) all vassalage owed to him is cancelled, and it is up to his former vassals whether to renew their allegiance to his successor. If you have a sub-general he can immediately ascend to the throne. If not you get a new general in your capital at the beginning of the next season. Your field army is allowed to move back to a controlled province providing it can do so through friendly provinces.

Allies & Friendly provinces. If you move into the province of another player you are invading it unless you state in your orders that you are entering it as a friendly province. The province’s owner has to state in his orders that he is letting you enter otherwise you can’t complete the move. Alternatively you can both state in your orders that you are concluding a formal alliance in which case you can automatically regard each others provinces as friendly from then on. Such an alliance will be announced publically. It can be repudiated by either party at any time. Also, you are automatically entitled to treat provinces belonging to your vassals as friendly provinces, although your overlord still has to give permission for you to pass through his provinces. You can state in your orders that you want to enter a province as a friendly province, but that if you are not allowed in you will invade on the next move.

Another player can also send one of his armies into a province you have an army in as your ally. His army can then aid yours in battle. It continues to be commanded by its own general who rolls his own PIP dice. Your ally is allowed to double-cross you unless he is your vassal, and even in the latter case the enthusiasm with which he fights for you is entirely up to him. You both have to state in your orders that you are allies and agree who is overall commander (the player that gets the province after a victory), or your armies are hostile to each other.

Inciting Rebellion. Every ruler has a collection of jealous nobles, embittered relatives and deposed rivals in the background. By supporting one of these you can incite a nominated province anywhere on the map to revolt. The cost to incite rebellion in another player’s province is twice the province’s revenue value, with any additional money put in going towards the rebel army, and is paid at the beginning of a season. Players can divide the cost between them if they wish. The rebellion may be nipped in the bud if the province’s owner has an army or garrison in it, especially if one of his generals passes through it with an army. The province rebels at the beginning of the next season. If there are no forces in it other than beached naval or supply (which are captured by the rebels in this case), it becomes independent. If it has a garrisoned town in it the rebels beseige the town. If it has forces uncommanded in the field they fight an immediate abstract battle against the rebels. If they win the rebellion is crushed and the rebels disperse. If they loose any survivors who are of the same nationality as the rebels immediately defect to the rebellion!

A province which successfully rebels becomes independent (exception - the Ile de France won’t rebel against the French King). Inciting rebellion is a confidential action. You really shouldn’t incite rebellions against your overlord but if you don’t tell him I won’t.

The player(s) who financed the rebellion can enter the conflict as an ally of the rebels. Usually a rebellion ends if its leader (its general) is killed, in which case remaining rebel troops either disperse or join the army of their conquerer (1-2 on d6 if a home province, otherwise 1). However if a foreign general is present allied to the rebels he can take over leadership of the rebellion instead (chance is 1-2 on d6 if a home province, 1-5 if it is one the the rebel’s ally’s home provinces, otherwise 1-3). If defeated in battle the rebels can not usually retreat outside their own province.

Sub-generals. Every time that you win an on-table battle in which you are the major participant (ie not present only as an ally) you may promote one eligible element into a sub-general. You may then split your army into two armies with one commanded by the sub-general. Alternatively the sub-general may be present in an army, but not be the commanding general. However the sub-general still gains all other benefits of being a general (a +1 in combat and the ability to move a group including him at a cost of 1 PIP less), and if the commanding general is killed on the battlefield may attempt to assume command instead.

If you have no eligible element to promote, both generals are considered to reside in the same element and are both killed if it is lost. The sub-general can be transfered into another element at a future date.

 

 

TABLE 4 : Provinces (amended 2/1/98 - effective from Spring 1073)

Province

Initial owner

Revenue

Army type

Permissable Terrain

Agdar

Norway

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Wd, M, RGo

Angria

Saxony

4

Eastern Frankish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Anjou

Neutral

4

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Ardennes

Empire

3

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Argyll

Scotland

2

Scots

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, M, RGo

Atholl

Scotland

3

Scots

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, BUA

Bernicia

N. England

3

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Blois & Chartres

France

4

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Brabant

Empire

4

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, M, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Channel Isles

Normandy

2

Breton

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, E, Rd, BUA

Champagne

France

5

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Connaught

Ireland

3

Irish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, BUA

Cumbria

Neutral

3

Welsh

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, BUA

Dublin

Dublin

4

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Dumnonia

S. England

3

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Dyfed

Wales

3

Welsh

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, BUA

East Anglia

S. England

5

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, Rd, BUA

E. Flanders

Flanders

6

Western Frankish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

E. Normandy

Normandy

5

Western Frankish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Eastphalia

Saxony

3

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, RGo, Rd, BUA

Essex

S. England

4

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Faroe Isles

Neutral

1

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, M, RGo

Frisia

Empire

3

Eastern Frankish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Fyn

Denmark

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Galloway

Scotland

2

Galwegian

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo

Gwent

Wales

4

Welsh

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Gwynedd

Wales

3

Welsh

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Hainault

Flanders

4

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Halogaland

Norway

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Wd, M, RGo

Hebrides

Orkney

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, M, RGo

Hedemark

Norway

2

Norse

Rv, Hs, Wd, RGo

Hereford

S. England

3

English

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, M, Rd, BUA

Holland

Empire

4

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Holstein

Saxony

3

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Iceland

Neutral

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, M, RGo

Ile de France

France

6

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Kent

S. England

4

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Leinster

Ireland

3

Irish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, BUA

Lindsay

N. England

4

English

WW, Rv, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Lothian & Fife

Scotland

5

Scots

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Lwr Lotharingia

Empire

4

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Maine

Normandy

4

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Man

Dublin

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, RGo, BUA

Meath

Ireland

3

Irish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, BUA

Mid Jutland

Denmark

4

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Moray

Scotland

3

Scots

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, BUA

Mosel

Empire

3

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Munster

Ireland

3

Irish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, BUA

N. Brittany

Brittany

4

Breton

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

N. Jutland

Denmark

4

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

N. Mercia

N. England

3

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Orkney Isles

Orkney

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, M, RGo, BUA

Picardy

France

5

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Ponthieu

France

4

Western Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Powys

Wales

3

Welsh

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, BUA

Ranrike

Norway

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, M, RGo

Shetland Isles

Orkney

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, M, RGo

Skane

Denmark

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Sogn

Norway

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Wd, M, RGo

S. Brittany

Brittany

5

Breton

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

S. Jutland

Denmark

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

S. Mercia

N. England

4

English

Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Strathclyde

Scotland

4

Scots

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, Rd, BUA

Sutherland

Orkney

2

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, M, RGo

Trondelag

Norway

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Ulster

Ireland

4

Irish

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, RGo, M, BUA

Upr Lotharingia

Empire

5

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, E, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Viken

Norway

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Wendland

Neutral

3

Slav

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd

Wessex

S. England

6

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, M, Rd, BUA

West Anglia

S. England

4

English

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, Rd, BUA

W. Brittany

Brittany

4

Breton

WW, Rv, Hs, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

W. Flanders

Flanders

5

Western Frankish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, M, Rd, BUA

W. Normandy

Normandy

5

Western Frankish

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

Westphalia

Saxony

4

Eastern Frankish

Rv, Hg, Wd, E, RGo, Rd, BUA

York

N. England

4

English

WW, Rv, Hg, Hs, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Zealand

Denmark

3

Norse

WW, Rv, Hg, Wd, M, RGo, Rd, BUA

Key to Terrain Types

WW = Waterways suitable for ships, such as seas, lakes & great rivers

Rv = Ordinary rivers

Hg = Hills with only gentle slopes (good going)

Hs = Hills with steep slopes (bad going)

Wd = Woods (bad going) (visibility 50p)

E = Small enclosed fields, orchards or vineyards (bad going) (visibility 150p)

M = Inland marsh (bad going)

RGo = Rough going, such as moderately boggy or rocky ground (bad going)

Rd = Roads

BUA = Built up areas, such as towns or villages (bad going) (visibility 50p)

Terrain types in bold are compulsory & at least one has to be present.

 

 

 

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