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Post by timurilank on Sept 14, 2016 11:31:40 GMT
While painting armies for Project Rome (2nd Punic War period) I had designed a campaign game for the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Using narrative based scenarios the system worked quite well with players becoming not only involved in military matters, but influencing the diplomacy and the economics of the campaign as well. After starting this series of test games between Rome and her enemies my thoughts turned to improving the campaign rules as each series of test games held a few basic components for a campaign; the changing role of attacker/defender and the use of allies. By adding a few more components the three battle series this could easily do for a brief campaign and one that could be played in an evening.
I will post more on this in the next day or so.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 15, 2016 11:30:27 GMT
The original Iberian campaign rule set, players moved through a number of sequences each month to gain advantage in the areas of diplomacy, revenue, supply and movement and therefore the campaign became the primary focus and the battles were secondary. In one evening players may find themselves finishing a few campaign months generating a possible battle.
The goals set for the revision should enable players to finish a campaign year having fought at least two or three battles. To do this, the original rule set needed to be streamlined and changes to the map were needed to help the process without losing the essence of a campaign.
Analysing the four phases of the original set, diplomacy and revenue were less important that supplying an army so it may move. Moving an army was now made simple as the grid system was dropped in favour of two lands or “zones” bordering one another. Each land or territory contained a commercial centre or capital and three areas labelled with their terrain option. Both territories shared a mutual area labelled “frontier”.
Within DBA 3.0, page 31 describes Home Terrain as the army’s heartland or areas on the border were an invading army would be met. The revised map now added other terrain options to increase the number of battlefield choices. As an example, an army having Arable as their home terrain could have in addition to Forest, and Hilly areas.
Next, the game mechanism.
The original campaign maps of Hispania. dbagora.blogspot.nl/2016/05/project-rome-campaign-maps-for-hispania.html
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Post by timurilank on Sept 16, 2016 11:58:59 GMT
The original campaign rule set {1} used a standard playing card deck replacing the die to resolve each phase of a player’s turn; this created a need for card strategy which did build tension to the game. Each phase, both players competed to win or subvert the other at diplomacy, revenue build, supply and finally movement. The new version modifies the process by reducing the four phases to one were players must win “points”.
“Points” earned each month would be used to offset the costs generated as campaign expenses; supply, re-building armies, recruiting allies, and many other options. This offered players flexibility in making decisions and greatly reduced the time needed to play the campaign.
To build sufficient “points” the campaign year would actually start during the winter season (January) as severe weather conditions should not hinder diabolical minds from making plans. The first campaign moves would start no earlier than spring. The new maps will feature areas (battlefields) labelled with terrain type located throughout the interior of the defender’s territory. These would represent the frontier, the interior and lastly, the capital. The majority of the terrain types listed does correspond to the home terrain as set by the DBA army list, but players will find the additional terrain types will add variety and challenges to the series of battles.
This highlights the major difference between the two sets; the original produced a game of conquest while this newer version designed to have players engage in battle. As sides sustain casualties, new troops or allies can be added for a subsequent battle and so the campaign continues until one side is no longer able to continue.
Next a sample campaign.
{1} See the following links: The campaign maps of Hispania dbagora.blogspot.nl/2016/05/project-rome-campaign-maps-for-hispania.html The campaign system dbagora.blogspot.nl/2016/05/project-rome-campaign-system.html
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Post by timurilank on Sept 17, 2016 11:22:57 GMT
Our test campaign is set in the late 3rd century AD and the Black Sea Kingdom of Bosporus is defending its territory against a “Scythian” (Alani) incursion. The “frontier” is placed at the Tanais River with a number of possible battlefields placed on the eastern portion of the kingdom and the Bosporan capital of Panticapaeum is located across the straits. Rival tribes located north of the Bosporan peninsula prohibit a direct access route to the capital by the Alani.
The Map
The Armies: II/25 Bosporus 1 x general (3Kn), 2 x nobles (3Kn), 3 x horse archers (LH), 2 x spearmen (4Ax), 2 x archers (3Bw), 1 x skirmisher (Ps), 1 x artillery (Art).
II/58 Alani 1 x general (3Kn), 2 x nobles (3Kn), 9 x tribal horse archers (LH).
Next week Monday, the Alani invade.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 19, 2016 7:45:51 GMT
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Post by Berthier on Sept 19, 2016 22:48:17 GMT
Allways good stuff. Thanks for posting.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 20, 2016 8:20:17 GMT
Allways good stuff. Thanks for posting. Glad you are enjoying it.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 20, 2016 8:21:51 GMT
I was very pleased with the results of the campaign and especially the outcome of the final battle. The situation for the Bosporan looked very grim following her second defeat yet Aphrodite smiled to ensure the Alani had no points to care for supply or the replacement of troops; this not an issue for the Bosporan as their war chest was deep enough to replace losses and secure allies for their final contest.
Playing the campaign system did not appreciably add extra time as each campaign month required two quick card games to determine who gained points. The games became interesting as subsequent battles were fought with uneven number of elements. Each side could replace up to three elements lost for the cost of one point which meant the Bosporan was still short two elements in one case. The shortfall was solved for the last battle by hiring the Sarmatian allies for the cost of an extra point.
The revision also satisfied the requirement of multiple phases (original set) for each campaign month with only one step thereby decreasing the amount of time needed for the campaign move. Having sufficient points meant a player could readily replace losses, hire allies and make strategic moves and lacking them your army became immobile as did occur on several occasions to the Alani.
Revising the rules set shaved down the number of pages from five to two, this no doubt may change with further play tests. This will continue as I search for some interesting and lesser known historical themes. By the end of October a final copy should be uploaded to the Fanaticus Wiki for others to use.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 22, 2016 15:38:10 GMT
Those Fanatici wishing to design their own campaign project may wish to view the videos uploaded by Military History Visualized, a contributor to the Patreon Programme.
Some of the topics covered are: Viking Warfare – Myths vs. Realities, Logistics of Alexander the Great in His Campaign, Archers and Bows – Medieval Military Units, Trebuchet – Traction & Counterweight Medieval weapons, Naval Tactics in the Age of Sail (1650 – 1815) and many World War II subjects.
I found the first two listed helpful for my own campaigns.
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Post by Commiades on Sept 28, 2016 22:21:08 GMT
I look forward to seeing these rules. Campaigns are something that attract me to DBA.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 29, 2016 7:32:19 GMT
I look forward to seeing these rules. Campaigns are something that attract me to DBA. Commiades,
Next week Tuesday we continue testing and I have two scenarios ready, one involving the Late Imperial Roman and the other the Sassanid.
I should have an evaluation presented here the following day and full report posted to the blog the day after.
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Post by timurilank on Oct 6, 2016 8:57:26 GMT
Improving the Campaign System – the Huns 459 AD This test is based on historical events surrounding the incursion of the Sassanid Empire in the year 459 AD; King Peroz campaign against the Huns. Historical background, maps, photos and details of the campaign as it played out can be read at the blog.
dbagora.blogspot.nl/2016/10/improving-campaign-system-459-ad.html
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Post by timurilank on Oct 29, 2016 8:04:01 GMT
Improving the Campaign System – Eutropius 398 AD This third test of the revised campaign rule set used the Hunnic invasion of Anatolia and Syria as its theme. After plundering these areas of gold and slaves the Huns would now return to the steppes, however, Rome was intent on not letting that happen.
dbagora.blogspot.nl/2016/10/improving-campaign-system-eutropius-398.html
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Post by Commiades on Oct 30, 2016 0:41:47 GMT
An interesting series of games. Looking at the index of your blog, I see you mention adapting the Witcher game. Which game is this? Is it a commercially available game?
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Post by timurilank on Oct 30, 2016 5:38:03 GMT
An interesting series of games. Looking at the index of your blog, I see you mention adapting the Witcher game. Which game is this? Is it a commercially available game?
The Witcher project focuses on the campaigns which serve as backdrop of events in the Witcher books and games; these are the Southern Conquests and the three Nordlingen-Nilfgaard wars.
The development of the rule set ground to a halt as the design became too unwieldy and complicated. Taking a step back, I began afresh with Project Rome (the Consular Army) and reworked the campaign rule set and added a siege game.
The “Improving the Campaign System” is a condensed version of that set which greatly reduced the administration and focused on a series of battles which could be played in an evening.
Project Rome and the series of historical match-ups for the Consular Army and Severan Rome have served as stepping stones to bring me back to the Witcher Project with a redesigned campaign rule set. I have one more stone (and a new project) to cross to do that.
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