9.4 Optional Extra Rules
Some rules were omitted from the final rule-set to simplify the game. Players may like to experiment with these totally optional rules.
Optional 4.1.1 Births, Marriages & Deaths.
Rules for characters’ births marriages and deaths were added later. For a faster game dispense with these and the Rebellion rules (rule number 6.5.1 et al.). Draw a card each year for each country. If an Ace turns up the ruler is replaced. Draw up another ruler and his character. For five-year turns an Ace to a three means the ruler is replaced.
Optional 6.2.1 Transport Ships.
Each country tests at the beginning of the Winter Phase for each of their Transport Ships are hit by winter storms. On the draw of an Ace to three the Ship is destroyed. This test is not undertaken under the five-year rules.
Optional 6.2.2 Piracy on the High Seas
All sea-borne trade (Transport Ship) trade is subject to attacks by pirates. This amounts to a percentage reduction in the amount of trade generated by each Ship. This reduction starts out at 50% or 10 points per Transport Ship for each country. This reduction is reduced by 10% for each Warship that the country dedicates to anti piracy patrols i.e. 10% per Warship, unless that Warship is engaged in regular naval warfare.
Optional 6.6 Learned Characters
Draw a card for each University or Staff College in the country once each five-years. On a draw of less than 3 the institution has created a "learned character". This individual will not be a character from the family trees already drawn up, but a "commoner". When such a character appears, he/she should be named and his/her specially selected from the list applying to that type of institution. The result should be written up in some detail because the major reason for this extra rule is to add detail, interest or "colour" to the campaign. The characters are only available or effective for the five-year period in which he appears.
University Characters |
No | Speciality | Action | Game Effect |
1 | Architect | Next building is a "Wonder of the World" | -1 to Civil Disorder
Rate of city |
2 | Writer | Create a fictional/Biographical account of a deceased major character | No game effect |
3 | Translator | Assistant diplomat | +1 to chance to achieve a diplomatic agreement |
4 | Trader | Great mercantile skills | + 5 to the trade income from which ever Road/Transport Ship he is assigned |
5 | Teacher | University lecturer of renown | + 2 to chance of another specialist in the following 5 year period |
6 | Scientist | Scientific discovery made | Add +5 to trade generated from All Roads or Transport Ships |
7 | Reporter | Create a story (need not be true) based on a current event | No game effect |
8 | Priest | Create a theological argument | 40% chance of a religious schism / holy war. |
9 | Poet | Create a poem based on a historical event or other nationalistic/jingoistic work. | -1 to Civil Disorder rate |
10 | Musician | Create a "National Anthem" or other nationalistic work. | -1 to Civil Disorder rate |
11 | Lawyer | Codify a law of the country (Inheritance rules, Marriage/Divorce, Trade etc.) | No game effect |
12 | Historian | Write a history of the nation (should usually be true) | No game effect |
13 | Governor | Great City governor | -1 to Civil Disorder rate, for that city |
14 | Counselor | If added to leaders entourage | temporary +1 to leader's popularity characteristic |
15 | Cartographer | Make a map of the country in greater detail | No game effect |
16 | Astrologer | Fortune telling ability | May take a peek at the next card to be drawn BEFORE making a decision, once only |
17 | Doctor | Greater Medical ability | +2 to chance to defeat a plague or famine. |
18 | Diplomat | If assigned to a diplomatic mission | +2 to chance to reach agreement. |
19 | Artist | As Architect except mural or sculpture is created | -1 to Civil Disorder rate. |
Staff College Characters |
No | Speciality | Action | Game Effect |
1 | Engineer | Creates better fortifications | Fortification adds +2 to defence not +1 |
2 | Leader | A Staff College teacher of great renown | + 1 to student character's Popularity |
3 | Instructor | A Staff College teacher of great renown | +2 to chance of a student increasing their Military Aptitude. |
4 | Teacher | A Staff College teacher of great renown | + 2 to chance of another specialist in the following 5 year period |
5 | Patriot | A fervent nationalist | +1 to a student character's loyalty |
6 | Spy | Espionage specialist | If student is later at war, allow one "sneak" preview of opponents next card BEFORE making a decision. |
7 | Tactician | A Staff College teacher of great renown | +1 to students ability
to make tactical decisions (see optional tactics rules) |
8 | Strategist | A Staff College teacher of great renown | +1 to students ability to make strategic decisions (see optional strategy rules) |
Optional 7.3 Political Bargaining
Politics in this game revolves around "Advantages". Each agreement, pact or alliance presents Advantages to both parties. The difference in the value of the agreement or alliance to each party is called the Inequality. It is measured as the Advantages for the owning country (or that country which has paid for the Diplomatic Mission) less the Advantages of the host country. Thus an agreement which is more favourable to the owning country than to the host country will have a positive Inequality, whilst any agreement with more advantages to the host country will have a negative Inequality.
Any Political Maneuver must be "sold" by the Diplomatic Mission to the host country. This is done by drawing a playing card from a normal deck of cards (with the jokers removed) and obtaining a card higher in value than 3 (three) plus the Inequality of the deal, plus any modifiers that apply.
If a Political Maneuver fails, it can only be asked of the host country again, in a subsequent year, if the Diplomatic Mission makes a better offer. This is in total, after applying the -1 modifier for having asked this before! If a Diplomatic Mission fails in achieving a Political maneuvers, after asking for it three times, the Diplomatic Mission must be recalled and lost to the owning country, as it will have out-stayed its welcome.
Optional 7.3.1 Advantages & Modifiers |
Plus/Minus | Description | Limitations |
+/- 1 | Per Road section (hex) difference between the city and the border for each country (the cross border hex can be allocated to either country) | Trade Agreements Only |
+/- 1 | Use of a "Right of Way" over the country's land or "territorial waters" to allow access to the trade of a third party. | Trade Agreements Only |
+/- 1 | Use of a University or Staff College to the Characters of a country that does not possess this Improvement. | - |
+/-1 | Offer of a marriage alliance between powerful, but not royal families. | - |
+/- 1 | For every point of difference in Political Ability between the Mission Leader and the host country's ruler. | - |
+/-1 | If a previous similar Political Maneuver (Trade Agreement, Pact or Alliance) already exists between the two countries. | - |
+/-1 | Per offer of a 25 points of taxation "donation" to the other country, now or in the past and this modifier not previously used for that donation. | - |
+/- 1 | If a similar maneuver to the present one has already been rejected. | - |
+/- 2 | Use of a "Right of Way" over the country's land or "territorial waters" to allow military access to a third party. | - |
+/- 2 | If one country's army exceeds twice the size of the other country's army. | Not Trade Agreements |
+/-2 | If one country threatens a military raid into the other country if the agreement is not reached. $ | Not Trade Agreements |
+/- 2 | Per 3 unit contingent that the country may have to supply to the aid of the other. | Not Trade Agreements |
+/- 2 | If the other country's ruler has broken a previous agreement. | - |
+/-2 | The End of Hostilities | Peace Agreements |
+/-3 | Offer of a marriage alliance between the royal houses. | - |
+/- 4 | If the other country has invaded any country without warning. | - |
+/- 8 | If it is likely that the country will have to go to war with its whole army. | Not Trade Agreements |
+/- 8 | If one country threatens to wage war with the other country if the agreement is not reached. | Not Trade Agreements. If a country threatens a Raid or War and the agreement is not reached the country must carry out its threat or suffer the 2 point modifier for "If the country's rulers has broken a previous agreement." |
Example 1
Country "A" sends a Diplomatic Mission to country "B". A seeks an overland Trade Agreement with B. A's city is three hexes from the border and B's city is 1 hex from the border. A offers to let B build the road crossing the border hex, making three hexes of trade for A and two hexes of trade for B, and a +1 modifier to the target needed to achieve the agreement. To help B's ruler make up his mind A's Diplomatic Mission offers a 25 point bribe. The final target is 3 +1 -1 = 3.
Example 2
Country "C" retains a Diplomatic Mission to country "D" after achieving a Trade Agreement. C asks for a defensive alliance with D, where each country will come to the aid of the other country with a three element contingent, if they are invaded. The advantages and modifiers are, +2 for the three element assistance, +2 as D's army is more than twice that of C (and therefore less likely to be invaded), -1 for the offer of a marriage between the generals' families of each country, and - 1 for the offer of the use of C's University to the characters in country D. Net target is 3 +2 +2 -1 -1 = 5. If C draws a card from Ace to a five there is no alliance, and if a six to a King, then a defensive alliance is agreed.
Optional 7.3.9 Five-year Rule
When conducting five-year turns, do not use the table of plus and minus factors. Assume the maneuver averages to a target figure of 7 in all cases, to avoid having to refer to the personalities in another country. Thus, on the draw of an Ace to seven the attempt succeeds, and on a 8 to a King the attempt fails.
9.9 Summary and Design Notes
I hope these rules for a "Civilized Campaign" at least provide amusement for players. But since they were FREE don't expect the world of them! The wargames rules they are intended to be used with are DBA or HOTT, both of which are published by WRG. Characters & characteristics rules are loosely based on those in Tony Bath's Setting Up A Wargames Campaign also published by WRG.
I found it easier to organize the campaign by having three manila folders for each country. One for the character sheets, one for the country's maps, and one for all the other notes, such as financial records, army details, histories etc. Each set of three folders is kept in a document wallet colour coordinated with the colour representing that country on the master map. Finally all the country wallets, together with the master map, yearly notes sheets and blank forms are kept in a satchel or briefcase, to keep the whole campaign tidily organized.
More Civilized Campaigns
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