1465 AD

Campaign Game Rules

by Terry Gore


This is a campaign gaming system designed for miniatures using the popular DBM. DBA, ARMATI and WRG 7th wargames mles. It is also applicable as a board game which can be played in its own right, as well. The campaign system can be played with from two to six participants, even more with variable allies and different opponents brought in.

The system is based upon a presumption of a major war being fought over the countries of Transylvania, Moldavia, Wallachia and Hungary. This fascinating period involves the personages of such well known characters as Vlad Dracula, Mathias Corvinus and his 'Black Army', and Mehmet the Conqueror. Each leader is allotted a Cin C or overall commander and two 'free' subordinate generals as well as 3500 points (WRG 7th), 900 points (DBM), three 12 element armies (DBA), or 100 points plus double the basics (ARMATI) armies.

Armies are 'purchased' from the published, appropriate army lists for each given rules system. Army list minimums and maximums are doubled for the purposes of these rules. You may also buy as many generals as allowed, but count the three 'free' ones against list maximums. Field fortifications and portable obstacles allowed in the lists are also eligible purchases. Now for the rudiments.

When figuring combat odds, this is done by counting castings, not their points values.

Movement order is either done by die roll (1d6), with the higher roll moving or placing one army, then his opponent moving one, etc., or by use of the popular card system, take your choice. Continue until all armies have been moved or left in place.

In order to move, an army MUST HAVE A GENERAL with it at the start ot the turn.

Each town/castle has a small garrison equal to 1 unit/group of four stands/elements (two for DBA) of close order foot, average morale with spear and shield. They may not leave, but can be killed, captured or perhaps persuaded to join their conqueror's faction.

FACTIONS:

Number of Factions:

    2= Hungarians vrs. Transylvanians
    3= Above plus vrs. Moldavians
    4= Above plus vrs. Wallachians
    5= Above plus vrs. Ottomans
    6= Above plus vrs. Teutonic Knights

Each faction starts the game with three generals, all of good quality, and 3500 points of WRG 7th troops; 900 points of DBM and 100 points plus 2x Core basics of ARMATI. All Army List minimums and maximums are doubled. More generals may be bought as desired. For DBA, start with three 12 element armies per faction.

TURN SEQUENCE:

  1. Roll for Move Initiative.
  2. Move all desired units with generals.
  3. Repeat for all opponents.
  4. Combat: All units in the same hex as non-garrisoning enemy must either fight or retire taking attrition losscs as they leave.
  5. Siege and Assault of towns are adjudicated.
  6. Recover losses from battle for winners.

GAME MECHANICS:

  1. At Start, factions initially place a garrison in any desired towns/castles, one player place one, next player places one until all towns/castles are garrisoned. Note: You must designate one of the underlined towns as your capital and garrison this one first.
  2. Each turn equals approximately one week. Each hex equals 25 miles.
  3. At the beginning of the game and each turn thereafter, roll 1d6 for movement initiative. High roll chooses which action goes first. Then proceed in clockwise direction around table. Move one army. Opponent moves one. Etc. Repeat until all desired armies have been moved.
  4. In order for a unit to move, a general must start the turn in the same hex.
  5. Any army moving into a hex with an enemy army (not in a town) must halt.
  6. Any armies in a hex with an opponent's arrny must fight or withdraw taking attrition losses if it leaves (See Attrition Table). The non-withdrawing army rolls for which table is used and the with-drawing army rolls for severity.
  7. Battles of any size can be fought out in miniature or they may be fought out quickly on the combat matrix or using DBA armies (See Appendix). Usually, both players should agree to fight if larger army is under 1000 points WRG 7th, under 225 points DBM or under 30 points ARMATI. Over that number, only one player desiring miniature battle is required (unless ridiculous odds of 6-1 or worse, then smaller force is overwhelmed and destroyed).
  8. Each turn represents one week of time. Mark off on turn record chart. During the winter (Dec., Jan.. Feb.. March), armies not in towns take attrition (See Attrition Chart).

MOVEMENT:

You need a general to move.

  1. A Mixed army (cavalry and foot) moves 2 hexes per turn.
    A Cavalry Army (no close-order foot) moves 3 hexes per turn.
    An all-Cavalry Army (only mtd. and Sl/LI) moves 4 hexes per turn.
    Any army can attempt a Force March, but takes Attrition losses on Low Attrition Table for 1 extra hex, on Moderate Table for 2 extra hexes.
  2. Upon entering a hex containing an enemy army (not in a town/castle), you must halt.
  3. Upon entering a hex containing an enemy in garrison (in the town/castle) designated by the owning player by placing the army upside down), you may continue on besiege the town or assault it.
  4. Movement in winter is 1/2 normal. rounding down.
  5. Movement in Forest and/or Mountains is limited to 1 hex per turn unless moving through a pass or along a road (so designated on map). Remember, you must roll for Attrition if caught in mountains, even if moving through a pass.
  6. Rivers may only be crossed at fords of bridges at -1 movement point. No other crossings are allowed unless buying boats. Boats take a complete turn to cross; i.e. load and move or move and unload.
  7. Moving into a town/castle ends your movement. You may move through the hex and bypass the town/castle with no penalty.

ATTRITION

Armies are assumed to live off the land or have a rudimentary form of supply, so this aspect is only important when: a) winter is at hand; b) an army remains in mountainous terrain its whole turn: c) as a result of combat.

1) Armies in towns/castles during winter must roll for attrition. Start at Low Attrition, which progresses to Extreme Attrition as winter continues.

2) During the rest of the year, armies in mountains suffer Low Attrition if they remain in them the entire turn.

3) Armies in mountains during winter always suffer Extreme Attrition.

4) If losing a battle and there is no friendly town/castle within a normal move and capable of being reached ( i.e.. not besieged or surrounded by enemy), roll for additional losses on High Attrition table. First move a normal move away from enemy and reform in that hex.

ATTRITION TABLE
D5 RollLOWMODERATEHIGHEXTREME
220%30%40%50%
310%20%30%40%
45%10%20%30%
5-5%10%20%
Percent losses on the number of figures in the army

If the CiC is with the army, add 1 to the die roll. 6) Attnition losses are taken on any troops the player wishes to lose. (The best troops etc lived better than their subordinates).

SIEGES

Garrisoned towns/castles must be besieged or assaulted to be captured. Sieges are rolled for on the Siege Table.

Assaults may be rolled for or fought out on the table using any suitable siege rules. The longer the siege, the less chance the garrison has of surviving. Use a d10 to determine success or failure.

SIEGE TABLE
D6 ROLLTURN
12345678
1-------C
2-----CCC
3----CCCC
4---CCCCC
5--CCCCCC
6-CCCCCCC
General with garrison -1 from die roll.
CiC with besiegers +1 to die roll.

A captured garrison may be ransomed (exchanged for your own captured troops), put to the sword, or held prisoner for later exchange. In lieu of a siege. a town may be Assaulted.

  1. Each town has a points value. A castle or normal walled town has a value of 20; a large town is worth 30 points: a capital worth 40.
  2. Add the value of the number of troops inside. Levies ('D' class) count 1 pt. each: most others count 2 and Household or Guards ('A' class) count 3.
  3. Generals add their full value (50/75/100 points).
  4. Garrisons may sortie out and fight in the open it desired.
  5. Assaults may be rolled for on Assault Table or played out in miniature.

ASSAULT TABLE

Count up total number of figures. Defender adds point value of town, generals and troop value as noted above. Attacker counts up his numbers only, adding for generals as above. Deterrnine odds ratio, rounding down. If one to one odds, both sides roll 1d6. If 2-1 odds, roll 2d6 to 1d6, and so on. If odds are less than 1:1, defender rolls 2d6 vrs. attackers 1d6. It is interesting to note that using blind armies (your opponent has no idea of your numerical size), allows for some very interesting possibilities when assaulting towns!

Compare die rolls: if defender wins or ties, attacker loses 20%, defender loses 0!
Attacker Higher by:Attacker LosesDefender Loses
1 or 220%10%
3 or 420%15%
5 or 615%20%
7 or 810%Captured
9 or 100%Captured
General with garrison +1 to defender's die roll
CiC present +1 to die roll

  • Captured towns may be held or looted and burned to deny enemy sanctuary and safety in winter.
  • An army looting a town in November does not have to worry about Attrition in December. It has enough supplies now for one month.

COMBAT

Any time an enemy moves into a hex containq a non-garrisoning faction's army, a battle must be fought unless one side opts to retreat, taking attrition losses while doing so.

  1. Battles are fought after all armies have been moved, so. theoretically an embattled friendly force may be reinforced by other armies moving into the hex.
  2. Whether played in miniature or using the combat tables, the loser of a combat must immediately retire to the nearest friendly town within a normal move, taking losses on the low attrition table. If no such refuge exists, the loser retires directly away from thc enemy a normal move, taking attrition losses on the high attrition table. All armies must spend at least one turn reforming after a battle.
  3. If all of the generals with an army are killed or lost, the army is leaderless and cannot move after the initial retreat If no other friendly general can reach a losing army which is not reforming in a town/castle, they will surrender to the first enemy entering their hex.
  4. The winning army may attempt to recover some of their battle losses. Roll 1d6 for each unit lost (or Shaken); element lost in DBA/DBM. A roll of 6 recovers the unit or element.
  5. Generals lost are not replaceable. Once your officer corps is gone. thc game is over for you!
  6. Captured units may be exchanged, destroyed, or enticed to join your army. Roll 1d6 per captured unit. If roll is a 6, they join you!

COMBAT TABLE:

Odds are figured on a casting per casting basis. No extra points for generals, better troops, etc. As you can see, it is better to fight out even small battles using miniatures if you have a good quality army. One to one odds = 1d6 each. Two to one = 2d6 to 1d6. Etc. First number is winner's percentage of army lost, second number is loser's percentage of army lost.
COMBAT TABLE
Die roll
Differential
1-1 Odds2-1 Odds3-1 or more
010%
10%
20%
10%
25%
10%
110%
10%
20%
20%
15%
20%
210%
10%
10%
30%
10%
30%
320%
50%
10%
50%
10%
50%
420%
50%
10%
50%
10%
50%
530%
50%
10%
50%
10%
75%
630%
75%
10%
50%
10%
75%
730%
75%
10%
50%
10%
100%
840%
100%
10%
100%
10%
100%
930%
100%
10%
100%
10%
100%
CiC w/army +2 to die roll
If holding pass/ford/bridge crossing against enemy trying to cross: count double army size.

WINNING THE GAME

Once the enemy capital fortress is captured/reduced, or all of his generals are killed or lost, you have won. Control of towns is only important for retreat sanctuary and supply in winter.

Campaign Hex Map: Larger version than one below. Big file. Slow download. Mediocre Quality.


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© Copyright 1996 by Terry Gore

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