Notable Folk for a Notable Land

Ultimately I think DBA is likely the best foundation for rules, and was a big DBA 2.2+ and WADBAG fan.....though something happened in the last year that seems to have killed both.  While this makes me sad, the show goes on.  I would note, that while wargaming focuses on the most static of times, basing games in our shared history, miniatures and rules seem so much like mayflies.  Sad, but onward.

For clarity I'm building a world leaning on Tolkien with a smidgen more magic.  Armies may be based on DBA but I expect we'll see some magic in the mix.

Rules based, the bigger issue is not the rules for the battle, but the rules for the world.  I will be rolling out the hexmap soon for the armies I have, but that part is easy.  What is not easy is the idea of solo proper.  There's two schools of thought for solo gaming:

• I'm building a world and I don't care who wins each battle I'm sold on both sides equally.  Sadly while this likely builds a better narrative in the log term, I'm curious to see what will happen to my little state of Noremgaarm. 
• You can figure out a system for programming the world and the foes, with random options for the foe based on their expected range of behavior.  This is a much more difficult way to build a legitimate foe, but likely the only option.  

So with this in mind I've created my core cast - six characters who shall serve as the basis for this first generation of events.  Each was generated randomly, with at most one stat swap each for narrative cohesion.  Each of them have a set of stats: 

• Health
• Combat
• Command (to avoid another C with Command) 
• Administration 
• Loyalty (to the current leader)
• Age - Only stat in reverse.  Higher score is older
• Diplomacy
• Skill - Riding, reading, anything not otherwise covered. 
• Magic - X is susceptable to it, while ✶✶✶ or ✶✶✶✶ may be able to cast. 

Each of these stats have a rating from X (zero, or incompetent) to ✶✶✶✶ (exceptional).  Of all stats 20% are X, 40% are ✶, 20% are ✶✶, with, for dramatic purposes, 10% are at ✶✶✶ and ✶✶✶✶.  I was slightly concerned when the first character I rolled up came up with only four total stars, but I chalked that up to him being the predecessor.

 And with no further ado-

Teos DornAthan -  Regent Captain of the Northern March - Unmarried, no heir

• Health -  ✶
• Combat - X
• Command - ✶✶ 
• Administration - ✶ 
• Loyalty - N/A 
• Age - ✶
• Diplomacy - ✶✶✶✶
• Skill - ✶✶
• Magic -X

 Vost PraeVist - Childhood friend of the Captain Regent and Commandant of the West

• Health - ✶✶✶ 
• Combat - ✶✶✶✶
• Command -  ✶
• Administration - X 
• Loyalty - ✶✶
• Age - ✶
• Diplomacy - ✶
• Skill - ✶✶✶
• Magic - ✶

Paraht DornAthan - Uncle to the Captain Regent, Commandant of the Center

• Health - ✶
• Combat - ✶
• Command - X 
• Administration - ✶ 
• Loyalty - X
• Age - ✶✶
• Diplomacy - X
• Skill - ✶
• Magic - ✶✶✶✶

Hegran Sworn - Leader of the Freesteads thrust in to leadership too young, Second to the Commandant of the East. 

• Health - ✶
• Combat - X
• Command - ✶✶  
• Administration - ✶  
• Loyalty -  ✶✶
• Age - X
• Diplomacy - X
• Skill - ✶
• Magic - X

Paet Dornborn - Adopted child of Paraht DornAthan, legal cousin of the Captain Regent

• Health - ✶
• Combat - X
• Command - ✶✶✶ 
• Administration -  ✶✶
• Loyalty - ✶
• Age - X
• Diplomacy - ✶✶
• Skill - X
• Magic - ✶✶

The Fourteenth Noremgaarmi Raeedmas - Independent religious judge of the faith, no name save his title. 

• Health - ✶
• Combat - X
• Command - X 
• Administration - ✶ 
• Loyalty - ✶✶
• Age - ✶✶
• Diplomacy - ✶✶✶
• Skill - ✶✶
• Magic - ✶

And while we're at it, let's bump into the neighbors, who we'll see in our first outing, the three of Firdyoc, neighboring barbarians with a curse of the Trohkborn.

  

Pyoroc the Sixth Firdyoc - Last upright earl of the Firdyoc, shares name and destiny with his people. 

• Health - ✶✶✶
• Combat - ✶
• Command -  X
• Administration - ✶✶ 
• Loyalty -N/A
• Age - ✶✶✶
• Diplomacy - ✶
• Skill - ✶
• Magic - ✶✶

Roakh Firdyoc Trohkmarked - Misshapen and short tempered heir

• Health - ✶✶✶
• Combat - ✶✶✶✶
• Command -  ✶
• Administration - ✶ 
• Loyalty - ✶✶✶✶
• Age - ✶
• Diplomacy - ✶
• Skill - X
• Magic - X

Dinaik the Hunt, semi-sacred killer of the crossroads

• Health - ✶ 
• Combat - ✶
• Command - ✶ 
• Administration - ✶ 
• Loyalty - X
• Age - X
• Diplomacy - ✶
• Skill - ✶✶✶
• Magic - ✶

Other Dux of the Rings Musings

Well, as mentioned previously I do believe that Dux Bellorum presents a pretty good feel for what battles might look like for Lord of the Rings.  Obviously turning a rather period specific system into a Fantasy Wargame isn't for everyone, but the goal here is to do so without really changing the rules.  More a resurfacing than reinventing.

There are some problems that have come up.  This setting requires a few additional Strategy and Tactics, particularly Heroes, the occasional beasty, the occasional flyers, Palantir Intel, etc. This is a quick start for brainstorming.

Rohan-Actually this one doesn't require much, they're Land Raiders, but they lose Chariots and War Dogs. They also gain the Option for Allies: Elves

Elves-Currently I'm viewing these as Allies only, for which they can provide 0-1 Noble Shieldwall @ 5 Pts, 0-2 Bows @ 3Pts ea, and 0-1 Noble Riders @ 5 Pts.

Dwarves-Again Allies Only.  0-1 Noble Shieldwalls @ 5 Pts, 0-2 Ordinary Shieldwalls @ 3 Pts ea.

Isengard Orcs Orcs-Slight modification to the previously created Mordor Orc list.  This is an interpretation off of the movies more than the books.  In absence of any archaeological evidence feel free to ignore, modify, or burn in effigy. 

Aggression +4     Leadership Points: 6-10

1 Foot Companions with Leader @ 5 Pts ea

0-3 Noble Shieldwall @ 5 Pts ea

0-8 Ordinary Shieldwall @ 3 Pts ea

0-2 Foot Bows @ 3 Pts ea

0-1 Mounted Skirmishers @ 2 Pts ea

0-2 Foot Skirmisher @ 1 Pts ea

Special Rules

Allies: Up to 6 Army Points may come from one of the following lists: Easterling, Southron (obviously TBD at this point).

 * Foot Companions are Shieldwall

 * Mounted Skirmishers should be represented by Wolfriders

 * One piece of Terrain if defending  

 * 0-3 Strategy and Tactics: Ambush, Champion's Challenge, Experienced Warlord, Fanatics, Loyal, Mead (Still a Must), Veterans

Easterlings-Right now thinking a force of ordinary shieldwall, a cataphract, little other horse available, and weak skirmishers.....Nothing really unique and something that could be covered by Late Romans at this point.  I will ponder.

Southrons/Haradim-Crux of this force is the Mumak....will they work on a table?  Is the scale of battles too small for the uber-Hephalump?  Is it just the Stampede Strategy?  Not sure yet.  Beyond that I'm seeing a number of light horse (skirmish horse) and warriors (close call, could have been shieldwall, really matter of opinion).

Until next time.

Dux of the Rings?

So... recently there's been the appearance of a number of rules systems from Osprey. It's a simple model, but one I suspect that will work quite well for them in the long run. Dux Bellorum however is a quality product, and brings something I've been looking for out of a system for a while. My problem is simple. I don't paint much quickly, which, when combined with my Gamers ADD, results in mot a lot being available to throw on the table. So that's meant DBA for the most part, which I'm fine with. It's a simple solid system in 2.2 (I'm not touching that whole 2.2+ vs 3.0 mess). But-it's simple, and the forces are always 12 stands on 12 stands, so it's not always balanced.

Dux Bellorum give additional details with a rather specific focused feel for the period. There are a number of fine reviews you can find online, I won't attempt to compete with their efforts. What I can say is that this allows a rather complex game with 8-12 stands on the table....well, at least it appears that way on first read through.

Now I've been a fan of the idea of using DBA (not HoTT) for "Historically Plausible Fantasy Wargaming", whatever that means. In much the same way Dux Bellorum could have a roll in similar fantasy gaming. However, as Dux is, in it's roots, a rule set focused on a particular period, it brings to mind a fantasy derivitive also focused on a particular type of fantasy gaming, in particular Lord of the Rings.

 Gondor should be run as a simple Late Roman army List with, as far as I can tell, no changes (though I'm sure some experts of the archeological evidence will argue with me). Mordor Orcs should be an easy translation, which was what jumped out when I first read through the book. Clearly I have problems.

Mordor Orcs
Aggression +5     Leadership Points: 6-10
1 Foot Companions with Leader @ 5 Pts ea
0-3 Noble Warriors @ 5 Pts ea
0-10 Ordinary Warriors @ 3 Pts ea
0-1 Foot Bows @ 3 Pts ea
0-2 Mounted Skirmishers @ 2 Pts ea
0-2 Foot Skirmisher @ 1 Pts ea

Special Rules
Allies: Up to 6 Army Points may come from one of the following lists: Easterling, Southron (obviously TBD at this point).
 * If Foot Companions are Selected, they must be Warriors
 * If Chariots are selected, only the Leader may select them
 * Mounted Skirmishers should be represented by Wolfriders
 * One piece of Terrain if defending  
 * 0-3 Strategy and Tactics: Ambush, Champion's Challenge, Chariots, Experienced Warlord, Fanatics, Mead (all but a must), Veterans, War Dogs (er...Wargs)