posted 10-19-07 03:29 PM EDT (US)
Governors start as level 5 heroes and are created as a normal hero of a race appropriate for the home nation. Any class, prestige class, feat, skill trick and spell found in any official D&D book can be used. The governor must be within one alignment step of the home nation.
-Abilities are determinate by a point buy system. Each ability starts at level 8 and you get 30 points to by ability points for. Each ability point cost one point and no ability can be raised to higher than 18. Racial adjustments are added after the point by and can therefore raise abilities to above 18 (and lover them to below 8). After racial adjustments, one ability points for being level 4 are added anywhere you like.
-Equipment: The governor starts with 9000 gp worth of equipment. Any gold not used to acquire equipment will be added to the starting treasure of the colony. Don’t bother with basic things like rope, backpacks, food, clothing etc. the governor (and heroes) will be assumed to have such things when needed.
-Skills: Any skill that is a class skill for one class a character has, is considered a class skill for all his classes. Contraction is modified by wisdom instead of constitution. Spot and Listen are merged into a single skill called Detection (wis), and Hide and Move Silently are merged into a single skill called Stealth (dex). If any one of two skills that are merged is a class skill for one of his classes the new shill are a class skill as well (for all his classes).
3 new skills are added, they are Leadership (cha), Command (cha) and Battle Tactics (int).
Leadership (cha) determinates how many orders the governor can give each weak and how likely those orders are to be followed by his administration.
Command (cha) determinates how likely orders given in battle are to be followed by units
Battle Tactics (int) determinates who will get the best position on the battle map and who will attack first.
Governors (and heroes) can acquire gold through personal trade, so giving them ranks in profession (trader) can greatly increase the gold they can acquire that way. Diplomacy, bluff, appraise and sense motive also helps
- Patron Deity: You need to chose a patron deity for your governor as religion will play a role in the game as well. There will be some restrictions on what you can chose depending on your home nation.
Heroes start out at level 4, can have up to 5000 gp worth of equipment and can be of any race. Their alignment can’t be opposite the governor’s alignment. Otherwise a hero is created the same way as the governor
It normally cost 10 pp to acquire a hero
Each player can control a maximum of 5 heroes.
Each colony starts out with one province, the governor, a few basic units, 10,000 gp and 2 pp
The game will run in “real-time” so one week in the game will be one weak in the real world. Each Saturday morning at 10 GMT will be the deadline where no more actions for that week can be taken. I will then use the weekend to update everything and the next in-game week will start. Now and then I will probably chose to delay everything with another week.
Each week the governor can perform one action and issue a number of orders
Actions includes the following (more on specific actions later): Attacking other provinces, exploring ruins and other dungeons, going on diplomatic missions, Creating magic items, overseeing construction of buildings, Increase control of province, Personal trade
Heroes can perform one action per weak as well.
The governor can issue a number of orders equal to half his skill in Leadership. If he performs no action that week, he can issue 2 extra orders and he can also issue one extra order per hero he has, or 2 extra orders if the hero don’t perform any action that week. Orders are anything that the governor or heroes don’t have to do themselves. It includes the following (more on specific orders later): Construction of buildings, mines and roads, changing tax rate, changing freedom level, sending or relocating agents (emissary, scout, spy, assassin), acquiring new units, upgrading units, replacing losses, send gifts, request grants etc.
These actions are free and don’t use up any of the orders that a governor can issue every week.
Only items that are listed in the core rules or the magic item compendium can be bought. They always cost their listed price, unless they can be produced by an “arms and armor smith” in one of the provinces, in that case they cost the same as if they were made by a hero (usually half the listed price). Items costing more than 20,000 gp can only be bought from the home nation and will have to be transported to the colony (by ship or magic) before they can be used
Items can be sold to half their listed price.
Magic and masterwork items that are captured in battle or found in a dungeon ate by default placed in the colony’s treasury. Ordinary items are sold automatically. Items in the treasury can be sold at any time, and mew items can freely be bought and placed in the treasury at any time as well. Heroes can also freely transfer items between the treasury and their inventory at any time except in the middle of a fight.
Lieutenants can also borrow items from the treasury when the accompany heroes into dungeons.
Lieutenants are only considered proficient with the weapons they carry as well as similar lighter weapons.
Lieutenants are proficient with armor in the same weight category as the armor they carry as well as any lighter armor. Lieutenants that carry shields are proficient with any kind of shield
Note: It can sometimes be beneficial to equip lieutenants with items that they are not proficient with…
In case of any item other than armor and weapons, lieutenants can use any item that their class allows the use of.
Speaking with the leader/government of the home nation through a magic item is a free action if it doesn’t include anything that is listed under orders or actions below.
Casting a spell is a free action unless the spell takes a whole day or more to cast (then is an action)
The price for constructing a building and the time of construction are listed under each building. The gold is paid when construction starts.
Buildings can be sold (deconstructed) for 25% of their construction price. Doing so takes one week (meaning that the gold will be available the next week)
Each province has a tax rate and a trade tax rate. Changing one of those tax rates for an individual province takes one order. It is however possible to change all tax rats for the whole colony to a specific value by using only one order (Example: “Change all trade tax rates to medium”)
The Freedom level can be set to low, medium, and high
Low freedom lowers corruption, but also makes people unhappy, especially if they are of chaotic alignments. High freedom makes people happy, but increase corruption
Scout: cost to send 500 gp, cost to relocate 0 gp
Scouts are sent to explore provinces and keep an eye on military movements. They use their stealth skills to avoid capture
Spy: cost to send 1000 gp, cost to relocate 500 gp
Spies are send into the central town of enemy or neutral provinces, here they can have the following missions:
Obtain information: The Spy tries to get detailed information about the province, and observe military movements
Indict unrest: The spy tries to make the population unhappy and start rebellions
Sabotage: The spy attempts to sabotage buildings and constructions
Steal: The spy attempt to steal gold and other valuable things.
A spy can be ordered to change his mission at any time.
Spies use their stealth and disguise to avoid detection and complete missions.
Assassin: cost to send 1000 gp, cost to relocate 500 gp
An assassin can be ordered to kill a specific target or just kill enemies in general
More than one spy or assassin can be send to the same province and they have a better chance of establish themselves if an agent is already there.
Emissary: cost to send 500 gp, cost to relocate 0 gp
Emissaries can be sent to establish diplomatic relations with neutral provinces and other colonies and they can try to negotiate beneficial treaties. They can be ordered to negotiate a specific treaty or just to negotiate the best treaty they can.
All home nations have a number of high level wizards and clerics, including at least one who able to cast level 9 spells.
Magic aid can be requested from such wizards and clerics. The magic aid can be any spell, but can’t be used in combat. It can also be used to enhance an item or to make a new magic item. Examples of magic aid can be Greater Teleport to transport the governor to or from the home nation, Teleport Object in order to teleport an item or Teleportation Circle in order to teleport one or more units.
Spells can even be made permanent and a permanent Teleportation Circle could make a magic gateway between the home nation and colony (one-way if cast once and two-way if cast twice)
Spells cast this way cost the usual price for magic service in gp. In addition to that it always cost one pp to request magic aid, and it also costs one pp for every 500 exp that the caster loses by casting a spell or enhancing an item.
Units can be recited from the homeland or locally if the right military structures are present. It is also possible to recruit mercenaries locally as each province will usually have a small number of mercenaries available.
One order is used for each unit recruited.
Homeland units will have to be transported to the colony before they can be used. Transport by ship usually takes two weeks and the units can arrive in any costal province in the colony, from there they will have to travel on their own to where they are needed. Magic can be used to instantly bring the units to where they are needed.
Units produced locally cost 500 gp less (no transport fee) and are ready in only one week. If the province has an “arms and armor smith” the unit gets a discount equal to half its equipment price.
Mercenaries are ready as soon as they are recruited, they are cheep to recruit, but has very high upkeep. They are recruited on a 4 weeks contract so they can’t be disbanded before 4 weeks of service.
It generally takes one order pr unit to get replacements for units, but there are exceptions:
It is possibly to order replacements for all units in the colony with one order
It is possibly to order replacements for all units in a province with one order
It is possibly to order replacements for all units of a specific kind in the colony with one order
It is possibly to order replacements for all units of a specific kind in a province with one order
If a unit can’t be produced in the colony, replacements will have to be transported from the home nation.
Upgrading units “costs” one order per unit upgraded
The listed gp price for upgrading units is halved if the province has an arms and armor smith
Prestige points are purchased by giving “gifts” of the listed amount of gold to the ruler(s) of the home nation
They are sold by requesting “grants” of the listed amount of gold
A unit or a group of units can be ordered to move to another province with one order.
The hero moves to another province and can bring as many units with him as he likes. If he moves into a province that is not part of his colony, and he has not permission to do so, it is an attack and combat (usually) starts, either immediately or next week.
Moving by teleporting is instantly and is a free action.
Secret movement: A move action or order doesn’t take effect before the end of the week, so if a player doesn’t want other players to know about his movements, he can email me the movement action/order rather then posting it in the IC thread. Players that have spies or scouts in his provinces may learn of the movement anyway though.
If a player learns about movement into one of his provinces he can make his forces in that province move to intercept the attacker close to the border. Doing so has the advantage of avoiding war damage to the province, but also has the disadvantage that there is no time to form militia units.
If an attack is intercepted the combat starts immediately rather than the start of next week.
Sneaking and surprise attacks:
It is possible for a hero and/or units to use stealth to sneak into an enemy province, but he (an his units) has to the detection roll of all the enemy units in that province. If no units are present in the province he just has to beat a single detection roll with a +1 modifier. If the hero and/or units are successful, he can sneak through the province or make a surprise attack. A surprise attack gives the hero a +5 on the battle tactics roll and the defender only get half as many militia as normal. Teleporting into a province also counts as a surprise attack.
Each province has one or two dungeons, one or more heroes can explore them as a mini-adventure.
When adventuring a heroes work as normal D&D heroes. If they are less than 4 heroes they can bring “lieutenants” with them from units in the same province (enough to bring the group up to 4). Each unit can provide one lieutenant who is an NPC (controlled by the DM) that has the same stats as the unit (except the extra hp and attacks) but is one level higher than the unit is. Anything found during an adventure that the heroes don’t want to use themselves is brought out immediately so it can be used by the colony. A governor is in contact with his colony and can issue orders during an adventure unless he is trapped somehow.
Heroes can go on diplomatic missions to neutral provinces (they should ensure peaceful diplomatic through an emissary fist, or they might be attacked) to other colonies and to their home nation. On such missions they can employ all kind of “people skills” such as diplomacy, bluff, gather information, sense motive and intimidate. Knowledge skills may also be useful.
Missions to neutral provinces may establish beneficial agreements with them or even cause them to join the colony
Missions to other colonies may establish treaties or alliances
Missions to the home nation may result in various kind of aid (what ever the governor asks for) or lowering of the homeland tax rate.
Bribing (giving gifts) can generally increase the chance of success of diplomatic missions and when dealing with the home nation, pp can be expended too.
A hero can act as a scout, spy or assassin if he like. If he has good skills (stealth, disguise, detection, forgery, bluff and gather information) he may be much more effective than a normal agent. He does take the risk of being killed or captured though…
Heroes can use craft skills or magic item feats to make items. Doing so follow the normal rules for making (magic) items.
A hero can oversee the construction of a building, thereby making it being built twice as fast as normal.
A hero can try to prevent corruption in a province, doing so will lower the corruption with (30 + a sense motive roll + a gather information roll)% for that week.
A hero can do personal trade. Personal trade generates gold directly, following this formula: 20 x (1d20 + profession (trader)) + 10 x (diplomacy + apprise + bluff + sense motive + 1d20) = number of gp generated each week. At least one rank is needed in each of the skills for them to count in this calculation. This gold goes directly to the player’s treasury and is not taxed in any way.
Just because your colony controls a province it doesn’t make all the people of that province citizens of your colony. By increasing control of the province a hero can greatly increase the rate at which people become citizens. That can be done in 3 ways:
Military: The hero moves around in the province (with any units that may be there) and more or less forces people to become citizens. This can be very effective if the hero has high intimidation skills and there are many units in the province. It will temporary lower the happiness though and may cause people to leave the province (something that can be good if those that leave are mostly of “undesired races”) It can also lead to military confrontation.
Diplomatically: The hero use diplomacy to cause people to become citizens
Both: The hero use diplomacy backed by military force to cause people to become citizens (this can be a good option for heroes with high skill in both diplomacy and intimidation)
gp = gold pieces
pp = prestige points
fp = favor points
Prestige points are gained by winning battles, gaining new provinces, by large increase of overall trade and other things your home nation likes. You can also “buy” pp by sending large gifts of gp to the rulers of your home nation (8000-15000 gp pr pp depending on your home nation)
pp are used to gain new heroes, elite and special units and to “influence” your home nation. pp can also be used to request grants of gp from your home nation (4000-8000 gp pr pp depending on your home nation)
fp is a measure of how well your patron deity likes you. You gain favor by doing things you deity likes and lose it by doing things he/she don’t like. Building shrines and temples to your deity are a sure way to gain favor. If you have lots of fp your deity may come to your aid in various ways. You can also ask for aid, but that costs fp.
Blessings: you can ask your deity bless your army before a battle. That costs a reasonable low amount of fp and all your units will have the benefit of the bless spell for the entire battle.
Miracle: you can ask for a miracle. A miracle can be almost anything you can imagine, but depending on what you ask for, you deity may not grant you one and asking for a miracle always cost a lot of favor no matter the outcome.
Governors that are divine casters can also use fp to replace cast spells, which cost 1 fp per spell level. Divine casters need to be careful though, because should their fp ever go negative, they loose their ability to cast spells until it is positive again
(Trade tax is treaded under trade)
The tax rate of a province can be set to:
No tax
Very low: 1 gp per/10 citizens
Low: 2 gp per/10 citizens
Medium: 3 gp per/10 citizens
High: 4 gp per/10 citizens
Very high: 5 gp per/10 citizens
Higher taxes will increase corruption and decrees happiness
Only citizens pay taxes, the part of the population in a province that is not citizens don’t pay taxes.
Trade is an import source of income for colonies. Trade is generated as trade points (tp). There are 2 sources of tp; population and resources. For every 10 people there is in a colony, 1 tp is generated, and every 10 peoples that are citizens generate another tp. Resources generates a specific amount of tp, that can often be increased by buildings (mines and farms).
Gold is generated from trade through trade taxes. The trade tax can be: very low 10%, low 20%, medium 30%, high 50%, very high 50%. Trade taxes has a negative influence on trade and reduce the tp generated by the following percentages: very low -30%, low -60%, medium -90%, high -120%, very high -150%. Trade tax also increase corruption a little, more on that later
There is however plenty of buildings that increase trade with as specific percentages and the central town in a province also increase trade with as specific percentage
If for example a province has a base trade generation of 1000tp and its buildings and central town increase trade by 80% and the trade tax is set to medium (-90% tp), that province ends up generating 90% of its base trade = 900 tp. 30% of 900 is 270, so 270 gp comes in through trade taxes from that province. (if the trade tax was raised to high (-120% tp), the province would end up generating 60% of its base trade = 600 tp. 40% of 600 is 240, so increasing trade tax would be bad in this case)
Exotic Fruit: 500 tp (1000 tp with plantation)
Exotic Spices: 1000 tp (2000 tp with farm)
Silk: 500 tp (3000 tp with farm)
Cacao: 500 tp (1000 with farm)
Amber: 500 tp
Exotic Animals: 500 tp
Exotic Wood: 500 tp
Darkwood: 1000 tp
Marble: 500 tp, 25% discount on building temples (in the province and any province that is connected by roads)
Salt: 0tp (500 tp with mine)
Coal: 0tp (500 tp with mine)
Lead: 0tp (500 tp with mine)
Iron ore: 0 tp (1000 tp with mine)
Tin ore: 0 tp (1000 tp with mine)
Zinc ore: 0 tp (1500 tp with mine)
Cold Iron ore: 0 tp (2000 tp with mine)
Mithral ore: 0 tp (3000 tp with mine)
Adamantine ore: 0 tp (5000 tp with mine)
Copper: 0 gp (500 gp with mine)
Silver: 0 gp (1000 gp with mine)
Gold: 500 gp (2000 gp with mine)
Platinum: 700 gp (4000 gp with mine)
Gems: 1000 gp (5000 gp with mine)
River: +25% tp
Grassland:
Movement cost: 20 ft (15 with roads)
Desert:
Movement cost: 25 ft (20 with roads)
Desert units get +2 to stealth and detection, Calimshan heroes get +1 to battle tactics
Forest:
Movement cost: 30 ft (15 with roads)
+4 to stealth
Elves, centaurs and other forest dwellers get +2 to stealth and detection, elven heroes get +2 to battle tactics
Hills:
Movement cost: 30 ft (25 if unit has 5 or more in climb, 20 with roads)
+1 to stealth
Dwarves, goblinoids, orcs and giants get +2 to stealth and detection and heroes of those races get +2 to battle tactics
Mountains:
Movement cost: 50 ft (40 if unit has 5 or more in climb, 30 with roads)
+3 to stealth
Dwarves, goblinoids, orcs and giants get +2 to stealth and detection and heroes of those races get +2 to battle tactics
River:
+10 ft to cross unless unit has 5 or more in swim
Movement cost is the number of base moment feet it costs to move into/through a province, so a unit with 20 ft base movement could move through one grassland province per week while a unit with 40 ft base movement could move through two grassland provinces per week A unit can always move a minimum of one province per week, no matter the cost to move into the next province.
A stealth bonus makes it easier for agents, heroes and units to sneak into/through a province.
Many buildings require a central town of a specific minimum size before they can be build. The size of the town also limits how many mines/farms that can be run at the same time.
Hamlet: 1-199, 1 mine/farm
Village: 200-999, 2 mines/farms
Small Town: 1000-1999, 3 mines/farms, +10% tp
Town: 2000-2999, 4 mines/farms, +20% tp
Large Town: 3000-4999, 5 mines/farms, +30% tp
Small City: 5000-7999, 7 mines/farms, +40% tp
City: 8000-11,999, 9 mines/farms, +50% tp
Large City: 12,000-19,999, 12 mines/farms, +60% tp
Huge City: 20,000-29,999, 15 mines/farms, +80% tp
Metropolis: 30,000-, unlimited mines/farms, +100% tp
Mines: 5000 gp, 4 weeks (reopening abandoned mine: 1000 gp, 1 week)
- Salt: 500 tp, Coal: 500 tp, Lead: 500 tp, Iron ore: 1000 tp, Tin ore: 1000 tp, Zinc ore: 1500 tp, Cold Iron ore: 2000 tp, Mithral ore: 3000 tp, Adamantine ore: 5000 tp
- Copper: 500 gp, Silver: 1000 gp, Gold: 2000 gp, Platinum: 4000 gp, Gems: 5000 gp
Farms: 3000 gp, 8 weeks (4 weeks with plant growth spell, 6 weeks if silk farm)
-Spice farm: 2000 tp, Fruit plantation: 1000 tp, Silk farm 3000 tp, cacao farm 1000 tp
Harbor: 3000 gp, 4 weeks, +25% tp (+25% tp for harbor access)
Road network: 5000 gp, 8 weeks, +50% tp, population becomes citizens twice as fast, central town grows twice as fast (+50% cost and building time in forest and hills, +100% in mountains)
Marketplace: 1000 gp, 2 weeks, +25% tp (requires village)
Trade Guild: 5000 gp, 4 weeks, +50% tp (requires town)
Bank: 10,000 gp, 4 weeks, +50% tp (requires city)
Courthouse: 8000 gp 4 weeks, -5% decrease in corruption, increase in happiness for non-chaotic races (requires large town)
Sewers: 4000 gp, 8 weeks, +5 increase in happiness (requires large city)
Secrete police headquarter: 20,000 gp, 8 weeks, -5% decrease in corruption, lower rebellion threshold (-5), decrease in happiness, enemy spies and assassins are easier detected (requires large town)
Local secrete police headquarter: 4000 gp, 4 weeks, -5% decrease in corruption, lower rebellion threshold (-5), decrease in happiness, enemy spies and assassins are easier detected (requires town and one secrete police headquarter somewhere in colony)
Shrine: 2000 gp, 4 weeks, increase in happiness depending on deity, makes raise dead possible
Temple: 8000 gp, 6 weeks, increase in happiness depending on deity, makes resurrection possible, local recruitment of clerics and druids (requires large town)
Grand Temple: 25,000 gp, 8 weeks, increase in happiness depending on deity, makes true resurrection possible (requires large city)
Training grounds: 5000 gp, 2 weeks, more and better militia
Barracks: 5000 gp, 4 weeks, local recruitment of basic units (requires town)
Military school: 10,000 gp, 4 weeks, local recruitment of advanced units (requires small city)
Mage School: 8000 gp, 4 weeks, local recruitment of arcane units (requires small city)
Arms and armor smith: 5000 gp, halves the cost of upgrading units (requires town)
Castle: 50,000 gp 10 weeks, local recruitment of elite units, -3 % decrease in corruption, lower rebellion threshold (-10), provides last defense location
Palisade walls: 3000 gp, 4 weeks, -2 % decrease in corruption, lower rebellion threshold (-5), (only hamlets and villages)
Town walls 8000, 8 weeks, -2 % decrease in corruption, lower rebellion threshold (-5), (only towns)
City walls 15,000, 10 weeks, -2 % decrease in corruption, lower rebellion threshold (-5), (only cities)
Harbor access gives a province +25% tp
A province has harbor access if it has a harbor itself or if it is connected to a harbor by roads (meaning that the province itself needs to have a road network as do the province with the harbor)
A harbor can be constructed in any costal province (a river or lake is not enough)
Each province can contain a maximum of 3 shrines, 2 temples and one grand temple. None of these can be for the same deity. A shrine can be upgraded to temple of the same deity in 5 weeks costing 7000 gp, a temple can be upgraded to a Grand of the same deity in 7 weeks costing 20,000 gp
In addition to the happiness bonus they provide, all Shrines and temples also gives a unique bonus that deepens on the deity, the bigger the temple the bigger the bonus. This bonus won’t be revealed before the first shrine or temple to that deity is built.
Happiness is measured by a value that is usually between 0 and 100, but it can go over 100 or below 0 in extreme cases. Players should try keeping the happiness in their provinces above 50, otherwise a rebellion may start in their province. Low freedom, a castle and secret police will lower the chance of a rebellion, but will also lower the happiness to some degree. There is no exact formula for happiness, the GM will decide what the happiness is each week and this will depend on a lot of factors including what races there is in the province and how well they like each other, the governor and his home nation.
Factors that effect happiness:
Shrine: -10 to +10 depending on how well the population like the deity
Temple: -20 to +20 depending on how well the population like the deity
Grand Temple: -30 to +30 depending on how well the population like the deity
Courthouse: 0 to +10 depending on the lawfulness of the population.
Sewers: +5
Secret police: 0 to -10 depending on lawfulness of the population.
Low freedom: 0 to -5 depending on lawfulness of the population.
High freedom: 0 to +5 depending on lawfulness of the population.
Very low tax: -2
Low tax: -4
Medium tax: -8
High tax: -16
Very high tax: -32
Corruption is a percentage that is subtracted from the normal income of a province
Each home nation has a base corruption, for each province that base corruption is modified by the following factors:
Courthouse: -5%
Secret police: -5%
Castle: -3%
Walls: -2%
Low freedom: -2%
High freedom: +2%
Very low tax or trade tax: +1%
Low tax or trade tax: +2%
Medium tax or trade tax: +3%
High tax or trade tax: +4%
Very high tax or trade tax: +5%
Happiness between 90 and 99: +1%
Happiness between 80 and 89: +2%
And so on…
Happiness between 110 and 119: -1%
And so on…
A unit consists of a number of creatures depending on their size: small 30, medium 20, large 5, huge 2, gargantuan or colossal 1. A unit always takes up 20x20 ft which is also the size of the squares on the combat maps. Units function very much like single creatures in normal D&D except that they has more hp and more attacks. Units hp are maximized if they consist of 5 or more creatures and their hp are multiplied by their number/5 (so a unit with 20 level 1 human warriors has (8(maximized HD)+con modifier)x4 hp). Units also have one attack for every 5 members.
Some units (such as cavalry and druids) consist of 2 types of creatures. Normally one of those types is the primary creature and only those creatures’ stats are reflected in the ability scores and feats. Most other stats, such as AC, hp, skills and attacks reflect a combination of both types of creatures’ stats.
Normally only the primary creatures can gain exp and levels
Cavalry units are also special because they normally consist of 10 large creatures (the mounts) and 10 medium or small creatures (the riders)
Heroes (including governors) have the exact same stats in combat as they have outside combat or when adventuring. A “hero unit” in combat is however considered to consist of the hero and 4 bodyguards (for fighter heroes) or apprentices (for spellcasting heroes). This affect the spells cast by heroes in combat a little (more on that later). Hero units take up a whole square when on their own, but they can join other units and share a square with them. Only mounted heroes can join cavalry units and mounted heroes has to dismount if they want to join infantry units. A hero that has joined a unit is well protected as most attacks will hit the unit rather than the hero.
Pike: 1d8 piercing damage, x2, 15 foot reach, 15 lb, 10 gp
Brave: +4 to will saves against Fear
Unit feats:
Disciplined: Unit gets +4 to will save against fear for being reduced below half hp and the DC for giving it orders are lowered with 4
Spear wall: Only works for units with pricing reach weapons. Adds +3 to AC against melee. Unit can only move at half speed and can’t run. Flanking breaks the spear wall. It takes a move action to reform the spear wall. Units in spear wall are automatically set against charge
Shield wall: Only works for units with heavy shields or tower shields. Adds +2 to AC. Unit can only move at half speed and can’t run. Flanking breaks the shield wall. It takes a move action to reform the shield wall.
Defensive formation: Adds +1 to AC against melee. Don’t work if unit are flanked
Offensive formation: Adds +1 to attack. Don’t work if unit are flanked
Cleave: An extra cleave attack is made for all primary attacks that hits
Great Cleave: An extra cleave attack is made for all attacks that hits (not including cleave attacks, so Great Cleave is only good for units with secondary attacks)
Dodge: dodge simply adds a +1 dodge bonus to AC
Cowardly: -4 to will saves against Fear
Undisciplined: Unit gets -4 to will save against fear for being reduced below half hp and the DC for giving it orders are increased with 4
The battlefields will consist of squares that each represents 20x20 feet. Moving from on square to another therefore “costs” 20 ft of movement, unless the movement is diagonal in which case it “costs” 30 ft of movement. Some squares will have difficult terrain, which will increase the cost of moving into them. A unit can however always move at least 1 square if it uses a full round to do so.
Some squares will be inaccessible, some will have water and some will provide cover and/or concealment. A units swimming skills will determinate how effectively it can move past water squares, and its climbing skills will determinate how fast it can move up steep slopes and if and how fast it can climb walls, cliff walls and similar obstacles.
The combat maps will have color codes that explain the exact properties of each square.
A player that has no heroes in a battle has no control over that battle at all. His units will be controlled by the DM
A battle tactic roll is rolled (by the DM) for the commander of each army. If an army lacks a hero, the intelligence modifier of the most intelligent unit is used instead.
The army that scorers highest on the battle tactic roll will get the most advantages position on the combat map and will be the first to move. Defending armies get a bonus (+2 to +5) on the battle tactic roll depending on how well the know the province they are defending
An army also get a +1 bonus on the battle tactic roll for every 5 ft its slowest unit is faster than the slowest enemy unit.
Ambush: When an army wins the battle tactic roll it has a chance to ambush the other army. All the units of that army makes a stealth roll with a bonus equal to the difference between the two battle tactic rolls. If all those stealth rolls beat all the detection rolls made each of the units in the other army, an ambush is made. An ambushing army will have a very large advantage as to where to place its units on the battlefield and the battlefield will be one that benefits its units most.
When the combat map is ready I will post it with makings of where each player can place his units.
Each player will then send me an email telling me where he what his units placed, if any of those units try to hide, and what starting instructions those unit has. If only one player palatinate in the combat he will of course not need to send an email, but can just use the forum. Starting instructions can be as long and complicated as the player like, but he should know that units may easily forgot very complicated instructions in “the heat of battle”. For spellcasting units that prepare spells the player will also have to decide what spells those units has prepared and for all spellcasting units he will need to decide what spells if any those units has cast before the battle starts.
Casting spells before battle: A unit can cast as many spells that lasts 1 hour or more before the battle starts as the player wants it to. In addition to that, all units can cast two rounds of spells right before the battle starts. All those spells will have 2 rounds subtracted from their duration.
When the battle starts the player only has direct control over his heroes. All other units are controlled through combat orders. A hero gets 5 “free” in the first round that represent orders given right before the battle starts. Other wise orders have the following “costs” for the hero:
1 order = free action
2 orders = move action
3 orders = standard action
4 or 5 orders = full action
Orders has to be simple, such as: “1st cavalry; Attack the archers” or “Archers; Fire on the spearmen”
Orders such as: “1st wizards; Use a fireball on the left archer group” or “Cavalry; Move around the enemy and attack the spearmen from behind” are complicated orders and use up the same amount of time as 2 simple orders
If a player let his hero issue more orders then he can in one round, I will simply disregard the last orders given.
If a hero joins a unit, that unit moves with the hero and will attack the same enemies as the hero, if it is able to do so. No orders need to be given for that.
Orders are not always followed by units, every time a hero gives an order; a DC 10 command check is made. If the hero fails, the order is not followed.
The DC 10 command check has the following modifiers:
+1 for every 10 ft of distance
+5 if unit is in melee
+2 if unit is “distracted”
+5 if unit is shaken
+10 if unit is frightened (only rally orders have any effect)
+15 if unit is panicked (only rally orders have any effect)
+ 10 if unit is deafened or blinded
- 4 if the unit has the Disciplined feat
-10 if the hero has joined the unit
The DM may add other modifiers if he find it necessary, and the hero may increase his chances with the right spells.
(Realistically there is of course a limit to how far away a hero can yell an order, but one of the hero’s men always carries signal flags so that orders can be given to far away units (or deafened units))
If a unit moves up to a unit with a longer reach than itself and attack that unit in the same turn, the unit with the longer reach gets attacks of opportunity. If the unit is already connected to a unit with a longer reach than itself from the start of the turn, it can attack without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Only units with a reach longer than 5 feet can make melee attacks diagonally. A unit with 10 ft reach can attack diagonally only once, a unit with 15 ft reach can attack twice (assuming that it normally has more that one attack), a unit with 20 ft reach can attack three times etc.
A unit that is threatened from two sides is considered flanked: +2 to all melee attackers
A unit that is threatened from three sides is considered improved flanked: +4 to all melee attackers
A unit that is threatened from all four sides is considered surrounded: +6 to all melee attackers
Units only threaten enemies diagonally if they can actually make melee attacks diagonally. A diagonally threat only works towards flanking if it is from a square that is not connected to another square with a unit threatening the enemy unit.
Half the damage a unit takes is “permanent damage” and represent creatures in that unit that has actually been killed. Permanent damage can’t be healed and the unit will need some replacements after the battle to get back to full strength. Raise dead and resurrect spells can restore some permanent damage by raising dead creatures. Replacements can be new recruits or can be taken from other units of the same kind.
When a unit is reduced to half its normal hp or less that unit loses half its attacks (and a spell casting unit caste half as many spells per casting). The unit also had to make a DC 15 will save against fear. If the save is a success, nothing happens, but if the save is between 14 and 10 the unit is shaken, if it is between 9 and 5 the units become frightened and if it is 4 or less the unit is panicked. An already shaken unit becomes freighted if shaken again and becomes panicked if frightened. A frightened unit becomes panicked if shaken or frightened.
Units with the Disciplined feat has a +4 bonus to the above will save, and units close to a hero (max 30 feet away) has a +5 bonus. Units joined by a hero have a +10 bonus. The moral of heroes are not affected by damage tone to them.
Units with 5 or less creatures do not have their number of attacks decreased by going below half hp, but they must still make the will save.
Shaken: the unit takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Frightened: As shaken, but the unit flees from enemies using the withdraw action to avoid attacks of opportunity. If the unit can’t flee it uses the total defense option
Panicked: as frightened, but the unit drops anything it holds and runs away (provoking attacks of opportunity) If it can’t flee it cowers (-2 penalty to AC and no dex bonus to AC)
Units that are reduced to 0 hp or less are destroyed
Heroes don’t die before reaching -10 hp as normal.
A hero can issue a rally command to shaken, frightened or panicked units. If he is successful, shaken or frightened units returns to normal, while the status of panicked units improves to Shaken
Spells works a little different from how the normally works:
Most spellcasting units has 10 casters, although some has 5, 15 or 20. All the casters cast the same spell at the same tile, but each spell is cast once for every 5 casters, so a normal spellcasting unit with 10 casters cast each of its spells twice. Although the two castings of the spell are cast at the same time they can have different targets. So with one casting of sleep, a unit with 10 wizards could for example cast sleep at two different units. Spellcasting heroes cast spells as a unit of 5 casters.
Area damage spells affecting a large enough area to effect a whole unit (examples: fireball, sound burst):
Effect on units with 30 creatures: maximized damage x3
Effect on units with 20 creatures: maximized damage x2
Effect on units with 5 creatures: maximized damage
Effect on heroes or units with 2 or 1 creatures: normal damage
Area damage spells affecting a large enough area to effect about half a unit (examples: burning hands, lightning bolt)
Effect on units with 30 creatures: maximized damage x1.5
Effect on units with 20 creatures: maximized damage
Effect on units with 5 creatures: normal damage
Effect on heroes or units with 2 or 1 creatures: normal damage
Single target damage spells
Effect on all units: normal damage
Spells that effect one or more single targets with other than hp damage can affect a number of targets equal to the number of casters, so 10 wizards can for example cast charm on 10 creatures in an enemy unit, or cast it on two 5 creature units, as the spell is cast twice affecting 5 creatures with each casting. Level 5 “hero unit” could cast haste on as many as 25 creatures (it could be the hero unit itself and a 20 creature unit)
When casting summering spells a unit summons a number of creatures equal to the number of its casters, so a unit with 10 druids could summon 10 wolfs with one casting of summon nature’s ally 1
If summon natures ally II was used to summon wolves, 20 wolves could be summoned and summon natures ally III or higher could summon 40 wolves.
When casting spells that can effect a maximum of HD, that maximum are multiplied by the number of casters, so a unit with 10 wizards could affect a maximum of 40 HD with sleep (no single creature with more than 4 HD could be effected though)
Any unit that that moves outside the combat map have fled the combat mo matter if it is intentional of because of fear. If all remaining units (and heroes) of one side have fled, the other side wins and will pursued the fleeing units. A fleeing unit will always get away if no pursuing can move faster than it can (running speed is what counts in this case). If some of the pursuing units are faster a unit still has a chance to get away by using stealth.
Units that successfully flee will move to a province of the controlling player’s choice or into a walled town in the same province
If a unit is captured there is a 50% chance that it will surrender, otherwise it is destroyed
A hero gets to chose if he will surrender or die if he is captured
A player can chose to surrender all his forces if the battle goes bad for him. Neutral forces may also chose to surrender if they are losing.
A winning player decides what happen to surrendered forces, he can execute them, demand ransom set them free or keep them as prisoners as long as he like.
When a combat is over, the winning player gets an amount of gold equal to half the equipment value of all units that has been destroyed (both his own and those of the enemy) + 25% of the equipment value of all the enemy units that has been reduced to half hp or less.
If the province belongs to another colony the conquering player gets 10% of the gold in that colony’s treasure (if the capital is captured 50% of the gold is taken!) If it is a neutral province, some gold is gained depending on the richness of its ruler(s).
Plunder: A province can be plundered after capture. That will give a lot of gold, but also make people very angry, which may cause a rebellion
A province can also be razed, doing so gives half the amount of gold than plundering does, and it also destroys the central town, kills some citizens and destroys all buildings in the province (except roads) Razing makes people very angry and is almost sure to cause a rebellion.
Both plunder and raze are actions.
Slavery is only an option for evil aligned colonies
When an evil player takes a province, he can choose to take any amount up to 50% of the population that would have become citizens as slaves instead. He can also choose to take those slaves from specific races only.
As an action an evil player can also make slave raids. In this case the slaves are taken from the part of the population that is not citizens. The amount of slaves taken depends on the hero’s detection skill and the number of units in the province.
Slaves don’t generate any taxes, but they generate more trade than citizens (4 tp per 10 slaves)
The citizens’ reaction to slavery depends on their race: Evil races like slavery. Neutral races dislike it, but mostly if the slaves taken are of their own race. Good races hate slavery.
If a province is attacked the citizens will form militia units to defend/help defend the province. The militia units are formed from the following formula:
#millitia units = (#citizens + #citizens living in central town)/1000 x happiness/100
25% of the militia will be warriors, 25% will be specialist and 50% will be commoners
Buildings:
If the province has training grounds it will form +50% militia and 50% of the militia will be warriors, 25% will be specialist and 25% will be commoners
Race adjustments:
Elves: 50% of the militia is level 2
Dwarves: 25% of the militia is level 2
Orcs, ogres, hobgoblins, bugbears, minotaurs, gnolls, trolls, giants, centaurs, lizardmen and catfolk: 50% of the militia is warriors (75% if there are training grounds in the province)
A cleric unit can control a maximum number of undead equal to cleric level x number of clerics in the unit.
Level 1 clerics can’t control undead at all as you need to be twice the level of cleric then the undead you control (level 2 clerics can control 1 HD undead (human skeletons for example) level 4 clerics can control 2 HD undead (zombies for example) and so on)
A cleric hero unit is actually the hero and 4 casters of equal level so a hero can control a maximum of 5 x his cleric level (so a level 5 cleric can control 25 HD of undead (25 human skeletons 12 zombies 8 bugbear skeletons and so on))
A cleric of level 5 or higher can cast animate dead (and so can a wizard of level 7 and a sorcerer of level 8)
A unit can control an amount of animated undead equal to its number of casters x 4 x caster level
This means that a level 5 cleric (unit) can animate (and control) up to 100 HD of undead. (more can be animated but control of previously animated undead will be lost then)
The pool of animated undead is completely separate from the pool of controlled undead. It is however possible to move undead from the animated pool to the controlled pool by releasing control of the indeed then control them again with the cleric ability (assuming that the undead are not powerful for you to control)
It costs 25 gp per HD to animate undead, and they can be equipped with weapons an armor that they used when they was alive. You will have to pay for such equipment as well of course, unless the undead are animated after a battle (the indeed will then carry the same equipment they did in the battle)
Animating undead in or after a battle is a free action (assuming that the spell was prepared before the battle), otherwise animating undead is an action
Heroes (only) can use scrolls to animate undead allowing them to animate undead even though their level is not high enough to cast the spell.
You need corpses or skeletons to animate undead, so if not at a battlefield you will have to seek out graveyards or burial grounds. People do not like to see their ancestors being animated so animating undead will cause unhappiness if done from graveyards/burial grounds of controlled population. If done from graveyards or burial grounds from uncontrolled population, such an act will almost for sure course the race to attack you.
It is not possible to animate an undead creature that has more than twice the HD as the caster’s caster level and never more than 20 HD
[This message has been edited by Kris Lighthawk (edited 03-08-2008 @ 10:16 PM).]
